boho bride T H E
G U I D E
W E L C O M E HELLO AND WELCOME! I’M SO GLAD THE UNIVERSE has connected us. This is such an exciting time! I’m sure your mind is racing with all that needs to be planned. It’s all very exciting, but I k now it can also be somewhat overwhelming. You’re planning the day that you two have been anticipating for a long time, yet you only get one shot! By the time you get the hang of it, the planning is over! My goal as a wedding photographer is to make this aspect of the planning process simple. Photography is more than just images, it’s a real part of your day. Not only do you deserve beautiful images that represent you and your memories, you also deserve an amazing photographic experience and carefree wedding day. The goal of this guide is to help you plan your wedding day in a way that will allow me to provide you with the BEST experience possible, prov ide you w it h s ome b ohemi an inspirat ion, and guide you t hroug h s ome imp or t ant issues. This is a guide, not a r u le-b o ok, s o ple as e ne ver fe el pressure to fol low s omet hing t hat do esn’t fe el aut hent ic to you!
Thank you
FROM THE B OT TOM OF MY HEART. I often can’t believe that this is what I get to do for the rest of my life. You are making my greatest dreams come true by working with me and I just want to take a moment for that gratitude to set in! Like, I wouldn’t be where I am without you and your support! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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GET TO KNOW JONI I’M KNOWN FOR MY CONSTANT LAUGHTER, FLOWY DRESSES, and free-spirited travel habits. Spontaneity makes me feel the most alive and I love meeting new people. My world revolves around my kittens, good (vegan) food, great conversation. I’m passionate about chasing warm weather, bohemian styles, the earth, and ordering dessert!
W E D D I N G D AY FAV O R I T E S You may not realize this but every photographer has parts of the wedding day that they favor! Below you can read through three of my favorite parts of the wedding day and why these moments are close to my heart!
EMOTIONAL VOWS
BRIDE & GROOM PORTRAITS
AFTER THE CEREMONY
This is where we ALL get choked up (I’m not alone, right?!) I so enjoy hearing what unique promise each couple has for each other, when they wipe each other’s tears, and how easily they can make each other laugh. There is SO much heart in this portion of the day, I don’t know how it couldn’t be a fave!
Portrait time with the couple is hands down my favorite part of the day! This is when we get to laugh uncontrollably, produce something special, and when my couples really get to enjoy their wedding day. We have SO much fun, so I have to put it on the top of my list.
Not many photographers pay attention to this moment, but the first few seconds of marriage are so special! This is when the couple gets to hug, laugh and cry over the moment they realize “we are finally married!!” It’s emotional and I love documenting this part of the day!
& n e r W b r o N for t ’ n o d
get
Me et my swe et b abies, Wren & Norb! We to ok in t hes e t wo brot hers in 2017 and we’ve b e en obs ess e d e ver since!
My Norby is t he f luf f iest, snug g liest b aby in t he w hole world. He sle eps on my face e ver y nig ht but I’m ne ver mad!
My Wrennie Pies is t he most b e aut if u l c at I’ve e ver s e en. He may not enj oy me tel ling him t hat e ver y d ay, but I st i l l do!
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
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8
Adventrue Session Info
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Style Tips: For Her
34
Fashion Tips: For Him
46
Adventure Session Checklist
48
Your Wedding Day
54
Sample Timeline
58
Article: 4 Ways to Get More Emotional Photographs
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Preceremony Bridal Prep Tips
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Article: In Search of a Gown That is Just Mind Blowing?
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Bohemian Hair Inspo + The Bridal Bouquet
76
The First Look
86
Your Wedding Party
88
The Family Formals List
Ceremony Tips
90
Article: Should You Unplug Your Ceremony?
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Your Romantic Portrait Time & Trusting Locations
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Article: The Case of the Rainy Wedding Day 100 Reception Planning 102 Article: Breaking Tradition, Knowing When it’s Right for You 106 Destination Wedding Tips 108 Your Elopement Day 110 Your Marriage Post-Wedding 116 Article: Planning a Marriage More Beautiful Than Your Wedding 118 Your Images After the Wedding 120 Your Galler y Explained 122 Creating Your First Heirloom 124
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Adventure YOUR
SESSION
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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR
ADVENTURE SESSION
