Tag Archives: wedding planning

To Have Or Have Not – RAW Files

Raw. Original. Unprocessed. All of these can be used to describe a file format that is straight out of camera (or SOOC). This is the file that comes straight from the camera, properly exposed or not. In focus or not. Many couples ask their wedding photographer to provide the RAW files straight from their camera. However, most photographers do not offer their files. There are several reasons for this.

The files are difficult to work with and require specialized software in order to do almost anything with them. Files will also come in different formats depending on the camera they were shot with. The best way to think about a RAW file is to imagine that it is a digital negative. In order to shape that negative into a beautiful portrait of the bride or groom, your photographer must nudge shadows and highlights up or down, look at the focal point, and determine whether it is worthy of making the final cut – the one that you get to see. Many photographers can cut anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of their images out of the mountain of photos already given to a bride and groom. But this doesn’t mean they’re cutting quality shots – those images are over or underexposed, out of focus, and generally not considered good photography. This also doesn’t mean that your photographer isn’t an excellent photographer – with the advent of digital photography, it is easier than ever to shot 20+ images of just one pose and only choose 2 or 3 finals.

On that same note, photographers want to put their best foot forward. They won’t show you the images where your ring bearer had a temper tantrum while he was walking down the aisle, or the unflattering dance poses of your guests. These are the shots that you will never print or look at again. The ones you’ll keep on a DVD in a shoebox at the back of your closet.

Another point to note is that when you hire a photographer, you are not only paying someone to press a shutter button – you are paying for their specific style, whether that be in lighting or post production. You’re also paying for their services, and their time. All of these things contribute to the final, edited product that you receive. Each image we provide to clients is edited, colour corrected, and sharpened so that you get the best image we have. Here’s an example: on the left is the original, raw file, while on the right is the colour and exposure corrected final version.

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Some of your friends or family may suggest that you request the RAW files, but many photographers will offer full or almost full resolution jpg files which can be printed as big as 8×10 in. Most brides and grooms don’t want files bigger than that, but if they do, they may order a print from their photographer. Unless you have the right software, knowledge, and a large amount of time, editing the RAW files yourself is not ideal.

This is a tricky subject, so if you’ve got some comments that you’d like to share, please feel free to comment below!

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Ottawa Engagement Photography – Major’s Hill Park

Early/mid October is a beautiful time for capturing the fall colours! Now that our Navigating Ottawa Wedding Prices series is done, I wanted to get back to some pictures! This beautiful bride-to-be and her fiancée met me in Major’s Hill Park, and we continued to the Chateau Laurier, the locks on the Rideau Canal, and to the Wellington underpass right beside the Rideau Canal. The sun warmed us all right up, and the clear blue sky gave us a beautiful backdrop for some stunning shots. I am so looking forward to their wedding next year, which I have the honour of shooting! Take a look at their engagement pictures below:

http://www.couvrette-photography.on.ca/ottawa-wedding-photographers/ottawa-engagement-photographer.php

Navigating Ottawa Wedding Prices Part 4 of 4: Planning

First, congratulations! You’re in the final stretch, and you’ve made it so far! You’ve budgeted your way to your ideal wedding, you’ve shopped around for your favourite vendors, and you’ve whittled prices down and built services up! This might seem like an obvious last step to some, but not everyone realizes that the planning doesn’t stop after you’ve signed contracts with your vendors. The next step is to plan your day, down to the smaller details.

Planning, in this sense, means planning ahead. Thinking about things you might need on your wedding day, back up options, and trying to prepare for unexpected events or guests are all ways to plan ahead for your day. For example, make a backup plan to have a tent or choose an indoor ceremony space just in case it rains on your outdoor wedding!

Another suggestion is to prepare a wedding “emergency” kit. In my post on how to stay stress-free on your wedding day, I detailed items that you might need in this kit. This will help you on the day of if small things go wrong, like a (small) stain on the dress or you need a make-up fix on the fly!

No one likes to think about what bad things might happen on their wedding day, but it makes a huge difference if you think about unexpected issues in advance. Not only will you be able to get past it more easily, you’ll be able to have a happier, less stress wedding day because you know exactly what to do when something goes wrong. Here are a few things that might go wrong, and ways to fix them and hopefully avoid them before the big day:

 

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Rain or Bad Weather

This one is SO common in outdoor ceremonies, as well as with weddings where the photos are shot outside. Luckily, there are a few pretty easy fixes. Keep in mind your time of year – the weather is going to be worse at certain times of the year, and better at others. Of course, many couples have a specific date in mind so changing the time of year is not always feasible. If your wedding date is fixed and you’ve found a venue, then the easiest (and usually cheapest) thing to do is ask your venue where the ceremony could be held in case of rain/snow/thunderstorms, etc. Most outdoor venues will also have an indoor option. If they don’t, see if you can rent a tent to protect you and your guests from getting soaking wet or cold. If you do decide to go with a tent, secure it early! There are many last-minute requests for tents due to bad weather, but if you secure it early you’ll be able to beat the rush.

