jthrasher

I did a wedding last summer where the favor was a bottle of wine with one of their engagement photos on it. I particularly liked the fact it was one of my photos. It wasn't a normal size bottle, probably half the size of a normal bottle of wine.

what's the deal with this game? I know you have to get the pink ball in as fast as you can but how does it score? How does the time it takes you to clear the table affect the next round? by the time I get to the third table the pink ball only has a 1 on it so I have ten second or less to put it in. what gives?

Well said Glenda!!

Welcome! Looking forward to hearing about these weddings!

Quote: Originally Posted by akh the suspense is killing me! i love that it's going to be a girl from BDW! spread the word!!! I want to get as many entries as possible! I've had some great ones already but some haven't qualified because I've already been booked for their dates. So... help me spread the word! sorry. :-)

Quote: Originally Posted by akh Fabulous! I don't plan on using a list like that - but thought it might come in handy for those that do. On a more important note - when do we get to hear about your contest? How many entries do you have? When will you announce the winner? I can't wait ... ! lol I won't say how many entries I have. There should be more that will post their entries as well so you'll be able to see those. I will announce the winner on the 31st. Keep those entries coming ladies!!!

I agree 100% with you Ann. I think we are on the same page :-)

also, one more thing. Another problem I find with lists is many times it can set you up for disappointment when you get your photos back. Many times it's impossible for the photographer to get ALL of the shots on your list because of how the day flows, people are late, the flower girl is sick, etc. You can't predict how the day will go and of go and of course, most of us do our best to get all the shots you need but just a warning, that most of the time it can't work out that way for one reason or another.

Ladies, this is all very good info. However, I think some of these details should be discussed with your photographer BEFORE you hire him. When you meet with a potential photographer, you should be checking to see if you like his/her style (of course) and also if he's shooting the types of shots you want. Many of the shots that are on these lists are obvious shots that a good photographer will know to get. Most of us have been doing weddings for a while so we know the important shots to get. Of course, there is no harm in letting your photographer know that you specifically want shots of yourself with aunt Betty or Grandpa Smith. But for the most part I think these lists were developed because someone had their friend or uncle Bob shooting their wedding for free. There are some photogrpahers (NOT saying me), who might get a little upset with the fact that their clients who are sending them photos because it shows a little lack of faith in them. You should be able to have total faith in the photographer you choose that he will deliver the shots you want, because you hired him based on his style and talents. Also, there are some (again, NOT saying me) who might take his/her client sending photos of someone else's work as "I like this style, not yours" or "my client is trying to tell me how to do my job" Again, i'm not saying this is me, but I think I might get a little frustrated if I had a client who was excessively sending me photos or telling me shots I know I need to get. Just a heads up and something to consider. I hope that makes sense.

FANTASTIC!!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Nrvsbride RM is gorgeous! The El Dorado is gorgeous! That being said a lot of your FI's friends probably won't be able to come b/c they can't bring their kids. But in all honesty a lot of them probably wouldn't have come anyway b/c it gets pricey when you are booking vacations for your entire family. I don't know of any photographers in RM specifically but I know there is a thread with photogs in that area. Also, Jonathan Thrasher and Leigh Miller (who are on this board) specialize in going to any locale you want and their work is stunning. Plus they are both very nice and would be great to work with. Also, I highly recommend using Tammy (the host) as Tammy M. suggested. She is great to work with and will probably get you a better deal than most TA's would. Plus she had a destination wedding herself so she knows all the little intricate details that go into planning one. Good luck and let us know if there is anything you need help with. -Glenda Thanks you Glenda for the kind words. Sanchez0014, I just wanted to point out that I am running a giveaway right now until Jan 31st. So I'd recommend taking a look at my post here: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t2157 send me your info and you might win! Take a look at my website and feel free to PM or email me with any questions. Jonathan

Quote: Originally Posted by host ann is on a roll...2 in a row! hmmmm. I smell something fishy here. kidding, kidding

Quote: Originally Posted by gkashmira OK, I know this is WAY lower quality than the amazing albums listed about but what about this: My understanding is they last AND you could always continue to save up for your expensive album What about doing a bound, printed hardcover book through iPhoto (anyone who has a current Mac can put it together). I'm making one for our roadtrip which I am REALLY excited about. They're very affordable and they are terrific - my friend who is a professional photographer (editorial not wedding) uses these for his own photos: $29.99 for a book with 10 pages (single sided or 2-sided) and then $.99 for each additional page. I think you can go up to 50 sheets (potentially 100 page bound book for $69.99) total. They come only up to 8.5 x 11 though so I'm not sure if that's big enough. But anyway if you want to check it out here's the link. Also I can show you mine once I finish making it and ordering it! It's also really fun! Apple - iLife - iPhoto - Books Apple - iLife - iPhoto - Books I think for "Formal" could be nice for a very classic look. We're actually going to be doing this for our gifts for our parents - I haven't figured out just what yet! Apple iPhoto books are great. They are so easy to make and cheap. But.. like you said, the quality is WAY lower. They will last in the since that they won't fade, but the paper is easily ripped and the binding isn't the best. I would only use these books for fun gifts and never as a primary album. The only other thing is they are only available to Apple users. (which I think everyone should be, but thats another thread) :-)

Quote: Originally Posted by Nrvsbride Jonathan I'm really confused by all this. If you get one of these books made does that mean that the photog doesn't give you other pics as well? Or do you get both the book and the separate photos. These are really nice. Are these like the coffee table books that everyone talks about or am I confusing them? -Glenda Glenda, that all depends on what the photographer offers. For me, it depends on what the B&G decide to get in their package. All my packages include and album of some sort and online proofing and ordering. So... they have the option of only getting an album but having the ability to view and order all their photos online OR they can have an album AND get the DVD or proofs as well. Does that make sense? It all depends on what they want in their package. Yes, these are coffee table type books/albums. Some of them are more like books and some are more like albums. To me, "albums" have a more substantial feel and weight to them and books are thinner/lighter. They are both the same "style" though as the photos are printed right on the pages.

