There is a wealth of information about planning your wedding that can be found at your local library, bookstores, bridal magazines, bridal seminars, as well as the Internet where there are numerous websites that cater to the bridal industry. Absorbing all of these details, in addition to getting advice from family and friends who will tell you what is best for you, how much money you should spend, where you should purchase your dress, how much you should pay for it, how many people to invite, who to invite, what type of photographer you will need, etc. can be quite overwhelming. Although you may want to take the advice of your loved ones, the most important point is to have a wedding that represents you as an individual and as a couple by having a wedding that is designed especially for you.

After you have announced your engagement, I encourage you and your fiance to dedicate much needed time to sit down and determine what your top five priorities are for your wedding. Some of the more important items to consider are the ceremony itself, the venue for your ceremony and reception, your wedding dress, exchanging of vows, the menu, and the pictures and/or video. Once you have ranked your priorities, you will know what is important to you and your fiancé and you can begin to plan your budget accordingly.

Your budget should take into consideration all forms of contributions, such as funds from you, your fiancé, parents, godparents, family members and in-kind services. As you determine your budget, you can project how much you want to spend for flowers, decorations, music and entertainment, catering, venue for ceremony and reception, etc. Please remember that these figures will constantly change until you have made your final decision.

While working on your wedding budget, you and your fiancé can start contemplating the answers to the following questions: (a) What type of wedding do you want to have, a formal or semi-formal wedding or a combination thereof?; (b) do you want to have an intimate wedding or a lavish wedding or something in between?; (c) do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding?; (d) what time of the year do you want to get married?; (e) do you want to have a sit-down dinner, buffet dinner and/or cocktail reception with passed hors d’oeuvres or food stations?; and (f) do you want to have your reception at your favorite restaurant or do you want to the have the ceremony and the reception at the same venue?

Once you have answered these questions and have determined your budget for what is important, you should then select a venue for your ceremony and reception. Location of the ceremony and reception site will set the tone for your entire event. You should select a venue that represents who you are individually and as a couple. It may take you a significant amount of time to find a venue that meets your specifications, but when you do find the venue that you want to be part of your special day, you will know it. Always check the venue out thoroughly before contracting with them by ensuring that that are licensed and fully insured. When booking a venue, time is of the essence. If the ceremony and reception are not being held at the same place, you should always book the venues simultaneously. Remember that most venues are booked well in advance and if you find a venue that meets your expectations, don’t delay in booking it!

If you establish your priorities, outline your budget and select a venue for your ceremony and reception, everything else should fall into place. Follow your instincts and know what is important to you and your fiancé, you should be able to plan a wedding that is designed especially for you.

Reposted from: Ms. Tye Robertson, a Certified Wedding Specialist, is the owner of Especially For You Planners, LLC, a party, wedding and event planning company

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Nearly every 4 years is a Leap Year in our modern Gregorian Calendar.

Ever since Leap Years were first introduced over 2000 years ago with the transition from the Roman Calendar to the Julian Calendar in 45 BCE (Before Common Era), Leap Day has been associated with age-old Leap Day traditions and folklore.

What is a Leap Year and when is the next one?

When and what is Leap Day?

Women can propose to men

©iStockphoto.com/DNY59 photocredit

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Bridget struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every 4 years. This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how Leap Day balances the calendar.

In some places, Leap Day has been known as “Bachelors’ Day” for the same reason. A man was expected to pay a penalty, such as a gown or money, if he refused a marriage proposal from a woman on Leap Day. During the middle ages there were laws governing this tradition.

In many European countries, especially in the upper classes of society, tradition dictates that any man who refuses a woman’s proposal on February 29 has to buy her 12 pairs of gloves. The intention is that the woman can wear the gloves to hide the embarrassment of not having an engagement ring.

Bad luck

In Scotland, it used to be considered unlucky for someone to be born on Leap Day, just like Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day by many. In Greece it’s said to be unlucky for couples to marry during a Leap Year, and especially on Leap Day.

