Sometimes you need a little extra help to look your very best. Or maybe you want to create a look for your photos that’s as unique as you are…something you deserve.  As your Photographer, we will be fixing your images, touching up what shows, and offering to touch up what you see that has not been done yet.   It is part of all we do.

Whatever you have in mind, our digital retouching art skills can work magic with your pictures.

All retouching is done to a copy of the original file of your photograph. Once the retouching work is complete, you can have as many prints made from the photograph as you want.  The Cd of your wedding photos, your retouching services will also included as the modified high-res file.

The most popular type of retouching services. If you’ve ever picked up a fashion magazine or admired photos of celebrities or models, you’ve already seen some of the possibilities of digital retouching. Most every photo published in non-news publications is modified in some way. Under some lighting conditions, the camera can be very unforgiving and reveal imperfections and blemishes that aren’t even noticeable to the eye.
Possibilities, especially now with digital:

Teeth whitening

Blemish removal

Aging reduction

Stray hair correction

Eyeglass glare removal

Skin shine reduction

Eye color change

Costs – all inclusive to your package…as it should be.

Sometimes you want it all. And now you can have it. Our digital retouching art/Photoshop skills can re-work your photos into perfection. Sometimes, you need a little, sometimes you need a lot — it’s all up to you, and all work is completed with your review and final approval online for you.

Masterpiece retouching services are great for any size print, but especially recommended for display prints of 10″ x 14″ and larger.
Modifications can include:

• Skin tone improvement
• Blemish removal
• Aging reduction
• Virtual facelift
• Spot weight reduction
• Background/foreground changes

You can count on Lisa Catera and John Phoenix to give you the very BEST look, the way you want it.  That is our pledge to you.

Choosing a wedding photographer who will capture your wedding in a photojournalistic style means that your only job for most of the day is to enjoy and bask in the company of family, friends and your new spouse. You should be completely confident in your photographer’s ability to fulfill his or her duties. Your photographer will capture all the shots you expect — and even some you don’t! If they’re trained in photojournalism, you’ll hardly know they’re there.
Just remember: the wedding photographers, Lisa Catera and John Phoenix are professional with impeccable timing, a keen eye for detail, and a thorough understanding of light. You should be flexible if the photographer asks you to step aside for a moment and pose for a few quick shots. We may ask for only a couple minutes of your time, but you will cherish the resulting photographs forever.

Family Matters

Rounding up people for formal portraits can be a challenge. Adding divorced parents to the mix can make it even trickier. Being prepared and organized will go a long way in making sure everyone’s where they need to be and you’re not posing for pictures or hunting down relatives all day.
Creating a short list in advance can help save time — and frustration. Special considerations can be taken into account, and extra combinations of wedding photos can be planned to help keep everyone happy. Go over the list with your wedding photography expert to make sure you’re on the same page and have covered all the important shots for the ceremony. Also, make sure your guests know when they need to arrive for their photos. Don’t be afraid to emphasize the importance of being on time.
After you’ve made your list (and checked it twice), entrust someone who’s familiar with your relatives to be in charge of gathering the troops for the wedding photography planned. You’ll have plenty of other things to do rather than finding AWOL family members on your wedding day. Wedding photos should start with the largest groups first and move down the list to help keep things chugging along as smoothly and quickly as possible.

Our Thoughts

Rules of etiquette were created to make people feel comfortable and respected in social situations like weddings. When it comes to getting the best possible photos of your wedding and keeping everyone happy, a little planning and preparation can make a big difference. Communicating with your photographer, officiant and relatives will save not only time but also frazzled nerves. When everyone — including you — is having fun, it’ll make your photos that much better. 

Why Hire a Professional?

It’s said that once you mention the word “wedding,” prices quadruple. Wedding photography in particular can seem outrageously priced at times. You’ll discover the website of a photographer whose images you love and then you’ll see the rate and your heart will sink. Why on earth do you have to spend so much money just for some photographs?

Well, a photographer’s job isn’t as simple as showing up and taking a bunch of snapshots. An independent photographer is running a business. Businesses have expenses and they take hard work to build and maintain.

