I will just say that I squeaked and squealed a lot during this session…Chelsea was so beautiful! I cannot wait to show y’all the rest in April!!
Wedding
This is turning out the be the booking season for 2012! I am getting inquiries almost daily! Im sad to say that for a lot of them… I am already booked. So, I wanted to take some time today to talk about booking vendors on your wedding day!
First things first, do some research! Get some recommendations from friends, family or on Facebook! Once you have a few names for caterers, photographers, florists, etc… Take the time to really look at each one. Consider what you like, and dont like. Maybe that caterer doesnt seem to have enough options, or the photographer does a post process that doesnt feel right. Its okay! Everyone has their own unique taste, and its okay to not like something that your best friend did.
Pick 2-3 vendors that you might like to meet with. Sometimes, you just KNOW. A lot of my brides book me because they already know they want me to photograph their wedding! I love when that happens!! But, its okay if you need to meet with a couple different DJ’s/Bands to find the right fit. Also, dont forget to ask questions! If you looooove top 40 dance hits and hate mo-town, make sure to ask your DJ about that! More than likely, they will play a nice mix and you will get all ages on the dance floor!
Remember there are a lot of other brides booking vendors too. I am not saying this to put pressure on couples to book and book fast! I am only bringing it up because in the past two weeks I have had to turn away more than a few brides because I am already booked on their wedding day! It is so sad for me to write that response email! I hate it! If there are vendors out there that you absolutely want, email as soon as youre able. Sometimes you dont have a lot of time between getting engaged and saying I Do, so make sure you dont waste time if you have to have somebody! Photographers and venue’s tend to book 9 months to a year in advance, sometimes longer!
And, lastly, ask your vendors for help if they offer! We are all connected in this industry and we love working together! If you are having a hard time finding the perfect cinematographer, ask your photographer, florist, or wedding stylist! They have more than likely worked with one they liked, or know of one who is awesome! Trusting your vendors is key to enjoying your wedding day stress free, so ask them for help if you need it!
I hope this can help a newly engaged couple out there! Wedding planning is often times stressful, so I hope this can help guide you a bit!
This is an incredibly hard post to write. I didn’t want to overload the blog with a ton of images from each wedding, so I had to narrow it down to my favorite 2-4 portraits from each. Huh? How am I supposed to do that? I give my clients a few hundred of my favorites, you want me to pick 2 or 4? Okay, sure, fine.
So here they are! Just a few of my favs. HUGE thank you to all of my 2011 couples. You are the bomb dot com. And I don’t every really say that, so it must mean something. Enjoy!
So, here it is. 2012. I was asleep at midnight on NYE (anyone with me?) and, we are now already two days into January. There are a lot of big things happening in 2012. A presidential election, the summer olympics in London, a extra day in February, and saving the best for last, I turn a quarter of a century! I am hopeful for a great year!
I also have to say that I am pumped for my clients! Pumped. I have the best brides and grooms, and I can’t wait to get to know everyone better. On top of that, I have the honor of photographing one of the happiest days of their life! I am a lucky girl. Might sound cheesy, but its true: I love my couples! Excited to share all of them with y’all!
So, cheers to a brand new year. A year of hope, big dreams, and hard work. 2012 is lookin’ good.
New trends come in and out of every industry. Some stick, and some do not. A trend that is slowly becoming the more dominant choice in the wedding world, and dare I say it…tradition, is what is referred to as the First Look.
Essentially this is an opportunity for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony. Gasp!! I know to some, this seems like the perfect idea, and to others it can seem like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Life. I am with the former group, and actually chose to do a First Look for my own wedding. It was gaining some serious ground 2 1/2 years ago, and when I read about it, I just knew it was the right choice for me. Jared is my best friend. And on my wedding day, the one person I wanted to see the most…was my best friend. End of story. Some of our friends raised their eyebrows, and most of our family didn’t get it, but it was the absolute right choice for us. Let me tell you why, as a bride not a photographer, it is a wonderful choice…
There are a lot of reasons to choose a First Look, but the main reason we chose it was because we wanted an extended period of private time and we knew seeing one another would calms nerves and we would actually be able to HUG one another when we saw each other for the first time. When you walk down the aisle, and you reach the end, you can’t reach out and kiss and touch your soon to be spouse. There is an order to follow, and touching and kissing only comes at the end of the ceremony. When you do a First Look, you can kiss, laugh, hug, spin around, whisper about how beautiful or handsome they are, or even shout how gorgeous they are. Basically, you get to behave how you actually feel! It is so liberating and freeing! And, bonus… your photographer is there to capture all of that. Wahoo!!
