Vegas Wedding Photography - Top 8 Locations For Your Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

Choosing the perfect location for your pre-wedding photoshoot is a tough decision to make. And it gets even harder when you're getting married in Vegas because you have so many tourist attractions to consider. But not to worry! I've compiled a list of the best locations in the city so you don't have to keep searching anymore.

Below are the Top 8 Vegas Attractions:

1. Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden
The Bellagio Hotel also has a conservatory and botanical garden that can serve as wonderful backdrops for your wedding photos. Each year, the conservatory changes into 5 different themes-Chinese New Year, Holiday, Summer, Spring and Fall. So if you want to catch a particular theme, you may want to arrive at the right season. Nevertheless, every theme is absolutely breathtaking that it won't really matter which one you get to see.

2. Bellagio Fountains
The Bellagio Fountains is simply one of the most romantic attractions you can find in the city. Go ahead and strike a pose as the waters dance, lights change, and soothing music plays along in the background.

3. Gondola Rides at the Venetian
Always wanted to go to Italy? Take a gondola ride inside the Venetian Hotel and feel as though you're drifting through the canals of Venice.

4. Las Vegas Neon Graveyard
Be more creative with your photos by using signage! Vegas has a neon graveyard where all the used neon signs are put to rest. There you'll find gigantic signs that can really add an effect to your pictures. You can strategically use those letters and words to say what you mean, or simply choose random ones for fun.

5. Las Vegas Strip
Make use of the city's bright lights by having your pictures taken along the surrounding hotels and casinos.

6. Replica of the Eiffel Tower
Experience Paris even without leaving the country by visiting the Eiffel Tower replica at Paris Las Vegas. You can have the photoshoot at the foot of the tower, or you can climb way up to the top for a more romantic effect. The best times to do the pictures would be in the late afternoon and night, just when the lights are starting to come out.

7. Stratosphere Tower
It's hard to miss this location especially that it's the tallest tower in Vegas. Its observation deck gives your wedding photos the chance to have a panoramic background of the city.

8. Welcome to Las Vegas Sign
Of course your photo session won't be complete without a pose at the 50-year-old "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. Be sure to drop by this famous landmark before you set out and get married.

Those are the top 8 locations you should consider for your wedding photoshoot. Make sure you go to each location so you can really find out what Vegas is all about. If you find yourself wanting more, go ahead and visit other popular destinations and make the most of your stay in this marvelous city.

Choosing the Right Wedding Photographer

Weddings are busy, beautiful and yes, even stressful events. And in the hustle and bustle of everything that makes a wedding, well, a wedding, it's not hard to imagine that something might get missed. That's understandable, but you want to make sure that 'something' doesn't fall under the category of missed photographs. That is why one of the most important aspects of wedding planning needs to be the selection of your photographer. Remember... long after the cake has been eaten and the wedding dress is pushed to the back of the attic, you'll still be looking at your wedding pictures and remembering the joy of your special day.

Most wedding photographers have a check-list they go by; one the bride and groom are usually asked to fill out prior to the wedding. If not, make sure you provide the photographer with a list of what photos you want taken. If you are unsure of what you should include in that list, you can find photo check lists in bridal magazines and websites such as shutterfly.com or knotforlife.com. Not using a checklist is asking for trouble... and missed photo ops you'll never have again. To avoid this unfortunate mishap, make a point to select someone (the bride's mom, a favorite aunt or sister in-law) who will be responsible for working with the photographer; a checks and balances system, you might say.

Owen and Melissa would have benefited greatly from doing so; things got so hectic that they ended up without a single shot of just the two of them! Thank goodness for cropping tools on photo sites!

Other tips to keep in mind when hiring your wedding photographer include:

1. Examining their portfolio. Do you like their work? Are they creative? Is the lighting and exposure up to par?


2. Ask for references-and follow up by contacting one or two of them.


3. Remember that not all wedding photographers need to be 'professionals'. There are plenty of hobby photographers whose work is top quality and definitely wedding-worthy. Ask family and friends for suggestions, contact your local photography club or the photo-journalism department of a nearby college or university.


4. Make sure the photographer fully explains what you are getting for your money. Are you getting full rights to the photos? How much time is included in the price? How long will it be before you receive your photos?


5. Get it in writing. This includes receipts for payments made and a 'contract' for what you are receiving in return for your payment.


6. Feel comfortable with the photographer. Do they listen to what you want?

Your wedding photographer will most likely take up a fair amount of your wedding budget. That's why it is important to get as much for your money as possible without compromising the quality of your photos.

Wedding Photography - Creating Fashion Magazine Style Images For Your Wedding Album

The wedding dress places the bride at the centre of attention and for many brides it is often the primary consideration in the planning of her wedding. It is a strong visual statement of her personal style and status as dictates the overall style of the wedding, governing the dress choices for bridesmaids and the maid of honour it also provides the focal point for the narrative of the wedding shots. Often the wedding dress is a bespoke piece. with a lot of time, money and emotion invested in choosing the cut, fabric texture, details and accessories, and as such is deserving of the very best photography.

To produce contemporary wedding images akin to those portrayed in the glossy magazines requires a great deal of technical experience in lighting and exposure, combined with an attention to detail and composition. an experienced commercial photographer knows how to select optimal settings and locations, background textures, colour, interesting angles and lighting, available or artificial, to suit the style of photography desired. By the clever combination of these skills the talent and creativity of a professional wedding photographer can produce atmospheric images which can be dynamic and or romantic, contemporary or classical. Pictures which uniquely tell the story of your wedding.

Portrait photography of the bride, using "contre jour" or back lighting as it is commonly known produces a sense of form and depth to a scene, while considered composition will show sensitivity to the style of the dress, for example contrasting the big fairy tale bustle look against a setting of bold traditional architecture or complementing the silhouette of a figure hugging gown with the smooth clean lines of a contemporary glass facade backdrop.

Visually rich wedding can be enhanced by incidental occurrences, a breeze for example bringing movement into the photograph, lifting the brides veil, creating sculptural shapes in the air, or sunlight reflecting in her hair. A sharp eye and fast camera response is crucial to capturing these fleeting moments in nature which produce the kind of spontaneous lively pictures that make for a series of professional quality wedding photographs. A skill of a good photographer is shown in the ability to use lighting and composition to bring out the fine details of a shot. Digital photographic enhancement is commonly used in contemporary commercial photography, and is another key skill your photographer can offer to bring about brilliant image clarity.

Creating successful fashion magazine style images for your wedding album relies on effective communication between the subjects and the photographer. With portrait shots, where good poses produce striking images, it is important your photographer has a strong sense of visualisation and can communicate composition ideas effectively. The benefit of using a photographer with some commercial photographic knowledge, one who can produce variation in shot selection and composition, is the resulting choice offered will be a comprehensive array of images which transcend an ordinary recording of an event by delivering a special quality and individualism to the story of your wedding day.

If fashion style wedding photography is what you are looking for it is paramount to choose your photographer with the skill set and experience to really do justice to your wedding day, by reviewing portfolios and testimonials you can glean an insight into the merit and expertise of a photographer to enable you to make an informed choice. Never underestimate the value of time spent choosing the right photographer for your wedding or indeed your engagement photographic sessions, as these are the photographs you will want to treasure.

First Wedding Anniversary Gifts

The first wedding anniversary is also known as the paper anniversary, and this means that traditional gifts can be made from or relate to paper in some way.

First Wedding Anniversary Gifts - Photo Calendars

The photo calendar is a great gift on many levels. Every month and even the cover of the calendar can be customised with photos and designs of your choice and the calendar allows for the natural and easy addition of text too so you can add messages of love throughout the year. For the cover you can choose a photo and include a calendar title and each monthly page offers room for a picture and an accompanying text caption.

First Wedding Anniversary Gifts - Photo Books

Photo books can also incorporate a number of pictures. Design a cover using one photo or a montage of your favourite pictures. Choose one photo for each and every page of the book and decide whether you want a standard design layout or one of your own unique creation. Finally, decide whether you want to include a presentation tin with your order.

First Wedding Anniversary Gifts - Customised Wallpaper

Customised wallpaper may seem extravagant as a gift for any occasion, but newly-weds often find themselves in a new home and leading a new life. What better way to celebrate both of these life changing occasions than with wallpaper customised with photos, designs, and text? Customised wallpaper is extremely tough and durable so you can use it to decorate any room from the living room to the hallway or even in your bedroom to accompany personalised bedding sets.

How to Structure a Storybook Wedding Album and Not Forget Half the Story

1. The Wedding Invitation Your wedding album should begin with a scan of the wedding invitation. Usually, you put a great deal of thought in the design and text of your wedding invitation. Therefore, it would be a shame not to include it in your wedding album. Furthermore, it contains other memorable information, i.e. the wedding date, the location, which makes it a great item for the first page.


2. The Preparations The next couple of pages should be dedicated to the preparations of bridge and groom (usually starting with the bride). This section can be subdivided, if necessary into subsections such as "The Dress", "The Garter", "The Reveal", etc.


3. Family, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Now should follow a couple of pages showing the wedding party, e.g. the happy couple with their parents, the bride with her maids, the groom with his men, the happy couple with the best people, all family members together and so on.


4. The Venue Next part of the wedding album must be a couple of pages dedicated to the venue where the marriage ceremony is about to takes place. Photos could feature: the venue as a whole, the chairs for the guests, the spot where the priest will marry the couple and various bits of beautiful decoration.


5. The Ceremony The ceremony is for most couples the most emotional and memorable part of their wedding. Therefore, one should put as many pages as necessary to do the moment justice. One should not miss: the entrance of bride and groom, the priest's speech, the first kiss, the ring, the readers.


