As I write my last post in the competition, I can’t quite believe it’s drawing to a close so quickly. It seems like just yesterday when, one rainy September afternoon, I found out I was a semi-finalist, and a few weeks later (thanks to your awesomeness), a finalist! My blogging journey has FLOWN by, and I’ve had a blast reading about the other ladies’ journeys, sharing nerdy DIY projects, dance experiments, scouting out winter armour outerwear and dumping eggs all over my head for the Internet’s viewing pleasure. It’s been AWESOME, and I have to thank everyone who’s shown their support with kind words, e-mails, and comments (even hopping over to my personal blog!).

In keeping with the theme of gratitude, I thought as I bid you all farewell, I’d take a moment to reflect on everything for which I’m thankful during our engagement. In wedding planning, there are naturally ups and downs, and it’s easy to panic when things don’t go quite according to plan. So with everything wedding-related, I’m trying to adopt the same attitude I do with life’s curveballs: take a moment to count the blessings, and it’s amazing how hiccups can quickly turn around.

Firstly, of course, I’m thankful for David.  Last week was our two-year dating anniversary (or seven, depending on where you start), and this man has taken me from a girl pretty much crippled with anxiety to a place where I feel capable, more confident, and more focused on what’s really important in this world.  Since we’ve been together, my eyes have been opened – I’ve learned to look past my self-doubts and focus on being a better person and making a contribution to this world, even if, initially, it was terrifying.  He’s believed in me when I couldn’t do it for myself, stood by me through thick and thin, and taught me the true meaning of servanthood, of faith, and of true love. (I haven’t been mushy this whole time; I’m allowed a teensy bit of sap!)

Secondly, I’m thankful for the past. I briefly alluded to a couple of past relationships in an earlier post, but I’ve been through some tough times. It’s easy to become bitter or resentful toward people who’ve abused or mistreated us, but if it weren’t for the pain of those experiences, I never would have been pushed forward to learn, reflect, and grow, and prepare for the one relationship that’s going to be forever.

Thirdly, I’m thankful for family. My Dad is my best friend in the whole world, and he’s been wonderful in getting to know David and really welcoming him into the family, just as David’s family have been to me. During our first year together, David was away a lot for work, and his family often invited me to their house to spend time with them in his absence. I’m so thankful to be marrying into a family that’s been so supportive, so welcoming, and so kind to me, and I’m thrilled to be sharing the wedding day with his sisters by my side!

Fourth, I’m thankful for our situation. I really am. We’re not in a position where we make a lot of money, but that’s really allowed for us to focus on what’s really important. We’re both fortunate to work in positions where we can help people, and so what if we’re not able to spend $20,000 on decorations or go on a honeymoon? The celebration with the people we love and the commitment we’re making to each other are what matters most. Flowers, linens, and cake will come and go, but when you’re in a position where you have a little less, it really is a blessing to be able to focus on the things money can’t buy.

Lastly, I have to thank the Weddingbells staff for picking my little entry in the first place, and extend an even BIGGER thank you to you! I can’t believe that for the last nine months, people across the country (and continent!) have continually taken the time out of their lives to read my stories, offer support and ideas, and help me get this far. If I had a time machine (one day, Emily, one day), I guarantee I would be visiting each and every one of you with a bear hug and a basket of cookies. For now, this will have to suffice!

I wish all the brides-to-be the very best in their wedding plans, on their special days, as well as in their marriages. I hope you’ve enjoyed having me as much as I’ve enjoyed writing for you! All the best… next stop, voting!

So far in our wedding plans, David and I haven’t really encountered too many challenges. Well, other than losing half the wedding party and my dress disappearing along with the retailer – but that’s all part of the fun, right? Though we’ve become hooked on Say Yes to the Dress as well as Rich Bride, Poor Bride (don’t tell, but I may have received a text message now and then making sure I set the PVR!), the thing that’s surprised me the most is the lack of drama that seems to go along with wedding planning on these shows.  But that’s not to say there isn’t one teensy issue proving a little difficult: the whole ‘winter’ thing.

At the beginning of my blogging journey here, one of the big issues was finding outerwear for the wedding party, which proved quite the challenge. You were all rock stars in helping me out – and a HUGE thank you must be said for all the comments (and e-mails, with more online shopping options than I could shake a credit card at)! Outerwear for us has since been located – we found perfect coats (at Superstore of all places!), but that’s not where the challenge ended. We have guests to keep warm! One of the biggest things we want to ensure in this winter wedding is everyone’s comfort.

