Tips for Creating One-of-a-Kind Wedding Memories
(ARA) -
All brides- and grooms-to-be want to have wonderful lasting
memories of their big day. And one way almost every couple
commemorates their wedding is with a big album full of pictures
of family and friends. But what about the couple that wants a
different spin on the usual wedding mementos, something that
will be a truly unique -- and modern -- reflection of the
beginning of their married life?
Why not
create a wedding CD? All you need are some basic computer
skills, multimedia software and preplanned elements from your
wedding. According to Tom Wheeler, Interactive Media Design
instructor with The Art Institute of Portland, “Your wedding day
often goes by in the blink of an eye. With so many details to
remember, so many things to do and so many people to see, it’s
hard for you -- and your guests -- to get a full picture of all
of the day’s events.”
To create
a wedding CD, Wheeler recommends:
* Talking
with your photographer about taking some digital photos at the
wedding. Or have a friend or family member do so as their gift
to you.
* Making
sure the digital photos you use are 450 -- 600 pixels in
dimensions to fit most people’s monitors, and 72 dots per inch
(dpi) for monitor resolution.
* After
the wedding, plan out how you want the CD to work. Sketch a
flowchart that shows how you want to group images and
information together. Do you want to group items in
chronological order as they happened that day? Do you want to
group items by specific events, such as one page for the
rehearsal dinner, one page for the ceremony, one for the
reception, and so on?
* Using
multimedia software, such as Macromedia Flash or Director, to
create the CD. This type of software allows you to easily
combine text, graphics, sound and video.
* As you
gather your photos, make sure you remember to properly title
them within the CD. Years later when you look back on this,
you’ll be thankful that names and dates are mentioned for the
photos. You can even add special captions that truly personalize
the photos and capture the emotions of those moments.
Whether
you have professional photographs, a mix of professional and
amateur shots, or are snapping photos yourself on the big day,
Dick Nosbisch, Public Relations Director of The Art Institute of
Colorado, and professional photographer, says there are a few
easy steps to take to make sure your photographs look great.
”Watch
what is in the foreground of the photograph, and avoid anything
that is distracting such as glasses or plates on a table in
front of the bride and groom,” he says. In addition, Nosbisch
recommends keeping the background simple because busy
backgrounds take the eye away from the subject. Most important,
says Nosbisch, “Concentrate on your subject. Let her or him know
if a hair or collar is out of place.”
And don’t
forget the more traditional keepsake -- the wedding album. Meryl
Epstein, Senior Director of Graphic Design at The Art Institute
of Phoenix, says today’s wedding albums can be wonderfully
unique, evocative and surprising, very different from your
mother’s or even your grandmother’s.
She
suggests heading to your local craft or arts supply store to
purchase a plain scrapbook, and customizing the cover with
fabric or photos instead of choosing a more formal album your
photographer may offer. It’s less expensive, and easier to
personalize.
Take your
favorite photos or mementos (invitations, newspaper
announcements), and head to your local copy shop to make color
copies. Make copies of the backgrounds you want to use as well
-- whether it’s the newspaper from the day you were married, a
collage of cards or congratulatory telegrams, or a simple fabric
or printed paper. Using copies of originals as well as
backgrounds will give all the visuals you use a uniform look.
Epstein
says if you have a flatbed scanner, you can scan mementos or
photos yourself. Once you have the background placed, text --
whether it’s a poem, caption, song lyrics or your vows -- can be
dropped on top of it. Get creative -- add glitter, jewels or
ribbons to add interest and texture. But perhaps the best advice
of all, says Epstein, is to have fun, trust your creative voice,
and enjoy the process.
Courtesy of ARA Content
 |
