Chelsea Nicole

Glad to hear you had a fun time. And definitely can't wait to see some of the images!

It's hard to say which is less expensive since it really varies by the photographer (as well as what you're looking for in a package). I would recommend contacting photographers that you think would be a good match for you and your fiance - both style and personality wise. Then you can narrow options down from there. You have a while to decide, so take your time, have fun with it, and make sure to find someone you really love.

Some gorgeous center-pieces! Just to add a couple more to the mix, here's some of my favorites: I loved how this went along with my bride's gray and yellow color pallette and "eco-friendly" theme. And one cool thing about this one was towards the end of the night guests took some of the strands off and tied them around their necks to make flower necklaces. It wasn't something that the bride or coordinator had planned, but people loved it. Fun times with the centerpieces!

Welcome and congrats!! It's great that you're giving yourself some time to plan things out and not stress (especially with a destination wedding). It will go by quicker than you think! Good luck with everything!

Hi Karie! Congrats on the engagement! I'm sure you'll find lots of help here.

I normally don't recommend under 6 hours of coverage. With my experience, time on the wedding day goes SO much faster than you'd expect, and things can begin to feel rushed if there's less than that. The only time I would go with less time is if there's no formal reception. Also, as a quick side note: If you have an awesome photographer, some of the best images are captured later in reception when everyone is on the dance floor having a blast! It's not even comparable to guest images. So if you want to remember what an amazing time you and your guests had, I would definitely recommend having your photographer there to capture it all. 8-10 hours is much better for capturing all the special moments of the day. From the getting ready and detail shots, to the ceremony, formals and fun wedding party shots, romantics, and reception... You're putting a LOT into planning and making your once-in-a-life-time celebration come together. I can pretty much guarantee a couple years from now you wont be thinking about the little extra put towards capturing it properly. But you will have beautiful images to show off and look back on! I might sound a little biased being a photographer myself, but it makes me so sad when couples come to me after the wedding (either to photograph their trash the dress or boudoir, or as friends) and mention that as their one regret. Obviously only you can determine what's right for you, but if you're on the edge it's usually better to add the extra time and have no regrets. Wow, that's wordy, lol. Really hope it helps someone out!