Dessert Bar with wedding cake, fresh fruit, and bite size desserts

Welcome to Stardust Pastry

Mini Bite-size cupcake

Fresh Raspberries

Teal candies and silver hearts in a glass jar

Cookies with stamps in the icing

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Jan 9-10 Saturday and Sunday

Palmer Events Center

12-5

Fees:  $14 – according to the website

***  (Be sure to check out my latest post with 9 things to do with your engagement photos) ***

The last time I went I had to pay an additional fee for parking – I think is was $9.

Usually when I talk about this wedding show, I do it with tips for brides, or photos and reviews of the experience.

This time, I want to give my perspective as a vendor at the show.  Yes, I was actually a participant at this show in 2006.  It was the only time I’ve ever advertised (I now get all my clients from Word of Mouth Recommendations, and from the Internet).  But 4 years ago  I had one of the little black booths and showed off my albums and wedding photography to anyone who was getting married.  I was one of 30+ Austin Wedding photographers who paid the money for a booth.  Some photographers had very fancy set-ups with lots of big prints, and tons of fancy albums.  My Booth was simple.  I had a couple of albums, and a few iPods showcasing my work.  Much the same way I do 1 on 1 interviews.

Several couples did hire me, so the show was worthwhile.  But I’ve never done it again.  Why?  Because it’s expensive.  You see, as a vendor, I have to pay for my booth.  And it’s quite expensive.  Like 4-figures expensive.  So I had to raise  my prices to cover the fees, and that was passed on to my customers.  Now that I don’t pay for advertising, I can keep my costs lower, which means you can save some money on your wedding photography pricing.

Of course I incorporate other cost-savings into my business.  I don’t have a storefront – those are also expensive.  To to save money for my clients I work out of my home office, and meet clients at a neutral location of your choosing – usually upscale coffee shops, and I bring my portfolios, some complete weddings, and of course the fancy albums.  If you are interested I meet with brides all the time – and fit the meetings to your schedule – weekends, evenings, lunchbreaks.  Whatever works for you.  Just give me a call, and we can set-up a time, and you can compare my wedding photography to all the other vendors from the show.

There are several reviews on Yelp of the Bridal Extravaganza, from good to OK – and some even have some great tips, so after reading my post, I’d surf over to that site.

You can get more info at the Austin Wedding Guide Website

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Indian wedding turban with beads and strings, also called a pugree

This Red and white wedding Truban has ornate beads hanging from the bottom

Formal Indian Wedding poses - red sari with golden decorations

Indian wedding pose

Mindhi on feet and ankle jewelry with toe ring

Wedding bracelets and bengals

Wedding bracelets and bengal

Mindhi, Bracelets, embroidery and beadwork on the red sari

Indian Wedding Earrings

Grandma Looks on

If you want more info about indian wedding photography, please contact me. I’m an experienced Indian wedding photographer, and I travel.

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Map of Austin Wedding Venues (you can drag, zoom and click on the markers for more info)

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She came with her mother, and was all ready for the session when I arrived.  Looking absolutely perfect in her Monique Lhuillier wedding gown, she had a sample bouquets and her grandmother’s parasol as props.  We spent about 40 minutes walking around some of the most beautiful areas in the Wildflower center. I used a combination of film and digital cameras during this session, can you tell which ones are which?  I think it’s pretty clear.  (hint:  look at the skin tones – the warm, creamy, natural colors are real film).

If you are looking for a great place in Austin for your portraits, the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower center is hard to beat.  In fact just the other day, I was reading that Austin is becoming a great destination wedding city – kind of strange, but true.  I never thought about destination weddings in Austin, but now that I do, the Wildflower center is one of those incredible outdoor venues that is all the rage right now.

Of course bridals are included in all of my packages, and I also offer stand alone (ala carte) bridals if you are interested. All sessions come with a CD of the original files, and a print release, AND a framed 11×16 print that you can display at the wedding, too. Contact me for more info.

The nice backlight highlights her hair and gives the photos an angel glow.

Warm, natural skin tones like this can only be captured using Fuji Film. I know because I've tried everything else.

One of my the best places in Austin for Bridals is the LBJ WFC

Traditional bridal portrait poses include a full length portrait

I just love the light angle and look in this bridal shot

Bridal pictures in Austin

Props are fun to incorporate in photos -

Bridal pictures in Austin, by Eric Hegwer, an Austin wedding photographer

The strapless Monique Lhuillier wedding gown is accented with an antique parasol and gold ribbon tied around her waist.

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There are over 250 austin wedding vendors scheduled to attend – you will be able to find florists, cake bakers, musicians, tuxedo rentals, wedding photographers (of course), and tons of wedding related things.  In fact you will find stuff you never even dreamed you would need for your wedding.  It doesn’t matter if you are planning a small wedding, or a large wedding.  There is something for everyone – except for maybe your groom (you might want to leave him at home to watch the Game).

