Local Cheers

 Thoughts on Cheers!

Choosing your wedding beverages—especially beer—can be challenging with so many craft brewery choices. With craft breweries seemingly popping up every day, the options can seem endless. Just a few of the factors you will need to consider are: price point, choosing local to the area, keg vs. bottles / cans and the types of beer and selections you want to offer. If you are having a wedding of more than 100 people, our opinion is at least two beer selections that are a perfect compliment to any fare. A light beer (Pilsner, Belgian White / Blonde Ales or any Honey Ale) paired with a darker or “hoppy-er” beer (Cold Smoke or the Hopzone IPA) is a wonderful way to mix it up for your guests. Ultimately, you know your wedding guests better than anyone else, so choose what you think is most fitting for your crowd’s palette.

Some Favorite Montana Wedding Beer Choices

Belgian White- Harvest Moon Brewing Co. (Belt, MT)   www.harvestmoonbrew.com

Cold Smoke- Kettle House Brewing Co. (Missoula, MT)  www.kettlehouse.com

Czech Mate Pilsner- Red Lodge Ales (Red Lodge, MT)  www.redlodgeales.com

Hopzone IPA- Bozeman Brewing Co (Bozeman, MT)  www.bozemanbrewing.com

Salmon Fly Honey Rye- Madison River Brewing Co. (Belgrade, MT www.madisonriverbrewing.com

Summer Honey Ale- Big Sky Brewing Co. (Missoula, MT) www.bigskybrew.com

Saw Tooth Ale- Bitter Root Brewing Co. (Hamilton, MT)  www.bitterrootbrewing.com 

When Ordering

Half Barrel Keg- 165 pours, (12 oz servings)

Pony Keg- 82 pours, (12 oz servings)

Estimate 2-4 pours per guest, but once again, you know your guests best. If you are having doubts, cans / bottles are a good option, since you can you can stock your fridge with the leftovers.

In many instances, you can order kegs directly from the breweries. Also check with local distributors, they may even deliver to you. If you are picking up the kegs yourself, get plenty of ice, as well as an appropriate container to hold them. A galvanized tub or watering trough works and looks great. You can also dress up an otherwise blah trashcan with a couple of extra tablecloths.

If you are serving cans or bottles, it’s often most affordable to go straight to the brewery. If not then check your local grocery store, package store or even the super market. We also recommend having these on display in a stainless steel beer cooler or large galvanized bucket for easy self serve.

Drinking Vessel

If you are not interested in ordering glassware from the rental company or venue, we recommend biodegradable cups. These cups feel similar to typical plastic Solo cups, but they are completely compostable. You can find several different options online and have them shipped to your door. Being environmentally friendly is always a great choice and your guest will appreciate it! If your friends are craft beer fans, consider logo glasses and pints from the brewery as a guest gift. Your guests can use them throughout the reception and then take them home.

Bar Tenders

We are big fans of hiring a bar service, even if you are doing just beer and wine. Bartenders can help you with ordering based on your preferences, budget and guest count. A professional bartender will make sure the bar stays stocked; tap kegs as needed and make sure everything runs smoothly. As a professional bartender, they are also able to control the flow of alcohol when a guest has had too much. Most services will break down your bar at the end of the evening and pack up the bar rentals properly. It’s important to note that some venues require a professional bartender on location for liability and insurance reasons.

Let’s raise a glass to your big day!

Cheers!

Article by Brett Conner

Photography by Mkate Photography

{From the Pros} What's for Dinner …. Plated vs Buffet

There are a number of big decisions in planning a wedding, but right up there near the top is “what’s on the menu”.  We’ve worked with a lot of couples and for most, making the choices about what to serve is one of the most perplexing.   Your menu ultimately boils down to preference and budget.  One of the most common questions we get about catering is buffet or plated. There are a number of factors to consider when making your final choice, but rest assured that most professional caterers are comfortable with either option and will serve a beautiful meal either way.

Budget:  As far as the actual cost involved, it’s pretty much a wash.  With a plated dinner the caterer is better able to control your food portions and thereby your costs,  But you will have to hire more wait staff to serve the meal.  By serving buffet style, the labor costs will be lower but most caterers recommend 15% to 20% more food since there will be no portion control and people may come back through the line more than once. (Caterers want to insure they will not ever run out of food!)   Many couples like to offer several selections for guests with the standard being 2 proteins and a vegetarian option.  With a plated dinner, the guests would make choices prior to the event and be served the selected option.  With buffets, a majority of guests will serve themselves all 3 options.

