2010 Bride Guide - Unveiled

We are proud to present the 2010 Bride Guide, featuring great ideas to help you plan your wedding with the help of the finest wedding professionals in Central Minnesota.

When we started the Central Minnesota Wedding Association in February 2008, we did not want to have the most vendors, just the best vendors in the region. Businesses featured in this guide are truly the best our area has to offer. They are guided by our code of ethics and are committed to professionalism in all aspects of their business. Our vendors commit to ongoing professional training to remain at the top of the industry.

Our Web site, www.idoido.org, will provide you with the most up-to-date information about wedding events happening in the area. The site will also connect you with our vendors and other great resources to help make your wedding planning easier.

The wedding industry has seen a number of changes over the past year. People planning weddings and our vendors have been affected by the difficult economic times. While your first instinct may be to cut services, we encourage you to consult with one of our professional vendors to see what they can offer. We have seen many couples take on too many additional wedding-planning tasks, only to get frustrated and stressed out on their wedding day.

Don’t try and do everything yourself. Our association and our members are here to help you plan your wedding. We are professionals who love to work with engaged couples and find solutions that will work within your budget.

2010 Bride Guide Preview

The 2010 Bride Guide is going to rock. We have been working hard behind the scenes to put together Central Minnesota's best resource for people planning a wedding. Take a look at some of the images from our recent photo shoot for the guide.



If you can't see the video display, click here.

We'd like to thank some of our association members that helped make things possible.

Bella Photography
Edge Gallery
Mestad's
J.F. Kruse Jewelry
101 Market

The 2010 Bride Guide will be available at your favorite St. Cloud area bridal shows, wedding shops and our website starting in mid-September.

One More Reason to Get a Limo

A newly married bride still wearing her wedding gown flew off the back of a motorcycle being driven by her husband in Waite Park on Saturday.

According to police, the groom was arrested after the crash. The two were in the midst of their wedding reception when the accident happened.

The bride broke her leg and wrist in the crash.

Just another reason to hire one of our professional transportation vendors in the Central Minnesota Wedding Association for your wedding!

Pearl Limousine 320-251-1101

Renee's Royal Valet 763-551-1919

Why You Shouldn't Skip the Video at your Wedding

Being a videographer myself, I may be a bit biased on this topic. I can't tell you how many people tell me after their wedding, "I wish we would have had a video."

Many people are skipping the professional video to save some money, but a lot of others are seeing the advantages of hiring a pro. I can honestly tell you that 2009 will be among the best years for my video business. I think more and more people are seeing professional wedding videos that don't make you fall asleep- or make you sea-sick while watching them...and want one for their wedding!

I recently came across a post on another blog regarding the benefits of having a wedding video...here is what they had to say.

Life Moves, Photos Don't
Photos are a wonderful way to capture moments in time. Video captures time itself. At a wedding I recently videotaped one of the bridesmaids composed a song and sang it to the bride and groom at their reception. They are moved each time they watch it. Many times video of toasts by parents and grandparents create lasting keepsakes of far away family members.

Make it an Event
Watching a well-edited video of your wedding can be an event in itself. Have a premiere party! When you watch the video together, you share the experience with friends and family. With DVDs so easy to mail, many new couples send copies to relatives who couldn't attend the wedding. Many save the videos to share with their children some day.

It's a New Networked World
Ask your videographer if they can help you share your video online. Video isn't just on TV anymore. Post in on Facebook, add it to your blog, load it on your iPhone so you can watch the first time you have to be away from your loved one.

Safety Net
Even the best photographers in the world can make mistakes or misunderstand your wishes. I recently worked with a bride who called me in tears because certain relatives were not represented in her photos. The bride had hired a well known photographer with a good reputation, but for some reason, the photos were not there. You can imagine how relieved she was to find that I had recorded several scenes with these family members.

PLEASE...Use a Pro
Everyone's got a video camera these days, so why not just ask a friend to capture your wedding? There's a simple answer. Your wedding is not just any day. Anyone can bake a cake, but you need something really special for your wedding. You want a beautifully crafted wedding cake. So you hire a professional with the right experience, attitude and equipment. With a professional videographer you can relax and enjoy your day knowing you've hired someone with the right experience, attitude and equipment. And you know in a few months you'll be celebrating the premiere!

The two videographers in the Central Minnesota Wedding Association are:

Capture Video 952-476-6872 (ask for me, Jake!)

Northern Lights Video 763-856-9193 (ask for Jeff)

Recent Changes to MInnesota Marriage Laws

The 2009 Minnesota Legislature passed modifications to the state statute governing marriages in Minnesota. These changes took effect August 1, 2009.

