Thursday, February 14, 2013

Engagement Ring Care


Whether you are newly engaged or recently married, your engagement and wedding ring will probably be the most important, and expensive, piece of jewelry you will ever wear.  And unlike the jewelry you only wear for special occasions, these rings will see daily wear.  Here’s some tips for the care of these important rings.
Insurance.  Your jeweler may offer replacement stone insurance, but that will not protect you in the case of loss, theft or damage.  It is a good idea to get your ring appraised and insured as soon as possible.  Most homeowner’s and renters insurance can add it to your existing policy for a nominal charge.
Proper Fit.  Most showcase rings are size 6.  Unless that is the perfect fit for you, ask your jeweler to fit the ring to your hand.  Your ring may feel tight on warm days and loose on cold.  When having your ring sized, give yourself time to adjust to the store temperature, you can use that extra time to look at jewelry for your wedding day look.
Proper Care.  Some metals and stones require special care.  Your jeweler can advise you on the best care practices for your engagement ring.  A mild soap and water is usually sufficient to keep your ring sparkling.  It is a good idea to remove your ring before putting on lotion, cleaning with harsh chemicals or other damaging activities.  You can also ask about having the ring steamed and polished – especially before your wedding day!
Safekeeping. For the few times that you will remove your ring, keep it in a safe place.  A jewelry box or bag, ring holder or any other place that it won’t get knocked over or misplaced.  Next to the sink is not a good idea unless you have a plumber on speed dial.
Showing it off.  As soon as you announce your engagement, people will ask to see the ring.  Treat your self to a manicure so you can show with confidence!
The wrong ring.  While most brides will love their engagement ring, it is possible that your fiance chose one you don’t.  If this happens, it is best to gracefully explain that you were hoping for something different.  Many jewelers allow an exchange of the ring within the first month.
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Selecting Your Wedding Photographer And Videographer


Choosing the right wedding photographer and wedding videographer for your special day is extremely important. You will be entrusting your wedding photographer and videographer to capture your first family record. Long after your wedding day, this will be one of the few wedding purchases that will remain.
So where do you begin selecting the wedding photographer and videographer that is perfectly you? Before you begin interviewing potential wedding vendors, it is recommended that you and your fiancé discuss what is important to each of you. Discuss the style of imagery that you like and agree to a budget range for these services.

Wedding photography and videography styles


A wedding photographer or videographer that specializes in photojournalist wedding photos and videos will not showcase many posed photos in their wedding galleries, instead showing more candid or spontaneous pictures of your wedding day. While you are likely to get great images of details and locations, you won’t receive as many, or possibly any, set up shots. When looking at a photojournalists work, it is a good idea to see a full wedding album to see how these images are used to tell a story. If family formals or portraits are high in your wish list, you’ll want to ask how these will be captured.

A traditional wedding photographer or videographer will provide you with well lit, classic wedding portraits. The majority of their work will feature posed images of the couple and their families. The traditional photographer may capture fewer wedding day details, focusing more on traditional images of the people at your wedding day. Traditional wedding photography and wedding videography will also provide fewer candid moments.







Artistic photography and videography will often showcase images shot from unique angles, composed with tilted frames or objects in focus while others are not. Artistic shooters will often use lighting to create drama in their images. Often an artistic shooter will concentrate on the unique elements of hour day, and not document the family affair that your wedding day is, in the process of creating fine art. This style often requires a significant amount of post production to create the final image so its important to make sure those services are included.

Stylized wedding photography and videography blends the storytelling elements of photojournalism with elements of traditional photography and videography. Images often have an artistic nature, using blurred backgrounds, different levels of focus and a variety of angles. The stylized shooter will create the environment for your natural emotion and personalities to be reflected and provide coaching to look your best without creating overdosed photographs. Many couples prefer a stylized approach.

Research

The visual nature of this service can make it easier to research in advance than some other wedding services, such as a baker or florist. Before meeting with photographers and videographers, you may find it helpful to read reviews from other brides. The Knot can provide a great source for reviews. Talk with recently married friends about their experience with wedding vendors. Social media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest can give you an insight into recent work from potential photographers and videographers.

The interview

You’ll want to ask questions of potential wedding photographers and wedding videographers, but they should also ask questions of you. Showing an interest in your venue, wedding vision and style shows that they want to understand your unique needs and be sure they can meet them. You should also have the opportunity to see samples of wedding albums, wedding videos, fine art products or other items you are considering for your wedding day. Be sure to see and review all contracts when placing a deposit for services. For questions to ask your wedding photographer, click here.  For questions to ask your wedding videographer, click here.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Friday, February 8, 2013

Engagement Party

Once he’s asked and you’ve said yes, it’s time to announce your engagement. Many couples make that announcement at the first party of the bridal season – the engagement party. Traditionally, the bride’s parents would host an intimate gathering of family and friends to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. More recently, grooms parents, relatives, friends or even the couple themselves have begun to throw this congratulatory gala. So where do you start?

Guest List

If you or your parents are hosting, anyone receiving an invitation to your engagement party should receive an invitation to the wedding. For this reason, the engagement party is typically a gathering of your closest friends and gamily.
If your friends are throwing the party for you, the rules on who to invite are less strict. While it can be more casual, you should remain aware of the number of guests you request attend as not to over burden your hosts.

The Tone

Your engagement party will typically be more casual than your wedding regardless of the level of formality you will have for your wedding day. Many engaged couples will celebrate by gathering for cocktails or dinner at a favorite restaurant or backyard BBQ.

Gifts

Engagement party gifts should not be expected from guests, although you will likely receive some. As with all wedding related gifts, a thank you note should be written to the gifter. If someone is hosting the party for you, you should give them a gift of thanks at the end of the event.

Attire

Your attire for the day will be dictated by the location and tone of the event. If your engagement session is built around a particular theme, such as a luau, you will likely dress to compliment your party theme. Many brides to be opt for a white dress for their engagement party.

What to expect

This is your chance to show off your engagement ring, so you’ll want to get a manicure! Expect to do a lot of talking as guests will won’t to know if you’ve chosen a date, location and more. Also expect to receive unsolicited advice of what you should do. This is a great way to practice the grace you’ll need throughout the wedding planning process.

Toasts

The host of the engagement party will likely toast the newly engaged couple. Your guests will also want to hear from one, or both, of you, as well. Be sure to thank your guests for attending and your host and hostess.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)