Well, truth be told , we at Beach Weddings By Deb have planned weddings for couples in two days. Especially elopements. Now, I am not advocating that everyone procrastinate planning their wedding but it can be done in a short amount of time with or without all of the frills. Providing the frills you want are available the day of your celebration.
But if you don’t want to take the risk of having your dream weddings location taken or the special cake maker available. The safest bet is to start making plans for your wedding, the day you make reservations. Whether they be cruise ship or Air, Villa or hotel. Then you will be certain your wedding day will be picture perfect.
If you are just starting the process, get a note book and jot down notes of all the vendors you have interviewed or talked with, file notes , emails and copy of the of the website address all together in a folder.
Then when you have made your decision, throw the unwanted ones away.
Now this may seem like a no brainier, but you would be surprised, how after a few clicks of mouse, the packages, websites, and locations all seem to blend together. Who said what and which location promised to be your dream maker all seem to be in a swirling cloud out in the land of the Internet.
It also saves time, both yours and the vendors you are visiting. As soon as you get an email or phone call regarding your wedding, file it with the proper vendor’s information. Keep your copy of the contract with your file and don’t forget it the day of the wedding.
Remember that with any Wedding Coordinator or venue you need to have a contract. A contract protects both the client and the vendor. The contract should also address what happens if you cannot make to your wedding or it has to be canceled. I cannot think of any reason that you would not have to sign a contract for services rendered. So if your Wedding Coordinator does not send a contract beware. But to avoid any problems and to save time and have a dream wedding just contact us at beachweddingsbydeb.com Call or email me at Deb@beachweddingsbydeb.com we have doing weddings and officiating at wedding for the past twenty years.
How can guest be the reason you get fewer professional pictures from your wedding Photographer?
No, I’m not talking about Uncle George and his two fingers over Aunt Martha’s head.
Weddings and families members with cameras go hand in hand. After all, a wedding is a joyous occasion and who wouldn’t want to join in by taking pictures of the bridal couple and guest. It’s a fun and cost effective way to get extra pictures, or is it?
Planning a wedding is a wakeup call to any one getting married. The cost involved for all of the vendors that supply your wedding services are not cheap. You would not have Grandma in the kitchen with the caterer while they are getting your reception meal ready would you? So why do guest think it is ok to stop the work of a photographer to get their shot of the arranged pose or group shot. What many guests don’t realize is that your photographer in most cases is being paid by the hour. Every time a pose arranged by the photographer is held a minute or two longer to allow guest to take their shots is money out of your pocket. Every time a photographer has to wait for someone to put a camera down to be in a group shot is money out of your pocket. Even if money is no object the missed shots that could have been but didn’t because of lack of time should be everyone’s concern.
It’s true the more pictures the better but wouldn’t it be better to have as many professional pictures as possible? Most photographers in the wedding business will work with the guest and are very polite and stand back while guest take the shots. I have seen everything from guest asking to have their camera used by the photographer, to asking them to wait until someone comes back from the restroom so that they can take the picture also. I have seen guest follow a photographer around asking for photography advice and how to fix their camera.
A classic example below shows what can happen to a special moment when other cameras are being used when the photographer is shooting. The red lights on the bridal couple are from guest cameras focusing on the couple. The photographer’s camera picked up the infra red which is on all of the digital camera these days. Since most photographers use cameras that pick up every detail they will also pick up all flashes from the guest.
Notice the light on Groom from guest camera
What’s the solution? I suggest having a person assigned to work with the photographer. Someone not in the wedding party. Let’s call this person the photo liaison. The requirements of this person should be close to a drill sergeant and the duties would be as follows.
- Follow the photographer until he/she is finished. At the very least, until the guest shots are completed and they have left for the reception.
- Have list of names of guest for group shots to be taken with or without the wedding party.
- Start gathering the group together so that the photographer can move from one shot to another without waiting.
- Run interference or when a guest asks the group to wait. Be prepared to say sorry can’t wait. Need to get this done so we can celebrate (or something to that effect).
- Be prepared to ask for cameras not to be used while low light shots are done.
- Be prepared to step in when guest want their camera to be used.
- Have access to water, tissue, lipstick, powder for the bridal couple.
- Water for the photographer would be nice too
Anything to get the best results from your photographer and the best pictures for you.
Also it would be nice to remember the photo liaison with a special thanks of some kind.
All total 194 years of marriage celebrated and renewed
Time flies when you are having fun. I have been so busy with this seasons weddings and happy couples I have not been living up to my new years resolution of posting on my blog as often as I should.
But I am going to make a good effort now.
One of the best times I had was doing a wedding renewal for five couples. They met every year on St. John for a week long vacation and this year decided to have all of their marriages renewed together.
All total there are 194 years of wedded bliss pictured here.
AHHh summer time and the living is easy, and warm, and sometimes very warm.
Summer in the tropics can be a challenge and planning a summer destination wedding on one of the U. S. Virgin Islands can be a downright gold medal event. Now don’t get me wrong, summer on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands is wonderful and beautiful. It’s considered the off season so you will find the best rates for air, hotel, charters, and weddings.
The beaches, hotels and restaurants are less crowed and island time takes on an even more relaxed atmosphere. But if you are not prepared for the climate you may be in for a surprise.
Oddly enough if you were to look at the temperature data of previous years you would not see much of a fluctuation in temperature. But it does get warmer. How can that be? It’s all in the heat index.
