As You Wish Photography ~ Long Island's Affordable Photographer

The pros to having an online gallery

2011-08-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

Wedding photography has definitely changed since your parents got married. Many professional photographers have made the switch to digital (doing away with the worry of lost or damaged film), and more photographers in general are using online photo showcasing for their busy clients. See why today's couples love the marriage between professional photography and modern technology.

Speed
Gone are the days of waiting months to view your wedding photos. Today, photographers who offer online photo showcasing can provide digital images within weeks or even days of your event, and print photographs within days of you placing your order. And forget about finding time to meet your photographer at the studio -- you can view your photos as often as you wish online, day or night! Images can be browsed in full size, thumbnails, or by slideshow.

Sharing
You've heard the stories: The couple that got stuck paying for all the prints their friends and family asked them to order; the couple that couldn't order their album because their parents held onto the proofs; or the couple that couldn't share their beautiful wedding photos with out-of-town friends and family. All of those wedding photo problems can be easily avoided with online photo showcasing. Not only are your wedding photos viewable to anyone with access to the Internet (and your permission, of course), but friends and family can order -- and pay for -- as many prints as they want. Online photo showcasing allows you to email guests directly when images are available for viewing; you can even choose which photos are "public" (for general viewing), and "private" (for the two of you to see).

Selecting
How are you supposed to know how many 8x10s you'll end up wanting? And what if your favorite reception photo shows a waiter in the background? These and other concerns can be headed off at the pass with online photo showcasing. You (and your guests) get to choose how many photos you want, in as many sizes as you want. You can also customize shots by choosing tone preferences (Black and White, Sepia, or Color), borders, and cropping and zooming.

Saving
Traditional photography meant that your photos took up space at the photographer's studio, so a time limit would be set on how long the photos were on file. If anything happened to your wedding album four or five years after the wedding, there was no way you could re-order prints. Online photo showcasing allows you to archive your wedding photos electronically as high-resolution images -- making them accessible to you and your family (as you have Internet access). Since multiple copies of all of your wedding images are stored in different locations, you can rest assured that not a single image will ever be lost. Also since AYWP provides you with a copyright free DVD this allows you the options to do anything that you please with your photos.

Suggested duties for the Groom to take on in planning your Big Day

2011-08-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few suggestions for what Grooms can be responsible for in order to take some of the burden off of the Bride.

Suggest writing an engagement announcement. But save some cash and email it. Once a date is set, “Save-the-Dates” can be emailed too. Actual invitations however, should be mailed and addressed by hand. So, ask to help with addressing them, but then tell her that her handwriting is so much more presentable than yours. You will be off the hook! There is a good chance that her writing will be better then yours (especially if you are a doctor).

Make a list of family, friends and co-workers you would like to invite. Get an idea of how many people you would like to invite and how many people your reception location can hold. The “He invited me so I’ll invite him” works sometimes. It is hard not to invite everyone in your softball league, but attempts should be made to limit your numbers for budget concerns.

Who to invite?

If you think someone will be hurt by not being invited, they probably will be, so keep it in mind. And remember, sending them an invitation doesn’t automatically mean they will come.

It is not always expected that the person you invite bring a guest. Addressing the invitation just to the person and not adding “and guest” means just that.

Invite single people and seat them with other single people at the reception. They could make a love connection!

Send all invitations out at the same time. No one wants to be on the “B” list or the "afterthought invitee".

Help the bride by starting an Excel Spreadsheet with names and addresses of guests. You can create sections for gifts so that when you write thank you notes you will know what to thank them for. Once people start sending you gifts, handwrite the thank-you note as they come and record what they got you on a list. Then you can send your thank-you notes as soon as you get back from your honeymoon and it won’t be a huge project.

