Has Weddings Changed? (covid-19 edition)

 

Has Weddings Changed?

     Covid-19 took us all for a huge loop. Here at EMC we realized during March 2020 that we were going to be in the loop as everyone else in the world. 

    Everything shut down. It seemed like for good. 

    However, when changes comes so comes chances.  A chance to spend more time with those you love. A chance to spend more time planning your wedding. A chance to save a bit more money for that upgrade on a vendor, venue, flowers or food. 

    So has Weddings really Changed since before Covid-19?

     Absolutely! But not in the way you would believe. During 2020 couples were still getting married. They were still smiling after saying "I do" and they were still finding ways to celebrate with those they love most. Some were limiting their attendees, some had drive by weddings, and some had the cutest Intimate weddings I have ever seen. 

    It is not that Weddings have Changed. It is that Weddings have evolved into what they have always needed to be. Intimate, Personal, and sometimes even Private. 

    So when you sit down tonight and go over your wedding plans. Just remember the love you have for your significant other and plan this wedding for YOU. 

    

   Thank you for reading. 

www.emcphotographystudio.com

IG: emcweddings

FB: facebook.com/emcweddings

    

Finding that PERFECT Wedding Dress

     

Choosing your Perfect Wedding dress can seem stressful and downright terrifying. 

          How will you ever choose? There are so many options. Do I really want to spend the next 8 hours trying on wedding dresses at my local bridal shop? 

NO! No one does. 

               Will there be a guiding light to my perfect dress? 

NO! There will not be. 

(although the light up wedding dresses ARE pretty neat)

However,  I'm here to make it easier for you to find your DREAM Wedding Dress. Or at least give you an idea of what you are looking for.

Let's start with a piece of paper or be like me and grab the first available paper plate.
(go ahead, I'll wait)
    Cross your paper (or paper plate) like this
 


You are going to number each section: 1 - 4.

WHOOT! We're cooking with Fire now!

There are 4 Simple Questions to ask yourself before shopping for your perfect gown:
    Here is where you make your notes
     

Which do you like better? 

There is only 1 Rule

You can only List 2 per section

     1. Length 

                                     Short                              Mid                               Long  

      

 If you are looking to have a train, you will be needing to choose the 'long' option.

 If you are looking to have a long veil you can choose any length. 

2. Skirt

                                     Trumpet                            Flare                          Ball                                    

      

                                                       Straight                         Column

   

                                   Sheath                      A-Line                         Mermaid

             

     

Yes, There are a lot of skirt options BUT remember you can only list 2.

3. Back

No back                  Full                      Keyhole 

      

Note to self: 

If you have back tattoos: Do you wish to show them off?

4. Sleeves

                     Long                        Sleeveless                       Cap                     

      

                                   Off the Shoulder           Juliette                  One Shoulder

                 

Note to self: What will the weather be like during your Wedding Month

_______________________________________

   You're Done! 

How did you do?

       A: "This was so helpful, I got this!"

       OR

       B:  "Now I am even more confused"

     If you are in the "A" category take your paper (or even your paper plate) to your wedding dress stylist and get trying on those gowns. 

     If you are in the "B" category DO NOT PANIC!! Keep reading.

I have one more thing up my sleeve. 

_____________________________________

For all of you Category B's.

Here is a TIP I learned from a Bride I photographed last year. 

Join Wedding Facebook Groups. 

No really! Hear me out. 

There are SOO many Wedding Facebook Groups out there that have so many members to help you out. And Among these many members, there will be an individual who is your size and shape. They will be more than willing to share their dress selection and experiences with you. 

Here is a list of my top 3 Facebook Wedding Support groups I am a member of: 

1. Wedding Planning Club

2. Wedding Planning & Support

3. Getting Hitched Wedding Style

These groups are so supportive and active towards their members. You will be flooded with positivity, love and will be supported with any questions and decisions you have made throughout not only your wedding dress selection or design but also your wedding planning. 

Good luck in finding your PERFECT Wedding Dress. 

And as always

Thank You For Reading!

EMC Photography Studio

www.emcphotographystudio.com 

IG: emcweddings

Facebook.com/emcweddings

I am about to go Bridezilla?

                                   

     You have spent all of this time planning your BIG Day you're happy, excited & totally IN LOVE with what you have accomplished in this amount of time.

