10 Tips for Hosting the Perfect "I Do" Day!

Obviously, lush flowers and a gorgeous venue are some of the elements of a beautiful wedding, but picture-perfect decor doesn't ensure an epic party. Score a 10 out of 10 for overall experience by following these simple yet effective tips that will have your guests talking about your wedding for years to come.

1. Ask for Song Requests

To ensure everyone is having a great time and dancing the night away, have your guests request a song via the invitation response. Give this list of songs to your DJ, along with the name of the person who requested each song. That way, if the dance floor starts to thin out, the DJ can play songs off of the request list. This pretty much guarantees that the person who requested the song will get up and dance and encourage others to do so as well.

2. Don't Let Your Friends and Family Talk Forever

Many fun events have been driven into the ground by deathly long speeches. To keep the party popping, ask your speech-givers to keep their toasts short and sweet.

3. Remember to Thank Your Guests

Speaking of speeches, it's important to let your guests know how much you personally appreciate them coming. It's hard to believe how often this simple step is overlooked. Bite the bullet, make the speech (keep it short, of course) and just genuinely thank your guests for dropping their lives that day to share it with you.

4. And Keep Them in the Know

The best weddings are the ones that are organised and follow a timeline. When the events of the day unfold in a timely manner, and the bridal party and guests alike are not left standing around wondering what's next, where they should go or what they should be doing, the entire day seems flawless.

5. Add in an Element of Surprise

Who doesn't love a special surprise at a wedding? You could hire a group of singers or dancers disguised as wait staff to break out into song or dance during dinner, or you and the groom could perform a practiced dance routine yourselves for the first dance. A 'wow' factor can be memorable and will ensure your guests have a blast!

6. Opt for a Short Ceremony

If possible, try to keep your ceremony simple and short in length. A long, drawn-out ceremony takes away that guest energy level at the onset, and sometimes it cannot be recovered for the reception.

7. Give Birthday Shout Outs

Does your BFF have a birthday on the same day as your big day? Or is it his parents' anniversary too? Have your MC acknowledge any birthdays and/or anniversaries with a dedicated song during the reception. People love attention. Plus, it's just a sweet gesture.

8. Hire a Great Band or DJ

After all, they can, in fact, make or break a party. Look for a high energy performer, while being careful not to choose an annoying personality to be your MC. Great vocals, great dance moves and great spunk will have everyone up on their feet until it's time to go home. Seamless song transitions and the ability to read the crowd when they want to hear more of the same sound or a desire to switch to a different sound is where a DJ's talent also comes into play.

9. Provide Transportation

If you're hosting a destination wedding or your wedding is in a remote location, be sure to provide transportation for guests from their hotel to your wedding and back. This way people don't have to worry about organising their own Designated Driver, which guarantees that they can party harder.

10. Allow Your Guests Plenty of Free Time

This is particularly important if you have a destination wedding, or a bunch of guests in from out of town. Back to back activities after a long trip will run them into the ground. Let them have some time and space to explore and they'll be refreshed and excited at all of your events.

Many thanks & full credit to http://www.brides.com/blogs/aisle-say/2014/06/how-to-entertain-wedding-guests.html

Tom's Top Tips for Photography!

Hey Vergers,

For the past couple of weeks I have been doing Work Experience with Kate and Megan here at Verge Studio and I’ve learnt and developed my photography skills whilst working here. I thought that it would be interesting to share this with you to maybe help with your skills!

1.   Use What You Paid For...

     Instead of letting the camera choose what is thought to be the best picture possible on the auto setting, learn how to use other settings on the camera so you can get the best image that you possibly can. The best setting in my opinion is Manual, because you can alter the picture to become the best it can be.

2.    Move!

     Move around whilst taking photos instead of standing in the ‘normal’ photo-taking position. A lot of people using a camera would just stand still, but taking pictures from different angles can bring more life into the picture being from up high or down low.

