Friday, 25 May 2012

Wedding Music, Wedding Videos, and Copyright Infringement Laws

Every industry is affected by the restraints of music copyright laws and the wedding industry is no exception. With the increase in enforcement of those that commit copyright infringement, wedding professionals including wedding videographers, wedding planners and anyone else choosing or using wedding music in their projects are not exempt from paying large fees for all wedding video music, music for wedding videos and any other music they need.
The ease of downloading all types of music, and particularly wedding music via the internet and through both illegal and legal file sharing programs has gone up exponentially as the availability of such programs has increased. Because of the increased availability of copyright protected music, large music providers such as BMI and ASCAP have begun to prosecute in cases where people have not paid appropriately for use of the wedding video music, background music and production music that professionals and other individuals use in their projects.
While it is impossible for large companies to prosecute all violators of copyright laws, many wedding video companies, both large and small have already found themselves paying exorbitant fees that total well over the amount they would have paid had they legally purchased the wedding music in the first place just to settle copyright infringement issues. Just because a video is not intended for public viewing does not make it non-infringing to use popular music as a background music or production music, and public performance is one of the reserved rights of the copyright owners.
Wedding professionals and videographers have a tall order to fill. Not only are they responsible for filming the ceremony, reception and all other aspects of the wedding day, but also they are responsible either for choosing music that compliments the spirit of the day, the couple's personalities and the high quality of the video through an appropriate and rich soundtrack of background music and production music. Weddings today vary much more than they used to; more couples are seeking wedding music and wedding video music that strays from the traditional and ranges from contemporary to cutting edge and progressive.
Regardless of the couple's preferences, wedding professionals must either choose fully representative wedding video music themselves from the huge amount available, or buy the rights to the music the couple asks for from a music provider. Unfortunately, the cost of paying royalties to large companies in order to use both traditional and contemporary original wedding music in videos, ceremonies and at receptions is extremely expensive. Wedding videographers and other individuals that handle many ceremonies, receptions and projects per month might expect to pay thousands of dollars per month in order to legally use popular wedding video music, music for wedding ceremonies and all other types of wedding music.

Thursday, 24 May 2012

How to Choose the Right Wedding Band

You've heard the "4 Cs" of smart diamond buying. But what about the wedding band? Wedding bands are not the most expensive wedding purchase you will make, not like spending between $1,000-$10,000 on that beautiful sparkling diamond rock. You may not spend a lot of time researching the wedding band purchase, but many people end up wearing their wedding band more often and on a day to day basis compared to their engagement ring.
Make an informed decision when purchasing your wedding band.
o Do you prefer a traditional plain wedding band or a design wedding band?
o Do you want to budget in for a designer name brand or do you prefer to forgo the brand name and opt out for essentially the same ring without the "name", thereby significantly reducing costs?
o Pricing Your Wedding Band.
Plain Wedding Bands
You may want to consider a plain band if you prefer a simple design or are not a big "jewelry person". As a jeweler, I often get women shopping for their husbands wedding bands who are considering a plain band because their husband "does not like jewelry". I usually recommend a narrower plain wedding band, such as a white gold or yellow gold 4mm wide band. Although a wider 6mm, 7mm, or 8mm band is standard for most men, someone who does not wear a lot of jewelry may feel more comfortable in a narrow band. (Wedding bands are usually measured in millimeters. A 4mm band is approx. ¼" wide).
If someone is looking for something with a little more of a design, but still wants a simpler band, I may even steer them towards a more subtle design, such as a hammered wedding band. Hammered bands are still understated, but a little more exciting than a traditional plain band.
Design Band
There are many types of design wedding bands to choose from, such as braided wedding bands, hammered design bands, paisley bands, and other unique designs, such as a Celtic wedding band.
The type of design band wedding you choose is a personal choice. There is nothing scientific or practical in selecting a design wedding band other than primarily deciding what type of design you simply like.
The only practical considerations that you may want to make in selecting a wedding band with designs is in understanding that trends come and go and you will be wearing and looking at the design hopefully forever. The other consideration is in deciding whether you will wear your ring on a daily basis and what kind of wear and tear your ring can safely sustain. This usually depends on the type of work or career or regular hobbies.

