Please oh please, send him to the tailor

Lindsey by Impressions Photography

Ladies, some of you will have 3-4 alteration appointments to ensure that your dress fits like a glove.  Why?  So that you can not only look your absolute best, but so that you will feel your absolute best. 

However, our grooms, for some reason they tend to fall through the cracks.  Some of you will stand next to your groom and pose for photos while he is wearing the most ill fitting suit or tuxedo because the same thought was not put into how well his attire looks. Can we just stop this madness?

Alright, maybe its not madness, but it is important.  He will thank you.  Your photographer will thank you.  Please send your groom to the tailor.  Have him properly measured and his suit or tuxedo fit to a T. Please trust me when I say that you will be so glad that you did

Lindsey & Derek by Impressions Photography

Bridal Portrait art and tips for your bridal session

A bridal portrait is the perfected image of you in your wedding gown.  Traditionally,  the photo session is scheduled a few weeks prior to your wedding, so that a print can be framed and prepared for the wedding day and/or wedding announcements.  Last week I was introduced to another phenomenal idea for using your bridal portrait.  Enter artist Diane Bronstein.  Diane takes the bridal portrait image of you in your wedding dress and paints a watercolor or pencil "gown painting".

From the frame-able gown painting she can then also create thank you cards. Aren't they stunning?
To have your gown portrait made, her fee is currently $185.  She does offer options for oil paintings, digital scans and reproduction rights.
I wanted to include a few bridal portraits in this post so that you could have an idea of what portraits can possibly look like.  So I reached out to some of our photographers and had them send a few favorites over.  Between the images below, I will also give you a few tips, how-to and why to have a bridal portrait. Imagine these images as a watercolor or sketch!

Above Photo Credit: Impressions Photography.
Tip: One of the best things about having your bridal portrait taken in advance is that it will cut out a big portion on your "photo" time on your wedding day.  Its a good 30-45 minutes that you can free up on your already packed wedding timeline.
P.S. This is our bride Lindsay from this past fall- couldn't you just die over her dress? The train was detachable.

 Above Photo Credit: Ashley Brockinton Photography
Tip: You can have your portrait taken with or without a bouquet.  You can also choose to have your portrait taken in a studio like this one, or outside.
P.S. This is Christy, the winner of the 2011 Grand Wedding!

 Above and Below Photo Credit: Nancy Cohn Photography
Advice: Don't be afraid to be yourself.  Yes, I think you should absolutely get a classic image.  But how about something fun too (below)?

 Above Photo Credit: Audrey Snow Photography
Side note: Notice that in this image she's holding her bouquet.  Personally, I do think it adds to the bridal look.

 Above Photo Credit: Mike Moreland Photography
Side Note: This is Brittany, one of our brides from this past spring.  Be sure to pick up the Occasions Magazine (Winter 2013 Florida or Georgia issues) to see her stunning white wedding wedding feature!

Above Photo Credit: Maria Glassford Photography
Tip: Bring your mom or a friend with you to help you maneuver in and out of your dress.  One person is enough though- your session should not be turned into a party!

 Above Photo Credit: Tonya Malay Photography
Advice: Your bridal portrait day is also a another great opportunity to fine tune your wedding day look.  Be sure to have your hair & makeup done for this!

Wedding Diagrams and Floor Plans- A Must.

Having a diagram or floor plan for your wedding is a must.  Ask your venue coordinator to provide one and make sure that its updated frequently as changes are made so that you can pass it along to all your vendors.

This way everyone has a good visual of where to go on wedding day and there is a little bit less confusion and far less questions to answer when you'd rather be drinking champagne!

How to easily gather your guest list contact information

Last week Jesse, one of the creators of Postable.com contacted me after reading my blog.  He wanted to let me know about his site that just launched.  Now here is the thing, I probably receive 15 emails like this a day. But when it comes direct from the creator/owner and its an email that I can tell they actually invested a bit of time to find out something about me and our clients, I figure its nice to give a moment of my time. Boy am I SO GLAD I GAVE THEM A MOMENT. You are going to be glad too. Introducing Postable, an online guest list and contact information gathering site.