These sites can help with invitations and cards.

www.finestationery.com
www.vistaprint.com
www.chelseapaper.com
www.invitationsgalore.com
www.formal-invitations.com
www.1st-class-wedding-invitations.com
www.wedding-needs.com
www.weddinginvitations.com

Help work out a wedding budget. Be prepared that hers will be much higher than yours. Yes, you could have purchased a used Ferrari instead, but you only do this once. The average American wedding costs between 15K-25K and is increasing annually. So, suggest having a dinner with both families where everyone can discuss what costs can be covered. Wedding budgets are kind of like the National Budget, its gonna cost a lot more than you expect.

Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the wedding and the groom’s pays for the rehearsal dinner. However, different cultures may vary from this American tradition. Likewise, with the increases in wedding costs it has become more common to split the costs between the families as much as possible. Just a point, dividing the responsibilities between moms can be dangerous if the bride wants to be the deciding force. There has to be a line drawn on what the parents can and can’t do. You don’t want two different photographers showing up to capture your wedding.

Offer to call vendors to set up appointments. Have a calendar designated for recording meeting times so that you don’t double book. You should read and understand all agreements and contracts with your vendor. Have all changes and additions confirmed in writing. Volunteer to confirm all services and vendors the week or two before the wedding.

Choose a Best Man and Groomsmen

Your best friend is and always will be your best friend. Your brother is your Best Man. Lesson over.

Groomsmen are usually a combination of best friends from high school, college and the present. But don’t forget about your fiancé’s brother or close family, i.e. cousins. These people are great for being appointed as ushers and ceremony assistants.

Meet with your Best Man to go over his responsibilities and discuss bachelor party dates and ideas.

Ask the Bride if she is ok with a groomsmen being in charge of the wedding day gifts and cards. If she is ok with this idea then he should ensure that none of the gifts walk off before the end of the night. At some point he may what to take large gifts out to his car, so later he can deliver them to your home or one of your parents home.

Keep the groomsmen in the loop for the rehearsal, wedding day events and times.

Designate a groomsmen to pick up and return all formal wear.

Give your wedding party gifts at the rehearsal dinner and thank them individually.

Your boys can help set the tone for the evening. Make sure they know to dance with guests and get people excited to ensure that everyone is having a good time.

Consider whether to rent or buy your formalwear. If you are having a formal wedding, consider buying a tuxedo. Most rental tuxedos are of moderate quality. Purchasing a tux now will save you money in the long run for future weddings of other friends and family and for formal events. You will also have a better fitting, tailored tux.

Gray or white tuxedos are strictly wedding attire, whereas black tuxedos can be used for multiple events.

Comber buns are a fashion policia no-no. Go with a vest.

Either bow ties or long ties can be done.

Collared shirts are in now with either tie type. If you go with a real bow tie, make sure you know how to tie it or have some one who knows how to be at your wedding.

Tails are for conductors. Not Cool. But to each his own.

Ask your lady to come to several suit and tux shops for a try-on session in order to get her opinion on the style of tuxedo that best compliments her dress.

Give your guys a break and choose a standard black tux with or without a certain vest and tie for them. That way they can wear their own tux if they own one. If you go with matching vests and ties, they can be rented separately. Set yours apart from your groomsmen and chose a different color tie and/or vest from the rest of your groomsmen.

Set up a time to fit formalwear. Choosing a national chain may make this easier for your boys. Some chains offer websites that allow your guys to enter in their sizes.

For a less formal wedding, a nice suit can still be classy. A black pinstripe suit will really look sharp next to your beautiful bride with or without a tie! Again, take it a notch (or two) higher than the typical suit you would buy.

Beach weddings can be extremely causal. Linen pants, a fine white pressed suit and barefoot. Stylin’!

Help choose boutonniere style
You will need one for you, your Best Man, all your groomsmen, ushers and both dads. Always order an extra just in case. Put a groomsmen in charge of distributing them on the big day.

Choose wedding bands. You may want to have your bride's rings engraved so pick them out in advance.

Plan Honeymoon

Suggest taking dance lessons and thinking about a first dance song. Some grooms take the dance lessons secretively and surprise the bride at the wedding, others choreograph the first dance song and some just do the basics and do the high school prom dance technique.

