MarieSamSanchezPhoto

Perhaps we can blame it on the surging "selfie" practice or the growing popularity and affordability of owning your own DSLR aka "fancy camera," but these days weddings have become filled with more than just the one or two photographers you've hired -- it seems like all the guests are also photographers, and sometimes even videographers. Whatever the case may be, I'm here to encourage you (if you've hired professional photographers to document your celebration) to kindly tell your guests you want an unplugged wedding ceremony -- in simple terms -- "PUT YOUR CAMERAS/CAMERA PHONES DOWN." Encourage your guests to put their cameras down especially during your Wedding Ceremony. As a wedding photographer, I can tell you, there's nothing more discouraging than composing the perfect photo of an epic moment, only to have a guest who blocks or steps right into your shot. Not only is it distracting, it's quite discouraging to have to deliver a series of photos to the bride and groom that have Uncle Edward with his camera phone right in the middle of an otherwise beautiful photo. Trust me, I almost ran into a huge disaster when I was prepping to take a photo of a couple's First Kiss and a cousin stepped into the church aisle blocking my view. Thankfully, the couple laughed and paused before their lips met and I was able to move quickly around her and still capture their first kiss as husband and wife -- something that happens only once in their lives. But can you imagine how disastrous that scenario could have been? I totally understand the desire to have a million photos taken to help you remember the day -- I was that bride too about six years ago. I wanted the immediacy of being able to see my wedding photos from family and friends and didn't want to wait for the photographer's images. But I can tell you, when I finally did receive them it made me realize that nothing could compare to the professional photos that were taken on our Wedding Day. They were incredible, intentional and every reason why I should have had more faith and confidence in just relying solely on my photographers. They were beautiful, every single one of them. (Side note: make sure you hire solid photographers that you know you can trust to capture all the important moments and deliver beautiful photographs!!!) If there is ever a moment to want your guests to put down their cameras, it should be during the wedding ceremony. Have faith in your hired photographers to capture this special time on your Wedding Day, but most of all, encourage your guests to simply enjoy and live in the moment when it comes to the ceremony. After all, they did travel hundreds of miles to partake in seeing you get married right? So why not ask them to relish in the beauty of that moment and refrain from taking photos. Ask them to be present and celebrate with you. It's a simple but important request. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

I don't know what it is about the Wedding Cake, but it's one of my favorite details to photograph on the Wedding Day. And well, frankly, cake is just awesome in general Wedding cakes come in all shapes, sizes and designs -- from simple to intricate, to colorful and beautifully simple. Wedding cakes are simply pieces of art with a whole lot of deliciousness to boot! And for many couples, the wedding cake design is a crucial part of the Wedding planning process. Here are some Wedding cake photos (taken by yours truly of MarieSam Sanchez Photography) to give you a sweet little slice of inspiration! (Take a peek at Part 1, and check back for Part 3 coming soon!) - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

I remember when I began planning my wedding about 8 years ago and having such a tough time finding the perfect wedding garter when I'd visit any bridal shop, it just didn't seem like there were many choices outside of lacy and satin. I was personally searching for something very pretty and fun, that wasn't tacky, but also personalized so I knew my hubby-to-be would love it too! These days, you no longer are limited to the garters you see at the bridal shops because there are a plethora of vendors online that can actually create a garter suited to your exact taste and vision. I swear, I don't know how I would survive without the ease and convenience of online shopping! Click here to view a variety of wedding garters offered by Etsy creatives. There are so many options from lacy to sparkly to sporty and fun! * Wedding Finds is a BDW feature that will highlight special little finds or ideas that may help you along during your wedding planning journey. If you have a special wedding find to share, feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

