Choosing the right photographer and videographer for your wedding is  a number one priority when selecting vendors.

Here are a few tips before you embark on your search.

1 SAY YES TO BUDGETING FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER

• Most people concentrate on booking a photographer and consider a videographer as a luxury expense.
• Many of these same couples say in retrospect, this was one of their biggest regrets.
• Your wedding flashes by in a happy blur. Your photographer and videographer will not only enable you to re-live the event but capture the moments that you miss. 

2 SAY YES TO RESEARCHING FIRST

• Word of mouth is the best research tool when choosing your photographer/videographer.
• Friends, family, work colleagues, acquaintances will willingly share their experiences and make recommendations.
• You may find the same photographer/videographer keeps coming up as "good" or "bad".
• Go to wedding blogs and look at the photos. Watch the videos and note the name of the professionals.
• Also make note of which style of photos/videos you liked or disliked and why.
• List ideas that you thought would be great to capture on your wedding day.

3 SAY YES TO GETTING IN TOUCH

• Contact any photographer you're interested in and have a chat.
• Find out as much key information  as you can before booking an appointment. Have your checklist at hand and make notes of their responses.
• Ask questions such as, are they a professional or hobbyist, do they have previous clients you can contact, do they have a niche, can they send a brochure or link to their website, how soon do you have to book?
• Contact at least three photographers/videographers which could include non-professional, such as photography students or friends who you think would do a good job.

4 SAY YES TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER VENDORS

• When you're speaking with other vendors and wedding professionals or checking out their website, find out who took the photos if you like what you see.
• Often they will be able to give you some background information about which photographers/videographers they've worked with or seen in action.
• Ceremony Officiant, reception venues, florists and event planners could prove extremely helpful in his regard. However be aware they may have been paid to make recommendations.

5 SAY YES TO A PRE-WEDDING  PHOTO SHOOT

• Once you've selected a photographer/videographer arrange a pre-wedding photo shoot.
• It could be engagement photos or a pre-wedding shoot.
• Your aim is to get a feel of how they work. It will be time and money well spent.
• Did they help you to feel relaxed and pose in ways that felt comfortable? Did they have ideas that were  workable? Did you as a couple have a good rapport and connection with them?
• Did they have the right equipment and came well prepared for the weather and it's effect on the lighting that day?
• Were they able to show you how the shots look as soon as they were taken? Did they encourage your interaction as a couple?
• Did the experience and final photos meet, and even exceed, you expectations?

6 SAY YES TO TALKING PRICE

• Whether you use professionals, students, friends or family, there will be some costs unless it is being offered as a gift.
• Will you be paying extra for assistants used by the photographer?
• Do they have a photo and video package?
• Ensure you have a written agreement as to what services will be provided. Preferably this should be itemised with clear costing per item or details of what is included in your "package".
• Do they require a deposit? Will it be deducted from the total bill? Is this refundable if you change your mind and cancel the booking?

7 SAY YES TO HAVING AN AGREED TIMETABLE

• It is so important that you and your photographer/videographer discuss the location, timing and process of what will be happening on the day of your wedding.
• Take into account the time you need to arrive at the ceremony venue and travelling time to the reception venue, if different. Give yourselves plenty of time so you're not rushing your photos.
• Agree on the photos you want taken, such as bride/groom getting ready, the venues, guests arriving, the vendors setting up, and any specific aspects that you'd like to capture.
• Decide on the essentials in case you run out of time due to unforeseen events?
• Consider whether you want to take important photos together as a couple  before the ceremony or go somewhere alone after the ceremony, whilst guests are settling in at the reception?

8 SAY YES TO PLAN B

• All best plans can go to pot so have a back up photographer/videographer among your family friends or guests.
• You could create a "#our wedding day" and get guests to upload their photos and videos of your wedding to your social media sites.

9 SAY YES TO RELAXING AND TRUSTING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER

• You did your homework and are confident with your selection.
• Now trust them to do their job and capture you and guests enjoying your wedding day.

There's a wedding photographs checklist created by  Paul Johansen Photography.com as a pdf file which is very comprehensive.

Finding the venue for your wedding is fraught with potential problems from the onset. The secret to getting what you want is flexibility and remembering becoming a married couple is the main focus.