6. The Group Shot(s) Now must follow one or many group shots with friends and family in various combinations. The moment directly after the ceremony produces a lot of nice pictures, because everybody is still very emotional and a lot less nervous. They need to go into your wedding album!


7. The Reception, the Grand Entrance The next major part of your wedding album will be the celebration. This usually starts, much like the ceremony with at least one page dedicated to the venue. One can show the place from the outside, the entrance, the table decoration, the buffet and always very decorative: filled glasses of Champagne. This page can be combined with pictures of the happy couple (and the guests) entering the hall.


8. The Toasts It follows at least on page with toasts and speeches. Obligatory is a shot of bride and groom giving their speeches. One can complement the page with additional photos from the various groups on their tables.


9. The First Dance A page with the happy couple's first dance is obligatory, maybe followed by various combinations of father and daughter, mother and son, father and daughter-in-law, mother and son-in-law, all of them ballroom dancing.


10. The Cake Cutting No wedding album can do without a page dedicated to the cutting of the. This works the best, if the cake is first shown intact, followed by a shot of bride and groom doing the first cut, followed by a funny sequence of photos showing bride and groom eating the first piece.


11. Bouquet and Garter Toss Also obligatory, a couple of fun shots showing the bride throwing her bouquet and the groom throwing his garters (if he was wearing any). It looks always great if there are some nice photos with the bouquet and garter in midair and the overjoyed people who caught them.


12. The Party Wedding celebrations are long and a wedding album would not do them justice if they contained not at least one more page showing how much fun everybody had. These pages are perfect to put crazy and funny shots that would not fit into any other part of the wedding album.


13. The End Every good wedding album finishes with one or two pages dedicated to the happy couple. If the groom carried his bride off in a fancy car, then that has to be shown now, otherwise several romantic shots of the happy couple hand-in-hand (maybe with a nice sunset in the background) also work fine.

Wedding Dress Regrets

Shopping for a bridal gown, veil, and wedding jewelry is one of the highlights of planning a wedding. In fact, many brides have been dreaming about their wedding gown since they were little girls. But what happens if you buy a wedding gown and start having second thoughts about it? These are some tips on how to handle wedding dress regrets.

If there is one piece of advice every bridal consultant wishes engaged women would listen to, it is stop looking at wedding gowns once you have picked yours! There will always, always be another beautiful gown to admire, and you could shop forever, but then you would have nothing to wear on your wedding day. After you have placed a deposit on your bridal gown, the best thing you can do for yourself is to close the dress shopping chapter of your wedding planning. And besides, you will still get to shop for wedding jewelry, a veil, a headpiece, shoes, and lots of other gorgeous accessories.

But what if you just can't shake the feeling that you have made a bad choice and ordered the wrong gown for your wedding? 99% of the time, this second guessing is simply pre-wedding jitters. Call up the bridal salon and make an appointment to try on the sample gown again. The chances are very strong that as soon as you put it on you will remember exactly what you loved about it. If you still are not sure, try on a few other dresses, and you will probably be reminded that your original dress is still the one for you.

Sometimes brides love their wedding gowns, but others plant seeds of doubt in their minds. A common scenario is that the bride goes with her mom to pick out a dress. After she orders her gown, she takes a few pictures of herself in the sample to show her friends. Not having seen the gown in person, the bride's friends start saying that they do not love it. Why? Because pictures taken when you are wearing an ill-fitting sample gown when your hair and makeup are not done just never look that good. Or you show your friends pictures of your dress online and it looks weird on the model, even though it is spectacular on you. A good way to save yourself a ton of anxiety is not to show a lot of people photos of your dress. Share it only with your best friends who you know will be supportive, and let everyone else be surprised at your grand entrance on your wedding day.

With all these tips in mind, there might still be occasions when brides come to realize that they have definitely chosen a wedding gown that they no longer love. At that point, it is time to re-select. You only have one wedding day (hopefully!), and you deserve to feel incredible for it. You will also be living with your wedding photos for the rest of your life, and it would be a terrible shame to hate the way you look in your pictures. Some salons may allow you to transfer a deposit from one gown to another, but most will not. In that case, you can sell the first gown online and treat yourself to the wedding dress that you really love. Just promise yourself that you will really stop shopping after that!

Choosing a wedding gown is an emotional decision. In most cases, regrets are unfounded, and when you take another look at your dress, you will fall in love with it all over again. And just remember that your fiance is going to think that you are the most beautiful bride in the world whatever dress you choose to wear.

Two Types of Wedding Photo Frames

Wedding is an important event in any individual's life. This is the time when friends, relatives and other close people gather and celebrate some of the most unique moments. Every couple wants to capture those special moments in a camera and enjoy them for the rest of the life. Not only your photographs have to be of good quality but also the picture frame in which you would place them should be attractive. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of picture frame available in the market to choose from. So, whether you are looking forward to gift something to a newly weeded couple or you just got married, such frames make for a perfect choice.

As there are different wedding frames available in the market, it becomes difficult for you to choose the one that suits your budget and requirement. Keeping it in mind, this piece of article aims to highlight a few popular frames to choose from.

1.Wedding Collage Frames

Using these frames, you can display your wedding photographs in a creative way. It is one of the most inexpensive ways to display several photographs in a small space. Rather than selecting a few wedding photos, you can display as many wedding snaps as you want in collage frame.

In case you want to customise your wedding frame, select a collage that comes with an attached mat. Here, you can ask your guests to write something special and sign it. You can decorate the collage mat with poems, quotes, verses representing the most important day of your life. Available in a wide variety of colours, styles, sizes and types; choose the one that beautifies your wedding photographs.

2.Engraved Wedding Photograph Frames

They are one of the most common frames available in the market. It is a known fact that people love receiving engraved gift items. However, make sure you give good quality of frame. Gifting inexpensive and low quality metal frames degrades the importance of gift. The three most common and popular embossed frames are sterling silver frames, solid pewter frames and silver plated frames.

Such frames should have a smooth flat surface so that engraving can be easily done. They should be made of either thick or solid metal so that embossing does not show with forms of metal.

So, consider the above-mentioned two types of frames while buying a gift for a newly wedded couple.

Four Weddings and a USB Flash Drive

Despite lots of proclamations about the demise of marriage and sensational headlines stating that the institution of marriage is dead or at the very least is long past its sell by date, this year another 275,000 (ish) couples in the UK will say "I do".

In making this commitment to marry each couple will, on average, spend around 瞿20,000 on their wedding, which is a staggering 瞿5.5 billion. In the current economic climate weddings are playing their part in keeping various sections of the economy buoyant.

Most of the average wedding spend goes on the venue, the food, the entertainment and the honeymoon but significant amounts are also spent on the wedding dress, the bridesmaid dresses and the photographer.

Whilst the art of wedding photography has changed little over the years the camera equipment used and the way in which the photographs are presented to the bride and groom has undergone a bit of a revolution. Today most wedding photographers will use top-end digital SLR cameras that allow them to see what they are shooting as they go through the day. These new digital cameras also enable the photographers to shoot significantly more images than would have previously been viable with traditional film based cameras.

The finished wedding portfolios are often played back to the bride and groom on a screen to allow them to select the images they want printing or supplying on a CD or DVD.

One of the more recent innovations is to supply the final photographs on a USB flash drive. The flash drives are either branded with the photographers details (obviously with a view to generating more business) or occasionally printed or engraved with name of the bride and groom and the date of the wedding.

Some bride and grooms have taken this one stage further and are now commissioning their own printed USB flash drives onto which they are then loading (or getting professionally loaded) what amounts to an "electronic scrap book" of the event. This can include photos from the courtship, the engagement, copies of the announcement(s) in the local papers, the wedding invitation, the wedding vows, the wedding photo's and clips from the wedding video.

These "Wedding Scrap Books" USB flash drives are then sent out to friends and family after the honeymoon as a thank you for attending the day. They're also used to give everyone who attended (and those that could not make it) a fantastic memento from the wedding day.

With the price of custom USB flash drives falling all the time expect to see more and more of them used to celebrate weddings in this way.

Adding the Personal Touch to Any Wedding Photo Album

When photographing somebodies wedding you are essentially telling a story, a story about a specific family and group of people. So it is essential that you as the photographer take a little time to photograph the little, personal details. The details which help the story flow and which help bring variety to the wedding photo album.

A few examples of these details are; the flowers, the ring, the cake, the wedding dress & shoes, the table plan, champagne being poured, etc. All of these are examples of things which are specifically designed by the bride and groom for the wedding, hence being personal. Every wedding is different so whatever you find you will be helping to build a bigger picture about what the day was like. Being a documentary style photographer myself, I hope for an image to tell a story on its own. I look for opportunities where the composition, timing and subjects all come together to create a moment which I can photograph, but it is still important that I take some time to shoot the details as these are the images that break up the album and help convey the overall story.

A great advantage of arriving at the wedding venue before the guests is that you get to photograph the rooms while they are still perfectly set out and untouched. This is a great time to shoot the details, especially the table decorations. Things like the place names, glasses, napkins, anything that will help remind the bride & groom about decisions they had made while planning their wedding.

It is worth remembering that to take these sort of images you will need a lens capable of focusing at short distance. These details are often small and look better photographed on their own and without any other distractions within the frame.

To give you a head start in photographing the details at a wedding, talk to the bride and groom beforehand. Ask them what colour scheme they will be using, ask them where the flowers will be displayed, ask whether you are allowed to photograph the ring. These precautions may seem slightly unnecessary now, but every wedding is different and while you will find yourselves photographing the common details like the flowers, rings, dresses, there may be something about the couple you don't know. Something that will be an essential, distinctive detail within the photo album and a personal touch.

