Esquire Photography

Good morning Everyone!  I have a very special treat for you.  You may recall a couple of her Past Articles in July from my future beautiful bride; Ashley Drake in Orange County.  Well… she’s back & has a very powerful article to share with you about “Keeping It Professional” for your wedding.  If this wedding tip doesn’t get to the heart of things to help you plan your wedding better, then I honestly don’t know what does.

So I’m guessing by now I’ve got your attention.  I know when people were telling me that when I was planning mine, my ears perked up real quick as it seemed like every time we turned around the budget was no longer & we were just getting deeper and deeper in debt planning our wedding day.

So let’s say you’re an Orange County bride and you’re finding yourself bogged down with your wedding details & it’s really starting to take it’s toll on you.  Having planned my own wedding and photographed my share of weddings in Orange County, Los Angeles, and around the country, I think that this article is really creative and will help you relieve yourself of some of the stress or at least help you deal with the wedding planning.

But before I present you with this week’s wedding tip and you’re thinking…  Hey – I’d really like to get to know this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach that wants to help brides and grooms enjoy planning their wedding to the fullest, feel free to get in touch with me anytime.

I’m available just about 24/7 via Twitter, Facebook, the form on my contact page, or the old fashioned phone as well at 888.ESQ.PHTO (888.377.7486) or 562.225.5915.

And without further ado, here is the brilliant article from my uber-cool bride and good friend; Ashley Drake.   Have a super Baby Friday and a terrific weekend – cheers!

Keeping it Professional
By Ashley Drake

I am a very fortunate bride. My fiancé and I agree on 99% of the items for our wedding, and we agree about what they should cost. We are blessed in that we have a great support system, and a fairly forgiving budget. We did however make one mistake in the beginning of our wedding planning; that we quickly learned from.

I hired a friend to take engagement photos. Unfortunately, while the photos were good, they were now what we were looking for in engagement photos. This person’s strong suit was not in the type of photography that my fiancé and I prefer. We had two different shoots, and our friend was LATE for both of them.

When planning your wedding, it is imperative that you hire professionals, with references and good track records. In doing so, you will assure that the biggest day yet in your life will run smoothly and come off without a hitch. It is important to have multiple consultations with all of these people, starting from day one. It’s a lot like your dress. I went in for 3 separate fitting for my wedding dress; I have also had multiple “fittings” with my photographer, caterer, officiant, hair and make-up people, florist and DJ.

Knowing these people are on the same page with you will help you get through your day with as few potential issues as possible. Starting from the beginning, a professional hair and make-up artist will work quickly and efficiently. They will also bring you into their salon ahead of time for a run through. This will not only give you a chance to discuss what you like and don’t like, but will give your team of stylists a chance to get to know your hair and skin, and to provide an accurate timing for how long they think it will take to get you ready. Additionally, as professionals, they will know to pad their schedule in order to allow for any minor hick-ups that may occur.

When it comes to your ceremony, make sure that you as a couple, and your officiant are on the same page and speed. We chose a close friend’s father to be out officiant; we know that he has done more than one hundred weddings, and is personable, and will keep everything on track for the ceremony. This is important, because if your ceremony runs long, or short—this could really foul up your dinner/reception plans. This is also one of the reasons it is critical to have a rehearsal as close to your wedding day as possible. Making sure your officiant is well practiced and rehearsed will ensure your ceremony go well and according to plan.

For your reception, the caterer and the DJ should work seamlessly. They should both have a schedule of events, as well as direct communication with one another. I recommend a meeting with all parties involved a few days ahead of the event. This will give you an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have, and to make sure that everyone is on the same page. It also helps to have printed schedules for all of your vendors the day of.

Most importantly, DO NOT take any chances on the photography of your wedding and reception. This is one of the most critical points of your wedding. These are the photos that you will be showing your children and grand children. It is CRITICAL that you do not leave this important task up to just anyone. These are photos that you will be looking at for years to come, and it is important that they reflect you as a couple in style and substance. We have a friend, who was married 20 years ago, and to save money—he let his buddy take his wedding photos. They received two OK portraits, and the rest of their photos did not turn out. He says, to this very day—that this was one of the biggest mistakes that he made. If he had it to do all over, he would choose and pay money for the very best photographer he could. He doesn’t have an album, nor does he have many photos or mementos of the day he married his best friend; and love of his life. 20 years later, he is no longer friends with the “buddy” who took his wedding photos because of this very item.

Its very costly to get married. Its even more costly to have a large wedding with all the accouterments that we think are required of us. Please, don’t cut corners and hire friends to do the jobs of professionals. If necessary, cut in ways that can, but do not sacrifice a job well done for a few dollars. If friends and family persistently indicate they want to help; and do your hair/make-up, photography etc.; politely explain to them that you want them to enjoy your wedding, not have to work at it. This is the one day its all about you—make sure it stays that way, and that you are able to enjoy it.