If you are having a wedding in a hotel, they often include the suite for couples, which is convenient. However, you may want to book a different hotel or one closer to the airport if you are leaving the next morning. Regardless, make sure you have something planned for that evening.

Be very careful with whom you tell of the wedding night plans as disclosing this location has lead to many groomsmen practical jokes. (Leaving the packed suitcases to show up at your tropical destination without underwear.)

We suggest giving the other room key to a bridesmaid who can show up to the room an hour or so before to decorate the room with candles & rose petals that you have previously purchased. It adds a nice touch when entering the room. Have a bottle of wine or champagne in the room for a nightcap. However, after a very long day and the possibility of being too exhausted to perform well is likely. You may just want a place to crash and look forward to enjoying each other once you get to your honeymoon destination.

Find city maps and airport transportation information to assist your guests with their plans.

Set up a time when you and your bride can obtain and pay for the marriage license. The marriage license often needs to be acquired in the county that your ceremony will take place. Research these requirements in advance. Don’t leave it until the day before. There may be a waiting period! Most officiants will not perform a wedding without a marriage license (and its required by law). The officiant will sign the document after the ceremony along with 2 witnesses and then will send it to the state making it official.

In most states you and your fiancé must apply together in person and fill out the appropriate forms.

Some have a waiting period after a license is issued.

You will need to bring a document with Proof of Age for the both of you (The bride and groom must be 18, with special restrictions for persons who are 16 or 17). License fees range from $26 or more; payment methods vary, usually cash.

Blood Test Results: If they are required, they must be no more than 30 days old.

Make wedding day transportation for you, your bride, and wedding party. Keep in mind that the bride may not want to see you prior to walking down the aisle, so ask your friend with the SUV (so not to wrinkle the dress) to pick her up at the appropriate time and take her to the ceremony site. Also, you will need transportation to the wedding night location. It is not unreasonable to ask the Best Man to drive you, however consider a limo service or a late night carriage ride so the Best Man doesn’t need to be the “designated driver.”

Organize the purchase of liqueur and wine for the rehearsal, wedding and after-party if the hall or caterer is not providing it.

Begin to write a Toast and/or thank you speech

Write down a list of people you would like to thank publicly before or after the toast. Her parents should be at the top of the list, then your bride, your parents, Best Man, groomsmen.

Review seating arrangements for the ceremony and the reception.

You may wish to write your own vows, but unless you’re poet at heart, the standard ones seem to work pretty well.

Meet with your officiant or interview officiants. Discuss options and requirements. Make sure you are satisfied with the plan.

Find a location suitable for outdoor photos in between the Ceremony and the Reception

Pay for and arrange payment (via Best Man) of the officiant’s fee, the musician, the photographer and tips.

Thank everyone and meet everyone at the wedding.

Music: Some grooms make a list of songs they want their band or DJ to play. Others may do a do-not-play list, which is sometimes more useful. A good DJ or Band really can make or break the wedding, so make an informed decision. Get recommendations.

Top Ten Dos and Don't for perfect Wedding Photos

2011-05-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

After months of planning the finer details of your special day – the dress, the location, the guest list and more – your head will likely be spinning. But with so much to think about, it is important not to overlook your only opportunity to permanently capture your special day - your wedding photography.

According to the Bridal Association of America, each year couples spend nearly $5.2 billion on wedding photography, but your investment could fall short if you don’t plan ahead. Without realizing, there are 10 easy ways that you can take your photography from perfect to forgettable.

Top 10 Mishaps of Wedding Photography:

1. Not carefully choosing your photographer
Before choosing your photographer, take time to review their portfolio. If you don’t have someone with experience and skill, your photos will pay the price. Studios should provide album examples to review before you make your choice. If the studio does not allow you to choose your photographer, quickly move on!