Wind chills in December, as you can see above, can be absolutely bitter. And this expat’s still undergoing acclimatization (terrifyingly, a process that I’m told could very well take a lifetime!). Traditionally, the bride and groom exit the church post-ceremony to some sort of confetti, or bubbles – but since our wedding is days before the winter equinox, daylight is going to be scarce. We thought sparklers would be a lovely way to exit festively – but not at the expense of sensation in our guests’ extremities, so we’re going to place Little Hotties hand warmers at every seat. (See! Isn’t the Internet wonderful?)

The reception is where we’re really going to try and keep things cozy, and have hot chocolate, eggnog and perhaps some warm apple cider ready for guests upon their arrival.  Candlelight is going to be a big part of our centrepieces, and we’ll try and add things like pumpkin or butternut squash soup to the menu, too.

But aside from avoiding frostbite, one of the biggest challenges accompanying the winter season for me is an issue I’ve been dealing with for the last 10 or so years: chronic back pain.  I’ve seen countless specialists in an ongoing endeavour to get a solid diagnosis, but nobody seems able to agree. I use electric heat pads and tennis balls (seriously!) regularly to get through the day. Unfortunately, the pain is exacerbated by the cold – and it’s the last thing I want to be worrying about on my wedding day.  I’ve tried therapeutic massage, chiropractic, physiotherapy, and even one rather traumatic incident involving going for cortisone injections all the way down my back and promptly going into shock. Fun times! Though this did numb the pain for a full 24 hours, uncontrollable convulsions isn’t going to make for the most attractive of brides, so I’m seeking out other options. Heat helps – and I’ve found in a few pharmacies here they sell some sort of adhesive heat pack that you can place on the inside of your clothes, which radiate heat for a few hours.  Which sounds a heck of a lot better than strapping on my electric one and moving the ceremony to the nearest plug socket.

The other problem we’re facing is the fact that at the end of our ceremony, it’s going to be dark outside. David, sweetheart that he is, really wants the first time we see each other that day to be at the altar – so taking pictures beforehand is out of the question.  We’ve phoned around various places in the city – hotels, heritage sites, the Conservatory, and the Legislative building, all of which would have been wonderful options… and all of which have functions already booked for December 4^th!

This is where I ask for your help – can you think of another option we may be able to use for indoor pictures? For keeping everyone warm… how are we doing? And does anyone else have experience with chronic pain? If so, how did/will you deal with it on your wedding day? Suggestions would be hugely appreciated, but please, no pity party – if I have to say my vows lying down on tennis balls, it will be done!

So far in my blogging journey, I’d like to think you’ve been able to get to know me pretty well. In that I’m terrified of the cold (yet having a wedding in the dead of winter), I’m a DIY enthusiast, willing to dump eggs all over my head, dress up as a medieval princess, an eternal optimist, proudly English, poor, and maybe slightly too much of a nerd.  (Nice to meet you!)  But aside from all that, one of the things I’m most passionate about in life is music.

We’re really trying to incorporate fun, personality, and things that really are meaningful for us into our wedding. Short of hiring a kitten-shaped tux and training our little cat on the concept of “straight line,” I think we’re doing quite well! Music is a big part of both our lives, so naturally this was an area in which we could have a little fun.

Our ceremony will be at David’s church. Traditionally Roman Catholic, there are certain restrictions on the sort of music that can be played. Let’s just say my dreams of walking down the aisle to the Star Trek: TNG theme have gone firmly out the window. Luckily, David plays in the church band with one of the city’s best local musicians, part of a duo who are kindly going to sing at the ceremony. He’s wonderfully talented, fun, and down to earth, and I can’t wait to hear them perform!

The reception is where things are going to get even better, starting with the actual realization of my sci-fi dream—our entrance to the Doctor Who theme tune. +10 nerd points to David! Our first dance is going to be slightly unconventional in that it will be fast-paced (none of that lame and awkward shuffling around in a circle), and will probably involve some choreography… which is an adventure all on its own. I wish I could share the song, but we have to maintain some element of surprise!