Some of the other big reasons include salvaging your timeline, and getting a LOT more portraits. Stress and wedding planning tend to go hand in hand. A huge stress normally comes from the timeline. Once you realize all the things that you need to cram into 8-9 hours, you might start sweating. You might also start weeping because you will not be able to attend your cocktail hour. And, lets be honest here, the cocktail hour is one of the best parts. By doing private portraits before the ceremony you also are able to complete wedding party portraits, and even most if not all family portraits too. How amazing does that sound? Yeah. AMAZING.
I mentioned that you will get a lot more portraits if you chose a First Look. As a previous bride, and a photographer, you just realize that things normally run late. So, if things are running behind, and you finish up the ceremony and immediately get started on family formals, then you need to do all your wedding party images, and then finally get to your portrait session… you might begin to feel a little rushed. You may even have bridesmaids, or family reminding you to hurry up because you need to be introduced into the reception. I am not sure about you, but that doesn’t sound very happy, healthy, or romantic to me. Portrait time should be one of the most fun parts of the day. And because doing it after the ceremony can make it feel rushed, you may not get as many portraits if you do them with a First Look. The First Look is relaxed, and it comes first, so there is plenty of time to capture everything!
Now, to allay the biggest fear…how will it change your reactions when you walk down the aisle? Because I have been a bride, and experienced both the first look and walking down the aisle I can confidently say that doing a First Look only made walking down the aisle better. Doing the first look calmed me down, and made me SOOOOOO excited to walk down the aisle towards Jared. I had picked out the perfect song for me to walk to, and you know what? When I rounded the corner and saw Jared, I couldn’t hear anything. I don’t remember hearing the song. I don’t remember anyone’s faces along the way, I don’t even remember holding onto my dad’s arm. I remember seeing Jared’s face, and his tears, being so ready to be his wife. He looked so handsome. For me, the reason why walking down the aisle was so special wasn’t because he saw my dress, hair, and makeup for the first time… it was because these were the few moments right before we made a lifelong covenant to each other. It was special because my dad was holding my hand and walking me toward a man he himself loved and knew would take care of me. It was special because we were about to be married.
Choosing a First Look was the perfect choice for us. It’s not going to be the perfect choice for everyone, but I think making an educated decision about it is better than just doing something because of a tradition that no one knows the true origin of. Even if you choose to not do a First Look, at least you can know and understand why. I will say, Ive never met a Bride or Groom who did a First Look and regretted it.
When I walked into The Manor House, things were quiet. Sure, there were workers bustling around setting things up and having a good time doing it, but it was a very calm atmosphere. Walking upstairs I only heard women’s laughter and jovial conversations. I took advantage of the laid back-ness and got right to work photographing all the lovely details Heather had planned. I love having clients who genuinely CARE about their wedding images. Heather asked me, “Do you have enough to photograph?” I assured her there was more than enough! The Manor House itself was beautiful and there were so many thoughtful details that Heather brought along with her. We got really lucky with a vibrant red Japanese maple in the courtyard in the back. Hello fall colors!!
Heather and Birch’s wedding was the last one of the year for me, and I am so thankful for that because it was the perfect way to end the season! Every person attending clearly adored Heather and Birch and were so happy to see their best friends join their lives together! It was such a happy night! I knew from the moment I met them that they were dream clients. Quirky, funny, and loving. Enjoy some of my favorites!!
I was obsessed with her gold sparkly shoes!!
Ooooo that tree!!
Some spirits were in order…
Thanks to Stephanie for this one!
Heather and Birch chose to do a first look! For a couple reasons… Portrait time was super important to them both, and they had a 5 PM ceremony, meaning the sun had set when they said ‘I do!’ It was a lovely choice…
Birch kept saying, “Wow…wow.”
