Viewing entries tagged
wedding photography
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.
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:
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.
I have absolutely been DYING to share this wedding! Seriously, I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for everything to get wrapped up so I could share it. I am in love with the location, details, emotion, all of it.
Erika and Travis' wedding was absolutely stunning. It was one of those weddings that you open up your favorite Wedding Magazine and fall in love with. All the details were perfect from the champagne and gold colored bridesmaids gowns, to pops of pink and fushia in the bouquets. However, as anyone knows who has helped plan a wedding, it looked amazing and effortless due to lots of planning, and hard work from friends and family. But what better way to celebrate a union of two people than to have everyone involved? That's really the perfect word to sum up this wedding, FAMILY. Erika and Travis are both huge family people whether its through blood or close friends. Their love and compassion radiated over the whole ceremony. I really can't put it into words. So without further ado...Travis & Erika's big day. Congrats guys!
Mad Props Go to:
Caterer: Mark Wischhusen
Venue: Candoro Marble
Florist: The Flower Pot
Baker: Vickie Davis
DJ: Firehouse DJ, Ryan Ladd
Makeup: Scarlet Strange
Hair: Alyse Wieland
I met Jacob and Morgan when Jacob hired me to photograph his surprise proposal. Which means I met Morgan mere moments after she said, "Yes." Kissed Jacob. And then asked, "What's that clicking noise?" And I jumped out of the bushes like a crazy creeper, grinning like a fool and yelling, "Congrats!!" Since then we've been bosom buddies. Well, maybe not bosom buddies, but I'd say we're pretty tight. When they asked me to photograph their wedding as well I was overjoyed.
Jacob and Morgan are pretty awesome people. And by pretty awesome, I mean really awesome. They met in the 5th grade! How adorable is that? Apparently though, Jacob was not interested even though Morgan had a huge crush on him at the time. Their families became friends and traveled together, so they were around each other alot. This also made the wedding feel like a big family reunion instead of two families becoming one. They began dating in college and were engaged their senior year (see previous paragraph on awesome engagment).
One thing I absolutely loved about their wedding is that they were themselves. The wedding was chock full of details that were little pieces of each of them, their love story, and their families. You could tell Morgan loves Disney. From the Disney quotes on the bottom of her shoes from her bridesmaids to her first dance with her Dad to "When You Wish Upon a Star," each detail was perfect. Jacob was clearly a Lord of the Rings fan from the attendants processional being "Concerning Hobbits," to the SPECTACULAR Groom's cake theme from The Lord of the Rings (seriously the best Grooms cake I have ever seen...no lie). But you could also tell family was a huge part of their day. Morgan did a first look with her Dad (which I adore!) and afterwards gave hankerchiefs to her Mom, Dad, and soon to be Mother in Law with notes stitched on them for each. :ENTER WATERWORKS: It was incredibly sweet and touching! Morgan and Jacob are also the first couple I have ever photographed that had all sets of grandparents on both sides at their wedding. It was a serious legacy of love. They incorporated a lot of vintage details into the day and I felt like those were small shout outs to their grandparents. One of the best being an heirloom cake topper from Morgan's family from the 1930s.
However I would say, because Morgan and Jacob were themselves, it meant each moment was lots and lots of fun. The Groomsmen were a blast to hang out with. Jacob's two Best Men, his brother Kyle and best friend Evan, gave fantastic speeches that had everyone crying with laughter. Best of all though was Morgan and her Dad's surprise father daughter dance. One moment they were elegantly dancing to "When You Wish Upon a Star," and then BAM they were breaking it down to "Uptown Funk." I. LOVED. IT.
The truth is I could go on and on about these two and their wedding day. Morgan and Jacob are the type of people you are honored just to know. They are the type of clients that when it's all said and done, you're sad not to have an excuse to talk to them on a regular basis. So guys, don't be surprised if you get a lonely email in a couple months from yours truly, just wanting to chat and tell you that I'm glad I got to know you.
Mad Props Go To:
Planner: Mardee Miller
Venue:The Read House Historic Inn & Suites
Caterer: Venue
Florist: Rainbow Florist
Baker: Publix (Main Wedding Cake) and Sweet Angel Cakes– Toni Repko (Amazing Groom's Cake)
Dress(es)/Suit(s): White Lace & Promises and Savvi Formalwear
DJ/Band: Sound Force
Makeup/Hair: Hair-Stephanie Holt, Makeup-Maddie Holt
Tomorrow is officially the last day to take advantage of the Bridal Bucks offer from the August Knoxville Pink Bridal Show! This is an opportunity to save a lot on your wedding photography package.
I will be taking calls all day long setting up times to meet with brides tomorrow, so feel free to give me a call, schedule a consultation, contact me through email or Facebook!
We all have our favorite moments at weddings. Moments that make us tear up, moments that always make us laugh, moments that you never forget and moments that we wish we could capture forever. That is the favorite part of my job, capturing all those special moments for you to hold onto.
From embarrassing moments at the rehearsal dinner to so many tearful hugs, there are so many moments packed into a wedding weekend! I was recently a vendor at Knoxville's Pink Bridal Show and I asked several of the brides that I met to chime in on their favorite wedding day moments. I would love to hear from you too! Check out the poll below and add in your opinion!
[polldaddy poll=8234374]
Don't see your favorite wedding day moment in the poll? Go ahead and shout it out in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...famous saying but something that I don't totally agree with. As a photographer one of my favorite aspects of my job is to show my clients (and the world) the beauty that I see in people. So, bear with me for a moment as I get on my soap box about how beautiful you are.
"Thank you for sending me those pictures. I have been having a real hard time with self esteem lately, and seeing those pictures helped me a ton." -Amanda
We all struggle with self esteem issues. I know for me it has always been that if I thought of myself as beautiful then that meant I was vain and big headed. This is something I have struggled with my whole life and I know it's not just me. We all have something that when we see ourselves we think, "Well, that's not flattering."
But the truth is most people have no idea how absolutely stunning they are. Seriously, you're stunning.
One reason I got into photography is to reveal that beauty and that light to the world and the people I am photographing. It doesn't matter if it's a man, woman, child, couple, old couple, or even animals. I want people to recognize and embrace their beauty.
In my career I have found that one of the most beautiful times that this happens, when people truly get it, is during boudoir sessions. Now you might think boudoir is scary or maybe even inappropriate but I like to keep my boudoir classy. However, boudoir takes a lot of trust. You're literally baring yourself to someone you might not even know. I have always had that moment with my boudoir clients when they finally relax, trust me, and start to feel confident and beautiful. That is the moment that absolutely fills me with joy.
That moment happens so many times, not just in boudoir, but in lifestyle, bridal, couples, and even family shoots. I am so flattered that my clients trust me. Embrace it, love it, and find joy in your beauty.
Know today that you are beautiful inside and out. If you don't think that can happen, let me know, I'm here to show you the way.
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.
