Wedding Videographer Prices in Auckland – What You Need to Know

Planning your wedding is one of the most thrilling yet stressful times of your life. You want everything to be perfect, including the memories captured on film. But how do you choose the right wedding videographer in Auckland, and more importantly, how much should you budget? This blog post will guide you through the landscape of wedding videographer prices in Auckland, helping you make an informed decision without compromising the quality of your cherished memories.

Understanding Wedding Videographer Prices in Auckland

The cost of hiring a wedding videographer in Auckland can vary significantly, with prices ranging from $500 to $5,000 or more depending on several factors such as the length of coverage, editing complexity, and the experience of the videographer. On average, most couples spend around $2,500 to $5,000 for a full day's coverage and a final edit that can include a wedding highlights, and a full wedding ceremony video. However, if you’re considering adding a full wedding reception video, you should anticipate an increase in cost. This additional coverage typically adds anywhere from $500 to $1,500 or more to the total, depending on the length of the event and the level of editing required.

Budget Videographers ($500 - $2,000):

• Pros: Affordable, can still deliver decent quality videos, ideal for couples on a tight budget.

• Cons: May lack experience or high-end equipment, risk of missing important moments due to lack of skill or attention.

MID-RANGE

Mid-Range Videographers ($2,000 - $6,000):

• Pros: A good balance between cost and quality, experienced professionals, better equipment, and editing skills.

• Cons: Slightly higher cost, may still have some limitations compared to top-tier options.

PROFESSIONAL

Professional Videographers ($6,000+):

• Pros: Top-tier quality, extensive experience, premium equipment, cinematic storytelling, and often include extras like Same-Day-Edit.

• Cons: High cost, not always necessary for smaller or less extravagant weddings.

The True Cost of Compromising on Quality

Choosing a budget videographer can be a practical decision. There are certainly advantages to this approach: you’ll save money upfront. However, it’s essential to be aware of the potential trade-offs that come with this choice.

Mistakes are part of the process when working with less experienced videographers. While they may have a genuine passion for their craft, the reality is that they might miss key moments or struggle with technical issues. It’s not uncommon for brides to hear a few apologies after the wedding when reviewing their video. Perhaps the audio didn’t pick up the vows as clearly as expected, or some of the shots were shaky or poorly framed. These are understandable challenges for someone who is still honing their skills.

Another reality to consider is that if you’re unhappy with the final product, you may end up spending more money down the line. Some couples who are disappointed with their wedding video find themselves hiring a different videographer to re-edit the footage in hopes of salvaging their memories. This additional cost can sometimes outweigh the savings you initially made by going with a budget option.

The "Friend with a Camera" Dilemma

Having a friend or family member film your wedding might sound like a fun, cost-saving idea. After all, they know you well, and it could be a way to add a personal touch to your wedding video. But before you go down this road, consider the potential pitfalls.

• Pros:

  • Free or low-cost

  • A personal touch with someone who knows you well.

  • Can be fun and informal.

• Cons:

  • Lack of experience, leading to missed moments.

  • Potential for technical issues (blurry footage, poor sound quality).

  • Strain on your friendship if things don’t go as planned.

While asking a friend to film your wedding can be a fun and budget-friendly option, it’s important to remember that your friend is there to celebrate and enjoy your big day too. There's a good chance that in the excitement of the festivities, they might miss capturing key moments. Professional videographers not only bring expertise in filming and editing but also allow your friends and family to fully immerse themselves in the celebration without the pressure of capturing every detail. If you go with a friend, you might get something personal and unique, but it may not have the same polish or completeness as a professionally made video.

Making the Right Choice for Your Wedding

Ultimately, your choice will depend on what aspects of the wedding video are most important to you. If you’re okay with a more casual, less polished video that captures the day in a straightforward way, a budget videographer might be the perfect fit. However, if you’re looking for a polished, cinematic experience that you can treasure for years to come, it might be worth considering a more experienced professional.

Conclusion

No matter what, remember that your wedding day is about the love and joy shared between you and your partner. The right videographer, regardless of their price point, will capture that essence, and that’s what truly matters.

Bridal Emergency Kit: 8 Must Haves for a Struggle-Free Wedding Day

By Winona Fajardo

Through the entire wedding preparation and the actual ceremony, it’s only normal to focus on the bigger, more important things like the venue, arrangements, and guest list. This leaves you to forget that your special day can also go smoothly by having all the small essential things that might save you from having a nightmarish wedding. Luckily, these things can just be found around your house or in your local pharmacy and grocery stores.

1. Paracetamol tablets

   I can’t emphasize more why having some tablets of Panadol in your pouch is important. You can’t expect to have a perfectly clear head throughout the celebration especially with a lot of things happening. So, save yourself from any pain or headache by having this lifesaver in your kit.

2. Snacks and mints

   You probably won’t feel any hunger because of the butterflies in your stomach until the wedding ceremony is over and you’re on your way to the reception. You don’t want anyone hearing your stomach growl when they’re taking wedding photos with you, so having a snack bar or trail mix on hand can help you get through that hunger until dinner is served. Make sure to also have some mints handy to ensure that you have fresh breath throughout the day.

3. Plasters

   This is essential especially when you have forgotten to break-in to your wedding shoes. Every girl knows how distracting the pain of having blisters form in your feet is. Plaster acts as a hero to relieve you from that sort of pain. It’s also better to be prepared in case someone gets a minor wound or cut.

4. Hair tie/hairpin/hairspray

   Unless you have your hairstylist on standby, you can’t really be sure that your hair stays on perfectly throughout the day. A hairpin or two can help your hair from looking like a disaster at the end of the day. A hair tie and hairspray can also help to keep your hair from your face when you’re out enjoying the reception party.

5. Sewing kit

   Just in case, one of your bridesmaid’s dress tears or a thread from your groomsman suit becomes loose, it’s better to have a sewing kit at your disposal. Make sure to get materials that match the colours of the dresses and suits so that any quick repairs are not obvious.

6. Perfume/Deodorant

   You will want to match that bewitching look of yours with a smell that is also as great. What you will not want is to smell of sweat from the day’s activities. Also, imagine having that slow romantic dance with your partner then him smelling that signature scent of yours that he has always loved. That’s a perfect scene right there.

7. Makeup

   It’s good to have some makeup ready for you to use should you need a quick touch up before taking hundreds of wedding photos. You don’t have to bring your entire makeup kit with you. A lipstick, an eyeliner, mascara, and oil blotting sheets will do to ensure that you look perfect every time the camera captures a photo and video of you.

8. Tissues

   You already know how important it is to always have a tissue with you in your everyday life, so it’s no different for your wedding day. Tissue serves a lot of purposes like wiping off a stain or catching the tears from falling. It’s better to have a packet in your kit because it is of many uses on your wedding day.

This emergency kit is not just for the brides. It can also help your husband-to-be and the guests on your wedding day, so there’s nothing wrong with being extra prepared by having your own bridal emergency kit.

Retaining that Love Even After Decades of Marriage

By Winona Fajardo

Being newly married truly is one of the most wonderful times in your life. The bond between you and your partner strengthens as you go a trip down memory lane and realise everything you have overcome together. Then suddenly looking forward to all the adventures you will share with your partner for the rest of your life. You really can’t imagine a life without that person. But, 10 years from now will it still be the same? Ever wonder about how many people file for divorce each year, forgetting the vows they have made for each other? Before and after your wedding may not be the best times to think of those problems. Even so, it’s better to be prepared now. Your future self will thank you.

Write love notes

You can do this pre-marriage or post-marriage or even both! It’s totally up to you. Write any message you want your partner to know whether it be something that you love about them, the things you want to do with them, the little things you notice in them. Anything that makes you love them more every day. Write those in individual pieces of paper, put it in a jar then store it. After this, whenever you go into a fight with each other, read some of the notes you have written. This is to remind you why you both love each other in the first place. As corny as it may sound, that might be the lifesaver that will pull you back up from a sinking relationship.

Display your vow

Don’t just store the vows you have written for each other in a place that you will forget after a few years of marriage. Put it inside a frame and hang or place it somewhere that you can often see it. This way, you will be reminded of the promises you two have made and encourage you to continue fulfilling those vows even when the sparks start to die.

Rewrite your vows

If you have gone sick of reading the vows you have displayed and it merely turns into plain words without the deep meaning in it, rewrite your vows to each other. They say that people change and perhaps you want to make more promises to your partner or you have discovered more things and want to make adjustments to your relationship. Rewriting your vows will surely rekindle that love and continue to strengthen the bond between you two.

Take a time off

Just because you’re married does not mean that you cannot have a time off for yourself. Plan a trip or vacation just for you and ask your partner to do the same. You can do something as simple as going to a hotel and staying there for a few days; discover what the place has to offer. Or you can do something grand like having a cruise trip with your friends. Pick anything that you know you will love and simply relax. Being away from your partner does not mean that you’re selfish or disloyal. Allow yourself to miss each other so when you finally reunite, the love will reignite.

Have time for just the two of you

After that ‘me’ time while being away from each other, plan something that only involves the two of you. Again, you can do a simple out of town trip or something fun and adventurous like hiking. The stress of everyday life can have a strenuous effect on marriage and sometimes, you don’t realise that work and responsibilities are taking its toll thus weakening your relationship. You won’t know that all you need is a short break from the stressful reality until you’ve done it. You will realise that escaping from reality even for just a few days is the key to focusing on loving your partner again. So, go and plan that vacation because you both deserve it.

