10 Wedding Planning Secrets Every Bride Should Know - Part 5 of 10

SECRET #5

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS ON A GOWN

       Every girl dreams of walking down the aisle in a stunning wedding gown. But you do not have to spend a fortune to get the gown of your dreams. Here’s some simple tips on how you can get a beautiful dress at a reasonable cost:

·         Before you go shopping, think about the styles you like the most.

·         Research dresses on the internet to get a good idea of what you want.

·         Many of the bridal salons hold trunk shows periodically, which will allow you to find just the right dress at substantial savings.

·         Follow your favorite salons on Facebook as many of them will usually post their sales and trunk shows in advance on-line.

Part 6 next time

     Be sure to visit Southern Flair Photography's website at www.sflair.com. Southern Flair Photography is a full-time, full service professional wedding and portrait photography studio with deep roots in the Dallas -Ft. Worth area.

     Southern Flair Photography has a 4,200 square foot state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. In addition to it's large, well equipped camera room, Southern Flair also has an exclusive outdoor portrait garden with numerous sets for most any look.

    Specializing in high quality portraits of maternity, baby, toddler, children, high school seniors, engagements, bridals, family and corporate photography, Southern Flair's art can be found in some of the finest homes in the Southwest.

     Southern Flair Photography is also a leader in the wedding photography industry, having photographed over 3,800 weddings in the past 38 years.

10 Wedding Planning Secrets Every Bride Should Know - Part 4 of 10

SECRET #4

CONSTRUCT A PRIORITY LIST FOR BOOKING

YOUR VARIOUS VENDORS AND SERVICES

     Based on your “must have” list, set out to book these first, in the order of importance ( ie. ceremony site, reception site). Then you will need to look at the items on your “must have” list that would typically book early due to popularity or availability (wedding photographer, caterer – if not included in your reception site).

     When these items are booked, then you can concentrate on all of the other items on a much less hurried manner. By having a plan of action, your wedding planning experience will be a much easier task.

Part 5 next time 

     Be sure to visit Southern Flair Photography's website at www.sflair.com. Southern Flair Photography is a full-time, full service professional wedding and portrait photography studio with deep roots in the Dallas -Ft. Worth area.

     Southern Flair Photography has a 4,200 square foot state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. In addition to it's large, well equipped camera room, Southern Flair also has an exclusive outdoor portrait garden with numerous sets for most any look.

    Specializing in high quality portraits of maternity, baby, toddler, children, high school seniors, engagements, bridals, family and corporate photography, Southern Flair's art can be found in some of the finest homes in the Southwest.

     Southern Flair Photography is also a leader in the wedding photography industry, having photographed over 3,800 weddings in the past 38 years.

10 Wedding Planning Secrets Every Bride Should Know - Part 3 of 10

SECRET #3

IT TAKES RESEARCH TO GET

THE BEST VENDORS FOR YOUR WEDDING

     This is probably the most difficult area for most brides because it involves a lot of time and energy. The very best avenues of finding the best vendors for your wedding can be divided into two categories – 1)  thru Bridal shows and 2) thru word of mouth – recommendations from family and friends, as well as vendors you have selected.

     Let’s look at Bridal Shows. These events can be large or small. There are benefits for both. But the fact is, you will find some of the finest vendors at these shows because they have demonstrated  their eagerness to be at your wedding, plus they have cleared many of the requirements to qualify to be in the show. They have invested their marketing dollars to be there. They have a vested interest in making sure you are happy.

     Word of mouth is strong, too, but you are still going to have to decide if they meet your expectations. And, you will still need to interview them before booking them. You want to make sure your personalities are a good match. Your best word of mouth referrals will come from the vendors you have already booked. In most cases, they have seen these vendors work on several occasions before.

     While the internet and websites are available for you to use in your planning, be very, very careful to not take too much credence in what you see. Anyone or any business can create a pretty website with all types of fancy flash and dash. Reviews seen on various websites can be a good gauge of how each vendor performs. It is still important for you to meet with the individuals you find on the internet.

Stay tuned for Secret #4

10 Wedding Secrets Every Bride Should Know - Part 2 of 10

SECRET #2

MAKE A “MUST HAVE’S” AND

A “WOULD LIKE TO HAVE” SET OF LISTS

     There so many things you could have at your wedding. Everyone has their own ‘wish list’ for what they want for their wedding. Your wedding should have all the things that you consider the most important. This could include a special location for the ceremony or reception, the dress, or even the wedding photography. These may cost a little bit more, however, there may be opportunities in other areas to cust expenses, thus giving you what you want.

      Remember this, wedding photography is one of the only items that will be with you after the wedding. Here’s some cost saving ideas:

·         Categorize your wish list into ‘must have’ and ‘would like to have’.

·         Determine which items will have in your overall wedding experience.

·         Also make a list of the things you do not want.

Secret # 3 coming soon.

10 Wedding Secrets Every Bride Should Know - Part 1 of 10

     We have prepared the following reports that will save you a great deal of time and frustration, reducing your stress and increasing your enjoyment of your wedding. Following these guidelines will also help save you money in planning your very own custom wedding.

     Your wedding will be one of the most important days of your life. Of course, you will want everything to be perfect and make it a day that you will fondly remember for the rest of your life. However, such high expectations can also mean a huge responsibility of your shoulders.  We know that weddings can be very demanding in terms of time and money. If not planned and executed properly, these items can become very stressful, as well.

     So, does this sound frightening to you? It really doesn’t have to, as we have helped thousands (literally) of couples with their wedding photography and all of the planning and execution of their plans. You can lean on us to be a ‘concierge’ service for you. Our experience can work for you. And it starts with these top 10 tips for you to keep in mind to save money and money. The result? A wonderful wedding that will make your day so much more enjoyable.

SECRET #1

DON’T MAKE ANY DECISIONS UNTIL YOU SET

A BUDGET THAT BEST SUITES YOUR NEEDS

     Once the excitement of the engagement settles down and you start to plan your wedding, the very first thing you need to do is set a detailed budget. Having an approximate cost limit for all the things you think you will want will help ensure that you don’t end up spending more that you can afford. Although this process is not the most exciting thing to do, creating your wedding budget should be the first and most important part of your wedding planning process.

     The first step in creating your wedding budget is to determine what the overall amount of money you can spend on wedding photography. These days, wedding photographers are a dime-a-dozen and pricing ranges anywhere fro $500 to $10,000. One thing to remember, you can pay too much for a photographer, and you certainly can spend too little, as well. Some of the finest photographers can be found in the $1800 to $4000 price range. Of course, a lot depends on what all you want.

     Who is paying for the wedding photography? Traditionally, the parents of the Bride have handled this expense. In recent years, however, many couples have opted to take this expense since they are more in tune with how much things cost and don’t want to send their parents into cardiac shock. In the case where family wants to help pay for the photography, find out how much they are  willing to help. Get with your parents. Sit down with them and find out what they are prepared to pay for. This will help you in your budget decisions.

Stay tuned for Secret #2

Santa at Southern Flair 2013

     This was one of our favorite years for Santa here at Southern Flair Photography! We had so many kids come to chat with Santa that we even had a stand-by list for those who couldn't get in during the two whole days of his visit.

     Click on the video above and share in the laughter, the enjoyment, and the sheer joy!

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