This early? But why?

Here are a few important facts about wedding photographers. Since people don’t get married every day we thought it would be helpful to explain.

1. Unlike caterers or big florists who can often commit to several weddings on the same day most photographers will only book one event in a given day or one event per weekend. This can leave your options limited.
2. Many of us limit the number of weddings that we accept in a year in order to ensure that we are able to give our clients the attention they deserve. The truth is that we work endless hours before, during and after a wedding. An 8 hour event will most likely be between 50-60 hours of work. Between consultations, bookings, confirmations, paperwork, engagement shoots, detailing timelines, meetings, wedding day, editing, more editing, album design, uploading, burning, delivering and archiving the hours add up. We want to ensure that we can fulfill our contracts so that our clients are completely satisfied with our service and rave about us in the end. Our goal is to exceed your expectations therefore we choose not to take on too many events.
3. Saturdays only happen once a week and they happen to be the most popular day of the week for weddings. If you are getting married on a weekday or a Sunday you have a greater chance of being able to book your photographer much closer to your wedding date but weekdays and Sundays are becoming more and more popular.

The bottom line? If you really like a particular photographer’s work don’t take a chance and wait until January to book them for your June wedding. You might be disappointed to hear that they are already booked.

Got Questions? Need information? Are you overwhelmed?

Feel free to give us a call at 603-483-5355 or write us at Rick Bouthiette Photography. We’re available to answer your questions, clear up and confusion and offer help in choosing a wedding photographer that’s right for you.

Be sure to check back next week for our post on “Choosing A Photographer That’s Perfect For Your Wedding”.

P.S. We have a few dates open in 2012 and we are already booking 2013. If you love our work, get in touch to reserve your date.

I wasn’t in the room when the whole thing went down, I was patiently waiting outside the door  for the bride to slip into her dress. That’s when I heard someone  say “oh shit”! I knew right away by the silence on the other side of the door that this wasn’t good. And then it got worse. Deb, my wife, assistant and now the “person that volunteers my services” said “oh, don’t worry. Rick can get that out”.  At that point I wasn’t sure I even wanted to enter the room but the door swung open and I was invited in like I was some kind of  king or something because I “can get that out”.

As I entered the room and looked around all I could see was panic. Then I saw it. You couldn’t miss it. I’m not talking about a little mark of a blush or pink lipstick… This was a set of red, yes, red lips and they were at just about the knee! I stayed calm (which brought the panic level in the room down), asked what we had for stain remover. I was given a stain stick, some soda water and some paper towels and carefully went to work on the stain. I was as amazed as everyone else that i was able to “lift” the red lips from the dress!

Is there a lesson here? I don’t know. I guess if there is it’s don’t just hire someone to take pictures at your wedding. Hire someone with experience. More than just clicking the shutter experience. Or, don’t let anyone in the room wear lipstick.

Here’s a picture that was taken minutes later just before we left for the church, followed by the bride’s testimonial.

“Rick was wonderful! he helped out so much in ways i don’t think he will ever understand! Not only did he help get a stain out of my dress minutes before we left for the church, but his Deb helped me touch up my make up and even had me covered when I needed an emergency dose of Chapstick before heading to the reception! I know I will stay in touch with Rick and Deb, they are some of the nicest people i have ever met and are phenomenal at what they do. I am very grateful to have had such a positive experience with them! “

This week we welcome Jonathan Crary, owner of Jonathan’s Jewelers  of Bedofrd, NH
who offers information on choosing diamonds as well as a jeweler.

Be sure to visit their website or Facebook Page for more information.

More Than Just Diamonds

When researching and purchasing a diamond there are key factors that should be kept in mind. These factors are commonly called the 4 C’s: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. They are what is used to describe the quality of a cut diamond which then relates to its value. The most popular cut shape is the modern round brilliant cut. It offers the greatest display of light performance and is considered the classic diamond shape. Because of its popularity and ability to present the best a diamond has to offer, more diamonds are cut in this shape than any other. Shapes other than round are called fancy cuts. A reputable jeweler should be able to discuss all aspects of diamond buying with you.

Selecting a jeweler is just as important as selecting a ring. You want someone you can trust and build a relationship with. Your jeweler will provide you with advice and guidance on purchasing an engagement ring but also the wedding bands, attendant’s gifts, and hopefully, anniversary and special holiday gifts in the future. Purchasing jewelry should be a fun experience and the right jeweler can deliver that for you!

This week we welcome Cindy Baldwin, owner of TravelWise New Hampshire who offers
information on planning your dream destination wedding.
Be sure to visit their website or Facebook Page for more information.

Plan the Destination Wedding of Your Dreams

Imagine exchanging vows in a coconut grove with tropical flowers under a native Ohia wedding arch while a classical violinist serenades your guests.

Next, picture you and your fiancée saying, “I do” on an alabaster beach next to sparkling turquoise waters with warm Caribbean breezes and the sound of the surf in the distance.

Thousands of couples each year choose to have a destination wedding that they will treasure forever. With so many choices and details to consider, making your destination wedding picture-perfect is much more difficult than it may seem.

That’s why using the services of a travel consultant can be invaluable. Instead of spending your time pouring over brochures and doing endless and confusing research online, use the services of a travel consultant to make your destination planning seamless—at no additional cost to you.

A travel consult can help you:

1. Select the perfect wedding package at your dream destination based on your interests and budget.
2. Secure group rates and handle all travel arrangements for your guests, making the weeks prior to your wedding much less stressful.
3. Keep you updated on all documentation that is necessary before getting married at your destination, such as translation fees, number of witnesses required, and minimum days a couple must be in a country prior to their ceremony.

When you have a destination wedding, you will be able to spend a few days in paradise among your closest friends and family. These memories will last a life time.