Wedding Planning In The 21st Century

Wedding planning in the 21st century has changed immensely thanks to the world wide web. The Internet has made searching for wedding ideas, wedding themes, and wedding vendors a lot easier than it used to be. Personal wedding websites have also become a necessity in this day and age. There is no better way to communicate all the vital details to wedding guests, and entertaining family and friends prior to the big day.
Creating an incredible wedding website requires absolutely no programming or technical skills whatsoever. Anyone who can surf the Internet is able to create an awesome personal wedding web page using one of many wedding website builders. The user simply fills in forms with their information, and their data is driven into one of many beautiful wedding website design templates. It is 100% dummy proof!
Personal Wedding Websites are becoming a must have for couples getting married. There is so much information to circulate regarding the details of events, maps, suggested accommodations, and much more. A wedding web page makes all the important particulars available to everyone 24 hours a day worldwide. People can visit your wedding website at any time to find out any important information or just to catch up on what you've been up to the last few years.
Couples can post tons of images on their wedding web site before and after the Big Day. This is a great way for people to get to know the engaged couple and the wedding party before the wedding and relive the festivities for months after. The couple can also post stories about how they met, their favorite things to do, biographies, a quiz, poll, guest book, as well as Real Music and Video Clips on their wedding website.
No matter what your wedding theme is, there is a wedding website design to accommodate you. Wedding website builders have templates that include all of the seasons so that if you are having a winter wedding, you can choose a snowcapped wedding website designs. Getting married in the summer on a beach ? There are many beautiful ocean designs you can try. There are lots of flower motifs, and more formal templates as well. Best of all you can try any of them with a click of a button. Most wedding website builders allow for automatic switching between template designs.
A personal wedding website is an ideal way to make guests aware of the gift registries the couple has selected. It is standard Wedding Etiquette not to include information about the Gift Registry in the Wedding invitation. However it is perfectly acceptable to broadcast the wedding website address. This allows the couple to tactfully inform their friends and family where they are registered and allows them to easily buy gifts online.
Wedding websites also allow couples to plan their entire wedding and related events online. The user can send invitations by email and track all of the important information such as Invitations, RSVP's, Gifts, Thank You's, and more with the planning tools on their wedding website.
Personal wedding websites are the best way to share the events with those unable to attend the festivities. Friends and family worldwide who can't make it to the wedding but who have an interest in the couple are able to feel part of the event, even though they could not be there in person by visiting the wedding website.