Personalised 10 Year Anniversary Gifts

Whether you're buying for your husband, your wife, or your parents personalised 10 year anniversary gifts are meet the criteria of being both personal and heartfelt.

The Range Of Personalised 10 Year Anniversary Gifts

A wide variety of items can be personalised through the addition of one or more favourite photographs:

Canvas Prints

Canvas prints are very popular personalised gift items. Use a favourite wedding photo and have it updated and turned into a stunning 10 year anniversary gift idea. Alternatively, use a selection of your favourite romantic pictures and have them combined in a single montage. The montage can be printed on the same high quality canvas or it can be added to any of a number of other personalised 10th anniversary gifts.

Photo Books, Albums, And Presentation Tins

Another great use of old wedding photos is to convert them into a photo book or add them to an update photo album. The front cover of the book or the album can be customised to include one of your most treasured pictures and you can even incorporate the tin element of a 10th anniversary by having a customised presentation tin included.

Personalised 10 Year Anniversary For The Individual

Both the canvas print and the photo book/album make great 10 year anniversary gifts for couples while certain items are more ideally suited to the individual.

Custom Photo Bags

Custom photo bags, including hand bags and even laptop bags as well as others, can be customised by adding a single photo to the front of the bag. As well as a picture you can include some text that could be the names of you and your partner and the date and place that you got married.

Anniversary Presents For All

With so many items to choose from, photo gifts make ideal 10 year anniversary gifts for any recipient.

2 Tips to Get More Wedding Photography Business

The two tips below are the quickest and easiest way to build your wedding digital photography business. Master the art of getting the referral and be a for sure shoe in for the wedding shoot. You will also need to learn how to effectively tap into a cold market by advertising with appealing online campaigns though free classified sites. Doing these two techniques will assure that there will never be a shortage of new customers and prospects.

Tip 1.

Referrals are an excellent way to get business. When you have a referral it builds credibility to you and the work that you've done. Ask the bride and groom before and after the wedding to put a list of anyone they can think of that would be interested in a photo shot. Have them make a list of important events like birthdays, their anniversary, other special days. Have a list of their special days gives you an extra opportunity for more business.

Be sure to have business cards at the wedding and put them in the foyer (if allowed) near the guest sign-in table so that guests can pick up one of your business cards.

A few other ways to market your business is online. Research advertising with Google or advertise for free on sites like Craigslist.com.

Tip 2.

Expand your reach to more than just digital wedding photography. You may not necessarily feel comfortable going to weddings and being a novice photographer. You can choose to go to a parks and take pictures of friends and family or even put together a pet photography business. You may want to take pictures of landscapes or urban settings. You may want to do abstract photography. Which ever direction you go make sure to save all your work and include the best work into your portfolio.

Unique Wedding Guest Book Ideas

Guest books are a must for any event, especially for weddings! It is the perfect way to preserve the names of loved ones that shared in your special event! However, over the years guest books have become, for a lack of a better word, boring! There needs to be an infusion of personality into the ordinary guest book. It's time to make guest books as stylish and trendy as today's brides-to-be. Do you want a guest book that will make a statement? Let's take a look at some great ways to take your guest book up a notch or two!

1. What about a photo guest book album? Now that's a cute idea! Set up a photo station with a simple flat sheet or large piece of fabric. Have your guest book attendant greet your guests with either a Polaroid camera (for an instant guest book) or a digital camera. Have a designated area on each album page for your guest to sign. Add the pictures taken and Voila - a guest book photo album!

2. Budget getting a little tight? Cut or buy 3x5 or 4x6 note cards in a color that coordinates with your wedding (simple cardstock paper will do the trick). Dress them up with embellishments or keep them simple. Place them in a basket or spread them out on a silver platter. Place a framed card on your guest book table instructing your guests to leave their names and words of advice for the bride and groom. Later on, you can put them in any standard photo album.

3. Create a wedding scrapbook. As your wedding supplies arrive (i.e. invitations, programs, printed napkins, etc.) place them in a scrapbook. Have your guests sign the pages and add comments and well wishes!

4. Get rid of the book altogether! Today's brides are opting for unique twists to the traditional guest book. Consider replacing your guest book with an engravable platter or a picture frame mat.

Personalized platters are a great guest book option. Not only are they beautiful, but you will be left with a gorgeous wedding memento that can actually be displayed for years to come - not packed away in a box! They are typically either ceramic (guests sign with marker) or silver (come with engraving tool).

The picture frame mat....also a great option. Simply frame one of your engagement photos, with a photo mat of course. Opt for a wide mat so that there will be plenty of room for all of your guests to sign. It will make a fabulous addition to your home décor.

5. Want rustic sophistication? Find a flat piece of driftwood or an old barn door perhaps. Fill it with signatures and you have instant rustic wall décor for your home.

Think out of the box! You are limited only by your imagination. Just about anything can be written on, right? Have fun with it! Create a guest book that you won't want to pack away!

Wedding Photography - Capturing Those Priceless Moments That Last Forever

A wedding is a series of countless moments that just must be captured in time. Every couple wants to gather as many pictures as possible to revisit these moments after they have actually lived their special day. They say that the most important person in the wedding, after the priest of course, is the wedding photographer. So, if you are one, you must be proud as you are an integral part of the most memorable day in a couple's life.

Getting started

If you are looking at a career as the wedding photographer, you will be glad to know that it is quite a lucrative business. There are a few tips that will help you get started and actually promote yourself to potential clients. You surely already know the science of photography and own necessary equipment. The next thing to do is to build a good portfolio. Don't expect to be paid astronomical prices in the very beginning. You might want to start with pictures of weddings of friends and family and choose a few good pictures for your portfolio. Then, you ought to build a website giving your potential clients all the details that they might require. A website also portrays that you are a professional who knows his business.

Be prepared

After the initial efforts, you will definitely be able to get a good client base. Whenever you shoot at a wedding, make sure you meet the couple and the family to get a little insight. Being involved will allow you to get good pictures that are emotionally appealing. When the day of the shoot arrives, make sure you are ready. Keep the batteries fully charged and ensure that you have enough memory hardware so that you don't have to fumble half way through. In a wedding, there is no telling how many pictures you will get. It is helpful if you have a laptop to transfer the images. Also keep your lenses easy to access since you might have to make quick changes as the wedding takes its course.

Get the best angles

The last thing you want to do is capture only clich矇s. Clich矇s are good for one set of people but the other set demands images that they can actually frame. This is where knowing the families will give you an edge. Don't just focus on the wedding as an event. Consider it a play with all possible emotions. That is precisely what you want to capture. Study your venue to get interesting angles that will wow the people looking at these photographs.

Deliver

After shooting hundreds of pictures of the event, select the best ones. Present these images well and in a defined sequence. You must make sure that you stick to your delivery deadlines. The last thing a couple wants to do is to wait for their wedding pictures endlessly. If possible, you can even share the first five pictures as a sneak peek in a day or two. Digitization allows you to speed up the process and make sure your utilize that.

Finally, get creative. Make every wedding album unique and create endless memories for your clients.

Different Types of Wedding Albums

Most of the time when people have pictures taken for their wedding they do not give much thought about what they are going to do with the pictures once they receive them. There are some who hang them from the walls in their living room or bed room to and are reminded of that special day every time they walk into the room, but if you would rather use that space for other family photos then you may want to check into using wedding albums to keep your photos in. There are a few different types to be aware of and you are sure to find one that will suit your needs.

Making a wedding album is sort of like making a baby book if you have had kids or know of anyone who has. The pictures are usually displayed from the youngest moments and continue through the growing stages of their life. This is the way that some people choose to put together their wedding album and it looks rather nicely. You may choose a few photos that you have from the courting stage of the relationship and then lead up to the wedding photos, or you may choose to just jump right in and begin with the wedding photos.

There are a few options available that you may find to work very well with your personality and style. If you are someone who likes to do arts and crafts then you can put together a homemade album that you can add your own personal touch to. If you are a technological person then you might find a digital wedding album to be more to your liking. You may even find that the photographer who took your wedding photos offers the service of putting wedding albums together as part of a package.

There are a lot of different ways that you can arrange your wedding photos to make a beautiful display. It is important to be able to look back on that special day any time that you would like and go through the memories that you made. It is important to have an album that is dedicated to your perfect wedding.

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

When you need a wedding photographer to immortalize the events on your wedding day, there are some very important considerations before you choose a particular wedding photo specialist. Searching for a wedding photographer demands the same high standard just like when you are shopping for a wedding ring or looking for a reception venue. Here are some important points you should consider when selecting a wedding photographerfor yourwedding photo shoot.

Start early As much as possible, start your wedding photographer selection early. Wedding photographers are typically booked from six months to one year in advance, especially the good ones. Try to evaluate at least three wedding photo specialists.You can ask for referrals from family and friends.

Professionalism is key Your wedding demands the best service and dedication from a wedding photographer. Make sure you choose a reputable and professional wedding photo expert. It is also wiser to go with photography firms whose wedding photography work comprises fifty percent of their business.

Check their wedding photo portfolio the proof of a wedding photo specialist's expertise lies in the quality of his previous wedding photo job. Make sure you check out the photographer's portfolio. Make sure too that the wedding photographer whose portfolio you are browsing will be the one who will take your wedding photos. You can check out examples of the different styles and discuss what specific style you want for your wedding.

