enjoying your day AND the best portraits

Comin’ atcha today with another how to! If we’ve talked, you’ll immediately know how passionate I feel about being present enough to never, I mean NEVER, feel or even think for one second MAN I WISH I WAS DOING SOMETHING FUN INSTEAD OF PHOTOS! It’s like my second most promise to you, after the obvious first promise that you’ll fully love your entire photo gallery completely!

a generic timeline to maximize your presence on your wedding day

• first look (ALONE) with your partner. Do you have to do a first look? absolutely not, but if you do, you have more time together (for pictures!) that is natural and happens organically. Why alone? Isn’t it cute to have your friends and family in the background? well, I mean, sure in THIS moment, maybe…but think forever? When you look back on your wedding day, what’s it about? Throwing a great party for your loved ones, sure…but celebrating your love with YOUR LOVE, that’s it!

• take a moment alone together after your ceremony. Call it a breather, call it a break..but you can take 7 minutes while the guests get moving from ceremony to cocktail space…and I don’t even need to be there the whole time. Give me 3 minutes of that exhale when you realize you’ve done it! you’re married! then actually get to enjoy those quiet moments with each other!

• During cocktail hour, I’ll offer you a chance to step out and “take a break” from the crowd - because mingling is HARD WORK. (I always tell couples how this is the hardest part of the day, the introverted-extrovert in me is overwhelmed with wanting to photograph people but also v. much wanting to retreat to my long lens and just get candids :) )….and I bet you’ll totally enjoy just a quick second to recap with your partner with some magical shots!

• THEN finally! you’re usually the first people fed during the reception. If you’re willing to step out for - you guessed it - another chance to be alone + take it all in, I’ll come along and capture some naturally happy-to-be-together moments of you + your partner!

what do you think? have you thought about how you want to spend your time on your wedding day? If nothing else, I hope this has helped you realize that not one single “how to do your wedding day” guide will ever fit perfectly for you. You should consider your personality, your love, and your season of getting married and do it exactly how it feels right!!

Liz + Michael | Married at Strongwater!

Love when I get a chance to shoot at venues that, on their own, inspire me. Liz + Michael were married in September (I know, seriously, blogging is clearly not on my priority list: if you're waiting to see your wedding on here, dear clients, someday...someday I will get all caught up!), on a day that started out HOT and gorgeous. As you'll see, that weather quickly changed (as in, Mike and I wondered if the people we were in the tent with, before the ceremony, would be a good group to stick together during a natural disaster! the winds! the rain!). They had planned to not do a first look, and as the clouds came rolling in, I realized I had the difficult job of questioning their original schedule, to make sure they didn't want a chance to get the urban portraits around Franklinton they did want - but wouldn't be available with the impending forecast. Why's this relevant? Because I see my job as so much more than just photographer. I saw it as my job to think ahead, and help with anything that they might regret. We had this window of opportunity to create the portraits they had imagined, but it meant going against what they thought they wanted. Ultimately, they stuck with their decision, and it's because they trusted me. They knew that, regardless of where we did the portraits, they'd get the experience and outcome they desired.

It all ended up perfect. A (hot) trek around the art space allowed us to get the bridal party photos. And, they braved the rain for a few awesome umbrella photos.

Enjoy a glimpse into their day!

(Floral design: Eco Flora , planning: Something Blue Designs , venue: Strongwater)