This week we welcome Susannah Powell, Event Coordinator at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa who offers a list of amenities to consider when choosing a venue that’s right for your special day.
Be sure to visit their website or Facebook Page for more information.

Choosing  Your Wedding Venue: Beyond The Basics

When you are choosing a wedding and reception venue, you will likely have some questions that go beyond the basics of location, price and availability.

Here are a few you might want to consider as you weigh your options:

Does the venue:

• have a spa and/or salon on site for the bride and her wedding party’s hair, manicure and pedicure needs?
• offer a complimentary night’s stay to the Bride and Groom on their wedding night?
• provide a wide range of on-site activities for wedding parties and guests, such as a golf tourney, trail rides, whitewater rafting, axe-throwing matches, or a yoga class for the bride?
• permit wedding “blocks” — rooms that are held for the convenience of wedding guests?
• offer on-site rehearsal dinners?
• provide professional wedding coordinators on staff?
• offer options for beverage service including cash, on-consumption or open bar
• facilitate bridal gift bags to welcome wedding guests?
• offer special discounted rates for anniversary stays?
• provide the opportunity to call and periodically receive an updated rooming list?
• offer scenic outdoor ceremony venues?
• have a justice of the peace on-site who can perform my wedding ceremony?
• provide a list of preferred vendors for photography, music, flowers and more?

If a destination wedding in the beautiful White Mountains might be in your future, please call Susannah Powell at 603-837-0027.

This week we welcome Diana Ma from Diana Ma Weddings & Events who offers helpful information on choosing the flowers for your special day. Be sure to visit Diana’s website or Facebook Page for more information.

Photo: Rodeo & Co Photography

Feeling Overwhelmed About the Big Day?

Consider hiring a wedding planner.

Sure it’s entirely possible to roll up your sleeves and get this party planned yourself, but not everyone has the time (energy or desire) to do it all themselves.

Here’s the thing, we are all busy. Between full-time jobs, household errands, commitments and committees, most of us are over scheduled.

Contrary to popular belief, hiring a wedding planner is not an indulgence reserved for the super wealthy. It is best needed for the professional, full-time working person, like you.

Because the average wedding takes upwards of 100 hours to plan, the right planner can be worth her weight in gold. The right planner saves you time, stress and yes, money.

Here are five reasons why all brides- and grooms-to-be should consider hiring a wedding planner.

1. Saves Time. A wedding planner will help economize your time so you are free to work on things that matter – like preserving your energy and staying balanced. That way, you can focus your attention on your guests and having fun.

2. Streamlines Decision-Making. You may find that planning a wedding is overwhelming. It becomes way too easy to bury your head in the sand once you are faced with the endless decisions you have to make. Venue, types of flowers, lighting arrangements, invitations, dresses, who to invite, who you may offend, who has what food allergy, what separates one photographer from the next, how will guests be entertained, where will they stay, and on and on and on. This is when the expertise of a professional consultant can be a huge relief. She will access vendors that fall in-line with your vision and narrow the choices to a reasonable 2 or 3.

3. Leads Your Team of Vendors and Manages the Event (to your wishes). A planner not only manages, but acts as your team leader. She plans, schedules, directs and orchestrates the tasks of all the day’s vendors – the people and their roles in making your wedding come to life. She is the point person.

4. Knows and Calls Upon Reliable Talent who Deliver Consistently Great Products and Services. She has the resources to not only locate the most efficient vendors (so you don’t have to scour through the millions!) at the best deals. A good planner finds vendors that fit your budget and individual style. This entails a special blend of folks who work cohesively together in delivering product and service that exceeds expectations. She has the name and contact for the best cake decorator in the area, knows florists and designers who would work well with your needs, can summons specialty linens, tables and chairs with a push of her phone and can distinguish one photographer from another.

5. You Still Have Control. Even as this work is being pulled together for you, a good planner will still let you decide the creative direction. She will also let you specify how you would like things to work and flow, because she knows that the day is all about the two of you. Her job is to make the planning process seamless.

But, however involved you want to be in planning your wedding, most consultants will customize packages that fit your needs. A wedding is a celebration of your awesome love for one another. Worrying about all the little details when you should be having the best, most stress-free time of your life, is criminal!

If there is room in your budget for a well-respected wedding planner,I strongly encourage you to make the investment. Your peace of mind and sanity will thank you.

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, Rick Bouthiette Photography was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

Rick Bouthiette Photography is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Rick Bouthiette Photography for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that Rick Bouthiette Photography is one of the very best Photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

To learn more about the Bride’s Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

 About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire™, the nation’s leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.

This week we welcome Brad from Harrington Flowers who offers helpful information on choosing the flowers for your special day. Be sure to visit Brad’s website or Facebook Page for more information.

Colors, Shapes & Textures

Choosing the right flowers and florist for your wedding

Flowers play a big role in weddings and events. They should always be a reflection of the couples style and taste.

When selecting your flowers you should work with the colors you selected for the rest of the event. Think of your event as decorating a room. You need to coordinate your colors. However you can add punches of color for accent (and fun). I suggest getting a color wheel. It will help you in selecting colors and picking ones that compliment each other, especially accent colors.

We are all attracted to different colors and textures. Try to think of your flowers as colors , shapes and textures. Notice flowers that you like and decide what it is that attracts you to them. The earlier in the process you do this the easier it will be to select not only your flowers but your dresses , suits, etc.

When choosing a florist it’s a good idea to visit with a few as you will get different ideas from each one. When you have met with a few and are ready to make a decision choose the florist that you felt most comfortable with and ask them to work with you on any budget issues. Many people make the mistake of going with the lowest priced florist. Most florist are more than willing to work with you on price.

Feel free to contact me if you need advice or have questions.

Congratulations on your engagement!

Respectfully- Brad Harrington