Check out the price and services Different photographers offer different prices and services. Make sure you know the price and which services are included within that price and which are not. Find out what particular services the wedding photo specialist offers and how many hours of his time will be included in the price. You should also confirm how many images you will get. Also check the price of extras such as wedding photo reprints, wedding photo albums, wall portraits, wedding photo frames. This is the best time to discuss about this than after the wedding.

Plan a wedding photo engagement session - an engagement session is a casual sit-down wedding photo session that is done a few months before the big day. This is a great way to know your wedding photographer more and also for him/her to get to know you too.

A contract is important as soon as you agree on the price, arrangements and other details, make sure you put it all in writing. A contract helps protect both you and your wedding photo specialist. If your wedding photographer doesn't have a contract, insist on having one, or you may have to look for another photographer.

On the big day your wedding photographer must be dressed suitably for the occasion. The objective here is to make him/her as less obtrusive as possible and to blend in, so to speak. A professional wedding photographer will make it a point to be the first on the venues, whether it is the bride's or the groom's house, the wedding venue and the reception venue. Your wedding photographer may have assistants with him; make sure that they are also dressed appropriately and briefed thoroughly about the wedding photo requirements.

Turnaround time Usually, you should be able to claim your wedding photos, proofs and other extras within two to four weeks. Some wedding photographers typically take two weeks to edit and sequence your wedding photos according to the chronological order of your wedding day's events.

Top 10 Worst Wedding Favors

Have you received a wedding favor and thought to yourself 'how useless' and immediately threw it away? Or better yet, looked at it as though it's the strangest gift you've ever received? These favors were voted on by brides and found to be the top 10 wedding WORST favors received.

1. Jordan Almonds wrapped in tulle.


2. Votive Candles with the bride and groom engraved initials.


3. Mini clock with bride and groom photo.


4. Dice with the bride and groom's wedding date.


5. Bubbles.


6. Sand from the beach in a tiny bottle.


7. Personalized stationary with the bride and groom's name and wedding date.


8. Deck of cards with bride and groom's e-session photos.


9. Soap flakes in the shape of fall leaves.


10. Plastic champagne glasses.

Let's be honest. What are your guests going to do with an item that has you and your fianc矇's engagement picture on it with the wedding date? No matter how cute you think those types of wedding favors are, brides are evaluating each other and giving some of these favors a "thumbs down."

Tradition tells us, that giving a wedding favor to the guests is a symbol of showing the bride and grooms appreciation for coming to celebrate your wedding. However, some brides are saying, 'isn't the dinner, free booze and music enough of a thank you?' 'Is a wedding favor really THAT important?'

Think about it, if you, as a guest, attended a wedding and didn't receive a wedding favor, would you walk away from the wedding reception thinking to yourself, "how cheap, they didn't even give me a gift?" I think not. Most likely you will be thinking about how beautiful the bride was and how much fun you had on the dance floor. The last things your guests are thinking about are the wedding favors. And if they don't like the favor you decide to give them, it is immediately tossed in the trash, thrown in a junk drawer or donated to Goodwill.

So while you are knee-deep in your wedding planning and you happen to remember the wedding favors as an afterthought, maybe you should reconsider if wedding favors are truly important to you and your fianc矇. I mean if they are truly an afterthought, they couldn't be THAT important right? So don't waste your money on last minute or tacky favors that no one wants. If you are going to give them something, give them something they really want and/or can actually use!

10 Unique Photo Gift Ideas For Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and there will be many unique gifts available for the season. Using a favorite photo in a gift is a great way to personalize Christmas gifts. Here are 10 photo gift ideas that would look great under anyone's Christmas tree and are sure to make everyone smile!

Photo Coffee Mug

Give the gift of a personalized coffee mug this season! With a variety of styles to choose from, mugs make a great gift for a cold winter night. Choose a stainless steel mug for a traveler. Select one photo or a collage of photos and finish off with a favorite sentiment. For an added bonus, make a gift set by filling the mug with a variety of favorite candy, tea or coffee.

Photo Puzzle

For an unusual idea, turn a favorite family photo into a puzzle for all to enjoy. Picture puzzles make a great gift for grandparents and can easily be mailed to the recipient.

Photo Skin for a Laptop or Cell Phone

Photo skins are a great gift for that tech-obsessed friend or family member. To ensure proper fit, know the make and model of the gadget before ordering the skin. To cover the space on a laptop, make a collage of favorite photos.

Personalized Photo Book

Give the gift of memories with a personalized photo book. Upload pictures from a major family event, such as a wedding or birth, and use an online program to create the book. This gift is sure to delight and be a favorite for years to come!

Photo Calendar

Give a gift that keeps on giving. A photo calendar is a great Christmas gift. There are many programs available that can assist in creating a personalized photo calendar. Use photos from the previous year to preserve those memories. Mail calendars to distant relatives along with annual Christmas cards.

Photo Ornament

Order photo ornaments from a company or hand make at home. Use children's school photos to create new ornaments each year. Display ornaments on the tree.

Digital Photo Frame

Digital photo frames are available in a variety of sizes. They can be as small as a key chain or as large as a frame on the wall. Choose from models with batteries or a wall plug. Upload with pictures prior to gifting for an added bonus.

Photo Playing Cards

For the card shark in the family, create photo playing cards online. Upload pictures of a vacation, kids or a favorite pet. These playing cards are sure to be a hit at the next family game night!

Photo Blanket

The recipient of this gift will love keeping warm this Christmas wrapped up in the arms of loved ones. Choose a wedding photo for newlyweds or a baby picture for the new parents. A favorite family photo makes a great addition to any couch.

Photo Stamps

Personalized photo stamps make a great gift for the aunt that loves to write letters! Or use the photo stamps to personalize annual family Christmas cards and letters. Either way, these stamps will definitely bring a smile!

Photo Editing Techniques - Some Basic Techniques to Enhance Your Digital Photos

Photo editing has become an important part of digital photography nowadays. Even if you have a simple point and shoot camera or the top of the line digital camera, you can always find some photo editing techniques useful in enhancing the artistic side of your pictures.

Of course, good pictures relay good messages to the viewer and of course, we all want to look at pictures with great admiration. Enhancing and editing wedding pictures, for example, is one of the most common and popular use of good photo editing techniques. It is also important in enhancing photos for your website, your ads and in just making your personal photos more exciting and glamorous.

Learning to enhance or manipulate photos can be exciting and once you get to know some of the amazing tools and possibilities of improving your pictures, you will eventually love to learn more about it. Here are some of the basic photo editing techniques that you may want to start with to see the magic in your photos.

- Adjusting brightness and contrast. Adjusting the brightness and contrast of a photo is probably the most common editing most people need in their pictures. If you have a dark or overexposed picture, you can correct this using a photo editing software. You can use the menu on brightness and contrast and manually adjust them separately to get the desired result. In Adobe Photoshop, you can also use the 'Auto Level' or the 'level' button to adjust the brightness and contrast simultaneously and have more control on the adjustments.

- Adjusting hue and saturation. If you want to make the colors of your picture crisp and brighter, try adjusting the hue and saturation of your picture. Increasing the saturation of your picture makes the colors stronger. You can also turn your picture into black and white by setting the saturation to zero. You can actually experiment with this tool to help you get that perfect sharpness in color and turn that dull picture into a brighter one.

- Sharpening and blurring part of your pictures. Sharpening and blurring are also very useful photo editing techniques to create focus on your picture or give that ordinary wedding picture some dreamy effect. If you want a magazine-perfect photo that makes your face looks smooth and glamorous, you can use blurring and sharpening tools. If you are a fan of Adobe Photoshop, you can use the Filter menu and then select some blurring tools such as the Gaussian blur, which is popular in photo editing, the motion blur, if you want to enhance your photo of a moving subject and many other types of blurring.

- Changing or removing backgrounds. Yes, you can actually change or remove the background of your photos - easily. In Photoshop, it involves creating layers and adding 'Layer Masks'. You can actually find some good tutorials to help you walk through the process.

- Cloning techniques. Cloning allows you to remove unwanted objects or distractions in your photograph. If you want to get rid of your dark spots and blemishes in your face in your close-up picture, you can also make use of the cloning tool to help you copy the normal color or lightness of your skin.

These are just a few of the photo editing techniques and once you can start experimenting with any of these you will eventually find out how exciting photo editing can be.

Wedding Programs - An Introduction

Designing a beautiful wedding program may not seem as important as sorting out the wedding photo albums or choosing a dress, but this memento can add an elegant touch to your big day.
 
Not only can programs give guests a preview of how the ceremony will unfold, but many people appreciate having an additional keepsake to take home. The bride and groom may also want to add it to their wedding album.

What to include
 
Most couples choose to list their names, the date and time of the wedding, where it is being held, who is performing the ceremony and the order of events. Some other common additions include a description of the music, the text of special readings or prayers, a photo or a rundown of who is in the wedding party.
 
You should feel free to personalize your wedding program as you see fit, particularly if you want to thank someone, explain a particular aspect of your ceremony or provide some background on how you met your fiance.

How to create programs
 
You can order custom-made programs from a professional designer, create them using a computer program or craft them yourself to save a bit of cash and add a handmade touch. If you are making your own programs, consider how formal or playful you would like them to be - the tone should match that of the rest of your wedding.
 
When it comes time to choose materials, you may get the best results from using heavier paper such as cardstock, but feel free to layer this base with vellum or handmade paper for a sophisticated textured look. If you'd like you can also, incorporate ribbons, glitter, dried flowers, photos or other embellishments.

The Importance of a Pre-Wedding Shoot

Most photographers include a pre-wedding shoot as part of their packages as they feel it is important to get to know their clients before the wedding day. This way the client can sample their style of photography and dispel any fears they may have about being photographed, so on the wedding day they will look more natural and relaxed.

