Wedding Photographer
Sarah Ginder
Wedding Photographers Don't Just Take Pictures ...
Wedding Photographers Don't Just Take Pictures (Part 1)

bride

Father's First Look

One of my favorite moments in a wedding is when the bride and groom see each other for the first time, it is probably the most sought after photos by most couples, as well. But the lesser talked about First Look between a bride and her father is always sweet and emotional!

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They all don’t go down the exact same way. Some fathers are dressed with cuff links and all at 8am, pacing around the house, and the girls yell, “No you can’t go in that room, her dress is hanging up.”, And they are in tears long before they even turn around to see her. Other dad’s are chillin! Just enjoying a beer, sitting outside reading the paper, or down in the hotel lobby talking with friends from out of state. And the girls are yelling once again, but this time it’s, “Dad, go shower!!”, and “Are you ready yet? We need to go!” But it is just their way of coping, emotions are high, and even the toughest of tough guys, often melt in this special father daughter moment.

And if you zoom out, and you picture that same father, much younger, with tears in his eyes as he hold his little baby girl for the first time… not knowing how he will do it. Wondering what it will be like to be a father, how to teach her that she is strong and beautiful and loved…. Suddenly you can’t hold back tears yourself, as you see a father in awe of the woman his little baby has grown up to be. How can he let her go? I am sure there is always a part of them that wishes they could just play in the yard together one more time, and kiss her tiny head.

And this wouldn’t feel complete without a shout out to my own dad! :) I am one of three girls, and he has helped shape each one of us in so many ways. I wouldn’t be where I am today, and I wouldn’t have my work ethic, if it were not from my dad’s example. He pushed us because he believed in us!

We all have so many fond memories with our dad: playing baseball (even though we were probably all terrible), building snow tubing ramps in our back yard, jumping waves in the ocean, helping him with his many projects in the garage, (Oh….And a few terrifying memories of doing math homework with Dad!! Hehe). He sat through many dance recitals, and when I finally realized that I liked martial arts, he would come with my mom to watch and support.

Here is a little peak at our first look on my wedding day!

I love you Dad!

(Photography by Susan Baker Photography)

5 Things Brides Say Was a Waste of Money

I remember when I was a bride, just how many companies tried to up-sell me on things, and tug at my heart strings, not knowing I was in the industry… Not cool.

So what can you cut out of the long list of things you need to pay for on your wedding day? I asked some of my amazing brides that had unique, personal, and memorable weddings, to see what they said.

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So the good news is…

More and more brides and grooms are saying “no thanks” to old and costly traditions, and taking their wedding plans into their own hands! And because of this, the overwhelming majority of brides I talked to, say that there WASN’T a whole lot that they felt was a waste of money. And, if they were to go back and do it all again, they really wouldn’t change things! This makes me SO happy! :) … I guess I have some pretty budget savvy couples!

But, do you know what really shocked me…

Most of the bride’s I spoke to said they wouldn’t have spent less on something, but wish they spent MORE on a videographer or DJ. And I fall in that exact same boat as well. I wish that I had spent more on a different DJ. He was a great guy, and the price was unbeatable, but he had promised some things, like a specific type of dance floor lighting (I’m a photographer, I know what I wanted!) and he did not deliver. A few bride’s mentioned that they went with a cheaper videographer, and the end product wasn’t what they had hoped for.

However, a few things came up, over and over, that brides and grooms felt was not impactful to the day, and they could have done without.

The 5 Things Brides Say They Could Have Lived Without

  1. Party Favors

    Yup, like a little bag of candy to eat on the ride home? As if the mountains of food served for the past 5 hours would leave guests starving… One bride said it best. “Your guests love you, but they could probably do without your wedding monogrammed koozie.” haha! Plus, as a wedding photographer, I often see favors sitting on the tables at the end of the night, untouched. And that means the extra four bucks times however many guests, is going down the drain. So, if you cut it out all together, I don’t think many would notice or mind. But if you do want to do something, but don’t want to buy 150 bottle openers… It has become more popular to make a donation to a cause that is meaningful to the couple.


  2. Wedding Party Gifts

    Some of my lovely brides went a little overboard, and showered their bridal party with gifts. One bride realized that if she were to get her bridesmaids something, it would only be something that they could REALLY use after the wedding was over. So things like a robe that says “Bridesmaid”, seemed kinda like a waste in the end. And after all, they are there because they love you, not because they want a free necklace, or a wine glass that says “Maid of Honor”.


  3. Flowers

    Now, we are not hating on flowers, or the gorgeous work that so many talented florists do for weddings. But the fact is, it’s temporary, and guests might notice, but it isn’t going to be the thing they go home talking about. If you choose a venue that is your style anyway, chances are it doesn’t need a whole lot of added decoration.


  4. Extra Food/Desert at the End of the Night

    I think the best way to describe this is “extra”. Milk and cookies anytime, anywhere, is NOT a bad thing! However, it isn’t needed… and if you want to find a way to save, couples recommend you don’t splurge on this one.


  5. Formal Invitations

    Who’s idea was it to ship a package filled with so many envelopes, cards, and stamps? And does anyone use the directions card, on how to drive to your venue if they are coming from Rt.80 West vs. the Parkway North? Umm, someone just call Grandma an Uber. … All joking aside, there is something beautiful and regal about a well made, formal wedding invitation. However, if something needs to get cut, so that you can afford the wedding dress of your dreams, or a photographer who will help you remember the whole day (wink wink), don't sweat the gold embossing.


All in all, trust your gut!

Couples that sit down together, and figure out what means the most to them, were all very happy with their decisions in the end. If flowers are super important to you, don’t hold back baby! If you really like a veil, but feel it is unfairly priced and you care more about dancing with your friends, chances are you are not going to miss that expensive piece of tulle.

A lot goes into creating your dream wedding, and unfortunately no matter how you slice it, a good amount of money too. But hopefully this will give you a little extra confidence to cut out the small things that you and your love won’t miss anyway. :)