Do You Have a Backup Wedding Photo Location?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared and have a plan B when it comes to the location of your official wedding photos. This is especially true if you have planned to have your wedding photos taken in an outdoor venue.

If possible, have a nearby secondary photo location that you could utilise in case for some reason you cannot use your planned location. For example, your wedding photos might have been scheduled to take place in your favourite. The night before your wedding, it may have rained heavily, making the park grounds muddy and unsuitable for wedding photos. Fortunately for you, you have a second venue in mind and can easily have your photos taken in the new location without a problem.

The Plan B venue should ideally be an undercover location, such as inside old buildings with beautiful interior design, verandas, and hotel foyers. Not so long ago, one bride and groom had their wedding photos taken in an IKEA store as their original location was unsuitable!

Guest Bloggers : Call Out to Wedding Vendors

Do you work in the wedding industry? Maybe you’re a wedding florist, a wedding photographer or perhaps you hire out classic cards to brides and grooms for their wedding transport? If you consider yourself a know-it-all in your chosen niche, we want to hear from you! Daily Wedding Blog is putting the call out for guest bloggers to join our writing team.

The Benefits of Guest Blogging
The main benefit of guest blogging is exposure for your wedding. We encourage our guest bloggers to include a few lines about who they are and a link to their business website on their post. Our posts remain online indefinitely, which means that an article you write today, could still be bringing you traffic to your business’s website years from now.

What Should I Blog About?
Blog about what you know and your expertise. What might seem like trivial information to you might be highly useful information for a couple planning their wedding.

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How to Choose Your Bridesmaids Wedding Shoes

It is natural to feel a little overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the shoes that your bridesmaids will be wearing to your wedding. You will likely want your bridesmaids input into the shoes which they will wear, but at the same time, you will want the shoes to fit in with your overall image of the bridal party. So what do you do?

You Pick the ShoePicking the shoe yourself that each bridesmaid will wear is the best option if you want a uniformed look. Try to be considerate of your bridesmaid’ financial position before picking out the most expensive shoe.

You Pick the ColourYou will likely know what colour shoes you are looking for, so ask your bridesmaids to pick out shoes in that colour. You can also indicate the style if you wish, for example heels or sandals.

You Pick the StyleYou could just pick the style and let the bridesmaids find shoes that fit these criteria. Be aware that you cold end up with shoes with contrasting colours, which is okay if that is the style you are looking to achieve.

You need to make whichever options you choose clear upfront, so that none of the ladies end up spending a fortune on the wrong shoes. Be clear and concise in what you want and more importantly, what you don’t want.

Plan The Marriage

From the time a couple announces their wedding engagement, it is quite common for them to become focused on their wedding planning, which is only natural as they can be a great deal to do and the excitement is usually overflowing. However, how much time prior to your wedding day have you planned on your marriage?

Many couples usually avoid the ‘marriage’ talk and prefer to go with then flow and just see how their married life unfolds. However setting the foundation for a good marriage before you actually tie the knot is imperative to a happy union.

Open up the lines of communication early on. You need to discuss things such as whether or not kids are on the agenda, whether you intend to continue working once the baby comes along, family, finances, division of household labour, careers and so much more. These things don’t need to be set in stone, but you need to be able to discuss them openly.

Creating Wedding Slideshows with PhotoStage Slideshows

If you have read our post How to Convert your Wedding Photographs into a Slideshow you might remember that we discussed the growing number of couples who are now incorporating their wedding photographs into a slideshow as a fun way to preserve their wedding photographs digitally and an easy way to share their photos with family and friends.

Well over the weekend I had a play with PhotoStage Slideshow and had a fun time making up some mock slideshows. After I got all the novelty effects and transitions out of my system (which I highly recommend doing) I set upon converting 30 images into a slideshow and was impressed to find that it was quite a quick process and I ended up with a pretty elegant creation, if I don’t say so myself!

What actually first appealed to me about PhotoStage slideshow is that there is no steep learning curve. Once installed you’re pretty much ready to start creating your slideshow. This is due the simplicity of the navigation interface, which is broken down into five numbered steps.