The shoot takes place approximately 3 months before the wedding day it is typically outside using natural light which is more flattering and enables the photographer to capture the couple naturally. Often photographs are taken of the couple individually as well as together this gives them the experience of how they would be photographed on the wedding day.

There are countless advantages of a pre-wedding shoot; building rapport with your photographer, as it's a long day to have a stranger with you on your wedding day. Understanding how your photographer works and seeing the results of your pre-wedding photographs of the day and give you confidence that your photographer will capture fantastic shots of you both on the wedding day.

If your photographer has not photographed at your venue before it is a good opportunity to combine the visit to the venue along with your pre-wedding shoot. If you're wedding is taking place in Autumn or winter you may like your pre-wedding shoot to take place at your wedding venue in the summer, this way you will have a selection of contrasting seasonal images from your wedding venue.

Wherever you choose to have your pre-wedding shoot embrace the experience, as it's a great opportunity to have some relaxed spontaneous images together with a professional photographer as you may not have had any pictures taken professionally of the two of you before.

It's important to the photographer to understand how the couple wish to be photographed and find out if there are any concerns the couple have regarding public affection or which side they prefer to be photographed. Or there may be a considerable height difference between the couple and they wish to see how the photographer can approach this. Viewing the pre-wedding images with your photographer is just as important as the shoot itself, this way you can give your feedback to the photographer so they are aware of your preferences.

They will have options and make suggestions on how best to use your pre-wedding images. These options may include a sign frame, guests can write their personal message around the mounted image on the wedding day instead of a guestbook. This way your favorite image from the shoot will be on display at your wedding. The concept is a real talking point and you'll have a lasting memory displayed on your wall of the messages your guests have written on the day.

An alternative is a photo guestbook this would have a selection of your favorite images from the pre-wedding shoot alongside blank pages where your guests can write their own personal message.

How to Make a Wedding Scrapbook

A wedding can be the happiest day of many people's lives, and a scrapbook is an ideal way to sum up your special day's activities to help remember and share them with others. Digital photo collages using wedding-centric collage picture frames can make a critical component of memorabilia for you and your mate to keep and treasure forever.

Most professional photographers take hundreds of photos, and the opportunities for photo collages are endless, so putting together a wedding scrapbook can feel like a daunting task. But don't be overwhelmed! Today's digital photo collages make the process easy and fun. You can simply drag and drop digital photos into premade collage picture frames with wedding themes. Consider the advice below.

• Invite your newlywed to participate and offer ideas on the project. If he or she wants to take part, it can be a fun experience as a couple and will increase your partner's appreciation for your wedding scrapbook.


• First, choose your favorite wedding pictures to use alone or in photo collages. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of your scrapbooking projects, but it's important because it will dictate the length of your scrapbook.


• Next, outline the photo collages you're thinking of creating. Maybe one page will be dedicated to the rehearsal dinner, another to the members of the wedding party, another to the parents of the bride and groom, another to the flower girl and ring bearer, and so on. Choose from a wide assortment of collage picture frames that use a wedding theme.


• Gather the mementos you wish to save. Some of the nicest wedding scrapbooks incorporate elements of both traditional and digital scrapbooks. For example, you might glue a wedding invitation and petals of your wedding corsage or bouquet to homemade pages accompanied by printed digital photo collages on other pages. You can scan in your wedding license, vows or other priceless documents to include on your digital pages and even frame them using collage picture frames.


• Be sure to include creative details, journaling or captions to help tell the story. You can include these aside wedding photo collages for a personal touch.


• Today's digital photo collages offer so many choices of embellishments. Pick from wedding bells, lovebirds, hearts, flowers, wedding rings and wedding cake to help accent your photo collages.

Your wedding scrapbook is priceless, and the traditional paper-and-glue scrapbook is irreplaceable. Imagine how you'd feel if it were lost or ruined. A digital scrapbook, which can be reprinted anytime, helps protect your treasured heirloom.

The fun, beauty and excitement of your wedding don't have to end after the reception. You, your partner, family and friends will reminisce over your wedding scrapbook many times in the years to come. Thoughtfully capturing those blissful, once-in-a-lifetime moments now will help you feel like you're getting married all over again, even when you're celebrating your silver or golden wedding anniversary!

Get More Bookings For Your Photo Business

Bookings are the core of your photo business. Without bookings you have no money coming in. And if you want to keep that money coming in on a regular basis, then you need to keep the bookings coming in. Now that you understand how important they are, let's take a look at what you can do to get more bookings for your photo business.

Before you get a booking you need to have a consultation. And before you can schedule a consultation you need to generate a lead. That means you have to find someone who is interested in procuring your services.

The interested party could be anyone. Someone you meet while you're standing in line at the grocery store, someone you meet at a bridal show, or even a friend of a friend of a friend. The point is, the minute that person tells you they might have need of a photographer they immediately become a potential new client. And your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to turn that lead into a consultation.

Never let a lead get away from you without at least trying to get them into your office for a consultation. If someone asks you about prices or any other type of information your goal is to get them to schedule a consultation. Never thank them for calling and tell them to call again if they have questions. Schedule a consultation. At the very least, get as much contact information as you can so you can check back with them in 24 hours.

Now, let's assume the worst. What if you can't get them to come in and talk? First, you can call them on the phone a day or two later and try again. If that doesn't work, you can send them information about your services in the mail. But it's important to stay on top of these leads. You know they're interested in hiring a photographer and if it isn't you it's going to be someone else.

And you can't let up once you have them in your office. That's when you really need to shine. Make sure you have plenty of samples or a very nice portfolio that shows off your best work. When they tell you they're getting married and such-and-such venue, let them know that you've taken plenty of pictures there before and you know all the best backdrops to get the best shots. In other words, let your experience and expertise show.

You'll get more bookings for your photo business once you realize that every single person you meet is a potential new client. You should always be talking up your business. And never let your leads go away with all their questions answered, unless they've turned into a booking.

Wedding Gazebos Stress Form and Function

Wedding gazebos are a timeless staple of celebration decor which add class and style to any event, but especially enhance the beauty of a wedding.

Traditionally, the gazebos are octagon, providing a Victorian or Colonial feel the design. The size you're looking for will be dependent on how you plan to use the gazebo. Smaller structures work well for small ceremonies in which the wedding party uses the shelter as a focal point. But, larger gazebos can cover whole receptions.

The octagon gazebos add to the landscape portrait as well as service a functional purpose. Many ceremonies have been conducted at the gazebo entrance, with the presiding official at the gazebo entrance between the columns and the happy couple just below.

Many more wedding photos have included the wedding gazebo, sometimes with the wedding party outlining the structure.

A 10 foot diameter octagon is the bare essential and works well in a backyard setting, but for more public usage and larger weddings, 14 foot and larger diameter octagon gazebos should be considered.

The most conventional color for wedding gazebos mirrors bridal gown traditions: white. White vinyl is the most popular choice for its white, smooth and maintenance free finish. Treated pine gazebos may be painted white, but cedar can also be used for an entirely different rustic look.

The gazebo requires a level foundation, which may extend just beyond the perimeter of the gazebo, may be made of flat stoned gravel, paver stones or concrete. Landscaping choices can conceal most of the foundation, or with prior planning, the foundation may be used as part of the landscaping.

Like bridal gowns, wedding gazebos may be modern, straight and simple or they may be ornate, lavish and detailed. Geography and budget usually play the largest roles in selection, but always consider the aesthetics, styling and photo-potential of any structure used for your wedding!

10 Practical Bridesmaid Gift Ideas

In our opinion, some bridesmaid gifts are weird and end up sitting on a shelf or drawer for years, eventually ending up in the trash. Why not give something useful and practical?! Sometimes gift giving to bridesmaids gets overlooked all together... But yes, it is traditionally proper to present your bridal party (bridesmaids & groomsmen) with thank-you gifts that are different than the guest favors. Got any good ideas? If not, check out this list of great bridesmaid gift possibilities:

#1 - Gift Certificates/Gift Cards

Now these are practical and useful! Consider gift certificates/cards from stores & sites where they'll need to purchase wedding-related items, i.e., accessory stores, shoe stores, hair salons, spas, etc. Or, a gift card from their favorite store or restaurant will do just fine too!

#2 - Their Ceremony Jewelry and/or Accessories

Giving your bridesmaids a necklace and earring set is perfect for so many reasons. Ladies love jewelry, it's great for future use, they need some for your wedding, and it would all be matching. Perfect! Another accessories idea would be gloves and a brooch. So classy...

#3 - Framed Wedding Photo Keepsake

Since we're all busy these days, sometimes keeping up with events slips through the cracks of our lives. Have your photographer take photos of you and each bridesmaid separately. Present a lovely frame to each bridesmaid with a personalized thank-you note, and the promise of a future, special photo for their frame. Sure this will sit on a shelf, or hang on a wall, but it will certainly be treasured! Personalized Photo Frames.

4 - Spa Services

You know this will be appreciated and practical...

#5 - Purses, Clutches or Bags

A nice, new bag, purse or clutch is always a welcome addition. Personalized bags are a nice option.

#6 - An Overnight Stay at a Hotel, B&B or Resort

This sounds nice right now... Purchase a one-night's stay for your bridesmaids to enjoy some relaxation time. If you have an out-of-town wedding, this would also come in very handy right at wedding time.

#7 - Cosmetic Bags Filled With Goodies

Get your gals some personalized color & makeup goodies that they can put to use right away!