I know how you must feel planning this day that you want to be perfect. Perhaps you're stressed out over your budget, unhappy because people aren't RSVP'ing or booking their trips like they should before the deadline, or maybe you're panicking because you haven't heard back from your wedding coordinator in a few days -- or has it been a week? I get it, I was there. Wedding planning, while exhilarating and exciting, can be really, really hard. So here are some tips from me (a past bride who went through it all, including the threat of borders closing because of the swine flu and drug cartels ) to help get you through this journey as a bride-to-be. (Click here to read Part 1). 1. Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help. I don't know what exactly happens when you put an engagement ring on your finger, but for some reason, it's like you gain super human powers to "do it all" on your own -- at least that's how I was. I assigned myself with the task of being a travel planner for my guests, making sure everyone had a good time while they were in Mexico, making sure I packed all of our suitcases -- we brought 15 pieces of luggage with us full of wedding stuff (yeah I was CRAZY!!!), and basically planning every little detail of my destination wedding (and yes, I even had a planner -- I know right? WTH? ). And though I was doing all this while also working a full-time job and being a mom, I never really asked for help. And when people offered to help, I didn't take it. If I could go back in time and talk to the the bride that was me, I would scream "ASK FOR HELP AND TAKE IT WHEN IT'S OFFERED!" I cannot emphasize this enough, you do not have to Super Woman. The only responsibility you have is to be a bride, but don't let the stress of trying to make sure everything is perfect get to you. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Trust me, if there's one time when people are willing to help as much as they can, it's when you're donning that gorgeous white dress and getting married 2) Don't Tie Your Heart/Mind to "Traditions." Wedding traditions can be beautiful things, but don't let them dominate your Wedding experience. It's OK if you decide you don't want to wear white on your Wedding Day, be bold and go for that blush toned gown that you look amazing in. Don't crumble if it starts to drizzle or rain on your Wedding Day. A little rain never hurt anyone and did you know some of the most epic wedding photos can be done on a rainy day? (Want to see proof? Click here.) Don't feel bad if your parents or in-laws frown upon you deciding to do a "First Look," even though you and your sweetheart really want to do one. A destination wedding is a unique experience all on its own and nothing has to be done in the typical wedding way when it comes to your Big Day. Cater your wedding to your exact wants, needs and desires as long as it's all within reason, and of course, in your means and budget. Make this day about you and the love of your life and celebrate accordingly even if it means coloring outside the lines 3) Have a Point Person on Your Wedding Day. This ties in a lot with Point #1 above. You should not be running around organizing things or trying to keep in sync with the timeline on your Wedding Day. Invest in a Day-Of Coordinator or ask someone in your circle who you know you can rely on to manage things behind the scenes and put out any fires and keep things in order on your Big Day. Come your Wedding Day, you should be completely focused on getting married to the one you love -- not worrying about why the flowers are late or where your ring bearer has put the ring. Turn to someone you can trust to handle things if any problems arise. Don't forget to check back for Part 3 of Wisdom from a Past Bride! And click here to read Part 1. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

I don't know what it is about the Wedding Cake, but it's one of my favorite details to photograph on the Wedding Day. And well, frankly, cake is just awesome in general Wedding cakes come in all shapes, sizes and designs -- from simple to intricate, to colorful and beautifully simple. Wedding cakes are simply pieces of art with a whole lot of deliciousness to boot! And for many couples, the wedding cake design is a crucial part of the Wedding planning process. Here are some Wedding cake photos (taken by yours truly of MarieSam Sanchez Photography) to give you a sweet little slice of inspiration! (Check back for Part 2 coming soon!) - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

Finding the perfect gift to give to your bridesmaids can often be a difficult task. After all, how do you say thank you to your best girls for being a part of one of the most important days of your life? In my experience, I've found that the most appreciated gifts are often those that are unique and personalized. Perhaps something special with her name -- a bracelet, glassware or a frame with a favorite photo the two of your share. A beautiful robe is great for Wedding prep photos or maybe a wristlet she can use for the day's festivities. There are plenty of options to choose from but don't forget to add a special note. No matter what the occasion, heartfelt words will always win the day. So no matter what gift you decide on, add a handwritten note to let your bridesmaid know just how much you care and appreciate her presence! Click here to view some great Bridesmaid gift ideas on Etsy.com! * Wedding Finds is a BDW feature that will highlight special little finds or ideas that may help you along during your wedding planning journey. If you have a special wedding find to share, feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section!