I ALREADY KNOW IT, OUR ADVENTURE SESSION IS GOING TO BE one of my ver y favorite parts of our time together! We are going to have so much fun! I think ever y stage of a relationship is worth celebrating, so I like to give you options! Are you using your adventure session to celebrate your... ENGAGEMENT - Giving yourselves the chance to be in front of my camera beforehand is going to make your wedding day experience feel so smooth, seamless, and comfortable! Not only that, but we get to create something so special together. You’re going to be married for over fifty years, but you only get to be engaged for this short period of time. I’m so excited to capture the only time in your life when you get to be each other’s fiances. DAY AFTER WEDDING/ELOPEMENT - Maybe you are having a destination wedding and you want to hike in your wedding clothes for some epic views. Maybe you just did a small courthouse elopement and you want to get pictures to celebrate. Maybe you are on your honeymoon and you just want to remember that tropical bliss. Whatever it may be, let’s get some amazing photos of you and your love snuggling in the ocean or smooching on a mountain top. ANNIVERSARY - Married or just dating, ever y anniversar y is a major milsestone! No matter what stage you are in, BIG changes are on their way. So I say you’ve got to appreicate and document the here and now! Use your adventure session to celebrate your relationship, how it is right now, because you never know what is around the corner for you two! If you have an adventure session in your wedding package, you are welcome to choose between an engagement session or a day after session! If you are now thinking you need both, just contact me and we can get a second adventure session added on ;)
choosing time & date I’M A NAT U R A L LIG H T SPE CIA L IST BECAUSE I BEL IEVE THAT NATUR A L L IGht , f rom t he su n and it s re f l e c t i ons, cre ate s photo g raphs t hat fe el org ani c, t i mel e ss and t r u e to you as a c oupl e. I b e g i n a l l s e ssi ons t wo hours b e fore t he s che du l e d su ns e t du r i ng “t he gol de n hour,” w he n t he l i g ht is t he dre am i e st. Us e a suns e t c a l c u l ator on l i ne to de te r mi ne t he s che du l e d suns e t for t he d ate and l o c at i on you’d l i ke to do you r s e ss i on . T he n , just subt rac t t wo hours to f i g ure out your st ar t t i me. R e me mb e r, on t he Nor t he r n He m isphe re t he sun s e ts much e arl i e r dur i ng t he c ol de r mont hs of t he ye ar and much l ate r dur i ng t he war me r mont hs, s o ma ke su re to f a c tor t hat i n w he n cho o si ng your s e ssi on d ate, e sp e ci a l ly i f you’re t a k i ng t i me of f work , pl an n i ng a v a c at i on around our adve nture, or have e ve ni ng pl ans af te r w ard. To ge t t he mo st out of you r s e ssi on, pl e as e pl an a buf fe r w he n ge tt i ng re ady s o you c an ar r ive a fe w m i nute s e arly. I’m on ly abl e to sho ot w he n natura l l i g ht is st i l l i n t he sky, s o we’ l l w ant to t a ke a dv ant age of e ve r y m i nute we have to ge t he r b e fore t he su n go e s dow n . If you’re we ar ing t wo out f its, s ave your f avor ite one for t he s e cond ha l f, and i f you’re we ar i ng on ly one, ar r ive i n t hat.
QUICK TIP: My weekends fill up first and far in advance. You can get a Fast Pass to the front of the line by scheduling mid-week. 10
SELECTING THE RIGHT
LO CATION THE LOCATION OF YOUR ADVENTURE SESSION IS UP TO YOU! THE FIRST THING TO DECIDE IS WHAT type of landscape you’d like to feature in your session. Like you see throughout this guide, my couples want to showcase the natural beauty of the outdoors whether it be the ocean, a mountain range, the forest, or a desert! There are so many great options around the world, and I’m always up for exploring a new spot together.
think outside the box This is the time to think outside the box! First, I encourage
thinking about it and see what might come to your head.
you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have that most people don’t. For example,
The thrid and most exciting option is to use a location that
maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional
neither of us have been to! It is such an amazing experience to
network,
get to adventure together and I can say it’s one I’ll never forget!
special access to can
secure
permission
to
a
location
that
would other wise be off-limits, like a beautiful private
Take a look at your bucketlist and let’s check something off!
estate or family ranch. You never know until you ask! If you get stuck or need inspiration, check out the adventure The second option is utilizing a place that means something
session section of my blog. I have some great go-to locations
to you or your relationship. This could be a favorite hike,
all around the world that we can always hit, too. I’m always
where you got engaged, or the first national park you went to
searching for awesome spots! Just let me know which past
together. This is an oppurtunity for you to include a location
session you love or what kind of landscape you are looking
that represents you now or in the past. Spend a few minutes
for, and we will go from there!
TRAVEL I ’ve love d a l l of t he a d ve nt u re s e s s ion s I ’ve d one on t he r o a d ! I f you’ d l i k e t o go s ome w he re out s id e t he c ou nt r y, v i s it a ne w s t at e , or he a d nor t h a nd s e e w h at we f i nd , I ’m up for t he a d ve nt u re ! I l o v e t r ave l i n g a nd a m a c t u a l l y on t he r o a d q u it e a bit . I ’ve d one s e s s ion s f r om c o a s t t o c o a s t , e ve r y w he re i n b e t we e n , a nd e ve n i n E u r op e , t o o , s o i f I ’m a l re a d y goi n g t o b e i n or ne a r a n a re a y ou’ve a l w ay s d re a me d of d oi n g you r phot o s , a nd we c a n c o ord i n at e ou r s c he du le s , le t ’s s e t it up. I f y ou’ d l i k e me t o me e t y ou i n a d e s t i n at ion t h at I d on’t a l re a d y h ave pl a n s t o v i s it , ju s t le t me k now a nd I c a n ge t you a c u s t om t r ave l q u ot e .
style tips
FOR HER
FOR HER
DRESS IT UP
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HAV E YOU T HOU G H T A B OU T RO CKING
for you no matte r w hat you are goi ng af te r.