On the same note, about weather: it can be freezing, or it can be sweltering. Keep this in mind when booking your day, and see if your venue offers outdoor heaters or fans. If the venue doesn’t, see if you can rent some! You will thank yourself – and your guests will thank you too!

Vendor Doesn’t Show/Equipment Malfunctions

This one happens rarely, but I put it near the top of the list because when it does happen, it’s almost catastrophic for the wedding day. There are plenty of horror stories that have been told about vendors not showing on your wedding day, or arriving at the wrong address. The best way to prevent this is to double-check the information you send them (make sure the addresses are correct, that they one hundred percent have your or your bridal party’s contact information in case they need to contact you, etc). This ensures that there is no miscommunication, and they know exactly where to be at what time on the day of. Other than giving them correct information, sometimes vendors can fall ill or have family emergencies of their own – this is where the shopping part of this 4 part series comes into play. When you are looking for a vendor, make sure you ask them some important questions to ensure that they have a backup plan or someone they can call at the last minute to step in for them. When you’re asking these questions, make sure they also have back up equipment or can repair on the fly!

Wrong Colours/Size of Rental Clothing

Being a photographer, and especially being a second shooter, I have experienced many wedding days where the guys don’t have the exact right clothing due to a mixup with the rental company. Unfortunately, this one is not easily predicted, but it can be somewhat prevented. If it’s for suits, ask each person who is getting a rental to bring a backup pair of pants (they’re the most common ill-fitting part of the suit) and a belt – if the pants given are too small, they’ll have their extra pair, and if they’re too big they might be able to at least keep them up with a belt. If the vests are the wrong colour, that’s a little trickier. Try to see if your rental company has neutral colours available, like white, black, or grey. Same goes for ties or bow ties – or you can purchase those separately. The last resort is to try to have someone purchase a new pair of pants/shirt/vest/tie on the very day of. This is of course not ideal, but in a pinch it will make the difference between parachute pants and a better fit!

I found some really great articles, blog posts, and even a couple of posts on a wedding forum while researching for this post, and I thought I’d share a few of the best ones I found! If you search “what can go wrong on your wedding day”, you will find hundreds and hundreds of results.

1. The Buzz: What Went Wrong on Your Wedding Day? gives you something invaluable – perspective, and the ability to learn from other people’s miscommunications and mishaps. When you read each entry, you can give yourself ideas on how to try your best to prevent each mistake. The Weddingbee website also has some fantastic forums that you can glean a ton of information from, from planning tips to other couples’ experiences!

2. 9 Things That Can Go Wrong on Your Wedding Day – this post gives nine examples of some (mostly) common things that can go wrong on your wedding day, ranging from not very serious to disastrous.

Having told you about all the things that can go wrong at a wedding, please don’t let yourself dwell on any of these. The best thing that you can do for yourself on your wedding day is to be as prepared as possible, and then to take everything in stride! The most important part of the day is that you did all of this to be MARRIED to the love of your life. You can now spend the rest of your days together laughing about what went wrong! If you stress out too much and focus on the one thing that went wrong, your wedding day will be a lot less fun. Put the mishaps in perspective, and try to see the silver lining of it all, like this Reddit user did after a terrible wedding day(read through to the last sentence):

The last thing I’d like to say on this post is that at Couvrette Studio we have backup plans for backup plans. We have backup photographers, we always bring backup equipment with us, and all of our weddings are single-booked! We focus on each and every bride that comes through our studio, so if you choose us as your wedding photographers of choice you will not be disappointed! Our Ottawa wedding photographers website will give you many more details that you can read through, as well as examples of our work!

Navigating Ottawa Wedding Prices Part 3 of 4: Negotiating

So. You’ve budgeted for your wedding, and you’ve shopped around for the best vendors for you. Now that you’ve chosen them, the next step is negotiating. Often, vendors have pre-set packages that give you many fantastic options! This is really great, but sometimes those options don’t fit with your view for your big day.

Starting with contracts, it’s best to read through the fine print and make sure you know what it means. For example, you’ll know precisely when your payments are due so you can plan ahead for each one. You’ll also know what to expect from that vendor. At Couvrette Studio, our contracts detail everything from the big stuff – how many hours of coverage you’re getting – to the small stuff – the colour of the bridesmaids’ dresses. This not only gives you peace of mind, it allows the vendor to give you exactly what you want!

In researching for this post series, I found several fantastic articles detailing how to save money. One of the best posts I read shared how they saved over $21 000 on their wedding. This post is full of great ways to talk to your wedding vendors, and there’s one rule that comes out above the rest: be polite yet firm.

When negotiating with your vendors, remember that they are people like any one of us, and treat them with respect. Don’t push too hard for a better price, but remain firm in the things your contract offers.

Once you’ve negotiated to the price you want, the next step is putting in some time planning so you can make the best of every one of your vendors.

 

10 Ways to Avoid Stress on Your Wedding Day

Many brides wake up on their wedding day anxious about how the day will pan out. Will the caterer forget your vegetarian cousin? What time will your makeup artist or hair stylist get to you? What will the weather be like?