The Experience:  The budget may be a wash, but plated and buffet style dinners offer to very different experiences for your guests.  A plated dinner is going to have a more formal and cohesive feel.  Once the dinner service starts, the plates will come out so your guests are all dining together.   Your guests will also be presented the food as the caterer, intended it to be presented.  Watch any cooking show and you will see presentation plays an important role in the dining experience.  All in all, a plated dinner will present itself as a calmer room experience.  Because the staff is not having to focus on keeping the buffet stocked, they are better able to focus on seeing to your guests dining needs.  If you have offered your guests protein choices, you will need to have assigned seating or ‘markers’ so the wait staff knows who gets which options.  Assigned seating means more planning and setup time.  Not only do you have to decide who sits where ( and sometimes more importantly, with whom they will be sitting), you will also have make and organize a seating chart or cards. 

 A buffet style dinner is going to be a much more casual feel.  Guests will be up and mingling and conversing.  With a buffet, you can have open seating since guests will be serving themselves.  You can ‘reserve’ the family and head tables, but other than that guests can sit with whomever they choose.   Be prepared for the dinner service to last longer, by as much as a half an hour.  Some guests may linger in conversation before going through the line.  You will also have the guests that go through the line first finishing dinner just as others are getting served. 

Family Style:  Family style is when large platters are brought to each table and is a great option for a smaller wedding (50 to 75 guests).  As far as budget, it will generally be more expensive because you will need the wait staff associated with a plated dinner, but also the larger food portions required by a buffet since caterers will want the platters to be full and bountiful.  You will also incur extra rental fees for the various platters and vessels required for this type of service.  When selecting the courses, keep in mind your guests will be required to pass the platters around the table which can be a little messy and interrupt conversation.

The Bullet Points!

• ·          Whenever possible, meet your caterer and taste their food.  If you are out of town and not able to meet, seek out references from other area vendors.  This is where the advice and recommendations from a professional wedding planner are worth their weight in gold.
• ·           If serving a plated dinner, consider the mixed grill.  Instead of guests picking an option, each guests will be served a smaller portion of each of the proteins you choose.  You should still have a vegetarian option.  This allows for open seating or assigned seating since each guest gets the same plate.
• ·          Consider the Venue.  If you want to serve a buffet, make sure the room can accommodate the actual buffet line as well as allow for comfortable traffic flow.
• ·        Leftovers.  Most caterers do not wrap leftovers due to safety concerns and the packaging required.  If you need a plate prepared for a guest that is arriving late or to make sure that your Dad actually gets dinner after chatting with everyone of your guests, inform your caterer prior to the service.
• ·          If you are throwing a wedding in a pristine meadow in the middle of nowhere with no running water or electricity, expect the catering to cost more.
• ·         Most caterers will require a 50% non-refundable deposit to secure the date.
• ·         Many caterers will assist in setting the tables and will bus the tables, clean and repackage the catering rentals, and haul food related garbage.  They do not set or break down the room.  That is to say, they don’t set up table and chairs or break them down.  They may offer it as an option, but there will be additional charges.  Be sure to ask where their services start and end. 
• ·         Which brings us to the most important piece of advice we can give about any vendor…Read The Contract.  Though we just said many caterers will assist in setting table, be sure!  It is essential you know exactly what services are and are not covered by the caterer.

Article by Montana Bride

Thank you to Emily Ryan from Food For Thought

{Tips From the Pros} Hiring Your Photographer. Part 4 of a 5 Part Series

Hiring the right wedding team is a critical part of the wedding planning process. Personality, budget, skills, compatibility are just a few of the factors to consider, but whats the deciding factor in hiring the team to run such an important event?  We are excited to bring you this insightful, in-depth 5 part blog   on hiring your vendor.  Though its written with hiring your photographer (a VERY important vendor!) in mind, its applicable to hiring all of your vendors.  Thank you to our Guest Blogger, Paul Bellinger Photography for this great piece.  We will be posting this complete blog over the next weeks, so check back weekly.  Now for Part 4.   Read the Entire Blog…. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  

PRODUCTS YOU NEED

Problem: how to find a wedding photographer that offers the products you need.

Solution: Meet with photographers face to face and inspect the products they offer, looking for heirloom quality albums and large prints that are only available from professional photographers.

