One of the important aspects of planning a wedding is ensuring that you take your guests’ needs into consideration. After all, when you think about it, they are not there purely to admire the beautiful bride and the elaborate décor, but because you invited them and wanted them to share this special day in your life.

They have also taken the time and trouble to be with you, and have probably spent quite a bit in order to do so — whether in the form of travelling costs, new outfits, babysitter fees, or wedding gifts.

So, what are some of the areas where the needs of guests at weddings are sometimes forgotten?

1. Clear directions to venues

When sending out your invitations, a nice touch is to include a map to both the ceremony and reception, especially if the venues are a bit off the beaten track. Have a few spares printed and hand them to the ushers at the ceremony venue, in case a guest has forgotten his or hers.

2. Cash bar

If you plan on having a cash bar at your reception, state it on the invitation. Guests will welcome knowing this in advance, to ensure they have sufficient cash on them and are not caught unawares. There is nothing worse than wanting to buy a round of drinks for your table, but realising you have only enough cash to treat everyone to a glass of mineral water!

3. Special dietary needs

When guests reply to your invitation, enquire whether they have any special dietary needs. For example, there are a lot more vegetarians around now, and they will love you for thinking of them! It is a good idea to discuss a vegetarian option with your caterer, and to check whether they can assist, should there be any unusual last-minute requests.

4. Arriving (too) late for the ceremony

I am not sure where the tradition of the bride arriving late originated, but in fairness to your guests, it is considered impolite to be more than 10 minutes late. In fact, I have heard of Marriage Officers who have warned brides that they would leave if they failed to arrive on time!

5. Wheelchair accessibility

If any of your guests are in wheelchairs, take this into consideration when working out your seating plan, and make sure that they have easy access to their seats. Ask your venue manager for advice as to the best access route for wheelchairs, and find out if they have any parking bays reserved for those with disabilities.

6. Outdoor ceremony precautions

If you are planning to hold your ceremony outdoors, make sure you have adequate protection from the sun for your guests. The rays of the summer sun can be very fierce, even in the late afternoon. It’s not necessary to go to the expense of providing each guest with a parasol, but a few strategically placed cloth umbrellas should offer adequate protection. Your venue manager will be able to advise you regarding the number required and the best places to position them (which will depend largely on the time of day of your ceremony).

7. Guest seating

Do spend time planning where to seat all your guests — this is not something to be done in five minutes! At an evening reception in particular, your guests will be seated for several hours, so try to group like-minded people together. It is also a good idea, wherever possible, to have at least one extrovert at each table who can be relied on to keep the conversation flowing!

8. Checking the seating plan

Check, check (and then check again!) that you have not left anyone off the table seating plan that you put up at the venue. There is nothing more embarrassing for a guest than to discover that his or her name has been omitted. It can also be a problem, at this late stage, trying to decide where to squeeze in someone who has been left off the seating plan.

9. Providing a gift table

I have attended several weddings, gift in hand, and then not known what to do with it. In fact, on one occasion I resorted to taking it back to my car! Remember to have a gift table, and ask a close friend to look after it for you. In addition to the gifts, ask them to take care of any envelopes containing cheques or gift vouchers, as it is wise not to leave these lying around. And do arm your attendant with a roll of cellotape, as guests sometimes bring gifts with unattached cards.

10. Reception welcome

Couples often overlook the fact that after the ceremony, while they and family members are off having photos taken, their guests will be arriving at the reception, with no one to welcome them. Close friends are always volunteering assistance at weddings, so here’s a chance to take one of them up on their offer by asking them to be on hand at the venue to welcome guests, and to be around to take care of any queries that may arise. If you are not having your photographs taken at the venue, try to stay in cellphone contact with your friend, so that he or she will know, for instance, when to ask the guests to be seated.

By following the above guidelines, you will ensure that all your guests will not only feel well cared for, but will also notice that you have thought about their needs — and, as a result, will feel very welcome at your wedding and therefore in the mood to thoroughly enjoy your special occasion along with you.

http://www.pascallphotography.com/blog

We flew down to Cape Town then took a leisurely drive into Clanwilliam (situated at the foot of the mighty Cederberg mountain range, about 230 km from Cape Town) for Nic and Jacqueline’s wedding. What a wonderful location for a wedding and what amazing weather. As a guest it was fun to watch the official photographer do all the work while enjoying an ice cold beer and snapping off the occasional snap…

Here are a few of the snaps…

Had to convert this to black and white. The lighting was very tricky especially as a guest without a decent flash and the overhead fabric in combination with the pool cast a very strong blue hue over the scene.