a f low y dre ss , l a c e gow n or f l owe r crow n
I just want to e ncourage you to go af te r
but just ne ve r ha d an o c c as i on for it? Th is
it w it hout fe ar of judge me nt! I want you
is you r chanc e to do it up ! R eme mb e r :
to fe el t r ue to yours el f. S o l e t’s f i nd t he
T here is no su ch t hi ng as “to o dre ss e d up”
b a l ance b e t we e n re pre s e nt i ng yous el f wel l
w hen it c ome s to you r s e ss i on , s o don’t b e
and f u l f i l l i ng your w i l de st dre ams w h i l e
af r ai d to have s ome f u n ! S ome have b e e n
combi ni ng t hat w it h t he ne w k now l e dge
d re am i ng up a b e aut i f u l ly st y l e d sho ot and
you’ l l g ai n f rom t h is g ui de ! S o many ask
ot hers have b e e n l o ok i ng for e ve r yd ay l i fe
me w hat to we ar s o t h is g ui de is to help
d o c u me nte d i n an aut he nt i c w ay. I’m he re
you unde rst and w hat photo g raphs wel l !
say yes
TO THE
DRESS
LONG, FLOWY DRESSES AND SKIRTS LOOK AMAZING ON CAMERA BECAUSE THEY BRING extra movement to the photos. Especially when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert, forest, mountians or beach. They are usually easy to move around in too, which is great becuase we do a lot of playing during our session! Cute, shorter-length dresses photograph beautifully as well. Dresses and skirts tend to look most stunning on camera because they really flatter the female body — which is probably why they make me feel so incredible when I wear them! I knew there was a reason why that’s the only thing I own! ;) If you want to include a really well put together boho outfit with pants or shorts, I’d use that during the more casual section at the beginning of the session. If dresses aren’t your thing, bring at least one well styled outfit for fun! Since I think dresses make you feel the most amazing I do recommend saying yes to a dress (or two!)
one or two? it 's up to you! MOST OF M Y FEMA L E CL IENT S W HO CHO OSE t wo out f it s w i l l br i ng one “wow” dre ss, and t he n anot he r shor te r sun dre ss or p ant out f it for a more c asu a l “us on a d ate” fe el. But i f you want to br i ng t wo “wow ” dre ss e s and forgo t he more c asu a l dre ss a lto ge t he r, g ive yours el f p e r m issi on to do it! The c ame r a l ove s dre amy app arel and s o do I! R e me mb e r, t houg h , you don’t have to br i ng t wo l o oks i f it’s to o st re ssf u l or you’d rat he r just st i ck to one f abu l ous l o ok . Just one out f it t hat you l ove w i l l b e s o mu ch b e tte r t han one out f it you lo v e p ai re d w it h anot he r you’re not ve r y e xcite d ab out. S o, one or t wo ? It’s re a l ly up to you!
NEED HELP FINDING
THE OUTFIT of your
DREAMS?
I’M
HE R E
TO
H E LP !
I’M
A LWAYS
ON
If you don’t want to add a ne w p e r mane nt pi e c e
t he s e arch for ama z i ng st y l e s and c onst ant ly
to your col l e c t i on, s ome of my cl i e nts l ove
pinn ing i nspi r at i on ( and s ome t i me s re a l ite ms
R e nt t he Runway for t he i r photo s b e c aus e you
for s a le!) C he ck out my Pi nte re st b o ard for
don’t have to sp e nd a l ot to fe el l i ke a m i l l i on
engageme nt s e ss i on st y l e to have a l itt l e bit of
bucks. O t he rs just l ove hav i ng a g re at e xc us e
inspir at i on c ome you r w ay !
to br i ng a ne w p e r mane nt pi e ce ( or t wo ! ) i nto t he i r cl o s e t! C ho o s e w h i ch is b e st for you!
My t wo ab s olute f avor ite pl a c e s to shop are Sp el l & t he Gy p s y and Ar n he m C l ot h i ng .
On a budge t?! Pl ace s l i ke v i nt age shops, t h r if t
T hes e t wo have t he mo st G ORG E OU S dre ss e s,
store s, and consi g nme nt shops have ye t to
t he
diss ap oi nt! Give t he m a t r y !
co ol e st
out f it s ,
and
re a l ly
awe s ome
a cces or ie s . To top it of f, t he y are e c o f r i e nd ly and promote sl ow f ashi on ! It’s b e tte r to have
If you are l o ok i ng for an amaz i ng e x p e r i nc e,
just a fe w sust ai nabl e pi e c e s t hat you LOVE
f i nd a p e rs ona l st y l ist and e n l ist t he m for a
r at her t han a bu nch of cl ot hi ng t hat is hard
l itt l e help to cre ate t he p e r fe c t out f its for you
on t he e ar t h!
and your l ove r!
Find something that speaks to you.
Choosing
PAT TERNS &
COLORS
I’M A HU GE FA N OF B OH E M IA N ST Y LE . I l ove a l l t he di f fe re nt de c ade s it cro ss e s, t he f re e f l ow i ng fabr ics, and a l l t he f u n t hat you c an have w it h it ! In t h is s e c t i on of t he g ui de, I’m goi ng to go ove r four of my favor ite color p a l etts and st y l e s of b oho f ashi on ! Fi rst up, I have w hat I l i ke to c a l l...
