Some ideas for a successful wedding

·         It sounds like a no brainer, but one of the most important elements of your day is the timeline.  You don’t want to end up paying your vendors overtime charges  or keep your guests waiting because  some element of your wedding  ran late.  Staying as close to the timeline as possible is the key to throwing a successful event.

 

·         Instead of decking your space out in crazy centerpieces and crystals, focus your energy and money on things like creative entertainment elements.  One couple we worked with brought in an artist to paint the party scene.  Another hired a caricaturist and guests took home custom portraits at the end of the night. Yet another had a photo booth where guests were  provided with two pictures. One was a keepsake and the guests were able to paste the other picture in the guest book and write their greeting underneath.  Then again there is the Ad Lib where guests are guided to write fun things about the couple. These kinds of activities really make the experience special for everyone.  They also minimize the waiting time while photographs are taken.

 

 

·         While edible and charitable favors are popular, every now and then we see a very specific favor that works great with a fun story or background.  For instance, there was a couple who met on an airplane and gave luggage tags as favors.  If they’re relevant, small keepsakes can be charming favors.

 

·         As your most photographed accessory, your bouquet should harmonize with your gown.  Different dress styles and fabrics set the tone for wedding flowers.  Think:  delicate florals like peonies or lisianthus for a soft lace gown, and architectural blooms like calla lilies or orchids for a modern dress.

 

·         Choose arrangements that look like they belong in your venue.  Small loose clusters of colorful wild flowers would look out of place in a formal ballroom, while glamorous groupings of all white orchids with crystals would not seem right in a rustic setting.

For more ideas feel free to  arrange a Conultation  with TriniWeddings . Call us at 868 628-9333 or email mwilt@triniweddings.com

Portraits and Pictures

Looking back at the Fall/Winter 2012 edition of the knot.com I noticed that they did a good job of suggesting new ideas for photo ops at weddings.  I am including some of their ideas as well as suggestions from other  wedding planners. 

Wedding photos are THE lasting memory of your special day.  It is so important to making sure that the photographer captures the essence and spirit of the day.  You may wish to review some of these ideas with your photographer prior to the wedding.

·         Though you may not like standing for posed portraits at your wedding, don’t make the mistake of skipping them.  This is a special day that will only happen once.  Everyone is together looking their best.  Even if you think you don’t want them, you’ll be glad to have them after the wedding is over.  You can pare down to five must-take portraits:  the bride and groom together, the entire wedding party, the bride and groom with their parents, the couple with the bride’s immediate family and the couple with the groom’s immediate family.” (theknot.com)

·         Consider photos of the groom and his groomsmen getting ready.  The focus of the pre-wedding pictures  does not have to be on every hairbrush and roller in the bride’s room.

·         If you don’t mind having the groom see you before you walk down the aisle, consider “staging” a “first look” photo on a stair case, in a garden or courtyard.  The point is to capture his reaction to the first time he sees you in your gown.  This can be a special shot especially if you won’t have time between the ceremony and reception for many formal pictures.

·         Consider having the photographer capture the look on the faces of family members as they see you walk down the aisle.  You may not even have noticed those reactions in the rush of the moment but will enjoy them later.

·         Ask the photographer to seek out an unusual vantage point for shooting photos of the ceremony.  Request the same for the reception.  A wide angle shot of the reception area filled with guests will be a wonderful reminder of the entire day.

·         Think of your wedding as a “time capsule capturing the context in which your wedding takes place” (theknot.com).  In fifty years, your grandchildren will enjoy looking at the photos.

While wonderful wacky informal shots from your reception may be recorded on the disposable cameras you have left at every table, you will want pictures from a professional photographer who knows how important they are as a record of your incredible day.  Hire the best you can afford.  They are worth it! Check us at Triniweddings for suggestions of good photographers. Call 868 628-WEDD (9333) or  email mwilt@triniweddings.com

Smart Phones at your Wedding?!

The proliferation of camera phones has raised a new point of discussion for brides and grooms hoping to capture the essence of their wedding through a professional photographer of some distinction.  How to handle wedding guests with cameras in their phones and preserve the privacy and security of the wedding events is a growing challenge. The rules regarding social media are changing especially as it relates to the ceremony. Traditionally the ceremony was about the Bride and Groom. Today social media encourages random acts of mindlessness even though there has been careful detailed planning.  