Luckily, our venue by day is a dance studio (complete with beautiful 3,400 sq. ft. dance floor), and Patricia’s Banquet Hall is the only place in town to include complimentary lessons for the rhythmically challenged (ahem). However, in eternal keener fashion, I had to get ahead of the game: David and I signed up for eight weeks of dance classes, which started in April. The first couple of classes were surprisingly successful—if you define success by the amount of time you spend not falling over. It’s a hilarious way to spend our Friday nights, with me trying to understand the notion of coordination and David, somehow, a complete natural! Thankfully we still have a few months to go…

The DJ we hired, Platinum Productions, fortunately comes with an online music planner including must-plays, please-plays, and do-not-plays (there will be no saving horses OR riding cowboys at this reception), as well as a list of custom special request songs. We listen to a lot of indie and alternative music, which isn’t typically on a standard reception playlist—thankfully they’re very thorough in catering to our tastes, and we’ll have all sorts of favourites from the UK, from the ’80s (there’s got to be some Bon Jovi in there somewhere!), and possibly even the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

My biggest nightmare, however, isn’t forgetting my steps… it’s an empty dance floor! So I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to how to get people moving. I once designed an invitation for a bride which included the line “I promise to dance if you play…” on the RSVP card, but since we’re doing our RSVPs online, that’s not going to work. Would you…

a)     Cross your fingers and hope everyone likes the ’80s as much as you do

b)    Ask your wonderful Best Man/MC to do his best to get everyone on their feet, including subtle hints and perhaps not-so-subtle dragging by the hands

c)     Eliminate most of the songs people aren’t really going to know, and resign yourself to ABBA all night long

d)    Go with traditional RSVP cards with the option to request a song. Yes, it’s environmentally un-friendly, and yes, it’s more expensive—but it’ll plant the seed!

Your thoughts would be much appreciated—as would ideas for a certain dance. My wonderful Dad raised me well on ’70s punk and ’80s new wave, but unfortunately I have a sneaky feeling Rock the Casbah and “father-daughter dance” go together about as well as tequila shots and running with scissors, so any suggestions of something cool yet crowd-pleasing would be fantastic!

It’s a pretty safe bet to say that we’re far from having the biggest wedding budget in the world. So when times are tight, what better way to save money (and have far too much fun!) than to attempt many brides’ favourite thing: DIY projects!  I know I’ve been talking about my über-nerdy cake toppers for a while, but they’re not the only thing we’re doing ourselves. We’re also making our invitations, and centrepieces too. So without further ado, I bring you my DIY Guide for the Recessionista Bride!

Project #1: The Centrepieces

In my last post, I mentioned the centrepieces we’d ordered on eBay. I was initially looking for some white or silver branches, but after scouring the Internet, I found the cost to ship them to Canada was exorbitant. And no matter how committed I was to DIY, I wasn’t spending a weekend collecting twigs off the ground, spray painting them silver and covering myself in more glitter than a night with Adam Lambert in Vegas. So luckily, what they say is true—you can find anything on the Internet if you know where to look! We found these beautiful faux twigs on eBay—perfectly wintry, mess-free, and light enough to be incredibly reasonable to ship. We stocked up on vases from the Dollar Store, ordered votives in bulk, and hit the local Safeway for a few bags of sugar with which to fill the vases. Because nothing says “Winter Wonderland” quite like a trip down the baking aisle. What do you think?

Project #2: The Invitations

I’ve been fortunate to have had experience in graphic design for several years, as well as in the printing industry, so I had a bit of a heads up on where to look for supplies. We found a great deal on pearlescent card stock at the Blue Dot Paper Shop, who cut it all according to our specifications and had it on our doorstep within the week. I designed the invites, and we printed them on the card stock at Staples. We matted a shimmery white stock onto a sparkling ice blue, and adhered little rhinestones, one by one (note to self: when DIY-ing finicky projects, skip the gel nails!), to the printed snowflakes.  We made the same design in English and French, ordered a custom snowflake return address stamp for the envelopes, and finished up with something we were rather proud of!

Project #3: The Nerdfest Cake Toppers

Now, I realize some of you may have never encountered a Dalek before. For those of you that have—yes, we went there. For those of you that haven’t? A quick lesson in sci-fi: Doctor Who is a British show that’s been running since the 1960′s, and currently holds the record for the longest-running science fiction show in the world. The Doctor travels through time and space with various companions, battling villains, saving the Earth, and generally being just about the most awesome thing ever.  Generations have grown up “hiding behind the sofa”; some episodes have had me thoroughly chilled, while others have had me jumping up and down, clapping with excitement (did I just lose all my street cred?). There are a few repeating characters, the Daleks being one of the original baddies, their goal being to “EX-TER-MINATE” all non-Dalek life from the universe.  They’ve become synonymous with the name Doctor Who, the show that’s kept us both thoroughly entertained on Saturday nights since we’ve been together. So on top of entering the reception to the theme tune, we decided to give the traditional bride-and-groom cake topper a bit of a twist. And make them into Daleks.  I ordered two action figures, and used the extra tulle I had from my nightmare eBay veil to make a miniature one, along with an old ring as a headpiece. I bought some faux flowers and ribbon, and made a miniature bouquet, and some felt to make a bow tie and a little top hat for the Dalek Groom.  Any girl whose fiancé is willing to indulge his inner geek along with her is a lucky lady indeed!

