Posts Tagged ‘weddings’

Purple Orchid Inn at its best

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Over the year 2009 Peter Bruce Photo & Video have done a lot of good weddings,but it would be hard to go past time one for Jillianne & Andrew at the beautiful Purple Orchid Inn. Look at all the photos on my blog at

www.peterbruceweddingphotography.com/blog

    Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

    Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

    Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

Purple Orchid Inn by Peter Bruce Photo

Really hope that you enjoy

Best Peter Bruce Photo

Play a joke on the groom

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Want to play a joke on the groom,try this good one from Peter Bruce Photo & Video.During the wedding ceremony, when the minister/preacher/priest comes to the part about, “If anyone has any reason why these two people should not marry, speak up now or forever hold your peace…” have this 4-to-6,iyear old boy running up the aisle loudly yelling, “Daddy, daddy.” It works better if the groom does not know the boy.

Cheers  Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Wedding flowers,why does a bride carry them by Peter Bruce Photo

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Why does a bride carry Flowers at her wedding…

All birides carry flowers,but do you know why,well Peter Bruce Photo & Video is here to tell you why and show you some great samples of bouquets.

For centuries, flowers have stood for a variety of emotions and values.  Roses for love, lilies for virtue and so on. In ancient marriages, the brides carried herbs beneath their veils to symbolize fidelity.  Greek brides carried ivy as a symbol of never-ending love.  Orange blossoms, (the world renowned wedding flower) were chosen by the Spaniards to represent happiness and fulfillment, because the orange tree flowers and bears fruit at the same time.  During even earlier times of “primitive marriage,” when the fear of demons was most prevalent, the brides carried stinking garlands of herbs and spices for the purpose of frightening off evil spirits.

Today, brides carry flowers in the color scheme of their wedding, bringing beauty and elegance as well as old world customs to their special day.  Have you considered spelling out the name of your groom in the flowers of your bouquets?

We hope you enjoyed this,plesae let us know and let us know about any you want to here about.

Best Regards Peter Bruce Photo & Video

The best in the business by Peter Bruce Photo

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Over the years Peter Bruce Photo & Video has worked with many wedding planners. I am here to tell you it is hard to beat Sanford the wedding coach ,he is one of the best around… Here is a little info on him.


“The mission of the Wedding Coach is to help you and your fiancé enjoy the entire planning process from start to finish. We combine your vision with our experience to create the wedding of your dreams. Our formula for great weddings is founded on our belief that this is one of life’s most precious moments and you deserve to treasure every minute of it.

The Wedding Coach is run by CEO and founder, Sanford Marshall. Sanford has spent ten years as the Regional Director of Special Events for The San Francisco Bay Club one of the premier private health and social clubs in California. With this extensive event planning experience, Sanford has developed robust relationships with partners in the restaurant and hotel industry, and has reciprocal associations with numerous wineries, photographers, private chefs, caterers, hotels, destination resorts and more. It is with these colleagues that Sanford will help you achieve your wedding vision with style, elegance, and if you’d like a little flair.”

-Sanford Marshall

Hope you enjoyed  Best Regards Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Fun in Fog at Mira Vista

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Peter Bruce Photo & Video was lucky enough to shot this great couple wedding at Mira Vista was  the perfect place to host this couples weddiing even with the fog. Located only 20-minutes from downtown San Francisco, Mira Vista made the wedding feel like you are a world apart from the big city. The banquet room boast some of the most magnificent views in the entire Bay Area after the fog cleared. From the San Francisco skyline to the  distant Mount Tamalpais to the Golden Gate Bridge, the views are vast and breathtaking. And once the sun had set over the Bay, there warmly lit banquet room created an equally glorious ambience for great food and wold dancing. Designed in the 1920s by the notable Bay Area architect W. H. Ratcliff, the clubhouse is a supreme example of the English Tudor Revival.

