Earlier this year I had the pleasure of shooting Sam and Graham at the Angel Hotel Bury St Edmunds.

This was a special wedding for me personally as they were the first couple to book me as their wedding photographer when I moved to Suffolk from South Africa two years ago!

It was a wonderful Spring day back in May when I met them at the Angel Hotel in Bury St Edmunds…

Sam and Graham had chosen to have a intimate wedding with just their families and a few friends in attendance. Weddings like this have a charm all of their own, quite unlike giant lavish affairs. Indeed, one of their charms is their size.

The Wedding party all met at the Angel Hotel where General Manager Lynn Cowan met them and put them at ease with her efficient service. I always like to see this as it’s one of my own personally held beliefs that every person involved in a wedding should go out of their way to ensure that the couple are as relaxed and looked after as  possible. After all, it’s their big day, so nothing should stop them enjoying it.

The Angel is a registered venue for weddings in Bury St Edmunds. Sam and Graham had chosen to have both their service and reception there at the hotel. The service itself was a wonderful moment with both Sam and Graham looking as happy as can be. After they had signed the registry and received all the guests congratulations we moved to the Abbey Gardens for the wedding photography.

One of the benefits of shooting weddings at the Angel Hotel is that it is right across the road from the award winning Abbey Gardens – a perfect venue for a bride and grooms wedding photos.

If you are interested in hiring me for your wedding at the Angel Hotel Bury St Edmunds, then please visit my wedding photography website.

Of course it shouldn’t feel like a job at all! It’s one of the happiest days of your life and with a few simple steps you can make the planning *almost* pain free…

Wedding Planning Timeline Checklist

Congratulations on your engagement. Now it’s time to go to work and plan the wedding of your dreams. With a little preparation (and a sense of Humour!) there is no need to act like a bridezilla.

Here is a checklist to help you keep your sanity.

9-12 Months before the wedding

* Announce your engagement.

* Plan what type of wedding you want- formal, informal, day or evening, number of guests

* Choose a wedding date.

* Determine your budget- Discuss who is responsible for what expenses before making any plans. You should include your parents and future in-laws in this discussion. Remember to treat them with respect. Any money they provide is a gift!

* Make guest list – Don’t forget to include your parents and future in-laws in this discussion.

* Speak to officiant- Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Justice of the Peace etc.

* Reserve your ceremony and Reception Sites.

6-9 Months Before Wedding

* Select Bridal Gown

* Choose your attendants- Maid/Matron of Honour, Best Man, Bridesmaids, Ushers, Flowergirls, and Ring Bearer

* Choose a Photographer

* Select bridesmaids dresses & accessories (Remember to be Kind and listen to their suggestions and concerns).

* Select a caterer (if needed)

* Hire a band or DJ

* Book your florist

4-5 Months Before Wedding

* Schedule fittings for yourself and attendants (don’t forget your flower-girl)

* Reserve any rental items needed for ceremony and reception

* Finalize guest list

* Order Stationery – wedding invitations, thank you notes, and wedding programs

* Address invitations or hire a professional calligrapher

* Plan rehearsal dinner – set date, time and location. (This dinner is usually given by the grooms’ parents.)

* Arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests.

* Start planning honeymoon (Groom usually makes these arrangements after you BOTH decide where to go.) Don’t forget to get any passports or travel documents you may need.

* Register for gifts.

* Purchase shoes and accessories (Remember to break your shoes in before the wedding)

2-3 Months Before Wedding

* Order wedding cake

* Order party favours

* Order all necessary decorations

* Book all transportation for wedding day (if necessary)

* Buy wedding rings

* Visit lawyer to write any necessary wills or prenuptial agreements

5-8 Weeks Before Wedding

* Purchase gifts for wedding attendants

* Mail invitations (A map to assist your guests in finding the ceremony and reception sites is a nice idea).

* Visit hairstylist to determine what style you want for your hair. (Hint: Never change haircolour or change your style right before your wedding. Any changes should be made at least 3-4 weeks in advance).