A Photographer’s Expenses

• Equipment. High quality camera bodies can cost $5,000. Lenses – which the photographer will need several of to capture different parts of the ceremony and reception – can cost $1,000 each. And at 2,000 to 3,000 frames per wedding, even a good camera will need to be replaced every couple of years. Then there are flashes, light meters, tripods, camera bags and other miscellaneous gear.
• Taxes. Your photographer is (or should be) paying taxes on every dollar she makes, just like everyone else. So if her fee is $3,000, almost $1,000 of that will go to Uncle Sam.
• Insurance. Many wedding venues require photographers and other vendors to carry liability insurance. Photographers must also insure their own camera equipment. Each of these types of insurance costs several hundred dollars per year.
• Advertising. Word of mouth is great, but a photographer needs to keep his name out there. Advertising on The Knot’s website, one of the most prominent wedding planning resources around, costs at least $12,400 per year.

Other Factors That Determine A Photographer’s Pricing

Hidden Work. A photographer doesn’t work for you only on the day of your wedding. Every meeting with potential clients is an investment of his time, whether he gets the job or not. Your photographer will spend time with you before the wedding to go over your plan for the day, your required shot list, and the design of any albums you may wish to purchase.

Once the wedding is shot, your photographer will spend hours editing, retouching, and color-correcting hundreds of images and then creating an album and/or online gallery of your wedding photos.

Intangible Artistry. Photography is a skill and an art. A professional doesn’t simply memorize what all the camera buttons do; he or she is able to capture the beauty and emotion of your day in a unique way. Good photos are more than just technically correct, they are special.

Introduction

You’ve been planning your wedding your whole life. But now that you’re actually engaged, you suddenly realize just how much work it’s going to take to turn your wedding dreams into a reality. Luckily, you have access to a whole host of planning tools right at your fingertips via the “World Wide Web.” You can search for your dress, book your honeymoon trip, and find everything from bouquets to wedding rings. But did you know that your own wedding website can also be a great tool to keep you organized as you plan your big day? Keeping connected to your friends and family is challenging enough during this busy time, especially if they are far away. Now you can help them feel a part of your wedding plans with your wedding website. You can share stories about yourself and your fiancé, help loved ones keep up on the wedding festivities, post pictures of yourselves, and much, much more. You can also save your guests time by allowing them to RSVP, make their travel plans, and even shop for wedding gifts right from your website. And when you’re finished, your site will be a wonderful memory of the day you started your new life together. Following is a guide to help you plan your perfect wedding website.

5 Reasons You Should Have A Wedding Website

Reason #1:

A wedding website is a great way to connect with friends and family.
With your wedding website, friends and family from across the country and around the world can feel like they are part of your wedding plans. They can read about you and see pictures of your youth. They can get to know your fiancé and your families before coming to the wedding. And, if you have large extended families, you will both need a head start just to remember everyone’s name.

Reason #2:

A wedding website makes planning your wedding easier.
Your website can help you plan your wedding, keep track of details, and get the news out about upcoming events. Include an events calendar listing all your wedding activities. Invite the wedding party to a planning session in your private chatroom or bulletin board to save on long distance bills. Encourage guests to RSVP online, submit music requests for your reception through your site, and more. If you have changes to your plans, or need to alert guests to a change of location, your wedding website provides an easily update-able format to keep everyone informed. If you’re short on time, you could even enlist a friend to be your “Wedding Communications Director” to moderate your wedding forum or return e-mails from guests.

Reason #3:

A wedding website gives the groom an opportunity to be involved in your wedding plans.
Even if your groom has not been excited about the details of your wedding, such as picking bridesmaid dresses, flowers, and reception food, you can help him feel part of the planning by working together on your wedding website. Let him help by writing about his life, his friends in the wedding party, his family, etc., scanning photos and maps, or writing about your future plans together. Have a groom’s forum where he can keep up with his friends and family, too. You can have a lot of fun building your site together.

Reason #4:

Your wedding website provides guests with information that does not fit in the invitation.
You can make it easy on guests by including online travel information with links to your wedding hotel, tourist information, driving directions, maps, and more. Your gift registry information and links to online shopping will save guests time by allowing them to order and send your gifts from their home computer. You can also include a guest book and contact information to allow guests to e-mail you with questions or comments.

Reason #5:

A wedding website is a great way to preserve and share your wedding memories and a wonderful start to your personal family history.
Think of your website as an online wedding scrapbook that you can easily share with friends and family. Here, you can preserve your wedding photos, memories, and more, in an interactive and update-able format. Remember to order a CD or print out the pages of your site when your hosting period ends. If you chose a custom-designed website, you can ask your designer to change your wedding site into a family website after your wedding, allowing you to continue to keep connected to your family and friends as your own family grows.