The hashtag -- it's the modern day way of putting a stamp on your wedding and collecting all those photos that will make their way onto social media throughout your Wedding experience. Last weekend I photographed a destination wedding for a couple who hosted a lavish Las Vegas wedding and their hashtag was #epicloveparty -- it was a brilliant way to brand their wedding and all their guests totally bought into the hashtag process. The morning after their wedding, I sat in bed and sifted through so many fun images on Facebook and Instagram based on their hashtag. And now the couple says they're working on their #epiclovestory -- seriously though, how cute is that? Do you love this idea and want to create your own epic hashtag? Wedding Wire has an awesome hashtag generator to help you craft the perfect hashtag. The Knot also offers these great tips to consider before creating your hashtag (to read about these tips in more depth, click here): Step 1. Start with your names. Step 2. Use numbers for a simple way to set your hashtag apart. Step 3. Get punny. Step 4. Avoid easy misspellings. Step 5. Capitalize the first letter of each word. Step 6. Check the hashtag. Step 7. Spread the word. Step 8. Don't overthink it. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

As a wedding photographer, I absolutely love documenting all the day's special little details -- things that the bride and groom have carefully included as part of their entire wedding experience. One of my favorite parts of the day happens early on, when I get photograph all the bride's beautiful details, namely The Dress -- yes, The Wedding Dress. One of the things I always remind my brides as they prep for the Big Day is to make sure they have a pretty hanger to use for us to hang their dress on, something that compliments their dress. I especially love the personalized wire hangers that have become popular bridal gifts in recent years. These not only add some extra flair to Wedding dress photos, they are the perfect memento for the bride! Click here to view a variety of Wedding Dress hangers offered by Etsy creatives. There are tons of choices perfect for every name, style and budget! * Wedding Finds is a BDW feature that will highlight special little finds or ideas that may help you along during your wedding planning journey. If you have a special wedding find to share, feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

I know how you must feel planning this day that you want to be perfect. Perhaps you're stressed out over your budget, unhappy because people aren't RSVP'ing or booking their trips like they should before the deadline, or maybe you're panicking because you haven't heard back from your wedding coordinator in a few days -- or has it been a week? I get it, I was there. Wedding planning, while exhilarating and exciting, can be really, really hard. So here are some tips from me (a past bride who went through it all, including the threat of borders closing because of the swine flu and drug cartels ) to help get you through this journey as a bride-to-be. 1. Don't sweat the small stuff and take a deep breath before you handle the big stuff. There will be times when you find yourself breaking down over the smallest of details. I remember going into a slight panic when I found out one of the colors of my bridesmaids' dresses was being discontinued. My then fiancé recalls me going into a crazed frenzy because the three bridesmaids wearing that color still hadn't bothered to get their dresses despite my constant reminders to "get it done." They eventually did and all was well. But it didn't happen without me pretty much losing it LOL. So before you decide this new problem is worth calling the whole thing off, step back and look at the big picture. Will this issue completely ruin your Wedding Day? Will it prevent you from doing what's most important -- marrying the one you love? Don't make any rash decisions or fly off the handle, if time permits, give yourself 48-72 hours to assess the situation/problem and go from there. 2. Not everyone will be able to attend your destination wedding and you need to accept that. The beauty of having a destination wedding is that sharing I Do's in a place far from home will weed out the people you didn't really want to invite but felt obligated to. Admit it, you know exactly who I'm talking about. The sad but true part is that there will be some people who you knew for sure would be at your wedding, that simply won't be able to make it -- for whatever reason. We had some people tell us they couldn't afford it or they simply couldn't take time off work. And then there were those who didn't want to travel to foreign country. We listened to reasons of every kind. I also lost someone who I thought was my best friend because of my destination wedding. About two weeks before we were going to leave, she told me her sons' father wouldn't give her permission to take the boys to Mexico. I later found out, not only was she probably making up that excuse, she was also trying to convince my other best friend not to go either. Yep, I soon realized she wasn't the person I thought she was all along. Was I heartbroken and sad? Yes, but I didn't let her lack of wanting to be a part of my Big Day bother me. She wasn't going to stop me from having the wedding of my dreams -- see advice point #1. 3. Be in the moment. You spend months, maybe years like me, planning for your Wedding Day. So when the time arrives for your destination wedding experience to begin, don't forget to soak it all in. I cannot emphasize enough how quickly our Wedding Day will fly by -- you wake up the day of your wedding and before you know it, it's over. Trust me! So take some time throughout your Big Day to look at everything and let your senses take it all in. Look around at all the beautiful details, inhale the fragrance and smells that waft through the air, listen to the music and the voices of your family and friends, taste and enjoy your delicious meal and drinks, touch your new spouse's hand and kiss him/her deeply -- enjoy it all. This is your Wedding Day -- live it, breathe it, love it, and enjoy every moment. Don't forget to check back for Part 2 of Wisdom from a Past Bride! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