Basically, you send a link out via Facebook, twitter, instant message, email (I used my auto-responder to ask for contact updates), even text message. Your guests fill in the super easy (and rather cute) contact information form in like 30 seconds. It collects everything: Phone, email, mailing address, spouse's name (mucho importante for escort cards and invitations), and birthday.  It even has a little note field.
So, before I shared this with you guys of  course I tested it and it works!  Not only does it work, it works really well. The best part- your contact list can be exported to address books, outlook, gmail, excel - for goodness sakes you can even print labels from it. I was nervous about the privacy part of this and I'm sure you are too.  Here's all the answers you're looking for : Postable FAQ

How not to do a Seating Chart

Can we please stop the insanity.  I honestly can't take it longer.  If you have more than 20 guests (or 3 tables) at your wedding, it is not appropriate to post table assignments by table and not alphabetically.  Put yourself in your guests shoes.  Do you want to have to go through every table list looking to see if you are on it?  What if you were at table 14?  Can you imagine how long that takes and how mad the people waiting behind you are?  Going down 14 lists of 10 people each before you come across your name?

Source: birchandbird.com via Jami on Pinterest

I love the look of this chart.  It is a great concept.  Now, obviously this one is set up for a photo since you'd have to lay down on the grass to read the bottom panes after you move the luggage out of the way to see that your sitting at table 16. But looking past those minor details - couldn't the same effect have been made by dividing the guest list by the number of panes and then spreading the names out evenly and using alphabet headers?

My little list

Here's a list I compiled a few years ago (regrets and I told you so's) that made me laugh again tonight.  Boy I wish I could get everyone to agree with me.

• Get video. Confirmed #1 regret. You cannot see yourself walk down the aisle and you can't hear your dad's toast ever again and you will never see the best man polka with your grandma and be loving it.
• Do not include registry on invites. Bad etiquette, I don't care what anyone tells you.
• Do a trial run with hair and makeup. It's worth your sanity.
• Don't order bathroom flowers.  They're stupid.
• Have pre wedding day time with your photographer. Your wedding day photography will will better for it. Make your photographer a friendly face and not a stranger.
• It is not a media circus.  Your photographers and videographers are never in the same place at the same time.  Most clients ask me if the videographer ever came. No I am not joking.
• Don't bring your dog.  They are cute but stress everyone out and add more work.
• Eat your dinner.  You will be starving at the end of the night.
• Don't make a minute by minute schedule.  Being early and bored is better than rushed and late. Pad your timeline.
• Don't skip outdoor lighting. Events in the dark? Really?  No, a tiki torch will not light the place enough.
• Don't give up fit for pretty. Under the dress- break out the Spanx leave Victoria in the hotel room for later.
• Don't get drunk. A doorknob will find your eye somehow and you won't look as cute in your sparkler exit photo that you don't remember taking.  Even though you have the burns to prove it.

How to describe your wedding

What is your designers aesthetic?

Once you get past making your guest list and finding your venue, you'll be at the point where you'll need to start describing your desired aesthetics to the creative professionals you're considering hiring. This would be your event designer and planner, florist, lighting designer, stylists (attire, hair, and makeup), stationer and calligrapher. Forgive me if I left anyone out. I am not including photographer and videographer here because I consider them creative artists yes, but of the documentary rather than design element.
What is the best way to do this? With words and pictures. Here are some words to start with:

Lush, Airy, Glamorous, Sparkle, Pretty, Shiny, Contemporary, Modern, Exciting, Architectural, Chic, Elegant, Sophisticated, Polished, Subtle, Fun, Matte, Refined, Cheerful, Bright, Romantic, Vintage, Organic, Retro, Rustic, Garden, Soft, Beach, Open, Intimate, Fresh, Whimsical, Heavy, Light, Natural, Festive, Clean, Unstructured, Casual, Timeless, Textured, Styled, Charming, Reckless, Tropical, Tranquil, Exotic, Classic, Serene, Old World.

By the way- all these words were used by our clients in their pre-consult questionnaire.  One day I'll have to share with you the celebrities, movies & television shows they mentioned as well.
Back to work.  Write down the words that speak to you about your wedding. Also write down others that come to you on your own. For sure add colors to the list. Then, go rip out pictures from magazines, flag pictures in books, and save blog images that define these words.
Compile all of these and you'll have a foundation that perfectly describes what you're going for so that your creative professionals can use their talents to create something unique and very you.

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! 

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.

I told you so. You're going to regret this.

Confession time.  I can't begin to tell you all the times I have wanted to say,

"I told you so"

"You are really going to regret this"

"Big mistake"
"Please tell me you're joking"

"Are you kidding me right now?"

But, I won't.  Except for in this blog post.  Why? Sometimes (rarely) its because its just an opinion, but more often its because it we don't want to push the subject or emotions are too high, or I just know its never going to happen.  Most of the time- it's because we told you once (maybe twice), and telling you again would be inappropriate.  So as professionals, we know when to keep our mouths shut.  Please know that as professionals however, we'd never allow things to just go badly.

So this last week I collected some of these often thought comments from wedding professionals on Twitter.  I have to admit, I laughed hysterically at a couple of them, all so true!

