10 Things That Wedding Photographers Wish Couples Knew (#6-10)

Last week our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville shared the first half of our list of 10 things that wedding photographers wish couples knew (#1-5.) Today, we're continuing those tips with #6-10 so the wedding photos that you have taken at Country Jewell can be the best photos ever! 

#6
Lighting Makes A Big Difference
If your wedding will begin during the day and continue late into the evening, that gives you a lot of chances to take photos in a variety of different natural lighting situations. Your photographer should recognize the best opportunities, so be sure to listen to them if they want to pull you away for a moment because they see the possibility for a great shot. 

Professional photographers are skilled at making artificial light do some incredible things too. If they need to move you a little to get the right lighting, trust them. The pictures that come out of the suggestion will be well worth it.  

#7
Ask Guests To Unplug
Unplugged weddings are a wedding where guests are asked to put away their phones, cameras, and other mobile devices. A lot of wonderful wedding photos can be ruined because guests are in the photographer's way trying to get a picture of their own. Let the pros take the photos and convince your guests to just enjoy the moment. 

You can always request the "unplugged" treatment for the ceremony and let your guests take their own photos at the reception, as long as you remind them to stay out of the professional photographer's way. After all, you paid them to take pictures, so let them do their job.  

#8
Connect Your Vendors
This goes for most of your wedding vendors, not just the photographer. If you make sure that they all have the names and contact information for each other, it can be a lot easier for them to communicate and work together to make your wedding flow smoothly. Sometimes your photographer may need a certain person for a certain shot, and rather than running around the wedding venue to find them, they can instead reach out to other vendors for help.   

#9
Don't Wait To Order Prints
Even if you hire a photographer that gives you a digital copy of all of your wedding photos, don't put off ordering prints to frame, put in photo albums, and share with your family and friends. The longer you wait to get those wedding photos printed, the less likely you will ever get it done. They are going to be amazing, so pick out a  few to show off! 

#10
HAVE FUN
This advice is the most important! The planning is over, so relax and enjoy all of that hard work. The way you feel is going to show in all of the photos that are being taken. You deserve to have the best day ever, and when you do, your wedding photos are going to be unbelievably amazing! 

If you are still looking for a photographer, or any other wedding vendors, the staff at Country Jewell can make some helpful suggestions. We work with lots of incredible wedding vendors all of the time, and we're good at matching couples with talented wedding professionals they can be comfortable with. When we all work as a team, your ceremony and reception at our beautiful wedding venue near Knoxville can be the one you've always dreamed of. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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10 Things That Wedding Photographers Wish Couples Knew (#1-5)

May is National Photography Month, which seems like an excellent time to talk about all of those wonderful photos that you will be taking at our scenic wedding venue near Knoxville. Those photographs will contain sentimental wedding memories, so you want to make sure that you have every chance to capture those moments in the best way possible. 

Country Jewell has a list of 10 things that most wedding photographers wish all of their clients knew before the wedding. We'll cover the first half of that list today and continue this discussion in next week's blog. Going into your special day with this advice will help you to take the most gorgeous wedding photos possible. 

#1
You Get What You Pay For
If wedding photographs are at the top of your "important wedding items" list, make sure that you set a big chunk of your budget aside especially for a quality photographer. It's a lot more than pointing and clicking. You need someone with the proper equipment, a full knowledge of weddings, the skills to know correct angles and lighting, and the ability to spend hours editing the multitude of photos that will be taken. 

A friend of the family may have a nice camera, but if they don't know how weddings work or get distracted because they are also a guest, they could miss some very important shots. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a photography student who is willing to work for cheap to build their portfolio, but your safest bet for pictures that you can be proud of is to stick with a pro.  

#2
Hire Someone You "Click" With
Photos look best when you are comfortable and happy in them. Choosing a photographer that you get along with well will make it much easier to be yourself, and that will show in your pictures. It makes your photographer's job a lot easier too when you are all comfortable with each other. This also means that you are much less likely to notice the photographer during intimate moments, which allows them to capture those special shots without interrupting them. 

#3
Have a List To Discuss With Them
You will probably have a list of "must have" photos that you want, and this can only happen if your photographer is aware that you want them. Don't overdo it and come up with a list too long to ever accomplish, but do include family photos that you want to have. This includes the names of who needs to be in which picture, and it's always nice to warn your photographer of any issues or family drama that may surface when these people get together. 