Traditionally, women can take the ring into their own hands and propose to their men on Leap Day

Ladies…any takers?

1. Kate’s Gown

Royal Detail: Made from a combination of English and French lace by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Kate’s dress was modern, chic — and estimated to be worth $434,000.

Real Deal: We love this similar dress with Chantilly lace sleeves and a skirt of silk shantung taffeta from Legends by Romona Keveza for $5,000.

2. Pippa’s White Dress

Royal Detail: We love the slim-fitting white dress with a low cowl neckline that Pippa donned to be chief bridesmaid behind her sister.

Real Deal: We found a similar dress made of silk chiffon from Matthew Christopher for $2,650.

3. Kate’s Bouquet

Royal Detail: Kate carried a small but elegant springtime shield-shaped bouquet composed of hyacinth, myrtle, lily of the valley, and sweet William.

Real Deal: A similar bouquet, using all of the same flowers and replicating the shape, costs $325. But you could also get a similar look for less by using sweet peas or peonies (that are seasonally available), alongside some sweet Williams, for a bouquet that would run $175 to $225. (Courtesy of Sara Cancellaro of Flowers of the World)

4. The Flower Girl Crowns and Bouquets

Royal Detail: Four cute flower girls walked the aisle wearing green and white flower crowns and carrying mini bouquets that looked like Kate’s.

Real Deal: Flower crowns similar to theirs cost about $75 each, while mini bouquets of all-white hyacinth would be $150. (Courtesy of Sara Cancellaro of Flowers of the World)

5. Decor in Westminster Abbey

Royal Detail: Westminster Abbey was transformed into a virtual English garden with tall trees and hundreds of flowers lining the aisle.

Real Deal: Lining your aisle with large maples could cost $500 for each fully potted tree. Not into the full potted plants? Instead, you could request large arrangements with flowering branches, like cherry blossoms, inside beautiful containers for just $250 to $300 per design. (Courtesy of Sara Cancellaro of Flowers of the World)

6. The Royal Red Carpet

Royal Detail: It took Kate just over three minutes to walk the regal red carpet at Westminster Abbey.

Real Deal: A royal red carpet just like Kate’s would cost around $2,000, but shorten the aisle, and it would only be $1,000. Or consider opting for a red fabric runner instead for just $250. (Courtesy of JoAnn Gregoli, master wedding planner from Elegant Occasions)

7. Kate’s Tiara, Veil, and Earrings

Royal Detail: Kate’s crown was her something “borrowed”: a Cartier crown made in 1936 loaned to her by The Queen. Her earrings, a gift from her parents, were made by Robinson Pelham to specially compliment the crown.

Real Deal: Slip on a pair of these look-alike earrings from FantasyJewelryBox.com for just $43 and this regal tiara from Halo & Co for $650. (We also know that Kate went low-key with her pale-pink nail polish, sporting essie in Allure — just $8 a bottle.)

8. The Flower Girl Dresses

Royal Detail: The youngest members of the wedding party wore custom designs from Nicki Macfarlane that included oversize sleeves, a sash at the waist, and a dainty scalloped hemline.

Real Deal: This cute dress from Fox’n Lily has the same classic cap sleeves and a similar wide sash for $250.

9. The Castle

Royal Detail: After their ceremony, Kate and William headed back to Buckingham Palace to party the rest of the day (and night!) away with their closest friends and family.

Real Deal: Since Buckingham Palace isn’t an option, we opted for one of our favorite castles on this side of the pond, Oheka Castle. Celebs like Kevin Jonas have tied the knot on the lush grounds and danced all night inside the lavish ballroom. The princess price tag? For $100,000, you and your prince will have a five-hour affair, which includes 200 guests, plus catering and a full staff. To make your affair truly royal, $700,000 to $1 million will let you take over the entire castle for the whole day, with 600 guests, catering, staff, and access to all of the guest rooms.