Scottish Wedding Folklore & Traditions

Traditional Scottish Wedding
The origins of the traditional Scottish wedding:
Scotland always seems to do things in it's own way and style - and a Scottish wedding is no exception to the rule. In the 21st century, the Scottish wedding is an intricate blend of ancient highland tradition mixed in with modern, streamlined rites. Present day Scottish wedding traditions have their origins as far back as the 13th century. Back then the medieval Celtic church would proclaim the 'banns of marriage' for three successive Sundays. This practice of announcing a forthcoming marriage lasted for 600 years - until in the latter years of the 20th century it became standard to 'give notice of intent' to a registry office several weeks before the intended event.
Medieval Scottish wedding traditions:
It was normal practice in olden times for an entire village to get involved in the preparations for the 'big day'. People would line the streets to the church to cheer on the happy couple before they took their vows. In pre-reformation times, there is evidence that two Scottish wedding services would frequently take place. One in which the priest would address the party in Scots dialect and lead a ceremony outside the church. Whilst the more formal Latin mass and nuptial ceremony would take place inside.
The exchange of the rings has always been a main feature in Scottish wedding ceremonies from ancient times . A ring has no beginning and no end and as such symbolises the love within a marriage. The kissing of the bride follows on from this exchange of rings, and often leads to a cheer from the body of the kirk.
Following on from the formal church ceremony, a piper or group of pipers would frequently lead the entire group of guests down the streets, often to a relative's house, for a non-stop night of celebration, feasting and enjoyment. Local musicians led by pipers would get the dancing started and tradition has it that the first dance, normally a reel, would involve the newly wed couple. Following on from their efforts, the rest of the guests would then dance all the way into the sma' hours. In this respect, little has changed over 800 years - maybe apart from the dress code and the type of beer on tap.
When the wedding celebrations were over, the married couple would then leave to spend the night in their new home. The ancient tradition of carrying the bride over the dnorstep was linked to the superstition that evil spirits inhabit the thresholds of doors. Hence the bride is lifted over the thresholds - and into the wedding bed. In medieval times, a priest would often bless the house and bless the wedding bed at this time. Then for the first time, as man and wife, the newly weds would have some quality time on their own.
Other wedding rituals such as the Highland custom of 'creeling the bridegroom', involved the groom carrying a large creel or basket filled with stones from one end of a village to the other. He continued with this arduous task until such times as his bride to be would come out of her house and kiss him. Only if she did, would his friends allow him to escape from the 'creeling' otherwise he had to continue until he had completed the circuit of the town.
Modern Scottish Wedding Traditions:
In more modern times, a lot of the superstition and rituals have been replaced by more showpiece proceedings. However, many of today's traditions still hark back to the past.
The bagpipes can be used to add atmosphere and grandeur to a wedding. The piper, in full Highland dress, stands at the church door and plays as the guests arrive. Later he leads the couple from the church to the car. The piping traditions continue, the married couple are frequently piped to the top table of honour along with the bridal party. With the cutting of the cake, again a piper is often asked to perform and a dirk, 'sharp highland dagger', is traditionally handed over by the piper to start the 'cutting of the cake'. As the bride slices the first piece of cake, custom dictates that her hand is guided by that of her new husband.
The bride's 'show of presents' originates from the tradition of the 'bridal shower', where local female villagers would gift items that would help a young couple get started successfully in their own home. Nowadays, this often takes place in the home of the mother of the bride and the gifts have a touch more luxury than those in older times.
A bridegroom's stag night, likewise has ancient roots. The young man accompanied by his friends takes to the town and downs a fountain of beverages. One tradition has it that in smaller towns the groom to be would be stripped of his clothes and left in the street outside his home - or worse still tied to a lamp post! The good news is that he wouldn't realise what had happened till the next morning.
The wedding ring, until the late 20th century tended to be for the bride and not the groom. In later decades both bride and groom now wear rings for the most part. The traditional Scottish gold wedding band dates back to the 1500's. This style of ring is still popular as a wedding ring today - as also are Celtic knot work designed engagement and wedding rings.
Traditions in Scotland Before the Wedding Ceremony:
Often before a Scottish bride is married, her mother holds an open house for a traditional "show of presents." Invitations are sent to those who gave wedding gifts to the couple and the wedding gifts are unwrapped and set out for viewing. After the show of presents the bride-to-be is often dressed up and her friends escort her through her town, singing and banging pots and pans, heralding the bride's wedding day. This tradition has evolved into the legendary 'hen night'.
The groom, meanwhile, is taken out for a stag night on one of the evenings preceding the wedding. The Stag Night is meant to be a celebration of the last night of freedom, and a way of reassuring friends that being married doesn't mean that they are shut out of your life. The groom, like the bride, is dressed up and taken around town by his friends and work mates. There is often a great deal of harmless practical joking, of which the poor groom is the main target. When the night winds down, the groom is sometimes stripped of his clothes and covered in soot, treacle and feathers and left overnight tied to a tree or post. In some rural areas an open lorry is hired and the groom is paraded through his local area with much noise and celebration.
Traditional Scottish Wedding Dress:
There is little doubt that traditional Scottish outfits add a touch of class and splendour to the wedding day and its associated ceremonies. The use of highland dress and the kilt, jacket, dirk and sporran in Scottish weddings has continued over the centuries. Whilst the bride's white gown and veil has its roots in more modern times. A Scottish bride will usually wear a traditional white or cream wedding gown. The groom's party and her father may come to the wedding resplendent in full Highland dress in the traditional clan tartan of their clans. She might wear a horseshoe on her arm for good luck, or a pageboy might deliver one to her as she arrives at the ceremony. Bridesmaids may wear whatever the bride has chosen to match her dress and it may include a little tartan accessory. Bouquets may include tartan ribbons or bows.
A gent's highland wedding outfit in its entirety consists of the following:
Bonnie Prince Charlie jacket and waistcoat, kilt, tartan flashes to match kilt, white hose, gillie brogues, kilt pin, sgian dubh, black belt with buckle, formal sporran with chain strap, wing collar shirt, black or coloured bow tie, and a piece of lucky heather on the lapel. He also has the option of wearing a fly plaid, which is anchored under the paulette on the shoulder of the jacket and secured by a large plaid brooch, (Cairngorm).
For the bride 'something old .... something new' -
For the bride a universal custom is the 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' - of course the 'something new' can be the bride's dress! The 'something new' at the wedding can become the 'something old' or 'something borrowed' at the next generation' s weddings. The bride sometimes wears a blue garter (symbolizing love) which plays a part later at the wedding reception. It was also traditional in some areas for the bride to put a small silver coin in her shoe to bring her good luck.

