Questions And Answers On Blogging Website Template

Starting to blog use wordpress? can you customize it is it easy to use? help!!!!?

Hi,
I have devcided to start blogging like most people now, I am just wanting some small answers if I was to go withw wordpress do you get to choose a template or design for the blog or do you have to have preset ones or make your own?
also can you use html and add things like youtube videos scripts etc. Apart from words from me as such I will upload some videos of mine which are tutorials etc,
also can you like customize menus have a forum links etc

all that basically as I will use it as a website really but a blog as well

if anyone can help me with this and tell me some more features. what they can do and what they think of wordpress that will be great
Thanks
Ben

How much would it cost to have a web designer build this site?

Basic concept of site: baby name site. Parents can look up their favorite names, buy a baby name book, seek baby name consulting services, etc.
What I already have: I already have my site mapped out. I literally have an exact template laid out of precisely what I want in terms of a layout. I also have all of my content written. I don’t want a web designer to make everything for me. It’s more like, I already know what I want, and I want somebody to put my ideas into action. Hosting, domain registration, and ecommerce solutions by GoDaddy.
Products/services of the site:
- A book, which will be available for purchase at another website via a link on my site
- Consulting, which is available for purchase on my site.
- Name database, which is the most complicated service. Paying members can search for names in the database, or manually browse alphabetically or by popularity. The content isn’t made up yet.
Other features of the site:
- A blog (I can have this onsite, or link to an outside blogging site)
- A page to subscribe to a free e-newsletter
- An advice column
- Name of the Week
- These would require updating quite often (weekly) but if it’s just a content or even an HTML update, I could do it. I don’t need a designer to be doing maintenance for me every week.
Overall I plan for it to be between 20 to 30 pages (I counted 22). I have already started designing the page, but I don’t think I have the skills to do it all. I was looking up designers near me and they want $2000 for a 4 page, static, templated page. To me, what I want is not worth that much because I have already designed my own layout of what I want, provided my own content and images, etc, I just want somebody to make it. I don’t have a lot of money to spend on graphic design. So, how much should I be looking to spend on something like this? And please don’t say ‘it depends’ because I just spent this whole thing being very specific on what I want.

i want a blog… which site to trust?

I’m looking for a free blog website that i can trust for my photography business website.. it will be something customers can click on from my site that will allow them to read, and check out pictures on my blog. can you recommend a safe blogging site to get started? and also for the templates and backgrounds… need a safe site for that too! thanks in advance for you time and have a blessed day!

Blogger Templates ( most important) 10points?

How do you get blogger templates on your blog what do you do after you download them? Is there an alternative to downloading?
Check out my blog akirayerika.blogspot.com please?
What is the best blogging site
what do you think so?
what is your point of view about blogs?
What do you think of blogger?
If you give me the website to your blog i will make sure to check it out.
Ten points for the first two questions
I only need the 1st too really

Blogger or Livejournal?

I want to start blogging about makeup, Showing people my skills and getting feedback, that sort of thing, and i was wondering which website was better to use, Blogger or Livejournal, and are they both free? I want to be able to design what it looks like(templates or whatever) and i have to be able to post pictures.