How to Get the Best Wedding Day Pictures

How to Get the Best Wedding Day Pictures
By January Mae Tan
Wedding Planner - Cebu, Bohol, Manila

To get the best wedding day pictures, be mindful of physical blocking.

Chew and Say “Tuesday”

If your jaw aches after hours and hours of continuous smiles, then chew your cheeks to give them a silent massage.

One groom was not very comfortable smiling. So, the bride asked him to say “Tuesday” for all the pictures instead. Try it. It is almost impossible to say that word right without your mouth forming a wide grin.

Practice the Church Entrance with Both Sets of Parents

When the bride reaches the threshold of the altar, the groom takes her hand and they walk towards the parents for the traditional show of respect called “mano” or bowing to take the parents’ hand and bring it to the child’s forehead.

Practice this. Which parent will you make mano to? As the wedded couple approaches the parents, they will naturally ‘mano’ the parent in front of them. After that, they will cross to ‘mano’ the parent across them. Let the bride mano diagonally first while the groom waits. When the bride is done, then the groom takes over.

See photos of sample sequencing .

The Placing of the Rings

This is an old trick I learned from a photographer friend.

Place the rings on the first knuckle before you say your vows. Then, stare longingly into each other’s eyes without breaking eye contact to fumble and place the rings on your better half’s finger.

When you hold the ring on the first knuckle, only hold it with your thumb and middle finger, raise the other fingers up. Do not obscure the photographer’s shot of the rings. Make sure the ring is shown, do not hide the ring with your fingers.

See Right and Wrong ways to place the rings.


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How to Create an Unforgettable Wedding Experience for Your Guests

How to Create an Unforgettable Wedding Experience for Your Guests
By January Mae Tan
Wedding Planner - Cebu, Bohol, Manila

The key to creating an unforgettable experience for your wedding guests is: PARTICIPATION.

Set Expectations

Always set the expectations of everyone involved. This is an old trick that most call center agents can relate to.

One great way to do this is for the host, in his welcoming remarks, to remind everyone that the greatest gift they can give the couple is the gift of their presence. Ask the guests nicely to make a commitment to stay until after the affair is completed. Hold the microphone to them and wait for them to say “Yes” loudly.

Praise

Praise your guests continuously for their enthusiastic participation.

In one sticky situation, we had more guests than tables, despite the extra tables we already setup. Fortunately, I was the host for this wedding. While waiting for the waiters to set up extra tables, I praised everyone for showing up for the wedding to show their love for the newlyweds. I pointed out that this was a great problem to have because I had been to weddings where half the tables were empty. The guests left that wedding beaming with joy for the couple and pride in themselves.

Do this subtly and with discretion, so that it doesn’t become empty flattery. Remember, any human being’s greatest need is the need to feel important. So, praise the guests and motivate them to join.

Have Them Choose Their Giveaways

If you are giving out perfume bottles, have them choose what perfume to bring. If you are giving out minicakes, have a choice of three flavours and ask them to choose. Because they have a hand in what they bring home, they will treasure it more.

Make Your Programme Fun

Even the most formal affair has room in it for a game or two.

If you know in advance that your guests are the shy, reserved type, then ask the help of your more outgoing friends. Filipino culture dictates that we usually have to wait for someone else to take the first step. Tell your more outgoing friends that you have games in mind and that they need to help you out by joining in the games.

Don’t know what games to include? Steal a page from the local lunchtime game shows. Make your own version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, “Hep, Hep, Hooray” or even “Pera or Bayong”.

Remember to always prepare a list of names to call out, in case there are no voluntary participants.

Tempt Them

Make the prizes juicy and tempting. Free movie passes, gift certificates to the spa or massage or even a cellphone are great ideas.


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How to Personalize Your Wedding

How to Personalize Your Wedding
By January Mae Tan
Wedding Planner - Cebu, Bohol, Manila

This is your wedding day, the day you have dreamed of since you were a child. Go ahead, let loose and show your guests the inner you. No more of these cookie-cutter weddings, personalize your wedding details to reflect your personality and taste.

Yes, the cake, invitations and gowns are personalized to the couple’s theme, but here are some other overlooked details that can be used to personalize your wedding even further.