#8 - Personalized Glassware & Wine/Sparking Cider

Anything personalized is wonderful. But personalized for your bridesmaids... not with your wedding info on it! A quality bottle of wine or bubbly sparking cider would go great in glassware or flasks with their engraved names!

#9 - Elegant Table Decor From Your Reception

Go "green" - Put your centerpieces to good use! Depending on what you choose to decorate your reception tables with, some items would make great gifts for your bridesmaids. Examples - square plates with personalized candles and river rocks, wreaths, candelabras, exotic live plants, etc.

#10 - Scrapbooks or Memory Albums

Start them out with some pre-wedding photos and any programs, napkins or other customized printed items from the wedding. Later, give them copies of your professional wedding photos to add in!

Winter Wedding Photo Ops

The photographs will provide one of the most lasting memories of your wedding. You want to be sure that they capture both your love and joy, as well as the spirit of the day. These are some of the best winter wedding photo ops that you may wish to include in your wedding album.

When you think about a winter wedding, it is not only indoor photographs that will be special. There are many wonderful ideas for outdoor pictures too, weather permitting. It is really a lot of fun to bundle up in a gorgeous velvet wrap or fur coat and head outside for a (brief!) photo session. The image of a bride dressed in her white gown and glistening bridal jewelry against a snowy white background is truly breathtaking. Think about how dramatic it will look to have the groom in a black tux set against all that white. Give the scene dimension by standing near some trees with striking forms.

A really romantic idea for an outdoor winter wedding photo shoot would be to pose in a horse-drawn sleigh. They can often be rented for the day, and make a terrific conveyance between venues as well as a can't-miss photo op. The newlyweds snuggled together under a cozy blanket in an old-fashioned sleigh is about as picturesque a wedding picture as you could ever hope to capture.

Sporty brides and grooms can have some fun having wedding pictures taken that show off their love of the great outdoors. Skiing the black diamond run in your wedding gown, veil, and bridal jewelry might be a bit tricky, but a few shots of the newlyweds cross country skiing would be unique and fun. Or strap on a pair of snowshoes for a quick photo session. You will be having so much fun that you will not even notice the cold.

Of course a bit of realism is important when planning outdoor photo shoots in the cold weather. One woman I know was in a wedding whose bride insisted that the entire bridal party be photographed in the outside courtyard of the hotel where the reception was to take place. The only problem was that it was February in Vermont, and the temperature was sub-zero. For every picture the photographer snapped, the shivering wedding party had to hold their breath to keep their frosty breath from obscuring their faces! This may have been a case when the bride could have let that one particular photo op go for the sake of everyone concerned.

There are plenty of terrific indoor photograph ideas for winter weddings as well. Think about what types of special winter or holiday features may be in place at your ceremony and reception venues. A shot of the newlyweds in front of a roaring fireplace in a grand hotel lobby would be a classic (just keep the train of the wedding gown far from the flames!). A holiday wedding photo session in front of a beautifully trimmed Christmas tree would make unforgettable pictures for the album. And of course, photos shot in flickering candlelight during a dim winter's afternoon are the very picture of romance. Any or all of these would be wonderful additions to your collection of wedding photographs.

Candid Wedding Photography

Candid wedding photos blend photojournalism and storytelling to make your memories even more personal. A candid wedding photographer will be your eyes throughout the ceremony, snapping shots of seemingly mundane activities and elevating them to an art form.

Where traditional photography relies on posed and staged settings, candid or photojournalistic photos take a more narrative approach. Some couples prefer to have candid shots versus traditional wedding photography because it lends a more "human touch" to the ceremony. Others may choose to have a mix of both traditional and candid photos for their wedding album.

A wedding photographer that will take candid photographs should ideally have experience in photojournalism and be capable of shooting a wide range of subjects in various settings and lighting. Your wedding photographer should be well-versed in both candid and formal photos, but some only specialize in one type of photography. Some couples choose to hire a photographer that specializes solely in candids for one set of photos and another photographer who specializes in formal photos for another set.

A wedding photographer specializing in candid photography will seek to create a story through photos. The photos can be taken randomly or in sequence - from you getting prepared to departing the reception - and it makes for a compelling presentation. Weddings are full of activity, and candid wedding photos can also capture the moments you miss.

Before your ceremony, work with your wedding photographer and ensure that he understands your vision. Explain what types of activities you'd like him to focus on, but don't necessarily limit the photographer's subject range. Keep in mind that candids are informal and, most importantly, real representations of your ceremony; some light editing may be needed, but it isn't necessary to completely retouch your photos.

Your wedding photographer should have a long zoom lens on his camera, so he can shoot your ceremony from afar without being noticed. Additionally, make sure that he turns off the "click" sound on the camera when a photo is taken, as well as the flash, which can also be distracting.

Candid wedding photos can be shot at home, during the ceremony, at the reception and even at your rehearsal dinner; the sky is the limit to the number of photos you want taken. The key to candid photography is spontaneity, and your wedding photographer will likely be flitting about throughout your ceremony and reception - try your best to ignore the camera completely so your photos remain candid.

Facts About Photography

Whether you are watching TV or just going through the pages of a magazine, you are bombarded with photographs that force you to think and feel about the subject; it doesn't matter if the photo is about a beautiful women or a dilapidated structure. Photography is an art, very much similar to a painter who uses a canvass. The big difference is the use of lighting which a photographer can use to portray the subject in a manner he wants to. This is done by a painter using different shades of colors.

This is one profession, where there is really no difference between a professional and amateur. You really do not need to go to a school to learn how to click. It is having a knack to click at the right time and at the right moment. A good photographer knows when and where to click to get a stunning photo that also looks natural. For taking a natural photograph, natural sunlight is critical. Photographers have had to wait for several days before taking a photo as the light which would be optimum was not there. Photography involves both the nature and the subject who is being shot. It is the fine balance between the two which can make a photo great or ordinary.

Every photo is a new experience for the photographer as it teaches him what he should do to improve the next time. Photography as a profession has been revolutionized by the advent of digital cameras as these gadgets do a lot on their own and much effort and time of the photographer is saved in arranging different equipment which he used to do earlier.

But even with these amazing digital cameras, a photographer may have to wait for a long time before the crucial things like weather conditions; angle of the sun, amount of sunlight etc. are optimum for the photos to come out the way the photographer wants. Photography is done for various reasons. It is done for fun, as a hobby, to preserve memories of an event, shoot special moments, to send some message and finally for entertainment.

Though photography is natural and natural photographs are most eye catching, some types of photography like fashion photography, product photography, wedding photography etc. are time based and do not depend upon natural sunlight to complete the job. Photography is an art that is evolving all the time and the introduction of new technology makes it fresh and exciting to those involved in it.

Top 5 Tips in Preparing For Your Wedding Photo Shoot

Your wedding photo shoot is indeed a very important event. Keep in mind that this will document everything that happens in your wedding day. You might want to do some serious preparations for this. Here are some useful tips which you can follow:

1. Hire the right photographer - Of course this is the most important thing to consider. It would be best to canvass on prices but it might be a much smarter move to actually consider the recommendations of people whom you know. This way you can already be sure that the photographer whom you will choose indeed has the expertise in doing wedding shoots. This photographer should also be the one to take care of your prenup pictures so that the consistency of images would be smooth through and through.

2. Talk things over with your photographer - If you have some creative ideas of your own, feel free to voice these out with your wedding photographer. Take time to make appointments or meetings prior to the wedding day and ask the photographer to brief you with the shoot essentials. While you are at it, consider taking some creative and funny wedding shots so that your picture would not look too boring or serious. After all, these images would be forever etched in you and your spouse's history together. You might want to also ask him to take solo pictures of your entourage in such a creative fashion.

3. Arrange the payment process before the wedding day - Surely the last thing you want is some unprocessed payments and surprise billings coming your way after the wedding day. This is the reason why you have to sign a legal contract for the services that will be rendered for you. Also, make sure that you get official receipts after you have made a payment. Speaking of payments, it is advisable to pay only half of the total price prior to the wedding day--think of it as a down payment to establish the fact that this the deal is for real. You can just pay the other half upon delivery of all the photos and media.

4. Select complementing outfits - This goes for both the prenup pictures and the wedding day itself. The groom's clothes and wedding attire should complement that of his bride's. Just the same, the bride's stunning gown should not overshadow the groom because the picture should be able to capture the glow and vibrance of you together as a newlywed couple. So take time to know what both of you are going to wear to have this sorted out early on.

5. Take a good rest prior to the photo shoot - Relax and get a good night's sleep. The best way to ensure that you would have stunning photos is if you have a shoot after you have rested well. It puts you in a good mood and prevents dark circles or eye bags from occurring on your face.

Wedding Anniversary Gifts You'll Remember for Years

There is most likely no event so imbued with tradition as a wedding. This applies to the celebration of the Anniversary of that special day as well. Lists have been complied that give suggested gift ideas for each anniversary from the first to the one hundredth. In fact, there are two lists as the older traditional items have given way to more modern items.

If you were fortunate to have had a traditional Sussex wedding in one of the many spectacular Sussex wedding venues, you already have a strong sense of the aura of tradition that surrounds weddings and anniversaries in that area. It is possible that you might be looking to break with tradition just a little bit when it comes to anniversary gifts. One idea is to give a gift that not only will be remembered for years, but could even become a treasured family heirloom.

If you had a full set of wedding pictures taken by one of the many Sussex wedding photographers, you might be able to take advantage of some unique and memorable gift ideas. Wedding photos can become the basis for several choices of anniversary gifts.

