Say 'Cheese' to no cheesy photos

http://www.michellepattee.com/ is a professional photographer in the US who has been shooting brides for 15 years. Below, she shares some tips for brides to put their best face forward for their wedding day photographs to make everyone smile for years to come. (Photo is courtesy of Michelle Pattee)

1. Get some rest, and plenty of it. The night before your wedding will probably be a party, but make every effort possible to get eight hours of sleep. It is the best beauty treatment out there and it does not cost a cent. Try to pack in the sleep hours the week before your wedding also – it will definitely make a difference. If you are feeling overwhelmed with tasks, then delegate, delegate, delegate, so you can hit the hay!

2. Don’t get your first facial the week of your wedding. If you have never been to an aesthetician, then pace yourself and schedule your treatments in advance. Your skin may react unpleasantly and you need a window of time for it to calm down. Skin treatments are more effective in a series, and should begin at least six months before your Big Day.

3. Drink water. I know you have heard this plenty before, but it plumps the skin. Plus, it ranks as another FREE beauty treatment and we like those. Eat something too. You may be too nervous for food on your wedding day, but you must eat, especially breakfast. You need the fuel food provides to get you through the party (and the photo session).

4. Put your faith in yourself. Go with your gut when you hire your photographer. She or he will be in very close proximity to you on a day in your life that is like no other. Listen to your instincts when you are interviewing prospective shooters and ask yourself these questions: Can I be comfortable around this person, even in my bathrobe? Will my family and friends be comfortable with this person? You will be relaxed and confident, and that will translate though to the photographs, if you are at ease with your photographer.

5. Put your faith in your photographer. Once you have hired your photo soul mate, hand over the reins and let them fly. Tell them in advance of your wedding day, about any insecurities or opinions you have when it comes to being photographed. Once that is covered, don’t give it another thought. On the day of your wedding, let the photographer direct you and try not to second guess their instructions.

Stamp of Approval

Everything you put on your wedding invitation is important- even the stamp affixed to the outside envelope. Continue your wedding's theme or colour scheme by personalizing a stamp for your wedding invitations, save-the-date cards, RSVPs or even your thank you cards.

Canada Post's website has all the instructions and you can do it from your home by simply uploading a digital photo:

http://tinyurl.com/dox5n

Take a photo of you and your fiance, or perhaps a flower that will be included in the centrepieces, the church you'll be married at or your honeymoon destination. If you want to include the photo-stamp on your thank you cards, use one from your wedding day or from your honeymoon !

The Sand Ceremony

A very popular addition to wedding services is the Sand Ceremony. It’s usually performed by the bride and groom, each having a vial of sand of their chosen color, and pouring it at the same time into some sort of a container. You may have heard about it or seen it performed. It’s very symbolic in that each person, represented by their color of sand, is willing to pour themselves forth to be joined by the other person, represented by their color of sand, to create a new color, a new item, a new family.

At least that’s the basic idea of the ceremony.

Whenever someone mentions Sand Ceremony, I immediately think of this one particular couple. If you asked their names, I would have to say Barbie and Ken. (You remember Barbie & Ken!?) She was thin, lithe, blond and beautiful. He was gorgeous, so handsome in his perfectly fitted tux. Standing together, they were radiant; fairly glowing in their love for each other.

Fast forward to the “sand” time in the ceremony. They gracefully process to the small, draped, table that holds her vial of blue sand to represent peace and his vial of red sand to represent love, or passion. Together they pick up their vials, together they start pouring and mingling their sand. And then I notice that his hand is still poised but no longer tipping. She keeps pouring, then realizes he isn’t, looks up at him and down again at the vial. He returns her look and smiles, letting a few grains of sand fall. She continues to pour. He holds his own, so to speak.

Again, she lovingly looks up at him and down at the vial. Again he lets a few more grains of sand fall. A few more desperate darts of her eyes back and forth, forth and back. Now she is out of sand.

Dump, goes his sand. The last half vial of bright red sand squarely sits on top of hers. Exactly what is he trying to tell her? Maybe he feels that his passion is enough to overcome any obstacle. Maybe the sand was damp and wouldn’t pour. I don’t know. I didn’t ask.

The Sand Ceremony usually works out very nicely and the couple has a new, beautiful container filled with a symbol of their union which they put in a place of honor in their new home.

This ceremony may also be written to include the parents. But I’ll leave that story for another blog, another time.

Something White for Something Right: Update

As of September 17, only 37 tickets were left. Visit http://www.somethingwhite.ca/ to purchase your ticket before they are sold out! don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity !

Ottawa Wedding Show this Weekend

Come and visit Marry Me's booth at the Ottawa Wedding Show at Landsdowne Park this weekend. Show hours Saturday and Sunday are from 10am to 5pm. We can't wait to meet you !

http://www.ottawaweddingshow.com/

Honeymoon Hot Find

It's easy to forget about the details regarding your honeymoon when you have napkin folds and signature drinks to design for your wedding day. Your honeymoon wardrobe should not be overlooked, and thinking about it also gives your mind a nice break from the wedding planning process.

We absolutely love the clutches from http://www.kaijany.com/

They are small enough for travel and the selection is vast enough that you can find bags for the evening or for daytime sightseeing. What's even better is that they are made from organic, natural, eco-friendly materials. And a portion of all purchases goes to UNICEF's program for orphan children.

Who said you can't look good while saving the earth ?