Success is what you choose for it to be and it looks different for all of us.
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Weddings
Find out why weddings are so important to me! Hint: It's not about the benjamins.
First may I say that I have loved getting to know all of these couples and was so blown away by all the love and feedback they got on the blog! Tons of people came here to vote! So thanks to everyone who voted and showed these couples some love. And now the moment you all have been waiting for... The winners of the Free Engagement session are Melissa and Gage!! Congrats you two and I can't wait to get together for the engagement session.
I'm going to share with you five of my favorite wedding dresses and why. These are all dresses that I photographed. If I went onto google and just looked for dresses I liked we'd be here all day! It was hard enough picking some out from all my beautiful brides! I hope the ones I chose inspire you while you are out looking for your own.
There is a lot to love about this dress! One of the most important aspects of a dress is fit. Make sure that you have several fittings to make sure the dress is perfect on your big day. Morgan's dress fit her perfectly. I also love the champagne colored ribbon that helps to define her waist, the sheer lace detail along the top and all along the dress. The sheer sleeveless top gives it a different look than just going strapless.
Catherine's dress was elegant and timeless. I just love the contrast of the satin skirt with the lace bust. This was a November wedding so the three quarter length sleeves provided a little extra warmth (although lets face it not much!) as well as an opportunity for some more gorgeous detailing.
Terri's non traditional dress in red was so much fun! I know Mother of the Bride's everywhere are cringing when they hear me say it, but non traditional is great. If you are a Bride looking for a different wedding, go with a different dress! There are so many beautiful options out there these days in a variety of colors and textures. Just get on pinterest and pin to your hearts content.
Give me lace any day! Jodi's lace dress was beautiful and (seemed to be) comfortable. She had beautiful lace detailing in the back. She even had lace flats to match! I love that Jodi went with a full length veil that gave it all a little drama and was really fun to photograph.
Erika's gown was beautiful and simple. However her custom veil from White Orchid Bridal took the whole look to another level. The veil gave her bridal look an Old World feel which tied in perfectly with Erika and Travis' wedding theme. If you are looking for a custom, handmade gown or veil I highly recommend talking to Colleen at White Orchid.
I hope these looks inspired you! I am always available to recommend dress vendors and designers. Have fun trying on tons of dresses and I hope you fall in love with a dress of your own.
How to Feel Comfortable on Your Wedding Day While in Front of the Camera.
Like all good relationships, communication is key. This rule applies with your Photographer whether it is a wedding or portrait session. The more I communicate with a client, the more at ease we both are and the more we both have a clear vision of the session. Plus, it's really fun! I mean what's the point of having all these pinterest boards if you can't share them with someone?
If communication is key, then how do we go about it? Welcome to the wild world of technology! It can be overwhelming but we also have amazing options to communicate even if you are planning a wedding from Zanzibar. P.S. If you are planning a wedding from Zanzibar just have it THERE. I'll come to you!
- Meet and Greet If at all possible, go to your consultation with your photographer. I know this is occasionally not an option due to distance but then set up a Skype consultation. There are so many options! I like to have both Bride and Groom at the consultation. It is going to be awkward otherwise when I show up to capture the Groom getting ready and we're meeting for the first time. It's his big day too ladies so lets get him in on this important aspect! At your consultation, whether its your first or second, take time to get to know your photographer and see if you click. They are going to do the same for you.
- Dream So you met your photographer. Awesome. Now what? The wedding is a year (possibly more possibly less) away! We don't have to talk on the phone everyday but keep your photographer in the loop by sharing your dream with them. Weddings change a lot from the initial "I Will" to the "I Do." One of my favorite ways to do this is to share pinterest boards. It's an awesome visual tool and also helps me to see what my clients are drawn to. The key here is to keep it up to date though!
- Keep Us in the Loop I try to check in with my Brides regularly but it's also nice when they reach out with questions via phone, email, or text. After all I'm here for you! Don't be afraid to reach out to your photographer.
- Take Your Time With Your Answers Many photographers have Brides and Grooms fill out Questionnaires, Shot List, and/or Timelines as the wedding date approaches. We know it's crunch time! However, take your time to answer the questions, fill everything out, and give us any last minute details that maybe you haven't thought of before. Having a surprise Daddy Daughter Dance? Let us know so we can be on our toes! Changing the location of the exit? Definitely mark that down. We can roll with the punches but the more we know the better.
- We're Here for You After All I really love to get to know my clients and several of them have become close friends. When you are working with someone closely on a big event like this you naturally become close. I guarantee every photographer I know has talked to a crying Bride, worked through a crisis, or just sympathized on the stress of planning. As a Professional, I have seen the ins and outs of many weddings and it's okay to let your photographer know what's stressing you out. They might have some helpful hints or tips that can help.
Full Disclosure: If you haven't noticed, I AM a Professional Wedding Photographer. So this post is naturally a little biased. However, Professional Wedding Photographers are more than just photographers for a Bride to Be. We consult, we calm, we lend a hand, and we are involved in all the details. That said, I see so many Brides go with a family member or friend for their wedding photography and it breaks my heart. Not just because their pictures might not be great but because there is so much more to a true professional than just the pictures.