So where to start?

1 KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

• Don't leave home without a clear idea of what type of surroundings you both want to get married in. The theme of your wedding is a good place to start. Is it classic, modern, rustic, informal, intimate?
• Do you mind separate venues for your wedding ceremony and reception?
• Create a checklist of what you want and take it with you. Make a note of how each venue responds to each of your requests.

2 KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

• Having no idea of the numbers and looking for a venue is a total time waster for you and venues. Numbers matter absolutely.
• An intimate wedding of fifty guests will be lost in an enormous banqueting hall, four hundred guests will not fit into a venue that seats one hundred comfortably.
• Don't make a decision until you've seen at least three venues.

3 KNOW YOUR BUDGET

• Venues can be your budget breaker. You'll pay a fortune for all those Pinterest romantic setting glitzy wedding venues. Remember unless it says "real" then it's staging to advertise vendors.
• Let your budget be the boundary to your decision. Stick to it.
• You can get what you want and more, with patience and being flexible.
• Just don't go and fall in love with a venue far beyond your budget, book it and have little left to pay for the rest of your wedding.
• Write down everything and add up the figures first. Then make choices.

4 KNOW WHEN & WHERE TO COMPROMISE

• You found the perfect location for internal décor with outside grounds for beautiful photographs but they only offer cold buffet style catering and  you want a three course meal.
• What's more important to you? Is there room for negotiation, such as the chef preparing some hot items on the buffet menu?

5 KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING

• As you are given a guided tour around the venue and features are highlighted, make notes.
• At the end of the tour find out exactly what you will get for your money.
• Are there different wedding packages? Is there a one-off fee and you pay per feature that you add or is everything included in the price?

Here is a link to a good checklist of relevant questions to ask at each venue:

https://www.thespruce.com/choosing-your-wedding-venue-3489581

6 KNOW WHAT'S IN THE FINE PRINT

• Don't be caught out with "hidden" charges and "fines" because you didn't realise you needed to pay deposits, have the premises cleared and hired goods returned at a specific time.
• Check that any staff the venue provides is not at extra cost to you?
• Don't agree to a service because it sounds nice but you don't actually need. It could add £200 more on your fee when you receive the bill.
• Failing to read the fine print could cost you dearly.

7 KNOW IT'S NOT "WHERE" BUT "WHO"
Don't get too bogged down in finding the perfect venue so that you both become stressed out.
The most important thing is on an agreed date the two of you will legally seal your love and commitment to each other. The location is secondary.

Here is a video a couple speaking candidly about planning their wedding, including the stress of finding the right venue. I hope you find it helpful and underlines some of my tips above.
Marlene

Planning your wedding is really putting together your team of vendors or helpers who will work to make your wedding day dream a reality.

BE FOCUSED
Aim to get as much information, in the least amount of time to enable you to make clear decisions and book vendors you like, with confidence.

BE PREPARED
Have these essential basic information about your wedding at hand to share with potential vendors.

• Vision
• Location
• Guest list
• Wedding party size
• Budget
• Date

The more information you can provide, the easier it will be to get the right responses to your queries, and the less time wasted.

BE VOCAL

• Don't assume that vendors can know what is in your head (imagination).
• You need to spell out clearly and succinctly what you're hoping to get.
• Be prepared to answer questions, provided photos, mood boards, videos.
• Anything that will help to show just what you both have in mind for your wedding day.

BE PROACTIVE

• Visit/meet in person or send someone you trust will clearly represent you, knows and understand your vision and personality.
• Get samples of vendors work.
• Read reviews and speak to previous clients.
• Get recommendations from vendors of other vendors. eg The photographer may know a great florist, the church pastor a reliable wedding car hire company and the venue a fantastic band that plays your type of music.

BE FLEXIBLE

• It is good to know what you do and don't want. But it's just as important to be flexible.
• Listen to your vendors suggestions and recommendations. They are experienced in their field.
• Negotiate and get to a place of agreement if other boxes are ticked.

BE CLEAR

• Agree timescales.
• Read contracts, especially the small print.
• Know cut off dates for booking, cancellations and order amendments.
• Be aware of  penalties for late payments, additional guests, broken hired goods and so on.