The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index
The temp that reads 86 degrees really feels like 95 degrees even with the trade winds. But don’t despair with a bit of knowledge and preparation your wedding can be a dream come true. That is if you have dreamed of palm trees, turquoise blue water, white sandy beaches and beautiful lush tropical landscapes.
Below I have listed a few suggestions to help make your day perfect, actually you could use them any time of year.
- Plan either a morning wedding up to 11:00 am or an afternoon wedding after 4:30 P.M. There is day light until 6:30 P.M…
- Plan on the wedding party clothing around the weather. Cotton and linen for the men, sun dresses, for the ladies.
- Consider using decorative parasols for wedding party. Hand fans for the guest.
- As a wedding Officiate I always have small cloth hankies available for the bridal couple for during the ceremony. Great for sweat and or tears.
- Plan with your Officiate to have a ceremony that is meaningful to you but is not over 15 min. in length if in the sun.
- Wedding cakes melt in a warm environment. Good thing is if you use Fondant as the frosting, they will hold up longer, the down side is the flavor. One of my brides had a fake decorated cake to have pictures with, and then offered cup cakes to the guest. This was a big success.
- Choose a location that offers protection from the sun while waiting for ceremony to begin and after.
- Make arrangement to have water available to guest and wedding party even if you are having a champagne toast.
- Plan with your photographer.
- Make a list of people to be in group shots and have a member of family coordinate it.
- Arrange to have cake pictures before the reception to avoid a cake melt down.
- Have water proof makeup, comp , powder and lipstick close by for touch ups
- Plan on a more relaxed less formal wedding, consider a charter reception after a beach wedding. Often with bar, lunch, wedding cake served on board while snorkeling and island hopping.
- Plan a reception with a catered meal at one of the beach covered facilities right after the wedding ceremony or in an air-conditioned local upscale restaurants
Summer time doesn’t mean you have to sweat the small stuff. (Did I really write that?)
Organization and planning can make it all perfect. If it all seems too hot and heavy (yep that one too.)
Call us Beach Weddings By Deb for help we will put our blood sweat and tears into it so you don’t have to. (Couldn’t pass that one up)
You have made the decision and picked a photographer for your wedding day. Before breathing a sigh of relief jot down a few of these tips from Make Up Artist Steve Moore of Moore Agency in Atlanta. “I always recommend that you use professional makeup artist but if you can’t remember these tips. ”
- Stay away from tanning booths or using fake tan sprays or lotions leading up to your wedding day. The color orange shows up too much in photos.
- Blend, Blend, Blend.
- You can use your everyday makeup, but use more than you normally use every day. Many makeup professionals use airbrush makeup, the method of choice for high-definition T.V. because it’s light weight, waterproof and gives flawless coverage.
- Sometimes less is more.
- You can get dramatic with eye makeup but use less makeup for day weddings and more for evenings.
- Don’ skimp on concealer
- Use a moisturized concealer on the thin sensitive skin under the eyes. If your concealer isn’t moisturizing, blend it with a skin cream. For blemishes, first treat them with a natural or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, and then cover with concealer.
- Not all mineral makeup is created equal.
- Titanium dioxide, a chemical used as sun block, can reflect flash, giving the bride a ghostly appearance. In 2009 makeup artist Annie May launched a line of mineral makeup especially formulated for photography called Advanced Mineral Makeup. It won’t white-out the bride under a flash.
- Use waterproof makeup with staying power.
- You don’t want to spend your reception in the bathroom reapplying your makeup. Foundation, eyeliner and mascara all should be waterproof. And in case you cry, have a tissue or handkerchief to gently blot your tears right at the eyes.
- Keep your lips moisturized and colored.
- Dry lips look dreadful in photos. Have someone carry your lipstick for you and touch up often. Matte and gloss lipstick both photograph well and be sure to use blended lip liner for enhanced definition.
- Don’t forget the groom.
- If the groom is red faced due to too much sun or partying, a little powder can help. That goes for the shiny heads, too. And it’s a good idea to slip a tube of Chapstick in the groom’s pocket for his dry lips as well as a handkerchief to dab well-wishers’ makeup smudges off.
- Don’t sprinkle on glitter.
- In photographs, it tends to look like little white spots, as if there’s something wrong with the camera.
- Remember to apply foundation and powder to your neck, shoulders and décolletage – you want your head to look like it belongs to your body.
- Don’t get buggy.
- It may not seem the place to have this – but applying bug spray will keep the sand mites and mosquitoes away.
- it will also stop red welts from forming on face and neck and make for a more comfortable photo shoot.
Meet Mr. and Mrs. David Engfer. Married March 16th, 2010 at Megans Beach in St. Thomas,U.S. Virgin Islands. A beautiful wedding uniting two familes. David a single father of 3 daughters and Ann a single mother of one son.
The day started at the Marriott Frenchmans Reef Spa with manicures, pedicures, Massages, for all following with hair and make up for the Ladies. A light luch and back to the Kiwi Cliffs Villa one my favorite Villas in St. Thomas to get ready for the ceremony.http://www.kiwicliffs.com/index.asp?wt=villa_home.asp
Blending of two Familes Ann Charest and Daving Engfer
Above is at the Ceremony at Megans Beach—Below is after ceremony toast.
Reception followed at at Havana Blue on Morning Star Beach.
A day at Sapphire Beach in St. Thomas after the wedding.