Change of Blog Address

Just an update, my blog has moved into my website and now can be found at:

http://www.kurtnphoto.com/wedding-blog

thank you and happy planning

Toledo Wedding Photographer | Angela and Tony’s October Wedding by Kurt Nielsen Photography

October Wedding in Toledo
Angela and Tony were married on October 8, 2011 at Heritage Church of God in Maumee, OH surrounded by their family and friends.

I got to the church a little before noon and began taking pictures of all of the church decorations and the programs.
Black and Silver Pew Bows

Memory Table Decorations at Church

Wedding Unity Candle

Silver bow on Candelabrum

Wedding Guest Book

Wedding Programs
Then I went to check in on the groom and bride to take some photos of them getting ready.
Groom's Arrival at Church

Last Minute Phone Call

Pearls for Wedding

Comfortable Wedding Shoes

Border Battle Wedding Garters

Wedding Dress Embroidery

Atlas Bridal Shop

Last Minute Texting

Wedding Hair and Makeup
The bride and groom gave gifts to one another which evoked quite a bit of emotions for each of them and represented their lives together.
Book of Inspiration
Tony had help from family and friends making the book for Angela.
Capturing Intimate Moments

Letters of Wedding Advice

Groom's gift to bride
And this time, Tony truly gave Angela the key to his heart.
Heart Shaped Necklace and Key
Angela gave Tony a watch with a memorable inscription.
Gift for Groom

Bride's Gift for Groom

Time on your hands

Watch Inscriptions

Wedding Gift Inscriptions
I took a few more pictures of everyone getting ready.
Wedding Rings and Guest Book

Barrow's Jewelers Toledo

Bride and Bridesmaids Candid Photos

Bride Celebrating

Grandmother Pinning on Boutonniere

Bride's Grandmother with Groom

Red Rose Boutonniere for Groomsmen
With the guys being ready, it was time to head into the sanctuary to take photos of the groom with the guys in the wedding party.
Toledo Wedding Photographer

Wedding Party Photos

Wedding Photographer in Toledo

Wedding Photographer, Toledo OH
Then it was back to check on the bride and take more photos of her putting on the finishing touches.
Make up for Brides

Maumee Wedding Photographer

Wedding Photographer in Maumee, OH

Creative Wedding Photographer

Northwest Ohio Wedding Photographer

Candid Wedding Moments

Ohio State-Michigan Wedding Themes
Before we knew it, it was almost 2:30 and time for the wedding to begin.
Harpist at Weddings
The music began to play and the groom waited in anticipation for his first look at his soon to be bride walking down the aisle.
First Look photography

Here comes the Bride

Weddings at Heritage Church of God

Heritage Church of God in Maumee, OH

Photographing the Wedding Kiss

Recessional at Weddings

Wedding Celebration
After a few quick pics outside the church, it was time to go back inside to finish taking the formal photos of the families and wedding party.
Wedding Limo

Groom's Family Photos

Bride's Family Photos

Wedding Party Portraits

Family Pictures at Weddings

Traditional Wedding Photographer Toledo

Bridal Portrait Photographer

White Rose Wedding Bouquet

The Best of the Knot Winners in Toledo

Do it yourself bridal bouquets

Black and White Wedding Portrait Photographer

Romantic Wedding Photographs Toledo
Then it was off to Perrysburg and Perry’s Landing for some more wedding party and romantic photographs.
Wedding Photos in Perrysburg

Wedding Portraits at Perry's Landing

Wedding Photographer in Perrysburg, OH

Artistic Wedding Photographer Toledo

Creative Wedding Photographer Toledo

Red Bridesmaids Dresses from David's Bridal

Candid Wedding Party Photos

Something Old Something New Something Borrowed Something Blue and a Penny in Your Shoe

