Lindsay and Jeff tied the knot at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on 4/17/12! What a gorgeous day and a fun couple!

Amy and Dave tied the knot at St. Joseph the Worker church in Hanson, and celebrated with their family and friends at Indian Pond Country Club.

What a beautiful day!  The weather was perfect for an April wedding and the bride and groom looked so happy together!  Best wishes, Amy and Dave!

Thanks to the MA and RI Wedding Guides for publishing my article on Trashing the Dress!  I love these shoots!  After months of careful planning, it’s great to see the bride (and sometimes the groom, too!) let loose and have fun!

For more of the article, please visit MA Wedding Guide: http://www.maweddingguide.com/wedding-trends/trends/wedding-photography.htm

And, stay tuned to the blog for some awesome trash the dress shots in….  VEGAS!  Thank you Lindsay for being such an adventurous bride!  I promise I’ll post a few shots soon!

Nervous about looking your best on wedding day?  Check out my article on the Bridal Vine for 10 tips that will make you look gorgeous in your wedding photos!

http://www.thebridalvine.com/newsvine.php?articleid=1020

I often get questions from brides about where I found my sealing wax and stamps…

So, here’s my plug for Nostalgic Impressions: http://www.nostalgicimpressions.com/

I use their glue gun sealing wax – it’s easy to apply to envelopes, especially in bulk.  It’s far less messy than the waxes with a wick (available at craft stores and online).  Nostalgic Impressions has 24 colors of glue gun wax, so it’s easy to match your custom invitations to your wedding theme.

You can also order monograms or custom logo stamps, and they have an extensive line of “wedding wax seals”.

A few tips to make your seals last through the mail:

1.  Don’t skimp on the wax.  Buy more than you think you’ll need.  The seals look better when you use plenty of wax.

2.  Press the seal firmly into the wax and hold for 2 seconds.

3.  Practice on scrap envelopes.  Or, if you’re worried about the outcome, stamp onto wax paper, wait for them to cool and glue them onto your envelopes.

4.  Seals don’t go through regular mail sorters well.  Your invitations will need to be hand-stamped at the Post Office (usually an additional $.20 an envelope), or seal the inner envelope and leave the exterior mailer plain.

5.  If you’re completing a number of stamps in a row, your seal may get hot and stick to the wax.  Cool it down by placing it on an ice cube (still in a tray) every 5 stamps.

6.  Once the wax cools, any threads can be easily removed to clean up your seal.

Enjoy!

Here’s Courtney and Joe’s engagement session video.  I’m looking forward to their wedding next March!

When it was time to pick a spot for engagement pictures, Jamie and Jaime had no trouble deciding! Plymouth harbor played a big part in bringing them together, and they love the water! Thanks for a great engagement session!

Whether you’re celebrating the start of your new lives together in your family church, your backyard, the beach or a beautiful reception venue, someone has to prompt you to say, “I do.”   Who will stand in front of your guests and pronounce you officially married?

If you and your fiancé attend the same church or practice the same faith, you might consider asking a family priest, rabbi or minister to marry you.  A rabbi, minister or priest who knows you and your families can offer a wonderful sermon on the blessings of your union, and hosting the event in a familiar space may lessen your wedding day jitters.

Planning an interfaith ceremony?  Talk to each of the heads of your churches.  Some couples involve two masters of ceremonies, and pull special moments from each of your faiths.  Consider hosting your ceremony at a neutral site like the beach, backyard or reception venue.  The benefits of having your ceremony and reception at the same place are numerous.  You’ll save on transportation and site rentals, and maximize the time you’ll spend interacting with your guests.

If neither of you is religious, you might elect a civil ceremony.  Justices of the Peace can help you construct a meaningful and personalized ceremony.  Check out this website: www.mjpa.org (Massachusetts Justices of the Peace Association) to find an officiate near you.  For more ideas on special elements for your ceremony, stay tuned to the blog!

Finally, if you have a well-spoken friend or family member, you may want to involve them as your master of ceremonies.  Check out www.universalministries.com or www.firstnationministry.org/ and make sure you follow the guidelines for your state, so you are legally married.  A wedding ceremony performed by a person close to the couple is a unique touch!

The details of the wedding ceremony should be special to the couple and memorable for your friends and family.  Afterall, the wedding ceremony is the reason your guests have gathered on your special day – everything else is icing on the cake!