Today I'm joined by Becca of Studio 222 Photography who will be sharing with you a little bit of details behind the quickly growing trend of "The First Look". Plus, Becca will be sharing with us photos from a recent "First Look" and the groom even joins in the conversation with his thoughts on it.

From Becca . . . "A First Look usually happens just before the ceremony. We take the bride and groom to a secluded location and allow them to privately enjoy the moment of first seeing each other. This time is 100% for the two of them and we give them as much space as they need to really bask in the emotions of that moment. After what is usually one of the most stressful weeks in a couple's life, it's nice for them to take a few moments that are just for themselves. In those moments we can capture some of the deepest and most sincere emotions possible. After the initial moments we are then able to spend a bit of time alone with the couple capturing beautiful portraits as they float on the high of finally getting to just be alone in each other's arms. This time is priceless and frees up the timeline after the ceremony so that we don't have to rush through portraits during the cocktail hour."

Continuing on with Becca's thoughts on "The First Look" . . . "Many couples are concerned that seeing each other prior to the ceremony will lessen the experience of seeing your soon-to-be spouse walking down the aisle toward you but we've found that to be the opposite. Couples that decide to have a "First Look" often tell us that it helped to make that moment during the ceremony even better because they were not at all stressed or feeling pressured to give a certain response and they were free to just revel in the moment."

And, thank you Becca for contacting the groom from these images, Jeff, and asking him to share his thoughts on his "First Look" with his bride, Becky. Here's what Jeff said...

"To anyone thinking of taking "first look" photos, I highly recommend it. Having those shots done beforehand allowed some pictures to be taken we would have never been able to get otherwise, and enabled me to experience how pretty my bride was without the distractions of being stared at by all the people at our ceremony. I don't think that it took away from the ceremony experience at all, as I was still overcome by emotion seeing my bride walk down the aisle, because there was so much else weighing on me that not having to worry about looking just right for that "first look" at the ceremony was one less thing to worry about. It still was amazing watching her walk down the aisle, as the gravity of the day, and the bond we were about to form was the driving moment."

Thank you Becca and Jeff for joining me on the blog today. To see more from this couple's "first look", please click here. And, of course to see even more photos from Becca and Nate of Studio 222 Photography, please visit their web site and blog.

Today has been a jam packed day of wedding tips and trends from both the east and west coasts. First up this morning, were the wedding tips from NYC vendors at the Wedding Bootcamp that I attended. And, earlier today, I also posted five tips for selecting your reception venue. And, lastly, while I couldn't attend the recent Wedding Bootcamp in LA, The Wedding Salon was kind enough to send over some photos and wedding tips that the vendors on the west coast shared with brides and grooms at Hansen's Cakes.

Tiffany Photography advised brides on how to get the most for your money by focusing on quality versus quantity

Hansen's Cakes displayed their amazing buttercream-frosted cakes revealing that buttercream creations can surpass fondant any day

R-Mine Bridal showcased their gorgeous gowns and shared how to find the one that suits your style, figure and budget. They also showcased a fabulous trend – belted gowns with crystal embellishments

Lanalia offered tips on how to find the perfect pair of shoes to compliment your dress and keep you from resorting to flip flops at the end of the night

The complete list of wedding vendors for the LA Wedding Bootcamp included:
Hansen's Cakes, Tiffany Photography, The Dressing Room Diva, Envelopments, Eventures Inc, Focus Photography, Lanalia, Tasty Sounds Entertainment, The Resort at Pelican Hill, R-Mine Bridal, Kona Village

Yesterday was all about wedding fashion for the little ones, the bridesmaids, and the brides. Today will be filled with wedding planning tips and ideas. A few weeks ago I took the train down to NYC to attend the Wedding Bootcamp put on by The Wedding Salon. It was held at NY Wedding Dance and what a beautiful dance studio it is. The event featured wedding vendors who presented their tips and top trends to a packed room of brides and grooms who then later got a mini dance lesson from the staff members of NY Wedding Dance. Below is a round-up of the tips I gathered in my notebook as the speakers presented their material. {photos showcased are those from the featured vendors}

Wedding Flowers {Ariston Florist}
1. Growing trend is monochromatic with classic flowers that are minimal, low and compact/tight
2. You will want to work with flowers that are in season to save on cost
3. For those with allergies, you will want to stay away from lilies as they have the biggest pollen stems

Wedding Cupcakes {Crumbs Weddings}
1. Cupcakes can be presented in boxes as wedding favors for guests
2. A newer trend in cupcakes is having your wedding monogram or a photo on the top. The scanned image is printed on edible paper, placed on the cupcake and then frosting piped on outer edge.
3. At Crumbs, they have a staff of artists that present ideas to you within your budget and you select what best fits your style
4. Cupcakes can be cheaper than a large wedding cake with the cost not exceeding $8 per person.
5. For your flavor choice, you want to pick something that you want, not what you think your guests will want.
6. At Crumbs, you can either rent or purchase display stands for cupcake bars or towers