Cheap Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception.
The tradition of distributing wedding favors is a very old one. It is believed that the first wedding favor, common amongst European aristocrats, was known as a bonbonniere. A bonbonniere is a small trinket box made of crystal, porcelain, and/or precious stones. The contents of these precious boxes were generally sugar cubes or delicate confections, which symbolize wealth and royalty. (In this era, sugar was an expensive commodity and was treasured only among the wealthy. It was believed that sugar contained medical benefits). As the price of sugar decreased throughout centuries, the tradition of providing gifts to guests reached the general populace and was embraced by couples of modest means.
As sugar became more affordable, bonbonnieres were replaced among the modest with almonds. For centuries, almonds were commonly distributed to wedding guests to signify well wishes on the bridegroom's new life. In the thirteenth century, almonds coated with sugar, known as confetti, were introduced. Confetti soon transformed to Jordan almonds, which later evolved into the signature wedding favor for modern day weddings. Traditionally, five Jordan almonds are presented in a confection box or wrapped in elegant fabric to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy exemplify the bitter sweetness of a marriage.

Wedding Videography in the Digital Age

What's the state of the wedding videography industry today? To find out, we talked with working wedding videographers, found industry statistics and fleshed out what is undoubtedly a flourishing business in a growing market. Although some might wonder if amateurs are moving in on the pros because of lower-cost gear and easier-to-use software, our consensus of wedding shooters and editors say that isn't so. We also took a look at the tools wedding videographers are using, and found out how the best wedding videographers are using the Web to open up new avenues of business for their bustling enterprises.
To get an idea of the size of the wedding videography market, first let's take a look at statistics that reveal the enormous amount of money spent on weddings in the United States. According to the American Wedding Study by Conde Nast's Bridal Infobank, in the last ten years spending on an average wedding has exploded by 50%, to an average of $22,360 per wedding this year, up from $15,208 in 1994. And, according to Richard Markel, President of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, of the $65 billion spent on weddings each year, "6% of the budget would be for video." Markel added, "But using the 6% of the estimated $65 billion spent will equate out to $390 million." This signals a wide-open market for wedding videography professionals. Markel continued, "We just had a show here in Sacramento and several of our videographers booked business with an average ticket price of $2,500."
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Looking at those stats, wedding videography appears to be a growth industry. Let's do the math for a moment. Consider an experienced videographer , charging $2500 for an average wedding, shooting one wedding per week. In a year, that person has earned $130,000. But that would be a very hard-working videographer -- most of the videographers we talked to said they spent up to 40 hours editing each wedding video, meaning a weekly shoot would constitute nearly-constant travail with hardly any time off.
One great success story would be that of high-end videographer Kris Malandruccolo, whose company Elegant Videos by Kris has been operating in the Chicago area for the past 16 years. Her business can command as much as $5000 for a wedding video package, and regularly signs contracts for $3000 weddings. But the mother of three doesn't want to work all the time, so she limits herself. "Someone else could shoot four or five per month. But I average two or three weddings a month," she told Digital Media Net.
According to Luisa Winters, an award-winning videographer and editor who has her own wedding videography business, Unforgettable Events, most wedding videographers charge under $2000 for their services -- with higher-end wedding video companies charging as much as $15,000-$20,000. "I do not consider anyone a true professional unless they are able to make enough money to support themselves with this business," Winters told Digital Media Net. "Anything else is a side business. Supporting a family means different things depending on what part of the country you are located. If you are in a less expensive location, then less income will suffice -- and you are still professional," Winters added.

Wedding Planning: Tips for Choosing Online Wedding Vendors

If you're looking to the internet for help with your wedding plans, you're sure to benefit from the wealth of organizational and comprehensive wedding tips, ideas, tools and resources available right at your fingertips! The internet is packed with useful websites, as well as online stores offering every wedding product and service imaginable. You'll find everything from wedding invitations, wedding keepsakes and wedding favors to online bridal gift registries, travel agencies for destination weddings and honeymoons, wedding consulting services and much more. To ensure that you can recognize and hire or purchase from qualified wedding vendors, the key is to be aware of a few general guidelines.
First, it's important to understand the two basic kinds of online wedding vendors with whom you may choose to do business with.
Wedding Vendor Type 1) An actual, physical storefront who opts to have a website to further broaden their customer base and supplement their offline business.
+ Possible benefits of this type of wedding vendor: This is a wonderful opportunity for you, as you may familiarize yourself with the wedding vendor's offerings via their website and then choose to drop by their store to have a look around and complete your purchase in person. Or you may do this vice-versa - have a look around their store and then go online to make your purchase. This is a very flexible consumer environment for you, as there can be multiple sources of contact and convenient ways to browse! You can also get a personal feel for the type and level of service you may expect from the wedding vendor and their staff.
- Possible drawbacks to this type of wedding vendor: Though not true or hard to measure in many cases, the wedding vendor with a physical storefront does have the potential to be more expensive. And though the storefront exists, it may not be within reasonable driving distance for you to visit in person and explore.