Reposted from theknot.com

Wedding guests for as long as I can remember have been looked down upon for wearing white, as white was to only be worn by the bride — the pure white virgin bride. Times have changed, and not so many brides wear white, nor do they care if their guests wear white!

I have seen it all, and I mean “it all.” I remember one shoot where the sister of the bride was doing an interview on the couch, and she didn’t have underwear on!

I personally feel that “it’s a wedding,” and come on now, do we really need to show up being the show-off? At what point do you look in the mirror before you head off and question if the super-tight low-cut dress is right for your friend’s wedding? It’s not just women, for sure, and men have their moments as well in the land of fashion!

I figure if you have to spend the whole night pulling and tugging and adjusting, then maybe you should have been the bride. But you’re not, you’re a guest! Let the bride have the attention. You can go to the local bar and get all the attention you want later. As for a wedding…you might want to wear underwear, especially if you plan to do any dancing!

You get this and much, much more at Northern New Jersey’s Premier Baby Photo Specialist

Years from now… when you look your child in the eyes… will you have to say this?

“I really wanted to have your baby pictures done. . . but I don’t know where the time went”

It’s sad but true. We know you are busy. Jerry and Caroline Rizzo are passionate about “stopping” time for you. All we have left are photographs to remember. We certainly will never remember what our children looked like without them. Don’t you feel your child is worth it? Of course you do!

Introducing Our “Baby’s First Year” Baby Photo Plan

Your baby will have incredible changes during the first year of growth. We desperately want to capture those changes for you so we created our “Baby Plan.” The Baby Plan is a series of photographs taken throughout the year captured at the stages of 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. At each of these stages you will choose your favorite photograph from that session and it will be placed in a 10 inch by 20 inch “panel” in blue or pink. It’s proudly delivered to you at the end of your baby’s year. You will cry “tears of joy” when you see the changes your baby makes in one year! It will be something that will be cherished and passed down from generation to generation. We have an incredible “no nonsense” guarantee that puts you at ease. It’s simple and we mean every word: “You must be absolutely “thrilled” (not just satisfied) with the portraits I create for you…even “cry tears of joy” when you see them. If not…you will get every penny back-no questions asked and no hard feelings either. – Jerry and Caroline Rizzo

Now the only problem is, we can only accept 12 new babies each month for this program, and because it is so popular we sell out almost every month. If we are sold out we will put you on our waiting list. Getting on our schedule is the most important part.

My Wish For All The Children Of The World

“I wish a soft and cozy place for them to sleep at night, a hand to hold as they dream good things and cheeks kissed often. I wish them many warm hugs and much laughter and smiles. I wish them legs to run fast and free…free from harm and worry. I wish this now and forever…with peace and love.”

Make your wishes come true – call now because the baby you are holding in your arms today won’t be little forever.

Call now to enroll in our baby plan 201-880-5400

Of course, before you arrive at our studio, we always call one last time just to confirm details and double check that we have all the props, shots and poses for your session in sharp focus. This helps to make sure that your experience goes smoothly and your portraits are priceless.

The Camera Room

The David Eric experience begins in one of our bright, engaging camera rooms. There, you’ll be surrounded by colorful, inspiring backdrops, innovative props and familiar artifacts to make your subjects feel right at home. Then, our highly trained photographer gets to work, using state-of-the art digital equipment, a sophisticated lighting system that replicates natural light, and a discerning eye to capture the truest, most genuine expressions possible.

Viewing and Selecting Your Images

Of course time flies when you’re having fun. But once your session ends, you’ll head to our selection station to choose your favorite poses from our large color viewing screen. And not to worry, we’ll be there to help you edit, crop images and add sepia tone, vignettes, color accents, decorative borders and many other digital enhancements to add the perfect impact to your photos. You can even select from our beautiful custom framing options – so you won’t have to stop by the frame shop or craft store on the way home.