* Have a formal wedding portrait taken

* Send wedding announcements to newspapers (if necessary)

* Change name and address on driver’s license, social security cards, insurance policies, and bank accounts

* Reserve wedding attire for groom, ushers, ring bearer (Usually done by the groom).

* Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner (if necessary)

* Obtain marriage license

* Get blood tests if necessary in your state

* Plan a bridesmaid luncheon

2-4 Weeks Before Wedding

* Confirm ceremony details with officiant

* Arrange final fittings for your gown and bridesmaids dresses

* Make final floral selections

* Finalize rehearsal dinner plans

* Confirm details with all service providers – It is a good idea to give them a written list of your wedding day timeline.

* Contact guests who have not yet responded to your invitation

* Pick up wedding rings

* Meet with your photographer to discuss special photos you want taken.

* Meet with your DJ or band to confirm the music you want played

* Remind all attendants (male & female) when to pick up their wedding attire.

* Purchase any special accessories or make-up you want your attendants to wear.

* Determine ceremony seating for any special guests (give the list to the ushers).

* Plan reception seating-write names on place cards.

Hold On….Your Almost Done! Last Week

* Pick up wedding attire

* Figure final guest count and notify cater

* Arrange for “get-a-way” car from the reception

* Review the schedule of events and last minute arrangements with all service providers.

* Confirm honeymoon reservations

* Pack for your honeymoon

Take a Breath…..It’s Finally Here….Your Wedding Day!!!!

* Give rings to the best man and maid of honour (If no ring Bearer)

* Give the best man money to pay the officiant after the ceremony

* Relax and have fun!!! All your hard work and planning has paid off.

Jasmine Macdonald is a web designer of several wedding websites: http://www.fun.createswebsites.com, and http://windsor.weddingwindow.com.

You can visit her daily wedding blog at: http://funweddings.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jasmine_Macdonald

Author: Jasmine Macdonald

via Wedding Planning Timeline Checklist.

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I always make sure that I work closely with my clients to ensure the photography portion of your wedding is a stress free and happy time (after all, shouldn’t every part of your wedding day be happy?).

If you’d like to find out more about my service then please, contact me at my wedding photography site.

Here is an excellent article from the “weddingsbyzoelingard“‘ blog.

Over the last few weeks as I’ve been checking 2008 and going over each of our weddings with a fine tooth comb, I’ve been considering the traditional timings of group and portrait photography at weddings. Most couples tend to arrange for these kind of photos during their drinks reception but there are a number of reasons why this doesn’t work perfectly and so I’ve been wondering whether taking pictures of the bride and groom together prior to the ceremony (as is frequently done in the US and elsewhere) is actually a better alternative.

Very often group and portrait photography is the first thing to overrun at weddings and although keeping to time might sound simple, invariably it is not. Following the ceremony, couples are excited to see their guests and reluctant to leave the party just as it’s getting started whilst guests begin to disperse themselves across the venue.  Ensuring ushers get the right people in the right place at the right time can be a tricky exercise (especially when they don’t know who’s who) and asking a friend to bellow out the names of those needed for each shot is functional but can give your wedding a school-trip meets boot camp feel.

Shooting images before the ceremony not only means you bypass all of these problems but you also gain some significant benefits:

•    You’re photographed looking your absolute best, sans smudged eyeliner and crumpled buttonholes.
•    You get to spend the entire of your drinks reception chatting to your guests and soaking up the atmosphere rather than watching from afar as all the champagne gets guzzled.
•    Your drinks reception will be more relaxed and enjoyable as you’ll be free from the worry that you need to get those all-important shots before dinner is served.
•    You’ll get better photographs. Not only can you dedicate longer to getting some really creative images, without the pressure of time you’ll be more relaxed so look better and happier in the shots.
•    Your drinks reception needn’t be hours long in order to accommodate a long photo session; you reduce the risk of bored guests and a flat atmosphere.
•    You get the chance to start celebrations early, spending some quality time with your closest friends and family before the ceremony.