2. Not chatting with your photographer a week in advance
It is important to discuss everything in detail with your photographer prior to the wedding day - don’t be afraid to be up-front about your expectations. Do your check in one week prior to the wedding so all instructions are fresh in the photographer’s memory. If you have specific requests, ideas to explore, or important don’ts to cover, express them. This is especially important because churches, synagogues, mosques and chapels may have specific areas that cannot be photographed. You don’t want any unwelcome surprises!

3. Not creating a photo "wish list"
Have you always dreamed of a romantic photo on top of a hill, in the middle of a field, or on a median along a busy street? Show pictures in magazines, old family photos, or any other visual to convey this to your photographer. From there, your wedding photographer should make your “wish list” happen.

4. Taking only stiff, posed pictures
Every album must have formal photos of the wedding party, but don’t let it stop there. It is important to have shots in a more relaxed setting – whether on the dance floor doing the electric slide or strolling around the reception.

5. Shooting at high noon
The sun is shining, the sky is bright, but what you may think is a perfect time to shoot is far from it. High noon sunlight creates harsh shadows on the face and doesn’t cast you in the best light – wait until the afternoon.

6. Sweaty, shiny photos
Of course it will happen - standing close together in full formal gear can turn up the body temperature. But don’t let shiny faces and (eek!) sweaty armpits take away from the special occasion. Be prepared with powder, anti-perspirant deodorant and paper towels!

7. Not scheduling enough time for the
photo sessions and driving time
It takes time to shoot pictures of the entire family, arrive at several different shoot locations and get all of those perfect shots with you and your hubby. Make your life easier – allot extra time for photography! As a plan of attack, get the large group shots finished first, starting with children and the elderly. Next, take pictures with the families and bridal party. Lastly, spend some alone time with your man and the camera, while the impatient herd heads towards the cocktail hour. After all, it is your day!

8. Badly positioned hands and feet
After several shots, you and your wedding party may become antsy – tapping fingers, leaning on one foot and fidgeting. It is important that your photographer works with you to keep everyone photogenic, focused and above everything else – comfortable.

9. Missing the small moments
There are signature special moments in a wedding – the bride and groom’s first kiss, the first dance between a father and new bride, the garter ceremony and cutting of the cake. But small moments - such as the flower girl smiling from the pew, a proud moment between the mother and father, grandma on the dance floor – cannot be missed!

10. Stopping photographs before the reception is over
Many couples want to turn the cameras off at 9 p.m., but some of the most memorable and interesting photos happen when the party really gets going. Keep shooting!

Wow! I love my job!

2010-09-26T18:14:00.001-07:00

We had a FABULOUS wedding in the Hamptons this weekend with a great couple! They had friends and family from the south (Georgia) come up to actually cater the affair. FROM GEORGIA!!! An amazingly beautiful bride and stunning bridesmaids along with a very handsome groom and gorgeous groomsmen! Then to top it off we had a fiftieth wedding anniversary today! The institution of marriage is an amazing thing. Our anniversary couple had their original wedding album at the event. We are so happy to have shared the day with them and look forward to a whole bunch of wonderful photos from this weekend. This is going to be one for the records. We can’t wait to get all of our new images up online for everyone to see. I have to say that Chris and I have been truly blessed with beautiful days and lovely people to work with this whole summer long but this weekend was the BEST. These are the times when we really relish being photographers…

Ramblings about a lot of STUFF...just STUFF

2010-09-16T23:04:00.000-07:00

Hello friends...

