Planning a wedding on a small budget can be a truly disheartening task for the engaged couple. Your marriage is fresh on your mind and you want to have the perfect wedding day but can’t afford to spend a fortune. Trying to scale down the costs, while the bride still has her special wedding she has always dreamt about doesn’t always go hand in hand.

Wedding costs can quickly get out of hand when the bride and groom to be begin to envision their perfect wedding day. With some creative thinking and budget saving ideas it doesn’t have to cost you and arm and leg or force you to take out a huge loan.

There are some incredible ways of cutting your wedding budget, including your wedding invitations, flower arrangements, the reception and yes, even the most important investment-your wedding dress. Vendors hear the word wedding and immediately over charge you based on the word wedding. You can cut these costs without giving up on those things that matter most to you.

When and where to have the wedding reception will set the tone for all your smaller purchases such as flowers and catering. The cost of a reception is usually by far the highest expense so it takes creative planning to know how to save money for the wedding event. Sometimes you can get discounts if you just think outside the usual and more popular or typical wedding halls. You can also save money by planning the wedding yourself and forego the cost of a wedding planner or consultant. After all, it is your wedding and who else will plan it the way you want.

The wedding dress is another place where you can save money. Since the bride is the one who will be searching for her perfect dress it may be easier to describe it to a trusted local seamstress and much less costly than to purchase from a store where they will add on alteration charges, delivery charges, fitting charges and more. If you are lucky, maybe the mother of the bride will have a dress she can pass down and you get to bring it in and just pay the alteration charges.

There are different ways of planning a wedding while sticking to your budget without making it look like you even had a budget. Planning a wedding with communication between the bride and groom and families are key to staying on top of the wedding costs.

Every bride and groom wants their special day to be unforgettable. For this reason, no expense is spared in finding the perfect dress for the bride, the best venue, finest food, quality flowers and music. Sometimes though it is the smallest of things that will make the wedding truly unforgettable.

At your chosen reception venue, your coordinator will discuss color schemes with you for your tables. Unless you have a color in mind, they will often advise you go with either white or cream tablecloths and napkins, as these are neutral colors. Most brides today do have an idea for their own color schemes. It may be possible that the venue may supply the bride’s color, but in the event that that is not possible, table linen can be rented in all shades from a seperate source. By ensuring that the tablecloths and napkins match, you will create a definite air of elegance to the reception hall. One thing that most people wouldn’t notice, but will if it is there, is to add chair covers. They can be in either a matching or complimentary color and will definitely tie in the whole room in with the rest of the wedding color scheme.

Traditionally, you will have water goblets placed on the tables. An inexpensive addition would be to add a lemon wheel to every glass. When it comes to the champagne toast, ensure that there is a fresh strawberry added. Both of these small additions will make the drinks look and taste fantastic. It will also impress the guests that you have spent much thought into the little things whilst planning.

The food has to be the best part of the wedding reception. Everybody looks forward to savoring the delicious delights that grace the tables. Welcome your guests with a pre dinner cocktail hour. Usually you will find a variety of spirits and mixers served but why not greet the guests with a margarita fountain. A small pasta station is becoming quite a popular addition to the cocktail hour. A small table with just a couple of different pastas and sauces is a great way to keep hunger pangs at bay before the wedding feast. Once the main meal is over, rather than serving individual cofees, consider a coffee buffet with different types of coffee on offer. Again these are not too expensive items to add, but your guests will remember them.

Setting the stage with special extras is the best way to create a memorable and elegant wedding. Try to tie in the color scheme by renting matching table linens and chair covers. Add lemon wheels to water goblets and strawberries to champagne flutes. Offer special additions before and after dinner such as a drink fountain, pasta station, or coffee buffet. Choose one or all of these recommendations to have a truly elegant wedding.

Simply put, photography is the taking of photographs. In a more technical sense, photography is a process wherein pictures are taken by capturing light on film or electronic sensor.

People engage in photography either for business or pleasure. Hobby photographers take photos for personal enjoyment and fulfillment; professional photographers take photos for a living, whether it’s fashion, advertising, wedding, or fine art photography.

Photographic technology has been rapidly advancing in recent years. During the film camera era, advances were slow. But in the digital camera era, the advances in technology have been rapid.

The 35mm film SLR camera was a nice device to own in its day, but the digital SLR camera can help even the amateur photographer to get the results of a professional photographer.”Once the 35mm film SLR camera was the camera to own but now, there are digital SLR cameras like the Canon Rebel Xti that give the photographer great results with less frustration than their film counterparts” says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.

Digital photography, black and white photography, and color photography have all been popular photography forms for over a decade.