Do what you used to do when you were just new in your relationship

Sometimes, the key to feeling the romance again is by reliving the memories and not just reminiscing it. Think of all your first experiences with you partner and try to do it again. Have a date where you first met each other, visit the place where you first kissed, eat the food you first had together or go to the place where you first confessed your love for each other. When you go to the places where you used to often hangout, try to do the things that you used to do even if it’s something as silly as playing in the playground. As long as it holds your memories and makes you remember why you love your partner in the first place, don’t hesitate to do it.

Learn new things together

Life gets boring when you stop discovering new things especially when you have the same routine every day. It may eventually become unbearable, and it can affect the relationship you have with your partner. All the more when your marriage life is part of the same old boring routine. This is why it’s important to continue learning and discovering things together. Never be afraid of change. If you see something that interests you then go for it, and try to engage your partner into doing it with you. Doing things together can keep your relationship stronger. What makes it more fun is when you suddenly discover something new in your partner. It's when you think you already know everything about him or her then this new side of them shows up. If you have no interest in the new-found hobby of your partner then at least show that you support them. The only time both of you should stop discovering new things together is the time when death finally parts you.

Don’t stop creating memories

Along with continuing to discover what the world has in store, you should also continue to make memories. Always find something that excites you, that you know will be remembered even by your grandchildren. Something that will be told by your own children to your grandchildren and to their own grandchildren many years later. The memories will be worth it when you see that beach in town, and a smile forms on your lips because you and your partner used to sneak out to have a night swim. It will be worth it when you smell a certain food then remember how you both struggled to make it but ended up having fun doing so anyway. And, those memories will be worth it when your children and grandchildren remember the things you have done together and hope that one day, they will be creating happy memories of their own with their loved ones too.

Unique Places to Hold your Wedding and/or Reception According to Your Style

By Winona Fajardo

There is nothing wrong with having your wedding in traditional places like a church or a beach. Those are the classic traditional wedding locations. It gives off that romantic essence and vibe as you walk down the aisle and see the smiling teary-eyed faces of your friends and family. But, don't let traditions hold you from taking the risk to do something different. After all, being unique and out of your comfort zone is the best way to have a memorable wedding that will surely be remembered by everyone.

Adventure Junkie

For those who don’t mind going above and beyond to make their wedding spectacularly standout, why not try to incorporate your ceremony with the extreme sports that you love? If you love the waters, try an underwater wedding ceremony because what’s more romantic than capturing the kiss that will seal the bond of your marriage underwater? If you prefer the skies, try skydiving instead. But, if you want to stay on land you can hold your wedding atop a mountain with a view of everything beneath as you recite your vows to each other. As long as your partner is up for it, and the bride doesn’t mind the risk of ruining her wedding gown and makeup, then don’t let anything else stop you from doing an extreme adventure-themed wedding.

Wanderer

If you love adventure but don’t want to take it to the extreme, there are still a lot of places where you can hold your wedding, especially when you love to travel. If you don’t mind audiences in addition to your guests, try a famous tourist spot or landmark that you have always loved like the Sky Tower or your local zoo. You can also consider having your wedding in an aquarium or theme park. Choosing such venues for your wedding ceremony allows you to have a tour of the place right after the event, so what’s not love? If you don’t want hundreds of people witnessing the ceremony, you can hold your wedding on a yacht in the middle of the sea with only your friends and family as witnesses.

Nature Lover

New Zealand is famous for its wonderful landscapes and sceneries. One of the reasons why locals love it is because of the beauty of its nature. So, you wouldn’t go wrong with choosing a location you want to have your wedding in. What’s better is that some of these locations are free because it is public property. The struggle you will find yourself stuck in is choosing from a variety of places. If you are after a mellow, mysterious, romantic type of wedding you can choose the forest as a location or for something that is more eccentric but not extreme, try having your wedding in a cave. If you want a more private location, you can have it on an isolated island where the transport is by boat. To replace a classic garden wedding, choose an orchard or a botanical garden as your venue. The list just goes on!

Homebody

For those who do not want to risk the inevitable bad weather that might occur on your wedding day or if you simply want your venue to be indoors, there are still various places you can pick from. If you want nature incorporated into your wedding theme but don’t want an open-sky location, try a greenhouse garden. For those who want a cosy place or if you simply love books, try a library. If you have your own library at home or someone you know has one, you don’t have to worry about the librarians fretting over the books you and your guests might ruin. On the other hand, if you opt for something more different and fun, why not try a circus? A circus can be expensive but if you don’t mind spending more for a once in a lifetime moment, then go for it.

Party Animal

There’s no other venue that will suit those who love to lose themselves in parties than a pub. Your wedding will surely be the talk of the town if you choose this type of venue. If you still want to maintain the serenity of your wedding, you can always hire a mobile pub and incorporate it to another venue that interests you from this list. Setting up your own pub in a unique place will make it even more memorable. Just remember that not all venues will allow you and your guests to drink there, so be sure to stay out of trouble than risk the consequences in the end.

Old-fashioned

People who are old-fashioned but still want their wedding to be striking and for those who want a piece of history included in their theme, go for a wedding in an old castle or palace. If you’re in New Zealand, you can only have it in the Larnach Castle & Gardens in Dunedin because it is the only castle in the country. But the good news is, they do offer weddings and venue hire so nothing should get in your way from fulfilling the fairy tale wedding you have imagined since you were a child! Another venue you can consider if you’re old-fashioned or fond of history is the museum. Luckily, New Zealand has museums everywhere, so you can just take your pick.

Whether you love extreme adventures or want to stay in your comfort zone, there is surely a place where you can hold your wedding and make it stand out above all others.

Do you know any other unique places where to hold your wedding or reception? Perhaps as daring as the top of a mountain or simply in your backyard? Well we sure do are keen to hear from you so please feel free to comment below and share with us your thoughts.

Perks of Getting a Videographer on your Wedding Day

By Winona Fajardo & John Michael Enriquez

“A picture paints a thousand words”. This famous line from the band Bread has really given a profound definition for still images. But have you ever wondered how many more thousand words could a video paint? Video captures memories in multiple perspectives and gives life to a captured moment. All the emotions, expressions, and gestures will all be recorded – making it much better for you to relive the whole celebration as the years go by. Indeed, reliving your wedding through several photos will bring back the happenings in your wedding – but being able to watch it will really give you that exact feeling as you see each other across aisle.

A shot of the entire moment

While photography catches the most important events on your wedding, it solely just focuses on those because they only get one shot to capture those memories. This usually leads to missing the special little details like how your best friend beamed from ear to ear when you finally kissed your partner under the beautiful floral archway. In the photos, you may see your family and friends laughing or crying but may not remember why they are doing so. Getting a wedding videographer will capture everything to the smallest details. It will allow you to relive that special moment and see the things that you have missed on that day. Watching your wedding video is like witnessing it from a different perspective because you will see a lot of the happenings that you have failed to notice before. Every time you watch it, you will see or notice things differently which makes it more exciting.

It captures other memories, not just the wedding itself

Weddings are one of the best ways to have everyone you love in a single place. And, when the special people in your life are gathered, memories will form that only a video can capture in the best way possible. Imagine your maid of honour or your groomsman talking about craziest things you have done in high school while everyone is laughing and seeing yourself red from embarrassment. Who knows? Your wedding might be the last day you’ll see your grandparents healthy and smiling before their age starts to take its toll. It might be the last day you will see that special friend of yours before he/she decides to live in a country far away to start a new life. Or you can simply watch your wedding to see everyone happy for the next milestone you will face with your partner. Recording the people at your wedding is one of the special ways to remember the relationships you have with them and to relive all the experiences when you start to miss them.

Months of effort spent preparing will be stored

The preparations you do for your wedding ceremony and reception is no joke. It is something that you can’t rush if you want it to be perfect. It’s true when they say that time flies when that day finally comes. One day, you are checking in at the hotel, spending your last night as a miss then the next thing you know you have your partner’s last name next to your first name. So, where did all the efforts go? The best way to make all the preparations worth it is by getting a videographer to record it. They can even capture the pre-wedding events and make a documentary out of it. This way, you can appreciate the colour theme you’ve chosen for the wedding and the table decorations you yourself have arranged. You can hear the music played as you walk down the aisle and as you dance with your loved ones in the middle of the stage with everyone watching you with love in their eyes. Because what’s better than having that smile on your face every time you watch the video and realise that not one single effort towards the preparation has gone to waste?

A memory to share with those who are not yet in this world

A few years after your wedding when you have your own family, you will want your kids to also attend that special day in the only way possible: getting them to watch your wedding day. Realising how much their parents love each other and seeing other people whom they formed a relationship with can be healthy to them. It will give them a positive outlook towards life and they will want the same happiness for them. You want to be the best role model to your children, and allowing them to see that such love can exist between two people through your wedding video is a priceless gift that they will be thankful for the rest of their lives.

Being in a movie with you as the main actors

It’s probably not your dream to become an actor nor anyone else’s, but being able to capture the genuine emotions real time is something Oscar worthy. From the tears of joy to the love reflecting from everyone’s eyes, it’s something that mere acting can’t replicate. Apart from the program created to guide you throughout the whole ceremony, nothing is scripted so the plot of your movie-like wedding is unique. It’s your own personal story and no one else in this world has the exact same story as yours.

