I have to say being involved in an industry where you are a part of a family's special day is pretty awesome.  Everyone is (usually) in a great mood and ready to celebrate.  We love getting caught up in the excitement of a bride marrying her groom!  But at the end of the day, after all of the guests have left, after the food is cold, a wedding day is still about two families coming together. Sure the whole process can be stressful and overwhelming, but having perspective goes a long way. It is the start of forever!  And sometimes that forever can start with really hard things.  

Right now we have several families that are dealing with really hard things.  We have at least 5 moms that are battling cancer, mostly breast cancer.  A wedding day to these families might be a little different than some.  For my mom, my brother's wedding was something that gave her hope, honestly something to live for (not that her family wasn't enough but you know what I mean).  She enjoyed planning the details and was so excited for the day to arrive.  Unfortunately she died a week before the wedding.  I have no doubt that she hung on longer because she had this great party to look forward to.

But as I meet these sweet moms (and daughters) that are currently going through treatments or recovery and I see their short, after chemo hair, or their beautiful wigs that they bought especially for the wedding, it gives me so much perspective on what's really important.  Spend quality time with your loved ones.  Don't go crazy if the place cards are not perfect.  It's not the end of the world.  In 20 years you are not going to remember that about the day.  Be in the moment and enjoy the wedding festivities.  Enjoy your family that have all made such a great effort to be at your wedding.  And the best part is at the end of the wedding day, you and your honey are partners for life!  Their family is your family, even through really hard things.

With the end of October near - and the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month - I want to try to give some perspective to everyone.  Just take a deep breath when the wedding gets stressful and remember why it is that you are getting married.  

Happy Planning! Angela S. Deaver Main Street Productions Bride Enthusiast e. angela@mainstreetav.com w. mainstreetav.com m. 205.612.9574

Photo courtesy of Breanna Fogg Photography

Being the wedding industry, we have to remember that not everyone lives and breathes weddings and events like we do.  Sometimes we have moms of the brides that haven't planned a wedding in over 20 years.  

A couple of months ago, I was chatting with a MOB that had called about using us for their wedding videography. The bride was getting married in May of this year.  After telling the mom that we were not available, she made a comment that I had not heard before.  She said, "I guess there is no such thing as a June bride anymore." Although I was raised in the South, I don't know a lot of the typical Southern phrases.  So I consulted Google.  

According to folklore, "The goddess Juno was the protector of women in all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno's month was considered most auspicious."  Well there you go.  

Wedding season, here in the South, can range from March until October, and many brides choose the cooler months to have a Winter Wonderland-themed wedding.  We don't find that June is the only month that people want to get married.  Some months are so busy you forget to eat (almost!).  To get the pick of the vendors you want, plan on booking them a year out. It's not always necessary, but remember June is not the only month that brides want to get married.

Happy Planning! Angela S. Deaver Main Street Productions Bride Enthusiast e. angela@mainstreetav.com w. mainstreetav.com m. 205.612.9574

Thanks to Rachael Grammer with Two Hearts Weddings & Events for spotlighting this fun service from Wedding Wire.  The big plus is that it is F R E E!  It's a hashtag generator for your wedding.  How fun!!!  Try it today through this link.

Contact us today to save your date!  

Angela S. Deaver | Main Street Productions | Birmingham Wedding Video |

angela@mainstreetav.com

205-612.9574

Everyone loves a nice outdoor wedding, right?  Cool breeze, not too hot of air, 0% humidity and there are NO bugs.  Well, this is Alabama and none of those things happen around here, y'all.  (If you know me, you know that y'all is foreign word on my lips but it was very appropriate here.)

Please, PLEASE if you are having an outdoor wedding at dusk, provide some mosquito spray to your guests.  Or better yet, hire one of those services to come and spray the location the day before. Everyone is miserable when they are covered with a zillion mosquitos!  We have even picked out mosquitos that have been caught in the bride's veil.  How romantic.  

Photo courtesy of Jerrod Brown Studios

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Angela S. Deaver | Main Street Productions | Birmingham Wedding Videographer

"It’s a beginning and an ending, it’s glorious and sad, and it’s intimate and public.  In your lifetime there will be few milestones that will change the course of your future more than your wedding day. Main Street Productions understands and believes in the emotions of life. We bring these emotions to our art and look forward to presenting you a glimpse into your own past." - John Deaver, Main Street Productions

For some time now, I have been debating on whether to publish this post.  But I think I am to the point now where I hope that it will do a lot of good. 

Wedding vendors are a tight knit group.  We work hard, put in more than our fair share of hours and then get up and do it all over again.  We also socialize with each other.  When you don't have normal co-workers to complain to, be excited for, you look to each other for valuable information or reassurance.  The good ones realize what an important day your wedding can be and are excited about being a part of it.  

But what we are hearing is disturbing.  Brides are talking with each other about how to get discounts from vendors, or how to yell and scream to get something for free. I even saw a chain of posts on The Knot's forums on this very thing.   The advice consisted of being dishonest in talking with her vendors, using cut-throat tactics, all just to get some small percentage off. 

I would just like to say that this is not the best approach.  Here is a little known secret in the wedding industry. 

Be really nice to your vendors.  Treat them as an artist of their craft.  Treat them like real people.  Respect them. 

You might be suprised what you get for free.

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Angela S. Deaver | Main Street Productions | Birmingham Wedding Videographer

    205-612-9574

"It’s a beginning and an ending, it’s glorious and sad, and it’s intimate and public.  In your lifetime there will be few milestones that will change the course of your future more than your wedding day. Main Street Productions understands and believes in the emotions of life. We bring these emotions to our art and look forward to presenting you a glimpse into your own past." - John Deaver, Main Street Productions