1. Add photos video clips and music.
2. Add effects
3. Add transitions.
4. Record Narration
5. Save slideshow

One aspect of PhotoStage that initially had me unimpressed was the lack of titles, or so I thought. I couldn’t fathom how a slideshow/editing software could be missing an integral element of multimedia creation. Turns out though, that PhotoStage does in fact over text overlay, however it is hidden in ‘step 2′ under effects. Whist I can see why they did put it in step 2, I’m guessing to keep all the effects that happen to a clip or image in the one organized space, the video editor in me is wanting to leave titles as a separate final step, just before saving the file, but in reality i’m just being picky!

Having said that, what appealed to me most about PhotoStage is how speedy it was to create a wedding slideshow. Considering the sheer amount of photographs some couples will undoubtedly end up with (were talking hundreds thanks to digital cameras) the time it takes to create slideshows is a big factor, especially if you decide to make several variations.

To be honest, I am puzzled why this software is called PhotoStage Slideshow. As whilst it can produce top notch slideshow, it can also be used as a basic home video editing software. Therefore I feel the title lets down the software a little, as you don’t get the full grasp of that functionality until you start using it. It is a nice little surprise though.

How to Convert your Wedding Photographs into a Slideshow I touched upon including a slideshow with your wedding thank-you card. The great thing I’ve noticed about PhotoStage is that you’re offered quite a few choices for saving your slideshow beyond just the basic dvd. You can also output your project for devices such as mobile phones(including iphones) or you could output the slideshow directly to Facebook and You Tube from the software itself. This could be a very handy feature for some.

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Find out more about PhotoStage Slideshow.

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How to Convert your Wedding Photographs into a Slideshow

So you’ve just had your wedding and created some wonderful memories with family and friends sharing your special day with you, topped off by a romantic honeymoon. Now what? Well I’m guessing those memories have resulted in a large amount of photos to sift through and some choices need to be made how to preserve and share these memories.

Traditionally couples would frame one or two photo and the best of the rest would end up in an album, or alternatively the photographer would present the bride and groom with an album with the official photographs. These days, whilst couples still incorporate the framed photos and albums, many are also taking advantage of the digital platform and creating their own wedding slideshows easily from their own home.

Why Would I Convert my Wedding Photographs into a slideshow?
Anyone who has ever owned a digital camera will know how easy it is for pictures to accumulate. As well your official photographer’s wedding photos, you will have a legion of family and friends who will want to share photos with you from your wedding that they have taken themselves.

When these images are just kept on your hardrive or burned to a dvd as storage, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by them, which is why preserving them in a slideshow format can be a fun way organize and share your wedding memories.


What do I Need to create my own Wedding Slideshow at Home?
Step 1: Preparation: Your wedding photos in a digital format.
The first thing you will need to create your slideshow is your wedding photos in digital format. Most couples will already have access to this. If you only have hard copies of your images you will either need access to a scanner, or you will need to head to a print/photo processing store to convert them onto a dvd for you. You will also need any other media handy that you want to incorporate into your slideshow such as videos and music.

Step 2: Creation: Slideshow Software
The next step is to find software that caters to slideshow making. We like using PhotoStage Slideshow as although it has advanced capabilities and can incorporate videos, audio and images, the interface is easy to navigate and you can be up and running within minutes of installation.

Try to maintain some structure with your slideshow as this will help it to flow smoothly. Work out an introduction, middle and end. The introduction could be photographs of the bridal party arriving at the wedding followed by ceremony shots. This could lead into images of the wedding reception and end on photographs of the bride and groom leaving the venue.

Remember, when creating a slideshow, the background music is just as important as the images that you have chosen to include. Try to incorporate songs with meaning, such as the song played as you had your first wedding dance song, on your first date, or another song with sentimental meaning.

Step 3: Share:
Now that you have created your wedding slideshow you of course want to share it with family and friends. I like the idea of including a slideshow on a dvd along with your thank-you cards. You could also create several different variations of slideshows to send to different groups of people.