One such idea is a wedding photo plate. It is possible to purchase a large display plate that has a photo selected from the wedding photos as its centerpiece design. The plate can be purchased online, and the photo supplied by scanning it and uploading it to the vendor's site. A similar idea is a wedding photo quilt. These quilts are also available online and feature a large heart in the center with a selected wedding photo and two different anniversary dates. Once again the photo can be any selected wedding, or even previous anniversary photo. It merely needs to be scanned and uploaded to the vendor.

Another option along these same lines is an original water color painting done from a selected wedding photo. The painting can be framed and hung in the living room of the anniversary couples home to provide a visual and lasting gift they will cherish for their entire life together. An anniversary is a day that marks the date of a wedding, and a gift that invokes memories of that special day is sure to be well received and will be remembered for a life time. It is an idea worth that is certainly worth considering.

Wedding Gift Giving - FAQ and Answers Too

Over time, our visitors, both Invitees and Marrying Couples, have asked many questions regarding Wedding Gift Giving

This article is formatted as Questions and answers.
A-wedding Day hopes that they will help answer some of your questions. If not, please feel free to Email us your questions.

Please note that

Q stands for Question

S stands for Statement

A stands for Answer

WEDDING GUESTS ASK:

Q. I am invited to a wedding. The invitation arrived and with it a wish list and store registries where the bride and groom entered the items they want to receive.

S. I do not plan to attend. Do I need to send a gift?
A. You do not have to, but it is a nice gesture to send a gift whether or not you plan to attend.

Q. Do I have to give an item chosen by the bride and groom?
A. No! While it is nice to help the couple acquire items they have chosen, a unique gift can be just as and even more welcomed.

Q. Do I have to purchase from one of their bridal registries?
A. No. You may shop anywhere, though the bridal registries will inform you of which items have already been purchased.

Q. Can I purchase a gift for the wedding itself rather than for the future?
A. Absolutely! Providing the bride and groom receive it in time for the wedding. In fact it is a good idea because just about any gift used at the wedding will become a cherished keepsake.

Q. What would make a memorable gift for the wedding?
Any item personalized with the bride and groom's first names and wedding date such as: Toasting Flutes, Cake Servers, Unity Candles, etc...
One, a few or even an entire collection of Wedding Accessories such as: Toasting Flutes, Cake Servers, Unity Candles, Guest Books and matching pens, Garters, Ring Bearer Pillow, hankies, caketops etc... But DO NOT make it a surprise gift. Consult with the bride and groom to assure that they do not have these items yet. If not, find out if they plan a theme wedding and purchase accordingly or better yet, let THEM CHOOSE the items.

Q. Can I shop on line for wedding gifts?
A.Sure! Actually this is the easiest way to engage the bride and groom, near or far, should you need their input in choosing a gift for the wedding.
Shopping online is your most convenient way to acquire unique gifts which may not be available in stores.
Ideas: Personalized wedding gifts, personalized candles, etc... When you shop on line, a click of the mouse or a phone call from your home or office, allows you to purchase, gift wrap, enclose a personalized gift card and ship a gift to directly to the couple.

Q. Should I bring my gift to the wedding site?
A. Preferably not!
Most wedding sites do not provide security. Thus, Gifts can easily be damaged or misplaced or, sad to say taken. The bride and groom are much too busy and excited to worry about gathering up gifts. Thus, some gifts could easily be left behind.

Q. How do I make sure that the bride and groom receive my gift?
A. Send the gift to the Bride's address, grooms address or the address on the RSVP envelope that came with the wedding invitation.

BRIDES AND GROOMS ASK:

S. We plan to give each other gifts at the wedding. What is the best time to do so?
A. Gift exchange between brides and grooms has become rather popular. The best time for brides and grooms to exchange gifts is at the ceremony, as soon as they are no longer bride and groom. That is immediately following the officiant presenting the new Mr. and Mrs. but after lighting the Unity Candle.

Q. What kinds of gifts will be appropriate?
A. Give each other gifts that are keepsakes. Personalized gifts and jewelry top the list.

S. As a blending family, we plan to acknowledge our kids as part of our union. We would like to give them special gifts at the wedding.

Q. What is the best time to do so?
A. This is a wonderful way to welcome your kids into the new family creatid by your union.
The best time for you to give your kids a gift is at the ceremony immediately following your gift exchange, or immediately after your rings exchange and vows. This is especially appropriate if you plan to include the kids in your vows and, if age appropriate, in lighting the Unity Candle.

Q. What kinds of gifts will be appropriate?
Here a piece of jewelry such as the family unity jewelry (pendants, rings, lapel pins/tie clips etc...) will be a perfect gift.

Q. Are there specific etiquetes regarding giving gifts to our wedding party and family?
S. We need some ideas of gifts of appreciation to our bestman, maid of honor, bridesmaids, ushers, groomsmen, parents grand parents flower girl and ring bearer (boy).
A. Gifts, their cost and whether you should give everyone the same gift is at your discresion. But since you asked, we'll provide you with some ideas.

IDEAS for GIFTS for WOMEN

Gifts for Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, mothers, grandmothers

A. The most appropriate gifts will be keepsake mementos.
The mothers and the maid of Honor generally receive gift of greater value than the bridesmaids, but this is not mandatory.
Gifts personalized with either their names, title (mother, maid of honor etc...), or bride and groom's name and wedding date serve as both thank you and keepsake mementos.
Ideas: Personalized candles, frames or photo albums to later add your wedding pictures to, jewelry, some part of their wedding attire, toasting flutes or mugs, jewelry boxes, key chains, clocks, make-up kits, crystal or silver vases, crystal bowls, collectibles etc...
Pampering gifts Ideas:bath oils, gift baskets, candles, a day at a spa etc...

IDEAS for GIFTS FOR MEN

Gifts for Best Man, Groomsmen/Ushers, fathers, grandfathers

A. Here too the most appropriate gifts will be keepsake mementos.
The fathers and the best man generally receive gifts of greater value than the Groomsmen/Ushers, but this is not mandatory.
Ideas: Personalized candles, frames or photo albums to later add your wedding pictures to, beer mugs or pilsners, toasting flutes, drinks shakers, can cooler koozies, money clips, travel cases, wood jewelry boxes, unique items reflecting their individual interests, bar sets, desk clocks, business card holders, key chains, pocket watches, Swiss Army products, high quality pens/pen sets.

IDEAS for GIFTS FOR PARENTS and GRANDPARENTS

A. Wedding mementos including a special album, picture frames and video/cd of your wedding are most appreciated by parents. They will display them and re-live your happy day every time they look at your wedding pictures.

IDEAS for GIFTS FOR FLOWERGIRL(S)/RING BEARER(S)

Ideas: Here your gift such as a coloring book set, or books about being a flower girl or ring bearer may will depend on the age of the child. However, long lasting gifts can be given to a child of any age. Ideas: Jewlry, jewelry box, silver bank, a framed photo of him/her with you on your wedding day, something relating to the child's interest, a stuffed animal etc...

IDEAS for GIFTS FOR GUESTS

S. It has become customary to gift your wedding guests with wedding favors to thank them for helping you celebrate your big day.
Actually, favors should be multi-purpose.
ideas: Insert place cards in Small frames, Insert place cards in silver holders, order personalized pens and have each guest keep the pen after signing your guest book, place a dessert (Candy, nuts, cake, etc..) in a keepsake container, etc... Assign one of your attendants to announce that these are Thank you souvineers from the bride and groom.

S. We plan to give our guests memento thank you gifts.

Q. Should we also send them Thank-You notes?
A. Absolutely! Each guests gave you a gift personally. Most guests put thought into what to get and purchased, wrapped and delivered it to you on or before your wedding.
You must acknowledge their efforts individually with a Thank-You note.

S. We have a large wedding party. By the time we add both sets of parents, grandparents and a few other relatives, we come up with more than 10 men and more than 10 women. We are on a budget. Giving each a large gift is prohibitive but we do not want to give "cheapy" gifts.

Q. Can you help?
A. We hope so! You must consider your budget when choosing your gifts but you do not necessarily have to pass up gifts you like. Always remember that a little creativity and thoughtfulness can go a long way. If you are creative you can put together gifts from the heart. Write or draw someting special and place it in a frame. find small items that will be appreciated by a sports enthusiast, stamp collectors, a gardening buffs, etc... and make little gift baskets. Your thoughtfullness will be appreciated by the recipients.
Otherwise, choose two gifts - one for the men and one for women - and buy them in bulk. Many retailers will give you a price break based on quantity - IF YOU ASK THEM TO.
This will help keep your costs down and save you time too.
If you shop on-line Email a note to the online vendors asking if they can give you a break for buying X number of the same item. They may not offer it but some may consider doing so when requested. We at A-wedding Day do.
S. Be aware that because of the way internet shopping carts are set up, the discount will not show up on your online confirmation. The vendor will have to deduct the discount when charging your credit card and will need to email you the amount actually charged. It should reflect your cost after the price reduction.

Q. When is the best time to present our thank you gifts to our parents, grandparents and wedding attendants?
A. You may do so at the rehearsal dinner because of the intimate setting with your family and closest friends. Or, you may choose to present each in a private setting where you can express your gratitude to each participant individually.

Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day.

Who Owns The Copyright To My Wedding Pictures? Wedding Photography And Copyright

One of the questions that we get asked most frequently by both clients and professional wedding photographers alike is "Who owns the copyright to my wedding photos?"

This is a great question because as we have now moved in to the digital age of wedding photography, the ability to effortlessly copy, share and print wedding photos has led to a situation where people want to be clear about what they can and can't do with their photos.

