1. Trim you Guest List

Each time you add a name to your invitation list, you’re significantly increasing your budget. It’s not just the catering costs, but also the extra centerpieces, favors, rentals, etc.   Set ground rules and goals to keep your guest list to a minimum and on budget.

• Don’t invite anyone you haven’t talked to in five years.
• Don’t feel obligated to let single people bring a date.
• Avoid feeling pressured to invite all your work colleagues.
• Don’t let your friends bring their children.
• Decide to eliminate categories like “relatives more distant than first cousins” or “friends from volunteer work.” By not inviting anyone from that group, you’ll help avoid hurt feelings.

2.  Save postage on your wedding invitations.

Ask to disclude the inner envelope and blotter paper.  These are leftover relics from times when ink needed time to dry and people wanted a pristine envelope.  Rather than having a reply card, ask guests to reply online or by the telephone.  Not only will you save money from the printer bill, it should also reduce your postage expense.

3.  Shop Sample Sales and the internet for Cheap Wedding Dresses

If you wear a 6, 8, or 10, check out sample sales, which happen generally once a year.  It’s a great opportunity to get a designer dress at dirt bottom prices.  You can also look on EBay and other internet sites for deals on used wedding dresses.

Remember that cleaning the delicate fabric of a wedding dress may cost up to $250, so a cheap dress with the filthy hem may not be the best way to go.  Many cities have a shop where you can rent a wedding dress which could save you hundreds of dollars.

4. Change the day of your wedding

Have your wedding on a weeknight or a Sunday. There is less demand for these dates so venues will often be willing to give you a better rate.

5.  Save money on Church decorations

For religious weddings consider having your wedding near a major holiday.  The church will already be decorated which may save you a lot of money on flowers.  On other days, look for simplicity.  A candlelit ceremony can be romantic, gorgeous, and inexpensive.

6.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help

If you want to have a cheap wedding, bring all your friends and families resources together.  Bring your family and friends together for brainstorming session.  Think of musicians you know, well-spoken friends who could be your officiant, and crafty people who can help you assemble things.  They will generally be honored to be a special part of your big day.

7.  Get Crafty!  Do it yourself

Invite your friends to be a special part of your wedding by helping you assemble favors, make invitations, centerpieces, and other homemade inexpensive touches.  Be sure to put out delicious snacks and have inspiring tunes on the stereo, so that your friends feel like they’re at a party, not just part of an assembly line.

8.  Inexpensive wedding food and drink

Be honest with your caterer about your need to save money.  Ask them which are the least expensive entrees and whether a buffet is cheaper than a seated dinner.  See if they’ll let you provide your own liquor, or if serving only wine and beer will be cheaper than a full bar.  Also consider only having the bar open during your cocktail hour, then serving an inexpensive wine with dinner.  If you and your fiance don’t drink, consider having a dry wedding.

9.  eBay!

Ebay, Ebay, Ebay. It’s a great source for everything from second-hand dresses and even new dresses, flowers to wedding favors, cake toppers, ring pillows and more. Be sure to allow ample time for the auction to end, and for shipping.  Look for trusted sellers whose feedback indicates they have accurately represented what they have sold.  Look at the location of the seller to so you can estimate delivery time.  Don’t be afraid to offer a “best offer” on a fixed price or store item.

10. Inexpensive wedding invitations

Don’t go for the engraving, regular printed invites work just as well. There are a variety of cheap wedding invitations available on the internet.  For a casual wedding, consider printing your own invites from your home computer.  Stationery stores now sell printed paper meant to use in a home printer as inexpensive wedding invitations

—

Authored By Bridebug.com

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1) Have we discussed whether or not to have children, and if the answer is yes, who is going to be the primary care giver?

2) Do we have a clear idea of each other’s financial obligations and goals, and do our ideas about spending and saving mesh?

3) Have we discussed our expectations for how the household will be maintained, and are we in agreement on who will manage the chores?

4) Have we fully disclosed our health histories, both physical and mental?