Using a vendor I specifically told you not to use due to past experiences with the vendor -Lauren Grove

Oh my gosh if I could tell you how many times I have wanted to say I told you so, you're going to regret this, and big mistake on this one.  Please trust your vendors...they've planned a few weddings.  This is especially true if you're hearing the same thing all over town.

Get more coverage during your getting ready time -Rob Epple

This is so true.  Perfect example in this directors cut.  Imagine this without the getting ready shots.

Doing a first glance -Ashley Brockinton

Every single couple I have ever had do this tells me that they are so glad that they did.  Two reasons, they actually get to react without an audience; its actually more intimate.  And secondly, the stress of the audience at the ceremony is gone, you can actually take it all in and enjoy it.

Inviting more than the number of guests the venue allows and then hoping people rsvp no -Jen Wooster-McBride

 Huge huge huge mistake.  Just don't do it.  Decide before you go anywhere what your guest list count has to be and don't even consider any venues that can't hold that capacity.

Don't pick that dress -Andria Lewis

Here's the thing.  We want whats best for you.  If your bridal salon consultant and seamstress are telling you that there isn't going to be any way to get that size 10 dress altered to a 6...don't force it.  I know its the last one in the entire country...but that dress was not meant to be.  If you're getting married in July on a beach, having a beachside reception, in Mexico- don't buy a dress with full length lace sleeves and 23 layers of tulle.  Just because its your wedding day does not mean that you get the day off from sweating.

Not having a rain back up plan -Alan Viau

Not only rain.  Have plans for cold, wind, heat, snow, and the results of all these things (mud, ice, dirty dust, etc.).  Sometimes the reason this gets avoided is because the back up can be costly.  Budget for it in the beginning, and then when you don't use it, go all out on your honeymoon.  The best thing you can do is determine how you can use things you've already planned & purchased in your back up plan.

Use chair covers -Julianne Cragg

This kills me.  You spend all this money on gorgeous flowers, linens, lighting, and paper details to make your reception space look amazing and then you leave in the venues banquet chairs that don't match at all.  It makes the biggest difference.  There's almost always something you can cut back on a little to make this upgrade.  Find it.

Here's my list:
Get video. Confirmed #1 regret. You cannot see yourself walk down the aisle and you can't hear your dad's toast ever again and you will never see the best man polka with your grandma and be loving it.
Do not include registry on invites. Bad etiquette, I don't care what anyone tells you.
Do a trial run with hair and makeup. It's worth your sanity.
Don't order bathroom flowers.  They're stupid.
Have pre wedding day time with your photographer. Your wedding day photography will will better for it. Make your photographer a friendly face and not a stranger.
It is not a media circus.  Your photographers and videographers are never in the same place at the same time.  Most clients ask me if the videographer ever came. No I am not joking.
Don't bring your dog.  They are cute but stress everyone out and add more work.
Eat your dinner.  You will be starving at the end of the night.
Don't make a minute by minute schedule.  Being early and bored is better than rushed and late. Pad your timeline.
Don't skip outdoor lighting. Events in the dark? Really?  No, a tiki torch will not light the place enough.
Don't give up fit for pretty. Under the dress- break out the Spanx leave Victoria in the hotel room for later.
Don't get drunk. A doorknob will find your eye somehow and you won't look as cute in your sparkler exit photo that you don't remember taking.  Even though you have the burns to prove it.

Recommended-Preferred-Favorite- call it what you will.

What you'd notice if you were to sift through all the weddings I have had the opportunity to plan is that quite frequently you're going to come across the same professionals. As a wedding planner it is my responsibility to present my clients with options that are best for them and the events that they are planning. So when a client asks for my recommendations to book their vendors, my list is full of people I love to work with. Are they favorites? I suppose you could look at it that way. You could also look at preferred or recommended professionals from the same perspective as I:

They've proven that they're consistently dependable, high quality & fair;
They've exceeded my expectations & more importantly, exceeded my clients expectation;
They're a pleasure to work with from the 1st meeting through the wedding day (and beyond when it comes to photographers & videographers).
It also means that:
They're more than knowledgeable of their product/service;
That they know the locations, rules and restrictions of venues we frequently work at;
And that they work well with other wedding professionals.

Side note: If you have a team of professionals who love working together- you get a better wedding. There is no denying this. Just like your job- when you have awesome co-workers, the results are always better because the "workplace" is just a better place to be. It's great when I can call up a florist and say, "so&so is going to be making the cake for this wedding", and the florist gets incredibly excited. Why? Because she knows that she's going to be decorating a masterpiece (and a masterpiece that will arrive on time at that).