3.   Thirdly: The Rule of Thirds

     Using the Rule of Thirds you can develop a fantastic shot. The Rule of Thirds is pretty much splitting the images into thirds and placing the main attraction of the photo on one of the lines. This makes the main attraction stand out and brings more life into the image.

4.   Embrace the Space

     Leaving Space in the picture can make the image far better. Having space in the image can create a lot of feelings like mystery, movement, depth etc. Having feelings like this in your image can create a great atmosphere. Leaving space in the picture can also help blur out the background and create a far better image with one main feature.

These are the best skills that I've learnt with my camera for a long time. They really helped me develop my photography skills and I've noticed with some of my practice shots, just how much of an improvement I've actually made.

Overall I've had a fantastic time here, and it’s such a shame it has to end!

Tom =)

Photoshop vs Art; Where do you stand in the 'Perfect Bodies' Debate?

Did you read the latest article from Huffington Post Online about 'Photoshopping' famous old paintings?

Well we sure did!
If you haven't read it yet, it's essentially a look at modern society's perception of  physical 'perfection', in stark contrast to the natural women who have been muses for artists over hundreds of years!

As visual & creative people, We LOVE how the author demonstrates the disproportionate nature of our totally impossible goals to look like those fabulous models in magazines (especially when it comes to media & the widespread use of 'Photoshop' to brazenly & unnecessarily alter models' bodies).

With quite a humorous result, they've used Photoshop to update some of history's most gorgeous paintings to fit current ideals of beauty.


Here's one example from the article (keep looking to see the change):
 
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, "Grande Odalisque," 1814 reimagined by Lauren Wade

From natural, carefree, healthy & soft;
to bony & underweight.....hmm.

We think it's a fabulous way to remind us all that women today are naturally already BEAUTIFUL !!
As the saying goes: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

Check out the article & some other great examples here.



DISCLAIMER:
We aren't anti-Photoshop, we just question it's apparent overuse in current media.
Would love to hear your comments!







Tags: Photoshop; Photoshop Fail; Photographer; Boudoir Photography; Perth; Beauty; Beautiful; Huffington Post; Glamour Photography; 

" It's Raining Bumps and Bubs"

Happy Monday Vergers !

We have been super busy lately here at Verge with an influx of Mums-to-be and new babies, which has been so much fun!

Working with the Mums-to-be has brought us beautiful ideas to showcase Mother Nature at her best; There's nothing more beautiful than a glowing Mum-to-be and her gorgeous Bump.

This has us talking around the office  about  whether or not you would find out the sex of your baby and we came up with some of these Pros and Cons

Reasons to find out:

·         You only have to agree on one name.

·         You can buy gender-specific clothes.

·         You can decorate the nursery.

·         You may feel more connected to the baby.

·         It may make the baby feel more real.

·         It helps reassure you that everything is okay. 

        Reasons to wait:    

·         The Surprise can be exciting

·         The last few weeks may be more bearable not knowing (build-up of excitement!)

·         It's the way people have been doing it for centuries.

But we are all super excited here in the office that we are expecting a little baby girl in August (Congratulations Andrea)!!!!!!!

This has made us all go gaga here and we can’t wait to share some more of the awesome shoots we have done with these Mums and Bubs soon.

Enjoy the rest of your week 

K xxx

 

What a month we have had.....

Happy Monday Verger's

Wow what a busy month we have had so far, we have renamed it Mad March here at Verge.

At the Beginning of this Month we had the pleasure of having a stand at the "Dusk Bridal Fair" held at the Perth Convention Centre, as part of our promotion at the event we had an amazing competition running for all our visitors to go in the draw to win a trip to the beautiful Koh Samui !!  (which we will be drawing at the end of May). We had such an Awesome time over the Two day's and we got to meet so many lovely couples  : )

This month we have also had the pleasure of photographing some stunning weddings each as beautiful and unique as the couples involved, we truly do love our job!

This month our Boudoir shoots are in focus and to highlight how much fun these shoots are we are running an awesome promotion "Book a Boudoir shoot and bring a friend for free!" how cool is that!

I shall sign off for now as we continue to work through Mad March!