Wedding Photography {Brett Matthews Photography}
1. With many people claiming to be a photographer these days, it can be hard to choose. Keep in mind that some don't have the foundations that are critical for photographing your day.
2. Ask to see a proof set from your photographer, don't just look at a sample album. You want to see an entire wedding as it was shot.
3. Be sure to provide your photographer with a standard shot list as they aren't going to know who your aunt and uncle are. Photographers only know what you tell them, so you need to tell them who to concentrate on when photographing your special day. That way, by the time the reception rolls around, they will know who to focus on.
4. Second shooters are great in that they provide another point of view

Wedding Dance Lessons {NY Wedding Dance}
1. Popular reasons for taking dance lessons is to either have a choregraphed first dance for the bride and groom or for the couple looking to make an entrance, you can have the entire wedding party come down the aisle dancing
2. Taking dance lessons isn't just for the wedding day, you will now be able to know how to move together at other parties you attend

Guest Blogger with My Wedding Workbook

Brides have spoken, and they are embracing both high-tech and homespun items. Today's guest blogger Jeff Kear is owner of My Wedding Workbook - free online wedding software for engaged couples - and My Wedding Workbook Pro - online software for wedding consultants. Today he is sharing with us some interesting results from a survey of the more than 12,000 brides using his online planning tools.

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Since we started My Wedding Workbook in March of last year, brides have been sharing with us how they like to plan their weddings, and in a recent survey they told us that, in 2010, they are relying more than ever on homemade items as well as high-tech tools to help them.

Of the brides who responded to our survey, 73.6% said they will be using homemade or handmade items such as decorations, favors, centerpieces and invitations, and 68.7% also stated that they would be using high-tech tools such as wedding software and wedding web sites.

This makes sense with what we've been hearing over the last year as brides have really embraced handmade wedding items to add warmth and originality to their wedding (just look at the popularity of sites like Etsy and all the great handmade wedding items offered there ... even my wife bought a vintage handmade birdcage veil for our wedding there).

In addition, there are so many new high-tech wedding tools out there - from free software like ours and wedding websites to Facebook and iPhone apps - that it only makes sense that brides are taking advantage of all these helpful aids. According to our survey, 75.0% of brides are using wedding websites; 69.5% are using wedding software, electronic checklists and spreadsheets; and 54.9% are using online forums, blogs and other social media sites to connect with each other and gain wedding planning ideas and insights.

We also did a bit of research into new wedding traditions, and there are more than a few that are very popular with 2010 brides, including save-the-date cards, 62.6%; engagement photos, 59.2%; personalized wedding vows, 39.0%; unmatched bridesmaids' dresses, 34.7%; environmentally friendly products, 26.7%; and reception photo booths, 21.8%.

So, as a bride, what can you take from all this? First, there's more and more high-tech tools out there that can make planning a wedding easier and more fun. Second, if you want a more personal touch for your wedding, you should certainly either consider making your own items or buying handmade items (for which there are many online venues). Third, your peers are openly embracing new ideas and traditions, and you should feel free to explore them yourself in creating a wedding that's uniquely yours.

From all of us at My Wedding Workbook, happy planning in 2010 and beyond.

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Thank you very much Jeff for guest blogging today - I love being able to share these stats with my readers. I love the growing trend of eco-friendly weddings {along with the growing number of vendors that are going green as well}. Even with everyday life relying more on technology, it's so nice to see it being put to use to bring more personalization to weddings and help to make wedding planning easier for today's busy couples.

Loving these top 10 bridal trends for 2010 as determined by Get Married's editorial and production teams as well as leading industry experts: {to read about the list in more detail, please click here}

1. Non-linear aisle
Brides are personalizing the procession by altering the traditional aisle with a circle or a triangular double aisle, enabling the couple to enter from multiple spots with a central meeting point.

2. Comfort foods with a kick
Chef Wolfgang Puck believes that comfort foods have become more popular in the current economy. Think burgers, pizza, ribs, pot pie, and risotto.

3. Gifting techie gadgetry
Registries and wedding gifts have increasingly become more high tech

4. Texture-inspired invitations
Look for details you would see on the runway on your wedding invitations

5. Old, new, borrowed and cobalt blue
Bright cobalt blue is a hot hue for 2010, offering fresh, bold and atmospheric twist on the bluesy tradition

6. Wear-again bridesmaid dresses
Gorgeous and glamorous dresses with drop waists, bubble skirts and ruffles add an additional sense of style for bridesmaids to wear - and wear again

7. Three-dimensional save-the-dates
Three-dimensional elements on the save-the-dates add character, humor and relevance

8. Old Hollywood glam, for men
A return to Cary Grant’s sense of style is making a comeback this year

9. Blogger brides abound
Brides enjoy sharing snippets of surprises, ideas and images throughout their wedding planning experience

10. Personalized plus
Brides are aspiring for distinctly personalized wedding details, from décor designs and inspirational invites to a great gifts and super-fab favors

To read about these Bridal Trends for 2010 in more depth, please visit Get Married.