Wedding Planning, the why-oh why?

Hello Lovelies,
 Have you ever looked at your wedding to do list and just wanted to throw your hands up, flip a table and just say "Vegas looks good right now"? 
I have. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Lets have a heart to heart.
Planning a dinner party, a birthday party and cocktail party. That's one thing, but to plan the party of all parties, PLUS be one half of the guests of honour, that's where the why oh why fun begins.

Our e-session, by Wendy Alana Photography

You have to be considerate they tell you, invite all the family, all the family friends.... 
- What about your third cousin twice removed? She invited you to her wedding. When I was three. I haven't seen them since. 
- Your great uncle would love to see you both. I have a great uncle??

     Am I possibly just rambling? OH heck yes. Not even going to try and refuse that for a minute. Ladies, don't kid yourself. Weddings are stressful. Very stressful. Even for the most organized person. We have two families to juggle, mother-in-laws, our own mothers, venues to book, bridesmaids, dress decisions, and decorators to show our visions to. Just because I photograph weddings for a living doesn't mean that I know all the ins and outs of what the heck a wedding takes, well...until now. It's 6 months until the wedding bells are ringing for me. I'm terrified to be honest. Not of the whole getting married part, no no, it's the balancing the guest list. I want so many people there, I want lots of people there! Just that, where do you cut it off? How many is just enough or too much? We started with a modest guest list, 70 people, close friends and family. Then some how the world started to invite themselves to the wedding, then oh what about this person, and this person. You're going to this persons wedding, invite them! And it keeps on ballooning! STOP. Stop for the sake of the sanity of the couple who are getting married. 
   Can I get an Amen? Hoo-rah? Yay? 

   At this point, I am thrilled to photograph other's weddings. My own wedding has become so stressful it's almost taboo to bring the subject up. Your weddings, I like your weddings. It's much less stressful, and I get to see how happy other people can be when it's all said and done. Kinda magical. Even a year later, seeing everyone in love, makes me beyond words happy. 

Couples like Natalie & Eric make my job worth it and then some!

   So if you have some issues with the world trying to put a damper on your wedding day, f*'em, seriously. It's you and your fiancé's  wedding. Not your parents, your siblings, not his parents, not your grandparents, not the communities wedding. Remember that. Your wedding. And I'll be there with complete knowledge of how something like a guest list, to choosing a linen colour becomes a daunting task, I will nod and be that person. I know the feeling, but at the end of the day, as long as you are married, that is all that matters.

Thanks for tuning into the crazy bride to be / wedding photographer.

--Melissa

Wedding-spiration: Makeup

   Lets talk about makeup! I don't know about you, but I love makeup. 

And it's a key ingredient for your wedding day....

    Now you are going to probably get a makeup artist for your wedding. It's not something that you want to pass up on. Now you're thinking "but that's something I can do...for free". Unless you are a makeup artist yourself, I would recommend against it. Makeup artists (MUA for short) have the know how and the product to keep you from :drying out, getting too shinny, overdoing the coon eyes, putting on too light/too dark of product. MUA's save the day basically.

  I can still see those budgeting woes. Don't fret! So here are some tips from both Martha Stewart Weddings & me.

Book a Pro's Assistant

The fee is much less, but "they train with us for years, so they're very skilled," says Nam Vo, a makeup artist in New York City..

Do the Legwork
Instead of having a beauty crew come to you and your bridesmaids (it can up the price by hundreds), travel to a salon for your hair and makeup.

Hire a Recent GradJust because they are fresh out of school doesn't mean they have no skill.
One of my favourite MUA is a "fresh pick" and has worked with me on many shoots. I'm not saying that she's cheap by any means, but most grads won't charge nearly as much as the seasoned pros. 

Always get a Test before the Wedding DayGo to the MUA and book a test session. This way you can go over certain "looks" for the wedding day. Also you can tell the MUA any skin issues and quirks, ie "I react to this brand, but not to this one" "I find my skin is dry on my forehead" etc...

Check out Kory Lynn's site {here}

Technical Tip- Sizing your photos

So you have a file that is shot in your highest quality and you bring it into Photoshop. 

You go to check the image size/quality and you have a minor heart attack! 72dpi?! Fret not, this is the fix.