Carrie and George are great customers of ours… they’ve come to us multiple times for magnets. This time was for their Thank You magnets. After the wedding, your guests should get thank you notes… What a great idea to include a photo magnet along with it! Not only do they get a little keepsake favor of your big day, but every guest will also get to have one of your wedding photos! You could either include the magnet with a separate thank you note, or you could use our Magnet Holders. These pre-cut and pre-slit pieces of white cardstock fit our magnets perfectly, and you could write your personal thank you note on the backside. I love the way Carrie and George’s magnet turned out - and what a beautiful picture! Congratulations you two!

When you think about what in the world you will do with your guest book after the ceremony, what comes to mind? It’s a good idea to choose one that will look nice if you should choose to use it in your home decor afterward. One idea: find a nice coffee table book of photography of your favorite place and have guests sign the pages. Here’s one of my favorites: New York, Empire City 1920-1945 by David Stravitz. The cost of a book of this sort is going to be about the same (if not less) than a traditional guest book. Plus, it will be something you can easily display - which means you’re really getting use out of what you paid for. Brilliant!

There are so many desserts present at almost every wedding these days, making it pretty easy to find cute ones to look at. Check out Whipped Bake Shop- even if it’s only for inspiration. Located in Philadelphia, it may not be super convenient to order from them… but how could you not?! Once you browse the gallery, you’ll see what I mean. Whether you’re doing a fun wedding cake, clever cupcakes, or cookie favors you’re sure to find something tasty here. My favorites: the Vegas Cookie and the Campfire Cupcakes. You can shop their Etsy store here, or contact them for details on custom items.

This photo uses such awesome coloring! It really stood out from the other Save the Date magnet orders. Ryan Erickson at Elevate Photography in Denver, Colorado took this photo for Brad and Kelley, which they easily turned into a great magnet using our Font in Box Horizontal design. If you take a look at this photographers website, I promised you’ll be impressed. I see lots and lots and lots of wedding photography, but this one really stands out to me. He uses great poses and camera angles, and the color saturation on each photo is amazing! I really love this shot of Brad and Kelley in midair… so fun! I can imagine that the rest of their photo shoot was just as great. Nice work!

Amanda and Steve had the clever idea of telling their wedding date to guests with a picture of them wearing shirts with the date, printed on their Save the Date magnets! They created this design on a Large Custom magnet - measuring 3.375″ by 4.875″. They submitted their photo, chose their wording, selected a font and we put it all together for them! I like when people incorporate their date into the picture in a creative way. Other great ways we have seen:

• Each person holds a sign - one with the month and the other with the day shown.
• A collage of street signs and other signs that, when combined, show the date.
• Written on the couple’s foreheads. (As shown here.)
• Written in the dirt, sand, snow, etc.

There are many ways you can make your photo creative. Think outside the “norm”… as Amanda and Steve have.

I talked to professional wedding photographer extraordinaire, Jessica Hill, to get the inside scoop on engagement and wedding photography. She gave some great tips… so I’ll share!

New and Blue: What should couples be looking for specifically when deciding on a wedding photographer?

 Jessica Hill: Couples should look for someone that they feel a personal connection with. Obviously, you should love their work as well, but if you’re uncomfortable with the person photographing you the photos might reveal that.

NB:  What tips can you give about attire or makeup for the couple for their engagement photo shoot?

 JH: I strongly discourage couples to wear patterns. If the couple sticks with solid colors the photos will stand out and look great! If you can get an outfit change in, I think it’s a great idea as well because it gives such a different look and variety. I usually recommend my clients wear jeans and t’s or sweaters for one look, and then switch it up half-way and change to a skirt or heels and for the guy, a dress shirt and tie. Moms like these too. J

NB: Are there any new photography styles or specific photo opportunities that you’re hearing about?

JH: Yes - all the time! Fusion is getting really big right now, which is the combination of photography and video. Also Boudoir photography is really hot right now. I call the Boudoir photos, Peek-a-Boo shoots and Read the rest of this entry »