I hope you enjoyed the wedding as much as I did,this couple were the coolest and the there family and friend were the best

Please let me know

Cheers Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Beach Wedding Locations in California by Peter Bruce

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Beach Wedding Locations in California

Why California? Why not, it’s the best

California has 840 miles of coastline (second to Alaska),Peter Bruce Photo & Video has shot at alot of them,so we thought we would give you some tips. There are  hundreds of unique beaches for couples to choose from when planning their wedding. While the most popular image of a beach wedding that many couples have may be white sand, turquoise water, and towering palm trees, they assume those locations are only available in Hawaii, the Carribean

or other tropical locations, never realizing that there are many beach wedding locations in California that offer the same idyllic backdrop. At the same time, the wide variety of shore types along California’s Pacific Coast gives couples many options for more unique locations.

In addition to a wide range of locations, California is a more affordable, more convenient location for many couples whose wedding budgets may not stretch to distant islands or foreign countries, and it is a more affordable destination for guests as well. There is less paperwork required for a California wedding (no passports or extensive travel papers for U.S. citizens), and the state’s liberal nature makes it a perfect choice for couples who have unique plans for their celebration.

Types of California Beaches

With such a lengthy coast, there are many types of beaches couples can choose from to celebrate their wedding on the sand in California. Depending on where in the state they plan to wed, options may include:

  • State parks with picnic facilities
  • Small local beaches
  • Beachfront resorts Hotels with private beaches, gardens, or golf courses overlooking the beach
  • Nostalgic piers
  • Dramatic coastal cliffs
  • Rented beach houses
  • Sandy beaches
  • Rocky shores with dramatic formations
  • Isolated, private coves
  • Chartered cruises or yachts
  • Grassy parks just steps from the water
  • City parks with bridges, mansions, and skylines in the background
  • Stunning west coast sunsets
  • Luxury beach clubs

Choosing the Best Beach for you

With such a wide range of beach styles to choose from, couples may feel overwhelmed when deciding on a specific beach. To narrow down the selection, there are several questions to ask to find the best beach for each unique celebration.

  1. What beaches are near a convenient city for traveling guests?
  2. Is the beach crowded or isolated?
  3. What fees are required to perform a beach wedding or to use beach facilities?
  4. Are facilities – parking, restrooms, etc. – adequate for the wedding?
  5. What condition is the beach in regarding cleanliness, wildlife, etc.?
  6. Are there local place to stay

    , attractions, and other amenities available for guests?

  7. What views are available from the beach that may be reflected in photographs?
  8. Is the beach easy to access, both in terms of driving as well as walking along it?

By considering each of these questions carefully, couples can narrow down their choices of beaches to find the perfect spot for their wedding.

Popular Beach Wedding Locations in California

With many of the state’s largest cities sprawled along the coast, there are a number of highly popular beaches that frequently host weddings. Some of California’s most popular beaches for weddings include…


Say I do on the sand.
  • Santa Barbara Beach
  • Crystal Cove State Beach near Newport Beach
  • Bolsa Chica State Beach near Huntington Beach
  • Paradise Cove in Malibu
  • Marina Del Rey
  • Pismo Beach
  • Santa Monica
  • Sunset Beach in northern Cal
  • San Francisco Bay beaches
  • Monterey
  • Laguna Beach

The exact places vary widely based on the type of beach wedding a couple envisions; beaches just a few miles apart may have vastly different physical characteristics. Before choosing a beach simply because it is near a popular destination, couples should try to visit the site or arrange to see photographs of the location, preferably of recent weddings there. This can help couples decide if that luxury Malibu Beach wedding is right for them, or if they’d rather have a more isolated, casual celebration in Pismo Beach.

Arranging a California Beach Wedding

Couples who live in California may have no difficulty arranging a beach wedding, but as the state becomes more popular for get a way weddings, different wedding planners have begun to offer package services to help arrange beach weddings. Packages typically include all the basic services for a small, non-denominational service: an officiant, flowers for the happy couple, music, a limited number of pictures cakes, and other details can all be arranged. Most packages can be customized for a couple’s unique wishes, and many wedding planners are also willing to help coordinate larger celebrations. When contacting a planner, couples should ask about their experience with beach festivities and what geographic range they can provide services for within the state.