Black-and-white photography is often referred to as monochrome photography. Black-and-white photography is not just the original photography style; it has remained an artistic photography style. Though color photography has been around for many decades, the special contrasts created by black-and-white photography continued to be used for their artistic appeal. “Today Black-and-white photography is associated with “fine art” photography, as in the style of Ansel Adams landscape photos or the George Hurrell style of Hollywood portraits” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.

Other types of monochrome photography are used for special uses to create artistic views of a subject in various hues of a color. Cyanotype photography is an example of using the monochromatic hues of cyan to create a photograph of cyan and white tones.

In the mid-1800s, experiments on color photography began. During this time, color couldn’t be fixed on the photographs and the color couldn’t be prevented from fading. In 1861, however, a physicist named James Clerk Maxwell took the first permanent color photograph. Back then, three cameras were used to take color photos, with the lens on each of the three cameras having a color filter in front of it.

More than 40 years later, in 1907, Autochrome color photography became possible for professional photographers. It was 1932 when Agfacolor film came out. Modern color film came out with the 1935 Kodachrome film. Another big moment in color photography was the introduction of ‘instant’ color film by Polaroid in 1963.

Digital photography uses digital technology to capture and create images. Unlike film photography, digital photography does not use photographic film for creating images. Images are instead stored in electronic media, such as a memory card in the camera.

Digital photos can be displayed, stored, manipulated and disseminated electronically. They can be printed without having to undergo chemical processing; photos can be printed directly from the camera or from the computer to a laser, inkjet or thermal print on photo or regular paper.

Most photography professionals who specialize in portrait photography or wedding photography choose digital SLR cameras. Digital SLR cameras give the photographer the ability to print out quick proof sheets so the customers can quickly pick out which photographs they want to buy.

Wedding photography is a complex form of portrait photography that requires the camera to have special capabilities that only digital SLRs have, such as making adjustments in low-light situations without a flash. The photographer also needs to be able to take great photographs of the dress, cake, and guests and quickly review them to make sure they’re good before the opportunity passes by them.

Digital cameras have become very affordable. The prices of simple digital cameras have been continually dropping due to increased competition and decreasing electronic component prices. For less than $100, you can purchase a digital camera that will take good pictures of your family and friends without requiring much technical knowledge or skill in photography.

As you become more experienced in digital photography, you may want to bring your hobby to the next level with a more advanced digital camera. You may even want to make a living off digital photography.

With the costs of arranging a wedding ever spiraling upwards, it is very easy to spend more than you can afford. The reception, the dress, flowers, limousines and all the other paraphernalia that goes into making the day memorable come at a significant price. A wedding is a very special occasion and one that, you hope, is never repeated, so you really want to push the boat out with the best of everything. Although understandable, if there is not a limitless supply of money, do you really need to start your married life with a huge debt? This is why many couples are opting for a budget wedding, so below there are some ways where you can economise and still have a great wedding day.

One of the items which are never thought of in terms of budgeting, are the costs associated with a hand made wedding dress, which many brides sell anyway, soon after they are married. It is easy to buy a wedding dress that has only been worn once for less than half the price and the beauty of this is that providing you don’t have any accidents, you can probably sell on at almost the same price that you bought it for. Another option available is to hire a dress from one of the many stores that specialise in dress hire.

Possibly the biggest savings can be made with the reception, planning is crucial but with some clever re-thinking, this is where your budget wedding will save the most. First is the number of guests, don’t just invite everyone you know and don’t be pressured to invite every relative you have. By keeping the numbers to an absolute minimum, you can get a smaller reception venue. You could then hold the reception at a restaurant, club or village hall where you could save even more money by doing the catering yourself or with friends. Then you can buy the drink wholesale and save even more money.

Although most professional photographers are employed for the entire day, this isn’t strictly necessary as the majority of guests will be taking photos anyway and would be willing to share them. You could even dispense with the services of a photographer completely providing you have a friend or relative who is a keen photographer and who would be happy to do this for you.

If you have a computer and a reasonable printer, you can save money by designing and printing your own wedding stationery. Your word processing program should be quite adequate or you could find some free templates where you only have to change thee wording. Always print on good quality paper and card even if you are planning a budget wedding as these are items people often use as keepsakes.

Flowers will take up a considerable piece of the budget as they are used in many different ways. Doing the arrangements yourself or with friends is a classic budget wedding option, although it will have to be a last minute item as you do not want your flowers to wilt on the big day. If you can find out where there is a flower arranging class being held, you could ask for volunteers who will probably be willing to try out their new found skills.

Wedding cakes are another costly item which can easily be made by a talented friend. The traditional three tiered fruit cake is often ignored for a funkier sponge cake which can have many layers and fillings. Another way is to buy three ordinary fruit cakes, then ice them yourself and buy the cake pillars and cake toppers separately.