Real Toledo Wedding Photographer

Photos of Bride and Groom

Modern Wedding Photographer Toledo

Romantic Wedding Photographer in Toledo Ohio

Wedding Pictures with Boats

The Knot Best of Weddings 2012

Pictures of Weddings

Wedding Gallery
When we finished at Perry’s Landing, the bridal party got back into the stretch from Total Image Limosine and headed to the reception at the Knights of Columbus Hall in West Toledo.  While the bridal party was making their way there, I headed in and got some photos of the reception decorations and the beautiful wedding cake from Eston’s Bakery.
Total Image Limo Toledo

October Weddings in Toledo

Two Hearts Become One

Wedding Cake from Eston's Bakery Sylvania

DIY Wedding Trends 2012

Groom's Cake Table

Wedding Ideas for Fall
It was finally 6pm and time for the bridal party’s grand entrance!
Wedding Entrance Ideas

Planning a detailed wedding timeline

best man entrance ideas

Bride and groom's entrance
After the bridal party was introduced by DJ Adam from Decorative Sound and seated at the head table, the celebration went straight into the Maid of Honor and Best Man’s toasts to the newlyweds.
Red Black and Silver Wedding Ideas

Toledo Wedding Photography

Toledo Wedding Venues

Wedding Head Table Seating

Wedding Head Table decorating with lights

Toast to the Bride and Groom

Groom's Cake Ideas
The buffet style dinner from Premier Catering was delicious.  Having the buffet line gave the newlyweds a chance to mingle with their guests who were still waiting to eat.
Buffet Dinner for Weddings

Candid Family Photos at Weddings

Wedding gifts for the guests
After dinner came the cutting of the wedding cake.  Angela gave the hint that there would be a little bit of a battle when it came to feeding each other the cake.
Red Roses on Wedding Cake

Bridal Photography

Toledo Ohio Wedding Photographers

Wedding Photographers

Toledo Knights of Columbus Halls
Then Tony confirmed that there would be a cake fight!
Toledo Weddings

Wedding in Toledo in Fall

Autumn Weddings in Toledo

Toledo October Weddings

Autumn Weddings in Toledo
All is fair in love and cake war, but in the end, love won and everyone enjoyed the delicious wedding cake.
photographer toledo ohio wedding

Funny Wedding Shots

Smearing wedding cake on face

table for children at weddings
We moved right into the dances, beginning with the bride and groom’s first dance.  Then we went to the Bride and her brother followed by the groom and his mother dancing.  These dances evoked many more emotions for everyone.
Bride and Groom Dancing

Wedding Dances

Tender moments at weddings

Emotional Moments in Photography

precious moments in photography

mother son dance

tender moments captured in pictures
Then it was time for everyone to join in the dancing and celebration!
Dancing at Weddings

Dancing at wedding receptions

Getting everyone on the dance floor

Keeping the guests on the dance floor
The final formalities of the evening were the bouquet and garter toss, followed by the Ohio State-Michigan themed Dash for Cash.
Throw away bouquet

Bouquet Toss at wedding reception

Bridal Bouquet Toss

Groom finding bride's garter

Still searching for the garter

Removing the garter with your teeth

Groom using teeth to get garter

Tossing the garter into the crowd

Who caught the garter
And the winners were…..from the wedding party?  Do you think that it was rigged?
catching the bouquet and garter
I sure hope Tony let Angela win the Dash for Cash to keep him out of the dog house after the cake incident!  Well, that and the fact that I’m a buckeye fan!
OSU-U of M Themed Weddings

Dash for Cash at Weddings

Toledo Photographer for Weddings

Photographer for weddings in Toledo

Photographer Weddings Toledo

Theme for Weddings

Counting the Money

Dash for Cash Money

Fun things to do at Weddings
Everyone danced the rest of the night away!
having fun at wedding receptions

photography weddings

photographer wedding
While the rest of the wedding festivities were going on in the main reception room at the hall, my Kurt’s Kustom Green Screen crew was in another room taking fun photo booth pictures of the wedding guests.
Wedding Photo Booths

Photo Booth Scrapbooks
Each guest got to take home a 4×6 print of their finished photos as a souvenir and we also printed one copy for a scrapbook for the bride and groom.  The guest then got to sign and decorate the pages.  They absolutely LOVED this idea, and so did the bride and groom who got to take it home with them that night!
Toledo Photo Booth