To answer the question "Who owns the copyright to my wedding photos?", very simply, the copyright for wedding photos belongs to the wedding photographer. As the copyright owner they can of course choose to sell or transfer the copyright to someone else. This, however, would be most unusual and indeed most unwise as it would mean that the photographer would no longer have any rights to use the images whatsoever. So, for example, they wouldn't be able to use them for their website to promote their business or even keep them on a disc in a drawer.

Transferring the copyright would also mean that the new copyright owner could charge for the use of the images, for example, selling them to the wedding venue or the florist. Indeed, if the photographer who took the images in the first place wanted to use them, they could even charge them too!

So what rights do you have to your wedding photos?

What is more usual today is for the wedding photographer to give the couple a DVD of their photos along with a usage licence that allows them to print and use the images for their own personal use.

In terms of social media and sharing photos online the photographer will normally stipulate within the licence that the images are not full resolution and that they must carry a watermark that credits the original photographer. In fact, some forward thinking wedding photographers are even providing a separate set of images that are already optimized in this way and can then instantly be used by the happy couple to share the occasion on Facebook with their friends and family.

Hopefully, this brief article has helped clarify the position regarding the ownership of copyright and wedding photos. Having said that, we still see many professional photographers advertising their services with the words "with full copyright". Do they really mean that? We don't believe so, but, it is a question worth asking when hiring a wedding photographer so that everyone is clear where they stand from the very start!

Aperture With Wedding Photography and Landscape Photography

Aperture is a term widely used in the photography industry. It is a confusing topic for the amateur photographer to pick up and understand it. In this article we will not define the image in technical terms but give you a better understanding of the different settings and what you can achieve when shooting wedding photography and landscape photography.

The most common aperture settings used are mid-range between f8-f11 which is basically set on automatic depth of field. When first starting off set the camera to Auto or P mode and the aperture will be set automatically combined with shutter speed.

Wedding Photography

If you are shooting weddings, set the camera to Aperture mode with a f2.8 to f5.6 which produces a shallow depth of field. This will highlight the subject you are taking in photos blurring out the background. Fantastic for portrait and kids photography where you want to focus on the people as opposed to what is in the distance. This is known as large aperture settings.

Landscape & Real Estate Photography

Smaller apertures are most commonly used for photographing wildlife and landscapes. This will create sharp images both in the foreground and in the background. An aperture from f16 to f32 will create sharp images. You will find landscape photographers using these settings to capture the mountains and clouds in the distance.

Aperture in Technical Terms

• Smaller the aperture (larger f-stop numbers) produces longer depth of fields allowing all elements in the image to be in focus.
• Larger aperture (smaller f-stop number) produces shallow depth of fields focusing on near subjects and blurring out the background.

The best method to understand the capabilities of your camera and aperture is to test drive different settings and work out what suits the photography you are shooting.

Top 5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Any Photo Booth Rental

Renting a photo booth can be quite expensive. To get the most out of the experience, remember that a photo booth is a part of the entertainment. These tips will help you make the booth as entertaining as possible, and therefore, get your guests to take more pictures!

1. Use props! Even if your event is an elegant, black tie affair, you simply must use props in your photo booth. Your guests will have so much more fun using silly hats, glasses and boas. Props also encourage people to use the booth more than once per evening. If you want to get people to come back over and over, the props are the best way to do it. Here's a tip if you still think your event is too fancy for props: Hide the props until the last hour of the photo booth rental. This will give everyone a chance to have nice pictures taken in their tuxedos and evening gowns, then they'll be back for more when you take out the props.

2. Put it close to the action. Don't stick your photo booth in the foyer if you don't have to. Fun is contagious, why not put it with the rest of the party? One of the best locations is across from the dance floor if you're also having a DJ. Just remember, if the period of time you have rented the booth is shorter than the party, they will have to set it up and/or break it down in full view of your guests. Make sure the set up and break down times don't conflict with scheduled events, such as speech or toast time.

3. Use the photo strips as the party favors. Most photo booth companies can put custom text on the photo strips for you, which makes them a fabulous memento that will never be thrown away. This should also save you a few bucks and help you pay for the photo booth rental. Let's say you have a hundred guests, and you want to give each of them a small token of appreciation. At $5 each, your cost for those party favors is $500! Why not put that money into your photo booth budget?

4. Make a memory book. Many photo booth companies can provide a book, or you may do it yourself. You will want to ask the rental company if their booth will automatically do double prints so your guests keep a copy, and another copy can be put in the memory book. Provide some pens and have your guests sign in next to their photos. Another fun thing to do is to buy stickers that look like speech bubbles. People can put silly comments in the speech bubbles. The bottom line is, people can be quite creative. The more creative options you give them, the more they will come back to use the booth.

5. Make custom cutouts to pose with. This can be a really simple way to personalize your photo booth experience. For a wedding, send 8x10 headshot pictures to be printed at WalMart, or Kinkos, or wherever you print your photos. Make sure the heads fill up the entire frame. Cut them out, give them a cardboard (or similar) backing, and attach to a wooden paint stir stick. People will pose with the bride and groom all night! For other events, simple sayings on signs such as "BFF" or "OMG" will have your guests in stitches. For some events, you can even use bumper stickers with funny sayings (such as "I'm with stupid") pressed onto a cardboard backing.

10 Questions to Ask When Hiring A Photo Booth for Your Wedding

As the popularity of photo booths at weddings continues to grow more and more companies are entering the market, this is good and bad for you the consumer. More companies mean a wider selection of services and price ranges however, it also means there are many more less than reputable companies entering the market as well.

When selecting a company to provide a photo booth for your wedding you want to find a vendor that will deliver a quality product at a reasonable price. Keep in mind that price should not be the only determining factor. Cheaper companies are often cheap for a reason. If you do your homework and research your photo booth companies well you should have little to worry about on your wedding day.

Online wedding planning websites and search engines are a great place to start looking for your wedding photo booth.

After checking out their websites you should narrow down your search to 3-5 companies who serve your area and then contact each one either by email or telephone. Do they answer the phone when you call? If not, how long does it take them to respond to you? This can be a good indication of their focus on customer service.

Once you have contacted a company there are 10 questions you should ask.

• How long have you been in business? Ideally the company you choose should have been in business for at least a year and have a proven track record of successful events.


• Do you have references? If you are dealing with a reputable company they should easily be able to provide you with a list of satisfied clients.


• Where are you based? Do you want a company that is locally based or that has offices far away?


• Are you licensed and insured? Many venues now require vendors to carry liability insurance. This is a good way to weed out those less than professional businesses.


• Is there a contract? Will you receive a written contract stating the responsibilities of both parties?


• Have you been at my venue before? Is the company familiar with your venue, where to set up, the load in procedures, etc?


• What kind of back up plan do you have in place in case there is a problem at my event? What will they do if something goes wrong on the day of your event or at your event?


• What kind of equipment do you use? You want to make sure they use high quality professional grade cameras and lab quality dye sublimation photo printers in their booths. No web cams or ink jet printers.


• What types of packages do you offer and what do they include? Do their packages include on site prints, a web photo gallery, digital copies for you, a scrapbook, etc?


• And finally, how much do you charge? Are there any "hidden" fees or travel fees?

As stated before, the cheapest price may not be the best deal. After you have gathered these important facts you are in a much better position to make an informed decision about the photo booth company that you should choose for your wedding day.

Double Picture Frames - Different Ways to Use Double Frames

Double picture frames have become exceedingly popular and if you've ever wondered why, let me explain.

Double frames come in a large selection of colors, styles, and sizes, but what sets a double frame apart from its single cousin is that it's two frames in one. Having two unique pictures enhances the beauty of your photos and is an attractive feature for many people. Double frames are ideal for portraits of a happy couple, children, as well as a host of other subjects. There are many times when someone has a pair of photographs they would like to hang that either go together or complement one another, but don't want to clutter the wall or dresser with an abundance of frames. This is where the versatility of double picture frames comes in.

Double frames are also ideal for placing an announcement, newspaper clipping, verse, or anything else side-by-side with your picture.  Here are some of the different ways you can use double picture frames to decorate your home.

Double-sided Frames: Do you have a place in your home or office that would be perfect for displaying pictures on both sides of the frame? A desk or table is a common location that can be the ideal setting for this style of double frame. Traditional frames would leave an unattractive back visible, but a double-sided frame solves this problem beautifully. They can be difficult to find but when you do locate them, you'll notice that they are often handmade works of art.

Engagement Double Picture Frame: When you want to have pictures of the happy couple, as well as the announcement or newspaper clipping, an engagement double picture frame is the perfect choice.

Anniversary Double Frames: What better way to celebrate the years of a successful marriage than with an anniversary double frame? One side you can devote to a wedding picture and the other to a current celebration of your continued love and devotion. Or if it's a big anniversary like a 50th celebration, you can also use one side with a 50th anniversary picture and the other of an invitation or newspaper clipping of this special celebration.

Graduation Double Photo Frame: These make great versatile graduation gifts. With a graduation portrait on one side and the graduate receiving their diploma on the other, a graduation frame is a fantastic way to recognize this achievement.

Pet Pictures: Double picture frames also work great for your pets. You can display any number of picture combinations of your pets. Whether you have one, two, three, or more pets, they can all be proudly displayed in a double picture frame.

Genealogy Double Frame: Double photo frames work great displaying old family pictures. With a double picture frame you can display a photo of each set of your grandparents or great-grandparents in each double frame. This way it's simple to connect different generations and a great way to keep track of your family tree.

In addition to the numerous ways you can decorate with double picture frames, they are also popular in places with limited space. Hinged frames are perfect for small spaces because they can stand up without an easel back stand and can fold up making them easy to store.

With so much versatility, double picture frames certainly make a great addition to any photo collection.