Hiring a qualified photographer is an essential step in planning a wedding. After all, your wedding photos are a one-time opportunity. Due to this, hiring an ideal wedding photographer is essential for your wedding in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

1. When to hire a wedding photographer

Once you have booked the wedding ceremony and reception in our outdoor wedding venues in Dallas, begin shopping for a photographer. Setting a date for the ceremony will not always assure that the venue of your choice – or the photographer, will be available. Book the venue and reception before the photographer.

In addition, prized photographers are often booked a year in advance, and you may not be able to secure them. Begin comparing photographers early on, but do not book them until the date of the ceremony and reception are confirmed.

2. Preselecting a photographer

Once you have narrowed the choice to three photographers who are available for the date of your wedding in our outdoor wedding venues in Dallas, meet with each one in person. This step ensures that you like your photographer, which is an essential for wedding photography.

3. The qualities to look for in a wedding photographer

The top quality a photographer can have is experience. While creativity is an essential, the ability to carry it out is even more important.

The skill of clear communication is essential, as a photographer who is not concise in his expectations with subjects can lead to friction.

Consistency in style is a necessity. A photographer who jumps all over the spectrum of style in photography will leave you wondering what you will receive. A photographer who consistently produces clean, clear photography is one who will provide a consistent, and reliable quality.

4. Questions to ask during the first meeting

Far too often couples hire a photographer that goes out of business before they receive their pictures. For this reason, ask them how long they have been in business. A stable business provides an assurance of receiving your wedding photos.

Ask if he/she works well with people. You want to hire a photographer who can manage and coordinate groups of people and can handle related issues.

Clarify exactly what you will receive, and the services provided. Ensure you receive the quote in writing, providing proof if there is a discrepancy when you hire the photographer.

Ensure you meet with the photographer who will be shooting your wedding, and not a sales consultant, manager or studio owner. Meeting the photographer will ensure you like the photographer, an essential as you and your wedding party will be spending significant time with him/her in our outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

Establish the number of photos you will receive. The typical photographer is preserving 50 to 100 photos per hour. This captures all of the details that you may have missed while conversing, and mingling.

5. The high cost of wedding photography

To those not in the industry of photography, the cost may seem excessive. However, consider the costs involved for the photographer. First, the photographer can easily be carrying $15,000 to $20,000 work of equipment and gear. Next, consider it will easily require several days just to edit the hundreds of images made during your wedding and reception.

In addition, the photographer has the cost of software, albums, business expenses (which include taxes, rent, commercially rated utilities, insurance, and other), shipping, and the cost of an assistant if applicable, repair of equipment, transportation, and other. The cost of being a small business is high, and leaves the photographer with surprisingly little.

6. When your choice of a photographer is not available

Once the choices are narrowed and a decision is made, and your first choice is no longer available for the date of your wedding, simply ask them for their recommendations. They probably know a reliable photographer with a similar style, who may be available for your ceremony and reception in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

Tips to communicate

• Tell your photographer of special requests you have.

• Provide the photographer for an essentials list. For example, you may want a photo of yourself with your grandmother, or a best friend. Ask him/her to use it as a check-off list to ensure the photos you want.

• Ask the photographer to visit the outdoor wedding venues in Dallas prior to the wedding. This will enable the photographer to note features that will provide exceptional wedding photos, before the wedding.

• Request an all angles view that captures the special details of your wedding dress and veil. In 20 years, you will especially appreciate it.

• Include grandparents, aunts, uncles and other older relatives in your photography session. Over time, as older family passes away these photos will hold special meaning in your heart.

• Request non-ceremony photos to be shot prior to the ceremony. Family and friends can be photographed before the wedding, in addition to your favorite areas of the outdoor wedding venues in Dallas. This will free up the photographer to concentrate on the ceremony and the reception afterward.

are memories captured in time, and you want them to be as perfect as the wedding day itself. Provide your photographer with an essentials photo list, retain a copy for yourself, and include his/her agreement to use it in the contract. Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas can ensure every detail of the perfect wedding for your special day, a capable photographer ensures a photographic record of it. We anticipate meeting you and your fiancé in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

Attending a wedding is not always a pleasure, and the last thing a bride and groom want is for their wedding guests to wait for an opportune moment to escape. The following tips for entertaining wedding guests will help you to assure your guests’ will enjoy themselves in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in DFW.

