It is essential to find the perfect photographer for your wedding day.  A well-chosen photographer will make your day smoother and carefree.  To find your perfect fit, consider these tips…

Tip #1:
Know Your Style

To understand your true photography likes and dislikes sit down with your significant other and look through magazines, websites, and venue albums – any pictures you two can find to help define your personal photography style.  What I recommend, is cutting out pictures from magazines or other images that catch your attention.  Really think about what you want your photographer to capture on the big day: more traditional family pictures, candid shots, etc.  Once you start to research and do something deep thinking, you’ll see a photography style start to emerge.

Tip #2
Find a Match

Scrolling through websites is a perfect way to view albums and the photographer’s work quickly and conveniently.  Try to look for websites that give a wide range of weddings and wedding locations, providing testimonials from recently married couples.  Also sneak a look at the baseline prices for photographers; if the price is below your budget, you’re off to a great start.  Photographers have additional prices for travelling fees, extra prints, editing, etc. so make sure to be conscious of those before setting up appointments with individual photographers.

Tip #3
Meet the Photographer

Many couples are confused by photography studios who have them interview with a photographer or a salesperson who is not the photographer who will actually shoot on the day of their wedding.  Make sure to spend sufficient time in order to find a person that blends well with both you and your significant other.  It is important to find a photographer who understands your needs and wants – it is essential to have this understanding.  Look for a photographer who is fun, professional, and genuinely interested in taking pictures the way you want your wedding day to be remembered.

Tip #4
See a Start-to-Finish Album

A well-trained photographer should have several albums to view at the designated meeting time.  Consistently creating hundreds of stunning photographs in a single session requires a tremendous amount of training and skill.  Make sure there is a mutual understanding of the type of album you want, if the photographer has the power to create it, and find out how much the particular album runs.  It is essential to love the album or coffee table book that you will purchase to remember your big day by. 

Tip #5
Look for Professionalism

Whether it is an in-home studio or a commercially located studio, a professional photographer should and will always be fully invested in you.  It is crucial to find a photographer who is well established, referred by multiple places and consistently surprises you with creative touches and their attention to detail.

Tip #6
Invest in an Artist

Your wedding album will soon become one of your most treasured heirlooms.  Invest in an artist who will photograph your wedding day in a way that tells your true, unique story.  Be aware of all  prices and make sure that you, your significant other, and the photographer are all on the same page regarding exactly what you want to capture on your wedding day.

Blog inspired by Azzura Photo

Nina

Subtle Fabric Choices Can Make Grand Statements
To make sure that your wedding gown is the perfect fit for your personality, take a gander at the following descriptions, as these sculptural dress styles illustrate how to highlight your beautiful shape!
Expressionist
Show your joy – and your best features – on the wedding day, in a mermaid gown or a ball gown. Both gowns accent the waistline and help define your shape in two completely different styles.
Contemporary
A short cocktail-length dress is perfect for a bride who wants to show off her legs. Find the perfect pair of pumps to match your gown and you will enjoy a night of stunning style – perfect for beach weddings or warmer weather.
Art Nouveau
Accentuate your feminine form in a glittering body-conscious gown. Sparkling beadwork reflects different kinds of light so you will definitely be the center of attention on your special day. Perfect for evening candlelight weddings, or outdoors to perfectly capture the sun’s natural lighting.
Classical Influence
Draped and gathered fabric flatters a petite top and recalls ancient deities. This polished look is fit for a queen. Both graceful and elegant, soft tulle and organza are perfect fabrics to consider.
Ballerina Grace
A delicate dress with tiers of tulle or lace will inspire and flatter a dancer’s posture. Lace also instantly adds romance to any wedding style.
Statuesque Beauty
Tiers of luxurious fabric, like satin or taffeta, add a dramatic effect to your slender shape. Wrap a beautiful sash around your waist to add definition and a splash of color.
 
You’re going to want to treasure this special day forever, so make sure you find a dress that suits your style and personality. Happy shopping!

What do all these terms mean?

In the bridal world, there are all kinds of terms that get thrown around, and it’s hard to keep them straight.  So let me make that easier for you!  This way, when you call a shop (hopefully us!) to set up an appointment, you won’t get confused.

Trying on gowns: When you set up your first appointment to try on wedding gowns with us, we call those appointments simply “trying on.”  Nothing complicated.  Score!

Fitting: Pam, the owner of Alicia’s, will take a look at you in the dress of your dreams.  She’ll also take your measurements to ensure we choose the right wedding gown size for you.  If special measurements, such as length, are available from the dress designer she will decide if those will be advantageous and cost effective. Every designer is different, and Pam takes in to account all the information in order to minimize the amount of alterations you will need.

Finishing touch: When your dress arrives, you will want to come in and try it on with all the accessories you plan on wearing on your wedding day.  If you have that special heirloom for your ’something borrowed’ then bring it with you to try on with your gown.  Alicia’s has amazing accessories, such as headpiece/veils, beautiful jewelry, and great shoes for that head to toe presentation on your wedding day! Your Finishing Touch appointment is the time to put the whole look together!  The perfect undergarments such as bra and slip are essential to the dress fitting you correctly and making you look beautiful on your wedding day. We have several different styles available to choose from. Because we are amazing, we’ll press your dress twice for free, once before your Finishing Touch and again before you go down the aisle so it’s absolutely perfect.  So make sure you set a finishing touch appointment so your dress is ready for you.