KEEPING MEMORIES SHARED WITH GUESTS THAT MAY PART SOON

They say that life is a continuous cycle. Soon enough, all of us will pass away but the memories created will always stay. That’s why having your wedding filmed will indeed bottle all the special moments of your big day. Guests who give out speeches for the couple are usually the ones close to their hearts. Soon enough, these guests may part ways with the world but being able to watch how they show you their love by their words one more time will make you feel like they never left.

The bride’s dance with her father. The groom’s tight hug to his mom. All of these are memories worth watching again. You don’t want to regret not being able to do that because once it’s done, it can never be repeated again.

GETTING YOUR WEDDING FILMED COULD GET EXPENSIVE

The pros of having your wedding filmed could make you feel overwhelmed but keep in mind that this is another expense you might need to reconsider especially if you’re in a budget. Looking for a great videographer around your area is not easy. You will have to scout, ask around, and surf the internet for wedding videographers near you. Once you find a few, narrow it down to at least three choices and start meeting each one. You must be aware of how they do their work by watching the previous weddings they covered.

Making the final decision must be considered from three different factors – the schedule, style, and the budget. Good videographers usually get booked ahead of time so their schedule is one you must take note of. Their style of creating videos is also important as it will greatly affect the quality and perspective of your wedding video. Lastly, your budget and their quote must meet with consideration to how technical and sophisticated you want your video to look. Nowadays in New Zealand, a wedding video coverage could cost you around $2,500-$10,000. This is an expense you really need to think about because of its long list of advantages especially after your wedding. The last thing you want is to have regrets of not having your wedding filmed, or worse, paying someone to do it for cheap but not delivering what you wanted because at that point it just becomes a waste of time and money. The key is to find a videographer who fits your budget, style and personality. Clients should not choose a videographer solely because of their price. A client should look for a videographer whose work really resonates with their character and personality.

We hope we were able to help you decide on this important wedding matter. Go ahead and start looking for a good videographer in your area, watch their crafts, and set a meeting and discuss how they can help to tell your beautiful love story!

TOP 7 ASIAN HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS

By John Michael Enriquez

Asia is a cradle of the world’s most beautiful landscapes and sceneries that’s why it’s a sure continent to host your dream honeymoon vacation. Whether you want to spend a long stroll at a white sand beach or try different cuisines from several neighboring countries, this massive area has everything in store for you. The question is – which among these 50 countries should you go to?

We have listed down the top 7 best Asian honeymoon destinations that may fit any couple’s preference. You might want to get a pen and paper ‘cause this will get long. Let’s start with the easiest one and a famous country among foreigners – the Philippines.

#1 Palawan, Philippines

Palawan is located in the west part of the Philippines and is a long stretch of amazing sceneries. It is divided into three segments – Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Coron. Want to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World? Go ahead and take a boat ride to the Underground River in Puerto Princesa. Want to lagoon hopping? El Nido has the most beautiful lagoons in the world! Have you been dying to try scuba diving and see colorful corals and marine? Coron has amazing underwater sites you must visit! There are a lot of beautiful destinations and Palawan is one of them and is indeed a great choice – especially for couples who want a quiet time and an adventure of a lifetime!

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#2 Bali, Indonesia

Bali is an island of Indonesia and is famous for their iconic rice paddies, white sand beaches and amazing cuisine. It is also rich in culture as historical temples are scattered throughout the island. You may find Bali familiar if you have watched the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” where the character of Julia Roberts roamed around this amazing island to find herself and her purpose. Indeed, Bali is a great place to unwind and start an amazing journey with your partner. You may also go around and indulge with authentic Indonesian cuisine with foods like Beef Rendang and Nasi Goreng.

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#3 Maldives

Maldives is considered as the smallest country in the world but it still packs the most amazing white sand beaches and aquamarine waters that mesmerizes its tourists from all around the world. If you have an extra budget, you may book a villa on stilts or floating bungalows where you and your partner could have a memorable honeymoon. Wake up in the relaxing sound of waves and own full privacy in your own natural hotel. Maldives is also a popular scuba diving site if you fancy some adrenaline rush.

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#4 Chiang Mai, Thailand

If you and your partner are not much of beach lovers, you can check out the beautiful Chang Mai in Thailand. This place is very rich in culture with their vibrant festivals, night markets, historical temples, and tribal locations that will indeed deepen your knowledge about Thai culture. Since Chiang Mai is situated at the foot of the mountains, it would really be fun to ride a bike around with your partner to explore the wonders of this city!

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#5 Singapore

I’m sure you will adore Singapore if you and your partner are avid lovers of the city and the energy of its crowd. The Changi Airport by itself is already a tourist destination with its indoor gardens and massive store selections. Want to fancy a trip to the city? You may visit Gardens by the Bay and the famous Marina Bay. Are you adventurous enough for some rides? Sentosa is the perfect place for you! Singapore is very civilized, fast-paced, and a techno-heaven for city lovers!

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#6 Tokyo, Japan

Japan is one of the most visited countries in the world. In fact, almost 30 million tourists visit it every year! This huge amount of love from tourists is because of Japan’s amazing sceneries, cultural references, and their advancements in technology. In Tokyo, you may go around the city, eat amazing Japanese food like ramen and sushi, and visit historical sites and museums and iconic locations like the Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo Disneyland, and the Tokyo Skytree. If you plan on having your honeymoon here, you might have to consider the climate on the schedule of your vacation. If you love the warm weather, visit Tokyo when it’s summer from June to mid-September. Want to see amazing colors from trees? Plan your visit from mid-October to December. Never bothered by the cold? Japan in winter is equally beautiful! Want to see the famous cherry blossoms in full bloom? Schedule your Japan trip from March to June.

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#7 Dubai, UAE

Dubai is considered as one of the most flourished and expensive cities in the world. With their booming economy, hundreds of establishments and amazing tourist sites have been erected to give way to tourists around the globe. If you and your partner are both avid fans of luxury items, Dubai has a lot of designer stores for you. You may also visit the city and watch the famous Dubai Fountains, take a picture beside the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, and shop in their world-class malls including the Dubai Mall. They say Dubai is a desert but if you love water attractions, you may visit the Aquaventure Waterpark and the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo!

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That’s it for our list! Indeed, there are still lots of other great destinations in Asia for a honeymoon of a lifetime, but we covered the best for you to choose. Every couple is unique as the prints on our fingers that’s why the perfect honeymoon must be fitted to what the couple really wants. Since Asia is the biggest continent in the world, it can really provide your needs of a dream honeymoon – even at the fraction of the price.

If you want to explore deep cultures, see amazing sights and natural sceneries, and taste amazing food you’ve never had before, then go ahead and consider Asia as your honeymoon place to be. Who knows? You might fall in love too much and book another trip – but this time, it’s for you and your whole family. Come and visit Asia and fall in love… once again!

10 Most Important Maid-of-Honour Tasks

By John Michael Enriquez

Being asked to be maid-of-honour is indeed an honour in itself. Being chosen by the bride to lead the “pack” and see that every little detail is accounted for before the big day might be a daunting task but it’s really fun and worth it altogether.

It’s a common misconception that maids-of-honour are only responsible for tasks during the wedding ceremony but actually, most of their tasks happen a week and hours before it. We have listed down 10 important maid-of-honour responsibilities that you might miss out!

1. Plan, host, and attend pre-wedding events

Bachelorette parties, bridal showers, bridal parties… They all call for one thing – make the bride feel special and well-celebrated before the big celebration! As maid-of-honour, you are tasked to organise all these parties and make sure they go smoothly. From the venue, catering, guests, gifts, party programme, and favours, you have to keep everything organised. Feel like it’s a lot? Don’t worry because you have the whole pack of bridesmaids to help you out! The goal is to make it memorable and all about the bride!

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2. Attend fittings and be the style curator and expert

Choosing the perfect wedding dress can be an overwhelming task. It takes a lot of decision-making and consecutive fittings before the bride finally decides. As maid-of-honour, you must attend these fittings for the bride and bridesmaids and make sure they don’t go out of style. You can get inspiration from blogs and magazines and it’s good to research on what’s the appropriate style that compliments the bride’s taste. You can be the resident style curator even for the bridesmaids’ dresses too!

3. Be the bride’s superhero and confidante

The wedding can be stressful to the bride and it’s a maid-of-honour’s task to attend her every concern and make sure she stays excited and happy before the wedding. Some brides can get too overwhelmed or nervous as the day approaches. Always lend a helping hand and ear to her whenever she feels this way. Be the superhero during difficult decision-making and give your honest advice and tips to sort it all out. Share your ideas and feel free to point out careless decisions too.