New Wedding Trends for 2012

Photo Booth at Weddings Toledo

Ohio Photo Booth for Weddings
The reception ended at 11:30 and there were a lot of last minute photograph requests.  By the time the night was over, Angela and Tony had almost 1400 photos to remember their wedding!
Bride and Groom's Last Dance

DIY Wedding Reception Decorating Ideas

Contemporary Wedding Photograph

Fun Pics of Bride and Groom

Special Moments at Weddings

Group photographs at weddings

Candid Group photos at weddings

Group photo at end of wedding reception

Scrapbook for guests to sign at weddings
Congratulations Angela and Tony from Kurt Nielsen Photography!  May you have many more special occasions to celebrate!
scrapbook made from photo booth photos at weddings
For more information on Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography or my Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes Green Screen Photo Booth, please visit my websites, or contact me at:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania,OH43560
419 885 7153

Toledo Bridal Show Tips by Kurt Nielsen Photography

Wedding Photographers Toledo
Did he put a ring on it this holiday season?  Now is the time when most couples become engaged and start planning their dream weddings.  Thus, January begins the Bridal Show season.

Once again this year, I will be at the Sounds of Music Superbowl of Bridal Shows.  This show is a 2 day event at The Stranahan Theatre Great Hall and Premier Banquet Complex (Formerly Gladieux Meadows).  This is Toledo’s biggest bridal show of the year.  It already has over 100 vendors signed up to be part of this year’s show.  Hundreds of brides will be in attendance ready to book their wedding vendors.  The bridal show is on January 7th and 8th, 2012 from 1pm-5pm.  You can purchase tickets in advance from any Anderson’s store for $8.  Tickets will also be available at the door for $10.  Pre-registration isn’t a requirement, but makes it much easier and quicker for you to get started with your wedding planning.  You can pre-register on the Sounds of Music DJs website.  There will also be transportation to shuttle you between both venues and your tickets are good for both days.
Toledo Wedding Photographer
If you have never attended a bridal show, it can be very overwhelming.  Here are some tips to get you through (in no particular order):

1.  Bring your mom, fiancee, mother, soon to be mother-in-law, maid of honor, bridesmaids, or anyone else that is helping you plan your wedding.  This way, they can also see who you talked with and can better help you plan when it comes time to make those important decisions.

2. Go early.  By going early, you will get there before most of the other brides to be.  Plus, this will give you longer to look around and talk with the vendors.  Since this is a two day event, you can even come back to the vendors to talk again on the second day to answer any questions that may have arisen after speaking with other vendors.

3.  Visit with as many vendors that you can.  Even if you already have a vendor for something, visiting with their colleagues can give you more ideas for your wedding planning.  By visiting all of the different kind of vendors and taking the informational packets or fliers that they have can give you a more realistic sense of what to expect as to their services and prices.  This in turn will help you better with the budgeting for your wedding expenses and the types of services you want and can afford.

4.  Make up self adhesive address labels.  Most of the vendors will have give-aways or contests that require you to fill out an entry form.  By having this pre-made, it will save you time and your hand won’t cramp up!  Make sure you include your name, address, phone number, email address and wedding date on these labels.   When you are at the bridal show, you can just stick these labels on the entry forms.

5.  Bring a camera and notebook.  You can take pictures of the vendors you speak with, decorating ideas or items displayed at their booths.  A notebook will help keep you organized and you can write down any questions or comments you have about the vendors or what they offer.

6.  If you have a phone that has a camera on it, make sure you download the bar code scanner or QR code app.  Many of the vendors will be using this technology for their bridal show specials, including me!  Having it already on your phone or ipad will save you time.

7.  Bring your checkbook or credit cards.  Many vendors, including me, will have special discounts for booking that day, so it is best to be prepared.  There are thousands of weddings in and around Toledo every year, and most vendors book quite a few brides from these bridal shows.  In order for you to get who you want for your wedding day, and to save money, it’s a good idea to book them early.  Booking at a bridal show like this one, will do both.