It’s great that photographers offer lots of unique products, but it can get a little overwhelming with so many options out there.  On top of all of the cool unique things a photographer may offer, there are a few key products that every bride should look for: albums, large prints and digital negatives.  These three items are absolutely essential for preserving the memory of one of the most important days in your family’s history.  These are the first family heirlooms of the new family you’re creating on your wedding day, so they should be heirloom quality products that your family will be proud of for generations.  Fortunately, professional photographers have exclusive access to the finest quality products that are not available to the general public.  Any photographer can provide digital negatives, but only professional photographers can offer heirloom quality products worthy of your special day.  Here’s what to look for in each product:

1.  Albums: Your wedding album is the single most important wedding product you’ll purchase.  It’s going to be telling the story of your wedding for generations.  It may be your only major family heirloom that will literally be preserved forever and it may be the last documented record of your family elders, including your parents.  So the wedding album is very important!  You want one that will be a work of art in and of itself, and that will last forever.  This is where hiring a professional photographer pays off, because pros have access to heirloom quality albums that are not available to consumers.  Meet with potential photographers and inspect their albums closely.  Ask them about the durability of their albums and listen for them to use words like “handmade,” “archival inks,” and “museum quality papers.”  Ask them if their albums are available to the general public.  If they are, it’s a sign the photographer is either not a professional, or are not interested in offering their clients the highest quality products available, both of which are a bad sign.

2.  Large Prints:  As important as your wedding album is, large prints are the wedding artwork that will brighten up your day every day.  Albums will be put on shelves and in boxes for preservation, digital files will be buried on your computer or on a disc in a drawer, but you will see your large prints every day.  And every time you walk past your artwork you’ll get a little tinge of the emotions you experienced at your wedding, and trust me, it will put a smile on your face!  And size matters!  I recommend you get your wedding artwork printed as large as possible, with 20”x30” being the minimum size to consider for your large artwork (personally I prefer 40”x60”).  But why not save money by making your own prints instead of buying them from a professional photographer?  The reason is because printing is itself an art form and each print requires the special attention of a trained professional with printing experience.  Each print should be finely tuned for the medium it is being printed on, such as photo paper, fine art paper, canvas, metal, acrylic, etc.  This is especially true for large prints that are going to be proudly displayed on your walls.  Professional photographers will make sure your prints look perfect.  Pros have probably made thousands of prints and tested a variety of print labs, so they can save you a lot of time and effort by getting your prints right the first time, while saving you the hassle of dealing with print labs yourself.  And again, pros have access to professional print labs that offer archival and museum quality products that are not available to the general public.

3.  Digital Negatives:  It’s a popular misconception that digital negatives are for making your own albums and prints, so at this point you may be asking yourself why you would even need digital negatives if your photographer is supplying albums and large prints.  The answer is that your digital negatives are for archiving and not printing.  It’s true that you can make your own prints from digital negatives, but most people never do.  Why not?  Because it’s a hassle!  And most people have very little experience making prints and albums.  Meanwhile, a professional wedding photographer has years of experience and can offer you products that you can’t get yourself.  So for most people, digital negatives are for archiving and backup, not printing.  Your kids may pull them out one day to make a print for your 50^th wedding anniversary, or you may have a few prints made for the funeral of a loved one that attended your wedding.  You may need them someday, so be sure to back up your digital negatives in multiple locations (including online in the cloud) so that you and your family will have access to them no matter what may happen.  Hopefully your photographer will also keep a backup.  When meeting potential photographers ask how they will deliver the digital negatives.  Are they going to give you a disc that will get scratched up, or a cheap USB drive that will get corrupted?  Ask to see the products and judge for yourself.  Lastly, ask potential photographers what your printing rights will be, and to see a copy of the print release you will receive with the digital negatives.

Key tip:  Seek out a wedding photographer that offers albums and large prints, and save yourself the hassle of trying to make prints on your own so you can start enjoying your beautiful wedding artwork as soon as possible!  Anyone can provide digital negatives, but only pros can offer the finest quality products worthy of your first family heirloom.

Guest Blogger

Paul Bellinger

Paul Bellinger Photography

406-850-2674

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{Tips From the Pros} Hiring Your Photographer. Part 3 of 5

Hiring the right wedding team is a critical part of the wedding planning process. Personality, budget, skills, compatibility are just a few of the factors to consider, but whats the deciding factor in hiring the team to run such an important event?  We are excited to bring you this insightful, in-depth 5 part blog   on hiring your vendor.  Though its written with hiring your photographer (a VERY important vendor!) in mind, its applicable to hiring all of your vendors.  Thank you to our Guest Blogger, Paul Bellinger Photography for this great piece.  We will be posting this complete blog over the next weeks, so check back weekly.  Now for Part 3.   Read the Entire Blog…. Part 1 | Part 2  

 Skills 

Problem: What skills does my wedding photographer need to have?