To thank your bridesmaids for their taking a special role in your wedding, you could create a ‘bridesmaid slideshow’ of images that highlight the important wedding ‘bridesmaid’ milestones that they shared with you leading up to the wedding, as well as images from the day itself.

Wedding slideshows are a fun way to preserve and share memories. The potential slideshow variations are endless limited just by your imagination!

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Find out more about PhotoStage Slideshow.

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Forget above giving us a wedding gift! Help me instead!

We’ve all heard the stories of wedding couples who have thrown lavish weddings on a budget. How do they do it? Well it’s partly due to clever budgeting and thinking outside the square, yet another big contributing factor is the help they receive from family and friends. Rather than having family and friends buy you wedding gifts, ask them for wedding help instead!

Where do I begin?
You will need 2 lists. In the first list write down all your family and friends who you could approach, and feel comfortable approaching, for help. You might want to jot down anything obvious that they could provide help with for example catering or flowers.

In the second list, write down everything that you need for your wedding. This includes practical items such as tables and chairs, and extends to services like florists.

Now, go through this list and see if there are any obvious matches. You might see that your Uncle Henry owns a vintage car that you could perhaps borrow for your wedding transport. You might also remember that your cousin Lillian is a hairdresser and could possible style your hair for your wedding.

How do I ask for wedding help?
Asking for help can be daunting. Generally the best way to ask your family and friends for help is with honesty, appreciation..and let’s face it a little flattery. Let me explain. Your friend Tom is a great photographer and would make a perfect wedding photographer. When asking if he could help you with your official wedding photography, don’t lead with something along the lines of you and your partner wanting to cut as many corners as you can with scrimping and saving and you remembered that he’s a photographer, which could save you a lot of money. That approach can devalue your friends work. Rather try to phrase it a way that shows that yes you are planning a wedding on a budget, but you are also very fond of Toms work and would genuinely be thrilled if he would consider perhaps being your official wedding photographer if his schedule allows.

Things to Consider

Don’t assume that your family and friend will want to offer you their services. Make sure that they know that it’s okay to say no without their decision having an effect on your friendship.

Ensure that your family and friends know that you consider their contribution as a gift.

Be aware of the financial cost associated with your family and friend’s contribution and consider offering part of the cost. For example, if your Aunty May is baking your wedding cake, offer to pay for the costs of the ingredients. Offering to pay for associated costs would be appreciate and will save you considerably, especially as labour is free.

Don’t Forget the Wedding Esky!

You know sometimes when planning a wedding it’s the little things that are so easy to overlook. I’m an organising nutter so I like to pay attention to every little detail, and this extends to the wedding champers!

Have you ever noticed how many post wedding ceremony photos include a glass of bubbly? It has a great visual look, and can look especially effective in black and white. Having said that, some consideration needs to be taken when including champagne in your post ceremony wedding photos.

For example. make sure that the champagne is being cooled in an esky during the ceremony. There’s nothing worse than drinking warm champagne. Also have some non-alcoholic beverages for those who do not wish to drink.

The T-Mobile Royal Wedding

This video is a couple of months old now, but thought I might share it again to help you get through those Monday blues. Regular readers may remember that a few years ago the Dancing With the Stars did a copycat dance with its contestants

Well a couple of months ago T-Mobile recreated this dance (although different music) using Royal look-alikes in honour of the royal wedding and even today I still get a laugh out of it.

Wedding Photography Inspiration

Do you know what ‘look’ you are after for your wedding photos? Are you after a traditional look, something more artistic or an elegant theme? Spend some time before your wedding looking through wedding photographer’s online portfolios. It will help you determine what style of photos you are after.

To avoid confusion and miscommunication, always take your wedding photos with you when discussing photo shoots with your photographer. It doesn’t have to be a sample of wedding photos; it could be magazine images or general photography shots. You are merely after visual images that are inspiration for the style of wedding photographs that you are seeking.

Remember creativity is objective, so it pays to be precise in your communication with your photographer, not only with the style of photographs that you do like, but also communicate with them the style of photographs that you wish to avoid.

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