San Francisco Wedding Photography

As much as I am a firm believer in having a professional photogragher at your wedding to capture all the moments, i thought this was a good idea. My mother in law was visiting for the week end. While I was away, she read this story in the NY Times and when I got back she was nice enough to share it with me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/education/edlife/ideas-canditto-t.html?_r=1.

Basically this guy Rush Hambleton  has invented a computer based kiosk for events like weddings, where guests can insert the flash card or memory stick into this device. The kiosk store the photos for the bride and groom. I think it would be great if you could also print then out there on the spot.

He came up with this idea because his photographer (not Peter Bruce Photo or Belle Fine Weddings) missed him and wife leaving  their reception on their restored Vespa (cool way to go out).

I think this is a great idea, like the cameras that people put on the table for guests to use and return, this should never replace a pro photo or video person, but it is a new toy and we should play with it.

Cheers, Peter Bruce

Happy New Year & I hope 2009 is good. Just got an e mail from a girl called  Jessica, she sent me a link to her site and asked me to link to her site  http://www.beautymakeupinfo.com I don’t much about the back end, do’s & don’t of makeup. But as a photographer I know what looks good or not and as a person I seem to know good advise when I read it, and Jessica seem to be on it. So check the site out. Maybe Jessica and I might work together one day.

Cheers Peter Bruce

I have done many New year eve weddings and they are always fun. How could they not, your having a party at your wedding. The photos here are no exception, they had fun. I wish we had done video. This wedding was at the Palm Event Center in Beautiful  Historic Ruby Hills.  www.palmeventcenter.com I have never done a ceremony where a couple ties the knot right at 11.59 and 59 seconds, normaly they get married before that and share the count down for the fun. I am going to give you some tips here as well as some photos. But remember if you are going to go for a New years eve wedding, plan ahead, it is a busy time for a big night. There is doubt about it, a wedding  on New Year’s Eve is going to be the party of the year! Here are some ideas to let your guests ring in your wedding vows with a festive wedding favor .What says New Year eve more than champagne. Give your guests small bottles of champagne with personalized labels to take home. Also you want noise, it’s a party right.Make a gift bag of Blow Horns and party hats,also write your names on them with the date. These will keep the kids going for ever. Another nice wedding favor that I have seen is a CD of the years music, maybe with your name on it. We have also seen couples give out personalized calenders there’s a lot of software out there that can help you make a personalized calendar for the new year party. If you don’t wish to do this on your own, pick out some really nice photos (either personal photos, landscape scenes, etc.) and take it to a local print shop to print for you. I know from first hand Apple makes great calenders on line. Also Vista prints has free samples. Great idea. You does not want good fortune for 2009, Fortune Cookies are a great idea,see what the New Year has in store for your wedding guess. Wrap fortune cookie favors in netting , decorated favor bags/boxes for each guest to take home. I am talking about Favors first because you want people to remember the event, but lets talk about other small matter. Timing is important.Try to make the start  late, starting around 8:00 8:30pm. You want your guests to stay through the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year!And maybe beyond, but talk a lot with your cater on this because a lot of thing work around them. Also if you recall some posting ago, we talked about photographer and not hiring vendors (i hate that word, so if anyone can come up with a better on, please let me know) by the hour. A while ago at an event I was talking to a lady, a she said the photographer did not stay till 12pm at her sisters wedding. WOW, what a downer and great photos lost. I think one really important person at a new years eve wedding is the DJ, make sure he knows how to get people moving.

Also have a video of this, at Belle Fine Video, we find New Years eve wedding are a blast and always come out great. There is so much action to catch.

Something that is cool and can work will for the DJ is place balloons, white lights, and glittery snowflakes throughout the venue. Place a large bright or well lite clock  behind the DJ to countdown to, and /or have a large screen TV to watch the ball drop or on Time Square New York . Also, place balloons in netting over the dance floor to drop down at the stroke of midnight on top of all your guest, white is the best color for them.