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4. Make sure the bride and bridesmaids look their best on the wedding day

It’s the wedding day and the preparation hours before it could be nerve-wracking! Make sure the bridal party is ready, picture-perfect, and on time for the ceremony. Prepare their dresses and have their make-up artists on standby. Also prepare their bouquets and make sure that the glam room atmosphere is calm and organised. Watch out for any unexpected incidents like wardrobe malfunctions and literally anything that could go wrong!

theconfessionsofaproductjunkie.com

5. Be the bride’s Hedwig of the wedding day

Ever watched Harry Potter? Well, he has a pet owl in the movie named Hedwig and usually does any messenger-related tasks. As maid-of-honour, you must be the bride’s Hedwig on the wedding day for any love notes or gifts that should be sent across the couple’s glam rooms. You must know that the bride and groom should not see each other hours before the ceremony so it’s nice to be their messenger and be the sender of love for just a while.

songbirdweddings.com

6. Be beautiful, presentable, and walk down the aisle with poise

After all the beautiful chaos before the wedding, it’s nice to take your moment as you walk down the aisle. The maid-of-honour usually goes first on the entourage so it’s nice to open it with grace and poise. Even though you’re responsible to making the bride and bridesmaids look glamorous, you must also think about how you look. The wedding preparation might be stressful but it’s something you don’t want to look like!

brides.com

7. Be of assistance to the bride during the ceremony

olivialeighweddings.com

As maid-of-honour, you should make sure that the ceremony runs smoothly and that you are ready if ever the bride needs your help. You might have to arrange her train or veil, or even hold the bouquet for her if she runs out of free hand. You can also sign as a wedding witness on their marriage license/contract. You and the best man should be work hand in hand to make sure nothing goes wrong and the ceremony runs peacefully.

8. Make sure the bride is stress-free on the reception

One last thing to pull off is the reception. Make sure that the bride is well-assisted for huge and small favours like going to the bathroom or getting her a drink or two. Also make sure she eats well and enjoys traditional activities like cake slicing, releasing of doves, throwing of the bouquet, and the whole programme altogether. Make sure you’re at her sight all the time if she needs any help.

theknot.com

9. Give a toast or a speech for the couple

As with every celebration, it’s nice to give a toast to the celebrants and give a short (or long) message to the couple and the guests. You might really have to prepare a written speech to not forget anything you want to say. You can go back to the day you met the bride and how your friendship grew as the years went by. You can also give thanks to the guests for the meaningful ceremony and for attending the celebration. This is your chance to express your thanks and appreciation so make the most out of it!

polandweddings.com

10. Prepare for the after party!

Modern weddings usually have after parties after the reception. The bride might need your assistance on changing to her party dress. Make sure the bride enjoys it and watch out for her when she has too much to drink. If the wedding does not have any after parties, you can still assist the bride when she leaves the venue and prepare her for the honeymoon. This is your final task as maid-of-honour!

There you have it! I’m sure we covered up all the tasks you need to consider if you’ll be maid-of-honour soon. Don’t forget these responsibilities and to also have fun. Weddings only happen once in a couple’s life and to be a big part of it is really precious. Make the most out of it!

Post-Wedding Day: Charitable Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Wedding

By Winona Fajardo

Weddings require a ton of props and materials, and most of them are only used on the day itself. You can, of course, hire some of the wedding props and pieces such as your wedding gown and flower arrangements but, not everyone tends to go to that option especially those who like to go the extra mile just to make their wedding day unique and special, so at the end of the day you will be left with a lot of things that you do not know what to do with. If you try the suggestions below, you will surely have the most memorable event of your life in a unique way that others can benefit as well.

Luulla

Mini dresses for the angels

Ever thought of what to do with that $2,000 wedding dress you bought that you will only wear for a single day? Instead of stocking it at the back of your closet hoping that it might be of use someday or hoping that your children and future grandchildren will wear them on their wedding day, ask a tailor to cut your wedding dress and transform it into multiple little dresses. You can then give the dresses to children in the orphanage or those in the hospitals who suffer from an illness or disorder. You can do the same thing to the dresses your bridesmaids will wear and to your honour attendants/flower girls which probably won’t need any tailoring. Having this done may be worth a price, but the smile it will put on the little angels’ faces will definitely make it worth it.

Share love to the elderly

After such an eventful day, do not just throw away those pretty flower arrangements you planned so much on or store in your house until it rots. Being in a relationship with your partner has probably made you feel the happiness of simply being given a flower. It’s old-fashioned but it still works especially to those who deserve to experience such happiness in their lives. You can unbind each flower stem from the wedding flower arrangements, and give each of them to the elderlies in your local retirement village. Doing this can surely add a joyous and memorable experience to you and to those who will receive this wonderful gift.

flowershopnetwork.com

Charity donation as a wedding gift

If you and your partner have already settled and don’t need the extra household or personal gifts you will be receiving from family and friends on your wedding day, you can ask them to just donate to your chosen charity or ask them a monetary gift that you can personally donate to one or several charities. You can also start a simple fundraising for a certain cause that you want to support. However, if you are not comfortable with asking for money from your guests you can ask them to donate certain materials to your local community hall, public facilities or even to a church you go to. The possibilities are endless!

plumtreewealth.com

Hand-me-down decorations

Most girls have dreamt of their own wedding since they were a kid, and when that moment comes they would want it to be as beautiful as possible. However, beauty can sometimes come with a cost and unfortunately, not everyone can afford the most beautiful wedding decorations. If you think that the wedding decorations you bought will just be kept in a box for “possible” future use or will simply be thrown away, why not help your fellow bride-to-be’s and offer to donate some, if not all the decorations for their own wedding event? If you are unsure how to look for those future brides, wedding-related pages in social media is a great tool to start on.

countryliving.com

Left-over for the homeless

At the end of the day, there might be some left-overs at the buffet table, and it is inevitable because, for some they would rather order excess food rather than leaving the guests unsatisfied from the amount of food they ate. After all, it’s a rather long day for everyone. If you are one of these people and think of what will you do if you end up with a ton of left-overs that you nor your guests want to take home, have some individual takeaway containers ready and pack the food in them equally. You can then distribute these to the homeless people in the streets. Not only did you satisfy your guests with the food served on your reception, but you also satisfied the hungry stomachs of those who are in need.

catering-by-design.com and newshub.co.nz

When you try out these suggestions, make sure to take photos or videos and share it to the social media community for others to also experience the joy of giving to others in the most special and unique way!

10 Unique and Amazing Wedding Favours

By John Michael Enriquez

Having a hard time finding the perfect wedding favour? Well, it’s only a matter of thinking what guests would actually keep or use and what represents you both as a couple. Wedding favours serve as a parting symbol and a remembrance of your big day so it’s nice to wrap it all up with a good one! Here are some suggestions you may consider:

1. SCENTED CANDLES

Most people often say, “This scent reminds me of something”. Well, if you want your guests to remember your wedding through a familiar smell, customising a candle is a sure bet! You may ask a chandler to create a scent that represents you and your partner. You may also customise the wrapping with your photo, the date and venue of the wedding and maybe a message of thanks to your guests. This wedding favour will surely light things up!

myweddingfavors.com

2. Bottle Opener

If you and your partner are avid drinkers and a huge chunk of your guests are too, giving out a personalised bottle opener would be a perfect souvenir. You may choose from a wide array of designs, probably coat it with gold, tie a red ribbon in the middle, and put it in a customised box. You can definitely show your creative side while creating this wedding favour. Bottoms up!

etsy.com

littlethingsfavors.com

3. Succulents

Succulents are small plants planted in miniature glass vases. They require minimal care and can be placed on countertops or tables as a decor. This is the perfect wedding favour if you and your partner love plants and want to share this hobby to your guests. You may place succulents on a beautiful vase, tie a red ribbon around it, and place a message card to let your guests know that they are “planted” in your memory!

4. Cupcakes

Calling all baker couples! It’s time to show your prowess at baking with this unique party favour. Customise the base of the cupcake and the frosting to the flavour and colour of your liking. You can also add a tiny message plate made out of chocolate and place it on top of the frosting. Place each cupcake on small cupcake boxes and tie a ribbon around it! When your guests know you baked the favours yourself, they will sure appreciate it even more!

www.bodascondetalle.es

5. Coasters

Everyone’s day usually starts with coffee and a personalised coaster is a sure bet for coffee lovers out there! You can have your personalised design printed on cork, on acrylic, or on glass, depending on your budget. Place at least three coasters in a box and tie a ribbon around it. It’s that simple! Your guests will surely remember the wedding every day!

pinterest.nz

pinterest.nz

6. Flip flops

If you plan on having a beach wedding, giving out flip flops as wedding favour is the perfect choice! You can create different designs and have them printed on the flip flops. Place them inside a box and voila! Your guests surely won’t have a hard time walking on sand. This wedding favour is comfy, very usable, and unique too!

pinterest.nz

pinterest.nz

7. Planner/Notebook

Like making plans? Planners are very universal and are useful to anyone at any age. You may personalise each page with your favourite quote or Bible verses or maybe incorporate your love story on each section of the planner. This way, guests can plan their lives and know more about you and your partner too! This wedding favour is indeed something to note!

pinterest.nz

8. Chocolate Bars

Couples with a sweet tooth, this is a wedding favour you might consider. Customise the flavour of the chocolate depending on your taste and have it wrapped on personalised wrapping as well! You may also ask the chocolatier to create a customised mould for your chocolate bars so your names are engraved on each cube. This favour is too sweet to miss!

pinterest.nz

pinterest.nz

9. Fridge magnets

According to a study, an average person usually opens the fridge 15 to 20 times a day. That’s the equal amount of reasons to customise a fridge magnet and give it as a wedding favour! You can have your customised design printed on PVC or even ask a supplier to create a 3D fibreglass of you and your partner’s face! The variations are limitless but we’re sure that this favour will click and stick!

pinterest.nz

10. Music Box

For couples who love music, a personalised music box is the perfect wedding favour for you! Customise it with your favourite song and maybe a miniature wedding couple spinning around when the music box is winded. You can also engrave your names or initials on the box. You can be really creative with this wedding favour and it will surely be music to your guests’ ears!