Also, let your photographer know if there are any wedding items that you made yourself or that have a special meaning to you so they can make sure to get a few photos of those things. Make them aware of any surprises you have planned too, such as a specially choreographed dance, so they don't miss capturing it. It's not your photographer's job to create your wedding day timeline, but their experience allows them to be a great resource for fitting everything in as long as they know what needs to fit in.     

#4
Trust Your Photographer
They are the experts, so trust your photographer's suggestions. They know how to make the lighting work in your favor and what types of things look great on film. If you have a long list of photos that you found on Pinterest but they say that shot isn't going to work in this situation, they usually know best.

Your input is needed to give them an idea of what you are wanting, but they need to have the freedom to create. You hired them because you loved the photographs from their portfolio, so you need to trust that they will do the same amazing work for your wedding too. With that in mind, if you are uncomfortable with a photo or a pose feels unnatural, speak up and your photographer will create another shot that you can be happier with.   

#5
Be Yourself
Just because it's a wedding, you don't have to do traditional "wedding poses" for your photos. Be goofy it that's your personality, and be willing to be photographed getting a little silly. Incorporate some props that show off a favorite hobby, pastime, or favorite thing. 

Also, if you don't normally wear a lot of makeup, there's no reason that you need to pile it on for your wedding day. You'll end up with pictures of a person you don't recognize. Stay true to your own style and personality and you'll get some fantastic photos that you love. 

These first 5 tips are a great place to start, and next week our Country Jewell blog will have 5 more tips to help your wedding photos turn out incredible. Our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville makes a gorgeous backdrop for your photographs, and these 10 tips combined with the love that will be emanating from the two fo you are going to make wedding magic together! 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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5 Marvelous Ways to Make Your Mother Feel Special at the Wedding

Mother's Day comes once a year, but your wedding day is another wonderful time to honor the special lady that helped you become the person you are today. There are lots of different things that you can do to make sure that Mom feels a little extra love when you get married at our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville, and today Country Jewell has a few of them to share with you. 

Wear Her Gown
If you (the bride) love the wedding dress that your mom walked down the aisle in, have it altered to fit you. Another option is to have a seamstress use the original dress but turn it into a new style that fits the time and your personality. For brides that prefer to buy their very own brand new gown, you can use a part of your mother's wedding day ensemble, such as the veil, as an accessory. 

It is also a wonderful idea to take a swatch of Mom's bridal gown and use it to make a keepsake, like a handkerchief to carry with you down the aisle. This is an excellent way for a groom to carry a piece of his mother's bridal gown on the wedding day too.    

Borrow Something of Hers
For your "something old, new, borrowed, and blue," get the borrowed item from your mother. She will be thrilled that you asked, and that item will have an extra-special meaning to her when you give it back. Since grooms don't normally take part in this particular tradition, you might ask your future mother-in-law to also borrow something of hers. There's no rule saying you can't have more than one borrowed item!

A First Look Moment
Unless she is the one helping you get into your wedding dress, ask your mom to leave the room before you step into the gown. Next, have your photographer capture the moment when you step out of the room and Mom sees you for the very first time, all dressed up to get married. First look photos don't just have to be reserved for the bride and groom.  

Let Her Walk You Down the Aisle
A groom sometimes walks his mother to her seat at the ceremony on his way to the altar. In most cases, it's the father who walks the bride down the aisle. Since he's not the only parent "giving you away," ask your mom to take your other arm and let them both walk you down the aisle. Along the same lines, you can add another dance to the traditional mother/son, father/daughter dances at the reception and have a moment for a mother/daughter dance too.  

Thank Her in the Program
Surprise your mothers with a very special thank you directed at each of them in your wedding program. It will be a very sentimental gesture that will most likely catch her off guard and make her feel extremely loved and appreciated. A handwritten thank you is always a touching gesture too, so you might even consider placing a handwritten copy of that same thank you inside each mother's personal program. 

