Our last Summer show was so successful, The Foothills Bridal Extravaganza has expanded and moved the the Airport Hilton on Alcoa Highway. Our next show is February 26, 2012, from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. We are giving away $500.00 cash and a free wedding package at the show, in addition to many other fabulous prizes offered by the exhibitors. Brides can register for the show on line at www.foothillsbridal.com

We are so blessed and thankful for all of the great customers who have helped Farrah's Photography become what it is today. From the brides who were our first customers and offered suggestions on how to improve our company, to the groomsmen who had so many fun ideas for pictures, and the positive feedback we receive on so many occasions, we thank you from the bottom of our heart.

After gaining so much wedding experience in the last twelve years, we want to give back to the brides and the vendors who operate their businesses with integrity and truly care about others. We are now producing a bridal show in Maryville, TN, where we believe we can share the best bridal show experience for both exhibitors and brides. The Foothills Bridal Extravaganza is a show without high-pressure sales tactics, one where the vendors are really interested in what a bride wants for her wedding day. Our vendors work well together to match up couples with the services that suit them for such an important day. The exhibitors in the show will only demonstrate positive attitudes, no undercutting other vendors or pressuring brides to make quick decisions that they may regret. Also, attending other bridal shows myself, I have heard the brides' comments about what they want out of a show. We are going to offer great prizes with no strings attached, and we will also offer vendor discounts the day of the show. Brides who register on line with us do not have to worry about The Foothills Bridal Extravaganza sharing their personal information with other companies. Only the participating exhibitors and sponsors of the show will have bridal contact information. In turn, vendors who participate will have quality leads from brides who actually registered for our show. We only provide quality leads from couples who have registered for the Foothills Bridal Extravaganza, not information from other companies or other bridal shows. Brides attending our show can expect polite and professional vendors, great giveaways, fun activities, samples, and bridal tote bags which are great to have at the show to hold vendor brochures and information. The bags are also great to use on your wedding day and honeymoon.

We are very excited about our bridal show and very proud of the participating exhibitors. If you know someone getting married, encourage them to register for a free ticket to the show. The tickets will also be used to enter the drawings. Visit www.weddingphotographyintennessee.com/foothillsbridalextravaganza for more info!

I hear a lot of discussions from both wedding professionals and couples about what a good wedding photographer should cost. There is much more to photographing a wedding than just knowing how to take a good picture. There are many things to consider when selecting a photographer for one of the most important events in your life. BUT..... just because you are on a tight budget, don't think that you cannot get beautiful wedding photos.

If at all possible, meet your photographer in person. Make sure you are comfortable with him or her. Make sure that you know who is going to show up to take your wedding photos. Will it be the person who signed the contract? It should be!If a company has several photographers (as I do), you should know which photographers will be taking your pictures. The same rule should apply with disc jockeys, videographers, etc....

I have had my own experience with two different wedding photographers, and wish I had gone a different route each time. The first time, I hired someone who boasted thirty-five years of experience. I thought, how could I go wrong with someone who has done wedding photography for that long. Wrong! I was a bride who was in tears after getting my photos. My father did not have much longer to live, and a picture of him walking me down the aisle was most important to me. That picture did not turn out at all. It was so blurry, you could not recognize who was in the photo. My photographer was very rude and did not seem happy to be there. He only took one picture of every pose, and if it didn't turn out well, there was not another picture from which to choose. During my second wedding, I chose someone who seemed to have a lot of technical knowledge and was a friend from work. He always had a camera with him. I got a good price on the photos, but I made the wrong choice again. I did not get all of my pictures on the disc that I was promised, I could not get in touch with him after the wedding to get the missing pictures, he did not take candid photos of the guests at the reception, and my husband was often looking for him to pull him in to take photos. We often found him flirting with the brides maids or drinking. In fact, he joked about drinking on the way to the wedding, and the police officer who pulled him over did not notice he had alcohol with him.

If I could do it all over again, I would choose a photographer who has plenty of wedding photography experience, someone who is professional and will stay focused, and someone who genuinely cares about my photos and satisfaction. And I would set aside more money for the photos, because when it is all over....that is what you have left.

With all that said....I truly believe you can get a great photographer for $500.00, but you have to dig deeper and make sure you are going to get the quality you deserve. There are some great photographers out there that are $1000.00-$2000.00. I look up to some of the Knoxville photographers who happen to be in that price range. So, you have to decide when comparing a photographer who charges $2000.00 to one who charges $500.00.... is the more expensive photographer's work representative of what you would like to have, much more so than the less expensive photographers work? Do you have the budget to spend the extra amount for it?

Part of the reason we offer a build your own package option, starting at $360.00 is because some people have an intimate wedding with ten people and no reception. It just does not seem fair to charge much more than that for a one or two hour wedding that has ten guests, which is less than what most birthday parties would have. When deciding my package prices, I wanted to offer something to those brides who have very small ceremonies with no receptions, something they can afford to pay, I can afford to charge, and still have beautiful bride and groom photos, along with family photos.

If you are looking for a photographer for your wedding, make sure they are comfortable posing large groups if you have a large wedding party. I have seen some wedding photographers post group shots on their portfolio where you couldn't see some people's faces. In most cases, a photographer should be able to coordinate people and take charge of the photos to make sure they look as they should, and everyone can be seen. Experience has taught me tricks to making sure that photos turn out the way they should, especially with large groups. We often end up acting as wedding directors if there is not one present. The ability to coordinate is a must for the wedding photographers on the wedding day. This is something that is learned with experience. Every wedding is different, and I have not seen a wedding yet where things went as planned. So your photographer should be flexible, easy-going, and confident with the ability to adapt to changes that occur on the wedding day......with a smile!!