It is probably every girls dream to arrive at the church in a Rolls Royce or other limousine but this is another expense that could be easily shaved off the budget. Ask around your friends if they have a decent car or if they know somebody who has and would be willing to give up a couple of hours to drive you. You may be having a budget wedding, but as long as everybody has a good time, they will not care that lavish amounts of money have not been spent, only that you will be happy for the rest of your life.

Digital SLR cameras are becoming very popular. According to a 2007 IDC report, there were about 7.5 million digital cameras sold. Canon and Nikon cameras dominated the digital SLR market, with Olympus and Sony taking up a large portion of the leftover market-share. In fact, Canon and Nikon accounted for approximately 80% of the total digital SLR camera sales, Sony and Olympus accounted for about 12%, with Panasonic and Pentax also having significant digital SLR camera sales.

The IDC report showed that Canon had been running alone atop the digital SLR camera market, but Nikon closed the gap, thanks to such popular models as the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D40x. In Japan, Nikon surpassed Canon in total digital SLR camera sales. “Nikon has always been the strong leader among professional photographers” says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.

Digital SLR, or dSLR, is short for digital single lens reflex. Digital SLR cameras are named as such because they are cameras that have a mirror behind the camera lens that directs light through the viewfinder eyepiece during photo composition.

In other words, there is light coming in through the lens, which is then sent by a mirror placed at a 90 degree angle to the pentaprism. When you take a picture, it is as simple as the mirror being lifted to allow the shutter to open. The light then is captured by the image sensor behind the shutter instead of being reflected by the mirror.

If you’re looking to buy a digital SLR camera, you’ll have plenty of choices. The most popular brands today are Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Pentax. It’s not a coincidence that these manufacturers are also the top manufacturers of 35mm film SLR cameras.

Canon is known for producing cameras of the highest quality. One of the best lines of Canon digital SLR cameras is the Canon EOS. The Canon EOS digital SLR camera gets good reviews for picture quality, options, and ease of use.

The digital SLR cameras in the Canon EOS digital series boast of the 10.1 megapixel CMOS technology that produces digital pictures of outstanding quality. Other Canon digital SLR cameras that have this technology are the Canon 30D, Canon Rebel XTi, and all the other Canon Digital Rebel cameras.

You will generally find Canons at the top of digital SLR camera review lists. Whether these reviews are compiled by Canon owners or by product testers, the results tend to favor Canon digital SLR cameras.

Nikon is another respected manufacturer of digital SLR cameras. The recent Nikon D series of digital SLR cameras has carried on the strong reputation for Nikon cameras as being among the best in the world.

At the top of the Nikon D series is the Nikon D300 digital SLR. It features a large LCD screen to show you what your picture will look like before you take it and what your picture looks like after you take it. But the price of the Nikon D300 is currently running at about $1,700. If you are looking for professional quality digital photography, this digital SLR camera is a good choice.

If you just want good photographs and you aren’t really worried about having all of the options for making the photographs look professional, the Nikon D40 is a great camera that can be had for less than $650. It has an adequate resolution of 6.1 megapixels. The compact design of the Nikon D40 makes it a great travel camera. “It’s a great selection for doing travel photography” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.

Still there’s the Nikon Coolpix P5100, one of the top rated digital SLR cameras in the point-and-shoot category. This camera has both automatic and manual control (zoom, focus and exposure), making it ideal for casual photographers. It has a 2.5-inch LCD display that you can use when setting up your shots instead of the viewfinder. This digital SLR camera retails between $200 and $300.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC line of digital SLR cameras is one of the best values on the market. From 2001 to 2007, Panasonic produced over 60 Lumix DMC digital SLR camera models, with the last of that era coming with 10.1 megapixels and a 12.5x zoom standard on each camera.

Most experts agree that Panasonic digital cameras are easy to transport and take great digital photos. For the camera buff who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a good quality camera, set your sights on any of the Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras. These cameras cost $400 and below.

Mention SLR cameras and the name Pentax quickly comes to mind. How many of us had a Pentax as our first 35mm SLR camera? Pentax, just like the rest of the camera manufacturers, has entered into the digital camera arena.

Pentax makes lines of digital SLR cameras for both professional photographers and amateur photographers. Two of the most popular Pentax digital SLR product lines are the Pentax K series and the Pentax optio series. These digital SLR camera consistently get good reviews for both photo quality and camera features.

As you can see, there are a lot of fine digital SLR cameras on the market. There are good digital SLR options for just about any serious amateur or professional photographer’s budget. Basically, it comes down to a trade off between what features you need and how much you want to pay.