Overall, I think our projects were a hit! Are you attempting to DIY anything for your wedding? And are there any other nerd-brides out there?

Through talking to many brides post-wedding, it really hit me how important it is, no matter how big or small the task, to have a backup plan.  I’ve heard countless times that something will undoubtedly go wrong, no matter how much attention to detail is paid—but I also know that whatever happens, we’ll still end up laughing about it (eventually!), and it’ll make for a great story. Hopefully!

I didn’t realize that the idea would be put to the test so soon: since the last time I wrote, the retailer of my unfinished dress went out of business; the veil I’d ordered (that looked so lovely on the internet) arrived—stiff, cheap-looking and larger than life; all my bridesmaids dropped out of the wedding party, along with our reception MC, and we realized our reception tables were smaller than anticipated—leaving us 12 centrepieces short! So, what did we do? Started working on Plan B!

The Dress

It’s not often I’ll consider myself lucky to public transit every day, but in this instance, it really worked in my favour. My route home from work includes a trip past the store where I’d bought my dress—which now has “For Lease” signs all over it. David and I had been watching an awful lot of Say Yes to the Dress recently (don’t tell anyone!), and I’d been questioning my dress more and more—it was cheap, it was off the rack, and it was grubby from handling and missing a significant amount of beading. He told me he wanted me to really love my dress, “like they do on the show!” and that I should take this opportunity to go look at some other ones. So I humoured him. And found my dream dress! It’s infinitely more beautiful, more flattering, and completely different from anything I would’ve imagined picking—but I am in LOVE with it. And I even got $100 off because the saleslady liked me!

Aarno and David

The MC

The friend we’d asked to MC during our reception is in the professional acting industry—and could potentially be called for a part any time. I’d never want to make her miss out on a big opportunity, and she didn’t want to risk letting us down, either. Luckily, we had a number of other options—David decided on asking his best man—a really great friend, who knows both of us well, and who’ll do an awesome job on the night.

The Centrepieces

When I realized we needed to double our order, I must admit I panicked a little—I’d ordered our original centrepieces from eBay, and wasn’t sure the online store would even still exist! But after much searching, we found it, and were able to order enough to make every table shine. Along with about 200 votives and holders (and one sore back) that ended up being cheaper than the dollar store—the Internet is a wonderful place!

The Veil

Let me rephrase: The Internet is mostly a wonderful place. I guess with the amount I’ve ordered online for the wedding, one thing was bound to be less than perfect—and though the veil arrived comically hideous; stiff, bulky, and larger than Lady Gaga’s viewer count on YouTube, at least I was only out $20! Now I have the chance to spend some time looking for one in person, that I can touch and try on—one that’ll match my new dress perfectly. An added bonus: I can use the tulle in my nerdy cake topper project—which I promise will be shared next post!

The Bridesmaids

Unfortunately, there was recently a bit of a “situation.” Let’s just say that when times are tough, you really find out who your true friends are—and though surprising and disappointing, I think I was lucky to find out now, rather than a week before the wedding. This also made me realize the importance of the people who are going to be there for the long haul: I’m incredibly blessed to be marrying into the nicest family anyone could ever wish for, and David’s sisters are wonderful ladies—and are rapidly becoming wonderful friends.  I asked them if they would do us both the honour of being bridesmaids, and I’m thrilled they said yes!  I’ll have my new family standing up there with both David and myself, on the most amazing day of our lives. Although apparently they’re already planning an interesting sounding hen night… and there I was thinking we could all just go to the spa!

It’s definitely been quite the couple of weeks! I’m just glad we still had time to spare. Bridesmaid dropouts, disappearing dresses, and veils twice the size of a small planet—tell me some of your wedding planning horror stories!!

