How much does a centerpiece cost?

I'll bet you anything that you've asked this question or are wondering this question.  I'll also bet that in one of the dozens or hundreds of blogs and magazines you've read that there was an answer to that question.  The problem with that is the answer is most likely wrong.  Pricing for everything when it comes to weddings varies drastically from location to location, even from 1 neighboring town to the next and wedding professional to the next.
To prove my point, here is a centerpiece that I asked the professionals in my wedding twitter community to give me average pricing they would expect to pay based on their experiences:

3 piece centerpiece of roses, lisianthus, mums, hydrangea and stock

The prices I received back from 20 different wedding planners and florists in the US and Canada were:
$70, $80, $450, $225, $200, $250, $150, $175, $100, $350, $400, $165, $125
The bolded costs were the most frequent answers.

What does this mean to you?  You have to do some homework.  Now, I am not condoning a price war; let me be very clear.  There are price differences for very good reasons.  In this example of flowers you have to consider the reputation and experience of the vendor and the level of service that you receive with it.  Some vendors will just drop off the centerpieces to a corner of a room and that is all that is included, you must set and return the rentals yourself.  Others may deliver, set up, strike, and provide a full sample mock up prior to your wedding.  All these things should be considered.
So when you're working on your budget, keep this all in mind. You get what you pay for.  You just have to know what you're paying for!

Above Centerpiece by Signature Florals

Letitia+Anthony=Breathtaking | Vancouver Wedding Photographers

It was in the way they were both so nervous while getting ready. The way Letitia held her breath as she came out of the elevator to see Anthony for the first time. They way Anthony held her face so delicately. And the way both of them kept looking at each other like they couldn't believe this day was finally here. As Chris whispered to me during the ceremony, "Wow, these guys are really into each other. I mean really." It's always a pleasure to photograph a couple who are so emotionally connected - here are some of our favs from the day.

Gown (Melissa Sweet) and shoes (with ruffles!).



Cream, white, and silvery gray colour scheme - classic.





Getting ready with Letitia was especially fun because among her bridesmaids were former C+L Vancouver brides Louise and Robin and future C+L Puerto Rico bride Cynthia, and of course, our fav MUA & tv celebrity from the Ultimate W Expert Challenge Nadia!



Letitia is such a breathtaking bride.



First Look. I love this sequence.











Good times!



What a gorgeous couple!







Their Hart House ceremony was simple & elegant. Letitia reaches over to brush a tear from Anthony's face.




And Anthony brushes a tear from hers'.




Married!







Smiles & laughs at the tea ceremony.





And throughout the speeches.







My fav moment of the day: when Letitia cashed in a coupon her mom gave her 19 years ago for "six juicy kisses".



First Dance.



And Chris' fav image of the summer.



Congratulations, L+A!

I'm planning a wedding for a couple that doesn't even know it yet.

That sounds incredibly crazy.  But its true!  I'm in the midst of planning and designing The Grand Wedding 2011.  We gave away this luxury wedding last year and it was such a huge success, we just had to team up with the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center to do it again.  Here's 3 quick photos from last years wedding that Sarah and Nick Mau won:

Photo by Ashley Brockinton

Calligraphy by Jennifer
Flowers by Floral Artistry

If you would like to win the 2011, or if you're engaged and just want to come to meet some of the best wedding professionals in the area, be sure to get your tickets for The Engagement Party Luxury Bridal Showcase.  It's Sunday October 3rd from 1-4pm at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center.  You can get more information on registering to win and about the showcase here on the official website.  You can get your tickets here.  Oh, and bring friends and family- everyone who comes gets an "audience vote" to pick one of the 5 finalists!

Photo by Impressions Photography

 Custom aisle runners by Sarah Hearts
Wedding gown and Tux from Lace & Roses Bridal

What to bring with you to meetings and consultations

Brides Wedding Planning Box

Just a quick tip:
When you go to all your meetings, be prepared and as educated as possible.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have to bring out all 329 of the magazine rippings, spreadsheets, brochures and quotes you've collected; but it does mean that no matter where the meeting goes, you'll have something to help you "show what you mean".
Some things that are very helpful:

• Photos of your dress and the bridesmaids dresses
• A floorplan of the sites you'll be using for your events
• Lists and contact info of any vendors you've decided to work with
• Your instant answer sheet with tentative event dates, times, locations, budgets and guest counts

Also, don't be afraid to have more than a binder, sometimes an organized planning box is easier.  It just proves that you're prepared and ready to do business.  And for once in your life, this business is fun.  Please believe me when I say that the wedding professionals that you visit will be incredibly happy that you've walked in their door! 