Among the additional considerations you’ll have for your digital SLR camera decision are flash media types, warranties, battery replacement costs, and battery capacity. The only firm recommendation would be that your flash memory unit should be able to hold at least 1,000 photographs at your camera’s top resolution. If you’re going to spend a lot for a camera, you ought to be able to take all of the photographs you want and rest assured that they’ll be of the highest quality.

Composition is key in the making of a great photo. While many elements go into a photograph, composition can either invite the viewer into the image or keep the image one dimensional and without feeling. How all of the elements in a picture interact with each other through their placement develops the story and message the photograph is wanting to relate to the viewer.

Knowing what creates a good composition defines the great photographers from the amateurs. Many factors make up good composition, but cropping is perhaps one of the most important parts.

Photoshop can enhance the composition of a photograph through the use of the cropping tool. With this tool, you can quickly and effortlessly cut out parts of the photo that you don’t want or that divert focus from the main subject. By allowing you to measure areas to be cut, Photoshop makes cropping as exact as you need it to be.

The best part about cropping using Photoshop’s cropping tool is that if you don’t like how your photo looks after it has been cropped you can simply go back to where you started and try again. You can essentially experiment with an unlimited number of possibilities.

Here are some tips for better cropping.

Keep in Mind the Rule of Thirds

One example of the differences between the professional and the novice photographer is in the placement of the subject within the image. The professional seldom centers the subject in the picture, while the amateur almost always does. Place the subject off center for a much more professional and eye-catching result. Imagine lines dividing your image into thirds and crop your picture accordingly so that the subject lies in one of the outer thirds. Make a copy of the original photograph in a separate folder for reference, and then try out cropping your subject using the rule of thirds.

Crop to Traditional Print Sizes

When cropping your pictures check the sizing to make sure they will print in a standard size such as 4×6. If they do not correspond to these sizes try cutting a little more off. Otherwise when you take them into print at the local lab the photo lab may have to crop them even more to make them print the right size.

Framing an image through your camera can take backseat thanks to the cropping tool available in Photoshop. Any adjustments and editing can be made sitting at your computer. Another nice feature of Photoshop cropping is that no matter the Photoshop Elements version or the Photoshop CS version, the basic steps remain the same.

Internet users and music fans should be familiar with the laws for downloading music if they don’t want to face legal scuffles later on. If you are one of these users, finding the means to familiarize yourself with copyright and online music laws is not merely an option but a need. Free music downloads often sound too tempting to let pass, but the repercussions do not always look promising.

By now, you may have discovered several sites that distribute free music files for downloading. Millions of people around the world use these peer-to-peer websites without realizing the possible outcomes of their action. If you are looking for ways to orient yourself with the laws for downloading music, continue reading this article.

One of the most obvious rules that anyone would have surely learned in kindergarten is that stealing is always a prohibited act. With the abundance of Peer-to-Peer sites that share free music like traded pancakes, many internet users no longer think of acquiring free music as stealing. After all, the websites are in existence, and if there is any party guilty of theft, it’s primarily the websites and not their users.

Well, this notion is wrong. If you keep on obtaining free music from these illegal websites, you are in effect breaking copyright protection laws yourself. This is because by downloading free music, you are contributing to the revenue loss being experienced by music artists and songwriters. In countries like the US, violators of this law are being pursued heavily and consistently.

Albeit there are variations on the copyright laws between governments, the laws for downloading music retains its gist by citing music piracy and theft as illicit. This is why it is substantial for anyone to recognize copyright protection laws, wherever they may be in the world.

You might be wondering how you will be able to load your favorite music to your nice little MP3 or MP4 player, the legal way. There are legitimate websites that allow you participate in music downloading, and these sites are always better choices. You can also upload songs from your original CD to your PC and download them to your music player. Now that you are already aware of the laws for downloading music, there is no basis for you to keep breaking them.

As for the legitimate websites, these normally require a membership fee from you in exchange for a year of unlimited downloads. The fee itself is no cause for panic. Oftentimes, the cost does not even exceed the amount you would normally pay for an original CD or DVD. It is always important for internet users to recognize the legitimacy of the websites they deal with, as well as the laws that oversee such transactions.

Need to know where else you can read up on laws for downloading music online? Visit my blog today and find out.

by Sean Lamb

Today’s weddings celebrations are not complete without wedding favors on the table at the reception. These started out as small bags of sugared almonds and have grown into a huge variety of different and exciting gifts. Don’t be afraid, there are many companies offering a wide range of items, many that can be customised to you particular wedding, and choosing one couldn’t be easier. Below are a few of the popular ideas that you may like to consider, the final choice will be dictated by your wedding theme and your budget.

