A Picture is worth a Thousand Memories

No matter what your budget or style, a wedding would be nothing without the mementos and images that live on long after the last dance. Wedding photography is my favorite part of any celebration, and I love how it can be customized to fit each bride. With so many amazing photographers out there to choose from, its important to keep a few things in mind when searching for just the right one.

(Photo courtesy of L.Renee Studios)

Pick an overall look for your wedding.

Setting a clear style will assist with finding a photographer and help them realize your vision. If you want a traditional look, you'll want to focus on a photographer who specializes in classic photo imaging. For a more artistic view, look for a photographer who focuses in photojournalism. These two different styles can both be absolutely beautiful, but in the end you want a photographer who's images you'll want on your coffee table and walls forever.

Find someone who you like being around

A photographer will be closely involved with your big day for multiple hours, so you wouldn't want to spend that much time with someone you can't stand. Start a conversation and meet with your photographer before you book them. Use it as an interview not only for their work, but them as an artist as well. No photographer is right for every wedding and not all brides mesh with every vendor. Start the conversation and ask plenty of questions. I know a lot of photographers who become friends with their clients after the wedding, and that comes from taking the time to really get to know them.

(Photo courtesy of Kina Wicks Photography)

Have a budget in mind and talk to your photographer about it.

There are photographers available for every price point. If you have a budget in mind, tell your photographer about it. They will work with you to find the perfect combination of products and prices to make sure you get everything you need. Ask about a la carte items or customizing their packages, or see if there is anything they suggest. You should be able to talk with your photographer about anything, so speak up if you have questions!

(Photo courtesy of Amanda Julca)

Looking for a photographer can be overwhelming, so ask around. If you see wedding photos you like, find out who took them. Happy brides usually are a result of happy photographers, so use that resource to start your hunt. The images in this blog are from three of my favorite wedding photographers. I have endless good things to say about them all, so if you like what you see, check out their blogs! I know I can look at wedding photography all day every day, so hopefully these 3 ladies can provide some beautiful distractions. Until next time!

Etsy, my one true love for all things detail.

Being crafty myself, and loving all things handmade, I've been in love with Etsy for a very long time. Sometimes I forget not everyone has been introduced to all the amazing things this website has to offer and that its not such a household name as it is in mine.

Etsy is a website dedicated to all things handmade and vintage. Crafters around the world offer up their amazing and beautiful works ranging from clothes to jewelry to home décor. I can often get lost within the pages for days, and each time I find a new seller that captures my heart. When I started this wedding planning process, I knew I would use Etsy as an inspiration as well as the first resource for all the added details throughout the day. I figured I would share some of my favorite vendors, and a great group that offers a monthly contest based on wedding crafters.

(photo courtesy of amberbrownmakesart)

One of my good friends, and a great crafter, amberbrownmakesart offers a creative and adorable way to store and send all those photo CDs you get at the end of your wedding. She custom makes each of these felt cd cases based on what you desire and they come in an endless combination of colors and designs.

Its a great way to send off those proofs and final prints in style, and they are an adorable gift to the bridal party and family members for years to come.

When looking for Bridal jewerly I automatically thought of Esty, (photo courtesy of VirginiaGeigerJewels)

and I came upon VirginiaGeigerJewels. Her work is elegant and romantic, and could easily adapt to any bridal style. I love pearl jewerly when paired with a wedding dress, so I am always going to love an artist who works so fantastically with pearls in their designs. I love this choker necklace. Its a great modern look that would accent any girl and any style.

Finally, I'll mention a group that combines weddings, Etsy and contests. Three of my favorite things, and possibly yours soon too! Etsy Wedding Divas are a collection of Etsy artists who's main focus is all things wedding. They represent a whole slew of amazing and creative artists and you can find every detail you're looking for within one of their members. As an added bonus, every month they offer a contest giving away 16 different prizes at one time via their facebook page. The best of all my favorite worlds!

Weddings are all about being creative and unique, and the details should be no exception. When looking for those added details and special keepsakes, Etsy is a great place to start. You never know what you're going to find, and every day you can find a new and creative addition to your overall wedding design.

It's not whether you win or lose...its how you play the game

Everyone loves to win and even though you already have the ultimate prize with your fiance, there is never a shortage of contests to enter or gifts to desire. Everything from photography packages to wedding dresses, each company seems to be offering something. Sorting through all of them might seem overwhelming, and unnecessary, but I have actually happened upon some really cool vendors that I would have never seen otherwise as a result of my giveaway hunt.