Some of you may remember from my first post that I actually grew up in England. My family moved to Canada 10 years ago (I can’t believe it’s gone so quickly!), and though I love Canada dearly (the country that brought me into adulthood, taught me many valuable lessons, and, most importantly, brought me my true love!), I’ve always stayed true to my British roots. I don’t think a day goes by without us both watching EastEnders or listening to BBC radio in the house! David, however, is Canadian through and through. More specifically, French-Canadian.  He was raised speaking dual languages, and since we’ve been together, I’ve learned lots about his family’s culture and traditions. We’d really like to incorporate elements from both sides throughout the day, and have the ceremony itself a fusion of not only our cultures, but of our different spiritual backgrounds, too.

When we initially began planning the wedding, I honestly thought we’d have a small, intimate affair of about 50 people. The majority of my family live in the UK, and likely wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Winnipeg (particularly in December!), and I have a relatively small group of close-knit friends.  Then I realised that 50 barely covered half of David’s side—and we soon decided we wanted to extend the invitation to everybody (especially in the holiday season)! What better reason to gather everyone together than uniting in a celebration of love?

I was however, a little nervous about the ceremony. David comes from a traditional Roman Catholic background, and though I was baptised Anglican, religion was not something I was raised with—I only grew into my faith in recent years. I’d attended church with him many times, and had learned that part of a Catholic service was to receive the Eucharist (the consecrated bread and wine which, according to the faith, become the body and blood of Christ), however as a non-Catholic, my church experience during this part of the service had been to simply remain in the pews. I understood that this was an important part for David, but was a little uncomfortable thinking of my side of the family and non-Catholic friends having to do the same at the wedding. I really wanted it to be inclusive of everybody, the focus being on unity – and having something that separates not only our guests, but us as a couple as part of the service just didn’t feel quite right. Luckily, the priest who will be performing the service is a good friend of David’s, and kindly came over for tea to address any concerns I had. I was instantly reassured when he informed us that it’s perfectly normal to omit this part of the ceremony when one party is non-Catholic—and is actually, in this case, the preferred way of doing things! The rest of the ceremony will remain traditional, and this way, both of us (and all our guests) can be a part of everything.

We are both going to select readings that mean a lot to us, and to include David’s culture and upbringing, we are sending out some of our invitations in English, and to his family, in French. Something British will add on to the traditional “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue… and a sixpence in her shoe.”  According to my research, the tradition began in England in the 1600′s and continues to this day, and is believed to bring good luck. Since sixpences are no longer being made, I turned to my faithful friend eBay (of course!), and found a coin from 1910—one hundred years before we’ll make our commitment. We also have a good deal of personal touches throughout the day, from DIY sci-fi cake toppers, to the lyrics of our favourite songs centred at each table. Our hope is for the day to reflect not only our love and commitment, but all the things that led us to each other, too.

If you and your fiancé come from different backgrounds, how are you incorporating both cultures and traditions in your wedding?

…and who said wedding planning was not fun? I’ve had a love-hate relationship with my hair my entire life: it’s frizzy and unruly, and though a straightening iron may mask my secret Cyndi Lauper-esque identity, it sadly also contributes to fragile, breakable ends—making the dream of long, romantic waves for the wedding seemingly unattainable.  Thanks to all your suggestions (thank you!), I’ve decided on a down-do. I feel far more comfortable with my hair down, plus it’ll cover my tattoos! But the clock is ticking—I have a matter of months in which to get my hair strong enough to keep growing past my shoulders, and stop breaking off in pieces all over the bathroom sink.

I’ve read up on my options, and after being told extensions may cost between $500 and $1,000 (!), decided the only way to do this is to try everything.

Strategy 1: Get regular trims. I’m one of those people who finds it tough believing making it shorter more often will make it longer in the end, and after being mortified with a “trim” that was far too short last fall, decided against it. This may work in the long run, but we have a deadline! I’ve opted instead for trying to make it more resilient. No matter how messy things may get…

Strategy 2: Products, supplements, and switching up the routine.  I recently discovered a new addition to the Pantene line, and Beautiful Lengths sounded like just the ticket.  I made the switch a few weeks ago, and also invested in a heat protection spray to use before straightening—hopefully this will help reduce the damage. I’m also going to colour less often, and shampoo at night, so I can cut out the blow-dryer. The lovely Stephanie Gray also told me she heard Gwyneth Paltrow swears by pre-natal vitamins and they’re the key to keeping her heavily coloured and styled hair growing long, healthy and strong!

Strategy 3: Focus on the roots, not just the ends. One thing I’ve read frequently is that stimulating the scalp promotes faster hair growth.  I decided to hit up my best friend in wedding planning: eBay. I was looking for a scalp massager, and ended up not only with rubber-pronged shower gloves (you really can find anything on the internet), but also the hilariously named Orgasmatron: no, not a bedroom toy, but a four-speed, Octopus-shaped head massager, which apparently increases circulation—and promotes hair growth.

