Bridal Shows in Albany

One of the most fun parts about being a bride in Albany is being the center of attention at the bridal shower. The bridal shower is a great place to hang out with your female family and friends (as well as future family). Everyone brings a gift at this party, which makes it even more fun because you can open all the gifts in front of everyone. The party is usually held, at the most, two months from the wedding. This means you can have it any time between the day before and two months before the wedding.

The bridal shower is typically hosted by the maid of honor. Of course, it can also be hosted by your mom, sister, aunt, or whoever else you (or your maid of honor) would like. Generally, whoever hosts the party pays for the party. However, it is not uncommon for all of the bridesmaids to pitch in if it is going to be a particularly expensive occasion. Remember, the shower can be anything from a picnic at the park, to a day at a beauty spa, to a formal dinner at a banquet hall.

One of the best things about the bridal shower is that it typically has a theme, and hence the presents you get will have a theme. This theme will usually coordinate with wherever you decided to hold the party, and is usually associated with the brides personality and tastes. As for the gifts, it is  perfectly acceptable to describe on the invitation what the guest should bring. For example, if you were to have a garden theme, you may ask the guests to give gardening tools, seeds, or garden decorations as gifts.

Typically, you'll want to invite only those people who you are really close with (and who your fiancé is really close with). If the shower is going to be a surprise, you can always consult with your maid of honor (or alternative hostess) as to who you want invited. Make sure you give them a list of addresses for your guests as well, so that they don't have to track them down. Some people think it is good to send invitations to those who you know will not be able to make it (because of distance), however, it is completely up to you who to invite, and if you think those out-of-towners will feel bad getting an invitation to something they can't go to- don't send it.

Some people are starting to get into having couple showers instead of a bridal shower. This is where the fiancé is invited and the guests list consists of both male and female friends and family. No matter which way you choose to do it, make sure you have fun and enjoy the attention you'll be getting!

For those of you who are new to the wedding mumbo-jumbo, a bridal portrait session is done with only the bride- all dressed up. Usually these pictures are taken at least a month before the wedding, so that they can be displayed at the wedding. However, some Albany brides choose to do theirs after the wedding, or even on the wedding day.

One of the best things about the bridal portrait is that it is a great way to make sure what you want will really look good. Since you are completely made-up for your picture including dress, veil, jewelry, bouquet, etc., you will be able to see exactly what you love and what you don't. If you decide the necklace doesn't look that great in the pictures, you can find a different one for the wedding day. No one will know the difference if you change anything (unless it's the dress, of course!).

Many brides cherish their bridal portraits because it is a true picture of their wedding day beauty, without the stress of the actual wedding day. It is so good to know that you can just work with the photographer to get the best pictures, without worrying about getting to the reception on time or making sure you talk to everyone. Bridal portraits are often considered much better than their wedding day counterparts, simply because the bride is relaxed and happy.

Usually the bridal portraits are taken at a different location from your reception. Some brides choose to have the portraits taken at the same location as their engagement pictures. Others decide to take them at their reception location. Sometimes you have to pay a fee to get your pictures taken somewhere. If so, make sure you plan this into your budget so that you don't go over. Make sure you pick a location that will show off your personal style as well as the wedding style.

Often the cost of bridal portraits will be included in the photography package that you have chosen for the reception. If bridal portraits aren't included, ask your photographer if they have a discounted price to add it to the package. If you can't get a good price from your photographer, don't hesitate to find a different photographer to just take care of your bridal portraits. Just make sure you do just as much research finding a bridal portrait photographer as you did for your wedding day photographer.