1. Make introductions at the rehearsal.

Unless your families are from the same town and already know each other, a wedding brings together two families and sets of friends who are strangers. The solution is to bring family and other out of town guests together before the wedding. Invite them to the engagement party, or a small barbecue. For those who live distantly, invite them to the rehearsal and dinner the night before the wedding in our outdoor wedding venues in DFW.

When the wedding arrives guests will be more comfortable with each other, and the overall atmosphere will be more relaxed at both your outdoor wedding venues in DFW, and the reception.

2. Do not leave guests hanging.

Do not leave guests hanging while you are busy with the photographer. Arrange for drinks and snacks to be available while family and guests wait. Provide seating and room to mingle, some music played low can help the crowd to relax and get in a celebratory mood for the reception in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in DFW.

3. Appetizers

Provide tasty treats for guests’ while they wait for the two of you. Do not let them go hungry even when a full dinner is waiting. Provide tasty hors d’oeuvres, mini empanadas, and other one-bite appetizers that will not interfere with conversation. Your guests will be refreshed, and will feel pampered and grateful.

4. Plan for guest’s safety.

You want your guests’ to enjoy themselves at the reception, and to be safe on the way home. To ensure your guests safety, arrange for transportation to their hotel, after they have enjoyed the alcohol. If hiring a shuttle service is not in the budget, ask friends who do not drink, or who are willing to forego it, to provide transportation. This extra consideration gives guests the freedom to relax, and enjoy a few drinks without worrying about getting home safely after leaving your outdoor wedding venues in DFW.

5. Give thought to your seating chart.

If you have ever been in the situation of sitting at a table where you do not know anyone, you understand how awkward it can feel. Spend some time with your seating chart to ensure your guests spend time with people they know, and like. If you are playing matchmaker and seating them with someone new, take the time to introduce them and point out common interests to quick start their conversation.

Do not forget to consider family members with an ongoing grudge, and seat them as far apart as possible.

6. Keep guest smiling with entertainment.

Do you remember how the best birthday parties from childhood provided entertainment? The options for a successful wedding celebration include a DJ or live band, photo booths and public specialty performers. Today’s pros will ensure your wedding does not suffer from a boring moment in our outdoor wedding venues in DFW.

7. Desert bars are a wedding favorite.

While wedding cakes are a basic for a wedding, desert bars are highly popular in today’s weddings. A full dessert bar stocked with gorgeous (and scrumptious) goodies will have your guests returning for more. The dessert bar can double as your wedding favor by setting out plastic bags or boxes for your guests to take a snack home.

8. Relax and your guests will do the same.

Planning a wedding can be stressful, and it is hard to have fun if you are on edge when any small issue arises. Brides often assign a capable relative or bridesmaid to deal with any last-minute tasks and problem, but when you choose Paradise Cove for your outdoor wedding venues in DFW we will handle the details, enabling you to relax, and enjoy your day.

Seating both your college or high school friends at a table together gives them an opportunity to catch up, especially if they have not seen each other for quite some time. You can also mix them up if you and your new spouse attended different schools; you never know who may hit it off. Try seating together your friend and his friend that the two of you think will get along exceptionally well, and those with common interests and occupations.

Traditionally, your parents and your new spouse’s parents sit at the same table, along with grandparents, siblings not in the wedding party, the wedding officiate, and his/her spouse. However, if either of your parents are divorced, and are uncomfortable being near to each other, seating them at separate tables with their own close family and/or friends may be the wisest choice. If you are unsure, talk to them, they will tell you how they feel.

Contact a Paradise Cove representative to schedule a tour of our outdoor wedding venues in DFW. We offer a number of sites in our facility for your consideration, and provide the use of our reception area in our packages. In addition, we provide our couples with a wedding coordinator to handle all the details so you do not have to. When you select Paradise Cove on the shores of beautiful Lake Grapevine for outdoor wedding venues in DFW, our facility is yours for the day. For this reason, tours and consultations are by appointment only. We look forward to sharing this momentous occasion with you, and in assuring you of the personalized luxury wedding you want. We hope you found our guide for entertaining wedding guests to be of assistance.

(photo courtesy of Decigallen, link)

Though you may have never heard the term, professional photographers use the term golden hour in reference to the time of day with the best lighting. Learn more about it in the following, and discuss it with your photographer for before your wedding in your selected outdoor wedding venues in Fort Worth.

Lighting is an important factor in photography, and regardless of the subject, a poor quality of light will provide uninspiring photos. This is especially true in outdoor photography. Artificial lighting requires a trained eye for the proper illumination of the subject, and the best photos possible. You want exceptional photos for your wedding, and why not take advantage of the flattering light of the golden hour for special photos that you, your family, and the generations to come will treasure.