5) Is my partner affectionate to the degree that I expect?

6) Can we comfortably and openly discuss our sexual needs, preferences and fears?

7) Will there be a television in the bedroom?

Do we truly listen to each other and fairly consider one another’s ideas and complaints?

9) Have we reached a clear understanding of each other’s spiritual beliefs and needs, and have we discussed when and how our children will be exposed to religious/moral education?

10) Do we like and respect each other’s friends?

11) Do we value and respect each other’s parents, and is either of us concerned about whether the parents will interfere with the relationship?

12) What does my family do that annoys you?

13) Are there some things that you and I are NOT prepared to give up in the marriage?

14) If one of us were to be offered a career opportunity in a location far from the other’s family, are we prepared to move?

15) Does each of us feel fully confident in the other’s commitment to the marriage and believe that the bond can survive whatever challenges we may face?
—
Pastor Bill Yaccino

www.pastorbill.org

Pastor Bill has been serving in full time local church ministry for over 18 years. He loves helping couples start right and build a healthy marriage relationshi

Tip number 2:  Choose someone reliable.  Your best man going to be responsible for getting you to the wedding on time, so choose wisely!  Ideally he’ll also be sort of guy who can be relied on to help out with one or two of the numerous small jobs involved in planning a wedding.  Good “best man” jobs include drawing up a playlist of songs for your DJ and putting together a map and directions to the venue for your guests.

Tip number 3:  Trust your instincts.   You may have more than one person who expects you to choose them as best man.  If you find yourself in the “two brothers and three best friends” scenario, then all you can do is trust your instincts and try not to worry about upsetting others.  If they’re good friends, they’ll understand.  You can always make people feel included in a wedding by asking them to act as ushers/groomsmen, give a reading at the ceremony, or even give a speech.  But, by definition, there can only be one best man!
—
The author is editor of GroomPower.com, a wedding advice site for grooms.  It has tips on honeymoon planning, the groom’s outfit, choosing the wedding rings, and more.

My respsonse was to ask these questions of anyone, especially friends and family, who you are considering captuing one of the most important days of your life:

Do they have a really ‘good’ camera?  (preferably 3CCD)
Can it handle low light conditions so common with weddings?
Does it have an external mic that will pick up sound from a distance?
Do they have a wireless mic for the ceremony?
Are they willing to shoot the wedding or will they want to enjoy the wedding? You cannot do both.
Are they willing to spend the hours and hours of time required to edit your video of all the shakes and missed shots to make a truly enjoyable story?
How many weddings have they filmed before? There are no rehearsals or second takes here!

I have video footage that was shot by ‘a friend’ that I often show clients who are considering that route. It is grainy, and shaky, the sound is almost inaudable and the reception was almost black.

Today, video is every bit as important as your photos. Make sure you budget for it with the same importance. You will be glad you did.

—

Lesley is an event planner, from large community events to small intimate parties, and videorgrapher/editor. She has been in the wedding industry for many many years, from designing and creating wedding dresses, to plannnig and catering, photograhy and vidography, there is nothing about a wedding she has not encountered!

Lesley loves to share her knowlege of what can and cannot happen, time planning for the day and what to expect and what to let go of on the day so you can just enjoy!

• Professional high quality wedding invitations are usually printed with a process called thermography, also referred to as “raised ink”. This type of printing is created by adding a resin powder to wet ink, which when heated, creates a raised surface. The raised ink gives the look and feel of engraving without the expense. Engraved invitations are available but tend to cost more.
• When comparing prices, check the price for a quantity of 150. Most price breaks end at 150 and there is a flat rate based on increments of 25 above that quantity. If you look at prices based on a quantity of 25, where most invitations begin, you are comparing the worst pricing per invitation. (For instance Invitation A may cost $100 for 25, $115 for 50, and $125 for 150 vs. Invitation B at $90 for 25, $112 for 50 and $124 for 150, at the 150 quantity pricing is about equal)
• Choose an invitation printed by a well known manufacturer such as Carlson Craft. If you are not sure check out the manufacturer’s website. If it looks home made, it probably is.
• Order a sample. Most places will send you a sample for a couple of dollars and it makes sense to see it in person before you buy 100 of them.