Solution: This is a tough one!  Your best bet is to hire a professional wedding photographer that has all of the skills detailed below.

Photography is about so much more than simply having a good camera.  In fact, a good photographer can make amazing photos with pretty much any camera (just follow a few pros on instagram and you’ll see what I mean).  A skilled photographer can make a beautiful photo in almost any circumstance, and your wedding day is no exception.

But a wedding day presents a unique set of challenges.  It’s a grueling 12+ hour day, working in difficult and multiple lighting conditions that are constantly changing throughout the day and often in a matter of moments (think exit from dark church into full sunlight).  And then there is the challenge of posing real people to make them look their absolute best for the entire day, something even professional models can struggle at.  Add in the time constraints and the stress of having only one chance to get it right, and it’s easy to see why most photographers don’t even want to shoot weddings!  Wedding photography is very difficult and requires a combination of skills that many professional photographers do not have, and that an amateur photographer almost certainly does not have.  For instance, a good wedding photographer will be able to pose and light like a portrait artist or fashion photographer; have the speed, anticipation and endurance of a photojournalist; be able to make venues come to life like a landscape or architectural photographer; capture all of your precious details like a still life or commercial product photographer; and finally, must have their own cultivated sense of style.  You can spend an entire career mastering just one of these genres of photography, but your wedding photographer needs all of these skills and more to ensure they get everything right. 

So, how do you know if your potential wedding photographer has what it takes?  I’ll give you some idea of what to look for and a few questions to ask.

1.  Posing and Lighting: A good wedding photographer should have the posing and lighting skills of a portrait artist.  They need the ability to create a scene when a scene is not there and adapt to changing lighting conditions quickly.  They need to be able to pose someone who is not a natural poser.  Portraiture is one of the most important skills for your wedding photographer to have, because it makes you look good!  Unfortunately wedding photographers often fall short when it comes to posing and lighting because it takes a lot of practice and study to learn these skills. 

When you’re reviewing potential wedding photographers, pay special attention to their portraits.  Make note of the poses their couples are in.  Look for connection between the couple and ask yourself if their pose conveys a message or an emotion that resonates with you.  Scrutinize the details, such as the hands, loose strands of hair or out of place clothing.  Ask your potential photographer about posing even if it doesn’t look like they pose their clients.  Be skeptical if a photographer says they don’t pose their clients, because if you’re not a natural poser you will almost certainly look and feel awkward.  On the other hand, when your photographer is a master at posing you’ll look great all day and feel confident and stress free on your wedding day.

When it comes to lighting, just come right out and ask if they are comfortable using artificial light, should the circumstances arise where it is required for good photography.  Being able to adapt to all different types of lighting conditions, often in a matter of moments, is one of the skills that separates professional from amateur wedding photographers, and it should give you peace of mind if you decide to hire a pro.  You shouldn’t be stuck with dark or blurry images just because of a little bad weather.  Don’t assume that “natural light” photographers cannot use artificial light.  I know many natural light photographers who simply prefer natural light for stylistic reasons, but are perfectly capable of using flashes and strobes when the situation calls for it.  A couple of good questions to ask are: “How comfortable are you using flashes, strobes and studio lighting equipment?” and “can I see a few portfolio photos where you’ve used artificial light?”

2.  Photojournalism:  Photojournalists have so many skills that are crucial in wedding photography.  Like a photojournalist, a good wedding photographer has to be able to anticipate moments and be able to react quickly to capture them as they happen, with no chance for a re-shoot.  This means they must know their gear inside and out and be able to operate their equipment efficiently in high stress situations to create sharp images even when their subjects are moving.  A good wedding photographer will also have the resourcefulness of a photojournalist and be able to make beautiful photos under imperfect circumstances.  Photojournalists are experts on seeing the light, and they can find the light or create the light for a good photo anytime, anywhere.  A good wedding photographer should be able to do the same.  Lastly your wedding photographer absolutely needs the physical endurance of a photojournalist, as a wedding photographer may be on their feet for up to 12 hours on your wedding day, often rushing around with heavy gear.

To assess the photojournalistic skills of potential photographers ask to see a portfolio of photojournalistic “moments,” or a real wedding album.  See if the photographer anticipated all of the crucial moments, such as the kiss, the ring ceremony, and both walks down the aisle, and captured those moments with sharp images.  Lastly, assess their physicality and use your best judgment on whether you think they can endure the grueling wedding day (and trust me, there are some women that can run circles around men in this department).

