Credit AndyLim.com 

Your wedding photos are a memory that will last a lifetime. This is one vendor that you should spend a little extra time on before making a decision. As important as it is to read reviews and get recommendations for a wedding photographer, it is equally important to speak to the photographer before the big day. There are so many questions that need to be answered to make sure that you are both on the same page in terms of artistic style, logistics, payment and delivery of the final product. And the process of speaking to them beforehand will tell you whether or not you’re both able to communicate effectively and if you’re able to get them to see your side of things.

Here are some questions to get your discussion started.

Questions

How long have you been in business? How many weddings have you shot?

Can you describe your photography and style?

Describe your working style for the shoot.

Can I see samples of your previous work?

May I speak to couples that have used your services in the past six months?

Have you ever shot a wedding at our venue location before?

Do you use an assistant? Is there an extra charge for this?

Will you accept a list of specific photos to be taken?

Will you be taking the photos or another photographer on your team?

What happens in case you get ill? What is the backup plan?

Do you provide a written contract and guarantee?

Is a deposit required? If so, how much?

Should the event last longer than planned, will you stay? Is there an extra charge?

How long after the event will the proofs be ready?

Will you be using a lot of special effects?

Are you taking film shots or digital images?

Are there any new wedding photo trends we should know about?

Is it okay if other people take photos while you are taking photos?

What packages do you offer?  Can you customize a package based on my needs?

Check out some of yourweddingfolder.com`s photographers.

Some of our favourite ethnic, traditional and monogram cake toppers.

All pictures from weddingstar.com

Movies

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – bringing together two traditional backgrounds and one HUGE family, enough said!

Runaway Bride – this bride keeps running away from the altar, see which man will win her heart

Bride Wars – two friends fight quite comically over their wedding venue and every detail in between

Mamma Mia – a girl tries to find out who her real father is at her mother’s wedding

My Best Friend’s Wedding – how do you know you’re not in love with your best friend?

Father of the Bride – watch and find out how this father holds on to his daughter, not willing to let her get married

The Wedding Planner – a wedding planner falls in love with the groom, the rest is history!

27 Dresses – always a bridesmaid, never a bride, one girl finds out about love the hard way

Sex and the City: The Movie – Carrie and Big plan to get married in the city

Magazines

Martha Stewart Weddings

Wedding Bells

The Knot Magazine

Canadian Bride

Kismet

Who do they end up taking out their frustrations on? Though some might argue that the bridal party takes a little bit of the slack, it’s mostly the bride and groom who vent to each other.

Keeping this in mind, here is some advice on how you can keep things cool between the two of you when matters heat up.

Plan in Advance

Set out budgets and upper limits for expenses soon after you’re engaged.

Make It Work

Make a Plan B and know each others’ hot button issues.

Time For Two

Set aside time for your and your honey where you promise not to do any wedding planning, but will just enjoy time with each other doing some of your favourite activities or even just catching a movie (not a chick flick!).

Show The Love

Appreciate your significant other by showering them with little gifts, helping with their wedding tasks, and trying to keep a smiling face to show them that everything is going to be okay. After all, you are marrying him/her because you are madly in love with them.

Even though women may love weddings a little (a lot!) more than men, men are still involved in planning the wedding. All you engaged men out there, here are some ideas on what to gift your guys. Don’t worry about the bridesmaid gifts, the love of your life will have this covered.

One really great gift item for your groomsmen are cufflinks. Cufflinks can be customized, personalized and engraved to your preference. These world map cufflinks can be customized with a city of your choice to be highlighted on front.

Tomato Made at Etsy.com

Tomato Made at Etsy.com

Or you can opt for the traditional classic look and have your groomsmen’s first initial engraved onto the cufflink.

American Bridal

American Bridal

Or lastly, why not have some fun and show your guys you do think they’re superheroes with these Superman cufflinks. You can all fly a little higher on your special day with this gift that will be appreciated and used by all the guys.

Finding sexy, sleek, fabulous wedding shoes.

Norakaren at Etsy.com

Heck, you spend hours or days as some of you might, finding that perfect dress, getting your hair and makeup done, matching all your accessories. But what about your pretty toes and overlooked feet? Here’s your chance to splurge (all shoes featured here were less than $250) on one item that will make a world of difference to you. And you can do it your way.

Now you have two choices, flats or heels. More and more brides these days are opting for ballet flats to save their feet from the aches and pains that come with heels. But how can we forget our beloved pumps, how they make our calves look slimmer and our posture improves drastically.

Either way, we found some gorgeous custom hand painted and embellished flats and heels. Before you settle at the store, check out what’s available online for you and your bridal party.

Norakaren at Etsy.com

Norakaren at Etsy.com

Norakaren at Etsy.com

Dessy Group

Advantage Bridal

Take a look at some of Yourweddingfolder.com’s clothing and accessories vendors.

Leena has fielded questions about everything from how to arrange a table seating, inviting divorced parents, to creating a same sex wedding ceremony and choosing a maid of honour. No question about your special day is too small to ask. Leena is specialized in servicing the Greater Toronto Area and will put her years of experience to use in providing you with the best solutions to your questions and concerns.

Feel free to ask anything at all! Here’s a sample of one our recent Q&A’s with Leena.

Q: I am in the middle of arranging the seating plan for my reception, but I have no idea how to decide where to seat my guests. Do you have any suggestions?

A: This can be a difficult task! It is rather complicated to decide where to seat people sometimes. However, there are some general do’s and don’ts that you may want to keep in mind. First of all, try to seat people who are of the same approximate age together. Generally speaking, it would also be a good idea to seat people with common interests at the same table. Put an even number of guests at each table whenever possible. People tend to pair up in conversation, and you don’t want to leave anyone out. It’s best not to split up couples! If you’ve indicated a “Mr. and Mrs” or a “person and guest” on the invitations, make sure these people are seated next to one another. There are also some things which you should avoid. For example, try not to seat divorced couples near one another. It would be a nice gesture to seat guests from out of town with people that they know and like, to make this transition easier for them. Typically, the wedding officiant gets seated with the parents of the bride and groom, whenever possible. One last hint: If you know a couple that are enthusiastic dancers, seat them near the dance floor! They will likely initiate the dancing and encourage the rest of your guests to do the same. Before you know it, your reception will be in full swing!

Click here to see past questions and answers and to ask Leena your own question.

Reminds me of a birthday party with expensive cake. But where did this come from? A quick search availed many answers, including the wedding cake being a rite of passage from ancient Roman times, the cake symbolizing a bride’s fertility, and early times when the cake would actually be broken on a bride’s head. That one got our team not only laughing, but one of our grooms wishing he could have had that opportunity at his wedding!

Are wedding cakes a frivolous expense that are all for show?  The couple will literally spend five minutes with the wedding cake, posing with the cake, then cutting it, and finally, some more posing while feeding each other. There are other ways of showing off the grandeur of a wedding, with things like the decor and flowers. And don’t forget about the guests that have to sit there through your cake cutting ceremony. Weddings are meant to be fun and affordable, not breaking the bank.

Some ideas couples have used are to have cupcakes, candy bars and elaborate dessert tables as an alternative to the traditional wedding cake. Don’t worry, all of you with a sweet tooth will still get your fix!

Check out some of the wedding cake vendors listed on Yourweddingfolder.com.