So here it is, my top five reasons for hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer:
- Experience
I cannot stress this enough. When you are hiring a professional you are getting experience from many many weddings. A professional isn't just taking the shot in front of them, they are thinking ahead to the next shot. This is crucial in weddings. Weddings are hectic and a time crunch. You want an experienced professional who knows how weddings flow, who knows what to expect, and especially who knows how to deal with the unexpected.
- Professionals are, well, Professional
As a wedding professional I am personally invested in each wedding I photograph. I want to make a good impression and do my best for you. Word of mouth is also key, I know that your friends and family are watching how I handle myself. You don't want to hire a friend and have them hanging out with the Groomsmen when the cake cutting is going on. This is my job and I give it my all.
- Unbiased Third Party
Weddings are highly emotional events which is why I love them! The love is flowing, the friendship, but also the stress. At times it is crucial to have a third party who can diffuse the atmosphere and does not have a history with anyone involved. It's easy for me to ask a family or friend to go ahead to the reception while we do couples shots without hurting their feelings. They don't know me and have no beef with me, or at least I hope not! The point is its easy to give direction, instruction, and move people along with some authority when they don't know me.
- Art
My favorite part! You are hiring an ARTIST. There is so much more to photography than having fancy equipment, or just pointing and shooting. Photographers are painting with light, gently revealing emotion, paying attention to color and lines, and capturing raw reactions. This takes experience (see Reason #1), and an artistic eye.
- Products
A wedding professional is going to offer you amazing products. The wedding day is over, Uncle Jim has given you your photos on an unlabeled burned CD and they're now sitting in your drawer. And that's where they will stay. I offer my clients high end albums, gallery wraps, metal prints, countless options so that their memories come alive off their walls. You are going to pour so much time, energy, and lets face it--money into your wedding that you should have constant reminders of that amazing day surrounding you. That is what makes those memories last and remind you of those emotions years from now.
We all know that weddings are expensive and wedding photography is one of the most expensive parts of your wedding. However, it is also the most lasting. If you hire a professional you are not paying just for the act of taking photos that day. You are paying for consultation, communication, behind the scenes, experience, an artistic eye, high end editing, gorgeous products and it will be well worth the money because you will have the best.
Just a friendly reminder if you were a bride at the Knoxville Pink Bridal Show in August, my Pink Bucks Bridal Offer is about to expire! As of September 30th, you will no longer have the opportunity to get $300 off my 6 hour Wedding Package. Contact me today for questions, concerns, and to set up a time for your free consultation. I mean after all, who doesn't love a deal?
I don't know about you but I LOVE surprises! Seriously, I think they are the best. Well, as long as they are good surprises. The trick about surprises (especially when there are multiple surprises) is pulling them all off without letting the cat out of the bag as they say. Jaime and Brock's wedding was absolutely full of wonderful surprises. And I must say, they pulled it off like pros.
Jaime and Brock got married on January 18th at Little River Heartland Wedding Chapel in Townsend, TN. The couple had originally decided to just get married in the court house. They just wanted something quiet and small. However, then Jaime found out that her Dad, Mike, was thinking about renewing his vows with her Mom, Joanna, as a gift for their 46th wedding anniversary. Enter surprise numero uno.
So they all decided to make the vow renewal a surprise for Joanna. They would go to the chapel for Jaime and Brock's wedding and then Mike would step up to renew their vows. How cool is that?
However as I said before, there is a second surprise! Everyone thought that Jaime was wearing a small cocktail dress when she had in fact picked out a wedding dress the day before. Exactly in her size! The only people who knew were Mike and her Best friend. Now, I'd like to point out that together, Jaime and Brock have five children, so hiding a dress from that many interested parties is no easy feat. But she pulled it off beautifully and everyone, I think especially Brock, were very surprised.
Congratulations Brock and Jaime! You had a lovely wedding day and you have an absolutely beautiful family. It was a pleasure to be a part of all of the surprises and fun! Also, congratulations to Mike and Joanna for 46 years! I'm sure it has been a ride and I loved watching you renew your vows. It was truly beautiful.
As most of you know from Hello, Georgia I was in Georgia last weekend to shoot a wedding with Rebecca Claire Photography. Adam, the Groom, is actually Claire's brother, so she had bridesmaid requirements to meet, which left me as the primary shooter. The wedding was tons of fun! Adam and Christi are really great people, and were super fun to work with.
The wedding was at Wolf Mountain Winery, near Dahlonega GA. Wolf Mountain is a gorgeous setting, and with the wedding at 5:30 we got to enjoy one of the first perfect September days and into the evening. Claire was nice enough to let me post some of the pictures I took although we haven't finished editing all the photos yet. Unfortunately some of my favorite pics were on a memory card I gave her to download, but we'll have to make due with the selection I've picked out. Here's the sneak peak, but keep checking www.rebeccaclaire.com for the full photos, they're going to be breath taking!
Christi was just a positively stunning bride...and I'm kinda partial to red heads. I wish I was one.
Christi's Dad enjoyed the lipstick smooch.
A lovely picture with the new sister-in-law.
Proud Mother of the Groom.
The ladies were doing some serious rocking out to Madonna before hand, it's a good way to calm the nerves.
The happy couple.
There are more of these gorgeous vineyard shots on the other memory card. Boo...we'll see them eventually.