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Images from pinterest.com
DELICATE
Bohemian
T HI S C AT E G ORY I S R E PR E SENTED B Y L IGHTER TONES A ND MORE MUTED sha de s . It pro du c e s a more hi g h e nd l o ok and m i xe s a bit of mo de r n i nto your e ns e mbl e. By avoi di ng u lt r a - br i g ht , ne on col ors, it w i l l help br i ng a l l t he atte nt i on to your f ace s and l e t t he e ye fo c us on t he w ay you fe el ab out e ach ot he r. The c ame ra l ove s shade s of l ave nde r, s of t pi n k and mute d blue s, m i xe d w it h s oph ist i c ate d l i g ht ne ut ra ls l i ke he at he r g r ay, c re ams , l e at he r brow n and w h ite. That s of te r col or p a l e tte f its b e aut i f u l ly into a l mo st a l l natu r a l outdo or env i ronme nts, and e sp e ci a l ly compl e me nts any s e as on. L o ok for more del i c ate f l or a ls , l ace, or l i g ht col ore d f l ow y dre ss e s!
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FLOWER
Child
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Images from pinterest.com
IN SPI R E D B Y T H E 6 0 ’S , JA NI S JOPL IN, A ND WO ODSTO CK, THIS IS ONE OF MY favor ite s ! My cl o s e t is a hu ge me ss of h ippi e pr i nts and f re e f l ow i ng dre ss e s! I c an’t get e nou g h! T his c ate gor y a dds a bit more col or and a l ot more p atte r ns and l aye rs. It pro du c e s a more f re e - spi r ite d l o ok and t a ke s you b ack to anot he r t i me ! L o ok for b oho pr i nt s , t ass els , f r i nge, and l aye r on t he j e w l e r y! I wou l dn’t go to o craz y w it h col or to ma ke su re a l l t he atte nt i on st ay s on you t wo and your l ove, but t h is c ate gor y do e s c a l l for a l itt l e more pl ay w it h hu e s !
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VINTAGE
Queen
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Images from pinterest.com
A NOT H E R FAV E OF M I NE , I N SPIRED B Y THE 7 0 ’S A ND A L L OF IT ’S EA RTHY tone s ! I c an’t ge t e nou g h of t he must ards, brow ns, g re e ns, r ust col ors, and t hat cl assi c 7 0 ’s bu r nt or ange s o I’ve b e e n col l e c t i ng hous e ware s and cl ot h i ng s pi e ce s f rom t h is d e c a de for a l ong t i me ! I l ove t he v i nt age fe el it c an add to your photo sho ot and it has a lot of oppu r tu n it y for more c asu a l l o oks. Cre ate an awe s ome out f it w it h h i g h waiste d shor t s or b el l b ottom p ant s and you’ve got a more e ve r yd ay ge tup! Dre ss it up or dow n w it h you r choi c e of top ! As a lw ay s, go w it h a shor t sh i f t dre ss, a co ol sk i r t, or a max i d re ss , ( b e c aus e t his de c a de hass it a l l ! ) and you’ l l have a b e aut i f u l, f l ow y l o ok!
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MYSTICAL
Goddess
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Images from pinterest.com
T HI S C AT E G ORY I S DE DIC ATED TO STEVIE NICKS, A MAJOR FASHION IC ON for s o many ! It is re pre s e nte d by d arke r tone s and de e p e r shade s. It pro duce s a more b ol d, my st i c a l l o ok and m i xe s a bit of mo o d i nto your e ns e mbl e. L o ok for s ome of Ste v i e’s cl ass i c s , l i ke she e r f abr i cs, pl e nt y of l aye rs, and e x t ra acce s or i e s! Th is l o ok c a l ls for sha de s of e me r a l d, maro on, and bl ack, m i xe d w it h ne ut ra ls l i ke cre am , w h ite, and g re y. T his he av i e r c ol or p a l e tte p ops of f of outdo or e nv i ronme nts and l o oks g re at on a l l sk i n tone s .
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ST YLING your session
WANT YOUR ENGAGEMENT IMAGES TO LO OK MORE EDITORIAL? BRING A litt le ext ra s omet hing w it h you! Thin k ab out w hat mig ht repres ent you t wo wel l --may b e p ets, ac t iv it ies you li ke to do toget her, or a f resh ly-picke d b ouquet for you to hold. Adding f resh f lowers on s omet hing els e, li ke a p et col l ar, t re e sw ing , picnic b asket, or row b o at, is a f un way br ing a litt le ext ra romance to e ver yd ay obj e c ts. Whet her it’s l arger items li ke c ano es, or sma l ler ones li ke bl an kets, hats or j e w ler y, e ven incor p orat ing just one ext ra st y le d item cou ld b e a f un way to ma ke your s ession more unique.
LOOKING FOR BOHO
I N SP I R AT IO N ?