Hope this helps with beach wedding planning

Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Are you crazy…money does buy happiness,let me know what you think by Peter Bruce

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

1… Money – Yes it’s true,show me the money Peter Bruce Photo & Video says. While it may seem impersonal or uncreative,screw it, money is my number one recommended wedding gift. Most young couples are saving for something big – a house, a car, a piece of furniture, or are still paying back their student loans. Money may also help them have an extra-special honeymoon or let them order that extra photo for their album. While it’s rude for a couple to ask for money, it is never rude to give cash. If you still want to give a personal wedding gift, combine the two: attach a check to a beautiful picture frame, a kitchen gadget, or a long letter detailing your wishes and advice for their marriage. The people that say money does not buy happiness are DUM.

2… An expensive item off of their registry – Often the more-expensive items on a couple’s registry are dream wedding gifts that they don’t think they’re actually going to get. Whether you’re wealthy enough to buy such a wedding gift on your own, or you organize other guests to all chip in, you’ll be making dreams come true.

3… A luxurious hotel room for their first night as a married couple – Start their marriage off right by giving them a night to remember before they take off for their honeymoon. Check with the bride’s mother or the maid-of-honor to ensure reservations have not already been made, and give your gift early so that they’ll be able to include it in their plans.

4… A wedding gift to stand the test of time – Whether it’s a bottle of scotch or fine wine with instructions to open on their tenth anniversary, a gorgeous vase, or piece of art, give a gift on which the couple will be able to look fondly and say “Our friend John gave us that for our wedding.” Other ideas include the couple’s wedding invitation in a beautiful frame, a handmade quilt or tablecloth, or an antique piece of furniture.

5… Make their honeymoon extra sweet – If you’ve ever been to the place where the couple is honeymooning, use that knowledge to get them a gift certificate for your favorite restaurant or resort activity. You could also upgrade their plane tickets to first class, give them a camera to help them take great pictures, or give them some spending money tucked inside a guidebook of the area.

We hope this helps, not that you did not know money does buy happness

Good luck Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Funny wedding story

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

One of the best wedding stories

OH MY GOD

OH MY GOD

We were married in Vegas NV. We are geeks, so we booked our wedding online. We wanted everyone to join us, but knew not everyone would be able to travel to Vegas. So, we found “The Little White Chapel” which had a wedding web cam in the church. It wasn’t a live stream, but took snaps about every minute. We even booked Elvis online! We sent out the wedding invitations via email and gave everyone the URL for the wedding cam so they could join us remotely.

If they were going to join us in Vegas the dress code for the wedding was “Big Dog” attire. You would have to wear a t-shirt or some other “Big Dog” apparel. My dress had Big Dogs all over it and the groom had a Big Dog bow tie and cummerbund. Most guests wore a Big Dog t-shirt and loved the fact that it was so informal.

For the rehearsal dinner, we took everyone to King Arthur’s court where we ate our dinner with our fingers and watched a jousting match.

Elvis was late arriving at the church and everyone said it’s because he was dead :) We ended up filling the church and it was standing room only. While we waited for Elvis, someone had the idea to start a “wave” for the folks at home that couldn’t make it to Vegas. So we started to do the wave and would pause for the wedding cam to snap a shot then change to the next wave position and waited for the cam again. We kept doing that until the wave was complete. The folks watching remotely said they knew exactly what we were doing and thought it was a riot! There was no audio, so I called work from my cell phone and had someone hold it during the ceremony so they could hear what was going on. There were about 50 people at work watching our wedding – they even brought a wedding cake!

Our wedding was enjoyed remotely by friends and family across the country and about 40 joined us in Vegas!!! After the ceremony, we had everyone back to our 2 bedroom resort suite for champagne and finger foods. For the folks that couldn’t make it to Vegas, we had a reception at home after we returned from our honeymoon in Hawaii. MANY people commented that they had more fun at our wedding than any other wedding they had ever been to. People are still talking about it!!! Did I mention this wedding HAD to have been the easiest and most stress free wedding to plan??? Also, the wedding costs were very low, which enable us to spend more on our honeymoon!