This reading is a bit dry, but if you are getting married there are some important things to keep in mind.

• The “legal custodial” parent(s) must give consent and appeal to the courts for authorization for their child who has reached the age of 16 but is under the age of 18 years of age to marry.
• A person must be 21 years or older in order to perform marriages in MN.
• Persons authorized to perform a marriage ceremony in MN are required to assure that the couple has obtained a Minnesota marriage license and that the individuals appearing before them are the persons named on the marriage license.
• A Minnesota marriage license can only be used within the geographical boundaries of Minnesota.
• Both the bride & groom must apply for the marriage license.
• The social security numbers of the applicants will be collected and if they do not have a social security number they must certify as such.
• A person who has been convicted of a felony is restricted from changing their name unless they follow the procedure outlined in MS 259.13.
• The Educator’s Statement (required with a reduced fee marriage license) must be signed by the established educator, dated, notarized and appear on the educator’s letterhead in order to be accepted.
• Allows Local Registrars to charge a fee of $100 if the officiant fails to file the marriage certificate within five days of the marriage.

There are some other housekeeping issues pertaining to the marriage statute that have changed. If this stuff really interests you, review the entire statute to become familiar with marriage requirements. If you have questions, contact your County Local Registrar who administers Marriage Applications, Licenses and Certificates.

Not So Fast Down the Aisle...

Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune had an interesting article about the now infamous wedding dance down the aisle. It comes from the perspective of clergy in the church.

Is it inappropriate or sacrilegious to boogie down the aisle at the church? I guess it depends on who you ask. Some clergy think this is a great way to express the joy of getting married, while others would never allow this to happen in their church.

The article also brought up a cultural difference that I had not thought about. In the West, there is not typically a connection with worship and dance, at least during a wedding ceremony. While in other parts of the world, dance is more deeply connected with worship.

Personally, I thought the dance was very creative and fun. It matched the style of the couple and they were able to express themselves in a way during their ceremony that few others have done before. I don't think it should replace the typical wedding processional, and I certainly hope that not everyone tries to recreate this at their upcoming weddings.

The spoofs have already started. I watched the "JK Divorce Video" earlier this weekend. I know we have not seen or heard the end of this.

Choosing a Photographer and Videographer

As your wedding day draws closer, you will have spent tireless hours on the finer details of your special day. Now, you need someone to help capture the people and things that make your wedding day unique.

• Where do you start looking?
• Do you really need a professional?
• Why do prices vary so much?

The Search
There are a lot of great photographers and videographers in the Central Minnesota area. Each company has its own style and unique way of doing things. Ask to look at examples from past weddings they have shot. Pay attention to the style and quality of the images. Can you picture yourself in the photos or video? Would you be happy with their final product?

Narrow your search based on research in magazines, Web sites and bridal fairs. Contact a few different companies to set-up meetings. You will want to make sure your photographer and videographer are people you can get along with. Remember, you will be spending a large portion of your wedding day with these people!

Be sure to ask questions about their experience level, delivery timelines, payments & contracts and the final product. Do you have rights to the final images or raw video? Who will be the actual people shooting your wedding?

Hiring Professionals
Aunt Sally just bought her own digital camera and really wants to save you some money and shoot your wedding for free. While this may sound appealing, it may end up costing you more in the long-run.

Professional photographers and videographers shoot weddings for a living. They have experience in getting unique angles and know how to anticipate shots that Aunt Sally couldn’t dream of. Professionals know how to work with wedding parties and properly pose and frame shots. They also carry an arsenal of professional lights, filters, microphones and tripods to obtain the best possible images and sound from your wedding.

Friends and family may have good intentions of saving you money, remember this is your wedding day. You will only walk down the aisle once with this person- and you don’t want to look back and remember your wedding day as being unfocused and out-of-frame.

Investment
It is important to frame the purchase of your photographer or videographer as an investment. Remember, these are the images you will hold onto for the rest of your life. The cost of this investment varies quite a bit; depending on a variety of factors.

This investment can vary depending on experience level of the photographer/videographer, equipment used, location of the company and coverage options. Some companies charge by the hour- and others may charge by the day. Compare all of the factors that matter most to you- and determine who you can trust and who can provide you the best value.

Remember, not all photo and video packages are created equally. Be sure to ask questions and see what is included- and what is extra. Some companies may throw in “extras” that other companies charge for. Ask to see a copy of their contract and read all of the fine-print before making your decision.