3.  Landscapes:  Landscape and architecture photographers have the ability to make almost any scene come to life with beauty, and your wedding photographer should be able to make your venue and your vision come to life as well.  Wedding venues are some of the most beautiful places to be and it would be a real shame if your wedding photographer could not capture the beauty of your day in all its grandeur.  But it’s not as easy as simply taking a few “wide shots.”  Wide-angle photography is an extremely difficult skill to master that many landscape and architectural photographers spend decades perfecting.  Fortunately for brides it is usually quite easy to spot whether a potential wedding photographer has theses skills simply by looking through their portfolio and keeping an eye out for photos that capture the beauty of the venue and the surrounding landscape.

4.  Details: Like a still life photographer or a commercial product photographer, your wedding photographer has to be able to capture all of the little details that make your wedding special.  This is no easy task!  It’s a completely different type of photography than any of the above, and arguably the most difficult to master for wedding photographers.  Still life and commercial product photographers have the great benefit of being able to use a studio complete with specialized lighting kits and camera stands that can give them the ultimate control.  Wedding photographers won’t have any of that stuff on your wedding day!  But with practice, study, and a little resourcefulness, your wedding photographer can still make stunning photos of your details without spending too much time that they miss other moments.  To see if your photographer has the eye for details, ask to see some “details photos” of the ring/s, dress, heels, table settings, and floral arrangements.

Key tip: Wow your wedding photographer needs a lot of skills!  Your best bet is to hire a professional wedding photographer, as an amateur is unlikely to have this difficult combination of skills.

Guest Blogger

Paul Bellinger

Paul Bellinger Photography

406-850-2674

Follow Paul on:

   

{Tips from the Pros} Hiring Your Photographer, Part 2 of a 5 Part Series

Hiring the right wedding team is a critical part of the wedding planning process. Personality, budget, skills, compatibility are just a few of the factors to consider, but whats the deciding factor in hiring the team to run such an important event?  We are excited to bring you this insightful, in-depth 5 part blog on hiring your vendor.  Though its written with hiring your photographer (a VERY important vendor!) in mind, its applicable to hiring all of your vendors.  Thank you to our Guest Blogger, Paul Bellinger Photography for this great piece.  We will be posting this complete blog over the next weeks, so check back weekly.  Now for Part 2.

HIRE A WEDDING SPECIALIST

Problem: How do you know if a photographer is a wedding specialist?

Solution: Ask potential photographers if they specialize in wedding photography or some other genre.

This is a very simple tip but it’s probably the most important and applies to all of your wedding vendors.  Is your potential vendor a wedding specialist?  When it comes to photography, is your wedding photographer really a wedding photographer?  Or are they some other kind of photographer that shoots an occasional wedding?  This is a crucial question because wedding photography is very difficult!  Everyone’s heard of the saying “Jack of all trades, master of none.”  Well if there is ever a day you want masters and not Jacks, it’s your wedding day!  As I outline in Tip #3, wedding photography requires a difficult combination of skills that many photographers do not have.  On the other hand, a wedding specialist will be able to gracefully handle any challenges that arise on your wedding day, because that’s what they do and what they’re passionate about!  They’ve seen it all, and they’re up on their wedding game, so they’re ready to make your day perfect.  A wedding specialist won’t be shaking off rust on your wedding day, and they won’t get tired after 10 hours on their feet because they’re always in “wedding shape.”  All of these points are laid out in more detail in Tip #3, but I want to make a different point here, which is this: you should still hire a wedding specialist, even if you find the rare non-wedding specialist with the right skill set.  I have two reasons detailed below, along with some concrete advice on how to find out if a potential photographer is a wedding specialist.

First, a wedding specialist is likely to deliver a better product than a non-wedding specialist, even if they have similar gear and skills because the wedding specialist is more passionate about weddings.  Passion is a crucial ingredient in success.  A lot of photographers are great at using cameras but are not passionate about weddings.  A little passion goes a long way in my book, because everyone performs better when they’re passionate, and conversely, it’s rare to get an impassionate person’s best effort.  You are putting your whole heart into your wedding day, and your wedding photographer (and all of your vendors) should too.  In fact, they should be putting their whole heart into your wedding long before your wedding day!  Wedding photographers like myself, spend our down time practicing and studying to make every wedding better.  We look back at old timelines and consult with other wedding vendors to see what works and what doesn’t.  We test shoot to learn new techniques and try out new gear.  We scout locations for engagement sessions and look for new ways to shoot each venue.  We try new wedding products so we can always deliver the absolute best heirloom quality products for our wedding clients (see Tip #4).  In short, passion breeds preparation, and preparation breeds success.  What separates a wedding specialist from a non-specialist is the desire to make every wedding better than the last, and putting in effort every day to make that goal a reality.  I wake up every day with weddings on my mind and I bring that passion to every wedding.  So while it’s not guaranteed you’ll get terrible photos if you hire a non-wedding specialist, the odds are better that you’ll get photos worthy of your wedding day if you do hire a wedding specialist.

