Bridal Portrait - A Southern tradition, the Bridal Portrait is a portrait of the bride in full bridal attire, hair and make-up approximately 4 to 6 weeks prior to the wedding and then displayed formally at the entrance of the reception.

Digital Format - Digital is the newest technology in photography giving more photographers access to affordable, quality equipment and processing. It also allows for easy viewing and quick processing.

Engagement Portraits - Portraits of the engaged couple are usually taken 6 to 12 months prior to the wedding and can be used for a variety of pre-marital celebratory uses including, but not limited to "Save the dates" and gifts to the parents.

Film Format - The media type in which your images are secured. Film is more traditional and involves more equipment. It does, however, offer highly trained photographers a flexible medium to create a variety of images.

International Special Events Society (ISES) - The International Special Events Society (ISES) was founded in 1987 to foster enlightened performance through education while promoting ethical conduct. ISES works to join professionals to focus on the "event as a whole" rather than its individual parts. ISES has grown to involve over 4,000 members active in 41 chapters throughout the world. Membership brings together professionals from a variety of special events disciplines including caterers, meeting planners, decorators, event planners, audio-visual technicians, party and convention coordinators, educators, journalists, hotel sales managers and many more professional disciplines. The solid peer network ISES provides helps special events professionals produce outstanding results for clients while establishing positive working relationships with other event colleagues. The Greater Triangle Chapter of ISES includes more than 80 members. For more information on your local chapter, log onto www.ises-gt.org.

National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) - NACE is the oldest and largest professional association that addresses all aspects of the catering industry. Through Chapter involvement, members have an opportunity to work on community service projects and voice opinions about issues that affect them locally and nationally. The Triangle chapter of NACE includes more than 120 members. For more information, log onto www.trianglenace.com.

Photojournalism - Photojournalism as a descriptive term often implies the use of a certain bluntness of style or approach to image-making. The photojournalist approach to candid photography is becoming popular as a unique style of commercial photography. For example, many weddings today are shot in photojournalism style resulting in candid images that chronicle the events of the wedding day.

Resolution - Resolution refers to the size of the digital image created by a camera, usually referenced in megapixels. The higher the resolution, the higher quality image that can be produced at large sizes.

Sepia - A type of digital photo in which the picture appears similar to a traditional black-and-white print toned with sepia. It appears in shades of brown, as opposed to grayscale.

Shared Rights - Shared rights allow both the client and photographer to use and reproduce pictures as needed for personal or business purposes.

Slideshow - A series of pictures set to music that tell a story. These slideshows can be presented during the wedding, displaying pictures of the bride and groom from childhood and during their relationship. A similar slideshow can also be created to document the wedding day, showing preparations for the ceremony, the ceremony itself, the reception and the departure.

Triangle Bridal Association (TBA) - The Triangle Bridal Association is your local resource in the wedding industry. Its 50 member base includes a respected, diverse group of quality-oriented companies. Each provides a service to the newly engaged. And each has been approved for membership by the Executive Committee. Central to Triangle Bridal Association is its code of ethics, which every member has signed and committed. The code requires that each member pledge themselves to honesty and integrity, to an understanding of their client's needs, and to comply with the standards of the Association. For more information about the Triangle Bridal Association, log onto www.trianglebridal.com.

Wedding and Portrait Photographers International - WPPI provides photographers with exclusive information, industry resources, business programs and professional services to help with both their photographic artistry and business needs. For more information, log onto www.wppionline.com.

Wedding Photojournalists of America - WPJA is a professional organization composed of photojournalists and wedding photographers from around the world. What sets WPJA members apart in the industry is their candid, documentary approach. For more information, log onto www.wpja.com.