The major drawback to scheduling photography prior to the ceremony is that the first time you see each other won’t be as the bride walks down the aisle. However, this needn’t mean loosing the magic of seeing each other for the first time and does in fact have its own advantages. Seeing each other prior to the ceremony means you get the chance to talk to each other, calming your nerves and giving you the chance to really soak up the ‘we’re getting married feeling’ without being distracted by the wedding planning or ceremony proceedings.

Meeting each other before the ceremony needn’t be a negative thing either – you can make it into a really special moment, perhaps meet somewhere really special or get the chance for 5 minutes alone.

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Good advice there.

I’ve have shot a number of weddings where the classic images were shot before the ceremony. Obviously it’s not everyones cup of tea, but if you are worried about the timing of your wedding day, it’s something to consider when discussing your plans with your wedding photographer.

It’s always at the forefront of my mind, that the bride and groom should be as relaxed as possible on their big day. Please give me a call or drop me a line if you have any questions about hiring a suffolk photographer.

Something brides quite often ask me is – ‘what happens if it rains on my wedding day?’

Now that Autumn is upon us and soon we will be in the winter, the weather is playing more of a role in planning for your wedding day. While everyone knows that the “Great British Summer” isn’t exactly the most stable of weather periods, people are less worried then about the chances of it being wet and windy on their wedding day.

Brides are naturally worried that if it rains on their wedding day that they won’t have any good images of their happy day. After all, we generally picture sunny days and blue skies when we think of outdoor wedding photography.

A ‘proper’ professional will be able to answer any concerns you might have regarding the weather and how it will effect your images. Part of a professionals skill is to take conditions that aren’t all that favourable and turn them to the bridal couples advantage.  I have shot some wonderful images at weddings when the light has faded behind a huge cloud, or the wind has picked up and the rain has come down. Rather than throw my hands up in horror, I use the weather and create images that have a wonderful mood and feel to them.

A good example of this is rain.

I think it’s safe to say that most brides (if not ALL brides) would prefer it if it didn’t rain on their wedding day! The natural reaction is to move indoors and forget the outdoors photography. Granted, if the heavens have opened and it’s raining the proverbial cats and dogs, it may be a good idea to seek some shelter, but if it’s a light rain – crack out the brollies, chuck on some wellies and before you know it, you’ll have pictures from your wedding like no other! Another thing to consider is that after it has rained, colours are so much more vibrant – especially during autumn when the leaves are those wonderful shades of reds, yellows, golds, and oranges.

Just last week I was shooting a wedding at the Bury St Edmunds registry office here in Suffolk and the weather played a part in creating some amazing images.

Emily and Rory had booked me to cover their wedding. It was a lovely intimate affair, just themselves, family and the kids. For those of you who don’t know, the registry office in Bury St Edmunds is behind the cathedral and looks onto the Abbey Gardens. An amazing mix of wonderful trees, a whole range of buildings from Norman, Tudor and Victorian times and of course the Abbey itself. All in all, a perfect venue for wedding photography.

Unfortunately the weather decided that it was going to treat us all to a dull, grey day with persistent drizzle.  Not exactly the most ideal conditions that any bride has ever wished for. I knew that the weather was going to be like this all day so I arrived at the venue about an hour before I was supposed to to scout around and see what alternative plans I could make for the bride and grooms wedding photos.  Obviously I could shoot pictures indoors at the registry office, but I did want to try and incorporate some of the awesome backdrops into their album.

Taking that little bit of extra preparation paid off as I wandered around a corner that I hadn’t been round before and found an absolutely awesome Victorian doorway and staircase. Perfect as it was not only a fantastic setting, but also afforded the bride and groom some cover from the incessant rain while I shot beautiful pictures of them. Luckily my camera is what’s called ‘weather sealed’ – i.e it won’t freak out by being rained upon – unlike most lower end cameras, and I can be drip dried

When we got round to moving outdoors for the wedding photos, it was still raining, so I took Emily and Rory to my new ’secret’ venue along with some umbrellas and we got to shooting. It was great, the doorway and staircase framed them perfectly, the alcove kept them dry (no bride wants to have her hair get wet!) and the brollies provided a fun prop for them to play with.

All in all, a success.

If you’d like to know more about how to get the best wedding photographer in Suffolk, clicky click!