Your wedding becomes one of the most monumental days in your life. While your planning process might be stressful, the day should be full of love, laughter, and celebration. Although these memories will last forever, make them tangible with the perfect wedding photographer.

Finding the perfect wedding photographer to fit your needs allows you to turn your happiest memories into cherished keepsakes. Physical pictures, portraits, candid photographs, and your wedding album not only serve as reminders of your love story but also provide gifts for close friends and family. 

Although you may feel lost in choosing the best photographer for your wedding day photos, a few key considerations can lead you to the perfect choice. Read our tips for choosing the perfect wedding photographer for your big day.

Decide on a Budget

As one of the first steps in your wedding planning timeline, deciding on an overall wedding budget can significantly influence the vendors you hire. You can’t begin to research wedding photographers until you know what you’re willing to spend. Your price range will impact the number of photographers in attendance, the type of shoot, and the important moments you can capture.

If you’re not willing to spend, you may have to prioritize certain parts of your wedding to memorialize. Conversely, a higher budget will allow you to hire multiple photographers and capital all the amazing fun of your special day.

Book Your Venue Before Hiring a Photographer

Along with budgetary restrictions, choosing the best wedding venue plays a significant role in determining the right photographer. A wedding venue hall, such as Étage, can offer the ideal lighting and decorations for those picture perfect moments.

However, not every wedding photographer understands how to shoot every venue. For example, photographers specializing in destination weddings might not understand the natural light at a local outdoor wedding.

Checking the photographer’s portfolio gives you a sense of their venue experience and preferences. Remember that your wedding photographer is a visual artist and might garner inspiration from an unfamiliar venue.

Research Wedding Photography Styles

Wedding day photos can encompass many different styles. While the best wedding photographers can traverse various wedding photography styles, they’ll likely specialize in one style.

Research what wedding photography styles works best for your venue and desired photographs. Style encompasses more than just the look. It also impacts your wedding photography experience.

Does your wedding vision include a photographer capturing candid moments throughout the day? You may prefer a posed, classic style where you can plan details ahead of time. Regardless, choose a style that makes you feel comfortable and confident.

Check Reviews and Social Media

Shooting weddings is a full-time career for many photographers. As such, your photographer should display plenty of wedding photography on their social media. While checking a photo or two on their socials provides an initial impression, remember that your photographer generally only posts the best images.

Reading reviews online can provide more insight into the character and experience of working with a particular photographer. Research these first-hand accounts to get more background on the types of weddings your photographer has experience with.

Check Sample Wedding Albums

Social media isn’t enough to find the right photographer. Checking your candidate’s online portfolio plays a crucial role. 

Ensure their samples include multiple weddings and the entire album. One photo or moment could make or break your decision, leading you to the right (or wrong) person.

Interview Candidates and Ask Important Questions

Interviewing your candidates provides a great way to find a match and understand the holistic cost of your wedding photoshoot. The interview allows you to ask questions about your photographer’s services and get to know them as a person and artist.

Some legal details come along with booking a wedding photographer, so you should also ask about these. Questions about rights to the pictures, turnaround time, camera insurance, licensures, experience, and photo backups can all significantly impact your experience. Put thought into your interview beforehand to ensure you get the relevant information you need to decide.

Ensure Your Personalities Match

The wedding industry centers around personalization, which is certainly true of the person who will spend the entire day capturing your most precious memories. Beyond finding someone who can get the perfect photo of your first kiss as a married couple or the cake cutting, you should enjoy spending time with your photographer.

Personality match also affects the outcome of your photos. Photographers specializing in moody, dark imagery will likely not mesh with a bubbly couple hoping to capture upbeat photographs. Furthermore, you want to feel safe communicating your expectations and vision without worrying about being too delicate or taciturn.

Treat Engagement Photos as a Test Run

Your wedding photoshoot should not be the first time you work with your photographer. Scheduling an engagement session ahead of time gives you an impression of your photographer’s photo style and aesthetic.

A test run with an engagement shoot offers a great way to ensure you love your final images. Since you will spend so much money on your wedding, it’s worth ensuring you feel inspired when working with your photographer.