There are different parts to wedding invitations that you may or may not need. Here is a breakdown for you.

Your main piece, the wedding invitation, will come with double envelopes, an inner and outer envelope, and sometimes tissues. The tissue is to be placed on top of the printing before sliding it into your inner envelope which is then placed inside the outer envelope which is addressed.

Many companies offer to have your inner envelopes “lined” for an additional fee. This is where you choose a color that is adhered inside the flap of the inner envelope to give it an elegant look. Its not necessary but does look nice. You can also pay an additional fee to have your return address printed on the outer envelope flap. Personally, I think this is worth the additional cost as it saves you time in printing labels or writing a return address and looks more formal.

In addition to your wedding invitation you can buy Reception cards. These cards tell your guests where to find your reception after the wedding ceremony. I suggest you use these if the reception is in a different location than the wedding ceremony and you have to include a complete address. The reception card is put above your tissue with your invitation inside the inner envelope. An alternative to buying a Reception card is called “corner copy”. This is two to three lines of copy placed in the bottom left or right corner of your wedding invitation and usually costs a small fee (but considerably less than buying Reception cards). Examples of corner copy text:

Reception immediately
following ceremony

or

Reception following
Burton’s Restaurant
110 3rd Street

Another card you can purchase is called a Respond card. This card is filled out by your guests and mailed back to you. It includes a line for their name and a check box or line to confirm the number of guests attending. The Respond card comes with preprinted envelopes (your address), and typically the bride and groom include postage on them. If you are having a catered event, a Respond card will help when you need to give a final count to your caterer. If you are having menu choices, you can also include these on your Respond card so your guests can choose a meal in advance. Respond cards are also mailed with your invitation inside the inner envelope.

The final card you can purchase is a personalized note card. I am a fan of these because the are elegant (they are card stock that matches your invitation) and they are printed with the bride and groom’s names or monogram on the front and blank inside. These are typically used as thank you notes after your wedding ceremony, but can be also used for simple notes to your friends and family.

Save the Date! These are becoming more popular. Save the Date cards are mailed long before your wedding invitations (6 months to a year) so that your guests can keep your wedding date open on their calendars. Save the Date’s are recommended if you have guests that are coming from out of town.

One final tip. Before mailing your wedding invitation, especially if you have multiple cards inserted, be sure to check the postage rate. You don’t want to have them all returned to you…

Communicate all your thoughts to your Photographer before the wedding day; do not feel as though he is some artistic prima donna who is unapproachable. It is better to have more information and not use it than to miss something that would have been helpful. If you see a certain style of images that you love in a magazine or elsewhere or perhaps just thought up, let the Photographer know in advance. Keep in mind to plan pictures that reflect who you are; if you are both stand up comedians, then keep the side by side formals to a minimum and think of something more creative. Another idea that can be fun is to plan a special picture for your thank you notes. Maybe hold up posters you made that say “thank you,” or just blow a kiss into the camera, whatever you creatively come up with. My only advice is to make sure you can accomplish the shot quickly.

Brides, help your grooming impaired fiancé. You know those unwanted hairs you put up with because you love him, well it is time to tell him to get ride of them for the wedding pictures. Also, it is common to take close-up shots of the hands so the time is right for the groom to have his first manicure.

When speaking with your caterer insist that the Photographers are served in the same room and at the same time as yourself. Caterers often try to treat Photographers as a second-class citizen, feeding them what is leftover at the very end of the meal and in a back room. If the Photographer is not to miss any moments he needs to be in sync with you. I have foregone many meals, for the caterer would feed me when the dancing started and/or then insisted I eat far away were I could not see or hear.

