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November 2018

wedding guest list advice

Wedding guest list advice

By Wedding planning

Who NOT to invite to your Cincinnati wedding, that is the question! Few issues cause more friction in the wedding planning process than the guest list. Here is some wedding guest list advice to simplify the process.

Wedding guest list anguish takes many forms:

—> Your budget is limited, so you can’t afford to invite everybody you’d like to.

—> Your parents want you to invite people you don’t know very well.

—> Your future in-laws want to invite more people on their side of the family than yours.

—> Which co-workers get invited, and who doesn’t make the cut?

–-> You feel guilted into inviting someone who you know will be disruptive. (Watch video below!)

You get the idea.  There are landmines everywhere.  I’d like to tell you that I can help you avoid each one.  I can’t.  Each situation is different. Nonetheless, you can minimize anxiety if you take our wedding guest list advice.

Wedding guest list advice

Tip #1:  Pay for the wedding yourself. When you’re footing the bill, you have more clout on who gets an invitation. [According to Wedding Wire, the average millennial couple pays for 40% of the wedding budget themselves.]

Tip #2:  Set a budget and your guest list size.  Since so many couples have their parents pay for most or a portion of the cost of a wedding, try to lock in a pretty firm guest list number so you know what you’re dealing with.  Best to start low, because the number will surely grow.

Tip #3:  Develop a ‘family formula’ for divvying up the list.  It might be as simple as a third of the guest list comes from your friends as a couple; a third from the groom’s family; and a third from the bride’s family.  Obviously, this formula won’t work for everyone.  The idea, though, is to establish a formula right for your situation on the front end to minimize wrangling down the road.

If you’re paying for the wedding, the formula might be half for you, with the remaining guest list split between the two families.

Will all parties stick to the formula?  Probably not, but you’re no worse off than if you didn’t establish a formula, and you’re probably going to be way ahead by doing so.

Tip #4:  Categorize potential invitees.  This can be rather fun.  The fun comes in the way you describe your categories.

How to categorize your guest list

I recommend 4 categories, perhaps something like this:

CATEGORY A (the “My Favorite People in the world” category)

CATEGORY B (the “People who mean a lot to me, and I mean a lot to them” category)

CATEGORY C (the “People I really do want to invite, but then I’ll feel guilty if I don’t invite a mutual friend/co-worker ” category)

CATEGORY D (“People I really don’t want to invite, but there will be hell to pay if I don’t” category)

Categorizing helps focus your thinking.  Ultimately, the power of the purse tends to finalize who in each category gets an invite. For example, one bride bristled when her parents invited a couple they were friends with, whom the daughter never liked.  The daughter fumed,

“Mrs. Smith called me fat when I was thirteen! I refuse to have her at my wedding!”

The mother shot back,

“Listen honey, they’re friends of ours and we see them almost every week.  Yes, that was a jerky thing for her to say, but that was 10 years ago. Time to move on.  We’re paying for the wedding.  She’s coming.”

Tip #5:  Don’t tack on the words “and guest” to your single friends unless they’re in a longterm relationship.  Think about it, how would you like to cut someone from the first three categories above and replace them with a stranger you may never see again in your life?  End of story. Right?

How to handle audacious invitees

Well, not quite.  Some of your more audacious friends may take it upon themselves to add on the words “and guest” anyway when they send the RSVP back.  Be prepared.  Write back immediately something like this:

“Anne, I’m so delighted you’ll be able to attend my wedding.  That means so much to me!  I’m sorry to say, though, that we simply don’t have the space to accommodate your guest.  I wish it were different, but it’s just the reality of planning a wedding.  I’ll tell you more about it next time I see you. I’m so excited about this day. Thank-you for coming!”

Then there is the timeless question of children: do you invite them or not?  This is such a highly charged subject that we’ve already written an entire blogpost on the subject.  Go back and check it out!

I hope you find this basic wedding guest list advice helpful, and congratulations on your engagement.  As you work through the planning process, remember that entertainment makes the event.  Check out our wedding entertainment services today.  We would be honored to show those guests who “make the cut” how much fun a wedding can be!

wedding photography styles

What style of wedding photography is right for you?

By Photography

wedding photography stylesYour wedding day presents rich photographic opportunities. The question is, of the four most popular wedding photography styles, which is right for you?

Think of the delightful moments you’ll want recorded forever: your entrance and the wedding vows; the cake cutting and the first dance; and the entire celebratory fervor which Queen City DJs helps to cultivate.

This is life at its best. The moments captured by your wedding photographer matter.  These are the images you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.

Here’s where things get fun.  Wedding photography styles are dramatically different.  Which is right for you?  Ultimately, it depends on your personality, your traditions, and your personal artistic tastes.

Wedding photography styles

For the sake of this blogpost, let’s focus in on the four basic styles offered by various photographers in this market area. Yes, there are variations on these styles, but these four really cover the approaches you’ll want to consider.

TRADITIONAL PORTRAITURE

wedding photography styles

Traditional wedding photography

Let’s face it, most people love posed shots following a ceremony, whether it is in front of your church or in front of a redwood tree.  These traditional photographs allow a good portrait photographer to bring out the best in you and your wedding party.  Posing is an art form unto itself.  Your grandparents and your parents love these shots, because they had them at their weddings, too.  It’s great fun to go back and compare these portraits to see how fashions and hair styles have changed.  Traditional portraiture has gotten increasingly creative, with great poses in less traditional settings, such as your hotel or even a back road behind your venue.  Traditional portraiture doesn’t have to be stodgy.

DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY:

wedding photography styles

Documentary wedding photography

You may not be a fan of posing. If you want a more spontaneous collection of wedding photographs, the documentary style might be a good fit for you.  Your photographer acts like a journalist, roaming your event to record the solemnity, as well as the fun, of your event.  Spontaneous moments, such as the antics of your bridesmaids or groomsmen are captured for posterity, as well as the romantic moments.  There are pros and cons of this style.  Pro:  the subjects aren’t looking at the camera.  Con:  the subjects aren’t looking at the camera.  You get the idea.  It’s all about what you want.

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

 

wedding photography styles

Fine art wedding photography

This approach goes beyond photo journalism by transforming a documentary approach into an artistic approach.  It especially lends itself to photographers who still use film, which is dying breed.  However, good digital photographers can still create art with creative use of the focal length of the photograph.  You know what I mean:  the subject in the foreground is in focus, but the background is blurred.  Yes, this style documents your event, but from the artistic perspective of the photographer, who typically prefers black and white to color photography.

EDGY PHOTOGRAPHY

wedding photography styles

Edgy wedding photography

These avant-garde photographers are not a good choice for couples who lean towards the traditional.  But if you like an artist who thinks outside the box, you’ll want to consider this style.  These photographers don’t frame their shots in the same ways as the photographers above might. They might even like tilted perspectives.  Edgy photography likes to transform the common place into the extraordinary.  There’s a case to be made for it, but spend time reviewing a photographer’s portfolio before committing.  That’s good advice for any wedding photographer you’re considering.

Wedding photography styles really do vary.  Some especially proficient photographers are able to embrace a number of different styles.  You can help them by letting them know which approach best fits your needs.

Queen City DJs likes to know the style of wedding photography you prefer. It helps us to collaborate with you in designing the wedding entertainment look and feel perfect for you.