Thanks to Stephanie for the image on the right!
They were rockstars during portrait time! They were willing to do anything and because they chose to do an engagement session, they were super comfortable! It made for super sweet and genuine images…
The light was so golden and yummy!
My angle on the left, Stephanie’s on the right…
Mine on the left, Stephanie’s on the right…
A quiet moment as husband and wife…
I was loving the ambient light! It really creates a romantic mood.
Time to party! We worked with Alan Boyle from Choice Entertainment, and he was the best DJ I have EVER worked with! So fun!!
These two are Stephanie’s…
The exit and one last kiss!
Heather and Birch!! Congratulations, I am so happy for you both! Thank you for the honor of photographing your day, and for trusting me and booking me when I was just starting out. I appreciate you and you are both so beautiful to me!
Vendor Love:
Venue: The Manor House
Wedding Coordinator: Nikki Karnes, Assistant of Windy Jennings
Caterer: Edwards Catering
Floral: Flowers by Mona Ray
Cupcakes: Pearl’s Cupcakes
Hair: Legends Salon and Day Spa
Make Up: Face By Joy
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Dress: David’s Bridal
Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse
Rings: Bride: MacLaren Jewelers and Groom: Cowardin’s Jewelers
When I get an inquiry from a bride, and I send off my pricing guide (rhyming unintentional,) I often get the question: What is a custom banner? The pricing guide explains what is included in each package. Custom banners are included in each one!
In a nutshell, this is my gift to my couples. Its a keepsake. I love handmade details, and if I hope for brides and grooms to have them at their wedding, I felt it would only be right for me to also give them one. And the Custom Banner was born!
These banner’s are truly custom, and completely go with the feel, color, and theme of your wedding day. They are an ultimate keepsake. I send out a questionnaire asking these questions…
- What is the style of your wedding? Be as specific as possible. Examples: Classic, Rustic, Modern, Artsy, Etc…
- What would you like your banner to look like? Be as specific as possible. Examples: Plain, Busy, Monochromatic, Colorful, Simple, Crafty, Etc…
- What would you like the banner to say? Think of something that would really represent the both of you. Examples: “I Do.” “Just Married.” “Mr. & Mrs.” “0-0-0000- Your wedding date.” “Love Is Sweet.” “You’re My Fav.” “Thank You!” Etc…
- What shape would you like the flags of the banner to be? Square? Triangular? Scalloped? Another shape?
- What colors would you like to see on your banner? Be as specific as possible. Examples: Bright Pink, Blue-ish Gray, Lavender, Pale Yellow, Etc…
Your answers, along with an image of your invitation suite, is whisked off to my dear friend, Lacy. She takes everything into consideration and creates a 100% fabric, handsewn, banner. This is SUCH a special detail. I absolutely love giving these to my couples! Their faces light up when I bring them out!
Heather and Birch’s wedding is hitting the blog tomorrow, but here is an image of their banner! Enjoy!
If you follow LGP on Facebook then you have already seen a peek from this wedding, but here is one more to hold you over until next week. Birch and Heather had a lovely fall wedding, and you are going to love it!
I was so honored when Beth asked me to second shoot this wedding with her! She told me all about Tina and Joe and I knew it was going to be a great day. There were definitely some hiccups, like the front yard flooding where the ceremony was supposed to be held, the house losing electricity from the flooding, and the entire thing having to happen under one tent in their paved drive way, but everything went super well and Im a so happy for Joe and Tina! They planned a really thoughtful, colorful, vibrant wedding…Enjoy!
I started out with the guys…
They chose to see one another before the ceremony…
Favorite!!
Reception details…
Time to get married!
Married!
Joe and Tina were the best, they gave us just a few more minutes for portraits with the precious fading light!
Party time!
Tina had fun…
The end! Thanks so much Beth for allowing me to come and assist you! And, thank you Joe and Tina! Congratulations!
Okay, I’m back really fast to share this sneak peek of Joe and Tina’s wedding I had the privilege of second shooting with Beth Kubovcik, of Sugar Rush Photography, back in September!
The full post will be up next week! Be sure to check out Beth’s post, here.