Serve a Family Recipe

Are your family gatherings from Christmas to Thanksgiving incomplete without your mother’s cocido or lola’s paella? Honor them and serve it up for dinner or cocktails, if the reception venue will allow it.

For a groom getting married in his family-owned resort, I was asked to research on cocktail finger foods. I arrived for a meeting with the groom’s mother and aunt with a list of possible options. While waiting for the meeting to start, they served me their version of “clubhouse sandwich”.

I almost declined thinking it was the usual sandwich fare. But when the waiter set it down in front of us and I had a bite, I went crazy! After a few careful questions, I discovered it was the mother’s very own recipe. I told them to throw out the list and serve this instead. The mother preened with obvious delight.

Favourite Drinks for Your Toast

After the cake slicing comes the wine toasting, but who says it has to be only wine or champagne?

Toast to your future with your favorite Starbucks drinks. You like apple fruit tea and he likes Four Seasons, don’t forget the pink (or whatever your motif is) umbrellas.

Have the host point it out to your guests and let them enjoy the little secret as well. They will be tickled pink and will secretly wish they had thought to do the same thing for their wedding.

Your Own Song List

The church ceremony is solemn and must be done according to strict guidelines. However, the couple is free to let loose during the reception.

A great way to show your personality is to choose the music that will be played as your entourage and you enter the Reception.

One groom insisted the groomsmen enter to the naughty tune of “Jumbo Hotdog”. A couple enter to techno sounds of Usher. For our Twilight-inspired debut, we began by playing the famous baseball scene and pausing it immediately after a main character said, “It’s time”. The doors then opened to reveal the debutante who entered to the song of “Super Massive Black Hole”. Her young guests brought the house down with their hoots and whistles.

Prizes for Games

Choose prizes that reflect your personality and tastes.

Are you and your hubby movie buffs? Give out movie passes to cinemas in the mall. Do you have a favourite CD? Wrap it with a ribbon and gift it as a prize. A fan of inspirational books or Japanese manga, give your guests the chance to get to know you better by allowing them to share in your interests.

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How to Create Your Own Dream Wedding

How to Create Your Own Dream Wedding
By January Mae Tan
Wedding Planner - Cebu, Bohol, Manila

Create a Dream Journal

Capture your dreams for your wedding via a dream journal or a mood board. This could be a corkboard on your room that you tack up pictures to, a clearbook file of pictures that appeal to you, a private photo album in Multiply, or even a blog that you share with your friends.

Add in photos, textiles, samples of anything that appeal to you, like feathers, old lace, sinamay, colored sand or coconut bark. Also add in old invitations that you like, pictures of cakes, bouquets and centerpieces.

Your guiding principle is to: collect, then select. Capture anything that appeals to you. Don’t edit yourself, don’t limit yourself to your budget.

This is a dream journal, not a planner. Allow your creativity, imagination and impulses to have free rein.

Choose a Theme

Now that you have a wide range of pictures and materials to work with, find a running thread to all the items that you have picked out. Your theme is something that you can use to guide you in designing your cake, invitations, decors, giveaways, makeup, and gown designs among others.

Remember to choose a theme that reflects your personalities.

One of my couples met and fell in love in a Japanese company and decided to have a Japanese-inspired wedding. Sakura blossoms graced the front of their invitations and the sides of their cake. The entourage wore gowns with obi-sashes. The bridal cake was topped by a Japanese couple in bridal ensemble. Authentic chopsticks and tea sets were gifted to the guests.

If you are a fun-loving couple who like to think outside the box, you can choose a whimsical theme and have a pop-up invitation, personalized bubbleheads for your giveaways, miniature caricature dolls for your cake topper and bridal car decors.

Brainstorm

Now, that you have a chosen your theme, bring your working dream journal or mood board with you and show it to your fiancé, parents, wedding planner and friends who are recent brides.

Also show this to your preferred partners such as your florist, baker, invitation maker. Listen closely to their advise. Ask questions to determine which of your ideas is feasible on your budget and applicable to your venue. A beach-themed cake design may not be appropriate for a garden reception.

Throw the Rulebook Out

After brainstorming with family and friends, it is important to remember that this is still your wedding day and not theirs. If you want to have that beach-themed cake at a garden reception, go ahead. If you want to wear sneakers with your bridal gown, go ahead. It is your wedding day, go ahead live it up!


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