- Have a relative shoot many of the outdoor photos alongside the professional photographer. Pros usually get slightly annoyed with this but will tolerate it if it's a close relative like the Bride or Groom's Parents or Siblings.

- If you can't afford much coverage, insist only on "church" coverage and fake the cake cutting, first dance and so on at the reception. Indoor photography is the most difficult to get right for amateurs (guests and relatives) so by having a pro take care of these you'll have some quality photographs.

- Have a guest with a good camera closely watch how the professional composes his/her photos. Watch positioning of the subjects, background and light angles... when the photographer finishes and leaves, spend 20 minutes taking several photos while trying to replicate what the pro did (you'll never learn what took them years to perfect but it can help to slightly improve your shots)

- Order only PACKAGES from the professional. There is usually a discount for pre-determined packages and anything else you order will be very expensive, rely as much as you can on your guest's photos.

- Try putting disposable cameras on every table at the reception. If your professional isn't going to provide all-day coverage then there will be no conflicts and you'll probably end up with a few interesting candid shots.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It's your wedding!

Fall Wedding Bouquets

The fall color palette has some great options for the Autumn bride. Some of the lovely flowers available in fall are Chrysanthemums, asters, calla lilies and of course roses and gerberas. For more fall flower choices to make beautiful wedding bouquets and popular fall color schemes, see http://www.dotcombride.com/flowers/fall-wedding-flowers.shtml at Dot Com Bride and browse pictures of Fall wedding bouquets for inspiration.

Marriage Counseling

Research shows that 1 out of every 2 marriages end in divorce. That means that half of all people taking the walk down the isle won't be together forever as they plan. This happens mostly because many people are not honest with their spouse from the start. During the courtship the goal is to put your best foot forward. You always try to look your best, to make peace, and sometimes go to extremes trying to make the other person happy, so much so that you ignore your own desires and needs and put them aside for those of your future spouse. The worst part is that many people have underlying feelings about things that may be in disagreement to their spouse, however, they wait until they walk down the isle to discuss them. They act as if they are in agreement with their spouse, or act as if everything is alright then boom! They take their marriage vows and then decide that it is time to discuss every little thing. This honestly is where a lot of the problems take place. One spouse seemingly changes their tune once married and the other one is left standing looking perplexed. They thought they knew what the other person wanted, they thought they were in agreement on the issues, and then all of a sudden, their spouse is expecting them to be someone different then they were during the courtship.

Don't wait until you get married to discuss the issues, even if they seem little now, they can get much larger later. Research shows that the patterns of communication during the courtship and the first two years of marriage are a very important basis for whether or not your relationship will last. Marriage counselors exist to help you work through your marriage problems, and the best way to do that is through pre marriage counseling. Marriage advice prior to marriage is the best way to work out the issues that a couple has and to verify that the two of you are compatible. No one is saying that you don't love each other, but if there are some core issues in how you view a marriage that put you on opposite ends of the spectrum, then chances are that you won't be able to make the marriage succeed unless you resolve those misconceptions.

The bottom line is that working out your problems from the beginning will give you a much stronger basis for your marriage to succeed. Later on, it may be difficult to stop divorce and to save marriage, if you don't have a good foundation of communication with which to address the issues. Take proactive measures to save your marriage now, and the rewards will be a life full of love and happiness.