There are many more things that you can do to make your mothers feel extra-special on your wedding day, but these 5 ideas are great for getting your own ideas flowing. Moms provide us with a lifetime of enjoyable memories. Your wedding day at our scenic wedding venue near Knoxville is an excellent opportunity to make a few heartfelt memories for those wonderful women to treasure. Getting married at Country Jewell places your special day in a charming setting that all of your guests will remember fondly, and these sweet additions will enhance the event even more. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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What To Expect From Your Wedding Party

The wonderful staff at our wedding venue near Knoxville, as well as the many excellent wedding professionals that we can steer you toward, are all here to help you throw the most amazing ceremony and reception possible. A few other people that can help you take care of some successful wedding planning are the members of your wedding party. They are a fantastic support team, and Country Jewell has compiled a list of the duties most often associated with each position. 

Maid/Matron of Honor
This wonderful woman is the bride's "2nd-in-command." (After the groom, of course!) She is the person you can call with questions, bounce ideas off of, and spill all of your wedding planning frustrations to. This is most likely one of the people that knows you best, so she should be able to convey and carry out your wishes to others when you can't. Your maid/matron of honor is also the "leader" of the rest of your bridesmaids. 

Before the wedding, she will make sure that plans are made for pre-wedding events, like a bridal shower and the bachelorette party. Her jobs on the wedding day include making sure that you have everything you need, getting you where you are supposed to be on time, holding your bouquet during the vows and photographs, and making sure your train is straightened after you come down the aisle. She may be asked to make a toast at the reception, possibly hold the groom's ring until you place it on his finger, and she will sign the marriage license as a witness. During the reception, your maid/matron of honor will be "on call" for anything that you may need. 

Bridesmaids
If your maid/matron of honor cannot get to a task, these ladies are there to jump in and help out. They will assist with the planning of the bridal shower and bachelorette party, usually sharing the costs of throwing them. They are your support team before and during the ceremony, and at the reception, they can take on a hostess role and guide guests to where they need to be. This is a good group to keep the crowd entertained and excited to spend the majority of the reception out on the dance floor.     

Best Man
This is the groom's "go-to guy." He can help your future husband with any wedding planning tasks he has agreed to take on. He is the head groomsman, so this is the man to make sure the rest of the groom's wedding party know what is expected of them, such as when to get fitted for suit rentals and knowing when to be where at what time. The best man is usually the one in charge of making the bachelor party happen. 

The best man makes sure that the groom gets to the wedding on time. He is often asked to hold the bride's ring until the ceremony, as well as the envelope containing the officiant's fee if it has not been collected before the wedding. He is the other witness to sign your marriage license, and you may ask him to give a toast at the reception. If the men's clothing is rented, the best man can be in charge of making sure that all returns are taken care of. 

Groomsmen
These gentlemen are "team groom," led by the best man. They will assist in planning the bachelor party, and they usually share the costs of throwing it. They are great for any heavy lifting that may be involved while setting up and decorating for the big day. If you need ushers and have not given anyone that title, the groomsmen can step in and take care of getting the guests seated, and they can help the bridesmaids keep everyone entertained at the reception.

You should make sure that each member of your wedding party knows what may be expected of them before they agree to be in the wedding. This includes paying for their own attire and hotel stays while they are in town, unless that will be part of your thank you gift to them. Most friends are happy to do the things listed above, plus more. 

When you choose to get married at our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville, we're happy to help you with some of the preparations before and during the special day when we can. Your wedding party is there to help you with all of the rest. We see lots of successful celebrations take place here at Country Jewell, and the best ones involve a supportive team to make it all happen. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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The Pros & Cons of DIY For Your Wedding (Part 2)

Last week's blog was all about a few of the Pros & Cons of DIY For Your Wedding at Country Jewell, and this week we've got a few more to add to the list. It's important to decide exactly how much you can take on before the wedding planning gets to be too much for you to handle. Hopefully, the tips we're sharing can help you make that decision in a few areas of the wedding. 

Hair & Makeup
Some brides believe that nobody can do their hair or makeup better than themselves. This is true in many cases, but if you are doing it on your own, you will need to start getting ready much earlier in the day to get everything done. The benefit of using a professional is that there is very little risk of a "bad hair day" because they do this for a living. Also, they have the experience to know exactly how much time will be needed to get you to the altar on time. While they are getting you ready, that's a great time to close your eyes, relax, and gather your thoughts for the excitement that's about to happen.  

Photography
You will cherish your wedding photos for years and years to come, unless the pictures are horrible! Even if you have a trusted friend that wants to take them for you, if they don't do wedding photography professionally, don't risk it. A professional knows how to get clear, high-quality images in every type of lighting, as well as all of the important shots to capture. If you have a very limited budget, you may be able to find a photography student that knows what they are doing and needs to build a portfolio, so the pricing will be very reasonable. 

