Most brides will agree that after spending months choosing and fitting that stunning wedding gown, picking a perfect tux for the groom and outfitting the whole bridal party, it is essential to find a perfect backdrop to show it all off  for the wedding photos and video. The word "park" springs to mind, but then it starts getting tricky. One thing is to like the look of those pictures you may have seen in your friend's wedding album, or at the photographer's booth at your local bridal show. Getting down to the logistics of planning the actual trip there on your big day is a whole different story.

Here are some points for you to take into account when planning your wedding day:

1. Location of your church relative to the banquet hall. You would most likely  want to go to the park for your pictures right after your ceremony and before the reception. Choosing the park that is on the way to the hall is going to save you lots of time and aggravation by not having to take a long detour;

2. Timeframe. If you only have still photographer, you should schedule at least one hour of working time for him/her at the park. If you have a videographer as well - make it 2 hours. The time does not include you getting there. It is a good idea to time the trip beforehand - just make sure you do it on the same day of the week and the same time of day that your own wedding: the traffic on Wednesday morning and Saturday afternoon isn't the same;

3. Who's going? If you plan to bring many relatives and friends along consider the transportation. Are they all riding with you in a limousine, or they are going to drive their own vehicles? The more cars are going the longer it takes to gather everyone. Remember: missing people means missing photos. Parking is another issue: if it takes your mom and dad a good half hour to find a spot, imagine the mood they'll be in after they are finally able to join you for that grand family reunion portrait;

4. Limousine: for how long you have actually  booked it? It is not unusual for the limo drivers to have more that one gig per day. Every pro wedding photographer has experienced this: you are in the middle of posing a great shot, your reception is another 2 hours away, when all of a sudden the limo driver tells you that you have to wrap it because he has an airport pickup in 15 minutes.

5. Fees. Some parks are free, some are not. It is the couple's responsibility to check and obtain all necessary permits.

6. Weather. Of course, it is not going to rain on your wedding day! But just in case it is a good idea to have a "plan B". If your park does not have an enclosed area like a pavilion or a greenhouse, at least make sure your banquet hall will let you in earlier than you originally planned.

As you can see, most of it just common sense. However, we at ASTER STUDIO know how much it takes to pull a wedding these days: with so many things to remember it is easy to forget one or two. But those little things sometimes separate a PERFECT WEDDING from a disaster. 

Below are some of the popular destinations in the GTA area. Follow each link for details on a particular location, including real wedding photos taken by ASTER STUDIO.

• University of Toronto, Downtown Toronto

• Edwards Gardens, North York

• James Gardens, Etobicoke

• Osgood Hall, Downtown Toronto

• Alexander Muir Park, North York

• Kariya Park, Mississauga

• Adamson Estate, Mississauga

• Mississauga Civic Centre

• Gairloch Gardens, Oakville

• Chinguacousy Park, Brampton

• Downtown Unionville, Markham

Other useful links:

www.toronto.ca/parks/index.htm

www.mississauga.ca/portal/home

http://www.markham.ca

http://www.towerbanquets.ca/weddings.htm

www.oakvillegalleries.com/about-locations.htm