If you really cannot decide, you can always choose the easy wedding favor option of flowers, which can also decorate the reception at the same time. The big plus with this option is the ease and speed with which flowers can be organized. Red roses always look attractive and of course they don’t have to be wrapped like many other flowers. Placing the rose on the wedding reception table where the guest are seated is a nice touch and doesn’t need to be done until the last minute.

Sweets can be an easy wedding favor to arrange and there are a number of ways to give them, such as presenting each guest with a small tin or basket filled with different sweets. A simpler, but possibly more interesting method, is to present the sweets in a large glass bowl, then, provide each wedding guest with a small bag or box to place their favourites sweets in. This means that you won’t have to wrap anything yourself and it should be acceptable to everyone as they get to chose only the type of sweets they like.

An alternative to using confectionery, is a picture frame which can double up as a place holder, just for the occasion. Although presentation is everything, there are ways around wrapping wedding favors and picture frames are an ideal example of how you can avoid this task. Almost all receptions have place names at the tables for the guests so this is an ideal way to present the frame without the need to spend time and more money on wrapping paper which, let’s face it, will only be discarded.

If you’re looking for a practical wedding favor, how about a drinks coaster? These can be matched to your wedding theme and customised to your own choice. Some will even double as a photo frame and could be used as place cards as well.

For those of you who want something more ecologically friendly, there are a range of products available. Cards that come with flower seeds built in so that after the wedding, they can be planted to give an annual reminder of your big day, every time the flowers return. There are vegetable seeds in a fake match book so that you tear them off and plant them to get an edible memory of your wedding.

A quirky idea for your guests could be a bottle stopper. Don’t dismiss this as nowadays, everybody is aware of the number of units of alcohol that should be consumed. This means that a bottle of wine may not be consumed in one night, so your gift will be perfect.

For a truly personal wedding favor, you can hire a professional photographer to take a picture of each guest as they arrive at the reception. Then, have a printer and glossy paper so that you can give everybody a picture of themselves looking great. You may even be able to arrange to have a slide show of the pictures so that everybody can see each other in their beautiful wedding outfits.

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Don’t plan your wedding or civil partnership without reading more of Sean Lambs’ amazing articles.

by John Bowe

For many people the whole idea of buying a digital camera is confusing with so many to choose from. Finding the best digital camera should really be quite simple with all the consumer reports and comparisons available both online and in written periodicals. Once the search is over it is time to gather up your savings for the camera of your dreams; that brand new 10 megapixel, 10 times optical zoom camera with a two and a half inch screen.

It is only when you get to the mall and take a look in the camera shop that you realize that your choice is now on special offer because it has been replaced with a more feature packed model at a higher price.

So we have a dilemma because now there is this new version, we simply must have this latest best digital camera. Because we always want to have the best, we decide to buy this latest Best Digital Camera deciding to pay the extra but use our favorite credit card. There are certain factors to consider when looking for any digital camera. First off try and search out a model with a higher number of pixels, referred to megapixels; you ideally need over 5 although with today’s cameras it would be hard to find one under that anyway.

Although it is not always the case, a good rule of thumb is the more pixels you have the better the image will be when it is printed. The resolution of your image is based upon the mega-pixel property of your camera which means that as you enlarge the picture, you would get more detail and less blurry colors.

The advantage of larger LCD screens on the cameras means you have more control over the composition of the finished image and it is much easier to see the shots you have taken afterwards. Making adjustments to the photo you have just taken is just one of the many functions now incorporated into good digital cameras helped by having a big LCD screen.

Be sure to pay attention to the batteries which have a tendency to run for the larger the LCD screen the faster it runs out; so make sure you carry spare ones! Almost every digital camera has a digital zoom but it is the optical zoom that you need to try for if your budget will extend to it.

Low spec cameras that only cost a fraction for their quality cousins will only have a digital zoom; unless you really aren’t at all fussy about your shots you would be well advised to stay clear of buying a digital zoom only camera. Your camera will normally come with a memory card albeit a small one so you will probably need to buy a large capacity card, so use the one you have to make sure you purchase the correct one.

Memory cards are used in all sorts of electronic gadgets and you may already have heard of the main ones: Sony’s Memory Stick, compact Flash, Secure Digital and XD cards for example. Try to obtain the largest memory you can for your camera and your budget.

For example, for the price of a 64mb card a couple of years ago you can probably now buy a 1 gigabyte and now some memory cards can go up to 16 gigabytes.

Whatever best digital camera you choose, make sure it is something you will use regularly. Actually, the best camera is the one that you will enjoy and use for a long time without the need to upgrade constantly.

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Photography is defined simply as taking photographs. In a bit more technical terms, photography is the capturing of light to create a two dimensional image on a medium such as film or digital media.

Photography can be a pursuit of pleasure or a pursuit of financial gain. Whether you do photography as a hobby for the sake of your own enjoyment or do photography as a professional pursuit, the quality of your photographs will influence how much benefit you get out of it.

