2009 wedding day survival guide :)

Ahhhh. I just wrapped up my 2008 wedding season and am done until February! I'll blog more about my year in a later post . . . tonight, my mind is fresh with suggestions for my 2009 brides. Enjoy :)

1. If photography is truly important to you - an element of your wedding day that you are willing to spend the money on, have taken the time to research photographers and their styles, and expect your photographs to truly tug at your heart strings - then I think it is important to pick a venue that allows for your photography style to be indulged. My personal preferences . . . lots of natural light, as I only use flash when absolutely necessary, and lots of outdoor room so we can run off and get creative with portraits.

2. Getting ready photos . . . I LOVE shooting these, along with lots of details. They really just complete an album beautifully, telling the entire story of the event in an artistic form. Pairing my love for natural light with my love for getting all dolled up, have your makeup applied near a window or, better yet, park your butt on a chair outside with a glass of champagne. Stay away from bathrooms with flourescent lighting or sitting next to a lamp. A good makeup artist knows this, but not all brides employ a professional makeup artist on the big day. Just something to keep in mind if you do your own makeup, or have a friend do it for you.

3. Strongly consider seeing each other before the ceremony to do portraits at that time. Plan your first meeting carefully . . . in private (well, private meaning no one but the couple and me :), and the moment will be all the more special, personal and intimate. It also allows for the rest of the wedding to unfold effortlessly, and you get to enjoy your own cocktail hour saying hello to all the wonderful people you've invited to share the day with you.

4. That said, group portraits should not be stressful on a couple! Enlist the help of a friend to round up the family you want to do portraits with, and make sure they are there and ready. I know it's a crazy time and there are always at least a dozen extra people standing there waiting to capture the photos with their point-and-shoot cameras. Bring a list, or memorize which family members you want involved rather than scrambling to come up with groups that day.

5. Plan on running away with me for bride/groom-only portraits. It can not only be unnerving having twenty people watch you be romantic with each other, but it's also really the only time you will get to spend alone with your new spouse at your wedding!

6. The best light is when the sun is low in the sky . . . usually this is an hour or two before the sun sets. Consider planning your wedding so that portraits are taken at this time, whether it's before or after the ceremony, so that you get beautiful lighting like we got at Missy and JR's wedding:





Of course, it's my job to make the best of the lighting we have so if this isn't possible, there is no reason to worry! It is simply a suggestion.

7. RELAX and ENJOY your wedding day. I know there are nerves, I know it's usually a year's worth of intense and time-consuming planning and you want everything to be perfect. Well, it will be. Something may not go as planned, but such is life. I have never said this on this blog before for fear of sounding like a photographer snob, but getting beautiful photos is a two-way street. A bride who is enjoying her day, smiling and feeling relaxed will get the best photos, plain and simple.

8. Finally, trust that I will take care of you. You may think I'm crazy when I sprawl out on the floor to get a great shoe shot, or lay down in the grass to photograph something from a new, fresh angle. My goal is to deliver you emotionally charged photographs, and I will do what I need to, within reason and respect for your space and privacy, to do just that.

2009 is going to be amazing. A-maz-ing. Get ready, y'all!