There you go! These are just 10 suggestions for unique and tasteful wedding favours. You just have to be creative and mindful that these small tokens represent both of you as a couple and the whole celebration as well. Remember, be inspired and be creative!

There you go! These are just 10 suggestions for unique and tasteful wedding favours. You just have to be creative and mindful that these small tokens represent both of you as a couple and the whole celebration as well. Head now to your nearest wedding specialty store or talk to your wedding organisers for more ideas and suppliers. May the odds be ever in your favours!

A Foolproof Guide on Planning your Guest List

By Winona Fajardo

Making the guest list for your wedding day can be quite stressful especially if you’re on a tight budget. When you list down the potential people you know and possibly invite, you may realise that your expected number guests can blow up to twice or thrice as many, and narrowing it down can be quite challenging. Luckily, there are a few ways to solve this problem to make sure you and your partner will be happy with the end result.

Etsy

Do not announce your wedding on social media

In the generation that we live in, almost everything is broadcasted on social media and you would want to share anything that happens big in your life. But, try to avoid announcing your engagement or wedding in these public networks. This may cause unnecessary invites to people you’re not planning to invite in the first place because believe it or not, there are those who invite themselves to other people’s events by insisting that they should be in your guest list. So, save yourself from the stress of having to deal with them and just post your wedding photos and videos after the actual event.

 

Don’t feel obligated to invite someone

Just because you asked for your neighbour’s help to change your car tyre or a friend of your friend helped you get into a job, does not mean that you owe them an invite to your wedding day. Remember that it is a special day you celebrate with your partner as a symbol of your love for each other. It should not serve as a form of gratitude for people who have helped you out before.

 

Rank your guests

Do the A-list, B-list, C-list concept to easily organise your guest list. A-list guests should be those who you share a special connection with like you and your partner’s immediate family and best friends. B-list is for both side’s extended families, other friends, and close colleagues. Only include in this list those who are close to you and speak to on a regular basis. Again, do not feel obligated to invite everyone especially if you have not talked to them for years. If this is the case, move them to the C-list which is the least of the priorities. Once you have finalised your A and B-lists and see that you still have a few spaces available, start to add those in the C-list to your guest list.

downloadandprint.com

Friend or Acquaintance? 

Ask yourself this: am I actually friends with them or are they just an acquaintance? If you think that it’s the latter, you should probably take them off your guest list. Weddings are meant to be celebrated with your loved ones and close friends. You will also save them from feeling awkward at the reception because they barely know anyone apart from you.

Friar Tux

weddingshoppeinc.com

Mind your partner’s feelings

It is inevitable that your partner does not get along with some of your relatives or friends. Take this into consideration and ask your partner if he/she is comfortable if you invite that person. Also, if you notice that your list is a little bit unbalanced and you have more guests on your side, consult this with your partner just to make sure that it is not unfair to him/her.

 

Think about what they contribute to your wedding

If you still cannot decide whether you want to invite that person to your wedding, think about what they can contribute. Will they make the party alive or will they just sulk in the corner and not talk to anyone? Are they going to get uncontrollably drunk to the point that they might challenge someone to a fist fight and ruin your reception? Can they say something about you and your partner if they are asked to give a short speech in front? If you think that inviting a person is pointless or will cause more bad than good, contemplate if they are worth the invite.  

huffingtonpost.com

Now grab your pen and paper and start finalising that guest list! If you follow the suggestions above, it will surely be one task to be ticked off your wedding preparation in no time. 

HELPFUL TIPS FOR AN EASY AND BREEZY BEACH WEDDING

By John Michael Enriquez & Jenna Agamata

There are couples who have always dreamt of going out in the sun and letting the waves be part of their celebration. If you and your partner have always been beach lovers, then a beach wedding would be perfect for you. Being an outdoor wedding, there are things that should be well taken to consideration. 

A lot of beach weddings have been pulled out nicely but some failed and spiralled down to a disaster due to factors like the weather, crowds, and location to name a few. But worry no more, we’ll be giving you tips on how to make your beach wedding easy and breezy!

Weather

In planning a beach wedding, this is the number one factor you need to consider. Since the weather is almost unpredictable at times, it's best to ensure that you have your wedding during the summer season. Important things to consider are the wind and tides during your big day. Pull up those wind forecasts and tide reports, and maybe talk to locals if it’s pretty windy in that part of the year. Also make sure to have a "Plan B" in case the weather does not cooperate. Booking an indoor location close to the beach such as a function hall could really be helpful if the weather just won’t permit. 

Time

Sunrise and sunset are the best settings for a wedding. Find a spot on the beach that will showcase either of the two and it'll be picture-perfect. If you plan on having it in the late morning or afternoon, make sure there is enough shade for the guests so they won’t get roasted under the sun during the ceremony. Depending on the couple, most opt for a sunset wedding to usher in some fireworks display during the reception. 

Location

In New Zealand where wonderful beaches are plenty and never too far from anywhere, it is still best to consider the logistics of making sure your guests make it to the wedding. Providing a map with the invitation to make sure they don’t get lost would be helpful. If you're planning to have your ceremony on a popular beach, make sure to provide personnel for crowd control or find a secluded spot for a more intimate celebration. 

Technicalities

Sound system should be well placed around the ceremony area. The crashing of waves on the shore is music for the celebration but should not cover up your vows and I Do’s. Your photographers and videographers should be informed about your wedding setting for them to adjust their audio and lighting strategies to get the perfect shots. Make sure anything you put up on the beach is stable and secured because strong winds could knock it over and damage your equipment.

Guests

Your guests should also be well informed about your beach wedding so they could dress accordingly. Also make sure that guests who will arrive in wheelchairs or those who cannot walk firmly on sand is well taken care of. Assigning someone on standby for guests who require assistance would be great.

Tips for Her

Tips for Him

marthastewartweddings.com

Ceremony

Make sure that the pastor/priest/celebrant/minister who will wed the two of you is well assisted and informed of the wedding location. For walking down the aisle, you must also consider wether you want yourself and your bridal party to walk on sand or on something more solid like a carpet. You can also provide jandals and sunnies for the guests and other details to match your theme and be functional at the same time. This is the perfect opportunity to be super creative!

Reception

After the ceremony, you can have your reception at an indoor hall close to the beach or even right on the beach itself. Set up a marquee and dress it up according to your theme--rustic, boho, Hawaiian, and a lot more. These themes could also be incorporated in the food to be served as well as the reception program. Since you’re already on the beach, it’s the perfect place to setup some fireworks display to wrap up the celebration!

There you have it! These tips could help you a lot on planning your dream beach wedding and making sure it goes well. As long as you’ve taken in consideration all things that could possibly happen, and having a back up plan for the worse, then you’re good to go. Just remember, no matter what happens during the big day, don't sweat the small stuff. Have fun and enjoy your beach wedding day!

Pros and Cons of DIY Wedding

By John Michael Enriquez

Planning is probably one of the most stressful events in a wedding. Some couples opt to hire a wedding organizer and get the job done and some want to really personalize their wedding to their exact taste and flow. Either way, the most important thing is to enjoy the celebration and get the ball rolling until the big day.

PRO # 1 – DIY Weddings are more budget friendly

Ever wonder how much is the average pay for wedding organizers in the US? Well, according to WeddingWire.com, it’s around $1,500 per wedding! Imagine how much more you can get from that money if you choose to do the organizing yourselves. You can invite 70-80 more guests, hire a cooler DJ for your reception, or maybe even upgrade your two-tier cake to four!

Money Cashers

PRO # 2 – Couples can outsource work from friends/relatives

Here is a beautiful wedding video of a backyard garden wedding.

If you have a big circle of friends and family who happen to be talented as well, they can help you a lot on planning and getting some stuff done. Do you have a nephew who does graphics designing? Ask him to create your invitation. Do you have a close friend who bakes? Ask her to make your souvenir cupcakes for a little price. This can also save you a lot of money and will make your friends and family more involved to your wedding.

PRO # 3 – DIY Weddings are more personal

If organising won’t be much of a hassle for you and your partner, it can turn out to be a great bonding moment for you two. You can negotiate and connect with one another to knock off your checklist one by one and communicate on which items you both think will be good or bad for the wedding. Remember that this can be a good exercise for couples when it comes to decision making and choosing what’s more beneficial in the long run.

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CON # 1 – DIY Weddings could get stressful

This is probably the number one reason why couples hire a wedding organizer – to steer away from stress. Some couples want to just give all the work to the organizer, choose from options presented to them, and just wait until their big day comes. There’s really a lot to consider to make a wedding successful from the church, to the reception, and up to the honeymoon phase. Managing it all could cause so much stress to the couple and may even start small arguments.

farahii

CON # 2 – DIY Weddings need a lot of work and time

Wedding organisers have one important thing that couples don’t – connections. They have a lot of suppliers and know a lot of people that could get the work done in the best way possible. These people are already experts in the wedding industry and it could take more time and work for couples to look for a handful of them. Important suppliers in a wedding include venues, caterers, band, DJs, videographers, photographers, wedding planners, florists, hotels, MUA,  and a lot more.