Hope you enjoyed

Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Formal Portraits… Coordinating with your wedding Photographer

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Here are some tips for coordinating with your wedding Photographer. After you have selected a photographer, take the time to work through the details with him; this will help to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Meet once or twice, about a month before the wedding, to discuss what sorts of pictures you want; then meet again soon after for a tour of the location (if feasible) and to schedule the sequence of events. There should be a follow-up by the photographer about a week before the wedding with a confirmation of the shot list and the previously outlined schedule, either of which may need to be adjusted to accommodate last-minute changes in your overall plans. Although a wedding planner, if you have one, can competently handle straightforward logistical issues, only you can decide what images you want to come away with.

Putting together a shot list is a process of delicately balancing expectations (both yours and those of relatives and friends) with the constraints of reality. Though your aunt may want a photograph of you with each cousin individually, this could take a fair amount of time and effort.  I warn against a lengthy list, which will overburden the photographer, the couple, and the guests. On the other hand, you do not want to realize that a favorite person was left out months after it is too late. So it is best to determine in advance who is important to you and to make sure that he or she will have a formal portrait taken with you. It may help to consider just what you will be doing with the portraits. Realistically, you will probably want only a few large prints for display on your mantel or living room wall. Other people can be remembered in your album, which is often more enjoyable when filled with casual shots taken during the celebration. When you are reviewing this list of special people, talk to the photographer about each person. Let him or her know who’s funny or troublesome, or who cannot stand still for long periods of time. Knowing these things will make your photographer’s job much easier and more fun. Jusr remember even though you are taking formal shoot they should be fun. My really personel view is I am there to shoot you and what I like to say softly direct you,not beat you up. We should be a team,you should feel good in front of the camera and I should get the sots you want. Remember,hire a photographer who is good and also has good bed side manner.

Hope this helps,please let me know.

Best Peter Bruce Photo & Video

Tipping at weddings

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Tipping Wedding Vendors

Over the years Peter Bruce Photo & Video has been ask a lot about tipping at wedding and there does not seem to be much good info out there,so I am stepping up to the plate.Here you go.

Though you may think you’ve accounted for every imaginable wedding expense, there is one fee that might elude you: the tip. Rewarding vendors with a tip is expected, and it will serve as a thank-you for a job well done. But figuring out whom to tip, how much to pay, and when to offer it can be tricky.

While some vendors include gratuities in their fees, many will leave the amount up to you — and the level of service they provide can influence what you give them. Tips can add up quickly, costing you a few thousand dollars. Gratuities for caterers alone can be $200 to $600 or more, for example, depending on the number of guests, your catering costs, and where you live. Most tips should be handed out the day of the wedding, so it’s wise to assign the job to a friend or family member. A follow-up thank-you note is often a valued tip in itself, as your word can be a recommendation for the vendor.

Officiants…
While it isn’t necessary to tip priests, ministers, rabbis, or other religious officiants (many of them, in fact, won’t accept cash tips), if you want to thank them for their services, consider making a donation to their organization or house of worship. A typical amount is $75 to $100, separate from any fee you may be charged for the officiant’s time.

If you belong to a church, your own minister or priest may perform the wedding at no charge. In this case, you could make a donation to the church, and as an extra thank-you, consider sending something personal, such as a gift certificate to a nice restaurant.

If your wedding is performed by a civil employee such as a judge, clerk, or other nonreligious official, then forgo a gratuity. Such officiants are paid a flat rate and are usually not permitted to accept tips or donations — local law may actually prohibit it. A thoughtful card, however, is always appreciated.

Catering Staff…
Many caterers include a gratuity in their contract to be divided up among the workers, but be sure to ask. If the gratuity isn’t included, plan on tipping all staff members, including the catering or banquet manager, waiters, bartenders, chefs, and other essential workers who help serve guests.

“Most catering staff members receive a decent hourly wage, however, so you needn’t go overboard on their tips,” says Joe Piane, sales manager and executive chef at Piane Caterers in Wilmington, Delaware.