Congrats and welcome!!! Hope I can help out in any way. Hey... i just noticed you're from Lansing! I'm from Grand Rapids! Small world this internet is eh? Please feel free to contact me about anything. again, welcome Jonathan

Welcome! I'm sure you'll find lots of useful info here. Feel free to answer any questions you might have. Jonathan

here are examples of the GraphiStudio albums. These are the albums I offer as my higher end albums. The photos do not even come close to doing them justice. Soooo stinkin cool. The first one has a metal cover, the second one is silk

Quote: Originally Posted by REBECCA Hmmmm. I am interested in the digital albums (is that what it is called? Where the images are printed direstly on the page? I understand what you mean. Unfortunatley I don't have a ton of money to spend. Can I get one of these done for around $200 - $250? I have a feeling thay are probably double or triple that. All the album companies I listed have albums where the photos are printed directly on the pages. Not slip in matted albums. Those are old school and I don't do them. I'm not sure about the prices of Shutterfly or Picaboo, but my prices for my Asukabook start at $345 for a 30 page 10x10 book. I can do 8z8, 7x7, or 5x5 for less. Keep in mind though that many photographers, like myself, have these albums built into the their package prices so you don't have to pay anything else because it's included in your price. Of course there are add ons you can order like parent albums and bridesmaid books.

Quote: Originally Posted by REBECCA Jonathan, What do you mean by "they won't hold up?" Meaning the colors will fade? Pages will tear?? I mean the bindings won't hold up. The pages might tear, or fall out because the bindings aren't as good. The covers might fade too. Not sure though as I've never used either of those companies. The Asukabook albums I make have regular book paper so it is possible to tear them, BUT, you can also get the pages with a protective coating on them to prevent tears and protect from spills. Plus, the bindings are much better. The Asukabook, which I use, along with the companies you listed in the first post, are more books than albums. Albums will have a much more substantial feel to them and most of them will have thicker pages that won't bend or only bend a little. Most will have protective coatings over the pages and will be bound very well.

Quote: Originally Posted by REBECCA I'm surprised there aren't more companies like this out there there are more companies out there, but they cater to photographers who are making albums for their clients. Consumers don't have access to order albums from these companies but you can still check out their websites to see the products they offer. Here is a list of some of the best and most popular album companies. These are not companies you'll be able to order from yourself but your photographer can. Again, I would highly recommend getting an album like these as your primary album. I use these: GraphiStudio http://www.graphistudio.com/usa/index.html Asukabook - http://asukabook.com/ Others Leather Craftsmen - http://www.leathercraftsmen.com/ Queensbury - http://www.queensberry.com/ Picto books - http://www.pictobooks.com/html/index.php Renaissance - http://www.thebookalbum.com/main/main.htm Albums Australia - http://www.albumsaustralia.com.au/index2.html Zookbinders - http://www.zookbinders.com/ Albums Unlimited - http://www.albumsunlimited.com/

I've heard bad things about Picaboo too. Shutterfly is a little better. But... I would HIGHLY discourage making one of these books as your primary wedding album. They are great for fun or for gifts to give out but they will not last a lifetime. The companies that photographers use for album companies will be a much better product and will last. They are more expensive of course but it will be worth it in the long run because they will hold up to years of wear and tear. The shutterfly books are great though for secondary albums or gifts for friends and family.

Quote: Originally Posted by riubride I seem to be even more confused now that I've read this thread! At first I wanted to do things more traditionally where my fiance sees me for the first time when I walk down the aisle but now I'm beginning to see the good things about seeing eachother before the ceremony. I would definately love to have a nice private moment with my fiance before the ceremony and I also hope that this will calm my nerves. I cry whenever I think about getting married & saying my vows. I guess I would cry less... that's why I posted this thread ;-) sorry to confuse you though

Quote: Originally Posted by JPMO ? for photographers: I scheduled 1hour pf photography before ceremony to capture us with our bridal parties. If we decide to see each other shoulh I schedule 1.5hr before the ceremony. We have 2 photographers covering the day. One likes "tighter" shots that the others... does that make any sense? I think thats wht she said. More time is always better because, in my experience, something or someone will be late so it's best to leave room for that. I like to have an hour with just the couple and maybe another hour to get the bridal party shots. Plus mom and dad always want the traditional group shots too. what they mean by "tighter" shots is one photographer will focus more on getting close ups (tighter) and the other will focus on wide angles. more than likely anyway.

welcome to the forum! lots of friendly people here so don't hesitate to ask questions Jonathan

Quote: Originally Posted by Soon to be Mrs. Hull Jonathon I have no doubt how much people put into these books. I am a scrapbooker and I know how long just one page takes me. I just know that I would personally love to make my own book because it would be my own views of the day and my feelings and emotions going into the book I am going to share with my friends and family, and hopefully children one day. I completely understand. Scrapbooking is huge right now. I have no problems with my clients making their own albums or scrapbooks. Most of them order the DVD with the digital files so they have all the photos to use. But... all my packages come with an album that I design and create because that is how I want to showcase my work. Not everyone is a good designer and I can't trust that all my clients if left to their own devices would create something that I would want my work in. does that make sense?