Hudsons

CON # 3 – Couples could lack of ideas and creativity

Wedding organizers have a spectrum of ideas and wedding themes that couples could simply choose from. You may search some on the internet but having a wedding organizer will really help you identify which choices fit the couple the best. If a couple is creative enough, that won’t be a problem. Otherwise, it may boil down to not getting the right theme and choices and ending up on a not-so-happy wedding.

The Wedding Dolls

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There you go! Three pros and cons to help you decide if a DIY wedding is worth the task. Bottomline, your wedding day must not feel like a burden, but a celebration of you and your partner’s love. Also remember that it does not have to be so extravagant! A simple and intimate wedding is just equally special as long as it’s happily celebrated by the couple and their family and friends. Happy wedding planning!

10 Ways to Make your Wedding Day Unique and Unforgettable

By Winona Fajardo

Your wedding day is undoubtedly one of the most memorable events in your life. It’s the first step towards a new life with the partner you chose to be with, so you want it to be perfect and memorable. Let the ideas below inspire you as you plan your wedding to make it a one-of-a-kind celebration.

Incorporate your Interests and Hobbies to Your Wedding Theme

Offbeat Bride

Choosing something close to your heart as your theme will not only make your wedding memorable, but it will also make it standout. Whether you choose your culture, your favourite sport, or even your favourite hobby as the theme, it will surely be special as long as it’s something that you and your partner love.

DIY Wedding Decorations

DIY-ing is not only the best way to avoid spending thousands of dollars for your decors, but it’s also a good way to make your wedding unique since it’s unlikely that you will find the exact same designs in the market. You can even ask your close relatives and friends to help you create the decors to enjoy the process rather than feeling as if it’s a chore.

Deer Pearl Flowers

Spice Up your Wedding Invitation

Instead of giving out the usual scented card wrapped in a ribbon, go for something that guests will not expect to receive as an invitation to your wedding. The best way to come up with an idea is to base it on your wedding theme. If you’re planning a beach-themed wedding, you can do a ‘message’ in a bottle invitation. If you want it to be fun and quirky, and want to bring out the child in everyone try the low-budget idea of sending them a balloon with the details stamped on it. An invitation may not be the focal point of your wedding, but it gives your guests the first impression of how the event will be like. If you send them something that they do not expect, they will be just as excited as you are on your big day.

Invite in a Bottle

Meaningful Guestbook

Rather than setting a log book for guests to sign on, replace it with something that is significant to you and your partner.  Since you are giving your guests a souvenir, this can act as your own souvenir from your wedding. If you’re both a music lover, pick the instrument that you like to play and make the guests write on it instead. If you love photography, take photos of the guests prior to the wedding and make them sign their photos on the actual day.

Hi-Fi Weddings

Make it Interactive

Make the guests feel that they are as special in the event as your close relatives by involving them in the activities you plan for your wedding reception. You can get them to make song requests to the DJ and/or organise a game where everyone can participate in.

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Ditch the Photo Booth

Change the typical picture booth at your wedding to something more unique. Try a video booth instead wherein everyone can leave a message for you or even crack a joke. Give them dares of what to do in the video to make it more entertaining. Another alternative is to hire a caricature artist to draw a sketch of you and your partner, and the guests.

Wedding Venues

Guests as Entertainers

Ask your talented guests in advance to perform a presentation on your wedding day. It can either be a song, dance, or even a comedy show that you and the others can enjoy!

Make it Fun for the Kids too

Aside from the unforgettable experience of being page boys and flower girls, let them enjoy the event by setting up a separate table for them with various activities and games. You can even put a jar filled with lollies to dig their hands into. This will keep them busy while the grown-ups enjoy their own time.

Elle

Anniversary Jar

Years after your wedding, relive the memories on your special day and the times you spent with each other before that. Write as many things to your significant others as you want. It can be a promise you want to make, a memory that is special to you, or a private joke that only both of you share. Ask your guests to write notes as well and put it in a jar. Choose which wedding anniversary you want to open the jar and read what both of you wrote, and the ones who shared that special day with you. 
 

Wedding Venues

A Wedding Video

What’s better than getting a photographer to capture the moments on your special day? Hiring a videographer! There’s no better way to relive your sweetest memories with your partner and loved ones than to witness your own wedding live-action. After the years has passed, you can even show your wedding video to your children and grandchildren. This is the perfect remembrance that will definitely last a lifetime.

6 Reasons Why Investing in a Wedding Video Is a Must, Not a Maybe

By Amy Foulkes

When booking vendors as part of planning my own wedding, I recall running through the list of ‘must have’ vendors: photography, florist, cake, venue, celebrant, etc. These are always the traditional necessities for a modern wedding, but for some reason or another videography has remained an optional extra. Looking back on our day, videography was a vital part of capturing the beauty and emotion, it’s something I would have no hesitation investing in and if I had chosen not to book videographers I would always regret it. If you are making the decision whether to book a videographer for your wedding, or not, take a minute to consider these 6 reasons its worth having your big day on film.  

Video effectively captures movement and emotion

Photography and videography are very different mediums. Video captures a layer of movement and feeling that can’t be simply encapsulated by a photography snapshot. Motion picture records those moments like the change in the groom’s face as the bride walks down the aisle, the glisten of the sparklers or falling confetti, the swish of the bride’s dress and the joy lighting the guests faces during the speeches. Those movements captured in motion forever are priceless.

There is an opportunity to share your day with those who can’t make it

With intimate and destination weddings becoming increasingly popular a video is a brilliant way to show the highlights and narrative of your day with friends who can’t make it. Friends, colleagues and family can feel included even if they can’t make the wedding itself. One of the reasons my husband and I appreciated our wedding video so much was because we had our wedding just before moving abroad. We could share the joys of our day with new friends we met after the day itself, and they could celebrate with us retrospectively. I also enjoy knowing we have this filmed to show our future children and family.

The details are kept forever

So much love, attention and detail is put into planning a wedding. Couples pour their personalities into the intricacies of their day; the settings, flowers, cakes and invitations. Videos pick up aspects of these that aren’t always captured in still shots, how the light glistens on the tableware in the flickering lights; spanning shots capture the floral arrangements and the stunning décor; good cinematography can bring beautiful attention to the rings. It truly is a worthwhile investment to commemorate all those stunning intricacies.

Someone is capturing parts of the day that are missed

When it comes to your wedding day the time will fly and you’ll want to relive and enjoy one of the best days of your life. There will be moments you miss or forget and having those moments captured will add a depth and richness to your memory of the day. Having a videographer means you will rest assured knowing you can relax, there is someone there who is ensuring those missed details are recorded for you to look back on

Loving words spoken are kept and recorded

Weddings are a time were meaningful words are spoken. There are your vows, whether self-written or traditional, which will be some of the most important spoken words of your life; there’s the proclamations of the celebrant and the loving words from friends and family at your reception. With these recorded you can look back to them again and again, treasuring the vows and speeches.

You’ll never regret getting one, you will probably regret not

When speaking to married couples, I have met none who regret investing in a great videographer and several who regretted not booking one. Capturing the intricacies, emotions and details of your wedding is an investment which allows you to share and recall the joy of one of the best days of your life. It allows friends and family who cannot attend to experience the highlights of the day and captures your vows for future generations to look back on. Capturing the memories of your wedding in this way is truly priceless.

Do you think having a videographer to capture your big day is a must or a maybe? What do you look for in a good wedding video? Let us know in the comments down below.

Bridesmaids: Navigating the complexities of bridal party communication and collaboration

By Amy Foulkes

Popping the question

Before asking your girls to be a part of your big day. it's essential to evaluate who you want by your side as your biggest supporters and representatives. Don't feel like you need to select your bridesmaids based off obligations or promises made in the past. On your big day you want to be able to share it with those you have selected because of your shared memories, love and support. A bride needs an entourage who can calm them down when stressed and share the fun journey of planning a wedding. It’s essential that before you make the big selections sit down and decide how many people you want by your side on your big day? Who is reliable and there for you? Who do you most want to share the big moments of your life with? This will hopefully assist you in assembling a list of who to include in your bridal party. If you're finding it difficult to decide, talk to your partner. They will know who can have your back during the emotional roller coaster of preparing for your big day. Asking your bridesmaids can be so much fun! There are lots of beautiful ways to make them feel special to be included in your entourage. You can compose a simple email, letter or card or you can create a little gift box with yummy snacks or champagne, wedding colour swatches, ribbons and little details you may have decided for the wedding day.

Style Me Pretty

Courtney’s Craft and Cookin, WaterfallDesigns

Communication is Key

Once you ask your girls to be part of the celebration it's a good idea to communicate responsibilities and expectations. Effective communication is a great way to prevent conflict and stress during the most challenging parts of the wedding planning process. Also, remember, a bride doesn’t have to delegate the biggest or most tasks to her Maid of Honour. Instead, have a candid talk with all of your bridal party and see what the girls want to be involved with. Get your best friend's to help you out based on their talents and interests and help them enjoy the process of being involved as well.