How To Get Started On Your Wedding Website

You should start on your wedding website as soon after you get engaged as possible. Why? The sooner your site is online, the more it can help you in planning your wedding. At the very least, be sure to start on your website before you order your invitations. You will need to include your website address (URL) with your invitations so guests can access it. It also takes a little time to put together your information and photos before you’re ready to go online, and you should have your site ready before you invite guests to visit it. Here’s a game plan to help you get going.

• Step 1.
  • Decide what pages and features you want to include in your site.
  • Decide what elements are important to you before selecting a website company. This way you can be sure to choose a company that offers the features you want.
• Step 2.
  • Shop around and select the wedding website company that best fits your style, your needs, and your budget.
  • If you are interested in a free or template-based service, and you plan to add custom pages, be sure the service you select will allow you to create your own custom pages that are not a part of their “menu.”
  • If you opt for a custom design, choose a designer who will respect your religious beliefs and creative ideas, and not just give you what they want.
  • If you are interested in having a website that matches your invitations, you can often save time and money by purchasing these together from the same designer.
• Step 3.
  • Organize your website content.
  • Write your biographies, your love story, and content for all the pages you have selected.
  • Choose the photographs you will feature.
  • Depending on the service, you may be able to include a photo or more per page, plus additional photos in a gallery or photo album.
  • Remember to include your gift registry information-and remember to actually register before you announce your site to guests.
• Step 4.
  • Prepare your content for the web.
  • Although the fill-in-the-blank style automated websites allow you to type your text right in on your browser, you should write your text first in a word processing program so you can use the spell-check feature
  • Remember that you should also proofread your writing, as you will find errors that are not seen by the spell-checking software.
  • When your content is correct, you can copy-and-paste into the browser form for template-based sites, or e-mail the text to your designer for custom sites.
  • If using a custom designer, check to see what text format he or she prefers.
  • If you do find a mistake or have a change of plans, you can usually edit your site later. Before you select a service, check for editing capabilities.
• Step 5.
  • Prepare your photos for the web.
  • If you choose a free or template-based service, you will need to provide all your photos digitally.
  • If you don’t have access to a scanner or a digital camera, most photo labs will provide you with a disk of digital photos along with your film for a small fee.
  • You can also ask your photographer about providing digital images. (Note that many professional photographers retain the copyrights to photos they have taken and you must obtain permission before posting such a photo on your website.)
  • Select good quality photos. Don’t choose photos that have poor lighting, are over-exposed, or have dark shadows. They will not look good on screen.
  • If you are manipulating your own photos, be sure they have a resolution of 72 dpi at the full size you plan to use them, or they will not look good on screen. JPG files are the preferred format for photos on the web.
  • Check to see if photos will be automatically scaled when uploaded, as this will often distort your images. (You may want to manually resize or crop your images to prevent distortion.)
  • If you select a custom design firm to create your website, they will often scan, crop and retouch your images for a small fee.

You are now ready to post your information to your new wedding website.

Page Ideas For Your Wedding Website

Whether you’re building your own site or having someone design it for you, here is a list of standard wedding website pages that many couples opt for, plus a few unique suggestions to help you create your perfect wedding website.

Standard Pages:

1. Home Page: Welcome visitors to your site with home page. Some services also include a countdown to your wedding and a guest counter displaying how many people have visited your site.
2. About You: Your guests will enjoy getting to know you better by reading biographies of the bride and the groom. You can tell the story of your life yourself, or write each other’s bios for a fun twist.
3. Your Story: Share the story of how you met and/or became engaged.
4. The Wedding Party: Provide short bios of the bridesmaids and grooms attendants.
5. Wedding Details: Time, date, and place of the big event (the basic information listed on your wedding invitations).
6. Calendar of Events: A Calendar of Events can help guests keep up with your planned activities and alert them to any last-minute changes.
7. Travel Information: For guests coming from out-of-town, you can include a travel page with hotel and tourist information, and even a link to allow guests to book their travel online. For fun, add a “Weather Magnet” to let guests know what the current weather is in your area. (If you’re building your own site, you can get the html code for a free weather magnet from www.theweatherchannel.com.)
8. RSVP: Save on postage and allow guests to RSVP right from your website.
9. Gift Registry: Another convenience for guests is to provide links to your on-line gift registries, allowing them to shop right from your site.
10. Photo Albums: Share pictures of yourselves as children, your dating adventures, and of course, your engagement and wedding photos. (Remember to post your wedding and reception photos after the wedding.)
11. Guestbook: Allow guests to leave well-wishes on your website.
12. Wedding Festivities: Highlight plans or share photos of your wedding showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and all the other activities you’ve planned to celebrate your big day.