AYWP has been so busy that there has been no recent Blogging, Facebooking, YouTube(ing) and you can totally forget about Twitter. Chris advises me that we have a Twitter account but I have yet to Tweet or would it be Twit? We have been updating our websites and we have been working on getting a new type of gallery up and running so that clients can purchase their images from a professional photo lab that has their color settings coordinated to what our cameras and computers are set to. We are still providing packages that gives our clients the rights to their images (copyright free DVD) and we are still keeping it simple by not locking our clients into a set number of proofs, prints, etc. So far our packages have been fabulously received but the only issue is that all photo labs print differently depending on their printer's settings and the type of paper they use. Also many computers are not calibrated for true color. Most people have their computers calibrated to factory settings so when you view your images on a computer they don't always look the way they end up printing. The images may appear richer in color or the complete opposite on a computer screen but when you get them printed, dependant on the lab that you use you will get a variation in the colors. We want all of our clients to be happy with our work and we want to make sure you get the best prints possible without costing you a fortune so we are working on doing what we think is best and suggesting that most images be shared on the internet via the share sites that I have posted in the past. The names of the sites are the actual hyperlinks to those sites so please use them. When you decide to print your images please consider choosing a few and printing from our website’s gallery. This is the way we can guarantee you are getting the best results.

Also in the works is post shoot editing on a number of events. We have had weddings, anniversaries, renewal of vows and portraits. Not to mention Birthdays and we actually spent a little time recently in New Hampshire. Those of you who know us know that Chris and I are avid riders. I have taken a number of images from the back of a Harley Davidson and am considering creating a gallery of images entitled just that "Shot off of a Harley". Well one of these days this will come to pass.

It really is wonderful and I certainly can't complain at the amount of work that we have had. We are now House Photographers for Miller Beach Surf Club as well as being added onto the vendor lists for the Historical Chapel and Coachman Limo. We are also planning on shooting a number of Art Pieces created by Mike of Michael Angelo Tattoo and Gallery. Mike has done some amazing work both on canvas, on Walls as Murals not to mention Chris' arm. He actually started out as an airbrush artist and co-owned Cycledelic Cycles on Long Island New York. It is truly amazing how much talent and vision Mike has and he is just the most easy going and happy person you could ever wish to meet. It is a pleasure to know people who are genuinely cool.

Ok, I think that is enough STUFF for now and I will continue with some other things in the near future.

Be Well!

Dollie
dollie@asyouwishphotography.net

Tips for choosing a photographer

2010-08-04T21:45:00.001-07:00

Always speak with the photographer and definitely try to meet with them prior to booking your event. Be clear about what you want to accomplish and advise them about what you do not like so they can avoid it. Make a list of the things that you would like to have. Don't drive yourself crazy about what you can afford to have. Just list it. Decide what you would like in each category -Prints? -Album?-Enlargements or additional albums for special people? -Enlargements or wall portraits for myself? -Do I want the photos on copyright-free DVD so I can make reprints?

You will likely spend more time with your photographer on your wedding day than with any other person (other than your new husband or wife). You really want to select someone with a personality that will make all of the event and together time as comfortable as possible! So how do you tell if they are right for you? Just look at the way he or she communicates with you. Is he or she patient? Friendly? Easy to be around? Do you feel comfortable with him or her?

Free Image Hosting Sites

2010-06-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Name	Description	Storage
Bayimg	Free uncensored image hosting website.	Unlimited
dotPhoto	Free and paid photo sharing, prints, selling site.	Unlimited
Flickr	The most popular one. Basic account is free.	100MB/month
Fotki	Free and premium membership photo hosting.	50MB
Fotolog	Share pictures through online photo diary, photo blog.	1 Pic / day
ImageShack	The popular free image, video hosting site.	Unlimited
Jalbum	Photo sharing software and website .	30MB
MyPhotoAlbum	Free standard with 1 completed transaction per year.	Unlimited
Panoramio	Geolocation-oriented photo sharing website.	2GB
Photobucket	The most popular one. Up to 500MB of space for free.	500MB
Photoshop	Photoshop.com is available in English for US residents.	2GB
PhotoWorks	Free online photo sharing and unlimited photo storage.	Unlimited
Picasa Web	A popular free online photo hosting from Google Inc.	1GB
PictureTrail	Photo sharing, photo slideshows, and image hosting.	Unlimited
Shutterfly	Free and unlimited picture storage.	Unlimited
Snapfish	Free online photo uploading and sharing.	Unlimited
TinyPic	One of most popular photo and video sharing services.	Unlimited
Webshots	1000 photos + 100 more each month of membership.	1000 Pics +
Zooomr	No limits on uploading, storing, and archiving photos.	Unlimited

All free site hyperlinks are in GREEN. Please feel free to share these with your friends and family. Let me know which of the sites are your favorites.