The Photographer may or may not be familiar with your location, so when you are meeting with the caterer scope the place out and see were you think would be a nice background for portraits. Ask the caterer for suggestions; from experience they will have a better feel for how the site will look on the weeding day. While planning where to do the formals I always suggest to couples to keep the travel time to the shortest possible, it always adds up to be more than you estimate and you do not want to be spending your wedding day driving around in traffic. Besides, the pictures are about you, not the landscape. I always show couples that in most of my formal shots you really see very little background, it is analogous to traveling to the Grand Canyon then only seeing a few rocks behind the group in the pictures. Keep in mind that the backgrounds are part of your canvas that is telling your story. It is nice to have something elegant or pretty behind you, but also think about how to express where your wedding occurred and the environment you established. If you are having a very stylish New York City wedding, pick a location that expresses that emotion and shows off New York City in some form. I have seen too many portraits or group pictures where the background is a banquet hall. Think of it like this, if someone were to look at your pictures ten years from now – would they know when and were the wedding was? Also, if you plan on doing portraits outside, have a rain plan already worked out; you do not want to think about how to change everything on the wedding day.

It is always difficult to decide when to take the formal portraits. Many couples shy away from taking the images before the wedding because of the old tradition of not letting the Groom see the Bride before the ceremony. There is more to this concept then just tradition. Stress is one of the many emotions being felt at a wedding, and the final hours before the wedding can be the most stressful. Keeping the Bride and Groom apart can prevent any last minute misunderstandings. Also, everyone would have to be ready that much earlier, which can add additional stress. If one family member does not arrive on time, a whole set of family portraits cannot be taken. On a less practical aspect many Brides would rather hangout with their friends, helping to stay in emotional check and have some fun, before they have to walk down the aisle.

All these concerns aside, there is no more logical time to photograph the formal images than before the ceremony. Everyone is freshly dressed – no shine on the face, no wilted curls or flowers, and your dress is spotless. You will not miss a moment of your wedding (having to leave to have pictures done) and you will have sufficient time to get all the portraits you want. I have shot many weddings were portraits were either rushed or just never taken, for the Bride was unwilling or truly did not have any time to leave the reception. A nice approach to pre-ceremony pictures is instead of just meeting somewhere, arrange for a quiet pre-wedding rendezvous. This way you still experience that “moment” of seeing each other, and I am able to capture that decisive moment as he sees her and her him. Plan a private five to ten minutes after you meet that includes no Photographer, it is nice to collect your thoughts together before the hectic pace of a wedding. Now we have time to capture images of the Bride and Groom without any distractions from family and guests.

Each wedding and every family is unique; you will know what will work best at your wedding. However, think beyond superstition, it is not bad luck to see each other before the wedding. Pre-ceremony formals are one of the ways to get the most out of your photographic experience.

If you hired an experienced wedding Photographer, they will know to get the basic wedding imagery like the cake and first dance etc… so there will be no need to list every picture you want from the wedding. If you hired someone with little or no wedding experience or an amateur, a complete list may be appropriate. However, even if it seems obvious to you it is a good idea, for many reasons, to create a shot list of all the formal images. For one, it is not something you want to be thinking about at the moment. Having a list on paper helps the formal shots run smoother and faster which in turn helps them look their best. It also assures that you do not miss a portrait of someone important to you, and it gives you a written list of all the people you should contact.

Most people fall into two camps, ones who love to have their picture taken and the rest of us. When doing formals I have found that most guests think that they are posing for myself – as if I personally want the portraits. Therefore, they can be very uncooperative, not looking in the camera, hiding behind others, wandering off, refusing direction etc. This can all be very frustrating for everybody, and that will show in the quality of the portraits; also it considerably extends the time it takes to get the shots done. When I mention to people that it is the Bride and Groom who have requested the portraits of them, it can change people’s attitudes dramatically.