Over the years the technology behind photography has advanced quite a bit. While advances were made during the film era, they were slow. Now, in the digital era, rapid advances have made the digital camera very popular.

The 35mm film SLR camera was a nice device to own in its day, but the digital SLR camera can help even the amateur photographer to get the results of a professional photographer.”Once the 35mm film SLR camera was the camera to own but now, there are digital SLR cameras like the Canon Rebel Xti that give the photographer great results with less frustration than their film counterparts” says Minneapolis photographer Bob Dale.

Digital photography, black and white photography, and color photography have all been popular photography forms for over a decade.

This is the most popular variation of monochrome photography. Early photography was done in black and white. Black and white photography continues to be very popular because the shadows and coloring displayed in black and white photography give it some artistic appeal. “Today Black-and-white photography is associated with “fine art” photography, as in the style of Ansel Adams landscape photos or the George Hurrell style of Hollywood portraits” says professional digital photographer Bob Dale.

Other types of monochrome photography are used for special uses to create artistic views of a subject in various hues of a color. Cyanotype photography is an example of using the monochromatic hues of cyan to create a photograph of cyan and white tones.

While mainstream color photography technology has only been around for several decades, color photography could be captured by scientists to some extent as early as the middle of the 19th century. Early color photography simply faded over short periods of time, but by 1861, James Clerk Maxwell managed to develop a permanent color photograph. These first color photographs were taken by three separate cameras capturing three separate colors.

It wasn’t until 1907 with the introduction of Autochrome that color photography took off. In 1932, Agfa introduced Agfacolor, a color film. In 1935, Kodak came out with Kodachrome, the first modern integrated tri-pack color film, which significantly simplified film processing. In 1963, Polaroid introduced the instant color film.

Digital photography uses digital technology to capture and create images. Unlike film photography, digital photography does not use photographic film for creating images. Images are instead stored in electronic media, such as a memory card in the camera.

As you can imagine, photography that is done in digital form can be easily saved, manipulated, and shared with digital electronics. Instead of dealing with tedious chemical and image transfer processes, you can simply print your pictures straight from the digital media or from your computer.

Most photography professionals who specialize in portrait photography or wedding photography choose digital SLR cameras. Digital SLR cameras give the photographer the ability to print out quick proof sheets so the customers can quickly pick out which photographs they want to buy.

Digital SLRs become particularly handy for wedding photography in varying lighting conditions where the digital camera can make adjustments for the lighting without the need for flash. It is also handy to be able to quickly review photographs during the event to make sure the photographer has gotten good pictures of the wedding guests, wedding dress, and wedding cake while the opportunity for retakes still exists.

A digital camera is a relatively affordable device. Digital cameras for novices can be purchased without much investment due to decreasing costs of electronic components and increasing market competition. In fact, a small, but very capable digital camera, can be purchased for less than $100 to meet most novice photography needs.

As you become more experienced in digital photography, you may want to bring your hobby to the next level with a more advanced digital camera. You may even want to make a living off digital photography.

Flowers are a big part of your wedding, and a part that will be remembered. There are flowers for the bouquets, buttoneers, the church and the reception.

The first thing to consider is the scent. You may not want flowers that are too fragrant, as some people may have allergies. It may also take away from other parts of your wedding.

You should ask the people in the bridal party if they have any allergies, or flowers that they just can’t stand to smell. It would not be good if somone had a sneezing fit during your wedding.

The color of your flowers is very important. If you already have a color scheme set, you will be some what limited. You will want to colors to flow with the bridal party’s clothing. You may also want to alert the mothers and grandmothers. They will want their flowers to match their outfits. Sometimes you may be able to make a couple of small changes to accommodate people. Like maybe a piece of colored ribbon. That may make the flowers blend better.

You will also want to have a plan for what will happen to the flowers after the wedding. Perhaps some could be donated to the church. You may want to have a way to give some friends the centerpieces from the reception. Perhaps mark a chair or place setting, draw a name from a hat, or put a number on the centerpiece and have a number guessing game at each table.

In our book, Wedding Savings Revealed , we cover the meaning of over 300 flowers. Please take a look at it. You want to make sure that you know all the choices before you make your final selection.

Today it is becoming more popular for couples to write their own vows. This is one way to make sure that your wedding is perfect and unique.

Writing your own vows gives you a chance to incorporate your inner most feelings and intimate messages. It will surely make your wedding more memorable, dramatic, and touching. Of course without the proper planning it could turn your wedding into a comedy of errors.

Talk with whoever is officiating your wedding ahead of time. He or she will let give you some guidelines to get you started, and any pointers needed to keep it legal. You will also want to review the final vows with them.