8.  Bring your calendar!  If you can’t book at the show, or want to check out everything before you commit, it is a good idea to at least schedule a wedding consultation with the vendors of your choice.  This will at least hold your date until the consultation (for most vendors).  However, you may not be eligible for the bridal show discount if you don’t actually book at the show.

9.  Know your wedding budget.  It is a good idea to have some sense of what you can afford to spend on the biggest ticket items in your wedding budget.  This includes (but isn’t necessarily limited to) your Reception Venue/Caterer, Photographer, DJ or band, Videographer, Planner, Florist, Dress and Cake.  Prioritizing what is most important to you is also a good idea.  Always remember, for any vendor, do not go by price alone.  Quality of their work and their customer service is also very important and should be a factor in your decision.

10.  Wear comfortable shoes!  There is a lot of standing and walking involved in attending a bridal show.  There usually isn’t much room for sitting down and relaxing.

11.  Eat something before you go!  Yes there will be samples from some of the cake vendors and catering companies.  But that is all it is, samples.  Don’t expect to have an entire meal.  It is also a good idea to bring a bottle of water with you to keep you hydrated.

12.  As I previously stated, there will be hundreds of brides searching for their wedding vendors just like you.  As much as I would like to, I cannot do a complete wedding consultation with each and every one that comes to my booth.  I will, however, answer any question you may have as best as I can given the situation.  That is why it is important for you to be prepared.  Have any questions for your vendors written down so you can ask them at the show.  Research their websites, read their reviews and ask your friends about their experiences before going to the show.  By being prepared, it gives you the advantage of knowing what you are really looking to gain from going to the bridal show.  If you want to spend longer time talking than the show will allow, you can always set an appointment to meet with me or any of the other vendors.

13.  Don’t be pressured into booking someone that day.  Yes, if you book you will get the discount they are offering.  However, if you are unsure at all, or want to comparison shop before booking, be sure to go with your gut instincts.  You can always come back at the end of the day to the vendor(s) you really like.

14.  Be prepared to carry a lot of things.  It’s probably a good idea to bring a tote bag with you.  The show may provide you with one, but it may not be big enough to carry everything you receive from all of the vendors.  Having a second bag (that a friend can carry) to put all of the vendor information from the vendors you are really interested in can save you time when sorting through all of the information you received at the show!

15.  Avoid bringing small children, especially those with strollers.  With as many people that will be attending and the numerous vendor booths, small children can easily get split up from you and the strollers will prove hard to navigate through the aisles.  It will also be a long day for you and if they become cranky, you may not get to see as much of the show as you were hoping to see.

16.  The first question you should ask each vendor is “are you available on [insert your wedding date here]?”  This way, if they are not available on your date, you can move on to the next vendor and save you the time to spend with those that are available.  However, be sure to take their handouts in case they have a cancellation.

17.  Have fun!  Planning your wedding is one of the most special events you get to enjoy so be sure to do just that!  Enjoy the day!
Toledo Wedding Photographer Bridal Show Tips
After the bridal show, make sure you go through all of the information as quickly as possible.  That way the information stays in your mind for the vendors you spoke with.  If you don’t book your vendors at the show, set up appointments with the ones you really liked as soon as you can.  Keep in mind, you are not the only one getting married and the hundreds of other brides will be doing the same.  The ones that were available when you spoke with them may no longer be available.  Booking a consultation with them will allow you more time to see their work and ask more questions.

Also be prepared for the vendors that were at the bridal shows to contact you with some sort of follow up.  Bridal shows usually give their vendors a list of all of those in attendance.  Some vendors send follow up information and some do not.  The same is true if you sign up for information on the many wedding websites.  It is a good idea to prepare yourself for information overload for your wedding planning!
Engagement Photographer Toledo
For a sneak peek at my bridal show discount, visit my special bridal show page on my website!  Good luck and Happy Planning!  Make sure you stop by my booth at the Premier Banquet Complex and say hi!