Second, it’s not just your photos that will be better if you hire a wedding photographer, it’s the entire flow of your wedding day and your ability to relax and enjoy it.  Even if a non-wedding specialist could deliver the exact same artwork for you (and that’s a big if), there is still an added benefit to hiring a wedding specialist because it will give you peace of mind and let you enjoy your day knowing you have a wedding specialist in your corner that can handle anything your day throws at them (see Tip #3 and Tip #5 for more).  Let me give you an example.  Imagine you hired a Mexican restaurant to cater your Italian wedding dinner.  Why would you do that?  Well maybe for the same reason you’d hire a senior portrait photographer, maternity photographer, or some other non-wedding photographer to shoot your wedding.  You know them, you like them, they have all of the gear required (fancy stoves and ovens to cook with), and they tell you they can do the job just as good as the Italian restaurant.  And maybe they can.  But a maybe is not a guarantee, and that doubt is going to creep into your mind on a day when you should not be focused on anything other than celebrating your love!  You shouldn’t be worried about a vendor not being able to pull their weight on your wedding day and if you surround yourself with professional wedding specialists, you can rest assured that you’ve done everything in your power to make your day a success and be able to sit back and enjoy it! 

So how do you know if a potential photographer is a wedding specialist or not? 

1.  Look a their website.  Are the first photos you see wedding photos?  Are wedding photos more prominent than any other type of photos (such as family, maternity, newborns, seniors, fashion, boudoir, landscapes, travel, etc)?  I would expect to see 80-100% wedding photos on a wedding specialist’s website, and the first photos you see should be wedding photos.

2.  Check their social media.  You can really tell where a person’s passions lie on facebook, twitter and blogs.  First, see what they’ve been up to lately.  Don’t be alarmed to see a few non-wedding posts, especially during the off-season (during winter for most wedding photographers), as many of us do test shoots and studio work to stay on our game.  But if you have to scroll for a long time to find a wedding then you’re probably not dealing with a wedding specialist.  Second, read some of their posts and try to gauge how passionate they are about weddings compared to other types of photography.  If they post a fashion photo and are like “Oh my god this was so much fun I can’t wait to do it again,” while the caption for uploading a gallery of wedding photos is “More from the Johnson wedding…” then you might assume they are more passionate about fashion photography than wedding photography. 

3.  Ask them!  If you’re considering hiring someone as your wedding photographer then you need to speak with them in person!  I mention this over and over again throughout these 5 tips.  Take the opportunity to flat out ask them:  Are you primarily a wedding photographer or do you specialize in some other type of photography?  What other genres of photography do you specialize in?

Key tip:  Hire passionate wedding specialists and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your wedding day like you deserve to!

Guest Blogger

Paul Bellinger

Paul Bellinger Photography

406-850-2674

Follow Paul on:

   

{Tips from the Pros} Hiring Your Photographer, Part 1 of a 5 Part Series

Hiring the right wedding team is a critical part of the wedding planning process. Personality, budget, skills, compatibility are just a few of the factors to consider, but whats the deciding factor in hiring the team to run such an important event?  We are excited to bring you this insightful, in-depth 5 part blog on hiring your vendor.  Though its written with hiring your photographer (a VERY important vendor!) in mind, its applicable to hiring all of your vendors.  Thank you to our Guest Blogger, Paul Bellinger Photography for this great piece.  We will be posting this complete blog over the next 5 weeks, so check back weekly.  Now for Part 1.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – FIVE TIPS

PART 1

1. DON’T DECIDE ON PRICE!

Problem:  How to evaluate the price of your wedding photographer?

Solution: Educate yourself about the cost of wedding vendors before making your budget so you don’t end up deciding on price.

As a wedding photographer, I am always hearing horror stories about brides who are disappointed with their wedding photos.  For instance, a fellow photographer recently posted this in a facebook group we’re in: “I just had a lady contact me asking if I could salvage her wedding photos that a "family friend photographer" took. She said she HATED her wedding photos and was hoping that I could help her fix them. She even used the phrase "I'm heartbroken." So sad. Just one more reason why hiring an amateur can be more expensive in the long run.”

