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!
it's the most wonderful time of the year
….booking season!
I do believe I say this yearly - because there is nothing quite like - let’s be honest - JOB SECURITY! Being self employed is not for the weak. I depend completely on you guys to find meaning in my work, see that we’ll be a good connection with each other, and hire me for your wedding day photography! Woof.
SO this time of year brings a slew of engagements as people pick the holidays to decide they’re ready to take the leap into marriage + wedding planning.
For those of you on a time budget, AND also ready to inquire immediately, I’ll make it easy on you. Here’s the contact form to use to get in touch. This time of year I like to offer incentive to couples who are ready to take the leap and know we’re a good fit for each other. This is as much to benefit you as it is to fill my calendar and make sure I have enough work for the year!
use the contact form below and your wedding pricing proposal from me will include a free hour of coverage.
Easy! Let’s do this and make magic together!
I’ll take this blog post to be a quick hello + meet who I am + how I work!
THE number one thing I can tell you about how it will be working together on your wedding day is that my only goal is to keep you happy, comfortable, present, and enjoying your time together.
I have been a photographer so long that working your timeline into the most sensible + efficient way comes so easily to me. I will work hard to help you plan your day to be as calm as possible.
building trust with your vendors
This year has brought to me MANY amazing experience working with my beloved clients. But, I want to highlight two of them, in particular, that stand out in my mind as absolute gems of the year.
when it comes to your wedding, you’re IN IT for a long time before your wedding day. If I remember anything, it’s that when the wedding day finally arrives, you finally feel like you can let out a big exhale + relax! This is a great thing, and a great feeling to get to have with the people you love the most. I believe I can help you get a little bit of the exhale started weeks, maybe months, before your wedding day with this little bit of how to.
I’ve never been a big social media guy. I think that it’s just a glimpse, and I don’t have my phone out for reel-ing or BTS because what’s more important to me is being present with you. BUUUUUT. (ooof, did you expect that!?) this year I’ve found that the people who are the first likes on my insta…their weddings were extraordinary experiences for me, and for them.
What does it mean?! It means that what you can do to help build your own confidence in how smoothly your day will go is follow along on some level: Facebook, Instagram, Blogging, email, text…with the vendors you’ve chosen. Be invested in them. See the work that they do on a consistent basis leading up to your wedding…and then be confident in your choice to have them be a part of your day. Trust yourself to know you did your job + made a wise choice. Do not micromanage ;) Be the couple getting married, and fully immerse yourself in your wedding, while you let the things around you unfold beautifully!
does this resonate with you!? are you in your planning process? get in touch today, I’d love to serve you!
the end of summer on film
this time of year is always weird. the sudden change in darkness (I’m being dramatic) seems to happen so quickly. We spend all the summer months feeling free to do photos at weddings as we wish, now it’s like, “y’all eat? let’s … uh… go?” (or not, if you’ve looked around, I’m not one to force anyone to do any photos you’re feeling meh about!
So as these scans came in this week, I’m loving reliving back to warmer and longer days. As this blog usually goes: enjoy a mix of all the photos from all the events in no particular order! If you’re engaged and searching around here thinking we might be a good fit, I encourage you to reach out! Let’s start a convo and see how I can serve you!!
for my old school potential couples (that means those of you who still read blogs)
You’re here! You’re actually checking out a blog with words from my brain + heart to relate to people who see hiring a photographer as more than just a to-do-list-item on an emotionally led important day. That’s you? Great to have ya, I’ll be glad to share this awesome deal with you! I think I do this every year to see the people who really look into the details (and then become my favorite client friends!)
I am fairly certain I do this promotion every year - I like to give people who really want me incentive to book me, and ya know what else? it’s the job security :) Knowing my next year will be full of awesome couples, I’m really set with that!
on to the deal!
Use this contact form below to inquire about booking me for your date - doesn’t matter: large wedding, elopement, any type of wedding coverage for 2024 - and I’ll send you an email that will be my pricing that you can take 15% off of for any coverage in 2024 that you sign your contract in September, October, or November 2023.
for a couple that prioritizes candids
advice for couples who don’t want to take a lot of time away from wedding day activities to do posed photographs
TLDR / spoiler alert: candids still take thought and time to make a part of your wedding day. Read on to see why we’ll be a good fit if you find yourself saying, “I just don’t want to spend HOURS on my wedding day doing photos".
I totally get it. Maybe you think you’re awkward (you’re probably not as bad as you think, we’re all awkward when a camera is in our faces!), maybe you just want to be unbothered by having to go take photos when you’d rather be with the entire group. I promise, there’s a compromise in the middle that’ll satisfy all of us!
The first step in making this a reality for your wedding day is being sure to communicate it to me. I have the best job. I get to people watch, intently, looking for moments that are meaningful to photograph. What an honor. BUT! When I have a couple who has told me that their priority is to be present, to be surrounded by people they love, it’s EXTRA that I have to look for those moments in which genuine interactions are happening. Additionally, my advice to you will look like:
stay with your partner - the more you’re together, the more photos you’ll have of the two of you experiencing that joy + love on your wedding day
be ready for some light prompting by me - if you are being congratulated by important people directly after a ceremony, it might be me saying, “hey over here!” to get a quick smiling photograph with that person. YES! hugs matter, but also seeing a face of a grandparent on your wedding day will always be a photo you cherish, I promise.
when you’re ready for a break (you will be ready for a break!), let’s take a quick escape with your partner + make some magic hour photographs! This can take as little as 10 minutes, and will give amazing results! Plus, I can almost guarantee you’ll enjoy that little breather together.