Catering
Cooking for a big group of people is a lot different than making dinner at home. Also, if you want the food to be hot and fresh, you'll need someone else taking care of the cooking because you'll be busy getting married! This task can be handled by family members that are aces in the kitchen, but realize that they will miss a portion of your special day if they are preparing and setting out the food. At Country Jewell, some of our wedding packages include delicious catering, so there's no DIY necessary!

Music
Many couples choose to save money on music by creating a playlist of their own to be played throughout the evening, but you still need to have someone in charge of making sure the correct music is playing at the right times. If you have enough money in your budget, a DJ will have a much larger selection of music to choose from, but it is possible to handle this on your own for a small wedding. The Dazzling Country Diamond Package at Country Jewell comes with a DJ for 3 hours. 

Before you decide to take on any DIY projects for your wedding at our scenic wedding venue near Knoxville, ask yourself these questions: 

#1 - Do I have enough time and skill to do this? 

#2 - Will it save any money to do it myself? 

When you hire wedding professionals, it allows you to benefit from their experience and expertise, plus it can save you from a lot of stress. On the other hand, DIY is an excellent way to put your personal touch on this very special day. 

It is up to you to decide how important each aspect of the wedding is to you and if you truly believe you or someone close to you can handle certain DIY tasks in a way that you will be happy with. Be objective, give yourself lots of time, and only take on as much as you know you can easily handle, and your Country Jewell wedding will be everything that you are dreaming it will be.   

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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The Pros & Cons of DIY For Your Wedding (Part 1)

We have seen a lot of brides, and even a few grooms, get "DIY Fever" at our scenic wedding venue near Knoxville. Adding DIY elements to your Country Jewell wedding is a marvelous idea that adds a wonderful, personal touch to the ceremony and reception. 

It's not always quite as simple as Pinterest makes it look though, and it will take a LOT of time to get projects finished alongside all of your other wedding planning tasks. The sooner you begin your DIY projects, and the more help you have to take them all on, the better. The thoughts in today's blog can help you decide if you should DIY a particular wedding element or if you should let the professionals take care of it. 

Stationery
If you are the type of person that pays extremely close attention to detail, is creative, and has a good grasp of grammar, then you can probably handle creating your own invitations, programs, menus, and other printed materials. You can find beautiful stationery that is ready-made to pop into your home printer, all you need to do is provide the desired wording. When you are planning a small wedding, you may even want to get crafty and hand-make the invitations from scratch. On the other hand, ordering invitations instead may give you more paper and ink options. 

Coordination
Extremely organized brides may be able to handle this before the wedding, during the planning, but on the wedding day you really need to have someone making sure everything that needs to happen is being done, and they will also keep the wedding day festivities running on time. A friend or family member may be organized enough to handle this, but it's harder for them to enjoy the wedding if they are "working" the entire time. Be sure to take that into consideration before asking someone.       

Centerpieces
Big, elaborate centerpieces look impressive when you walk into the reception, but after that initial "wow" factor, may not have much attention paid to them. Something simple can be just as beautiful and much easier to piece together yourself. A small vase with flowers and a few candles can be plenty, and a simple setup allows you to create it ahead of time and trust someone else to put it on the tables while you're busy getting ready on the wedding day. The same idea works for the decorations you use around the rest of the room too. 

Flowers
If you will be using artificial flowers and they can be put together weeks before the wedding day, so this may be a safe area for you to DIY. When you decide to use real flowers, it might be better to leave the floral design to a florist. Just like with the centerpieces, if you are doing something simple like putting some cut flowers in vases and you have help, you may be able to handle it. A good compromise could be to do some of the flowers on your own and hire a pro for the more difficult arrangements.  

Favors
Wedding favors aren't a necessity, but they are a nice additional touch if you have the time and budget for them. When you make these yourself, it's easy to personalize the favors for each guest. This is an item you can get started putting together a long time before the wedding day, unless it's edible, so you should be able to get them all done in plenty of time before they are needed. There are lots of favor kits available too, which allow you to add the DIY touch, but have some of the work already done for you. 