Now I’m heartbroken!  Because I hear stories like this all too often from brides, wedding vendors, and fellow photographers.  So that is why I have written this 5 part blog series on how to choose your wedding photographer.  Educating yourself is the best defense against being heartbroken by your wedding photographer, or any of your wedding vendors.

Getting to the idea of price, one thing these horror stories often have in common is that instead of hiring the professional wedding photographer of their dreams, the couple hired a friend or relative with a camera, an amateur wedding photographer, or even a bargain priced professional non-wedding photographer.  In short, the wedding photographer was chosen based on price.  Deciding on price is going to set you down the wrong path right from the start because it is going to rule out most professional wedding specialists, the very people that have the skills and experience needed to successfully pull off your most important day. These points are so important the next two tips are dedicated to them (see tip #2 on the importance of hiring a wedding specialist and tip #3 on skills you need your wedding photographer to have). But in this tip I argue that you make two costly sacrifices if you decide on price: the artwork you have your heart set on, and the service that you deserve.

What’s the point of paying more?  First is the artwork.  Your wedding photos are your first family heirloom and they are going to grow more valuable with time.  You’re going to look at them everyday on your walls, and generations of your family are going to be looking at them, so you should care what they look like!  If you shop around you’ll probably come across someone’s artwork that you absolutely love, but will pass up if you decide on price.  So even if everything works out perfectly with your bargain priced photographer, you’ll always wonder what your dream photographer could have made for you, and if things work out less than perfectly, you’ll always regret deciding on price.  So choose your photographer by deciding on the artwork instead of price and you’ll be sure to enjoy your wedding photos for years to come (see tip #4 about products you need). 

Second is service.  I hear a lot of horror stories about photographers not delivering photos for over 6 months or even a year!  But that’s the kind of service you can expect from a bargain priced photographer who most likely doesn’t have a professional wedding workflow to meet their clients’ needs.  When it comes to amazing service, the key ingredient is passion.  And who is going to be the most passionate about your wedding?  A professional wedding specialist!  We dedicate our lives to weddings and servicing our wedding clients!  On the other hand, who is going to be the least passionate about your wedding?  The bargain priced amateur!  Because you’re not paying them enough to be passionate about servicing your needs.  So after the grueling wedding day, they often run out of steam and fail to follow through on delivering your products.  And even if they do follow through, they won’t put the type of care and dedication into your photos that a professional wedding specialist will (read more about the importance of passion in Tip #2).  Of course, everyone knows that when you hire a professional in any industry you’re going to pay more.  But with a professional you have the peace of mind of knowing you’re going to get the highest quality products and amazing service.

What if I’m on a budget?  Everyone has a budget!  You have to make tough choices about where to invest your money on your wedding day and you need a good idea of what things cost before making your budget.  So you should start considering your wedding photographer and all of your important wedding vendors before you make final budget decisions.  If you make your budget first then you’ll automatically be deciding based on price, and that will put you on the wrong path (en route to a horror story).  Instead, find a photographer whose artwork you love, and make your budget with them in mind.  Once your budget is made, pick a date for your wedding that will give you enough time to have your finances in order by the time your bills are due (keep in mind that the best photographers, venues and event designers will book 10-15 months in advance).

Key Tip:  Build your budget around your dream photographer instead of trying to find a photographer that fits your budget.  Decide on artwork and service, not on price.

Guest Blogger

Paul Bellinger

Paul Bellinger Photography

406-850-2674

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{DIY Montana Bride} Fresh Flowers from the Local Farmer's Market

Even though we get flowers flown in from around the world on a weekly basis, I LOVE going to the local farmer’s market and buying locally grown fresh flowers.  First off, it’s just a great experience to hit a local market and meet the growers.  Plus, I love the organic nature of designing the centerpieces in the location environment.    If you are planning on visiting a local market for flowers, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. We recommend getting bouquets and boutonnières from a local florist.  Building these pieces and having them come out the way you want them can be a little trickier than putting together arrangements.  As we have often said, the bride’s bouquet is the most important floral element, so focus your budget on it and then build the other pieces from there.
2. Get to the Farmer’s Market early!!!  In our experience, flowers go fast.  We are generally there before the doors open and make a beeline for the flower booth.  If you want to shop or look around, do it after your get your flowers.
3. Be prepared to work with the available varieties.  Stock will vary, but for us part of the fun is working with the flowers the growers have.  No matter the selection, your arrangements are going to be beautiful, fresh and personal!
4. Bring containers!  Most growers do not supply containers.  We love the large utility buckets (5 gallon paint bucket) from the local hardware store.
5. Bring cash.  Most vendors will take local checks and some can take credit cards with the square, but it’s always a good idea to have cash on hand.