If you communicate before the wedding, with each person that you and your groom would like in your wedding portraits, it can really help to get everybody motivated to create some memorable family portraits; all within the shortest amount of time and least amount of stress. Let them know how important this is to you, and how you cannot wait to see the images of all the family together. Express to them to be timely, patient and not wander off until excused. While in a group picture focus their attention on the Photographer and do not be distracted by what is going on around them, you are the model – look into the camera. Explain that this will help to make the process take the least amount of time and enable everyone to return to the cocktail hour as soon as possible. If Aunt Pat is always late, you may want to tell her to be ready 15 minutes earlier than everyone else.

This brings us to the thought process in creating your list. It is of extreme help if the list is written in the order that we wish to take the pictures. First, item of thought - are there any elderly or frail individuals, put all the pictures with them in the beginning so they can finish early and proceed to the cocktail hour. Next, place the largest groups and work down from there in a logical sequence so people do not have to get up and down numerous times and when finished can leave to enjoy the cocktail hour. This will take some time to figure everything out if you have a large family, and a divorce or two, can complicate things tremendously. I will help by providing some typical scenarios.  Use this as a guide to help determine which pictures you desire, remember there is no “norm” it is whatever you want, but be realistic (it is not only about you). Family and friends make a huge effort to attend, and often they would like to get certain pictures also. I have photographed more than one wedding where the parents have ordered a larger album then the couple. And remember you do not want your relatives bringing up that “missed” portrait at your wedding for the rest of your life.

Bride’s extended family with Bride and/or Groom
Now decide if you want to break the extended family down to smaller parts, say all the cousins
Bride’s immediate family with Bride and/or Groom
Bride with siblings, group/individual
Bride with Grandparents
Bride with Parents, group/individual

Repeat this procedure with the Groom’s side, then after the Groom’s Parents bring in the Bride’s Parents and you can have a portrait of both sets of Parents. Now most family and guests should be back at the cocktail hour, and it is time to motivate the Bridal party. Get some creative and fun shots with them, both groups and individuals and then everyone is back at your cocktail hour having a great time and talking about your talented Photographer. Now that you are alone with your new Husband you can relax, regroup a little and then take some formal and fun shots together. I like to move to a different location when possible so that your portraits look different then the family portraits.

Now if you have any other important people in your life, Godparents, college or high school friends, go to them directly, greet other people only briefly along the way, you want all the formal pictures behind you before going to the reception. You should make a separate list for these shots. If you do not do these group shots right away they sometimes tend to never get done; people leave or you just never get a chance. Also, later on it is time to let loose, celebrate and enjoy the party - setting up a group shot can distract from having fun.

Now you have organized your thoughts, created a list, composed a short thoughtful note but there is one last item to make the system work. One or two liaisons that can connect a face to the names for the Photographer. The liaisons can really help to get everybody together. It is best to have someone who is not shy and has a strong voice; your sister perhaps who can be annoying for these same reasons would be perfect. When cousin Chloe is no were to be found there will be someone to go find her. While the Photographer is composing one group the liaison can be actively gathering the next. When Grandma has to go to the bathroom, the liaison will help her and know were she is, they really can make a big difference. Remember great pictures are a team effort, extra communication, a little planning and cooperation from your family and guests will assure you of getting the most out of each image.

Back to you now, it really is your day so when taking pictures if the Photographer is asking you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, or is cheesy in your vocabulary then stand your ground and politely say no. If you are not enjoying yourself it will show in the pictures and this is all about getting great pictures!

—

Robert London been a commercial Photographer since graduating from RIT in 1987. I began to expand into weddings in 1999, for before that time I felt that the film and equipment were too inhibiting to capture a wedding on film as I would see it. With the new technologies, I started to develop my own techniques utilizing the then recent small grain films and 35mm auto focus cameras enabling me to capture the wedding as a story – the way it was- not lighting the whole room with artificial lighting and not asking the couple to stop and pose. My wedding business expanded fairly quickly considering I had no contacts in the business, and I was featured on Daily Candy in 2003, and FOX TV special in 2004. I like to call it the art of lighting to enhance the image, versus what needed to be done in the old days and what most Photographers continue to do; which is illuminate the whole scene, achieving a technically good if not perfect image yet with no emotion or connection with what the mood of the day was! This process continues with the recent advent of advances in digital imaging enabling me to achieve what I once could only imagine in my mind.