A great example of this is coming across the amazing Chicago jewelry designer Erin Gallagher Jewelry.

Her jewelry is gorgeous and with a design your own option, they make the

perfect bridesmaids gifts! My personal favorites are the Meg earrings, but everything on the site is great. The contest I found simply required liking their facebook page, but I got lost on her site for hours as a result.

(photo courtesy of Erin Gallagher Jewelry)

My latest hunt has been looking around for stationary and paper goods, and my contest search actually lead to some new and exciting companies. I recently entered a contest for Hello! Lucky invitations, and what a find this was. The site is full of an endless combination of adorable paper goods, and I could totally see myself picking any number of designs for our wedding. Everything is customizable, and they will happily work with you to find the best fit for your wedding stationary. They do other invites and such too, so I'm going to save them in my back pocket for later on down the road.

(photo courtesy of Hello! Lucky)

Now, although I have yet to win anything, (fingers crossed still), I have loved this exploration of new and creative vendors for all the little details I have yet to choose. You might not win every time, or anytime for that matter...but if you land upon that perfect little extra for your already special day, I think its a pretty good close second.

Get Organized While You Can!

Wedding planning is stressful enough, so any chance I have to reduce that stress, I'm going to take it. Someone suggested when I first got engaged to set up a new "wedding only" email account. I can't stress enough how much I support this idea. Not only does it help when registering for events and products but its also the perfect way to keep all your wedding correspondents in one place! Once you get into the thick of it, you'll realize how many times you type out that email and you'll be thankful for the separation. Its also an excuse to have a cute wedding-themed email name that you'll never have the chance to use again.

The other suggestion I will forever be thankful for is buying this book:

Bridal Bargains

Since we are trying to remain on a tight budget, Bridal Bargains has been my go-to guide every time. They offer up money saving suggestions for anything you could think of from the reception all the way down to the wedding rings. Each chapter features a buying guide and real wedding tips to help you navigate through this crazy planning process. The book is divided into multiple categories so you can skip ahead to exactly what you need. I have already used this book multiple times, and plan on many more in the future.

Next step, head to the internet and start looking. Inspiration is everywhere. All you have to do is type wedding into Google and you've got days worth of suggestions. I have a folder on my desktop where I save pictures and products I see that peak my interest. This way, everything is in one place and its a great resource when creating inspiration boards or talking to vendors. It can be overwhelming sometimes so keeping it in one spot can't hurt.

So far, I'm on track to getting everything organized. The craft projects will begin soon, and I wanted as much of the planning and decisions decided before then. I can't wait to finally get my hands dirty and start creating some details. I also can't wait to share them with you!

Next up, wedding contests and giveaways. Not only is it a great way to try to reduce costs, its a fantastic way to see new vendors you might have passed by.

First Things First, a Proper Introduction

Well here I am, planning the biggest party of my life and I couldn't be more excited. My name is Lauren and I am a self proclaimed wedding enthusiast. My fiance knew what he was getting into when he asked me to marry him, but he had no idea how excited I was to finally put all of my research and love of wedding blogs to use with our own celebration. After reading dozens of blogs, and searching hundreds of pictures, I have a clear idea of exactly what I want for our November wedding. Now starts the adventure to see how we can actually bring it all together.

My fiance and I met online, so I have always used and trusted the internet for a variety of tasks. Wedding planning has been no exception. There are so many outlets and experts waiting for you to ask questions and to give advice on whatever you might want to know, it can be overwhelming at times. My goal with this blog is to give insight and assistance into how to plan a wedding on a tight budget. We are paying for the wedding completely on our own, so creativity has been at the forefront of all of our planning. On top of that, being from Ohio originally, I am planning a wedding that spans across two states. While our celebration will be in Chicago, my family is all out of town, so I have been figuring out how to include them as much as I can, while navigating a city I'm still exploring myself.

I am taking the idea of Do-It-Yourself to the next level. With a strict budget that we really can't afford to bend, I have decided to make most of the additions myself. So far, this includes all the decorations, most of the paper products, and our flowers. I'm excited to put my years of crafting and art school to good use, and to share this experience with all of you. This blog will include pictures, tutorials and all the trials and errors I may run into along the way!

At the same time, I'm here to help in any way I can. If you have a DIY project or idea, and want some help figuring it out (or want me to try it first) let me know! I'm all about audience participation and I am always up for a challenge!

Ok, so here we go. 254 days and about 75 craft projects left until the big day!