Last week the Queen Bee of light and airy wedding photography took over our Instagram and flooded it with gorgeous pictures and hilariously genuine advice. If you missed it - Your in luck!

Here is what you missed....

Laura Kelly Photography Toast Events Instagram Takeover

heyoooo instagram people! 💁🏼 if this voice sounds a little different to you, then you'll appreciate knowing that this is not, in fact, elise from toast events. I'm laura kelly, owner of laura kelly photography as you might imagine, and I'm pretty stoked to be taking over the @toastevents instagram today! 🙌🏻 5 things you need to know about me -- 1️⃣ I'm a mama of two little babies 👦🏼👧🏼 (#coopkelly and #jillykelly) and a wife to my high school sweetheart 💋 (@therealrkells). 2️⃣ I am beyond obsessed with rosé. I feel like if you're going to drink wine, it might as well be pink. 3️⃣ I am a lover of all things graphic design and typography. 🖊 4️⃣ fourth, I have a minor to semi-serious fear of old people. 👵🏻 also garbage. 👎🏻 5️⃣ last but not least, I have been photographing weddings for over 6 years, having started when I was only 21! 📷 it's my passion and I feel blessed every morning when I wake up and get to do my dream job. I plan on keeping it SUPER real today during the #laurakellytakeover, so settle in and keep checking back! #guestblogger #laurakellyweddings #ottawawedding #ottawablogger

forget the article called, "what to ask your wedding photographer." 👌🏻 you don't really care what flashes your photographer has in their camera bag. instead, here are a few things you should be looking for during your consult. 1️⃣ the photographer presents their business to YOU, not the other way around. a professional photographer will run the show and answer all of your questions before you even ask them. 2️⃣ this is the person who will be spending the MOST time with you on your wedding day, other than your wedding party. do you click? do you want to hang out with this person on the best day of your life? if not, NEXT! 3️⃣ this is a purchase you should be excited to make. does booking this photographer make your heart sing? because it should. 💜 the same joy and excitement that happens when you put on the perfect wedding dress, that's how it should feel to sign your name on the dotted line of the photography contract. #guestblogger #laurakellyweddings #ottawawedding #ottawablogger

〰 my absolute favourite topic, what to spend on and what to skip when it comes to enhancing your wedding photos. ✔️ 1️⃣ your bouquet is the biggest statement piece from a photographic standpoint. it'll be featured in almost every part of your day, whether in the background during your getting ready shots, in your hands during your portraits, or as the centrepiece at your head table during photos of the speeches. invest in this beauty! you'll never regret it. 2️⃣ a vintage car for the bride and groom is way more special in photos than a stretch limo. if you're on the fence, I'm siding with vintage! 3️⃣ your ceremony backdrop is critical. it will make you fall in love with your "I do" shots and frame your first kiss. 💋 and of course, the elements from your backdrop can be translated for use at the reception! now that's a pro-tip and @toastevents would approve 💁🏼

if your fiancé asks how much you're spending on your bridal heels, lie and say $50. then spend exactly as much as your heart desires. they're your WEDDING SHOES, girl! 🙌🏻 #guestblogger #laurakellyweddings #ottawawedding #ottawablogger #shoes #badgleymischka #shoelove #bridalshoes

a moment like this looks effortless, but the truth is there's a tribe of people in the background who make it possible. one of my favourite portrait session tips: make use of your bridesmaids! 👯 you chose those girls for a reason; they're the wind beneath your wings and they're there to make sure you look and feel your best. you'll always appreciate having one of your girls holding the bouquet for shots that don't feature it. plus, one girl should always be on the lookout for a potential lipstick re-application moment. 👄 I would also really recommend having a couple of the groomsmen on drink-duty. scotch for the groom and white wine for the bride? perfection. 👏🏻 #guestblogger #laurakellyweddings #ottawawedding #ottawablogger

all good things come to and end, and sadly, my amazing @toastevents friends, this is my last takeover post. 🌿 I hope you've enjoyed a few tips, a few tricks, and are starting to crave an ice cold glass of champagne right about now... 🍾 I'm leaving you with this beautiful photo and a message of inspiration: trust your gut, don't be afraid to make waves, sleep an extra 15 minutes whenever you can, marry the right man, and never stop looking for great friends. #laurakellyOUT. 👊🏻 #guestblogger #laurakellyweddings #ottawawedding #ottawablogger

Comment

I always say it's all in the details, but there are those who decorate like a fabric bomb literally exploded in the reception room. Don't shake your head like you don't know what I'm talking about. It's almost like they have a mathematical equation that goes something like this:

Chair covers + Chair Bands + Crystal Broach + Satin linen + Sheer Lace Overlay + Satin Table Runner. And that's just the basic foundation. Then they add.... Gold Charger Plate, Bow-tie Napkin with a Crystal Napkin Ring + Personal Table Menue + Place Card + Bonbonierre + a bedazzled mirror with a cylinder vase with glue gunned crystals........ and in that vase there are water beads and a tinny little florescent light glowing from within............ Then the ceiling swag fairy came and went to town.....

Layers upon layers of decor which will overwhelm your guest into a blur. The biggest and most costly mistake you can make is definitely within your decor budget, because it can start to look tacky reeeaaallllll fast.

My number one piece of advice, "Don't waste your money on trying to have everything while cheaping out along the way. Sacrifice, re-evaluate your priorities and shift the dollars you would have spent on mediocrity towards a larger element that will leave your guests with a lasting impression."

I'll give you a few examples, and if your a client reading this, you might have already heard this story. Back in the day when ghost chairs were only coming out of Toronto with a price tag of $20 per chair, I had a client who just simply had to have them, but couldn't make it work within her budget. So I said "No problem, we'll trick them!". We ordered 1/3 ghost chairs and 2/3 white flip chairs. We used the ghost chairs at square tables and the flips at round tables and strategically laid out our floor plan accordingly. A few months later I heard back from my newlyweds and they said every single guest thought that they were sitting on ghost chairs... they raved about it endlessly. Keep in mind we're talking 2010 when the thought of mixing table types weren't even a design thought in anyone's mind. - I'm actually pretty proud that I hit that before the curve :)

That's just one example of how I design to be budget conscious with intention. In case your curious, here is where we think you should spend your money.