Lucky Laces Casino Night

2010-05-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

AYWP was happy to donate our time to Lucky Laces on May 13, 2010 for a fundraiser to help raise money to get Pat Budani a replacement vehicle and wheelchair. Pat was trapped in his car which had caught fire and was saved by a member of the Huntington Hospital staff. The story was on Channel 12 news for a few days. The images from the fundraiser have been posted on our Picasa Web Album.

Please visit Lucky Laces at http://www.luckylaces.org/. Once you read a little more, hopefully, all of you would be willing to help.

We are proud to have been a participant of the event and will continue to help for this very important research foundation.

Thank you and we will share more about it later.

Online Galleries of Weddings Posted by Photographers as Opposed to Bride and Groom Posting Their Own Images ~ Looking for Feedback

2010-05-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

The other day we posted an image and a link to an online gallery to view images on Picasa. We are often asked about online galleries and what we have done in the past, and still continue to do, is to give our clients their images on a high resolution DVD of which they own the rights. They can choose to share, print, email, post, do anything they want with their images since we give our clients the rights to everything. Also, the bride and groom can pick and choose what they want to share instead of having all of their images up on the web (this is especially important to some brides who are very self conscious - even though every bride is stunning on her special day many women can be very critical of themselves). We have been asked about online galleries in the past and below is a short explanation of why we don’t use them. But we are considering a change.

Many Photographers have online galleries for people to view and purchase the images as well as cool merchandise but what most people don’t realize is that these galleries are run by companies (which I am not going to name so I don’t get in trouble) that have you sign in and create an account in order to view the images. The only issue with some of the companies is that you begin to get bombarded with emails trying to sell products and it reads as though they are coming from the Photographer but are in fact from the company itself. It is a marketing tool on their part to increase sales since they get a cut of anything purchased. They cater to the bride and groom’s parents and other family members. Anyway, we have always steered away from this because we know that we hate getting mass emails trying to sell us a lot of garbage. Also, these emails inevitably begin to be ignored and when we send an actual email out that we need to get a response to we are then ignored.

We would like to try to use Picasa since they don’t seem to send as many emails and the emails will be coming directly from Picasa if they do send anything. This is where we need our clients and friends feedback. So we hope to hear from you.

Thanks. I will post again soon, so until then…be well.

Bride's Check List and To Do's

2010-05-25T23:33:00.001-07:00

When you are preparing for your wedding it is extremely important that you be realistic and practical but for many of us this is far easier said than done. Every bride wants everything to be perfect which means that you will inevitably feel the need to micro manage. I know many of you are Wonder Woman in disguise, especially in this day and age, but I hate to break it to you…you can’t be responsible for everything. As the bride, it is impossible to oversee everything for your wedding especially on your wedding day. We try to remind our brides that this day is YOUR day. Your wedding will be a once in a lifetime event and we at AYWP believe that you should enjoy it. In order to do so you may have to do something unthinkable. Ok, I know it sounds crazy but here it goes….delegate responsibilities! AND, do it before the big day. Some of you ladies can hire a consultant but most of the brides that we deal with are budget conscious and therefore may need to consider appointing a friend or family member to help oversee most matters. Make this decision in advance so that any of the vendors that you hire will be informed of who will be in charge on the wedding day.

There are a number of websites out there that offer wedding to do lists and wedding checklists. I came across one that was pretty helpful but have made a few modifications for it to be suitable for the Long Island and New York area Brides. Whatever site you are using should be able to incorporate some of this list since many of them are able to be personalized. If you are not using a website to help with the planning you can just print this as a guide or even input it into Outlook and set the reminder dates according to your needs. I hope you ladies find this of some help.

