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  T H E   C O S T   E F F E C T I V E   B R I D E

  Vol 1, No. 7                    April 9, 2001

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Kelly Kons, Editor, kelly@bwedd.com

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The Cost-Effective Bride \ Kós-te-'fek-tiv Brid \  n.
(2001):  The about-to-be-married woman that desires the
tangible, emotional, and memorable benefits of her
wedding to outweigh the money and time spent on
producing those benefits.  She is both elegant and fun,
emotional and sensible.  She understands that more
expensive does not necessarily equal better.  She is
you.

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                 FEATURED ARTICLE

                ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS

I just realized that I have gone on a long binge of
arts and crafts articles.  What could motivate us
more than our own wedding to get a little crafty (and
to save a bit of money while we are at it)?  Well, I 
hope that you have enjoyed these articles, but I will 
give you a break from the crafts for the next two weeks
(though I still have more!).  This article, however,
does stick with the theme of do-it-yourself and will
not only save you a bunch of money, but will also give
some helpful advice.

Many couples hire a professional photographer to take
very expensive engagement photos.  What are these
photos used for?  You tell me.  As far as I know, their
main purpose is for newspaper announcements.  I am sure
that many couples also give them out to their friends
and family as gifts, but in my mind, the cost of these
pre-wedding pictures is by far out-weighed by other
things I would rather spend my money on - like the
wedding photos.  I, personally, would rather have
really great wedding pictures, than very expensive
engagement photos.

Still, that newspaper announcement IS important and we
do want to have a nice picture for everyone to see of
us happy and shining.  So, after getting engaged, my
fiancé and I asked my father if he would take some
pictures of us.  (If your father is not good with a
camera, find a friend or family member who owns a
camera and ask them if they would be willing to do it.)
He bought some black and white film, as well as color,
and one nice summer evening we went out into the
backyard and snapped some pictures.  Did I say SOME
pictures?  He snapped a lot of pictures!

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Will you do me a favor?  I need to know what people
think of our wedding websites.  Would you please sign
up for a free trial site, enter your stories, take a
look at your site, and tell me what you think?  Sign up
at: http://www.bwedd.com/PageBuilder/ and then write to
me at: kelly@bwedd.com  Thank You!
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Let me take a moment here to point out that one 24-
exposure roll of color film will cost a little less
than $5.00, one 24 exposure roll of black and white
film will cost a little over $5.00 - total cost of
around $10.00.  Then you will need to develop the film
- two 24 exposure rolls of film processed will cost you
under $20.00 (and be smart, watch for coupons in the
local paper and often right in the store).

My point?  Having a friend or family member take 48
pictures of you will cost you around $30.00. That sure
beats the expense of hiring a professional
photographer! And no matter how non-photogenic you are,
there are going to be a couple of nice pictures amidst
the 48 of you and your fiancé.

Don't believe me?  Well, give it a try anyway!  All you
have to lose is $30.00 and a couple of hours.  Dress up
in similar colors, head outside, and begin the pain.
Here are some photography tips to help you out:

1) The best outdoor light occurs before 10 AM and after
   4 PM when the sunlight is not so harsh.
2) Ideally, pictures should be taken with the sun as
   far behind you as possible.
3) If you are going to sit or pose in the shade, take
   the picture with a flash even though the camera will
   tell you that it is not needed.
4) Also, if posing in the shade, placing a piece of
   white cardboard on the ground or propped up in front
   of you will help to reflect the light and reduce
   shadows.

Now, as far as the announcement goes, don't forget to
contact your local newspaper as well as the newspaper
of a large city you may live near.  Often your local
newspaper will print your announcement for free (as do
many city papers).  Usually, there is a contact name
and number available for you to call.  Then they will
send you a form to fill out about your upcoming wedding
and where you are both from, etc.  And, as long as you
have them on the line they might as well send you the
forms for your wedding announcement - to send in after
your wedding.

After your pictures have been taken and developed,
choose your favorite and send it in with the forms that
the newspaper has sent to you.  If you want your
picture back, don't forget to include a self-addressed
and stamped envelope.  You may also want to place a
piece of cardboard in the envelope, so that your
picture cannot bend.  And, write "DO NOT BEND" on the
outside of the envelope in red ink.

If your pictures have a lot of empty space in them,
don't worry, the newspaper will crop your picture to
the size that they want it anyway.  If you are really
worried about it, include a little note and ask them to
please crop the edges of your picture.

So, there you have it - engagement photos at an
affordable price.  And if for some reason it did not
work out, you can still hire a professional
photographer.  But, I think it will work out for you!
Let me know!  I would love to hear about your
experiences!  Write to me at: kelly@bwedd.com

Well, I hope that you are having a wonderful time
planning your wedding and that all is a success!

Sincerely,
Kelly Kons, Editor
http://www.bwedd.com/truecompanions/


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** Do you have questions about this or past articles?
Please drop me a line.  I would love to hear from you
and help you out in any way I can! **

- Kelly Kons, Editor
kelly@bwedd.com

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Kelly Kons, Editor                   kelly@bwedd.com
P.O. Box 667                 Hales Corners, WI 53130
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