winter weddings and first looks
a match made in heaven.
In my experience with weddings, August goes quickly into September that leads to early sunsets right into October where we’re trying to fit everything in before 6pm. And, every year it hits me like - how did I forget how early it gets dark “all of a sudden.” Every year, I’m absolutely thrilled with my ability to work with my couples to make the most out of our time together AND their wedding day experience by - YES - “getting the photos done before the ceremony”…but more importantly (!) extending the amount of time they spend together, and lowering the amount of stress that comes with fighting Mother Nature and Sunset!!
So while, of course, I won’t FORCE you to do a first look, but I will highly encourage it. I’ll ask you to talk to people you know who’ve been married recently and ask them what they did + what their opinion is about timing.
When I have a couple who does want to do a first look, we’ll usually work the timeline to do that about 2 hours before ceremony time, as long as there isn’t a lot of travel time involved. Of course this is variable to each couple, but generally if I have 2 hours + an agreeable crowd (and if they’re unagreeable, that’s my job to work with them!!) we can get through the meat of the photos then! And, voila! you’re done with photos once you’re refreshed and ready to walk down the aisle. Free for the night to enjoy + mingle + have zero stress about when you’re going to have time to sneak away!
summertime (+ the livin's easy)
wedding planning advice for how to schedule your summer wedding portraits. Spoiler: if it’s too hot, do them in smaller time frames so nobody melts
The absolute DELIGHT of summer weddings is that you can basically get away with doing photos in short bursts anywhere until about 9pm. Is there anything better than that? Long summer nights make me happy unlike anything else in the world. Not even as a wedding photographer, but as a whole entire human :)
so what, right? WELL! Whenever I get to talking with a couple about their day, we’re, of course, going through the timeline. The hill I’ll die on includes: Make sure you ENJOY your wedding day and don’t just schedule everything around the photos, kay? I say this with the caveat that: your wedding needs to be a summer wedding ;) I know I know, FALL THOUGH! But hear me out.
The freedom that comes with a summer wedding means you can schedule your photo time in a way without getting overwhelmed. If you’d like to do a first look, do that (those photos? they’re the best because you require about ZERO PROMPTING).
What’s great about first looks, and, well, me is that I won’t make you do anything that doesn’t feel right. I can pretty much guarantee my prep will sound like, “ok, you’re in line together, now….take it as it feels right. Do it your way.” There is way too much pressure in how we live now + all the wedding images our eyes consume to be perfect. Guess what? You’re going to see each other, it’s gonna be perfect.
So once that’s done! You get to spend the day with your partner! Such a relief, wow! What I do next is assess the day. Is it hot? How are you feeling? ready to knock out some portraits of one side of the bridal party? Need a drink? SO MANY OPTIONS BECAUSE, you guessed it (!), SO MUCH LIGHT LEFT IN THE DAY!
When it comes to couples portraits, here’s a controversial take: there’s enough time in the day that everything you choose to do is actually your choice. I’ve seen photographers insist on golden light photos…but guess what? I’ll never make you do anything. Don’t want to rush out after dinner? Cool, we’ve gotten enough during the day! (but here’s some goodness that you just have to see!)
what do you think? Is it relieving to get to make your own choices in this digital world of doing all the things we live in!? If you’re here for winter wedding advice, I’ll get ya on that soon, too!
pepper in some highlights
the off season is the time we photographers do all the things we try to do all year, but - for me - something’s gotta give, and it’s always the blogging and website updating!
and, as it’s Monday, there’s an advent calendar to attend to (anyone else out there scramble to get their activity in each morning before their kids wake up!?), and so I’m going to give this a little update here with some images I’m digging….hope your eyes enjoy this little visual party!
pretty little details
Jorgensen farms wedding Columbus ohio by Jessica love
sometimes, (ahem, January, February, March in the northern hemisphere) it’s just nice to look at a few unrelated, but equally gorgeous, styled details. Let your brain stop thinking and just enjoy it with your eyes. For me, it’s often my flowers I am scrolling through (one of those kinda posts coming soon so you can see the glory of THAT)..but here’s some wedding pretty for no other reason that maybe you need a mid week grey winter pick me up!
Kristin + Cameron | engaged!
no better time than engagement season to showcase some of my favorite engagements! and, don’t forget, when you inquire, mention you read it here + I’ll add a complementary engagement session!
Chelsey + Carly | engaged!
Engagement session in Wooster, ohio at the College of Wooster by Jessica love photography. Kauke Arch featured along with other College of Wooster landmarks
Little known fact: I went to the College of Wooster, but it wasn’t known to any of us when we first talked about their November (2022!) wedding back in the summer (of 2020!!). So that’s been fun to compare experiences about such an important part of life. More known fact, possibly: my husband also went to Wooster, so we’re big fans of Wooster couples! It was great to see the campus now, I swear it’s a whole lot nicer than when we were there!
