Bridal Extravaganza - A Must Go!

Image via Putrapertiwi

I vividly remember this time last year as the starting point of my wedding planning.  The Bridal Extravaganza came into town and I was so reluctant to go. For those of you who don't know,  this is the Mother of all Bridal Events for brides-to-be in Texas.  It may be called something else in other states, but this convention has everything you can possibly imagine for the bride-to-be.  Vendors from all over have booths to showcase their work and services. Same thing, different name.

To be honest, the ONLY reason I decided to go was because I wanted my mother to experience the mayhem.  I pictured future brides running around wearing mini veils, holding stacks of binders and magazines, and I was expecting a few cat fights to break out amongst brides and future mother-in-laws.  To my astonishment, the event was well organized and there were no fights (well, none that I saw anyway).  I think I registered for everything imaginable (hoping to win something...anything).  Again, no luck.  However, I did get to sample some wedding cake, received many goodie bags, and walked away with some GREAT deals!

Mind you, I was NOT the typical bride. I never thought about my wedding until I got engaged. I am not a bridezilla. The only thing I knew was I wanted to get married in a church. That's it. So, you can see the reluctance of attending this event.

In summary, I found my flower lady, the lovely Carmen Floral Designs, and I received a great offer from Men's Warehouse where my hubby received a free suit (since our groomsmen rented their tuxes) and we received 1 free plane ticket anywhere in the U.S.! That saved us $400 on the suit alone!  Plus, mom had a blast which made the trip worth it.

They are in town this weekend.  Check THEIR site for exact dates. It's definitely worth a trip. You have nothing to lose.  Let me know if you go and what deals were offered! I'd love to know.

Wednesday Wedding Tip - Hiring A Videographer

Image via PopVideoHouston

Capturing your wedding is an important decision to make.  Most couples fixate on finding the perfect wedding photographers, but have you considered hiring a videographer also?  

We were lucky enough to find our photographers easily, but I had to interview countless videographers before making a decision.  Some of our closest friends regret not having a video of their wedding day to look back at.  Pictures are worth a thousand words, but a video captures the words, expressions, and reactions of that exact moment in time.  

Most companies offer packages and discounts if you purchase your photos and video together and vendors are always willing to work with you so don't be afraid to ask!  You will learn the art of bargaining...trust me, I did.

Watch this video from Aisle Dash on Choosing a Wedding Videographer:

Here are a few "terms" to familiarize yourself with:

Cinematic: A style of wedding videography in which the footage is edited to tell a story, similar to a short film.
Digital video: Also called DV. Most wedding videos are now filmed and stored in digital format. 
Documentary: A style of wedding videography (also called photojournalistic) in which raw footage unfolds to tell the story of the day.
High-definition video: Also called HD video, this high-resolution option allows wedding videos to be viewed on Blu-ray or DVD.
Outtakes: Footage that does not make it into the final video. This often includes "bloopers" or other missteps that can be fun to include in their own section of the wedding video.
Raw footage: The hours of video filmed by a videographer prior to any editing.
Same-day edit: For immediate gratification, some videographers can compile highlight footage from earlier in the day into a video that is played at the reception.
Short-form video: Most weddings are short form, meaning the length of the video is about an hour or less.
Streaming video: A continuous stream of video that is played on the Internet, rather than downloaded. To share highlights from the day with guests, wedding videos can be streamed on a couple's Web site post-nuptials.