Make sure that you keep it brief. You will have to memorize the vows. And your memory may be a little shorter on the big day because of your nerves!

Make sure that you practice before the big day. I would not recommend reading your vows. So practice until you have them down cold. It would also be a good idea to practice in front of a close friend.

In the sidebar of this site you will find a link to a very good book on wedding vows entitled: Instant Vows. It will give you a big head start. Also take a look at some wedding vow videos. The link to the video site is at the top. Click on “Wedding Vows” in the tag cloud.

You will only get one shot at this. Some make sure that you put a lot of thought into it and look at what other people have done. Practice hard and commit them to memory. Make sure they are are something that you will want to remember and live up to for the rest of your life!

Some people say that the average wedding today costs around $20,000. Of course that depends on where you live and who you are!  So if you are planning a wedding on a budget, you will want to read this!

The two most important keys to planning a wedding on a budget are planning and organization. You can not save money if you start planning your wedding a month before the event!

I recommend that you get a 3 ring binder, some dividers, and paper. This will be your wedding “bible”. Make a section for EVERY aspect of your wedding. Every time you see something that you like or that will save you money, put it in the binder. You will use this for brainstorming. Review each section periodically and add ideas.

Using friends and relatives to help with various tasks can save a bundle. Just make sure that they are trustworthy and that you have a clear understanding about your expectations.  Just because someone is nice and owns a camera, does not mean that they can photograph your wedding! If you make a bad call on this you could easily ruin your whole wedding day!

Do your research. There are many resources such as books and software programs that are inexpensive and easily accessible to help you. Planning a wedding on a budget has never been easier! Just make sure that you do your homework!

You could spend a small fortune on a wedding gown. Yet, it may not make you feel any better. More important is how the gown enhances your look and figure!

Whether a wedding gown is expensive or not has nothing to do with how it makes you feel.  This is the most important and why I think that you should spend a lot of time looking for your perfect wedding gown.

There are a lot of choices when buying your wedding gown. From a custom made wedding gown, to one off the rack, to a second hand wedding gown.  You could buy on line or from a local store in your town ( Click on the photo to see our gowns).

If you are on a budget you may certainly consider a second hand wedding gown. After all, it was only worn once. And that is all you will wear it! You could be wearing a designer wedding gown at a very small portion of the original price.  And no one will ever know. And when the wedding is over you may sell the wedding gown, and get part of your money back.

Some things to think about. Does the wedding gown fit the theme and time of day and season? Do you look good from ALL angles. Make sure that you have a friend or look in a mirror that shows all sides. I would not count on a sales person’s opinion. After all, they want you to BUY something.

Make sure that you feel good in your wedding gown. You must be comfortable while feeling that you look good in it.

Try sitting in the wedding gown. Think about all of the things that you will be doing at your wedding and reception. Will you have to kneel? Get in and out of a car? Dance? Make sure that you are flexible in your wedding gown.

Again, this is YOUR big day. Make sure that YOU feel good in your wedding gown. Do some early shopping to insure that you have “The Perfect Wedding Gown” for you.

Just as with everything else, you must plan well in advance if you want to have the perfect wedding hair style! Use your regular hair dresser. Book your appointment as soon as you can.

Don’t wait until the day of the wedding to try your hair style. Have it done at least a week before the wedding. Take some pictures of your wedding hair style. That way you can look at your wedding hair style from all angles. You can make any notes of changes. That way you will be prepared on your wedding day.

Let your hairdresser in on all of the details of your wedding so that she can help you create your “perfect wedding hair style”! Show her pictures of the dress. Let her know if there is a theme. Tell her what kind of flowers you will have. You may even decide to incorporate some flowers into your wedding hair style. If so, make sure that they are delivered early enough to your hairdresser.

Another thing that you may want to consider is a backup. Who will do your hair if something goes wrong with your regular hairdresser? Be prepared with notes and pictures of your wedding hair style in case you have to go this route.

One last note. You may want to follow up with your hairdresser a few days before the wedding to insure that everything is in order.

I put some new videos up that show wedding hair styles being done. Be sure to check them out! The link is at the top of the web site, in case you have not found it yet.

One of the things that couples struggle with is the wording for their wedding invitations. It should not stress you out. Use the same wording that you would use if you were talking to a friend.

Mostly you will be inviting friends, family, and coworkers, and this will add a personal touch to your wedding invitation. This will make it a part of you and put your personality into it.

Sit down with your future spouse and discuss how you would like for it to be worded. Keep it light. Reflect the mood that you are in.

Add a little humor to it, if that is the way that you are. It will make people smile and enjoy your wedding invitation. It will make them look forward to attending the wedding.