Strategy 4: Go grocery shopping. And then dump it all over my head. Everyone’s heard stories of home-made hair concoctions, and when I spotted a magazine at the checkout telling me I could “Get Rapunzel-worthy Locks, Fast!” I had to pick it up.  I read through pages of tips on better product selection—as well as mixtures I could throw together at home to get stronger, healthier hair.  Eggs? Check.  Olive oil? Check.  Honey? Check… what did I have to lose? I whipped up a rather unappetizing looking mixture, glanced at the model in the magazine, crossed my fingers… and proceeded to pour it all over my head. My first mistake was failing to realize that eggs are kept in the fridge for a reason—this was one COLD mixture! After attempting to warm it in the microwave for slightly too long (and ending up with breakfast), I attempted another batch and tried again. This was messy business—chunks of yolk in my hair, oil dripping down my neck, and nasty remnants in the sink. (Do I still have readers? High five!). Twenty minutes later, I cleaned myself (and the bathroom) up, and left my hair to air-dry—and as hilarious as the experiment was, I must say my hair was significantly less frizzy.  I don’t know if I have the stomach to keep this up every week, but maybe it’s worth trying monthly. Maybe?

Have you ever tried anything crazy in planning for your wedding? And do you have any other (slightly less crazy) tips on how to get long, wedding-worthy hair? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. By me—and my kitchen counters.

Photography courtesy Mike Latschislaw.

Various wedding magazines, TV shows and Weddingbells’ most recent Reader Survey informed me that the average cost to get married these days is around $20,000.  As much of a dream as it would be to have that sort of money to spend, the reality for many couples, David and I included, is that we simply can’t afford it. Which is fine—the most important thing to us is having our closest family and friends share in the day we celebrate our love and commitment to each other, regardless of the lavishness of the decorations, or the poofiness of my dress! Cutting down on costs has led to many outside-the-box thinking sessions and DIY projects—watch this space!—but we decided the most important thing to actually spend money on was photography.

Long after the last dance has finished, the lights dimmed and the floors swept ready for someone else’s celebration, the photographs are going to be the one thing that will reflect the sheer joy, excitement and true emotion of the happiest day of our lives. Fortunately, I knew who’d be perfect for the job instantly—local photographer Mike Latschislaw, best known for his avant-garde, imaginative and highly creative shots in fashion, music, portraits and weddings.

When we saw this stunning engagement shot, the deal was sealed.  I explored his website and found some of the most incredible shots I’d ever seen, reflective of not only the immense happiness of so many couples, but their personalities and individuality too. “I think that the most important thing is having fun,” says Mike. “And to shoot a mix of formal wedding photos (the ones mom and grandma want), and the artistic, photojournalistic photos. I enjoy capturing natural expressions—and often take photos during the day when no one is paying attention—to really capture the subtle moments.”

Photography courtesy Mike Latschislaw.

The happiness and emotion of the day are some of the most important things to capture, and in exploring the work of other photographers, I’ve noticed a lot of standardized, by-the-book pictures. With Mike, every wedding’s images are totally unique, and truly capture sincere joy.

I did mention that photography was something we were willing to spend a little more on, but that’s not to say Mike is pricey in the least. I went into our first meeting preparing to saw off an appendage or two, and was stunned at how reasonable (and flexible) his prices were!  Not only will we be getting someone highly creative, who really takes the time to capture emotion and personality, but someone who really cares about his clients too. “I present to the client ALL of the processed photos. I burn them all the high resolution images on a CD, so that the bride and groom can print them, or I can help them to order albums and prints,” he says. “The best thing is the client keeps all of their images.”

He even threw in engagement shots, which we used for our save-the-dates. We teamed up and came up with something pretty non-traditional, and totally reflective of our style. Every girl’s fiancé is her knight in shining armour, and at the end of a tumultuous journey in love, David arrived in my life and showed me more kindness, more love, and more belief in myself than I ever could’ve dreamed of. What better story to showcase ours than a fairytale—we had a blast at his studio, and in creating Sleeping Beauty-esque fridge magnets!  Our family and friends loved them, and I can’t wait to see how he captures our wedding.

For us, finding someone with this sort of a gift was crucial. We’re confident we’ll get an enormous variety of images, capturing our happiness, our personalities, and most importantly, our love. What qualities do you look for when searching for your photographer?