Get Clarity on What Your Package Includes

The final product of your photography will likely include a package that gives you a chance to choose the best images. However, every photographer has very different provisions that can impact your satisfaction with the final result.

Some packages include physical copies, while other photographers may charge extra to produce these images. Additionally, your photographer may or may not provide digital downloads or have specific rules about posting their work on social media.

Before signing contracts, ensure that you understand the comprehensive details of your package. The last thing you want is to leave your photography experience unsatisfied with the final product because it’s not what you expect. Get clear on every detail before spending money.

Book Étage Banquet Hall for Your Wedding Day After Finding Your Perfect Wedding Photographer

Now that you have all the information you need to pick the perfect wedding photographer to capture your special day, take the first step by booking one of the best venues in Los Angeles. Étage Banquet Hall offers a luxury, captivating venue with multiple spaces to host your loved ones on one of your most important days. For more information on booking Étage Banquet Hall for your Los Angeles wedding, call us at 818-722-8490 or check price and availability today!

Congratulations! You popped the question, the ring is on your finger, you’re full of excitement and can’t wait to jump in on planning for your special day. With so many responsibilities, decisions and arrangement it’s hard to know where to start. Take a deep breath. Giving yourself time to sort and plan tasks on a monthly base with a wedding planning timeline, making your job less stressful and more enjoyable.

Follow this 12 month wedding planning timeline and checklist for a smooth and easy transition to “I do.”

Determine a Budget for Your Wedding Timeline

It’s your first month of your wedding timeline and you are eager to get started on your planning but you realize how much is this all going to cost me. The first step is to figure out who is willing to contribute and how much you can comfortably and realistically afford to spend.

The amount of money you’re willing to spend can impact many decisions you make in your wedding schedule process from your banquet hall to your dress and even the florist. Figure out what has priority and break down the budget accordingly. This will help you stay on track and accommodate for changes along the way.

Approximate Guest List

Creating a wedding guest list can be extremely challenging. You hope to share your special day with everyone you know from family, friends, coworkers and even your parents social groups. After all, weddings are all about celebrating your love with the ones closest to you.

However, the size of your guest list is getting way too long and it’s creating a big impact on your budget. Unfortunately not everyone can make the cut. Therefore you have to prioritize guest and trim your list to accommodate to capacity of the venue.

Hiring Wedding Planner

Hiring a wedding planer may be costly but it is a total lifesaver. The wedding planner will guide with all the decisions in planning your wedding schedule. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that they will help search for venues, keep tabs on budget, and handle all the logistics.

Selecting A Reception Venue

Keeping your budget in mind, selecting a reception venue is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your wedding timeline.

Location, capacity, services, amenities, layout, ambiance, and acoustics all come into play when selecting a reception venue.

Some good wedding planning tips to consider is to explore your options and to trust your gut. Ultimately, select your venue quickly because most venues are booked a year in advance.

If you have a specific date in mind, contact your potential venue and make a deposit. Couples who maintain flexibility or get married outside of the peak season may be able to find a date sooner.

Request or schedule a tour of the wedding venue. Who knows, it may be the perfect place your looking for!

Hiring Catering Company

Your wedding is similar to a big dinner party. Your guests will likely be hungry after the ceremony is over, so having delicious food is vital.

If you’re lucky some banquet halls or venues offer an all-inclusive wedding catering options. This means that the catering and other services are handled in house.

This can significantly decrease costs and save you the hassle of finding an outside caterer. When looking for caterers consider the price, cuisine, dietary options, and dining services (family, buffet, or full table style).

Wedding Theme

Start looking for a wedding theme inspiration 11 months out. There are plenty of unique wedding themes for you and your partner to choose from. Some of these include formal, contemporary, classic, modern, and natural.

Look at past examples of how other people did their decorating either through previous weddings you attended or by searching on Instagram, Pinterest, and Google Images to name a few.

Select color palettes, linen and décor that appeal to you and best expresses your theme. No matter the theme of your wedding, select factors that will best bring your vision to life. Étage’s banquet hall can be customized to fit your desired theme to ensure your special day is perfect.