Leaving With Your Portraits

When all is said and done, what may impress you most about our entire process is that it’s anything but a big, overwhelming process. Instead, it’s fast, easy and affordable. In less than an hour, we’ll print your stunning, one-of-a-kind portraits on high quality paper using the latest printing technology. The exact combination of poses and sizes, in whatever value package you’ve chosen, will be ready to pick up, take home and add even more color to the story of your life.

It’s just easier that way.

The Booking  |  It is never too early to book a newborn session. Because your baby’s birth date is unpredictable, we will reserve a time frame for you. If you are given an induction or  c-section date, the actual session date can be  booked in advance. If you are letting baby decide, we will mark your due date and expect a call from you as soon as baby arrives.

The Investment  |  Session Fee starts at $50. Session fee is for time and talent only. Birth announcements, prints, coffee table books and canvases are available and to be purchased separately. Please request a Session Info packet by emailing the studio manager. When inquiring, please include your due date (or baby’s birth date), telephone number and location.

The Session  |  Although most clients bring their babies to our studio where the light is consistent and all the props are close at hand, we do hold sessions on location as well, finding beautiful light in the comfort of the clients home. Newborns sessions are usually about 1 hours long, allowing plenty of time for feedings, soothing and a variety of poses and set ups for your babies unique gallery of images.

The Gallery  |  Approximately two weeks after your session, we will invite you back to our studio where we will sit down and watch your baby’s first movie and start the design process of creating your babies first chapter in it life story.

Other Services

Elegant Portraits of New Mothers | – We like to schedule your maternity shoot between 6-9 months before you are due. The bigger the better. This allows for the best capture of your belly! Help your loved ones relive the moments that reflect you best in their eyes. Let your young child remember the protective love in your eyes; your patience and the joy of a new found friend. Forever let your husband remember the special glow you reserve just for him.

Children’s Portraits | A Baby toddles but a few months out of it’s lifetime. A boy can be hugged and comforted such a handful of years. Families need quiet, formal portraits to remember childhood. Gentle, perceptive portraits to tell us who he was – even then.

Our Color portraits never change. Never grow up. Forever afterwards, when we long for the touch of a tiny hand, a David Eric Studio portrait is the gift of total recall. When your heart whispers, “Please, let me have this child a child forever.” And your mind answers, sadly, “no”, it’s time for a Portrait.

A successful child’s portrait is the result of careful planning and pre-portrait preparation between the photographer and the parents. Please read this information carefully. If you have questions or suggestions let us know.

Children are soft and sensitive and should be photographed showing this warmth. We will take a few big smiles and we will make portraits which show the gentle side of your child. When discussing the portrait session with small children tell them that they are going to play with Jerry and Caroline. Don’t overreact. We don’t want them to be afraid, instead we want this to be a fun adventure. Do not threaten children to “do good or else”. If anything tell them they will be rewarded for doing a good job. Please never ask a child to say silly words such as “cheese”. These result in fake and forced expressions. Mom and Dad, “relax and enjoy the session”. The children can sense when parents are uptight or nervous. We will create portraits you will be proud to display, so don’t worry.

A good portrait of a child can never be rushed. We have reserved plenty of time for your portrait session. We may spend up to twenty minutes greeting your child and building “trust” before beginning the session. Do not schedule the session near other appointments. Sometimes it is best to have a parent in the room while a child is being photographed, sometimes it is not. We will make that determination upon meeting your child. Please cooperate with us in this matter.

A Portrait should show show a child looks and feels at a certain ages. Our portraits are usually full length and often we have a child relating to things other than the camera, such as a flower, book or other object. We feel little bare feet are very cute and hats on children are show there personality. Bring toys and other props with you to the portrait session, These items give security and make the portraits more meaningful. If you feel your child will have a problem with shyness or they are afraid of strangers, please call us. We offer a free service called “play time”. We ask that you bring your child by the studio a day or two ahead of their portrait session to meet and play with Jerry & Caroline. This will create a bond of trust and results in better portraits. Please call for an appointment of play time.