BE RE-ASSURED

• Vendors should be clear about their responsibilities and your timescale on the day of your wedding.
• Who will be responsible for delivery or do you need to collect?
• Who will set up/ pull down at the venue?
• Who will be the contact person, will they be available for specific hours. and what is their contact number?

BE CONSCIOUS

• Before signing contracts and paying deposits, ensure you know what vendors' quotes include and what services will incur additional costs.
• Ask about packages, discretionary discounts for out of season or early bookings.
• They might include something you wanted, if you're already paying quite a large sum for booking them, at no extra charge.

BE DECISIVE

• Having done your homework, researched, asked a lot of questions and made clear notes, narrow down each type of service/vendor to a maximum of three.
• Look again at your wish-list and how each vendor aligns. Where are you prepared to be flexible or compromise?
• Discuss together as a couple and come to a consensus. Book your chosen vendors immediately, paying deposits and signing contracts promptly.
• Start on the right foot, keep communication open without being a pest. Trust them to do their job but go with your gut feeling. Don't be afraid to heed warning signs and cancel if necessary.

These tips should hopefully help you put together the right team of vendors to work with you to create your dream wedding.

Don't forget to join me again next Wednesday for tips on Wedding venues.
All the best with your wedding planning.
Marlene x

The key to having a successful wedding day is PLANNING! Get yourself a plan and then execute it.
Below are 10 easy steps to getting organised like a  wedding planning pro'.

1 START IT
Start organising yourselves NOW!!! There are so many things that are out of your control, people to involve, decisions to make and things to pay for, that you need a system to keep tabs of everything,

2 WRITE IT
Using a spreadsheet or large sheet of paper, divide into columns with the following headings

• WANTS
  Make a list of key things you want in order to make your big day a success.
  
  
• NEEDS
  Decide who will be needed to get the things you want.
  
  
• TIMING
  Decide how much time you have to do everything and how much time your vendors/helpers need to get things done.
  
  
• PRIORITY
  Decide the order of priority that things need to be done. This will vary according to your wedding location, number of guests and budget.
   
  Separate your list of jobs into two halves with you both taking a share of the responsibility in the  execution of your plan.
  

3 TIME IT
Set yourselves timescale targets to get jobs done and stick to it. Be accountable to each other to stay focused and motivated. See this sample timeline from 'Real Simple'

https://www.realsimple.com/weddings/weddings-planning/wedding-planning-checklist:

4 FILE IT
Set up a simple filing system to make life easy. Get yourself a FILE/FOLDER with dividers to which you will allocate different headings eg Venue, Food, Photos & Videos, Flowers, Music. Colour code each section. Eg Green for flowers, pink for makeup artist, grey for venue.
KEEP FILE UPDATED and ACCESSIBLE

6 KEEP IT
Add wallets or envelopes to your file for vendor contracts, receipts, important documents, colour swashes and everything relevant in each sub-sections.
 
 
7 DISPLAY IT
Create a spreadsheet so you can see everything you’re doing at a glance. This is especially useful to keep tabs on time and spending.

8 MARK IT
Put all appointments and deadline dates on your calendar so you can easily see when things need to done.

9 SIMPLIFY IT
If you’re internet savvy use free apps to save time and share things with each other, family, your wedding party and vendors. Eg WhatsApp to share Pinterest board or pins, Emailing “Save the Date” to reduce postage costs and creating a private Facebook Group to keep those abroad in the loop with your planning.

10 SHARE IT
Whichever way you divide the jobs, ensure that everyone knows what has been done at any given time. Schedule regular update meetings at an agreed time. It could simply be updating your spreadsheet together or over dinner sharing what you have done on your individual lists and the next steps. Let the other person know if you had time to do something on their list and avoid duplication.

 'Brides Magazine' have created this one year wedding planning timeline, which you may find particularly useful if you plan to marry in the UK..
http://www.bridesmagazine.co.uk/planning/general/miscellaneous/2015/wedding-planner-advice-guide-12-month-organiser

Don't forget to join me next Wednesday for more wedding planning tips.
Marlene x

(P.S. If you missed the previous post, see below.)