Alterations: You meet with a seamstress so that she can determine the necessary changes to your dress to make it a perfect fit.  We have three independent seamstresses available to you right next door, all of whom are professional wedding gown seamstresses.  They have over 50 combined years of bridal experience alone ensuring your dress is the absolute dream you imagined. They also alter bridesmaids, mother’s, special occasion and prom gowns as well.

I hope that cleared everything up for you!  But of course, call us with any questions.

Kirsten

Wedding dress shopping is probably the most stressful part of a wedding.  You want something that looks amazing, goes with the feeling of your wedding, and is comfortable.  How on earth are you going to find all of that in one dress?

Don’t stress.  No, really.  I have some great tips for having a good experience dress shopping; tried and true!

Don’t go alone, but don’t bring an entire entourage with you, either.  Two, maybe three at most.  The more people you bring with you, the more opinions you’ll hear.  Make sure the people you bring are familiar with your sense of style, but will also be honest with you if something doesn’t look right.

Bring along some bottled water, and some snack bars.  It’s a lot of work, lifting all those gowns over your head all day long; they’re a lot heavier than they look!  Even if you have a consultant in the dressing room with you, it gets very warm, and having water is a great way to stay happy, and keep your energy level up.

Bring a camera.  Even if you purchase a dress your first day out, it’s nice to have pictures of your dream dress to look at all day long.  :)  If you don’t pick a dress, then you can go home and compare the pictures.  It makes the decision making process much easier.

If you find the gown you want, and are absolutely in love with it, purchase it.  There is some logic to continuing to look, but it can get out of hand very fast.  Soon, all the dresses will look the same, and the process won’t be fun any more.  This is supposed to be fun!  However, don’t let anyone talk you into a dress either; you’re the one wearing it.  If you don’t think it’s the one for you, then don’t buy it.  The last thing we want is for you to regret your choice.

Bring a sense of humor.  Stay lighthearted, and just have fun.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  You’re going to look absolutely amazing, and have a wonderful day on your wedding day, and we want every step of the process to be fun.  Laugh.  Lots.

Now that you are armed for a big day of shopping, one last thing; good luck!

Kirsten

A lot people have been asking recently why they need someone to help them find a wedding dress.  After all, they can shop for their own party dress; how is a wedding gown any different?  (Ok, so maybe it isn’t –quite- the same, but you get the idea.   Well, there are lots of reasons.  A wedding isn’t just a party; it’s probably the biggest party you’ll ever have.  Plus, it’s a party all about you.  You shouldn’t have to worry about a thing. 

When you come into a bridal shop, the job of your consultant isn’t just to find a pretty dress for you.  This day is going to be preserved in your memory forever, and you want everything to be perfect.  We have a lot of experience in the field of weddings, and are well equipped to help you.  First things first; your consultant should help you establish or explain the feeling you want your wedding to have.  Are you going for romantic, rockin’, elegant, or beachy?  There are millions of choices, so your consultant should help you express that both in words and your dress.

The consultant you are working with should have a firm understanding of their available stock.  So, once you two have figured out the kind of wedding you want, she should be able to pinpoint the style of gown that will flatter you the best.  Wedding gowns aren’t like regular dresses; at least, the good ones aren’t.  They are incredibly structured, made with high quality materials and built to flatter any body shape.  When a gown is correctly made and sized, you should look your absolute best.  Your consultant should be able to point you in the right direction, and help you find the perfect gown.

Once you’ve found your perfect gown, her job isn’t done yet.  Next, she should help you pull together your whole look, which includes things you see and things you don’t.  Each dress is built to have a specific type of undergarment to help the dress look just the way it should.  There are so many options to consider, and your consultant can help you figure out what you want to wear to look your best, and be as comfortable as possible.  On top of that, she can also recommend different accessories for you to wear with your dress; jewelry, shoes, veil, that sort of thing.  Nothing is beyond her scope in making you look your absolute best that day; everything should come together flawlessly.

But you aren’t the only one in this wedding.  You’ve got your best girl friends, plus the men in your life.  And since they’ll be in your everlasting pictures too, you’ll want them to look great too.  Your consultant should help you unify the whole group with bridesmaids dresses and colors.  There are tons of options out there, so make sure you ask your consultant to help you find just the right look for each girl.  Some shops will even help you with your tuxedo style.  This makes everything flow even better, when you can coordinate everything through one location.  The consultant you’re working with should help you make sure everything goes just the way you want.

Because you’re new at this, you may not have all the contacts you need for planning your wedding.  However, many consultants have all the local resources you could ever need.  We have close relationships with all kinds of vendors in the area, and will only recommend you to ones we trust.  Everything is available from florists to caterers to photographers.  All you have to do is ask.

Of course, all of our consultants here will gladly offer you every service you need.  We understand the need to shop around; after all, this is a big decision.  However, we want you to feel like royalty everywhere you go, and with every vendor you work with.  Why on earth would you want to work with someone who didn’t truly care about your wedding day?

Kirsten