A XX 

How do I choose a Boudoir Photographer?

J’Adore Boudoir Photography!!

...but we’ve noticed that there are quite a few studios popping up lately, who are also advertising Boudoir (The most recent photography trend to sweep across Europe & land here in Perth)!

Boudoir Photography is an incredibly powerful art form, not just for the images, but for the way it’s making women across the world feel empowered, beautiful & confident!

**Not to be confused with the ‘Glamour’ style from the 1980s!**

So we just wanted to give a few pointers to the ladies (and gents!) who are looking at having their very own Boudoir Experience. Please pass this info on to them & have a read through yourself, to make sure you select the best photographer for YOU!

Point #1

Trust your instincts!

Those of us who adore the beautiful & empowering Boudoir genre are 100% dedicated to providing a unique, personal, relaxed & professional experience for each of our clients.

Just remember: Not all photographers are the same...

This leads us to...

Point #2

Do your research!

Your Boudoir experience will be a sensual, beautiful, emotional & somewhat vulnerable one. You need to feel completely comfortable with that person behind the lens.

Although Boudoir is not necessarily about being ‘nude’, you will be revealing a very personal & private side of yourself, to be captured in the most artistic & gorgeous way!

a)      Look through their website & facebook page, to get a feel for their personality.   **If they don’t have a website – be on high alert!!**

b)      Most importantly, make sure that you feel a connection to their images. If you don’t, then they aren’t the right photographer for you. Simple.

c)       Check out how long they have been in business. Are they a start-up, trying to begin a portfolio, or are they going strong. The majority of small businesses close their doors after 3 years! So use this as a guide.

When it comes to price...

Point #3

Know what you’re getting for your money!

Once you’ve shortlisted your potential Boudoir Photographers, give them a call & have a chat. Are they up front about their pricing? Is it easy to understand? Are their packages within your budget?

Be careful with amazingly cheap offers. You get what you pay for...

**Hint: It may seem like an unbelievable price on the surface, so dig deeper to make sure you won’t be stuck with hidden extra costs later!**

**Remember the old adage: Quality over Quantity – Do you want one beautiful art piece...or 10 ‘snapshots’**

So, having saved the most imperative for last, our final (but most important) piece of advice...

Point #4

How will it make you feel?

There’s a very fine line between empowering, beautiful & feminine imagery, to feeling objectified.

Sensual vs Sexual.

Arty vs Tarty.

At the end of the day, the photographer you choose to help capture your beautiful Boudoir Images needs to be someone who makes you feel relaxed, pampered & comfortable enough to be yourself!

Here are some other questions to ask yourself before you begin your search for your perfect Boudoir Photographer:

-          Would you prefer a male OR a female photographer?

-          Would you feel more comfortable with a professional team OR a solo photographer?

-          Would you feel best at a home studio OR a city studio?

We hope this info has been helpful, & inspires you to have your own incredible Boudoir Experience soon!

Love,

The Verge Girls xo

21 Habits of Happy People!

1. Appreciate Life

Be thankful that you woke up alive each morning. Develop a childlike sense of wonder towards life. Focus on the beauty of every living thing. Make the most of each day. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. Choose Friends Wisely

Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values and goals. Friends that have the same ethics as you will encourage you to achieve your dreams. They help you to feel good about yourself. They are there to lend a helping hand when needed.

3. Be Considerate

Accept others for who they are as well as where they are in life. Respect them for who they are. Touch them with a kind and generous spirit. Help when you are able, without trying to change the other person. Try to brighten the day of everyone you come into contact with.

4. Learn Continuously

Keep up to date with the latest news regarding your career and hobbies. Try new and daring things that has sparked your interest – such as dancing, skiing, surfing or sky-diving.

5. Creative Problem Solving

Don’t wallow in self-pity. As soon as you face a challenge get busy finding a solution. Don’t let the set backs affect your mood, instead see each new obstacle you face as an opportunity to make a positive change. Learn to trust your gut instincts – it’s almost always right.