Lighting affects how colors appear, and while some subjects do well in ample sunlight, the golden hour provides the ideal solution for magical photos with a golden touch.

When is the Golden Hour?

The golden hour is roughly the first hour of light after sunrise, and the last hour of light before sunset, with a variation in its duration with the seasons. During the golden hour, the sun is low in the horizon, producing a flattering, soft, diffused, golden light. It cannot be replicated regardless of the equipment you own.

The golden hour lighting provides less contrast, reducing strong shadows or hazy highlights. The warm glow adds a warm appeal to the scene, is flattering to our skin, and the soft, long shadows add texture and depth to the beauty of your outdoor wedding venues in Fort Worth. Photographic images are two-dimensional images, and the golden hour often provides images that appear to be three-dimensional.

When to Use It

The golden hour rule can provide magical photos with its soft lighting of outdoor portraits, flowers, and plants in the photos. While you may not want to schedule your wedding for the wee hours of the morning, you can opt for some photos during the evening golden hour. It is well worth slipping away just before or after your wedding to grab a few shots for some special photos. The golden hour is named for the warm, golden diffused sunlight that is likely to provide some of your favorite photos of your special day in your outdoor wedding venues in Fort Worth. Just keep in mind, the golden hour will not wait on you.

Our knowledgeable staff specializes in providing personalized luxury weddings in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Fort Worth. We want to create the special wedding you dream of, and ensure the first day of the rest of your life surrounds you with wonderful memories at Paradise Cove. Give us a call to schedule a tour of our beautiful grounds on the shore of Lake Grapevine. Our staff can answer your questions regarding our venue, its numerous features, and the services we provide. We look forward to meeting you in our newly remodeled and landscaped grounds, which will provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding, during the golden hour, or at any other scheduled time.

In years long gone by, flowers each had a specific meaning. Today’s wedding has no rules, and the sentiment is personal to you. For the bride who would like to send a certain message, a florist can be of assistance. Furthermore, you can utilize the following partial guide on the meaning of flowers, collected by the Society of American Florists from numerous sources for personalizing your outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

Flower and Meaning

Amaryllis – dramatic
Anemone – fragile
Apple Blossom – promise, contentment
Azalea – abundance
Baby’s Breath – festivity
Bachelor’s Button – anticipation
Begonia – deep thoughts
Black-Eyed Susan – encouragement
Camellia – graciousness
Carnation
pink – gratitude
red – flashy
striped – refusal
white – remembrance
yellow – cheerful
Cosmos – peaceful
Crocus – foresight
Daffodil – chivalry
Delphinium – boldness
Daisy – innocence
Freesia – spirited
Forget-me-not – remember forever
Gardenia – joy
Geranium – comfort
Ginger – proud
Gladiolus – strength of character
Heather – solitude
Hibiscus – delicate beauty
Holly – domestic happiness
Hyacinth – sincerity
Hydrangea – perseverance
Iris – inspiration
Ivy – fidelity
Jasmine – grace and elegance
Larkspur – beautiful spirit
Lavender – distrust
Lilac – first love
Magnolia – dignity
Orange blossom – fertility
Orchid – delicate beauty
Pansy – loving thoughts
Passionflower – passion
Peony – healing
Poppy – consolation
Rose
Pink – admiration
Red – passionate love
White – purity
Yellow – friendship
Stephanotis – good luck
Sunflower – adoration
Tuberose – pleasure
Tulip
Pink – caring
Purple – royalty
Red – love
White – forgiveness
Yellow – hopelessly in love
Violet – faithfulness

Planning

Obtain itemized statements for the proposed flowers from several florists. While planning outdoor wedding venues in Dallas, the florist will need to know the following:

Budget: Florists are typically willing to work within your budget, and can suggest ways to save such as using full-blooms in order to decrease the number of stems required.

Quantity: The florist will need to know the number of groomsmen and bridesmaids in the wedding party; the number of parents, grandparents, and guests.

Style: Tell the florist the style and mood that you want, such as modern or romantic for example. Collect photographs that represent the floral design that you would like to include in your outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

The florist will also need to know the location of the ceremony and reception, for example, some flowers will wilt quickly in the heat and will need special considerations in summertime outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

Color Scheme: Tell the florist the color scheme you would like. Your wedding colors can provide inspiration, the color of bridesmaid dresses, or the colors of the interior reception area, for example.

