How soon before your wedding should you hire a photographer?
In most cases you should start looking for a photographer almost as soon as you book your other major wedding arrangements like Venue, Hotel and wedding planner. Keep in mind most of the better photographers are taken a year or more in advance.

What is the advantage of hiring a professional?
A professional takes photographs for a living. As a professional, you can be assured of receiving the highest quality in service and photographs. A professional photographer uses the best equipment and labs to assure your satisfaction. Photojournalist approach of a Wedding eveny has gained lot of popularity in India as well and its not very difficult to locate a Photojournalist in India.

What questions should I be asking?
After you have established that your date is available, be sure to ask these questions:

- How long they have been in business?
- Who will be photographing my wedding?
- What kind of packages and pricing are they offering?
- How soon after my wedding will my photos be ready?
- How much time will you be spending at my wedding?
- What style of photography do they use?

Are my wedding photos available online?
Many photographers have website that allow you to view your complete wedding online .These should be password protected and also allow friends and relatives to view and purchase photos from the site safely. If Photographer is not doing it, your Wedding Planner may know options to have Digital Album designed and uploaded on your Wedsite. See a sample Wedding Storybook here

Do you feel comfortable with this photographer?
It is important that after speaking to the photographer that you feel confident in their ability to work with individuals and groups. A professional photographer can make the day go smoothly and help even in a crisis.

Examine the photographer’s work carefully…take note of the little things:
- do the photos or album tell a story of the entire wedding day or just a series of pictures?
- is there a good mixture of portraits and groups?
- has the photographer captured facial expressions well? Photojournalist do this best!
- do the photos capture the detail of the faces and dresses, or is there too much background detail?

Collaborating with the photographer.
Brief the Photographer About the Wedding
Once you have decided to hire the photographer, briefly outline the details of the wedding such as location, date, time, sequence of events, and other aspects that the photographer needs to know. This will give him/ her time to plan his/ her activities as well as come up with creative and innovative ideas or ways in which he/ she can present your wedding with elegance, grace, and charm. You Wedding Planner must be helping you on this aspect.

What about price?
Prices can start from $700 up into the thousands!! Everything depends on what services you require, and the finished products you will receive. If you want good photographs and albums, then be prepared to spend more. Album quality and picture quality are relevant. Research shows that good photographs runs between 10-15% or the wedding budget. Most couples underestimate the cost of a good photographer by as much as 40-50%. Also remember, the photographs are only a portion of the services you receive from a professional photographer.

Check out
Katha Images : http://www.kathaimages.com/

Evolution of Web has positively impacted everyone’s life and we have started spending more time with our Laptop emailing, chatting, orkutting, tweeting, sharing and what not!

Bride and Groom have got “techie” too!

Personalised Wedding Website i.e. WedSite is not just a fashion now but has become an imperative feature of wedding planning. Couples chose to book a Domain (xyz.com) and develop a Wedsite using “Do it yourself” tools. Couples who go more techie may go for a customised design with favorite colors and Graphics. There are specialised online vendors who would do it for you very professionally.

So what does WedSite may contains?
WedSite is one more “point” to think about and spend time in planning about the content. It could range from your childhood memories, vintage pictures, love story to Save the date, wedding itinerary, venue information etc. Here is the List of sections that you may plan
1. Index or the opening Page should be a Welcome Note and introduction to WedSite
2. Introduction of the Bride and Groom and the families
3. How we met/ Our Love Story
4. Pictures/Video of Childhood, school/college time, pre wedding days, friends etc
5. Wedding Venue (introduction to the Destination)
6. Wedding Itinerary containing the details of the events, venues, time to arrive, dress code etc
7. Accommodation and Travel arrangements : This is one the most important section if you have planned a Destination Wedding. The Guests would expect to be guided for the stay (weather you are paying for them or not), Flights, logistics to reach the destination, Visa, Travel Tips etc.
8. Registry : Couple may provide Links to preferred online Vendors for Gifts/Registries
9. RSVP : A Form to be filled which shall produce a Report of Guests who are attending along with their travel details and special requests.
10. Microblog : Let the Guests post Twitter type comments and interact
11. Contact Page

Benefits are unlimited!
Starting from  “sending e-Invites, smartly managing the Guests, keeping the Guests updated, offering travel assistance, preferred Registry vendors”  to “assuring Guests that the forthcoming wedding is THE Day to be awaited”.

“Planning a Destination Wedding” is a challenge as good as ” planning a wedding in your own Home Town”
While its a fantasy phase for most of Brides its a nightmare as well considering not only you have to please yourself but you also have to make everyone happy who is attending your wedding overseas!

How soon one should start looking into Wedding plan is a subjective question however as a rule of thumb 18 to 12 months in advance to wedding date would make your and Guest’s life simple. You (Wedding Couple), require a lot of time to reserach the destinations, venues, options, wedding planners etc and reach a stage where you are ready to send Save the Date card and inform the plan to your Guests. You need to assure that your Guests have enough advance notice to decide on their own travel arrangements, flights and holiday (For many of them it could be the annual holiday).

Therefore if you start 18-15 months ahead of wedding, you might take 3-4 months time to zero down on the basic plan where you could advise your Guests about the stay, flight, Visa and logistics.. your Guests will still have atleast an Year’s time to plan their travel arrangements.

As the plan progress you shall realise that its imperative to figure out accurate Guests List 5-6 months in advance, It is therefore advised to give a cut off date to your Guests to send RSVP so that you could sort your own budget and estimates well in advance. You might need to intimate the Hotel, Caterer and the Planner about expected number of Guests helping them to gear up accordingly.

Some of the key decisions and the best time to decide on them are
1. Date of Wedding :  18-15 Months
2. Wedding Planner, Destination and Venue, Wedding Website : 15-12 Months
3. Accommodation and travel related arrangements : 12-10 Months
4. Guests List : 8-6 Months
5. Food Menu, Color Scheme, Decoration style, Flowers, Themes, Cake, Photographer, Videographer, Beautician, Giveaways, Bridal Dress, Jewelry, Invitations  etc : 8-6 Months
6. Wedding Events Itinerary and Day wise time Timeline : 4-3 Months
7. Final list of services and deliverable by Wedding Planner : 3 Months atleast
8. Music : 2 Months
9. Transport and Logistics involved during Events : 45 days atleast
10. Final draft of Wedding Plan, Telephonic/Email conversation with the required Vendors like Beautician/DJ/Photographer etc : 45 days

Atleast 30 days ahead of Wedding date you should offload all the details and “deemed tensions” to the Wedding Planner! Just relax and get yourself ready to begin a new phase of your life.

Glimpses of  precious memories are well stored in Story Book

You require Flash Player to watch the Storybook
1. Click on “FS” button in right corner for a full screen Slide Show.
2. Please be patient while each slide loads