It is YOUR wedding and the invitations should reflect your personality. I would not get hung up on trying to be formal, or something that is not you.

Once you have the wording, bounce it off of some close friends. Put it away and review it a week later. Does it still look great, or have you been thinking of some changes?

Again, planning ahead is the key. Give yourself plenty of time for rewrites. Make sure that you are satisfied before you go to the printer!

This will be the first glimpse of your wedding for everyone, so this is the chance for you to show what is to come! Give them something to get excited about!

Your guests will remember the food from your wedding, whether it was great or nasty! And it will be part of the memory of your wedding day. Good planning and a little work will insure that it is a good experience that adds to your wedding day, without sending you to the “poor house”.

If you are on a tight budget, consider the time of day. If it is an earlier wedding your guests will not be expecting a big meal. I have been to weddings where a brunch was served and they were quite impressive!

Also, if you have friends who are willing to help (and able),  that could save you some money. And close friends are usually more than willing to help. Also you may look for someone who is starting out and may work for a lower cost. Just make sure that they have some references.

Catering is a big business and the competition is good for you. If you have the money, you can really make your big day impressive. There are many areas that they can shine. Taste, uniforms and food presentation to name a few.

Also, if you have your reception location picked, they may offer a food service. If not, they have probably worked with caterers and can help with recommendations.

Make sure that you have an idea of about how many guests you will have and a general idea of what type of meal you will be looking for before you start getting quotes. I would also have a backup plan, just in case you get sticker shock!

And of course if you are having a theme wedding, you should stay with the theme, which will reduce your choices. It could also eliminate some caterers, depending upon your theme.

Here again, you must do the proper planning to make your wedding day “The Best Day of Your Life!”

Your wedding will be affected all 5 of everyone’s senses. The sounds that they will hear will stay with them forever and add to the pleasant memory. That is why your selection of the music is so important! A certain song heard at your wedding, when played again in the future, will remind them of your wedding.

You should of course choose a song or songs that have special meaning to you and your new spouse. And of course you may place the song or songs in several different places in the schedule.

Now if you have chosen to go with a theme wedding, you should keep your music in line with the theme. It will need to blend well. That will put some limitations on your choice. But as I have said before, it is your wedding and you can do whatever you like. It is your special day!

You will need to decide how the music will be presented. DJ, live person with instruments or recorded music, or simply a recording of the songs.

Your choice will be affected by the cost and the look and feel that you are after.

A word of caution. Make sure that if you have someone live, that you hear them in advance.

It is hard to turn down a friend who offers to sing at your wedding. Everyone can not sing. Some people think that they sound good, when in reality they sound like they are in pain! Better to take a chance on hurting someones feelings than to have everyone remember you wedding as having lousy music.  And I have seen it happen!

Bob

A beach wedding, depending on the weather, can be very unique and memorable. It could be full of flair and casualness, yet still be romantic.

A beach wedding could be cheaper for you. A lot of things that you need for a church wedding simply are not needed for a beach wedding. You may not want to use formal wear for the bridal party. Almost anything goes at the beach!

I would like to review some issues that you will need to address. First is the location. Pick a section of beach that is not crowded, and is plenty wide. You also have to know how the tide affects your spot.

Some elderly guest may not be able to travel in the sand. You may want a spot that is not to far to walk in the sand. It would be nice if there were benches for the elderly, or you may want to consider bringing a few chairs.

Check with the local authorities and make sure that you will not be violating any rules, laws, or local ordinances. Keep the name or names of the people that you talk with, just in case there are any problems later.

The weather is a big factor. You need to have a back up plan just in case the weather is bad. This is one of the biggest drawbacks to having any outside wedding.

Make sure that you alert the guests on your invitation as to what attire you would like to see them in. The last beach wedding I went to, I and the people with me, were in suits. There were others at the wedding in shorts and sandals! And yes, I was wishing I was in shorts, because it was hot.

So yes, “Your Perfect Wedding” could be at the beach. But just like any wedding, planning and preparation will make the difference. Make sure that you do the leg work.

Bob

The computer age is upon us. When they are working correctly, they can make life so much easier!

As we age, it is hard to remember what life was like before the internet and computers. If you were planning a perfect wedding, you would be hand writing everything and doing research at the library!

Now you can have a program on your computer that makes sure you don’t miss any details. Keeps track of all of the details. How much money have you spent. Who is coming. Who is staying where, if they are from out of town. Contacts for all of your vendors.

Most software companies offer a no risk money back guarantee, so you really have nothing to lose.

Smart Wedding offers one of the best. You really have nothing to lose. They have won many awards and are consistently improving their software.

So if you want to insure that you have a “PERFECT WEDDING” give yourself the extra edge. Get a helper in a box!

Bob