Next week we'll discuss a few more things that you may or may not want to DIY for your special day at our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville. With lots of time and lots of help, a lot can be accomplished. The staff here at Country Jewell may be able to help you handle some of the wedding day tasks. Let us know what you need and we'll do our best to help you come up with a way to make it all happen. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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9 Romantic Gestures to Surprise Your Future Spouse at Your Wedding

Your wedding day at our scenic wedding venue in Tennessee is supposed to be all about the two of you, the bride and groom. During the wedding planning, a lot of focus will be put on making sure the guests are taken care of too. 

That's also important, but don't let too much attention be taken away from the romantic reason you are there in the first place. Country Jewell has come up with 9 sweet and creative ways that you can remind your future spouse how much you love them with these wedding day surprises. 

Schedule a First Look
The "first look" was created so that the bride and groom could have their "wow" moment of first seeing each other all dressed up for the wedding without all of the guests staring at them. It's a wonderful way to keep that very special moment all to yourselves, and of course, your photographer. (You'll definitely want photos of this!) In addition to sharing this romantic moment privately, you will be much more relaxed during the ceremony having gotten the initial surprise out of your system. 

Scrapbook Your Love Story
A scrapbook filled full of pictures from your dating years leading up to the wedding is a wonderful start. Go a step further and include messages from that time too. Since most people don't write letters anymore, most of your correspondence is most likely in digital form, such as texts, social media posts, or emails. Type these up, print them out, and include them alongside all of those wonderful photos. It will be a sentimental walk down memory lane, for them when they see it, and for you while you're making it. 

Send a Care Package
Surprise the person you're about to marry by sending a wedding morning care package full of breakfast items or a mix of their favorite snacks and drinks to the room they are getting ready in. Be sure to include enough so that they can share the treats with their wedding party too. 

Deliver a Love Letter
You could send a letter full of all of the reasons that you fell in love with them and all of the reasons you cannot wait to become their wife/husband. Your maid of honor or best man can deliver the letter before the ceremony. We've also had couples stand on different sides of a door (because they hadn't seen each other before the ceremony yet) and hold hands around the corner while they read each other's letters. Have a handkerchief handy, because this always brings on lots of happy tears. 

Hide a Love Note
Rather than a long letter, or in addition to it, you can hide a short and sweet "I love you" message someplace for them to find. The bride could have a message sewn onto the back of the groom's tie, and he could do the same on a handkerchief for her to carry with her bouquet. Another idea is to write the message on the bottom of their shoes. 

Blow Up Their Phone
Each hour leading up to your walk down the aisle, send a special text or photo to their phone. This will put a smile on their face and give them something to look forward to each time their phone chimes. If you don't mind seeing each other before the wedding, you can send pictures of yourself getting ready, and if you are going the traditional route and not seeing each other before the ceremony, send some of your favorite old photos.  

Deliver Treats All Day
Instead of phone messages, you can send actual gifts to your future spouse throughout the wedding morning. You could even keep them coming during the ceremony if you really love giving surprises. Some ideas of small gifts you could send are:

• Letters to be opened at certain times, like "when you wake up," while you are getting dressed," "before you walk down the aisle," etc...
• Novelty socks to take care of any "cold feet"
• Their favorite candy with a cheesy note attached
• A piece of jewelry to wear for the wedding
• Tickets for an event or dinner reservations for a date in the future

Engrave Your Wedding Rings
Lots of couples have something sentimental engraved inside of each other's wedding rings. It may not be a surprise that you're having it done, but the message that you choose to engrave can be hidden from each other until the wedding day. 

Plan a Reception Surprise 
Work with your wedding planner, the rest of the wedding party, or a family member to plan a reception surprise that your future spouse knows nothing about. You could arrange to add their favorite food to the cocktail appetizers, put together a slideshow starring the two of you, or plan a choreographed dance to perform for them. Think about what would put a huge smile on their face and do something relating to that. 

No matter what you have chosen as the theme of your wedding at Country Jewell, the overall theme of the day is love! Any idea that you can come up with to show your future spouse exactly how much they mean to you will be much appreciated and create fantastic memories. If you need a little help coming up with a few ideas for that or any other part of your special day, the staff at our rustic wedding venue near Knoxville is always happy to help. 

A delightfully quaint Knoxville wedding

& event venue.

6550 Hickory Valley Road

Heiskell, TN 37754

865-494-0552

Visit our website:  www.CountryJewell.com

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