Wedding Portfolio

Keep your guests entertained while you are away having your photographs taken by adding disposable cameras to tables at your reception. We love the range of wedding themed disposable cameras and gifts at Final Touch, based in Honeydew.

How Much Does a Wedding Photographer cost?

Most people will say that wedding photography is both an art and a science. You need to capture the right emotions during key times that can not be recreated. So how much does a wedding photographer cost? I will tell you this much, you will usually get what you pay for. This includes the creativity and time spent to create something unique.

It never ceases to amaze me that most brides make decisions based on pricing alone. The real question to ask, is how much will I be getting in value. On average the price range can vary from R5000 to R30000 in Johannesburg and each wedding photographer offers something different, so be sure to check what is included for the price you will be paying. Do you need prints? Do you need and album right away? Do you only want 100 photos or would you prefer to have everything your photographer has captured on your wedding day? Think about these things before rushing in.

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Garden wedding ideas

Weather is always a factor to consider when planning your wedding ceremony outside. Many South Africans get married in the morning to avoid the afternoon summer rains. Although this is a great idea to ensure good weather, it is not an optimal time for photos. At noon the sun is harsh, causing everyone squint, and it is unbearably hot for the guys in their suits. Try to provide shade for you and your guests as don’t want to faint or have sunburnt grumpy guests! Before settling on a garden wedding, ask your marriage officer or religious leader if it is permissible to marry outside, or if they will only conduct your ceremony under a roof or in a particular place of worship. Ask the venue owners not to water the grass a couple of days before your wedding as your shoes may sink into the soft grass. This is also something to consider in summer with the summer rains. The safest idea is to wear flat shoes. If your ceremony is under a tree, the branches above will create unattractive shadows across your face in your photographs. Rather take your photographer to the venue to get an idea of the best place to position yourselves.

Bouquet and flower arrangement ideas

Saving money on your wedding flowers is quite easy, but arranging them into beautiful bouquets can be somewhat trickier. A great idea to save money is to buy your flowers wholesale and your vases too. Rope in a friend or relative to help you arrange them. Some flowers have pollen that stains fabric so there is a lot to think about when arranging your own flowers, especially your bouquet. If you are a bit apprehensive or if you simply do not have time for all of this research, there are some amazing florists on this site that can sit down with you and give you great advice. They are willing to work within your budget and offer you something that you love. Contact them and see!

Wedding cake ideas

The traditional 3 tier fruit cake is a thing of the past. Although it can look quite pretty, if one is realistic, people rarely like eating this type of cake. Knowing someone that bakes well is wonderful, but make sure they do not try to tier a sponge cake! I’ve seen too many warm, collapsed cakes at weddings because they are too heavy to stack. If you want your sponge cake to tier, rather have a stand 3 levels high or cover 3 boxes of different heights with a pretty fabric and place each cake on a box. Then drape each box with flowers and ribbon. If you are really creative and want something a bit different, how about covering your cake stands with cupcakes, doughnuts or a pyramid of truffles, cookies or your favourite chocolate bar? Instead of cutting the cake, why not pour the chocolate sauce over the doughnuts together? Chocolate éclairs, love heart chocolates, mini cheesecakes and chocolate poitjie pots filled with mousse are just a few ideas. There are a variety of ideas out there and we know some amazing people who you can contact regarding the cake of your dreams. They are willing to help work within your budget and offer you something amazing. Contact them and see!

Wedding Menu ideas

Some caterers have a few set menus they can offer you as your wedding banquet. Assuming you have chosen a venue that accepts outside catering (look at www.YellowwoodChapel.co.za , they offer self catering and seat up to 600 guests!), decide realistically what you can afford to pay per head. If you want a 3 course meal, perhaps make your wedding cake the desert so you only have to pay for 2 courses. On this site you will find caterers that can help you with small or large functions, catering for many different tastes and dietary requirements. Contact them and arrange a taste.

Wedding entertainment ideas

While you are away having your photographs taken, it is a lovely idea to have some sort of entertainment for your guests to enjoy. When you return, you can also enjoy the live band, saxophonist, Irish dancers, stand up comedian or whatever entertainment you have chosen for the evening. I once attended a dinner where a magician came around, wowing us with tricks right before our eyes. It was the closest I had ever come to seeing an illusion and it gave us all something to talk about over dinner. Most wedding receptions have a DJ. We have a fine selection for you to choose from and each of them promises to get guests of all ages up dancing and partying.

Wedding invitation ideas

You may want to design your own wedding invitations, or if you are not that creative, let someone design and make them for you. Once you have bought pretty cardboard, printed all the wording, attached ribbon etc, you may have spent as much money had you paid a professional do it for you! Besides wedding invitations, you will also need name place cards, menus and thank you cards. Contact one of our designers now to view some of their beautiful samples and have them create your dream wedding stationery. If you have a set budget in mind, perhaps see what they can design for you within this budget.

Tips on how to compile your wedding guest list

Are you torn about who to invite and who not to invite? I can only give you my advice and you can take it or leave it. Most importantly, decide how many people you can afford to have at your wedding. You will also need to consider the number of people your venue can hold. Invite people close to you and state clearly if this invite allows the person to bring a partner or not. I personally believe that inviting colleagues to a wedding is not a great idea. I do not know of a former colleague that I am still in contact with, so why invite them to my wedding? We wrote our list several times. We over-invited people by 10% as this is usually the amount of people that don’t make it, even though they said they were coming (sad but true). Every month leading up to the date when we would distribute the invites, we rechecked the list. Some people we felt obliged to invite hadn’t really been in our lives for the past 6 months. Some didn’t even know we were engaged. We then decided to remove these people from our list. If you are paying for your wedding and are feeling pressure from family members who expect an invitation, you can simply say that you are terribly sorry but space or budget does not allow everyone to attend.

Tips on bridal hairstyles

bridal hairstyles We all have different types of hair - thin, thick, long, short, curly, straight - and the big mistake we can make is to see a particular hairstyle in a magazine that will not work for us. The bride with long thick silky hair wants loose curls. She has loose curls in the morning but by the time she walks down the aisle, her hair looks like she hasn’t brushed it! Modern day styling is amazing. Hair extensions (or hair pieces) can be added to thin hair to give it body or flat irons can straighten hair to make it look silky. When I got married I wanted my hair straight. As the day went on, the ends started to curl because of the humidity. Whoops! Think carefully, take advice from the professionals and have a trial. Contact us for recommended hairstylists!

Save money on making your own favours for your guests, here are a few ideas:

• Wrap lavender in tulle and secure with a ribbon as a scented draw gift.
• Cut out pretty tags with your guests name on and attach to a nice chocolate or piece of fudge wrapped in tissue paper in the colour of your wedding theme.
• Regular candles are nice too for inexpensive wedding favors. Wrap in tulle and tie with ribbon. Stick a small flower in the ribbon.
• After the reception, give each flower arrangement from the guests table as a gift to special friends or relatives.
• Small frames can also serve as place cards or to hold a message from you, and can double as a gift for each guest.
• Make wine glass markers from wire and beads. You can find instructions at the craft store. One is enough for a wedding party favor. Place in a small box and tie with ribbon.
• Buy your flowers wholesale. We love Ludwig's Rose Farm (in Johannesburg and Pretoria) and Multiflora (Johannesburg). If your arrangements are simple, ask a friend or relative to arrange them for you.