Hire Venders Who Book Quickly and In Advance

Some wedding planning tips to consider is to plan and book your vendors quickly and in advance to avoid last minute issues with your wedding schedule. Some of your favorite and popular vendors might have to be booked earlier than you expect. Therefore, consider securing your vendors about 11 months in advance.

A good place start when searching for vendors would be to ask your wedding venue for a list of vender they recommend. Most likely they will introduce you to DJ’s, bands, photographers, florists, rentals, and caterers they were satisfied with from previous weddings.

Shopping For Wedding Dress

Shopping for a wedding dress might feel overwhelming. Saying yes to the perfect dress might be hard when you have to consider its price, style, and fabric.

Take your time and keep an open mind. You could go into a bridal shop with a set idea in mind, then try on that dress and not like it. You could even fall in love with a completely different dress. It’s a matter of trial and error. Consider a dress that compliments your wedding theme or venue.

Depending on the bridal shop you work with, you may need to order your gown 9 to 10 months in advance.

Send Save The Date

An important step in your wedding planning timeline is to send the save the date letters. The save the date should be sent approximately 9 months out.

It can be sent as postcards or even digitally if you are looking for a way to lower costs.

Sending a save the date letter will let everyone know where and when you plan on tying the knot. It should be kept short, follow wording etiquette, and reflect the tone of your wedding.

It should also note that an invitation would follow. Ensuring that guests don’t confuse the save the date with a wedding invitation.

Hiring a Florist

You should meet with and hire a florist approximately 8 months out. Flowers play a large role in setting the mood for your wedding. They can be found everywhere from bouquets to table centerpieces adding beauty, colors, and texture.

Florists will help select the right flowers to compliment your wedding theme and color palette making your celebration stand out from all the rest.

Select an Officiate

Selecting your wedding officiate is a very important decision because it will influence the whole tone of the ceremony. Its ideal to select your officiate 7 months out. When you have chosen, make sure that they are prepared to present the kind of ceremony you are envisioning.

Decide whether your looking for a secular or religious officiate.

A good officiate should speak confidently and understand how to lead the guest on a journey using his words and voice.

Also, ensure your officiate can legally marry you off. After all you will have to pick up a marriage license.

Choosing Your Honeymoon

The ideal time to book a honeymoon is 5 months out. While you might have an idea of a destination throughout your wedding planning timeline, remember that the honeymoon trip is for both you and your partner.

Take some time to sit and discuss options because the destination you choose should offer experiences based on both your interests.

Have Your Final Taste Testing With Your Caterer.

Your ceremony is now 4 months out and your halfway through your wedding timeline checklist. By now you should have chosen a caterer that you believe will best accommodate your needs and wants.

You’ve thought about how you want your cake to look and what sort of dinning service you prefer. Now is the time to see what your caterer has to offer and the talents they can demonstrate.

You should also be sampling potential food items and customizing your menu. Pay good attention to the presentation and details put on the plate as well as the attentiveness of their service.

Buying Your Wedding Bands

Buying wedding bands is a big deal because they symbolize your love for each other. It is tradition for the couple to buy each other a band. However, you can also go the other route of picking the bands and sharing your expenses together.

Wedding bands vary in shape, size, and style. You will need to determine what type of metal you want and if you want to add an engraving.

When making your final decision, select a band that’s comfortable and fits your lifestyle.

If your still having trouble finding the perfect one ask your self this; “Can I see myself wearing this band for a lifetime?”

Selecting The Attire

The bride and groom often select and plan the attire for the entire wedding party. Ideally, you should select a color palette and style that will complement the venue and overall theme of the wedding. Allow time for shipping, modifications, and final fittings to stay on track with your wedding schedule.

Bridesmaids and flower girl dresses should be ordered approximately 8 months out. Suits and tuxes for the groom, groomsmen, ring bearer, and ushers should be selected 4 months out.

Write Your Vows

Are you thinking about writing your own wedding vows? If so, this is your chance to express your love, promises, and dreams to your partner.

This will be an intimate moment where you pour your heart out to the one you love in front of your family and friends.

Consider writing your vows 3 months out your wedding timeline checklist.