Mason jars are trending now and are a great way to display fresh cut flowers.  You can either buy them new or hit a few antique shops to buy a mismatched collection of vintage jars.  Also trending…mismatched vintage containers.  Old cans to vintage vases…put together a whimsical collection to display your centerpiece arrangements.  No matter what you choose, have fun and spend some time with flowers and friends to add a personal touch to your tables.

Flowers from The Hamilton Farmer's Market, Hamilton MT
Grower: Scented Garden & Greenhouse
              Sandie Fleishchmann, Owner

The Dress {Tips From the Professionals}

It’s the big day before the big day! You’ve looked through the magazines, visited the websites and read the blogs, but now it’s time to start trying on dresses. For a lot of brides, this is both a joyful and a nerve-wracking time. After all, this is not just any dress, it’s THE DRESS. It’s prom, homecoming, first date, interview for the big job, meeting his parents, all rolled into one…THE DRESS! And the options seem endless. Strapless, sleeved, big and full, sleek, full length, tea length, white, off white. Belted, free flowing. Option after option. So how do you know, where do you start. Here are few tips from the professionals.

 1. Relax. This is the best advice we can give you, not just about the dress, but about the entire wedding process. It’s easy to loose focus because these are big decisions, but keep the JOY in the process. Relax, have fun and enjoy.

 2. Bridal Shops vs. The internet. We know, we know….you are on a budget, but trust us on this one. Even though you may pay a little more, shopping at a bridal shop is well worth the few extra dollars. For starters, you actually get to try the gowns on! You might think you found the perfect gown online, but until you try it on, you can’t know for sure. Material, fit, cut all matter and until you actually see and feel and try on a gown, you just can’t be sure. Bridal shops are generally very good at guiding you through the selections, narrowing the filed based on body type, budget, and tastes. By shopping at a reputable bridal shop, you are guaranteed you will be buying the designer you want and not a knock off. We could go on about the advantages of bridal shops over the internet, but the last thing we will say on this matter is the bridal shop will be there for you through the entire process, from ordering the gown to the final fitting.

 3. Which brings us to the third point. Allow the your gown consultant to suggest some gowns for you, even if the selections are totally off your radar. I can’t tell you how many times we have brought a dress in that the bride scrunched her face up at UNTIL she tried it on! It’s easy to get stuck on certain looks. Sometimes fresh perspective is exactly what you need to find the perfect look. 

4. The Entourage. Shopping for the dress is a big deal, and it should be a wonderful experience. Of course you want to share that with your Mom, your sisters, and your best friends. But just allow us to throw in our 2 cents for a moment. It’s wonderful to travel with the full entourage on the first outing, but keep in mind it’s your day, your dress and your opinion that ultimately matters. The more people you have with you, the more opinions that are coming your way. It can get a little overwhelming. You might love the dress, but a few negative opinions can create self-doubt. We love the experience bridal shops offer. Champagne, pretty things, beautiful dresses, and all the attention on you, and we love that brides share that experience with their nearest and dearest. So welcome the opinions, but don’t’ loose focus that its really only yours that matters in the end.

 5. Be Sure! It’s important to note that with most gowns, once you order it and the order is processed…there are no returns. You will be trying on samples and when your gown is ordered, it will be a custom order. So don’t be impulsive, be sure. When ordering your gown, be honest and realistic about sizing. Most brides are shooting for a ‘wedding day size”, just don’t put yourself in a difficult position by ordering a gown size that may not fit. A seamstress can make alterations, but you will need to allow sufficient time for the process. Most bridal shops will assist with sizing and guide you through the fittings and alterations.

 6. Sample Gowns. Most bridal shops have a “Sample Rack” These gowns are the actual samples they use for showing the gowns. Eventually they end up on the Sample Rack either because the gown is discontinues or the shop is no longer carrying that gown. You can get a great buy on a designer gown by shopping samples. But keep in mind, these dress are sold “as is”, generally with a ‘no return’ policy. When purchasing a sample, make sure if alterations are needed, those alterations are realistic. Buying a size12 and trying to have it altered to a size 2 may not work. The professionals at the bridal shop can assist you with this.

 7. Relax and Have Fun. Like we said, this is the most important advice we can give you.

Gown: Augusta Jones
Bridal Shop: Avant Bridal
Consultant/Stylist: Katalin Green
Photographer: Orange Photographie