Beautiful, timeless, romantic, fun, exciting, precious, emotional, anticipation, tradition, memorable. These are all words to describe weddings. However, some people attach other words: Stressful, nerve wracking, busy, pressure, appearances, expectations, superstitions.
One of the more stressful parts of the happy couple’s day centers around not seeing each other before the ceremony. Tradition dictates that the groom waits too see his bride until the moment when the beautiful bride in all her glory walks down the aisle. This is a splendid moment full of emotion. There is no doubt, as a photographer, that this is a very exciting moment to capture.
What 30-minute timeframe of photos do you think is the most important on a wedding day? As the designated photographer, we are responsible to capture a variety of photos: rings, flowers, portraits, family, trinkets, bridesmaids, flower girls, ceremony sites, sunsets, cakes, dance moves, and the list goes on. As you can see from all of our best-of galleries, we love them all. But there is something very special about the Romantic session. We love this time when we get to slow down with the bride and groom and create stunning works of art that they can forever remember their day with.
It amazes me how few ceremony photos you'll find when looking through the internet for wedding photos. What would a wedding day be without a...wedding? In the "marketing world" of wedding photography, ceremony photos are usually used the least--and it really is a shame. We love the details, the first look, the romantics, the fun bridal party photos, but there is something so special about the ceremony that captures the raw emotions of the day. Mom and Dad are so proud of their daughter or son. Grandma is cuter and older than ever. The flower girls drops the pedals with such precision (well...sometimes). Dating stories are recalled. Rings are exchanged. Hearts are hopeful. And these moments aren't incredible opportunities for amazing photographs? We think not.
We are always blessed to take such a key role in this special moment. The tears, laughs, and promises shared in these few minutes are what the bride and groom will have to look back on this day. Thank you to all the individuals who invited us to their ceremony to share in these memories and we hope we can see you again soon with you in the bridal party this time!
The first time we mention a "first look" to a bride and groom in our planning session they often respond with concern and hesitation. Isn't this supposed to happen at the ceremony site?
There are a number of reasons why we encourage a "first look" experience prior to the ceremony for the bride and groom, but I'm certain a quick flip through these images will convince you much quicker. To read more reasons to consider doing a first look take a look at this link.
We love capturing those timeless moments in your life that you, your family and friends can forever cherish. And on a wedding day, the first look is a beautiful opportunity for us to do that. Both have been imaging this moment his whole life. All the winding roads have brought them to this moment where they begin walking together through life hand in hand. And we're there to place you in a quiet, secluded area where you can live out that romantic moment and then re-live it again and again through the photos and videos.
We hope you can share in the joy of these couples and we hope we can share in the joy of capturing the most important moments of your life.
Here's to love and the joy received through it.
I'm amazed we don't have more broken ankles on a wedding day. I mean, come on. I'm thinking to myself, "Ok, these ladies just spent four hours getting ready. They're in heals. They're wearing a dress. They're freezing. Nah, they wouldn't want to risk it all for this crazy shot." And, to my constant surprise--I'm wrong. These girls will do anything for a fun photo and are always the life of the party.
We love meeting with the bride and groom before the wedding and hearing how fun their bridal party is going to be. And the ladies always prove themselves to be a fun bunch to work with. As photographers, we love nothing more than people who love being in photos and making them fun and memorable (except, perhaps, that occasionaly bridesmaid who maybe wants to be in a few too many photos).
We're always looking for fun new poses and always know we can count on these ladies to make it happen. If you're a bridesmaid for 2014, get those ideas cooking so you can be in the best of for this year!
Thank you for joining us in our "BEST OF 2013" Series. From here on, we will progress through a wedding day in a mostly chronological way. So this week we start off with the getting ready photos.
Wedding days are full of emotions, personalities, colors, temperatures, decorations, guests, families, and all the other dynamics that you can imagine. And it all starts in the morning. The dress is revealed. The suit is put on. Flowers arrive. Bridesmaids crying. Mascara running. Groomsmen drinking. Mom processing. Photographer capturing.
We spend a lot of time getting to know the bride and groom through our initial meetings, to the engagement photos, sometimes occasional dinners and drinks, and multiple e-mails and phone calls preparing for one day. When we arrive to the church, salon, or home, it all comes together. Friends and family start gathering around the bride and groom giving them their love and support as they prepare for the special moments before them.
Angie Rue and Jeremy Whatley were married at the Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, WI on May 14, 2011. What a wonderful day for love and relationships! Starting with the first look I was impressed with how much Jeremy loves Angie and of course vice versa. So many men struggle to show emotion but Jeremy was more than comfortable letting his emotions show for Angie.
The wedding party was fun and easy to work with. While it was a cold and wet day the bridal party took good care of Angie and her dress so she was able to walk down the isle with a spotless dress. Check out some of the images in this blog or visit their entire gallery by going to this link: Grand Geneva wedding in May.
Renee owns Frontier Flowers of Fontana and we have worked countless weddings together over the years. So when we were brainstorming ways to showcase her work and with Valentines Day right around the corner we came up with a great idea. Renee made a beautiful and creative bouquet for me to shoot in her shop and when were done I was able to take it home to give to my lovely wife. Below find some of the favorite images from the shoot.
We had an amazing morning in Walworth with a phenomenon called Hoar Frost. Check out more about this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost
It seems like whenever we have this freezing fog it is cooler on the west side of Lake Geneva. Or maybe I just don't get up early enough before it starts melting off. You can view some samples from the shoot below or follow this link for the high resolution gallery.