6. Do What They Love

Some statistics show that 80% of people dislike their jobs! No wonder there’s so many unhappy people running around. We spend a great deal of our life working. Choose a career that you enjoy – the extra money of a job you detest isn’t worth it. Make time to enjoy your hobbies and pursue special interests.

7. Enjoy Life

Take the time to see the beauty around you. There’s more to life than work. Take time to smell the roses, watch a sunset or sunrise with a loved one, take a walk along the seashore, hike in the woods etc. Learn to live in the present moment and cherish it. Don’t live in the past or the future.

8. Laugh

Don’t take yourself – or life to seriously. You can find humor in just about any situation. Laugh at yourself – no one’s perfect. When appropriate laugh and make light of the circumstances. (Naturally there are times that you should be serious as it would be improper to laugh.)

9. Forgive

Holding a grudge will hurt no one but you. Forgive others for your own peace of mind. When you make a mistake – own up to it – learn from it – and FORGIVE yourself.

10. Gratitude

Develop an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings; All of them – even the things that seem trivial. Be grateful for your home, your work and most importantly your family and friends. Take the time to tell them that you are happy they are in your life.

11. Invest in Relationships

Always make sure your loved ones know you love them even in times of conflict. Nurture and grow your relationships with your family and friends by making the time to spend with them. Don’t break your promises to them. Be supportive.

12. Keep Their Word

Honesty is the best policy. Every action and decision you make should be based on honesty. Be honest with yourself and with your loved ones.

13. Meditate

Meditation gives your very active brain a rest. When it’s rested you will have more energy and function at a higher level. Types of meditation include yoga, hypnosis, relaxation tapes, affirmations, visualization or just sitting in complete silence. Find something you enjoy and make the time to practice daily.

14. Mind Their Own Business

Concentrate on creating your life the way you want it. Take care of you and your family. Don’t get overly concerned with what other people are doing or saying. Don’t get caught up with gossip or name calling. Don’t judge. Everyone has a right to live their own life the way they want to – including you.

15. Optimism

See the glass as half full. Find the positive side of any given situation. It’s there – even though it may be hard to find. Know that everything happens for a reason, even though you may never know what the reason is. Steer clear of negative thoughts. If a negative thought creeps in – replace it with a positive thought.

16. Love Unconditionally

Accept others for who they are. You don’t put limitations on your love. Even though you may not always like the actions of your loved ones – you continue to love them.

17. Persistence

Never give up. Face each new challenge with the attitude that it will bring you one step closer to your goal. You will never fail, as long as you never give up. Focus on what you want, learn the required skills, make a plan to succeed and take action. We are always happiest while pursuing something of value to us.

18. Be Proactive

Accept what can not be changed. Happy people don’t waste energy on circumstances beyond their control. Accept your limitations as a human being. Determine how you can take control by creating the outcome you desire – rather than waiting to respond.

19. Self Care

Take care of your mind, body and health. Get regular medical check ups. Eat healthy and work out. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water. Exercise your mind by continually energizing it with interesting and exciting challenges.

20. Self Confidence

Don’t try to be someone that you’re not. After all no one likes a phony. Determine who you are in the inside – your own personal likes and dislikes. Be confident in who you are. Do the best you can and don’t second guess yourself.

21. Take Responsibility

Happy people know and understand that they are 100% responsible for their life. They take responsibility for their moods, attitude, thoughts, feelings, actions and words. They are the first to admit when they’ve made a mistake.

Begin today by taking responsibility for your happiness. Work on developing these habits as you own. The more you incorporate the above habits into your daily lifestyle – the happier you will be.

Most of all: BE TRUE TO YOURSELF.
Don't feel bad about accepting who you truly are - and don't let anyone try to change you!!

Have an awesome Boxing Day & a fab week, Vergers!!

Megan & Kate xx

What a fabulous list!

Full creds to: http://www.mindopenerz.com/21-habits-of-happy-people/



Tags: How to be happy, accept yourself, love yourself, beat depression, be one of those annoyingly & genuinely happy people!