 Then this happens:

     "Hello, This is your photographer we would like to inform you that we are unable to make your wedding date. Please call us back"

UH....OKAY?!?!

 and this: 

     "Hello Miss Smith I am so sorry to let you know but we have scheduled a larger wedding and will not be able to cater your event"

OMG!!!

and another:

     "I am just not going to be able to make it to your wedding, I'll send a gift though."

WHAT IS HAPPENING!!!!!

     As a Wedding Photographer, I have run into every story in the book. "My photographer canceled on me, please help!" - "Did you hear my caterer canceled on me for a larger wedding" - "Oh yeah, so, my own mother isn't going to be at my wedding because she has a birthday party to go to'. *All true Stories btw* 

     This can be very frustrating situations when planning your big day. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel. This blog is to help you keep your head on straight and offer you a few tips on keeping it together and fixing what has gone wrong, and fixing it FAST. 

What is the "Value" of a Wedding Photographer?

What is the "Value" of a Wedding Photographer???

     Some of the toughest questions come to me during my meetings with my couples. Today I heard. "Honestly, we don't even know if we really NEED a Photographer"

     Every day we hope to get the best BANG for our BUCK, right? Wrong! If you honestly think about it, you aren't looking for the savings in the items you purchase, you are looking for the value. What will I get out of this? Who is selling it? and How long will it last? These are the questions we really ask ourselves when we go about our day. 

     There are 3 separate needs that go through our minds when we are planning a wedding. I speak from experience when I say: "It is OKAY to have needs. We are human."

 

    1. External Need: The external need of every person is the bottom line. The out in the open 'need'.

"I need someone to take photographs of my wedding" Point blank. 

Wedding Photographers are there to meet all of your needs and more. They will be there for you before, during and some even after your wedding. They are seen but not seen. They are in the bushes, behind grandma, in the rafters and in some cases lying on the floor capturing the moments you openly need. 

    2. Internal Need:  The internal need of every person is in the middle, between what is known & what is not known. 

 "Am I good enough? Am I even good enough to be having this wedding? Am I actually worth throwing in all of this money to invest just in myself?"

Wedding Photographers create portraits, we create Artwork around what YOU love most. I personally give you permission to value YOURSELF. This is your day, your ONE day you can smile for 8-10 hours, you can shed tears without judgment & basically piss off anyone and not have any repercussions afterward... *just throwing that last bit for laughs but still serious about it*

     3. Philosophical Need: The Philosophical need of every person is the innermost feeling deep within you that no one knows but you. 

"Does this even matter? Does this Marriage even matter? What am I doing here, should I just walk away?"

Know this before judging my philosophical examples above. This could go deeper than anyone could imagine within yourself. It could be religious, spiritual, moral or even self-worth. The Philosophical needs of every person can't be outed, it can't be judged & it can't be contained. However, know this. No matter your deeper need. . . we get it. We understand. Any Wedding Photographer that has done more than 3 weddings understands. Why? Because we've seen it. We see the stress, we feel the grief and we know the struggle. Don't give up!

@>------

Putting a Value on your Wedding Photographer has absolutely NOTHING to do with us. And I know you have read, watched or heard differently more times than you can count. However, The Value that we can give you as Wedding Photographers is Knowledge. 

1. External Need - We are photographers & We will do everything in our power to take the most sublime photos we can to make sure you get your money's worth. 

2. Internal Need - We do not budge our prices because we KNOW in our heart and in our soul that our Service & Product is worth the value it contains. 

3. Philosophical Need - *Spoilers* We have them too! Every Wedding Photographer has these moments where they want to just throw in the towel. "Why is no one booking me?" "What am I doing wrong?" "Should I change everything about my business & Just start over?" (Again these are just examples) Point is, on Philosophical needs, you are not alone. 

So, What ACTUALLY is the "Value" of a Wedding Photographer?

YOU!!!!!

A Wedding Photographer is only as much Value as you Value yourself. You are faced with a photographer that has a base price of $3,000 but your External Need was $500. Why??? Why is that YOUR value? Why do we place values on ourselves? The only answer to that is opinions. Opinions help us fail. Know your vendor's value, Know your entire Wedding's value, Know YOUR VALUE. When you find your value, your stress will be less, your time will be more & you will have the best Damn Wedding Photographer and The best photos for years to come. 

Thank you so much for reading

"What do you think the value of a Wedding Photographer is?" Leave your comments below

www.emcphotographystudio.com