Newlywed Kiss

Refreshment

Happy Couple

Smiling Bridesmaid

Beautiful Bridesmaids

Kiss

Hug

Signing

Quiet Moment

Handshake

Legs

Across the Pool

Wedding Reflections

]]> http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/nic-vonck-jacqueline-karla-lupton/feed/ 1 pascallphotography img_74301 img7408b1 img7482c1 img74101 img74902 img74601 img_7447b1 img_74501 img_74641 img_7467 img_74962 img75043 img_75071 http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/engagement-photo-shoot-2/ http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/engagement-photo-shoot-2/#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:44:36 +0000 pascallphotography http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/?p=42 ]]> A few photographs of Katherine and Graham from a recent engagement shoot at Freedom Park in Pretoria before the heavens opened… I am really looking forward to this wedding. A lovely couple and a really amazing venue. No one has been allowed to use the venue as a wedding venue so this will be a first…

Scouting the Venue

  

In Love

Windswept

Holding Hands

1. Why is the engagement photo shoot important?

The engagement photo shoot is a great way for us to get to know each other before the wedding. Think of it as a practice run. It helps if you are comfortable with my style and I know you on a personal level so your wedding images can truly reflect your personalities and your relationship.

2. Where should we do the photo shoot?

Most couples prefer to do their engagement photo shoot in a relaxed environment. Popular locations include parks, the actual venue, pubs/restaurants, my home studio, the beach*, shopping malls, hotels, etc. *Photo shoots outside of the city are available for a small travel fee.

3. What’s the best time to do the photo shoot?

Any time is fine but keep in mind that photo shoots done on location work best one hour before sunset. This way we get to enjoy the very best light and, if we’re lucky, a beautiful sunset too.

4. What should we wear?

Clothing should be kept neutral and should match the location. Park photo shoots for example are best in tans, blues and greens. Cityscapes call for slightly more formal attire but jeans and a shirt are fine. Best bet for beach clothing would be white, beige, cream, blue or pastels. You should also wear colours similar to each other. Best bet is to avoid patterns, big logos, stripes or checks. Keep it simple.

5. When should we book the photo shoot?

The engagement photo shoot can be done at any stage. Most couples opt for two to three months before the wedding.

6. Can we bring our dog?

Absolutely! I love dogs. I do ask that if you are bringing a dog that you bring someone that can handle the dog when we are doing photos without him/her. Remember a leash and some water.

7. How should I do my make-up/hair?

Hair is up to you, depends on the day and how you feel/prefer. Even if you don’t normally wear foundation, it’s a good idea to have for photo shoots. Powder is a necessary minimum. Fix your eye shadow as you would normally (neutral colours are best). Extra lip-gloss to reapply after kissing is another consideration.

8. What do we do with engagement photos?

The most popular use for an engagement photo (especially in the States) is a signature frame or signature guest book on your wedding day. You choose your favourite image and I frame or mat it for you to display at the reception. Your guests sign their well wishes around the white border instead of in a regular guest book. You can also order prints from your engagement session or opt to have them included with your wedding photos.

9. How long does a shoot take?

On average the shoot lasts an hour.

10. How many photographs do we receive?

Typically you end up with between 10 and 15 high resolution photos. All images are provided on a CD as  ready-to-print jpegs.

http://www.pascallphotography.com

The Dickersons

Rich & Jen

Jen & Liam

Fun Family Portrait

]]> http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/a-fun-family-photo-shoot/feed/ 1 pascallphotography 04-10-2008-13-18-18_0041 04-10-2008-13-42-34_01441 04-10-2008-13-35-26_0110s1 04-10-2008-13-45-39_0151c http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/shaun-and-kim/ http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/shaun-and-kim/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:19:00 +0000 pascallphotography http://pascallphotography.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/shaun-and-kim/ ]]> The wedding of Shaun and Kim was another really fun event at Bucksteep Manor MA – USA. Despite the ever present clouds the heavens were kind. It rained during the ceremony while everyone was dry inside the small chapel then cleared up for the photos only to rain again once all were seated for dinner and dancing indoors – what timing! Everything went smoothly on the day. Bucksteep made for a perfect and scenic venue. Here is a small selection of images from the day.

A macro of the rings on the best man’s open hand.

Close up of the invite & table gift…

The newly-weds leaving church… under a shower of rice…

and a few in landscape orientation…

and the rest can be seen here http://www.thepartyset.com/images/Party%20Photos/6%20Oceans%20Thirteen/Oceans%20Pages/Photos%20Oceans%20Thirteen.htm

what a party. and although photos dont show it the music was fantastic too.