Send Out The Wedding Invitations

You are now 2 months out. This is the time to print, prepare, and send out the wedding invitation.

It’s important to state that RSVPs are due one month before the wedding.

You can also include a rehearsal dinner invitation with your wedding invitations if you like.

Construct a Seating Chart

Constructing a seating chart should take place 1 month out. It might seem hard and time consuming at first, but you can ease your troubles by getting the floor plan from your venue. Figure out how many tables are needed and how many guest are going to be put on each table.

Once you have that sorted out here comes the hard part of deciding who sits where and near what groups.

Context means everything. Planning out your seating chart correctly will spare everyone the awkwardness. Remember not everyone might be happy with your placement so you might receive negative reaction. However, guests will typically try to behave themselves for your sake. Plus, with so much joy in the air it’s hard to be upset over a table.

Odds and Ends of Your Final Week

It’s your final week congratulations. Your wedding planning timeline is near to completion. Most of the hard work is over and come to fruition. All you have left to do is to take care of small essentials like going to the salon, getting your makeup done, cleaning the rings, and having your final dress fitting. But most importantly, this is your time to relax and take in a deep breath. You should go out and have fun. Take a long needed massage. You have earned it!

We all know that wedding planning can be a bit of a minefield – there are so many things to think about and it can be easy to make a mistake. Your wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life.

Avoid these 5 common wedding planning mistakes and make your special day unforgettable!

1. Don’t let time fly by, begin wedding planning early

One of the wedding mistakes that many couples make is waiting until the last minute to start planning. This can lead to unnecessary stress and a rushed, less-than-perfect wedding.

Instead, it’s best to start planning as early as possible. This will give you plenty of time to research venues, vendors, and wedding packages. It will also allow you to take your time making decisions and avoid costly mistakes. So if you’re engagement just around the corner, start wedding planning today!

2. Check your local news and friends for competing events

Wedding planning is hard enough without having to worry about competition from other events. That’s why it’s important to check both local news and your friends’ calendars before setting a date for your wedding.

By doing a little research ahead of time, you can avoid wedding planning mistakes that could result in your big day being overshadowed by another event.

Checking local news and talking to friends can help you avoid wedding disasters, so be sure to do your research before you start planning your big day!

3. Don’t take on more than you really can

One of the biggest wedding planning mistakes is taking on more than you can realistically handle. When you’re in the midst of wedding planning, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and want to do everything yourself.

However, trying to do too much will only lead to stress and burnout. Instead, focus on the key elements that are most important to you and delegate the rest.

This will not only make your wedding planning process more manageable, but it will also allow you to enjoy the lead-up to your big day.

4. Check the weather beforehand

One of the biggest wedding planning mistakes is not checking the weather! Many couples don’t think to check the weather forecast until a few days before the wedding, but by then it’s too late to make any changes if the weather isn’t ideal.

Checking the forecast as far in advance as possible will give you a better chance of being able to plan around any potential bad weather. For example, if there’s a chance of rain on your wedding day, you might want to consider renting a tent or selecting an alternate indoor location.

Don’t let Mother Nature ruin your big day – make sure to check the weather!

5. Start looking for a wedding venue early

If you don’t have much experience of hosting a large event, you are probably wondering when is the best time to find a venue for your wedding in Los Angeles area.

The sooner you begin to explore your venue options, the better. In-demand venues can be booked months in advance, so you need to be decisive and quick.

Having an idea of factors such as capacity needs and the characteristics you are looking for can help you narrow down your choice. Be sure to keep in mind:

• Your budget.
• Your style preferences.
• The approximate size of your event. 
• Your space needs. 

At Étage Venue, our coordinators for events suggest you book a venue between 6 months and 1 year in advance. This is especially true during peak seasons such as June through August. By reserving your venue early on, you can put your mind at ease in knowing you have the right space for your event. 

Speaking to a skilled event planning coordinator about what you are looking for can illuminate possible options. They have years of experience helping clients plan the event of their dreams.

With their knowledge and skills, they can propose various options and budget suggestions that match your needs and preferences.  If you have planned an event at the last minute, we encourage you to give us a call today to find out how we may be able to accommodate your urgent need to find a venue.