My Brides: A Photographer’S Story

By Peter Wallburg

In my 20 plus years as a professional photographer, Ive shot more weddings than I can count. The new digital technology has created a set of new problems, problems for both the bride and the photographer.

I have a collection of reality-tested tips and tricks, dos and donts that will make any brides life easier. I am going to share that advice with you in the pages of this book. This guide is to help you create your wedding day; by empowering you with the knowledge you need to have a happy and perfect (or as close to a perfect) day as is possible. It shows you the things that go on behind the scenes, and knowledge is power, the power to orchestrate your perfect day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499019612

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Peter Wallburg. 626769

Library of Congress Control Number: pending

ISBN:    Softcover          978-1-4990-1962-9

            EBook              978-1-4990-1961-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 05/30/2014

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

Table of Contents

Chapter 1  The Voices of Experience

Chapter 2  Creating Your Perfect Day

Chapter 3  Your Photographer

Chapter 4  The Wedding Factory & Why You Don’t Want To Go There

Chapter 5  You and Your Photographer

Chapter 6  Your Photographer’s Day

Chapter 7  Your Wedding Album

Chapter 8  Your Reception Venue

Chapter 9  Agents of the Unpredictable

Chapter 10  True Stories from 20 Years of Weddings

Dear Bride-to-Be,

Congratulations! You are about to begin one of the busiest and most exciting chapters in your life: the prelude to your wedding day. Whether you’ve set the date for a year from now or whether it’s just a few months away, the coming days are going to be packed with decisions about an event you’ve probably been imagining since you were a little girl. This book is designed to help you make decisions that will result in a wedding day that fulfills all your dreams—and to have a record of that wonderful experience in visual images that you, your family and your future family will cherish for years and generations to come.

I confess! I am probably the world’s biggest wedding fan. I have been photographing weddings for years, not because I have to but because I am an old romantic and love weddings. I’ve shot bridal couples and their entourages just about everywhere—at the altar, under the chupah, on the beach, in gardens, vineyards and galleries—almost any place you can think of. (Well, not a Las Vegas Wedding chapel yet, but I wouldn’t turn that down). And I’ve photographed all kinds of couples at this peak moment in their lives—young, straight, gay, seniors, and second and third time around couples. Whoever they are, wherever they choose to take their vows, their wedding is special and my job is to show just how special their day was.

In my 20 plus years as a professional photographer, I’ve shot more weddings than I can count. As you can imagine, I’ve got a collection of reality-tested tips and tricks, do’s and don’ts that will make any bride’s life easier and her big day the fulfillment of her dreams. I’m going to share that advice with you in the pages of this little guidebook.

So, let’s get started. You’ve got a lot to do!

With my best wishes,

Peter

P.S.- Please note that in the following pages I refer to the photographer, maître d’ and DJ using the masculine pronouns. That’s no reflection on the many talented women in those fields. It’s just that when writing, I find it awkward to be constantly struggling to insert he/she or him/her. Thanks for understanding.

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Who wants to have regrets about one of the biggest days in her life? This is a single day that is going to cost an average of $30,000 plus? ($50,000 plus in on the coasts) I think that gets a big no from all the brides. So, before you start your planning—take a moment and heed some voices of experience sharing their top 8 wedding regrets. Having played a part in so many weddings, I can vouch for the validity of each and every one of these if only.

#8- I wish we hadn’t left for our honeymoon so quickly.

There is such a thing as an after the wedding hangover. I am not talking about recovering from a night of drinking; I am referring to coming off the natural high that peaks at your wedding day. All the time and energy spent over the months preparing for this event finally reaches a crescendo than it’s over, so let’s get up the next morning, grab our suitcases and run to the airport to catch our flight.

Sure, you need a break and want to escape, but why not spend an extra day at the hotel, and catch a flight the following day. This way you can have a celebratory brunch with your family and friends and maybe a romantic dinner alone with your new husband. You will wake up refreshed the next morning and gladly head off to the airport.

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#7 - I should have had more fun at my wedding.

This is your day. Let me repeat that, this is your day and you should enjoy it. Weddings that have been wonderful successes are those weddings where the bride danced the night away and her guests followed suit. Your obligation should be to have a great time.

#6 – I wish our reception and ceremony were closer.

Imagine leaving the ceremony only to travel 30 minutes plus to get to the reception! I have followed limos and seen them pull over at a liqueur store along the way to buy more booze. I have also heard the stories of the limos air-conditioning breaking down and of people getting so drunk that the limo had to pull over for them to get sick.

Even when elaborate directions have to be given to the guests, I have been at weddings where guests have shown up an hour late to the reception because they got lost (this was at an old mansion situated in the depths of a state park).

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#5 – I wish I were not obsessed with NOT seeing the groom before the ceremony.

This is a very delicate area with many brides and mostly comes into play when the ceremony and the reception are at the same venue. I give an extra hour of my time – at no additional charge - to do the formals before the ceremony. This is done in a very