So many questions, and unfortunately not many answers. As a bride, you can’t control most of the things that can go wrong on your wedding day. However, there are plenty of ways to try to ease the stress of the day, and even a few ways to make sure some of the bad things don’t happen. Here is my top 10 Ways to Avoid Stress on Your Wedding Day and avoid becoming a Bridezilla!

1. Check wedding vendor reviews, references, and testimonials.

Checking their reviews will help give you peace of mind, so you know that you can rely on them. These are the people who you’re paying to make sure that everything runs smoothly, after all! Make sure that they have done weddings before, and that they have contingency plans in place.

2. Exercise regularly/get outside!

This may sound like a no-brainer, but give yourself (and your future partner) some time away from the planning. It is stressful, and there are probably a lot of things that you don’t agree on – who sits at what table, what colours will your bridal party have, do you want cake or cupcakes, what song will your first dance be – and it goes on and on! Go outside, get a breath of fresh air, play or cuddle with a pet, or just get up and go for a workout! Exercise will help release endorphins to keep you happy and relaxed, and will help ease tensions and stress between you and your better half.

3. Prepare an “Emergency Bridal Kit”.

Have anything you might need ready to go on the big day. Every wedding is different, but there are a few essentials you might need:

– Tylenol (or your favourite pain reliever)

– Water bottle

– Clear nail polish, for runs in stockings

– Nail tools, such as clippers and a file

– Toothpicks

– Extra earring backs, if needed

– Extra panty hose

– Bobby pins/hair elastics

– Hair spray

– Double-sided tape, or fabric tape/hem tape

– Safety pins

– Mini sewing kit (including small folding scissors)

– Tide to Go (or your favourite spot remover)

– To go Tissues

– Tweezers

– Breath mints

– Hair brush or comb

– Touch-up makeup, including a mirror

– Your feminine product of choice (in case Aunt Flo decides to visit)

– Super Glue

– Sunscreen

4. Have a back up plan.

If your wedding day is rainy, your dream outdoor photoshoot may get rained out as well. Make sure you have a back up plan – find an indoor location, or agree with your partner that you will try to get a few shots in the rain. Don’t plan a full second wedding just in case everything fails, but have trust in your weddings vendors and make sure they have back up plans in case their employees can’t or aren’t able to make it on the big day. That way, you won’t be stressing or freaking out on the day of because your three-piece band didn’t show up and the DJ wants to charge extra to play during the ceremony.

5. Host a bridal party lunch on you.

This is a great way to relax with your girls/guys before your wedding, and to show them how much you appreciate them working hard to make your day the best it can be. Host a lunch at your house, or, to help ease the tension even more, take them out to lunch at a great restaurant! This will give them a chance to realize that you haven’t gone completely “bridezila” and you’re still the person they loved when you met!

6. Have a dress/tuxedo fitting one week before your big day.

Your body can change a whole lot under all that stress! For tuxedos, see if you can get another fitting a week before the wedding. Double-check measurements, especially if you’re renting a suit. I have run into so many situations where the guys get their suit from the rental company, and the pants are too big or the vest is the wrong colour and one of the groomsmen has to drive to another city because that’s the only location that has it! A last check up will give you peace of mind so that you know that your dress or tuxedo will fit perfectly and you will feel amazing.

7. Consider having an unplugged wedding.

Unplugged weddings have started to become much more popular in the days saturated with smartphones, tablets, and social media. Many brides have had their first wedding picture posted by their cousin, on Facebook, only a few hours after the ceremony! If that photo isn’t flattering or you would prefer to wait for your professional photography to show your best shots, an unplugged wedding may be for you!

You can have your officiant make an announcement, or you can make a fun sign asking people to stay involved in your ceremony. Another option is to make your friends and family part of the ceremony by getting them actively involved by giving them signs, or asking them to react to the different parts of the ceremony, etc. This will even make your ceremony more intimate, and show your friends and family how much they mean to you!

8. Stay on schedule on the day of.

Make sure you schedule enough time for make-up, hair, and any other preparations. Make-up artists can take up to two hours per person, so speak with your MUA (make-up artist) and ask them how long they usually spend on make-up. Do the same thing for the hair stylists. You will thank yourself later – MUAs and hair stylists are one of the biggest reasons for days getting late. Once your day is off by more than 15 minutes, it’s tough to get back on track – especially if you’re late for your ceremony!  If you start to get behind schedule, see if there are time-cutting ways to speed up the process, and try to have a plan in place so that you can speed up the schedule and stay on track for your day!

9. Eat and/or stay hydrated.

Stress can wreak havoc on your body – so you will want to keep your body as satiated and hydrated as possible. Make sure you drink enough water, and eat enough to make sure you’re not starving – even if you just have small snacks or fruit to keep you from getting too hungry throughout the day.

10. Delegate, delegate, delegate.

When crises arise on your wedding day, you will not want to deal with them. Have someone (maid of honour, best man, brother, sister, mother, father?) be ready to deal with vendors who have questions, and make sure those vendors know who to go to. Give your delegate a run-through of any details they might need to know, and choose someone you can trust, who can deal with situations easily and without getting stressed out themselves.

 

I hope these tips helped! If you have any comments or questions, feel free to comment below or connect with me on social media! 🙂