Family Portraits | Every child ever born hungers for stories about his family. It helps him get the world straight in his mind. It tells him who he is. When he can see family faces, Photographed in a yesteryear, today comes better into focus. Families need to be photographed regularly, as time touches each countenance, as we change and grow. Your family can be captured in their most comfortable surroundings, either your home, outdoors or most any place that is special to your family. Family portraits remember yesterday, and the many faces of love.

The unique sensitivity of the portrait is due to Jerry himself. His enthusiasm, sincerity and true desire to create a lasting portrait of your family, can be found in very few photographic artists today. His careful blend of photographic technique such as natural lighting, dynamic composition, psychology, art and color harmony give his work a very special style. Jerry is creating exciting images which have a scenic quality and have a natural look with an artistic flair.

Over the years we have evolved from a conventional portrait business in to a much more exciting portrait artist. We are creating art-like portraits which have a scenic quality, are emotionally charged and often have a fashion flair.

We are committed to providing you with a unique and memorable experience with a combination of the charm and dignity of the past blended with the finest equipment of the present day.

Thank you for considering David Eric Studio of photography, your source for Fine Quality Portraiture.

-Jerry and Caroline Rizzo

Children’s Portraits

A Baby toddles but a few months out of it’s lifetime. A boy can be hugged and comforted such a handful of years. Families need quiet, formal portraits to remember childhood. Gentle, perceptive portraits to tell us who he was – even then.

Our color portraits never change. Never grow up. Forever afterwards, when we long for the touch of a tiny hand, a David Eric Studio portrait is the gift of total recall. When your heart whispers, “Please, let me have this child a child forever.” And your mind answers, sadly, “no”, it’s time for a Portrait.

A successful child’s portrait is the result of careful planning and pre-portrait preparation between the photographer and the parents. Please read this information carefully. If you have questions or suggestions let us know.

Children are soft and sensitive and should be photographed showing this warmth. We will take a few big smiles and we will make portraits which show the gentle side of your child. When discussing the portrait session with small children tell them that they are going to play with Jerry and Caroline. Don’t overreact. We don’t want them to be afraid, instead we want this to be a fun adventure. Do not threaten children to “do good or else”. If anything tell them they will be rewarded for doing a good job. Please never ask a child to say silly words such as “cheese”. These result in fake and forced expressions. Mom and Dad, “relax and enjoy the session”. The children can sense when parents are uptight or nervous. We will create portraits you will be proud to display, so don’t worry.

A good portrait of a child can never be rushed. We have reserved plenty of time for your portrait session. We may spend up to twenty minutes greeting your child and building “trust” before beginning the session. Do not schedule the session near other appointments. Sometimes it is best to have a parent in the room while a child is being photographed, sometimes it is not. We will make that determination upon meeting your child. Please cooperate with us in this matter.

A Portrait should show show a child looks and feels at a certain ages. Our portraits are usually full length and often we have a child relating to things other than the camera, such as a flower, book or other object. We feel little bare feet are very cute and hats on children are show there personality. Bring toys and other props with you to the portrait session, These items give security and make the portraits more meaningful. If you feel your child will have a problem with shyness or they are afraid of strangers, please call us. We offer a free service called “play time”. We ask that you bring your child by the studio a day or two ahead of their portrait session to meet and play with Jerry & Caroline. This will create a bond of trust and results in better portraits. Please call for an appointment of play time.

Family Portraits

Every child ever born hungers for stories about his family. It helps him get the world straight in his mind. It tells him who he is. When he can see family faces, Photographed in a yester-year, today comes better into focus. Families need to be photographed regularly, as time touches each countenance, as we change and grow. Your family can be captured in their most comfortable surroundings, either your home, outdoors or most any place that is special to your family. Family portraits remember yesterday, and the many faces of love.