It never ceases to amaze me that most folks will pay more attention to, and be willing to spend more money on, other aspects of a typical event; such as catering, photographers,venues…etc. But when it comes to the DJ; the source of entertainment; the person that is going to be responsible for all the announcements, introductions, and overall tempo of the event; it becomes almost an afterthought. A vendor that some people will try to save money on; after already spending so much on the catering and the photographers. BIG MISTAKE!!!

After all when it’s all said and done just what do you think people are going to remember the most about the wedding,anniversary, birthday or whatever event it was that they attended? Sure they’ll remember how beautiful the bride looked and how nice the ceremony was. But will they really remember and think fondly about the food that was served….well maybe, if it’s that good:-) or the photographer that was taking pictures? I don’t think so. But what they will remember, is the good time they had dancing to all their favorite tunes. They will remember that the DJ created a fun, festive atmosphere; that they were compelled to dance to the great music that he or she played. They’ll remember that this DJ welcomed and actually played their request. That he/she was all over the place interacting with the guest; making them feel important by including them in the festivities, and making him or herself accessible to them. That is,if you hired a true professional DJ; that knows how to organize and run a party.

These attributes (and more) are all important aspects of being a good DJ and entertainer. So what does it take to find the right DJ for your important event? It takes knowledge and understanding of just what a DJ does, or better yet; should do in order to make any event a fun & memorable experience for all those in attendance. You should always ask for, and check references (word of mouth is also good). Look for business associations such as the: American DJ Association (ADJA), National Association of Mobile Entertainers (NAME) or the local Chamber of Commerce.

Equally important, is to personally interview and get a feel for the person that is going to act as DJ/Emcee for your event. Do not shop or hire a DJ solely on the basis of price. I know it’s so cliche` to say this, but in this business, as is true for most products & services…..YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!

Another important thing that a good DJ should do for you, is help you plan and organize your event. For example, the planning for any announcements, introductions, and most importantly the timing of all the above. The DJ should provide you with either paperwork or online tools for making a outline of the chain of events that happens at most functions. Sort of a guideline for the DJ to follow; as well as to communicate any needed info to the other vendors such as the caterers, photographers, and staff at the venue. He should also be able to share any unique knowledge and creative ideas he has with you based on his years of experience. If he’s been in this business for a while, and done many different types of events, then he should have all kinds of thoughts on this matter; and be willing to share them with you. Speaking of paperwork; make sure you get everything in writing. Any true professional DJ will provide you with a contract. Spelling out the date, time, price and other agreed upon specifics of the event.

An event such as wedding is just too important to cut corners when it comes to an area where most of the focus (aside from the Bride & Groom) is going to be directed to. On that same note, a good wedding DJ should control & direct most of that focus not at himself,but towards the Bride & Groom. After all, it is their day and the very reason why everyone is there to begin with; therefore they should be the focus of all the attention.

So do yourself a favor, do your homework and know exactly what it is your looking for in a Disc Jockey for your special event.

Here are some interesting statistics to consider (compiled by USA Today from several national sources):

• 72% of all brides say they wished they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they regretted not spending more on their wedding reception entertainment.
• During wedding planning, brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer;reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Yet, within one week after their reception, 78% say they regret not making the entertainment their highest priority.
• When asked, 81% of guest say that the entertainment is what they remembered most about the reception they attended.

If your going to pinch pennies for your reception; the ENTERTAINMENT is the one thing you should NOT skimp on!!!

—

Jaime Z. (aka DJ Z-BOP:-)
I’m a professional mobile DJ that has been in business for over 13-years. And loving every minute of it. I totally love to entertain and to be able to create an environment where people can have a fun time. It’s a natural high for me; and those are the best kind!