Additional Page Ideas:

1. Your Family: Remember to highlight your families to help them feel a part of your wedding. A family photo with short bios on parents and siblings is a great addition to your site.
2. Reception Information: If you are planning a reception or open house that will be held on a different day or alternate location from the wedding, you can provide reception information for guests, and even link to maps or driving directions right from your website.
3. Future Plans: Share your plans for your future together.
4. Wedding Traditions: Share unique wedding customs or traditions of your family.
5. Religion Symbolism: If you have guests from other faiths attending your ceremony, a section explaining your religious wedding rituals will help them better understand your ceremony.
6. Theme Page: If your wedding has a unique theme, share the details as well as any special preparations the guests may need to make. If your theme has historical significance or symbolism, you can include this as well.
7. Honeymoon: Share your honeymoon plans or invite your guests back after the wedding to see a report of your honeymoon adventures.

Additional Features

If you plan to create your own site or opt for a custom site, you may be able to take advantage of the additional features below:

1. Custom E-mail addresses (yourname@you.com): Get one for you, your fiancé, your families, or your whole wedding party.
2. Chat Room: If you have friends and family spread all over the country, save on the phone bills and have your own private chat room. Just set up a time when everyone can be online and host your own live wedding chat!
3. Bulletin Board/Forum: When it’s hard to get everyone together, you can have a bulletin board discussion. Family and friends can post on their own time, and you don’t all have to be available at once. The wedding forum is a great way to plan wedding events or post news about last-minute changes!
4. Weblog Journal: A weblog (also known as a “blog”) lets you post information to your website anytime you want. Start a wedding journal chronicling your wedding planning adventures that you can share with guests or just keep for yourself.
5. Photo Gallery: A photo gallery enables you to upload an unlimited number of pictures right from your web browser. You can then categorize these, sort by type, etc. You could even grant permission for your family or friends to upload photos. Ask them to help you build your site by posting the pictures they have of you as well.

Other Tips For A Great Wedding Website

Tip #1: Get the word out.

Your site will not be used to its full potential if no one can find it. Remember to include your website address in all your wedding invitations. For less formal invitations, you can have your website printed directly on the invitation itself. Add an insert card with the website address for more formal invitations. Don’t forget to include your web address on shower invitations, open house invitations, save-the-date cards, etc. You can even give guests a head start by e-mailing your website address to them.

After the wedding, be sure to post your wedding and reception photos on your site. You can invite your guests back to your site to see these photos by printing your website address on napkins, attaching it to party favors, or sending it out with your thank you notes. If you order custom-made thank you notes that match your wedding invitations, remember to have your website address preprinted on these to save time writing later.

Tip #2: Respect copyright laws.

Do not download photos or clipart, or copy text from other people’s sites to post on your own site unless you have permission. This also includes items such as maps and store logos (gift registry). With the exception of government and other public domain materials, images and text are protected under copyright law even if you do not see copyright information on the site. Some sites do allow you to use their copyrighted images and clip art for personal use, but check the website’s Terms of Use before using anything on your own site. Generally, it is permissible to provide a text link from your site to the page you want to reference.

If your photographer doesn’t provide you with your negatives, he or she probably still owns the rights to these photos-even though they are pictures of you. You must get permission before posting these online as well.

Tip #3: Play it safe.

Do not publish your personal information such as address, home telephone number, etc., if you are concerned about who will have access to this information, and ask permission before publishing personal information about others (such as family members or wedding party). Some companies also offer a “contact us” page that uses a form e-mail response, hiding your e-mail address from the senders. Be sure to review the company’s website privacy policy before providing personal information about yourself. Sites may sell your information to other advertisers (especially the free sites). Sometimes just by signing up with them and using their services, you have given permission for them to do this.

If you are very concerned about privacy, some services allow you to password protect your site, or even just specific pages within your site to keep strangers out. If you choose to do this, you will need to provide the username and password to guests or they will not be able to access your website.