Try to think of the responsibilities for each of your selected professional wedding vendors. This will help in adding to this checklist provided below.

• Will I get dressed at the wedding site or home?
• Do I want the photographer to come to my home? When?
• Determine if the Photographer has a male or female photographer for preparatory shots (this is dependant on the bride's comfort level of having a man or woman there to capture moments where you may be only partially dressed).
• How will I get to the wedding site? To the reception?
• How will the out of town guests get around? Where will they stay?
• How, when, and where will the wedding vendors deliver their goods? Who do they report to?
• Will we need storage or a holding/storage area at the wedding or reception sites?
• What electrical or kitchen needs are there?
• What kind of delivery needs do the musicians and caterer have and can we accommodate them?
• Will there be a need for security?
• Parking for the guests?
• Where can the professionals store their equipment when it's not in use (i.e. photographers...)?
• Who can I rely upon to act as a coordinator/facilitator for the day? Should I hire a professional?

Wedding Planner Checklist

12 - 16 Months Before the Wedding
• Set the Wedding Date. Take into consideration Holidays, School, Major Sporting Events, Weather, Work, Honeymoon Plans
• Discuss and decide on the style and type of wedding. Formal/Informal ~ Traditional/Unconventional
• Choose a Wedding Motif, Color theme and style
• Select and Reserve the Church, Temple or Wedding site
• Decide on a Wedding Consultant (professional or otherwise – some Brides find it helpful to have someone other than the Groom to discuss wedding plans with)
• Research and Retain the Following:
◊ Photographer______________________________
◊ Videographer______________________________
◊ Entertainment______________________________
◊ Ceremonial Musicians_______________________
◊ Reception Facility___________________________
◊ Caterer___________________________________
◊ Beverages_________________________________

6 - 12 Months Before the Wedding
• Choose the members of the Bridal Party
◊ Maid/Matron of Honor
◊ Attendants
◊ Best Man - groom selects
◊ Attendants - groom selects
• Decide upon the number of invitees and select the accommodations for out of town:
◊ Wedding Attendants
◊ Family
◊ Guests
• Search and select a Wedding Gown and Veil
• Search and select the Dresses for the Attendants
• Schedule a Photo Session for the Engagement Announcement
• Mail Photo and Engagement information to the selected Newspaper(s)
• Begin making preliminary Honeymoon Plans
• Phone interview and visit the Caterer to review and select a menu
• Phone interview and visit the Florist to discuss Floral Arrangement
• Phone interview and visit the Reception location to discuss arrangements

3 - 6 Months Before the Wedding
• Complete a Bridal Registry
• Arrange for the first fitting of Wedding Gown
• Select and order Wedding Invitations and Thank you Notes
• Select and order the Wedding Cake
• Select and order Wedding Bands (decide if you will have them engraved)
• Finalize Honeymoon Plans and Destination
• Select a Travel Agent and Make Honeymoon Reservations
• Plan a Rehearsal Dinner and Make Reservations
• Deposits for Services

2 Months Before the Wedding
• Select and Reserve the Men's Formal Wear
• Determine your hair stylist and make-up artist and have a trial run of styles (don’t forget your headpiece/veil)
• Order the Wedding Favors
• Create a song list or select music genre for the Band or the DJ
• Address Invitations
• Mail Invitations
• Arrange Formal Portraits
• Purchase gifts for:
◊ Maid of Honor
◊ Your Attendants
◊ The Groom
◊ Your Mother
◊ Any special person who is making major contributions

1 Month Before the Wedding
• Apply for the Marriage License
• Confirm the Rehearsal Date with the Wedding Ceremony Site
• Make any Rehearsal Dinner arrangements/reservations
• Review any details of the Wedding Day with the coordinator(s) you've selected
• Arrange for a Hair & Make-up pro to come the morning of the wedding
• Purchase any needed Party/Decoration supplies
• Write and mail thank-you notes for the Shower Gifts
• Arrange for Wedding Memento’s to be saved (i.e. Bouquet to be preserved)
• Arrange to pick-up Honeymoon tickets or have them mailed