Selecting Bridesmaid Attire

Choosing bridesmaids’ ensembles isn’t the simplest of tasks, especially when multiple girls are involved. Everyone has different tastes, body types, and insecurities. An excellent way to start off is by talking with everyone in your bridal party: find out what they feel good in and how that might gel with the theming of your wedding. From there you can have a bit of a brainstorm using tools like Pinterest, doing some online window shopping even going by yourself to some boutiques. It's great to ascertain your vision without input from too many different sources pulling you in opposing directions. Once you have a vision for the bridesmaid styling get everyone together and share your thoughts, what dresses you like and what palette you're interested in having for your bridesmaids. If you have several members in your bridal party that have differing tastes, body types and or skin tones there are lots of options in terms of multiway dresses and mismatched looks. If you want a universal look try going for the always flattering A-line or wrap dresses in neutral shades, navy or black. Accessorising and styling your bridal party can be so much fun. If you are having a relaxed bohemian wedding you might want to go over the top with flowers, ribbons, an eclectic jewellery. For other looks try trends like quirky or statement shoes, a rainbow pallet, ombre, metallics or fashion forward hair and makeup.

Style Me Pretty, The Knot, Style Me Pretty

Bridesmaids responsibilities

Every wedding is going to have slightly different responsibilities and delegations for bridal party members but traditionally there are a few that should be covered off buy your Maid of Honour and/or your bridesmaids. These include, but are not limited to, any major shopping and decision making such as wedding dress shopping and selecting major vendors. Brides can also expect bridesmaids to help out with engagement party invitations, gift lists and, of course, planning the bridal shower and hen’s night. Depending on family culture bridesmaids may or may not cover the cost of their dress and styling but it is always a good idea to discuss costs with your entourage early on. Most brides will pay for bridesmaids styling and accessory costs or the dress. If you are asking your bridesmaids purchase their dress it is a good idea to involve them in the dress shopping process.

Jana From Alabama, Gnarly Grail

On the day

At the end of the day the most important thing is that you and your bridesmaids have a great time. Remember that this is you with your favourite people getting ready for best day of your life. When it comes to getting ready on your wedding day enjoy getting pampered together, make sure everyone has eaten and had something to drink. A great way to keep nerves and stress down is getting ready over a champagne breakfast. Also, don’t forget to gift thank you presents to your entourage. A thoughtful gift could include handwritten cards or letters with dressing robes, mini perfume bottles, jewellery or personalised trinkets. Nothing captures these precious moments with your bridesmaids better than a video, recording the loving moments and laughs before and during your ceremony. Check out some of the relaxed, fun filled bridesmaid moments in our past videos and contact us if you would like MATA FILMS to be part of capturing your wedding memories.

Our Top Tips for Styling and Planning a Dreamy Spring Wedding

By Amy Foulkes

Winter is drawing to a close and with that comes springtime and wedding season. Planning a wedding for this time of year can be such fun, with an abundance of stunning venues and the opportunity for a truly memorable and photogenic day. If you’re struggling to find some inspiration for your spring wedding or need some pointers for enjoying your big day look no further. Here are our tips and ideas for styling and planning a springtime wedding.

Pick a venue that shows of the season but is weather proof

Spring is such a beautiful time of year with the ideal aesthetic for outdoor weddings. All around New Zealand there are stunning garden venues which will be at the height of their potential with masses of greenery, bulbs and roses in flower. If you are choosing an outdoor venue for this time of year do be aware that Spring is also when weather can be unpredictable. Make sure you book an understanding venue with good managers and a backup wet weather option. There are a wide variety of options; From gardens with covered areas, like The Brigham and Allely Estate, to venues with indoor options like St Margaret’s café and gardens. Rotorua is also home to the gorgeous Redwoods which offer a covered ‘sail’ venue and marquees. Engaged couples can also consider one of the many vineyards around Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Marlborough regions for spring vows by the vines

The Brigham, Photo by Mikayla Rose Photography, The Redwoods

Make use of seasonal blooms

Spring is prime time for some of the most sought after bridal florals. There’s something for every palette, from soft, pale shades to vivid saturated tones. Talk to your florist about incorporating spring specialty flowers like freesias and sweet peas, for scent and anemones and peonies for a luscious splash of colour. Don’t feel constrained to simple bouquets and centrepieces either. Embrace flower crowns, corsages and quirky arrangements, enjoying flowers in the season they are most bountiful.

Mikayla Rose Photography, Style Me Pretty

Embrace seasonally inspired bridesmaid looks

Dressing bridesmaids for a spring ceremony can be a real joy. If you’re a lover of neutral tones enhance the softness of the season with pale ivories, blushes, taupes and golds. When styling for the season another great look for bridesmaids is pastels, or for those brides after something out of the ordinary, take your girls to a whimsical level by embracing fun, floral patterns.

Oncewed, Atodoconfetti, Wedding Chicks

Pick a good photographer and videographer

Capturing the beauty of your spring wedding is a must. A video is a way to frame all that emotion and imagery. From the palette, flowers and loving details to the scenic spots at golden hour. You’ll get to see your dress in motion, the loving look from your groom and re-watch all those styling details you poured hours into in the weeks and before your wedding. Make sure you have vendors you trust to capture the spirit and memories of your big day. Look for photographers and videographers with a style that will gel with your festivities. It’s essential to pick the right people behind the camera for you and the style of your day. Each videographer and photographer has a different style and like the other aspects of your wedding it’s important to pick someone that captures memories and emotions in a way that resonates with you and your partner.

When shopping for a wedding dress a bride looks for one that fits her personal style and suits her. This is no different for wedding vendors. When researching videographers and photographers, check out their websites and social media to see previous weddings and make sure photographers can create a good quantity of photos while retaining the look you’re going for. When you meet vendors in person to discuss plans, show them examples of what you like (Pinterest boards are great for sharing). That way you can give them an idea of what you are looking for to get the best possible pictures and videos for your day. Make the most of the amazing spring colours and atmosphere in your photos. See if there are nearby photogenic spots with roses, bulbs or cherry blossoms. Also, bear in mind, with spring there can also be rain. Don’t forget to be prepared with cute gumboots and umbrellas if your photo sessions get a bit rainy.

Bring life to your décor

Don’t be afraid to embrace creativity when it comes to wedding décor. Bring stunning theming to your day with seasonal flowers, pastels, ribbons and anything that signals the newness of spring. Try statement pieces like spring archways with linens and hanging greenery or ask your florist for a backdrop of hanging mason jars full of peonies or gypsophila. For the ultimate garden wedding décor why not have a May pole or a bunting tent for extra ‘Instagram-ability’.

Style Me Pretty, Mikayla Rose Photograph

Plan a reception with all the ‘good vibes’

Don’t feel bound to a formal black tie reception if you want to embrace something more colourful and festive. Why not try an English Country themed affair in a marquee with garlands, bunting and informal food? For those having a daytime reception, blankets and baskets can be given to guests to spread out on the lawn and enjoy a leisurely feast. Signature cocktails are also a fun way to personalise and sprig up your reception, with delicious spring ingredients like camomile and fresh fruit.

Classic Wedding Invitation, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, Half Baked Harves

Beauty in the details

Get some inspiration to infuse your day with stunning spring inspired details. Consider season appropriate escort cards and place settings like origami birds or floral printed cards. Have fun with your wedding invites. Whether you D.I.Y. your wedding stationary or get it ordered there are a lot of beautiful looks than can be used, from watercolour pastel patters to textured pastel card with metallic lettering. For the most photographed detail of your day consider a statement cake with spring pastel icing or maybe a tower of cupcakes to tie the spring theme-ing together.

Whimsical Wonderland Weddings, Bluebells Cakery, Citrus Press Co.

What seasonal looks are you loving as you plan your wedding? What colours and themes are striking your fancy? Comment below on what your favourite spring wedding looks are. We’d love to hear from you.

Wedding Dress Websites for Every Bride on a Budget: 5 Online Options

By Amy Foulkes

Every bride wants that dress of her dreams to match the day of her dreams. Whether you are a low key bride who’s wanting something minimal and practical or you want to feel like a princess on your big day, having a beautiful dress is essential (and it doesn’t have to cost you the majority of the wedding budget). There are several websites which offer stunning dresses suitable for a wide range of tastes, from vintage to fashion forward and everything in between. Here are just a few of our favourites.

Modcloth

Modcloth has an eclectic collection of very affordable gowns for any quirky budget savvy bride. They have a fabulous range of bridal colours from champagne and blush to pure white, with mostly vintage and retro inspired styles. There are fifties lace ensembles, flirty feminine tea length tulle gowns, seventies bohemian inspired pieces and Gatsby style glam complete with geometric art deco beading. Modcloth gowns also offer a wide array of sizes with most dresses sitting under the $600 mark, allowing for great wedding budget savings.

Modcloth: Gilded Grace dress, Glitz Been an Honour dress, A Love Above the Rest dress

BHLDN

If I had a single word to describe the dresses in BHLDN’s collections it would be ‘dreamy’. These gowns ooze whimsy and romance with their soft fabrics, lace detailing and delicate palettes. For a stylish dress with a significantly lower price tag than most bridal boutiques I would give these guys a visit. Their styles are current and well designed, with on trend bridal options. BHLDN’s current looks feature lots of crop top and skirt combinations and stunningly intricate illusion lace designs. They also have the classics, like delicate princess style ball gowns and sexy fitted mermaid dresses.While you’re on their site check out BHLDN’s bridesmaid dresses and bridal accessories, which are just as swoon worthy as their wedding frocks. Wedding dresses range from 500 to the mid-3,000 mark.