Wedding rings symbolize a never-ending commitment shared between a couple, but these days, rings not only represent this unbroken bond, they also provide for some pretty epic photos on the Wedding Day. Here are a few ring photos (taken by yours truly) to give you a little "ringspiration" (this is Part 3, make sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2) ... - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

Truth: I wrote my wedding vows on the morning of my wedding. Last minute much? Heck Yes. But because I'm a journalist, I told myself, "hey, how hard can it be? I'm a writer, I can do this!" And so I rolled the dice and took pen to paper just a few hours before I said, "I do," and I wrote my vows. But I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't advise it. I was up against the clock and it's not like I needed any more stress that day!! But I totally get it, writing your vows can be really hard. So like me, you may be putting it off. After all, you want to pen something beautiful that your sweetheart will never forget -- words to cherish for the rest of his/her life. Here are five fantastic tips recently offered by Wedding Wire, to help get you started on writing those vows. Recall Relationship Highlights Recall a special relationship moment you shared together. Perhaps the first time you knew he/she was the one. Share Sentimental Qualities Highlight your sweetheart's best qualities and share how they make you a better person. Let your guests know what you love the most about your soon-to-be spouse. Say "I Love You" Don't forget to say, "I Love You." If there is ever a day to let he/she know how you feel, it's on your Wedding Day. And don't be afraid to let all your guests know just how much you love that wonderful person by your side. Make Promises Promise he/she the world, promise to always be there when needed, promise to always make date nights, promise to always take out the trash. Be true, be sweet, be funny. But always promise love and you can't go wrong! Click here to read the complete Wedding Wire article, with samples vows included! And don't wait too long to write your vows -- be inspired by love and get started now! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, my husband and I have been wedding photographer/small business owners of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

Wedding rings symbolize a never-ending commitment shared between a couple, but these days, rings not only represent this unbroken bond, they also provide for some pretty epic photos on the Wedding Day. Here are a few ring photos (taken by yours truly) to give you a little "ringspiration" (this is Part 2, make sure to check out Part 1, and stay tuned for Part 3) ... - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

It can be a touchy subject -- the "adults only" wedding aka "children are not invited." But how do you convey your wishes firmly but kindly when inviting your guests to your wedding soirée? Here are a few phrases to consider adding when sending out those wedding invites: -- "Adult reception to follow" -- "we have reserved ____ seats in your honor" -- "Respectfully, an adults only affair” Want to keep it straight to the point without beating around the bush so there's no confusion at all? Include one of these phrases: -- No children -- This is an Adults Only wedding and reception -- Please respect our wishes for a child-free reception -- This invitation is extended to adults only The bottom line is that this is your Wedding Day -- the one day in your life where you truly have full control to do things as you wish. My husband used to say, "it's the one day we can actually be kind of selfish and do things exactly how we want." So make it your own, but be tactful and honest and your guests will understand. Are you planning an Adults Only celebration? How did you communicate your wishes to your guests? - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, my husband and I have been wedding photographer/small business owners of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.