Items to Carry With You

Bring photos of flower arrangements you like, a swatch of a bridesmaid dress, a photo of the ceremony and reception area, and a photo of your wedding dress.

Itemized Statement

Ask the florist for photographs or too see displays (if available) of the flowers he/she suggests. In addition, ask in advance what substitutions will be provided when a flower is not available. Finally, ask the florist for an itemized statement, this can prevent mistakes.

Once you select a florist, hold a second consultation to confirm and finalize the order. Verify the specific flowers, the style, colors and quantity. The final meeting is the time to make changes or adjustments. Trust the florist’s expertise and knowledge, and be willing to listen to her/his suggestions. Brides often find that doing so provides an arrangement more beautiful than they considered possible.

Once the plans are finalized, you will sign a contract with the florist and pay a deposit, typically 50 % with the balance due the week of the wedding. The contract should state the payment terms, and the number and descriptions of each item, and its cost; additional rental or labor charges, taxes and other fees, and the date, place and time in your outdoor wedding venue in Dallas, that the flowers will be delivered and assembled if necessary.

We hope you found this guide to the meaning of flowers useful. We offer both a full-service package, and a lease only option for the use of our facility during your outdoor wedding venues in Dallas. Contact us or visit our wedding pages for further details on Paradise Cove’s wedding venues in Dallas. We anticipate assisting you in your personalized wedding plans.

Families often have wedding traditions of their own, and they may originate from a distant time and place. Specific traditions are widespread, while others are now practiced in local pockets only. Most couples in the U.S. follow traditions that are set back into the deep mists of time past. Whether your wedding is conducted indoors or in Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas, you will probably practice a few of these. Here are 20 fun wedding traditions and superstitions to explain the roots of today’s modern traditions.

Paradise Cove’s beautiful outdoor wedding venues in Dallas has seen many traditions, and welcomes yours.

1. Honeymoons began with the ancient Teutonic people whose weddings were only held under the full moon. After the wedding, the bride and groom would drink wine made from honey for one full moon cycle (thirty days). Consequently, this period became known as the “honey moon.” Over time, the purpose of the honeymoon changed, though the name did not.

2. The tradition of wearing engagement and wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand began because it was once thought that a vein in the “ring finger” led directly to the heart.

3. In English tradition, Wednesday is the “best day” to marry, Monday symbolizes wealth, and Tuesday represents health. Saturday is the preferred day for modern couples to marry, although traditionally, it is the unluckiest day!

4. The groom carrying the bride across the threshold began to protect her from evil spirits hiding beneath the threshold.

6. Diamonds in gold or silver settings became engagement rings during the fifteenth century among wealthy Venetians.

7. Almost 70% of all modern brides wear the traditional diamond on the fourth finger of their left hand.

8. A sapphire in a wedding ring symbolizes marital happiness.

9. A pearl engagement ring is considered bad luck as its shape resembles that of a tear.

10. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and ensures a long, happy marriage.

11. In Victorian England intertwining snakes with ruby eyes were popular as wedding bands, the winding coils forming the ring were the symbol of eternity.

12. Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the U.S.

13. The tradition of white wedding dresses began with Queen Victoria in 1940.

14. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides wear veils to this day.

15. We have all heard “Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The “something old” represents the brides past, while “something new” symbolizes the couple’s happy future together, “something borrowed” comes from a person who is happily married, with the hopes that some of the good luck rubs off on the bride, “something blue” symbolizes fidelity, and love.

16. The wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where guests broke a loaf of bread over a bride’s head to promote fertility.

17. The Catholic tradition of “posting the banns” to announce a marriage originated as a means to ensure the bride and groom were not related.

18. Tossing the garter is a tradition for single men; the man who catches the garter is believed to be the next male to get married.

19. Giving away the bride stems from the days when a woman was considered property for barter or trade in arranged marriages.

20. According to tradition, good omens for the wedding day include seeing a rainbow, having a sunny day, or meeting a black cat.

Paradise Cove’s outdoor wedding venues in Dallas offers luxury weddings on the shore of Lake Grapevine. We provide a wedding coordinator to assist you in creating a custom wedding in our meticulously landscaped outdoor wedding venues in Dallas.

We offer a number of beautiful sites beside the lake for taking your vows in our outdoor wedding venues in Dallas. Contact a Paradise Cove representative for questions, to schedule a personal tour, or to book your wedding in our outdoor wedding venues in Dallas. We hope you enjoyed reading wedding facts and superstition.