A tip for food, because you are having a party you may want to skip a seat down full dinner and opt for hot appetizers offered throughout the night. You can serve hot wings, chicken/beef sticks, scallops and bacon,crab cakes etc. Or, you can have food stations set up so guests can help themselvesas they want.

Always make sure to have plenty of coffee available throughout the night, or consider a coffee station when serving dessert.I like the idea of hiring a fully manned coffee station, that way you can give your guests a Cappuccino, Latte,Espresso etc. Does not cost much and your guest will enjoy it. On last tip I am going to give you,is on when the guest leave your party, here are a few things, don’t drink and drive. There to set up shuttles for your guests. And if possible invite a friend who is a police officer in the area, he may be able to find out where the police are going to have those you know whats on the side of the road. But still don’t drink and drive.

Cheers  Peter Bruce

Let me know what you think…

Peter Bruce

Read the New York Times and the L A Times.Happy New Year. May it be a good 2009. And  Barack Obama , Joe Biden and everyone working at the White House in Washington DC in 2009 and beyond  give us what we need for this great country and it’s people to move forward in a positive way!.
Cheers, Peter Bruce

Last October I shot Jeff and Tia’s wedding at one of the most romantic settings; on the Mendocino coast at the Little River Inn. www.littleriverinn.com It’s classic coastal resort with spectacular ocean views, Little River Inn features ocean view lodging with fireplaces, hot tubs and Jacuzzis. Lush gardens bloom around a celebrated restaurant, comfortable bar, and inspirational wedding site.  You can unwind on it’s serene wooded and ocean view or in the relaxing environment of our day spa. Little River Inn is adjacent to Van Damme State Beach www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=433 and Park, and two miles from the historic village of Mendocino. A short drive puts you at Sea Ranch www.searanchlodge.com or Fort bragg. www.fortbragg.com You are also close to the wonderful up and coming wineries of the Mendocino area. The warm days and cool foggy nights make for some great wines.  Can you believe that this couple booked all their California locations, accommodations and vendors over the internet from Georgia? Tia had a vision of towering trees and coastal views and this location sure fit the bill. The couple and family stayed at the Mallory House, a guesthouse extension of the little River Inn. We were able to get some awesome pics of Tia in the morning mist, very Cathy and Heathcliff. The ceremony was on a cliff overlooking the Mendocino headlands, intimate with spectacular views. My assistant and I were literally a step away from the cliff’s edge while working to get our shot. Congrats to you two and, Tia, southern girls rule!
Bernadette from Belle Fine Weddings…

HERES WANT YOU WANT AS A WEDDING GIFT. AND WHO SAID GIRLS CAN’T DRIVE.

Ladies forward this to your husbands to be and set them straight…

http://jalopnik.com/5119828/high+heeled-woman-races-ferrari-on-the-autobahn

Women can drive, some of these best driver I know are women including Lisa from Race Karts inc who use to be my teacher at the track. Yes guys I am man enough to to say a woman helped me drive better. I was not bad before, but Lisa helped.

Newly wed couple  just arrived in their big honeymoon suite. After unpacking, the husband took off his pants. “Put these on dear,” he said. She did and they were way much too big. “There’s no way I can wear these pants - they’re way too huge ,” she said. “Good! Now we know who wears the pants in this family,” replied the husband.

Pissed off, the wife removed her panties,  handed them to her husband said, “Put these on.” He looked at the tiny panties and said, “There’s no way I can get these on.” To which the wife replied, “you’re darn right! At least not until you change your attitude!”

If they are on their honeymoon, wonder what happened next ???

Cheers, Peter Bruce

A married man lives longer than single man, but married men are a lot more willing to die.

Cheers Peter

“In Hollywood the bride keeps the bouquet and throws away the groom” Groucho Marx…

Q.What is the difference between your in-laws and out-laws?
A. Out-laws are wanted!