You can calculate the tip as a percentage of the cost of your total catering bill. Figure on paying about 15 to 20 percent of the amount for the banquet manager to share with the kitchen and serving staff. Another way to compute the gratuity is to offer a flat amount for each worker, which is often a more economical method, especially if your catering company is expensive. You’ll want to give roughly $100 to $200 for the catering or banquet manager, $50 each for chefs (and bakers), and $20 to $30 each for waiters and kitchen staff, divided into separate envelopes.

Tips can be paid in advance to the director of the catering company, or you can hand them to the banquet manager toward the end of the evening.

Musicians & DJs…
Tipping customs vary, depending on whether you hire an independent band or deejay or book through an agency. For independent bands that book their own gigs, tipping is not customary.

“No matter what your deejay or band is charging, the money is going right into their pockets, so don’t feel like you have to give extra, unless of course they really went above and beyond,” says Kelly Scriven, owner of the Bride’s Maid, a wedding consulting business in Whitman, Massachusetts. Valerie Romanoff, owner of New York City–based Starlight Orchestras, adds, “We’re always pleasantly surprised when clients tip us and recognize the entertainment value of what we provide, but it’s not expected.”

If you employ your band or deejay through an entertainment agency, the company will usually either include a gratuity in the contract or suggest that you give each band member or deejay a little extra in cash. If your contract includes a “service charge,” don’t assume that it is the gratuity. “The service charge often goes right back to the company,” says Scriven.

Musicians should be tipped about $20 to $25 apiece; deejays get at least $25. Many bands offer a vocalist for the ceremony at an additional cost. Tip him or her the same amount as you would one of the other musicians. Hand out the tips in cash at the end of the night.

Stylists & Makeup Artists…
Even though it’s a particularly special day, you can still tip stylists and makeup artists as you would for a regular appointment — 15 to 20 percent. For each assistant who helps with secondary tasks, such as shampooing, plan on giving a gratuity of $3 to $5.

You can hand out tips in envelopes directly to stylists, or leave them at the salon’s front desk. If you’re short on cash, it’s fine to tip by check or include it on a charge. If a stylist comes to your home or the wedding site, tip as you would at a salon, but in general, makeup artists and hair stylists who own their own businesses are not tipped.

Photographers, Videographers, Florists, & Wedding Coordinators…
For people who own their own businesses, as many of these vendors do, tipping isn’t necessary. For photographers, videographers, and florists who do not own their own businesses, tip $30 to $50; wedding coordinators should be given about $50 to $100.

If you feel that the service you received from one of these vendors was extraordinary (say, if the videographer stayed and took footage of an after-wedding party even though it wasn’t in his contract), an additional 10 percent tip would be a nice gesture, Or you might send a thank-you gift such as flowers or a print from your photographer showing the vendor in action at your wedding.

Site Staff…
Wherever you have your wedding, there will likely be many behind-the-scenes workers, such as coat checkers, powder-room attendants, or parking valets. Make sure you do not overlook these people — while you may not have much contact with them throughout the celebration, they help keep guests happy. Sometime before the wedding, ask the site manager to instruct workers not to accept any tips from guests. Instead, plan on tipping them yourself. At the end of the evening, pay coat checkers a total of $1 to $2 per guest, which they can share. Powder-room attendants should receive 50 cents to $1 per guest, to be divided among them. Set aside $1 to $1.50 per car to give to the parking manager, who can then divide up the cash among the valets.

Seamstresses, Delivery People, & Drivers…
Though they won’t actually be at the wedding, these workers’ preparatory roles are just as important, so be sure to thank them in some way.

The people delivering the flowers and cake should receive at least $5 each at the time they make their deliveries. A gratuity for your limousine driver may already be included in your bill, but if it’s not, consider giving a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the cost (pay it in cash when the driver picks you up). For seamstresses, a cash tip is not expected, but sending a small gift such as a photo of you in your dress is a wonderful way to show your gratitude.

I hope this has help with an item most people don’t know much about

Best regards Peter Bruce Photo & Video