The unique sensitivity of the portrait is due to Jerry himself. His enthusiasm, sincerity and true desire to create a lasting portrait of your family, can be found in very few photographic artists today. His careful blend of photographic technique such as natural lighting, dynamic composition, psychology, art and color harmony give his work a very special style. Jerry is creating exciting images which have a scenic quality and have a natural look with an artistic flair.

Elegant Portraits of New Mothers

Help your loved ones relive the moments that reflect you best in their eyes. Let your young child remember the protective love in your eyes; your patience and the joy of a new family

1. Put a nice sheet or blanket on the floor or bed. Make sure if it’s a bed that you stay close to your baby at all times (yes, I have seen a new born baby roll while taking their photo – no kidding!)

2. Make sure that your new born baby’s mouth and clothes are clean. Even little specks or leftover milk on their mouth will show up on the photo. This simple photography tip can make the difference between a cute photo and a stunning one.

3. Make sure baby has been fed. Happy babies make happy pictures. Your baby doesn’t even have to be awake during your photo ‘shoot’ – some of the cutest pictures I have taken have been of sleeping babies.

4. Don’t dress the baby in busy clothes. Simple is better. Focus in on the baby’s face while taking photos of them, and try to get as much background ‘business’ out of the way. Clutter around the baby takes too much focus away from the photo.

5. Simple accessories like a cute hat or a solid baby blanket can add just enough color to make the picture pop. Dressing baby in white can be precious and present a very ‘pure’ baby photo. After all, they are so innocent at this stage. Play up that purity and innocence; it’s a beautiful memory to have of your newborn. A special blanket or stuffed animal will leave a lasting memory for your child when they grow up and realize that their favorite blanket or toy is in the pose!

6. When posing the baby, go with what’s natural. If the baby likes being on his/her side, take some cute shots with the baby’s face towards you. And of course, if you are doing tummy shots keep an eye on baby while taking your photos.

7. Get tight. Most people make the mistake of taking photos with too much space around the baby. This is not necessary. The ‘tighter’ the photo, the better. Close ups are great and even if you don’t get the whole baby in the picture, that’s OK! Small pieces can bleed off the edge and still look great. Don’t worry about getting everything in the picture!

There are certainly no lack of options available for you to consider. Deciding to hire a photography service is a decision that must be accompanied, though, with certain considerations as well. Reliability, the size of your budget, experience, and the quality of the photographers equipment are some of the main factors that should go into your decision. Getting settled on these points will allow you to truly enjoy the experience and and benefits that go along with using a professional photographer. I would like to shed some some light in the remainder of this article on what some of these benefits are.

Services Can Fit A Wide Range of Events

This is the most important benefit received by using a professional photography service. Depending on the nature of your occasion, be it a personal one or even a business function, an expert specializes in capturing these intimate moments to make that occasion unforgettable. Remember that when you commission a professional photographer you’re not paying them to simply press the shutter release button. With the popularity of digital cameras, virtually anyone can take a picture (though not always very well). In the end, cutting corners with your photography will be a decision you end up regretting.

Diversity of Photography Styles

Another big benefit of deciding to use the services of a professional photographer is the experience they bring to the table handling a wide range of different styles. He or she will be knowledgeable and comfortable with all major styles from modern, traditional and natural, as well as working in either black and white or color formats.

Superior Camera Quality

Last but certainly not the least is the level of quality your photographers equipment will be. All professional studios and on site services will be using state-of-the-art cameras and accessories while on the job which translates into technically and artistically superior image quality.

These are a few of the main benefits that you’ll get by hiring a professional NJ photographer. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us at David Eric Photography and let’s talk about how we can provide you with benefits and make your special occasion or event a unique and incredibly memorable one. We are an award winning photography service that has been offering wedding photography, baby photography, children’s photography, studio portrait work, much more in New Jersey for over 20 years!