Tip #4: Don’t take on more than you can handle.

Building a website can be a major undertaking, especially when you have a wedding to plan. Decide what pages will best serve you and your guests and start with those first. You can always add pages later. If you find yourself becoming stressed, ask friends and family to help you by doing research on information for out-of-town guests, writing family and wedding party bios, scanning photos, or organizing event schedules. Don’t spend valuable time trying to learn new technology-you’ll have plenty of time after the wedding to learn about scanning or building web pages in html. If you are not comfortable building your site or do not want to hassle with uploading everything one item at a time, consider hiring a custom design firm to save time and frustration.

Tip #5: Always remember what is important.

Don’t get so caught up in the details of planning your wedding that you can’t enjoy the journey. Whether it is websites, bridesmaid dresses, or party favors, remember that the reason you are planning this event is to celebrate your love and commitment to your best friend. Take time for each other and remember to communicate. It’s good practice for when you are married!

Overview of Wedding Website Services

If you’re lucky enough to have a friend who can create a wedding website for you, then that is a great option. For the rest of us, here’s an overview of the commercial wedding website providers. Free Websites

Some of the larger corporate wedding planning sites offer couples a free wedding website or webpage. Generally, the couple will complete an on-line form with information that is then posted to your site. Note, however, that in most cases your free site is paid for by advertisements, generally in the form of banner ads and/or pop-ups. In this case, you will not have a say in the ads that are published on your site. However, if you are on a tight budget, this is still a nice way to share your day on-line.

Template Websites

Another option is the template-based website service. You can select from a number of pre-designed template styles and colors. You input your information onto an on-line form, and your information is posted immediately to your website. Generally you can only select from pre-made page choices, but some services do allow you to create your own page options. You also often have the option to upload your digital photos to your site. The cost for this type of wedding website service usually starts around $75.00-$99.00 per year including hosting, and many sites offer a free 10-14 day trial.

Custom-designed Websites

The third option is a custom-designed site. With a custom design, your website template is unique to you. You can have the designer create exactly the pages and content you want, and you can even have your own domain name, i.e., www.yourname.com (or .net, .info, etc.) for an additional fee. Some custom sites even offer enhanced communication features such as private chat rooms, bulletin boards, photo galleries, and even personal e-mail (you@yourname.com). A few designers will create custom wedding invitations and matching wedding websites, carrying the theme of your wedding throughout. The cost for custom-designed sites is slightly higher than the template-based service, but not as much as you might think. Single-page, all-in-one sites often start around $50.00, with larger, more complex sites increasing in price, averaging between $350.00-$650.00. A full-featured, custom-designed site with 15-20 pages can be found for under $1,000.00.

After the Wedding

Couples usually have 12-18 months of hosting included free with any of the site options listed above. A few of the template-based sites and most custom designers also offer extended hosting after the initial period for a monthly fee. Depending on the company you choose to design your site, you may also be able to purchase a CD of your completed site when the free hosting period is over. Another option you might consider is turning your wedding website into a family site after your wedding. What a wonderful way to preserve your wedding memories for years to come!

Create a Window to Your Destination Wedding

With destination weddings on the rise, it is becoming more and more important for couples to have a means for informing their guests of their upcoming wedding plans as well as provide recommendations for out-of-town guests.

Wedding websites allow your guests one-stop shopping when it comes time for them to arrange their travel plans as well as other details. You can be as specific as you wish and link your website directly to the hotel reservation pages that you would like to recommend to your guests.

You will find that having a website is not only a time-saver but a budget-saver as well. The multiple mailings that can sometimes become necessary to communicate with your guests can easily eat up a good portion of any wedding budget. Allowing your guests to RSVP online will also cut down on your wedding expenses. No need for RSVP cards! However, you can always order just enough for those guests who may not be web savvy.

Destination weddings have definitely become a way for couples to express their style in a less traditional way. If you choose to have your wedding in a destination location, try to make it a fun experience for you and your fiancé as well as for your guests.