A wedding checklist is at the center of the new wedding planning tools.  We’ll get you started with common tasks, but you can easily add, edit, and remove tasks to fit your own planning.  You can also assign tasks to categories, occasions, and owners and then filter those tasks so that you can focus on what needs to be done.  Tasks can also have dates and times associated with them, meaning your task list doubles as an appointment calendar.  Your  checklist tasks can also be linked to vendors or budget items so it’s easy to see how everything is related.

Our wedding budget tool is just as innovative.  It makes categorizing budget items easy.  The wedding budget tool allows you to track estimated and actual costs, and when you provide us with a target budget we can give you some estimates on how much certain things might cost based on industry averages.  Having experienced this with our own weddings, we also realized that tracking payments is just as important as tracking your budget.  A budget allows you to see how much you are spending on different parts of your wedding, but payments allow you to keep track of what money is due when, and how it is getting paid.  For example, many vendors will require a deposit up front, and then the remainder at some point in the future.  With the payments integrated into our wedding budget, managing these is a breeze.

We’ve also made big updates to our wedding vendor area.  With tens of thousands of wedding vendors to choose from, you’re sure to find the right vendors for your special event.  To make it easier, we now let you search and sort vendors by various criteria, such as number of reviews, average rating, alphabetically, etc.   This means you will spend less time searching, and more time comparing the ones you are interested in.  We also let you save vendors, and give them personal notes and ratings.  For example, if you like a vendor you can save them to your personal list and write a note explaining why you liked them.  If they aren’t available then you can make a note of that and not worry about forgetting that.  You can also write down any quotes or pricing they gave you so at a quick glance you can easily see and compare all of the vendors you are considering.

You’ll notice we’ve also made some changes to our site navigation and the ‘My Account’ page in this launch. To start planning for any event go to the ‘My Account’ page and click on the ‘Start Planning’ link in the top right corner of the event.

As always, we’d love to hear how we can improve these tools - so let us know what you want to see!

Happy planning!

The MomentVille Team

It is so difficult to get what is in your head and put it into words, so take pictures! Bring magazine clippings and try to figure out exactly what you want on your day.

Just know that you imagine a perfectly pigmented pink (which is wonderful), however every makeup artist will have about 10 different shades of that pink. So, any pictures or items that convey your idea are always greatly appreciated.

Also, please do not hesitate to ask questions! We are the experts in the field, so we love sharing tips and tricks.

Makeup artists are so well-versed and have tons of knowledge and experience, we just need to know what you want! Afterall, it is your very special day!

—

Evonne began in the business 7 short years ago with help from a great mentor that showed her the ropes. She was trained by the best trainers in the business and then certified later that year. She has worked for MAC in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for over 2 1/2 years and has been able to create the most awe-inspiring makeup. She is also experienced in several cosmetic Trend Shows, school dances, and wedding make-up.

Here is some advice to follow BEFORE ordering from an Internet retailer so this does not happen to you:

• If the price sounds too good to be true, it is. Beware!
• Find and print the return policy. (This however was no help to one of our brides. Despite having a return policy, the retailer is not honoring it!)
• Realize that by paying with PayPal your protection as a buyer is limited to receiving the item or not. If the item is not as described, your recourse is with the vendor, not with PayPal
• Make sure you are seeing the retailer’s own photo of the dress in question, or pictures of other dresses that they have made. I can’t stress this point enough!
• Order a fabric sample. There is no better way than to see it in person.
• Only order from people you can communicate with easily, preferably by phone. Communication is so important when explaining the details of your dress. An e-mail description is fine to start the process, but a live conversation is must before you finalize everything.
• If your dress design is a combination of several dresses and otherwise hard for you to visualize, it is best to have a designer sketch it out for you so that you are sure that 1) you like the way the elements look together and 2) you know what you will be getting.

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Christianne Brunelle is the Designer & Founder of Custom Couture Bridal where you can “Design Your Own Wedding Dress” and have it made to your measurements.  Brides mix elements from their favourite dresses and we bring their unique dream dress to life. The first step is often a design sketch to ensure we are on the same page.