So what to do if you don't have a planner to give you a great list of exceptional professionals who love to work together? Ask your vendors who they love to work with. They'll be honest because they want to work with them too.

In the photos: Just a small few of the SW Florida wedding pros who love weddings, love to work together, and to celebrate each others successes and accomplishments. There are many many more, but it would make this post 15 pages long.

Will your finger fit?3 Tips for a smooth ring on the finger

 

We've been pretty lucky so far and haven't had any disasters at the altar. But India Bride isn't taking any chances. During our call yesterday she made 2 requests, for Windex Wipes and Vaseline. She knows her ring is on the tight side, so we're going to soak her hand in ice a few minutes before we send her down the aisle, and then spread a little vaseline on her finger. We'll also keep the ring wrapped in the wipe (in a mini ziploc) with the best man until the officiate asks for it. Hopefully between the 3 efforts we're making, it will be a "smooth" transition to married!

No, your toast does not have to include Champagne

Big Tips: Ever been to a wedding and looked around after the champagne toast? What do you see? Yep. A bunch of still full champagne glasses. If your guest list isn't full of Champagne drinkers, consider an alternate drink. At one of our mini weddings this summer we served Sanibel Sunsets and they were a huge hit.
Photo by Julie Goodacre

A couple more ideas:
Tequila. The presentation on this can be amazing with salt and lemon, and the pictures even better!
Amaretto. Yum. Just yum.
Ice cold Vodka. As long as its good Vodka, and very cold, its great served in a super mini martini glass.

A few wedding rules that I've seen "misplaced"

I'm just going to list out a few things that are bad and you shouldn't do and why. Feel free to print this one out.

1. Don't get sunburned 2 days before your wedding: You'll look ridiculous and feel the same. Wear sunscreen and reapply all the time.
   
2. Don't stay out until 3 in the morning the night before your wedding: You'll feel worse than you look. Go to bed on time and wake up filling awesome.
   
3. Don't force your seamstress to make your dress super tight: You will be so uncomfortable you will hate your dress in 15 minutes flat. Get some spanx and relax.
   
4. Don't ask someone to be in your wedding party out of guilt or persuasion: I promise you'll regret it. Instead, find another way to have them participate (reader, toast, etc.)

There are more, yes. But long lists of rules just look scary.

Wow ceremony decor without blowing the bank

This is absolutely my favorite way to dress up an outdoor ceremony site. Everyone always decorates the aisle. Sure. It's great. And it's also anything but unique. Still, I think some attention should be placed there. however what is almost always missed is the back row of chairs. Note that I said back row- not all rows. Sure you can do every seat, but really, you can get away with just the back row and make quite the impression.
There will be so many photos from behind your guests, and it is the first thing your guests will see as they arrive- so why not take advantage of the design opportunity?

Things you can do:

• Chair Covers
• Chair Sleeves/drapes
• Garland (Flowers, shells, greenery- like Italian Ruscus, ribbon)
• Paper Lanterns
  
• Paper Mache Letters
• Bows or sashes (ok, not my favorite- but they can look nice if done properly)

HD Wedding Video: the 5 requirements

I watched an HD wedding video the other day. "Hmmm, this doesn't look any different from the video I watched last week." So I called Rob at AMC video to get the scoop.
I was shocked (actually a little angry)to find out that not some, but most HD wedding videos aren't actually truly HD. This is a problem considering so many of my clients have been asking for HD for the last 2 years or so. Well, perhaps I should change that statement. Most of our grooms ask about it.
I think a short list works fine on this occasion because honestly, technical stuff is not my thing.
So- here's the list of requirements for a true HD video experience:

1. Your video must be shot with an HD camera
2. Footage must be edited in an HD format
3. The edited video has to be burned onto a Blu-Ray disc
4. The disc must be played by a Blu-Ray Player
5. The tv must also be HD

And there ya have it. Take one of these pieces out and you're aren't watching a truly HD wedding video. If you're making the investment for this higher quality video, make sure you have all the elements to actually experience it!
★COMMENT ALERT: Really great comments on this post, please read

Wedding Pictures you ask for vs. the pictures ultimately purchased

As I was helping one of my clients find a photographer this past week, I asked as usual,

"What kinds of pictures are the ones you are drawn to? What pictures are you most looking forward to having?"

If I am lucky enough to have the client in our planning studio and brides library I will sit down with the client and we'll go through some of the wedding albums photographers have given us and some wedding photography books. I have to go through this process because narrowing down the enormous list of talented photographers isn't a task I take lightly and it is incredibly time consuming.

Anyway, more often than not, the response to my question is:

"I don't like the posed pictures, I want candid (or photojournalistic), and I absolutely have to have sunset photos, and I don't want to see the sweaty dance photos."

