Out of this world....

...that's where the Hubble space craft literally got to fly and is what we think of our official wedding photographer - Andrea Hubbell! YAY!

Thank you all for the kind and open advice you gave on my last post. I truly believe it helped because you each called attention to the distinct differences in the two photographers we were considering. The more Javier and I talked, the more we realized, while Joyeuse photos are absolutely beautiful, they weren't what we wanted for our wedding pics. The vintage look that Tahni edits with certainly makes her photos romantic, but in the end we decided that we really didn't want that editing style for our day. Andrea's clean and crisp approach really allows you to see how everything was on the day (the good, the bad and the ugly) - but I think that's exactly what we want! We want someone to document the day for us, as is!
So in the end, while cost did matter, it didn't decide for us (which I think is okay). These pictures will be what lasts (besides our wonderful marriage) past the day so we decided that we should get what we really wanted and if it meant skipping out on something later on, we were okay with that!

Here is Andrea and her hubby, Brian (our 2nd photographer for the day). Javier and I really enjoyed sitting down with them for just an hour and are looking forward to continue working with them throughout our planning. (Preview - Andrea will be taking some engagement pictures for us as well - look forward to it!).

Okay, so what did I learn from our photographer finding journey? I'll give you two.

**Advice Alert** Stand your ground.

Now, you don't have to be mean about it, but I think it is okay to know what you want, set some priorities and stick by them. So far, all the vendors we've met with have had a lot of advice. Which is great! They're in this business, they do 30+ weddings a year and the truth is, this is our first (and hopefully last). So its great to have the advice supplied in plenty. However...if you know what you want (and I mean that its a hope above hopes) and a vendor tells you 'you really don't want (that thing you actually really do want)' - you totally have to stick to your guns. Yes, they have more experience, but they don't know you! - and the day is really about you and that other half. We ruled out a photographer because I felt like she kept dismissing some of the options I was asking about, saying 'you don't want that.' Well clearly I do or I wouldn't be asking you how much its gonna cost....so, take the advice, but stick with what you want. After all, they'll get to do 29 more wedding this year and you'll still only get your one. They can do it their way for another wedding ;)

**Advice Alert** Negotiate.

Okay, I'm saying it like I'm William Shatner in a Priceline commercial and I am not. In fact, Javier is the negotiator in our house hold. (When he negotiated the price of his bed last year - I was so embarrassed that I went to wait in the car rather than watch the painful process of the back and forth.) I'm a negotiating wuss - which is somewhat odd considering my ability to argue in most other aspects of my life...anyways, I do think that there is some room for negotiating with your vendors for your wedding. I'm personally more of a fan of asking for more stuff at the price the vendor gave rather than straight arguing $$. Anyways, the point is, it doesn't hurt to ask and if you don't ask then you definitely won't get more stuff. Andrea's price was a little higher than what we were hoping for, but we talked with her about what we were looking for and ended up with a package that really fit our needs at a cost we could live with. She told us herself that she was willing to 'work with couples' if she felt like they would be good to work with. So ask, maybe they'll say yes!

Alright readers, two big decisions down (place and someone to take pics of us there)! I think we'll try to tackle food next! Apparently we're supposed to feed you folk if you show up?

Oh! and I'm trying on wedding dresses this weekend :) If they let us take pics I promise to post some rejects next week :)