Esquire Photography

Good morning from Huntington Beach everyone! It’s Friday, I’m kicking off a new project tomorrow and I have a terrific article about one of my favourite past times with my friends and clients.

This is a fantastic bit from my good friends at Elegala.com about a topic that has very strong opinions on both sides. But what’s interesting about this article though, is that it goes straight to the heart of it too.

It’s the infamous…. Cash Bar at the wedding reception. Muah Hah Hah!

Before you check out this article, I would suggest getting your favourite morning beverage. There are some terrific points here that will hopefully inspire you to think about things perhaps a little differently or maybe affirm what you’re already thinking about having a Cash Bar at your reception.

There are quite a few fantastic thoughts that are touched on in the article, but before you check out today’s Wedding Tip Of The Week and you’re thinking to yourself… Hey – I’d really like to get to know this Orange County Wedding Photographer in Huntington Beach that wants to enjoy life 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.

Have a great weekend & check back very soon. I’ll be sharing another event with you that I recently photographed. And not just any event – but some delicious portraits that are just yummy – cheers!

Are cash bars at weddings a breach of wedding etiquette?

Savvy couples are looking for any way to cut wedding costs – and rightfully so. Shelling out nearly $30,000 to host a party in these tough economic times just feels frivolous and wasteful. But sorry brides and grooms, a cash bar is never an acceptable money-saving solution. Think about it this way: Would you ever charge your pals three dollars every time they grabbed another beer at your Superbowl party? People at your wedding reception are still your guests, even if the event is not held in your house (like said Superbowl party), so they shouldn’t be asked to pay for anything while there. Also keep in mind that, unlike the Superbowl party, many guests will have likely traveled and paid for a hotel room – not to mention a wedding gift – in order to attend your wedding. While the wedding ceremony is all about you, the wedding reception is about thanking your guests for celebrating in your nuptials.

Some couples think providing non-alcoholic beverages gratis while charging guests who wish to upgrade to an alcoholic beverage is perfectly acceptable, but here’s another analogy: Imagine serving all of your wedding guests free soup for dinner at your reception. Now imagine offering optional lobster tail, but forcing those who wish to eat lobster instead of soup to shell out $30 for their meal. Surely you can see why this shouldn’t be done. You should never offer anything that you can’t afford at a party you’re hosting – and then expect your guest to purchase it.

If a four or five hour open bar is not within your budget, there are plenty of less-costly alternatives that won’t offend your guests:

• Offer beer, wine, and soft drinks only.

• Offer a full bar for cocktail hour, then switch to beer and wine.

• Decide on one type of drink to serve – either a specialty cocktail, champagne, or one type of beer or wine. Most venues will charge significantly less to serve only one type of alcoholic beverage.

• Choose a wedding venue that allows you to bring in your own alcohol. Believe it or not, there are plenty of venues that do not have liquor licenses and will allow couples to bring in their own. Anything unopened can be returned for a full refund after the wedding. You may need to get a little more creative with your venue with this option and choose a mansion, museum, or a facility whose main business is not generated from weddings and special events.

• Cut back on other wedding expenses. Lose the expensive designer wedding dress and shoes, do your own hair and makeup, consider less costly alternatives to floral arrangements, drive your own car rather than renting a limo, spin your own tunes instead of hiring a band or deejay… Cutting some of these expenses will free up enough of your budget to serve your guests properly. We’ve seen too many brides waltzing down the aisle in a Vera Wang gown carrying a bouquet of imported orchids with newly manicured nails – all while her guests are hitting up the ATM in the back so they can enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

• Invite less people to your wedding. This is the most effective way to cut wedding costs across the board. The significant savings you’ll experience with a smaller guest list will allow you to treat those who you do invite with courtesy and respect.

Good morning to everyone in Orange County and across the US from Esquire Photography HQ in Huntington Beach, California!  I have a great Wedding Tip Of The Week to share with you from my great friends at Elegala.com.  This wedding tip is about helping you keep money in your pocket while planning your wedding day.

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 budget & it’s really starting to take it’s toll on you and your health & beauty.  Having planned my own wedding and been to 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, California that wants to enjoy life to the fullest and share a toast with his couples celebrating a phenomenal day, 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 article from Elegala.com & have a super Baby Friday – cheers!

PS… Stay tuned!  I’ll be dropping the TWELVE HOUR Engagement Shoot I did with Shelby and Matt any minute between today & tomorrow.  I am so eager to share it with you!

How to Stick to Your Wedding Budget

Oops – they did it again. Nearly half of all couples report spending more on the wedding than originally planned. These budgeting tips will help you stay on track.

Step 1: Get a Budgeting System

Establish a reliable method to keep track of all expenditures. Try to keep your wedding fund separate from your personal accounts, so you can easily determine what’s being spent on the wedding.

Step 2: Prepare to Go Over

Set aside five percent of your budget for a just-in-case fund.  If you absolutely cannot exceed $20,000, aim to spend $19,000.  When last minute costs come up (and they will), your reserve funds will save you from debt.

Some common costs you may not have considered when setting your initial budget:

• Tips for your vendors – 15-25% is customary.
• Trial runs – make-up and hairstyling – about $20-$100 each
• Overtime fees if your reception goes longer than expected – anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars
• Last minute dress cleanings or tux pressings – anywhere from $50-$100 each
• Postage for invitations and stamps for RSVPs – cost depends on how heavy your mailings are and how many you send
• Marriage license fees – approximately $15-$90; depending on state

Step 3: Cut Back

Serve three courses instead of five (save on catering). Have four bridesmaids instead of 10 (save on bouquets and gifts). Invite 150 guests instead of 200 (save on almost everything).

Step 4: Beware the Up-sell

With every detail planned, someone is going to try to up-sell you.  Don’t crack under pressure!  The fabulous designer dress, the top shelf bar, the succulent lobster tail – they all seem like good ideas at the time, but be wary that all of these upgrades add up.  The key is to prioritize beforehand.  If you want to serve an elaborate five-course meal with all the bells and whistles, you may have to sacrifice your dream of a 10-piece ensemble.

Step 5: Tighten the Purse Strings

Here’s a goal – try to save 20% of your income for your wedding expenses.  It may sound impossible, but there are easy ways to cut corners in your personal life to make saving for your wedding a tad easier.  Simple lifestyle changes like brown bagging your lunch to work, cooking meals at home, brewing your own coffee, renting a DVD instead of pricey trips to the theatre, and inviting your friends over instead of expensive evenings at the club all add up to substantial savings.  The best part?  You can take these thrifty habits into your marriage – and make it easier to save for other big ticket items like a new home, vacations or a college fund.

Last Thought From Little Ole Me

I also thought I would add to their article is that as a photographer and having walked he path of a wedding, it’s better to fore-go the nicer linens, or the fancier china or maybe even that small handful of really distant relatives or work colleagues and have a quality photographer.  24 hour after the big day, everything else in the wedding is a fading memory, whereas the photos aren’t.  The wedding dress that you wore will live on forever in your photos.  The photo of the delicious cake you shared together at your reception will make your mouth water and the photos of your flowers will bring back the memory of how amazing they smelled.

So before you think about hiring a friend of the family or someone that you found on Craigslist or a student that wants to build their portfolio.  Remember that the wedding photos can’t be redone.  I’ve heard from time and time again from guests at weddings that they wish they found me because my client’s Engagement Photos looked as if they were torn out of a magazine and the fun that they had with me was dichotomous of their experience with the friend that they hired for their wedding.