I wondered if this is what actually ends up being the case though. So I asked some photographers who follow me on twitter,

"What are the 2 most REQUESTED pictures (before wedding day) & the 2 most PURCHASED after?"

Here is what some of them had to say:

"I get a lot of formal requests and a lot of group photos are often purchased." Alicia Williams of Cordele Photography

"Most requested: formal poses, most purchased: guests buying posed & candid photos of themselves (not bride&groom)" Anne Ruthmann of Anne Ruthmann photography

"Requested: "lots of details" & "don't want to pose" Purchased: Posed couple and posed family." Kara hudson of Solais Photography

"2 most REQUESTED pictures: candid + romantic shots. Most PURCHASED: I agree with Anne, guests buying pix of themselves + formal" Shari Bare of Shari Bare Photography

"Requested: candids, photojournalism style shots. Purchased: posed groups, posed couple shots" Christine Tremoulet of Christine Tremoulet Photography

How about that? Looks like there are some differences. What does this mean? It means you should be looking very closely at everything your photographer shoots. Ask to see at least 2 recent complete weddings. Why two? Because every wedding is different, and different lighting, venues, and people make all the difference when you're "browsing". Ask yourself if all of the above mentioned requested and purchased photos are done well, and are there enough of them.

A clever way to seat your wedding guests for dinner

Not all weddings require assigned seating at tables or seats. If your wedding dinner is a classic buffet, stations, or serving a signature plated dinner (aka no option), you can make your seating as formal or informal as you like. One of my favorite options I have is what I call Restaurant Style Seating. A while back I had a wedding where seating was a major issue that simply could not get hammered out in time. I had to think of something fast and it turned out to be one of the best seatings I have ever experienced. Read on for the scoop.

Why you might want this style:

A) You can't fathom the idea of predetermining where each of your guests will sit at your reception
B) You want to do something totally unexpected
C) You forgot to do your seating chart and you are over it already

How it works: Once your guests are asked to enter the reception room they are greeted by a seating host. The seating host takes the guests escort cards and leads them to a table with the appropriate number of seats available.
Why it works: Most people will walk into the reception with the people they'd actually like to have dinner with. Think back to some receptions you went to. Isn't this what you did? You can still use escort cards. Once the guests have their cards, they hand them to the seating host and the seating host will place their card at their seat.
A few things to keep in mind: You'll need extra time for seating. Have at least 1 seating host per 15 guests to keep things moving smoothly. DO reserve tables for immediate family and wedding party, and make certain their escort cards note this.
Best situations: Weddings under 100 guests.
To make it really neat: Have the seating host introduce newcomers to the tables using their placecards. Fancy & cool isn't it?

Budget is not a bad word.

Don't be afraid to use it. In fact, do the opposite and say it out loud. Even put it in writing. Here's the thing, wedding vendors want you to hire them for your wedding. No surprise to anyone. They also want to give you everything you want. Believe me, most wedding pros would love to offer every bride the world because that means we get to use all of our craft and talents and experience to the hilt! However, everything you want may not be what is actually a plausible. And this {deep sigh}, this is equally as disappointing to us as it is to you to find out that it was never a possibility.
If you've done your homework and researched the professionals you're considering, you can feel good about trusting that they only want to maintain the good reputations they've earned. So keep this in mind when they ask you what you want to spend or what you can spend. It's okay (and best) to be honest.

Here are a couple good examples of presenting your budget:

Example one: Bride "Chloe" is sitting down with floral designer "Jack". Bride says, "Jack, Here are some images I've collected that I'm really drawn to, and I'd like to do something similar. Here is the list of things I think that I need from you, and my budget is $$$$. Is this something you think we can do?"

When it comes to professionals who offer packages (such as photographers), you can do the same, but asking them to just lower a package price to fit into your budget isn't the appropriate thing to do, and quite frankly, it can be somewhat insulting. Not that anyone means to be insulting. And believe me- professionals know that is not your intention. So from the get go, be honest.

Example two" "Photographer Jack, I understand that your packages begin at $$$$. My budget is $$$$. I am flexible, and was wondering if you can offer any custom packages that might be available to me in my budget?"

Will everyone be able to say yes? No, not everyone can. However, being straight forward will help you get you where you need to go in the quickest most pleasant way possible!
*Keep in mind that vendors who can't meet your budget requirements may be able to lead you in the direction of someone who is. It doesn't hurt to ask.

fine print: My friend Jody of Good Taste events reminded me of something very important. The word budget doesn't exist in standard shopping situations. You know, in case there are grooms or husbands reading this post.