From the Wedding Planner: Starting a New Wedding Tradition

I recently sat down with one of my brides as she was looking through pictures from her wedding. She kept commenting on how much fun everyone looked like they were having—her uncle's great dance moves, the look on her groom's face as his best man gave the toast, etc...She couldn't believe that all of the planning, parties and toasts were over!

Giving the gift of the Anniversary Box is a special way to help the bride and groom relive the special moments of their engagement and wedding, year after year. If you're the gift giver, know that there are many opportunities for you to incorporate the Anniversary Box into the wedding festivities. Remember, there are 50 cards and envelopes (one to be opened on each Anniversary), and these can be passed out at multiple wedding events. Engagement parties, wedding showers, rehearsal dinners and the reception are all great places to hand out cards to guests. But keep in mind that if you plan on taking the Anniversary Box to multiple venues, you'll want to designate one person to distribute and collect all the cards.

Encourage guests to write from the heart, have fun and get creative—after all, they're helping to start a new tradition for the bride and groom! You may also suggest that guests add a small memento to their written message such as a cocktail napkin, place card or flower petal. You may also want to assign extra-special anniversary years to grandparents, parents or close friends.


The most important part: Don't forget to explain to guests that each card is a lovely surprise for the bride and groom to open on each anniversary; there should be no writing on the envelope, except for the pre-printed anniversary year.

Curious to see more about incorporating the Anniversary Box into an event? Visit our YouTube channel!

Videographer: William Gaff / Humanstory Films

Choosing Your Photography Style

With wedding, bridal and photography blogs galore, it’s easy to become inundated with choices when it comes to selecting your wedding photographer. Perhaps I can help you a bit in that process. The first factor you need to consider is your style. If you haven’t already been poking around on different websites looking at photography, do so! I would suggest starting on wedding blogs as opposed to trying to find photographers’ websites—you’ll be exposed to a greater number of photographers’ work by going to a wedding blog, and from there you can narrow your search.

Take note of things that you like and don’t like. Do you tend to favor the classic, formal shots or the more modern, edgy shots? Do you enjoy candid photos (capturing the moment as it’s happening) or portrait style (normally posed and looking at the photographer)? Another popular trend is the “vintage” look where the photographer alters the color and tone to give the photos an aged feel. If you like that look, make sure to pick a photographer who has that kind of work already in their portfolio. Some photographers do more muted colors and soft focus, while others go for bright colors that pop—think about what will look best with your wedding colors. Thanks to modern technology, most photographers can edit their photos (if digital) after the fact to make them black and white if you favor those. But make sure to ask before you move forward—the last thing you want is to have expectations or hopes that your photographer can’t meet!

Another fantastic idea that couples are starting to work into their shoot is the use of props—balloons, glasses, crowns, cookies, tickets, etc. While it’s more common to see props used during an engagement shoot, they are growing in popularity at weddings. Props shouldn’t be overdone, but a few as they relate to your theme can be a nice addition. Just remember, whatever style you choose should be what you are comfortable with, and one that you can look back at over the years and still enjoy. Here are some great examples of what I've discussed above:

1) Black & white. Photographer: Geneoh
2) Edgy. Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: Ling Photography

3) Modern.  Blog: Once Wed // Photographer: Tec Petaja

4) Classic, Formal. Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: DeShelia Spann Photography
5) Bright color.  Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: Sarah Yates

6) Vintage.  Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: Heather Saunders Photography

7) Muted color.  Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: Love Me Do Photography

8) Prop.  Blog: Green Wedding Shoes // Photographer: Courtney Dellafiora

9) Props.  Blog: Style Me Pretty // Photographer: Sarah DiCicco

10) Props.  Blog: The Cherry Blossom Girl // Photographer: Marianne Taylor Photography

{ Alana Kucharski }