Here are the details:

Sunday
September 13th, 2009
Palmer Events Center (click for map)
12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

$14

Their website doesn’t have much info, here’s the link, but what I can tell you is you will need to pay a couple of bucks for parking.  Once inside bring cash so you can quickly buy your tickets.  Sometimes I’ve been there and the credit card machines aren’t working.  I think there is an ATM there, just in case.  Then, if you are getting married, you will be asked to enter some of your info into a computer, and they will put a bride sticker on you to identify you to the vendors.

Once you are actually inside, you will be able to easily find a wedding photographer, or sample some foods from the cake makers and caterers.  Some will have other give-a-ways, flyers, or sign-up sheets.  I recommend taking a business card and traveling lightly.  In 6 months, after your wedding you won’t ever need this stuff again.

Take your time, and visit booths that are interesting to you.  Ask about pricing, get specifics.  Connect with the people who will be working for you.  Remember it’s your day.  You should have exactly what you want, and get a little deal along the way.  One thing to note though – just because the wedding vendor has a booth doesn’t mean they have experience.  Anyone can pay the money and set up shop.  Be careful, and you should be OK.

Later, all the vendors will receive a list with the contact info you entered into the computers, and you will surely receive tons of email offers and special deals.

My regular readers know that I don’t advertise, but I will be at the show for a little while on Sunday.  I actually buy a ticket and walk around the different booths with my little camera.  Its fun to see all my friends, and snap some photos of the different set-ups people prepare.  Here are some bridal extravaganza photos that I shot at the last show earlier in the year.

Finally, My friends over at the Austin Wedding blog have prepared a great list of tips if you are attending this (or any other) bridal show.  My favorite is to have pre printed labels with your contact info.  Lots of vendors will collect your info, and writing it over and over becomes tedious.

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As my regular readers know, I love to blog.  In fact some clients hire me specifically because they want to see their wedding pictures on the internet.  Of course I also have those clients that want their wedding to be a more private, personal event, and their wishes are completely and fully respected.  That’s why you sometimes see gaps in wedding postings on my blog.

Either way, blogging bridal pictures takes a special touch.  Most brides don’t want their fiancée’s to see them in their Bridal dress before the wedding.  To ensure that doesn’t happen I don’t blog any sample bridal sessions until after the wedding.

These bridal dress sample pictures are of a lacy, full length, beaded gown, with a medium train.  She has a bouquet of wildflowers freshly picked from the side of the road.  We did these Austin Bridals at the Widlflower Center one evening towards the end of the bluebonnet season in late spring.

A bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers

bridal pictures in a field of bluebonnets

Interesting camera angles make for better bridal photos

Traditional Bridal Pictures - Full Legnth

By the way here are some bridal photo tips- when you are choosing your photographer take a look at their sample bridal gown pictures – you want to make sure you can see all the detail in the gowns. Because the wedding dress is usually white, it is very easy to over-expose the wedding pictures, and all the beautiful detail on the dress gets blown-out. What that means is you can’t see the lace work, or the beads, or the intricate stitching. Since everything is usually white, there is little room for error, and if the picture is blown out, not even Photoshop can recover the image.

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Unfortunately, life gave one of these two a nasty turn, but their love was true and deep, and a few days ago they decided to get married in Austin.  The rehearsal was at the amazing Oasis Restaurant overlooking Lake Travis, or right now because of the low rainfall, the Islands of Lake Travis.  Rehearsals are always so much fun.  I love hearing all the toasts because it really helps me to get to know the couples even better.

Then, the next day, showed up early to the wedding at the Reniassance Hotel.  My good friend Joe Simon, one of the best wedding videographers in austin, was already there hard at work shooting detail shots of the shoes, rings, and getting ready.  Not to be outdone, I jumped right in, and the fun began!

Here are some of my favorite back and white wedding photos.  If you want to see the entire  800+ wedding proof gallery, here is the link.  Send me a note and I’ll give you the password.

Black and white photo of the bride getting ready at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin, TX.

The guests arrive to the ceremony site inside the WedgWood Room. Summers in Austin are HOT, and if you want to keep cool, the best bet is to find a venue like this one which has an indoor option.

Amaizng colors in the bridal bouqet, pinks, yellow and white roses

The newlyweds enter the reception. I love the sign on the back of the wheelchair.

The first dance - surrounded by their firends and family.

The reception got a little rowdy when the DJ gave hot mics to the guests for a bit of wedding karaoke

(H) Air guitar.

Here's me at work.

And here is my work.

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