Destination Wedding Tips

1. Location, Location, Location. When selecting a location, choose one that appeals to your tastes and wedding style. Keep in mind, however, that because it won’t be as easy as going down the street to the local church to attend your wedding, you’ll have to assume that your guest list may be smaller. You’ll need to get a good sense about the number of attendees you wish to have before selecting your event facility so you can be confident that it will be appropriate for the crowd.
2. Less is More. Destination weddings can be expensive not only for those getting married, but also for those attending. Try to be mindful of that when selecting your wedding site so those who are closest to you can afford to attend. Consider having your wedding during the off-season so costs will be lower. Traditionally, accommodation expenses are covered for the bridesmaids by the bride’s family and for the groomsmen by the groom’s family. All other guests should be responsible for their own expenses. Most hotels will work with you to offer group discounts.
3. Assist your Guests. You may know the location that you will be flying off to for your dream wedding like the back of your hand, but most of your guests will not. Your wedding website can be a tool to help you educate your guests about the area, local attractions, accommodation ideas, the weather and directions. Making their job easier will only amount in a larger turnout at your wedding. Use your website to remind them of the things they may not consider such as a passport if required for your chosen location.

Wedding Photo Do’s & Don’ts: Top 10 Ways to Ruin

 Your Portraits Without Even Knowing

Photography Expert Dan Creviston Shares Things to Avoid and Tips to Ensure Flawless Photography on Your Special Day

After months of planning the finer details of your special day – the dress, the location, the guest list and more – your head will likely be spinning. But with so much to think about, it is important not to overlook your only opportunity to permanently capture your special day – your wedding photography.

According to the Bridal Association of America, each year couples spend nearly $5.2 billion on wedding photography, but your investment could fall short if you don’t plan ahead. Without realizing, there are 10 easy ways that you can take your photography from perfect to forgettable.

Top 10 Mishaps of Wedding Photography:

1. Not carefully choosing your photographer

Before choosing your photographer, take time to review their portfolio. If you don’t have someone with experience and skill, your photos will pay the price. Studios should provide album examples to review before you make your choice. If the studio does not allow you to choose your photographer, quickly move on!

2. Not chatting with your photographer a week in advance

It is important to discuss everything in detail with your photographer prior to the wedding day – don’t be afraid to be up-front about your expectations. Do your check in one week prior to the wedding so all instructions are fresh in the photographer’s memory. If you have specific requests, ideas to explore, or important don’ts to cover, express them. This is especially important because churches, synagogues, mosques and chapels may have specific areas that cannot be photographed. You don’t want any unwelcome surprises!

3. Not creating a photo “wish list”

Have you always dreamed of a romantic photo on top of a hill, in the middle of a field, or on a median along a busy street? Show pictures in magazines, old family photos, or any other visual to convey this to your photographer. From there, your wedding photographer should make your “wish list” happen.

4. Taking only stiff, posed pictures

Every album must have formal photos of the wedding party, but don’t let it stop there. It is important to have shots in a more relaxed setting – whether on the dance floor doing the electric slide or strolling around the reception.

5. Shooting at high noon

The sun is shining, the sky is bright, but what you may think is a perfect time to shoot is far from it. High noon sunlight creates harsh shadows on the face and doesn’t cast you in the best light – wait until the afternoon.

6. Sweaty, shiny photos

Of course it will happen – standing close together in full formal gear can turn up the body temperature. But don’t let shiny faces and (eek!) sweaty armpits take away from the special occasion. Be prepared with powder, anti-perspirant deodorant and paper towels!

7. Not scheduling enough time for the photo sessions and driving time

It takes time to shoot pictures of the entire family, arrive at several different shoot locations and get all of those perfect shots with you and your hubby. Make your life easier – allot extra time for photography! As a plan of attack, get the large group shots finished first, starting with children and the elderly. Next, take pictures with the families and bridal party. Lastly, spend some alone time with your man and the camera, while the impatient herd heads towards the cocktail hour. After all, it is your day!

8. Badly positioned hands and feet

After several shots, you and your wedding party may become antsy – tapping fingers, leaning on one foot and fidgeting. It is important that your photographer works with you to keep everyone photogenic, focused and above everything else – comfortable.

9. Missing the small moments

There are signature special moments in a wedding – the bride and groom’s first kiss, the first dance between a father and new bride, the garter ceremony and cutting of the cake. But small moments – such as the flower girl smiling from the pew, a proud moment between the mother and father, grandma on the dance floor – cannot be missed!

10. Stopping photographs before the reception is over

Many couples want to turn the cameras off at 9 p.m., but some of the most memorable and interesting photos happen when the party really gets going. Keep shooting!