try one of these gems INSPIR ATON FOR HANDS:
INSPIR ATION FOR HEADWEAR:
•
Var ious r ings
•
D ang le e ar r ings or t hre aders
•
Drap e y bracelets
•
Flowers or pl ants as e ar r ings
•
Hand
•
Var ious ne ck l aces
bracelet)
•
Hats
•
Ar m c uf f
•
Handmade he adpie ces
•
Henna or ot her ar t
•
Flower crow ns
•
Flowers b ehind your e ar
C hain
(w r ist
to
r ing
INSPIR ATION FOR FEET:
INSPIR ATION
•
G o b arefo ot
ACTIVITES:
•
If you prefer sho es, f ind s ome-
•
Bl an ket
t hing t hat fe els more organic
•
O utdo or props: v int age bi ke,
FOR
PROPS/
•
To e r ings
c ano e, row b o at, picnic s etup,
•
An k lets
c ampsite s etup
•
B arefo ot s and a ls/to e to an k le
•
bracelet
Water
ac t iv ites:
sw imming ,
sur f ing , or sk innydipping •
R e ad hand w r iten letters to e ach ot her
•
Nig ht ac t iv ites: p op a b ott le of champ anege at suns et, c ampf ires, f ireside guit ar pl ay ing , l anter ns, etc
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ENGAGEMENT STYLE GUIDE | 5
HAIR & MAKEUP IF YOU E N JOY HA I R & M A K E U P, C ONSIDER USING A PROFESSIONA L . It re move s t he st ress of gett ing re a dy on you r ow n ( f a ls e l ashe s are hard! ) and c an g ive you t he e x t ra b o o st of conf i de nce i n f ront of t he c ame r a ! If you’re work i ng w it h a ma ke up ar t ist, have t he m apply your ma ke up i n natura l l i g ht, if p oss ible, s o t hat it l o ok s f re sh and not to o he av y. Plus t hat’s t he t yp e of l i g ht we’ l l b e sho ot i ng i n, s o it’ l l g ive you t he b e st e x p e c t at i on of how it w i l l t ransl ate on c ame ra. If you d on’t f anc y a l l t hat c ome s w it h c osme t i cs, I tot a l ly ge t you! Show up i n your natura l st ate (li ke D aw n d id on t he top l e f t ) and you w i l l b e just as gorge ous! Th is is a lway s a judge me nt f re e z one, s o d on’t fe el l i ke you have to c on for m to any t hi ng . C ome as you are ( b o dy hai r, un-mani c ure d f i nge rs, and a l l!) A lt hou g h it m i g ht s e e m c ou nte r-i ntu it ive, I re com me nd t hat you do not ge t a spray t an b e fore your s ess ion , e ven a fe w d ay s pr i or, b e c aus e it te nds to photo g raph orange e ve n w he n appl i e d subt ly and by a profess iona l. You r a c tu a l sk i n tone w i l l photo g raph t he mo st b e aut i f u l ly and natura l ly! L o ok i ng for a l itt l e b ohe m i an hai r i nspr i at i on? C he ck out p age 75!
A LITTLE EXTRA POLISH D on’t forget, your r ing w i l l b e center st age, s o g ive yours elf t ime to g ive it a s cr ub! Ma ke sure your are nai ls lo ok ing t heir b est (e ven if you le ave t hem natura l), to o!
flattering your features IN MY E X PE R I E NC E , M A NY WOM E N , REGA RDL ESS OF THEIR SHA PE HAS A N A REA OF HER b o dy t hat she’s s el f -c ons c i ous ab out , s o re co g ni z i ng w hat are a t hat is i n adv ance is ke y. C ho osing f l atter ing s i l hou e tte s and c ol ors t hat c ompl e me nt your natura l fe ature s is t he b e st way to e nsure you’ l l l ove t he way you l o ok i n you r photo s .
HIDE WHAT YOU A R E N’ T T H R I LLE D A B OUT!
your m i ds e c t i on ( usu a l ly around t he r ib c age) and
T h re e- qu ar te r l e ng t h sl e e ve s c re ate an awe s ome
t he n f l are s out. Th is ma ke s your waist l o ok sma l l
slim m ing ef fe c t on ar ms . You c ou l d a ls o br i ng a
i n comp ar is on to t he bi g sk i r t and anyt h i ng you
c ute j a cket or c ardi g an a l ong to o. Hi di ng t roubl e
are wor r i e d ab out is h i dde n unde r ne at h .
sp ots w hene ve r p o ss ibl e by cl ot hi ng c ove rage or hair w i l l help w it h you r go a l of sl i m me r-l o ok i ng
My go a l is a lway s b o dy p o sit iv it y and s el f love. I
ar ms .
on ly share t he s e t ips s o t hat you have e ve r yt hing you ne e d to ma ke t he b e st de cisi on for yours elf.
If you are conc e r ne d w it h l owe r b o dy, one of my
Pl e as e do w hat ma ke s you mo st com for t able and
favor ite way s to c re ate a b e aut i f u l s i l hou e tte is w it h
re ady to b e l o st i n t he mome nt w it h your p ar t ner!
a sk ir t or d re ss t hat c i nche s at t he s ma l l e st p ar t of
QUICK TIP Bring a pair of sandals if you are barefoot or hiking boots if we are on a steep trail to wear when moving from place to place. Your feet will thank you later! 32
Confidence. It’s always the best accessory.