S+R=Amor {PART III} | Cabo San Lucas Wedding Photographers

Cabo San Lucas Wedding Photographers



There's nothing we love more than a YOU+ME session. Except a YOU+ME session that includes shooting after dark. At a new location as exciting as Capella Pedregal. With a bride wearing a long veil on a windy night.

We had never been to Capella Pedregal resort before, but our couple told us we would love it. They were so right. We were only there for an hour or so but fell in love with the architecture, landscaping, and all the textures and design details. It was the perfect place to create some portraits of the wonderful, happily married couple. Some of our favourites:






After packing it away for months, Chris dug out his tilt-shift lens again for these portraits. I couldn't choose - like them both!




The resort was even more romantic once the sun went down and all the lanterns went on.





My favourite.



Domes+fire+wind=Chris' fav set from the day.





Shoot by moonlight.



 Moonlight kiss.



To get in and out of the resort, guests go through a dramatic, chandelier-lit 300-metre long passageway carved through the heart of the mountain. Tunnel of love! :)

How do I make a wedding budget? Vol 2

You came back for more,  That's good.  You might be mad now though because you saw bigger numbers than you expected.  Please believe me when I say that, I get it.  The only reason I don't freak at the numbers anymore is because I'm educated on why those numbers are so high (basically what goes into the products and services wedding professionals are offering you).
Alright, back to business. The budget.
Now that you have your priorities and foundations set, you can break your boundary number into each of the wedding categories:

1. Printed details & Communication
2. Food & Beverage
3. Locations
4. Professionals
5. Attire & Beauty
6. Decor
7. Photography & Videography
8. Music & Entertainment
9. Travel & Transportation
10. Gifts & Gratuities
11. Honeymoon

I think it works best to do this in an excel document so that you can play with percentages and move numbers around easily.  The most important thing to do is make sure that your bottom line is never greater than your boundary number. If you need to know what actually ends up in these categories, you might want to gather some good wedding planning books.  Be very careful to list everything!  For instance, your gifts and gratuities should include everything from wedding party gifts, to welcome bags, to bellman tips.
The more research you've done, the better your estimates will be.
Now, based on your original priority list, make your decisions on who, what, when, and where.
Now that you know what you estimate your costs to be, prioritize the above list.  Then, assign amounts to each of the above categories, based on your priority and the research you've done on estimated costs.  As you make your decisions, move funds around.  Just be sure that you aren't taking too much from one place to cover another that really isn't a priority for you.  What will happen is you'll end up having to give up something that you really wanted.
Need to review? Click here for Vol 1

How do I make a wedding budget? Vol 1

Your friendly budget watchers

This should be one of the first five questions you ask yourself once you embark on your wedding planning journey.  Yet, it rarely is.  It's not that the topic is a complicated one, but it is a priority that isn't fun, so it often gets avoided. this is probably going to take a few posts, so prepare for 2 to 3 volumes.

Okay, now that you know you're going to set up your budget, what to do first?

ONE: Write down the boundary number.  This is the scariest part because chances are you have no idea what anything costs.  Honestly though, that shouldn't matter.  What does matter is that the number you put here $_______________ is a number that you (or whom ever is paying) is comfortable spending on the wedding.  It does NOT mean that you have to spend all of it, or that it will even be necessary to.  But you have to establish your boundary number first.

TWO: Prioritize  What is most important, 1, 2 or 3? You might change your mind later, but it will be best if you're honest with yourself now and write it down.  If you change your mind later, you have to start a new budget.  Always have a working budget.

1. Guest list (Whose invited to the wedding)
2. Location & Style (Where your wedding will take place, both ceremony & reception AND Indoor/Outdoor, Casual/Formal)
3. Date (also consider day of the week if you're flexible on this)

Now that the 1st wedding discussion (argument is more likely) is over and everyone is done yelling and screaming (somebody is probably crying too), its time to do some research.  Based on what you've prioritized,

THREE: Research what is out there.  Based on your first priority, what are your options?  It's time to do some online research and make a few calls so that you have a reasonable idea of some options and costs. DO NOT fall for this:

"The average U.S. wedding costs $23,000"

Wrong, wrong, wrong.  It totally depends on where you are, how many people are coming, and the kind of wedding you're planning.  No need to completely rule anything out yet.  Just get ideas.  Do not look for hard and fast answers.  They will not apply until you've made many more decisions.  You may or may not be in sticker shock after this step, so we'll take a breather and come back for vol. 2 later.