While some couples may embrace the technology, others wonder “how to keep their vows from going viral”.   This concern has prompted wedding planners, coordinators and consultants to formulate some guidelines covering social media at weddings.

• Recognize that most couples make a distinction between the wedding ceremony and its more solemn aspects and the reception with its feel as a celebration.
• If the bride doesn’t want people to see her in her gown before she goes down the aisle, she needs to make sure her attendants understand that uploading photos of her in that special dress before the ceremony is forbidden.
• Consultants suggest putting a notice in the program itself which clearly states that this is an “unplugged” ceremony.  Reinforce this request by asking the officiant to remind the guests to silence their electronics.
• Some brides have posted signs at the entrance to the ceremony asking people to refrain from using electronics.  Placing a sign at the spot where the guest book is placed is another option.

Social media at the reception seems to be more acceptable.  Photo-sharing sites enable guests to down-load reception photos into a designated wedding album which makes it nice for the couple to see lots of the action at their party.  As one consultant said, the electronics made it possible for couples to livestream their wedding to friends and family who could not make it to the wedding.

“Outside of the Box” Reception Ideas

 

How about adding a kissing ball to your reception fun? Cover a large foam ball with flowers, slip a 72” ribbon through it and refrigerate it until the reception. Hang the ball in a convenient spot at the reception. Anytime the couple or guests walk beneath it, a kiss is a must.


Instead of having guests tapping their glasses to compel the couple to kiss, place a set of ceramic bells at each table or give them to members of the wedding party. Attach a note to each bell that reads, “When the bell chimes, it’s kissing time”. This effect is much softer and nicer than the clanging of knives against glassware.

Be sure to have instant cameras at each table for fun-filled moments that might not be captured otherwise.

You may want to select the couple who has been married longest and present this “bride” with your bridal bouquet or a special arrangement. This can be done in lieu of “tossing” your bouquet.

While flowers and or candles are the usual table centerpiece choices at the reception, consider the impact of a room full of balloons. They are relatively inexpensive and provide a festive party atmosphere. Keep the color scheme to a maximum of three colors and either scatter the helium- filled balloons throughout the room or cluster them in smaller bunches as table centerpieces. Just remember to make their strings long enough so that they don’t block the views at the tables.



Photographs in varying sizes and in a variety of frames make wonderful centerpieces. Photos of the couple, members of the wedding party and family members, at different stages of life make conversation starters and are a thoughtful way to make everyone a part of the occasion.



For more “out of the box” reception ideas email mwilt@triniweddings.com or call 868 624 4015.

Engagement Photographs

As more and more couples choose to have engagement photographs taken, the opportunities to depart from formal studio posed photos grow.  Engagement photos can be used in newspaper announcements, on save-the-date-cards, or as part of the wedding day décor.  Working with a photographer on engagement shots also gives the couple a chance to see how they like the photographer and his/her work before they sign a massive contract for wedding photos.

If the couple is game, these photos can be more colorful, fun, and creative in the sites chosen.  Some of the themes chosen for engagement photos can be introductions to the wedding’s theme or just a fun expression of the places and things that mean a lot to the couple.  Discuss your ideas with your photographer.

·         This is a chance to try some vintage shots.  Use a prop like an old car or antique bike or wear vintage clothes.

·         Pose with suitcases, next to planes or trains or boats to show your mutual love of travel.

·         Take advantage of sites.  Shots against a skyline or against an old brick or wooden wall can result in photos that will be different in look and feel from your wedding day pictures.

·         For a change of pace, have the pictures taken at night.  Outdoor lights can be shot on timed exposures, or consider candles, holiday lights or night lights in active parts of town.

·         Nature shots provide an opportunity for wide ranging activities.  If you have a love of the outdoors, have photos taken as you swim, fish, fly kites or walk.

·         If you love carnival, have your photos taken in your carnival costume.

For more ideas about unusual engagement photos, stop in at TriniWeddings for a chat or email info@triniweddings.com.