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fashion tips
FOR HIM
FOR HIM
COORDINATING THE
LO OKS I F YOU H AV E A F E M A L E PA RT N E R , T H E F I R S T S T E P I S T O C O ORd i n at e w it h t he out f it (s) s he h a s a l re a d y put t o ge t he r for he r s e l f . You w a nt t o m at c h t he le ve l of d re s s e d up or d ow n he r out f it s h ave a nd c ompl i me nt t he c olor p a le t t e s he h a s c ho o s e n . I f s he i s we a r i n g a b a l l gow n , y ou d on’t w a nt t o b e we a r i n g s hor t s a nd f l ip f lop s ! You w a nt t o a s s e s s he r out f it a nd pl a n a c c ord i n g l y. S ome t h i n g l i k e a l i ne n s u it c a n pr ov id e a more f re s h , b e a c hy & h i g h e nd lo o k , w h i le a but t on d ow n & j a c k e t w it h r ol le d s le e ve s c a n pr ov id e a more l a id b a c k a nd m a s c u l i ne lo o k . Ke e p i n mi nd t hat you r out f its w i l l l o ok t he mo st cohe sive on c ame ra w he n t he c ol or p a l e tte s co ordi nate, but don’t ne ce ss ar i ly “match .” You shou l d e a ch ai m to we ar a di f fe re nt dom i nant col or, but st ay w it h i n a s i m i l ar c ol or p a l e tte f am i ly. T he f it i s t he MO S T i mp or t a nt a s p e c t for me n s o m a k e s u re y ou r s h i r t i s ju s t a s we l l s u it e d for you a s y ou r p a nt s or j a c k e t . L a s t l y, d on’t b e a f r a id t o put t o ge t he r a n a r t i s a n out f it t h at m a k e s you fe e l g re at !
FOR HIM
MIX IT UP MANY GUYS LOVE TO MIX THE C OLORS OF THEIR JACKET S, BUT TON ups, and p ants (may b e e ven adding a bit of a p atter n here and t here to o!) to adds s ome ext ra v isu a l interest. It c an b e way more f un t han we ar ing one s olid color a l l e vening . I’m a fan of t his f un t w ist on ma le fashion!
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Images from pinterest.com
FOR HIM
layered looks NEXT TIME YOU
WALK BY A STORE THAT SERVES A MASCULINE AUDIENCE
you’ l l not ice t he ma le manne quins and mo dels are a lways we ar ing s e vera l l ayers at once. L ayers on men lo ok g re at on c amera, s o e ven w hen it’s hot outside, t r ust me w hen I s ay t hat it’s wor t h an hour or t wo of dis comfor t for photos t hat w i l l l ast you b ot h a lifet ime. Adding anot her l ayer w i l l br ing ext ra dimension and v isu a l interest to your photos. D on’t b e af raid to get a litt le cre at ive w it h l ayers!
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IT’S ALL IN LONG PA N T S A ND C LOSE D-TOE D SHOES A RE THE MOST L IKELY TO PRODUCE THE BEST AND most mas c u l i ne l o ok ( a lt hou g h e xc e pt i ons c an b e made ! ) The y draw atte nt i on away f rom your l e g s and fe et and pl a ce it w he re you w ant it : on t he f a c e your p ar t ne r fel l i n l ove w it h . S o, for your s e ssi on, it m ig ht b e b est to le ave t he shor t s and s ne a ke rs at home ! C h i no s or d ark j e ans work b e st, e sp e ci a l ly w he n t he colors compl iment you r p ar t ne r’s out f it . R e g u l ar( me dium wash ) j e ans shou l d b e avoi de d as it c an ma ke a lo ok a bit to o c asu a l. Brow n dre ss sho e s or c o ol b o ots compl i me nt a l mo st e ve r y l o ok, and an awe s ome p air of b o ots c an a dd s o mu ch to you r out f it ! C onsi de r a he ad of t i me i f you shou l d tuck i n any of your l ayers or if t he y lo ok b e st u ntu cke d.
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THE DETAILS ROL L E D SL E EV E S , SU SPE NDE R S , BE LT S , MA L E NECKL ACES, A ND HAT S A RE GREAT C OMPL IM ENT S to any out f it. D on’t b e af r ai d to put s ome t hi ng to ge t he r t hat fe els l i ke you, is com for t abl e, and you c an move arou nd in . We w i l l b e pl ay i ng arou nd a ton s o ma ke sure you move wel l i n w hate ve r you are we ar i ng! I a ls o want you to fe el no pre ssu re to g ro om you rs el f i n a ce r t ai n way. I adore b e ards, l ong hai r, or anyt h i ng of t he s or t t hat usu a l ly is f row ne d up on w he n you are t r y i ng to l o ok “ni ce.” Ke e p t h i ng s t he y way YOU l i ke t hem and you r p ar t ne r and I w i l l appre c i ate it f u l ly ! If you br i ng t wo out f its to t he s e ssi on, we w i l l st ar t w it h t he more c asu a l one, t he n s w itch to t he more ‘done up’ one for t he s e cond ha l f. If t wo out f its are to o st ressf u l, no probl em ! O ne l o ok w i l l do t he t r i ck ! You c an st i l l m i x and match acce ss or i e s to compl i me nt b ot h of her out f its w it hout doi ng a f u l l change du r i ng t he s e ssi on. S o, e it he r way, you w i n.
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TIPS
FOR: C OLD W E AT H E R »»
Whe n cho o s i ng a co at, l adi e s shou l d l o ok for one t hat ci nche s i n at t he w aist to ke e p a f l atte r i ng f i g ure
»»
You c an hi de war m l e g g i ng s unde r dre ss e s or sk i r ts to st i l l ma ke su re you have an awe s ome l o ok but don’t f re e z e to de at h. Si m i l arl ly, p ai r a l l of t hat w it h a chun ky swe ate r and you’ l l b e s e t !
»»
D on’t wor r y ab out ma k i ng your out f it fe el sup e r war m b e c aus e i n c ol d we at he r we t a ke l ots of bre a ks! We c an t h row on a w ar m c o at or bl an ke t i n b e t we e n shots and e ve n he ad b a ck to t he c ar to bl ast t he he at for l onge r bre a ks!
