Votes and Amazing Intern Photography

I VOTED!!!! The fiancee and I got in line at 5:30 and were the 6 or 8th people to vote (we were too excited to count). By the time we walked out the line was through the hallway and out of the building. Black folks are taking this seriously! (I'm not being biased when I say that because I live close to Bronzeville which is occupied almost exclusively by bronze people). But after the voting frenzy, real life resumes. I clean the house, check email, watch Oprah look like she is about to blow a gasket over Obama, and contemplate how to keep this wedding under budget. It's also way too exciting to be receiving the CD of our engagement photos today.

So what is the budget? As far under $10,000 as we can get it without sacrificing the design concept. As an artist it is hard to compromise on aesthetic vision, and Ms. J is soooo super supportive of my need to be a control freak on this issue (only this issue).

So with a budget that small there is no way we could pay some fine art photojournalist wedding photographer $5000 to document 6 hours of our lives together. Next best option: use the resources at our disposal. I work at an art center surrounded by artists, even some of our college interns are amazing artists. One of them is our wedding photographer. Her amateur work is amazing and because we are using her at the beginning of a possible career in photography the fees are considerably more affordable.

For all those brides who are stressing about how to have amazing photography that fits within your budget.

1. Look for upper level students at local art schools, at colleges, and universities
2. Seek out students and instructors at local art centers that aren't necessarily wedding photographers

If you have any other ideas let me know!