Please feel free to contact me at 604.798.8574 or info@jenniferrodriguezcruz.com for further details and to book your date before it’s taken!

Looking forward to hearing from you, and being apart of your incredibly special day!

Here are some of my favorites from their day…

The locket attached to her bouquet has very special meaning to her…

…and just wanted to share what they did with one of their engagement shots [too cute! hehe]…

Congrats again to the both of you! So happy to have been part of your day…hope you two had an amazing time away

Be sure to leave a comment if you have a second!

Weddings can be stressful. This is almost unavoidable. I’ve personally been there. And I have witnessed it all the time in the industry that I am in. However, some of this stress can be lowered with a well planned out day.

My clients mean the world to me. I appreciate them for choosing to go with me as the photographer, and I understand how important this day is to each and every one of my couples and their families. I love to help them out any way I can with any little tidbit of advice I might have that I have picked up along the way in my life. There are many things that we don’t always think about that could help ensure that our big day is wonderful.

That being said…I decided to interview a Wedding Planner to help brides out there a little bit in their planning.

I interviewed Nicki Bullock (Harris). Some of you may recognize her from previous posts…as I shot her wedding in Mexico, her maternity portraits, as well as her recent newborn son…she also just happens to be my cousin! hehe

Nicki has 8 years of experience in the industry. Having participated on Life Network’s “Making it Big”, and winning first place, she was mentored by celebrity wedding planner, Sharon Sacks. Nicki then planned weddings and events from Vancouver to L.A. with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $1,000,000+.

With an incredible amount of experience under her belt, I knew she would have some advice to offer brides out there, in the midst of their planning!

When I arrived at her place, I of course had to hold her cute little Weston first, and chit-chat about life.  Then we dove into some questions…

Jen: When it comes to the day of the wedding, what advice can you give brides?

Nicki: Having one “point person” for the vendors to go to is vital to the flawless execution of a wedding. There are so many small little items that need to be taken care of throughout the course of the ceremony and reception and as the couple you will enjoy your wedding more fully if you have that “point person”  that the vendors and guests can ask questions to.

Jen: What do you feel is the most important area to allocate money towards?

Nicki: I believe that there are two things when it comes to weddings that should be on the top of the priority list: food and photography. Food is always something that your guest is going to remember and talk about for years to come. When planning my brides’ weddings, I always ensure that we have looked at every detail from the guest perspective.  But, for the couple, photography should be the most important. It is the one thing that, besides your memories, you will have after you have said “I do”.

Weddings can add up very quickly, so it is very important to “flag” those items early in your planning process to ensure you get quality vendors.

Jen: When dealing with vendors, what tips can you offer?

Nicki: Be honest about your expectations and your budget. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and you are putting it in the hands of the professionals that you hire- you need to start that relationship off on the best foot. Every wedding professional is used to dealing with all different ideas and budgets, so we have seen it all. Plus, it helps us get excited about your special day so that we can paint a realistic picture.

Jen: Timing is something that as a photographer, I have noticed can make a difference in the flow of the day- what are your thoughts on this?

Nicki: Timing can certainly make or break any wedding if it hasn’t been well thought out. All too often brides do not estimate how long hair and makeup will take or that guests will want to say congrats after the ceremony- all of these small items can add up and take away from the cocktail hour or the pictures. If brides do not have a planner, I would often recommend they sit down with one just for a few hours to go over these details to ensure the timing makes sense.

Jen: How far advance should you book your major vendors?

Nicki: When it comes to all of the major vendors (venue, caterer (if needed), photographer and dress) they should be booked at least 8 months to 1 year ahead of time. Ensuring you are on top of these key items will guarantee that you book your first choice of professionals.

Jen: And, what can a bride expect a week or so before the wedding?

Nicki: The week before the wedding is going to be the busiest time of the entire planning process. If you don’t have a planner, it would be very important to meet with all the vendors 1 to 2 weeks ahead of time to confirm all details- if possible have all your vendors meet together at the venue to discuss as a team all the details. Meeting the week before will allow all the vendors to ask questions to guarantee they have all bases covered to ensure your wedding is absolutely flawlessly executed!

I’d like to thank Nicki, for taking the time to sit down a chat about all things weddings…wonderful information here, that I hope helped you ladies out there, even if just the slightest bit

Nicki has now settled down in Chilliwack with her 3 month old son, and wonderful husband but is available for wedding or event consultations by the hour, please call 604.792.9930 to book your appointment.

Let’s start with her gorgeous gown (I always like starting with the gown, hehe)…I’ve noticed a trend with wedding gowns right now, lace is really in, and I just love it…I think lace has a timeless look, so pretty.

And her shoes….and camouflage garder, hehe…such a cute idea..

The bridesmaids’ bouquet. They actually made these bouquets themselves, and they did such a fantastic job on them, they are so gorgeous!

And Suzie’s bouquet…I love the little jewel cross in it..

The church. Such a cold day, but so worth it…such an incredible day!

Adam getting ready before the ceremony.

He wore his uniform for the wedding…

The guys.

Here comes the beautiful bride…

Suzie, this is the moment Adam first saw his bride!

My favorite moments: glossy, teary eyes…so full of emotion

Checkin’ out his ring for the first time…

They’re married!!

After the ceremony and family photos, we ventured up to Cultus Lake.

Suzie had a few coat breaks (it was just sooo cold)…but the jacket went very nicely with her gown

After the Cultus shoot, the Bride and Groom and I then went to downtown Chilliwack for some more couples shots…and because of the winter season, it got dark early…so we got some fun shots in the dark

I love this first shot…I think it has a sort of 1940’s feel to it…

Congrats, again, you guys! I had such a good time working with you. I wish you all the best in your future together.

Ok, ok–enough talking!! hehe…here are some of my faves from the wedding!

One proud father, and a teary-eyed bride! One of my favorite shots…

Thanks, guys- it was so awesome to have met you!

And everyone please remember to become a fan on facebook, as there is sometimes more inside info and/or specials over that way! Click here to become a fan

This is for all the brides out there! (And grooms too, if they’re into the planning )
I came across this blog this morning, through another photographer friend, Cathy Empey, who was featured on the site. Anyway, the blog is FULL of cool and cute ideas when it comes to anything wedding! From your decorations to your favors to your invitations, your bound to see something you like. If you scroll through the “Wedding Edibles” posts, you’ll even see a post on “Wedding Lemonade Stands”…really unique, and fun!

Check it out! Brenda’s Wedding Blog