»»
St i l l have f u n! ! Snow y w i nte r wonde rl ands are a bl ast and i n no w ay w i l l c ol d we at he r of any k i nd r ui n our d ay !
LG BTQ+ C OU PLE S »»
T he re is ab s olutely no pre ssure for you t wo to t a ke on ge nde r rol ls or i de nt it i e s t hat don’t match your e ve r y d ay l ive s. You c an have t wo fe m i ni ne me mb e rs, t wo mas c u l i ne me mb e rs or a m i x ! Whate ve r f its w it h how you t wo l ive s your l ive s!
»»
No matte r t he rol e s and combi nat i ons, ke e p i n m i nd t hat you r out f it s w i l l l o ok t he mo st cohe sive on c ame ra w he n t he c ol or p a l e tte s co ordi nate, but don’t ne ce ss ar i ly “match .” You shou l d e a ch ai m to we ar a di f fe re nt dom i nant col or, but st ay w it hi n a s i m i l ar col or p a l e tte f am i ly.
WAT E R SHOT S »»
We w i l l do any wate r shots l ast s o we don’t have we t hai r duri ng ou r s e ss i on! Br i ng out t he b at h i ng s suits, sur f b o ards, or c ute c ove r up s --we are goi ng to have s ome f un!
»»
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Ma ke su re you br i ng a towel ! !
HOW TO
PREP YOURSELF SOMET IM E S F OLK S A R E N’ T OV E R LY EXCITED TO TA KE PHOTOS FOR HOURS A ND THAT ’S ok . You d on’t k now w hat to e x p e c t , you are af rai d of b e i ng aw kward, you don’t t h i n k you’ l l b e go o d at it, and s ome t i me s it’s just t hat you don’t re a l i z e how i mp or t ant it is to your p ar t ne r. Ta ke f i f te en m inutes to t a l k w it h e a ch ot he r ab out w hy you cho s e me and my st y l e of photo g raphy. To ge t he r, l o ok at you r t h re e f avor ite s e ss i ons t hat I’ve done, e x pl ai n w hy you l ove t he m and e x pre ss to e ach ot her how mu ch it me ans to you. Tr ust me, once you k now w hy it’s i mp or t ant, ne r ve s melt away and you are re a dy to l i g ht up i n f ront of t he c ame ra for your p ar t ne r! Whate ve r is l i nge r i ng af te r t hat I w i l l t a ke c are of ! We w i l l pl ay g ame s , s nu g g l e, and have f un! Eve n t he mo st aw kward fe el i ng s diss ap ate af ter a fe w mi nute s w it h me ; ) By t he t i me we’re done, t houg h , e ve n t he g uy s c an’t b el i e ve how fast it went and just how mu ch f u n t he y ha d!
one final note I KNOW I JU ST G AV E YOU A LOT TO THINK A B OUT. I CREATED THIS GUIDE TO HEL P MA K E you r a dve ntu re s e ss i on e x p e r i e nc e s ome t h i ng you’ l l l o ok b ack fond ly on for ye ars and ye ars to come. If you e ve r fe el st re ss e d or w ant an opi ni on, just sho ot me a me ss age. I l ove ge tt i ng te x ts w it h pic tu re s of you r out f it opt i ons ! At t he e nd of t he d ay, t houg h , t he l o c at i on you cho o s e and t he out f it s you s el e c t won’t matte r ne arly as much as t he me mor i e s you ma ke to ge t he r. Your rel at ionship is t he mo st i mp or t ant t hi ng to me, and I want your s e ssi on to b e a t i me for you to just b e you rs elve s and e nj oy it . Have f un to ge t he r. L aug h a l ot. And I’ l l t a ke c are of t he re st!
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what THEY said “I had a lot of fun. It was a nice chance for Chelsey and I to be silly together. But Joni had a really calming presence and I didn’t feel a lot of pressure. Which I think allowed me to feel at ease. We made a pretty quick connection with her and immediately felt comfortable around her.” -DAMON
“It was fun yet intimate. It gives you an opportunity to show your future wife a side of you they might not know. It really let’s you show your love to her in a special way. This is important to her and your family to make memories for generations to come. It takes a special person to interact with couples and Joni has that gift. Thank you for all your doing. I appreciate your positive attitude and jovial presence. I look forward to working with you and making a work of art for our memories.” -CODY
“You have a great eye for picking up the beauty of the surroundings as well as capturing the person. We also loved that you were willing to join us wherever we wanted to go for our engagement photos.” -CHRISTIAN
“Joni, First of all I love each and every photo! Every single photograph you chose and took captures something amazing about us. Whether it’s the way I laugh at Jen, or the way she looks at me, or the way our body language is comfortable while we walk down the road together…. I never realized how much body language there is when it’s just us. It is truly amazing to see ourselves from someone else’s eyes. Thank you so much for capturing our essence in your photos. And lastly, THANK YOU for everything, from emails and phone calls, to site scouting, to making us laugh and dance and smile, to making us look and feel beautiful.” -KERI
“I am so thankful of your creativity and compassion for what you do. I do not know what I will enjoy more! Seeing what a beautiful job you did on our pictures or just the experience we had making them. Thank you so much for your patience and love. I am so excited for what more we have to experience together!” -JANAY
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ADVENTURE SESSION CHECKLIST SET DATE, TIME AND LOCATION WITH JONI REVIEW GUIDE FOR STYLE TIPS SCHEDULE ANY HAIR AND MAKEUP APPOINTMENTS CHOOSE YOUR OUTFITS PREP NAILS, CLEAN YOUR RING PACK A BAG WITH:
Any props or styling goodies
Sandals or boots for walking between photo spots
Outfit two (including shoes and accessories)
Touch-up makeup (if needed)
Water bottle + a coat or cover-up if cold weather
Space for wallets, phones and keys (empty pockets!)