BHLDN: Petra gown, Brody & Delia (top and skirt), McKinley gown

ASOS

ASOS has an impressive range of chic and fashion forward pieces from informal, relaxed gowns to head turning, sophisticated numbers. This website is the perfect place for the trendy bride, with a fair amount of cutting edge pieces to make a bold statement for your big day. There are several dresses which celebrate the current 70’s revival trend with whimsical swishy fabric, flounces and bell sleeves but it doesn’t just stop at just the boho bride. There is also a range of well cut, clean minimal style dresses. This eclectic selection allows any bride to look stylish while on a budget, with most wedding styles below the $1,000 mark.

ASOS: Jarlo Dress, ASOS Bridal High Neck Maxi, ASOS Scattered Floral Flutter sleeve Maxi

Nordstrom

Nordstrom offers stunning gowns which have that extra bit of glitz and glam. If you’re looking for a simple silhouette dripping metallic foiling or intricate details this is the website for you. These striking and sparkly options are perfect for a Gatsby level reception or a simple chic city wedding. It’s safe to say that Nordstrom is the website to check out for a bit of pizazz or sparkle. With gowns ranging from the mid 300’s.

Nordstrom: Sunflower Gown, Aidan Mattox Gown, JS Collections Gown

Still White, Trade Me and wedding-dresses.co.nz

For those brides wanting a designer label but without the price tag why not try searching for a second-hand gown from websites like still white, trade me and wedding-dresses. This sizeably drops the price of sought after labels like Maggie Sottero, Claire Pettibone and Pronovias. Most sites enable brides to set up a watch function for specific designers or a set dream dress so you don’t miss any promising postings.

Which wedding dress styles are you loving? Have you started shopping for your dream gown? Leave us a comment with your wedding dress stories down below. We would love to hear from you.

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5 Steps to a stress free wedding planning process

By Amy Foulkes

Planning a wedding can be stressful and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. Approaching your big day mindfully and with a bit of structure can lead to a fulfilling and fun process. Here is how you can dive into effective planning and task management to ensure your day is everything you want it to be.

Collect Ideas

The first step of wedding planning is collecting ideas and brainstorming. Gather inspiration and ideas to get a picture of what your big day might look like. Pinterest is an excellent tool for aggregating wedding aesthetics and details; Brides can create a general wedding ‘vibe’ board or break down boards into categories such as dress, hair, flowers and photography. It also can work as a useful tool later in the planning process for sharing pictures of your vision with vendors.

There is a wealth of magazines and websites providing high quality inspiration and sharing real weddings available both in print and on the web. White and Hello May magazine provide an abundance of creative ideas, with stunning details and photography. Brides can also go online and check out the wealth of content on the international Green Wedding Shoes and Style Me Pretty websites or enjoy the more local Paper & Lace blog.

Identify your vision and feel

decor8blog.com

When planning my own wedding, once I had gathered ideas and done some investigation, I found myself getting overwhelmed by all the possibilities and ideas I wanted to put into action. A helpful step in the process was taking stock of what our wedding day vision was, identifying our priorities and narrowing down the huge cloud of opportunities to a framework and feel that could be a reality. This was done by identifying two things: the five core desired feelings of our day and the five ‘must haves’ for our day. For us our core desired feelings were having a relaxed day that was also festive, an amazing time for friends and family, and outdoor venues that carried the country garden aesthetic we both love. Our must haves were beautiful flowers to carry out our styling, the dress of my dreams, videographers who captured the beauty of our day, seating for all our guests and a waffle bar, as we are both brunch fanatics. Identifying these key points for our wedding helped narrow my focus, as a bride, so if small details fell of the train or didn’t sit in budget it didn’t feel like the end of the world. Don’t feel like you need to do everything, just do what you love.

MANAGING YOUR WEDDING TASKS

Identifying the necessary tasks for your big day can be daunting, but once you’ve done you can see the big picture of what needs to be done and manage it from there. A great way to prioritise wedding tasks is by identifying the Importance and Expense of each task, or cluster of tasks. Value each attribute from 0 (most important, least expensive) to 4 (least important, most expensive) and the average of these values will give you an idea of the priority of the task (if something is sitting at an overall 4 you might consider delegating it or reconsider if you need it for your wedding at all).

Now your tasks have been identified and prioritised it’s time to manage them. A time management tool I love using for work is Trello, and I also ended up using it to plan our wedding and a few other big events. This is done by creating a wedding Trello board categorised by the five priorities (0-4). Using Trello to manage tasks a great way to track the progress of communications and make sure everything is done in the necessary timeframe because for each task you are able set deadlines and note updates. For those who like to plan materially rather than on screen a similar environment is easy to duplicate. Simply get a board and set out the five columns adding sticky notes for each task and ordering these as you set fit.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO DELEGATE

As a bride it can be scary to entrust the responsibilities of your big day to both friends and paid vendors, but it’s an important step in enjoying the lead up and unfolding of your wedding day. Find vendors who share your vision and aesthetic and entrust them with their responsibilities, then tick that off the list and spend time doing the aspects of your wedding planning you enjoy. Pinterest boards are a great way to share visual information with florists, photographers and stylists. This can even be done with the board feature, by simply adding the specific user so that brides don’t have to share their wedding vision with the internet at large. Couples can also share responsibilities leading up to the wedding with their partner, bridesmaids and friends to ensure nothing falls through the cracks by using to-do apps like Evernote and Wunderlist.

Enjoy the Process

Finally, but most importantly, ensure that you are having a fun time planning and preparing for your big day. If you are consistently feeling stressed and overwhelmed take some time off for self care and re-evaluate your to-do list. Don’t be afraid to seek support from your bridesmaids and partner and take opportunities to delegate to people you trust.

photograph by Karolina Grabowska

What websites are you enjoying in your wedding planning process? Let us know your favourite wedding blogs and magazines in the comments down below. For wedding ideas why not check out some of our past wedding videos? Our films have covered everything from themed to rustic weddings with loads of fun details.

6 Creative Ways to Capture and Preserve Memories of your Wedding Day

By Amy Foulkes

Once it’s all said and done it’s time to start preserving memories of your wedding day. In the years to come you want to be able to look back at those memories and experience it all in full detail. Treasuring the emotions, feelings and the ambience of the day can be done in so many creative ways. Mementos can take you back the day full of love and help you share the experience with future generations. There are so many imaginative ways to conserve memories whether you’re a minimalist bride, a pragmatic planner or a DIY enthusiast. Here are just a few creative ideas to get you started.

Wedding Chicks

CREATIVE GUEST BOOKS

It’s rare that a bride and groom have the chance to connect with all their guests on their wedding day, so it’s key to have somewhere that loved ones can leave kind messages and well wishes. There are so many fun ideas for alternative guest books. Friends can leave messages in the traditional book or there are more quirky options for alternative couples. For vintage and music lovers consider getting guests to sign old records using metallic permanent marker. There is also the guestbook tree, which allows friends to leave fingerprints as 'leaves'. For the trivia fans out there opt for a fun questionnaire for guests to fill out, and enjoy reading the fun responses on your honeymoon.

Intimate Weddings

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Getting excellent videographers to capture the story of your big day is a worthwhile investment. Film can capture the beautiful spoken words, the mood and the movement of your day and store those memories for generations to come. Videos are also great for sharing the highlights of your day with overseas friends and snippets to your wider circle if you’re having a more intimate ceremony.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Once you get pictures back from your photographer it can be an overwhelming prospect knowing what to do with them all. If you're a no fuss type person you might consider getting them simply printed in a coffee table book, from an online or local printer. For something more crafty and involved you may consider scrapbooking as a fun activity to do with friends after the wedding, this can be as simple as photo corners and writing on a kraft style vintage album or detailed with embossing and embellishments on a creative album.

Artifact Uprising

Make Merry

Couples can also do a lot more than framing and hanging photos around their home. There are tech savvy options, like digital photo frames displaying a slide show of your favourite wedding moments for living rooms and offices. You can also create an eclectic memory corner with a small bench or side table displaying an array of wedding photos and memorabilia. Photos can be pegged to bunting or rope above desks and stations or for high resolution images, get enlarged canvas prints for your living space.

FLOWERS

There are more and more flower alternatives coming into the market for brides who want to treasure their blooms forever. Brides are opting for quirky broach, and button bunches. There are also talented silk flower artists who craft arrangements and flower crowns that photograph beautifully and last forever.

Paper and Peony

The Ritzy Rose

For those brides wanting real blooms they can be preserved by various methods from freeze drying, framing, pressing, setting in candle wax or simply drying and hanging. The options are endless to keep your well invested flowers blooming well past the wedding day.

Thrifty Ginger

VOWS

Photos aren't the only memories from your wedding that can be framed. For couples opting to write their own vows there is the option to frame and display these in their home. This can either be done on the original piece of paper used or written in calligraphy and then hung serving as a memory of the beautiful commitment spoken.

Adrienne Bloomer

Coco Ella Designs

RE-USING DECOR AND FABRIC FROM YOUR DAY

The decor from your big day doesn't have to stay unused afterward. If you’re purchasing rather than renting props, re-use them in your home, as special mementos. Blackboards can be repurposed as slates to write love notes, or even to-do lists. Bouquet Ribbons and fabric from dresses can be transformed as crafts, from simply tying them around jars and vases to creating a 'wedding memory' quilt, teddy bear or fabric scrap rug.

What are your favourite ways to preserve and present memories? What are your top wedding memento ideas? Please comment down below, we would love to hear from you. If you are looking for a videographer to capture the magic of your special day contact us to see if we are the right fit for you.

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