1 -2 Weeks Before the Wedding
• Make arrangements for any Reception or Wedding favors to be delivered
• Finalize Flowers and make arrangements for delivery
• Give all appropriate vendors final guest count
• Prepare and plan seating for the Reception
• Prepare Place Cards for the Reception
• Confirm all Attendants have their Dresses (and Shoes!!!) and have had their final fittings
• Create a guide of how you want the wedding day to unfold and share with your chosen coordinator(s)
• Confirm all Vendor services

2 - 3 Days Before the Wedding
• Arrange for a Spa Day: Pedicure, Manicure, Waxing, Facial, The Works (be careful about waxing too close to the big day, some ladies get red and blotchy)
• Review the Honeymoon Bags for any last minute items or purchases that may be needed
• Final review of details of the Wedding Day with the coordinator(s) you've selected
• Make arrangement for mail and home care while away on Honeymoon
• Change phone message on answering machine and email auto response
• Send thank you notes to those who made the Bachelorette Party possible (if you had one)

1 Day Before the Wedding
• Remember why you are marrying the Groom, reflect on why you are together and maybe read any cards or letters you may have saved
• Make a bag of extra cosmetics, hairspray, pantyhose, baby-wipes (great for quick clean up and removing most stains off clothes), safety pins as well as anything else you may need that will be given to your coordinator(s) for “just in case” purposes
• Consider a massage or anything else that may help you relax and be stress free
• Try to get to sleep early

The Wedding Day
• Make time to have something nutritious to eat, you may not feel like eating but it is important to make sure you have something
• Take a moment to stop, take a deep breath and absorb what's going on around you; reflect on what this day is and let it fill you with joy (how you feel will show on your face and in your mannerisms)
• Let last-minute matters be handled by someone else (i.e. last minute invitees showing with no RSVP, final payments to vendors, tipping, etc.)
• Try to thank everyone who helped
• Mingle and try to say hello and thank you to guests, especially those people who travelled from out of town
• Remember that your family is all together at this time so try to capture the moments and ask your photographer for pictures of you with your family and guests
• Finally laugh, love and enjoy the best day of your life

YouTube - Sherene and Garfield Walker by As You Wish Photography ~ Long Island's Affordable Photographer

2010-05-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Sherene and Garfield Walker by As You Wish Photography ~ Long Island's Affordable Photographer

Wedding Pictures

2010-05-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

After clicking on the image to take you to Picasa, click on the "Wedding Pictures" link to the right of the image. This will take you to the online gallery of images that have been posted by As You Wish Photography. This is a small collection of some of our images from various locations on Long Island and NYC. We will continue to share more images. We are considering beginning to post individual weddings online in galleries and would like feed back from you to let us know what you think.

Welcome to our first blog...we have a lot to cover

2010-05-21T09:51:00.001-07:00

Welcome to As You Wish Photography's (AYWP) first attempt at a blog...please be patient.

I (Dollie) am in the process of uploading some images that I would like to share. AYWP has been very hesitant to share images due to the fear of theft. It seems that people don't have any boundaries when it comes to stealing an image and calling it their own in order to get further in their own business, in reality a person can take an image and alter it ever so slightly and technically call it their own but we don't believe in doing that. We are very proud of what we have produced and we work hard at what we give our clients. We are currently working on building our websites up and we will be sharing more images and slide shows, etc. as time goes on. I think it might be nice to share some images as well as helpful tips to brides, grooms and all of the other people involved in the planning and development of events (we aren't exclusive to weddings) and of course any funny or interesting stories along the way. AYWP has been doing this (this being event photography) for a long time and have a great deal to offer as well as having seen a little bit of everything...I guess this blog will ultimately be a mixture of things that will develop and grow to be what it is meant to be. We will take it from there.

I will post again soon...until then.