EMPTY YOUR POCKETS AND CHECK WRISTS FOR HAIR TIES, THEN HAVE FUN!
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I can't wait to
SEE YOU SO ON xx Joni
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Wedding YOUR
DAY
SAMPLE TIMELINE
Bridal Details 1:00-2:00
With the mixture of heirloom items, carefully selected treasures, and the dress of your dreams, it’s an important part of the story and I want to photograph it for you. This section of the day is scheduled during the last hour or so of hair or makeup. While I’m shooting details, I’m also capturing some shots of you and your bridesmaids (or bridesmen) getting ready! If the groom is getting ready nearby and you have a second shooter in your package, they will begin photographing the boys after this section of the day.
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After the details have been photographed, it’s time for you to get into your dress! This is a big moment! If the mother of the bride (and bridesmaids, if assisting) are dressed by this time it will ensure that everyone will look nice in those images.
2:00-2:45 Bridal Prep
First Look 3:00
This is one of my favorite parts of the wedding day! I will find the perfect location for your first look prior to the getting ready portion of the day! Don’t stress about that one bit! I will make sure the location is private and as secluded as possible.
Here’s the page that can be somewhat intimidating! The TIMELINE! I know this isn’t the most exciting aspect of the wedding day but this is the one thing that can make or break your photography! After almost a decade of experience, I’ve come to develop the optimal timeline that produces the best photos, reduces stress, and has a great flow! The next two pages will outline this ideal wedding day working off of an 7pm sunset and no venue changes. I will customize this to fit your wedding day sunset time and preferences!
Portraits 3:15-4:00
Wedding Party Portraits 4:00-4:30
Family Portraits
4:30-5:00 Family usually arrives early to the wedding so this isn’t a huge difference. Ask family members (grandparents, parents & siblings) to be present at the scheduled time. After you take your time with the first look, I will begin taking a few portraits of the two of you while the initial excitment is still present! I will lead you to the best locations and light for these shots as well! This is also the time when we will get single shots of each of you (while your love is there to make you giggle!) As we shoot these portraits, the wedding party can start making their way to us for photos with the whole group!
Now it’s time for the whole gang! One way to make sure we stay on schedule for wedding party portraits is to have someone put the boutonnieres on the guys BEFORE they arrive for portraits. I will make sure to take some of everyone together as well as individuals with the bride or groom.
We’ll need about 30 mintues for family formals and I recommend shooting portraits outdoors if possible so that they resemble more natural family portraits. PS. I always get a few snuggley shots with those closest to you!
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THE TIMELINE C ONTINUED...
Couple in Hiding 5:00-5:30
After family portraits are complete, the couple will go into hiding so that early guests don’t sneak a peek. I’ll get pictures of the ceremony before anyone sits down. You two get to spend some time either alone together or with with your closest friends and family! What could be better?!
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A Few “Just Married” Portraits It’s time to get married!! Most ceremonies are 30 minutes long. If your ceremony is longer than 30 mins, we’ll make adjustments to the timeline! Try to live in the moment, wear your heart on your sleeve and include your guests in this special time.
Ceremony
5:30-6:00
6:00-6:30
Just before sunset is the BEST time of day for portraits! This is when the sun is glowy and golden. I love having these few extra minutes with you! This is an oppurtunity for you both to have a little alone time and take it all in together. We will have a little fun and then I’ll send you on your way to hang out with your guests and get some bubbly!
Once you run off to visit with your guests, I will use this time to shoot the reception decor UNTOUCHED. This is the perfect time because everything is in place, florals have been moved from the ceremony to the reception, and even candles have been lit. Please keep guests out of this space and at the cocktail hour so that I can grab some great shots of your reception before the night begins and guests start laying down purses and coats on their seats!
Reception Details
6:30-7:00
Reception Begins
7:00
It is time to have a blast! I love the energy of this part of the night and sometimes I jump in and get down for a few songs! This is when the wedding party lines up for introductions and the party begins!! By this part of the day, our timeline isn’t as structured. I work off of the natural light and so after the sun is set, we have already gotten everything done and we all go with the flow for the reception events!
We Dance the Night Away!
9:00
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4 WA Y S T O G E T M O R E
E m otion a l PHOTO G R A PH S
SPOKEN WORD
AC TIV ITIES
SPOKEN WORD IS SO POWERFUL AND
ON A SIMILAR NOTE, PLANNING ACTIVI-
leaves nothing implied. Writing your own vows
ties with those closest to you can produce some
makes it pretty much impossible to get through
great moments! Sharing a mimosa toast with
a ceremony without shedding a tear. I mean,
your girls the morning of with a little comentary
how can you not be in the moment and cry tears
on why they each were selected to stand next to
of joy when listening to something amazing like
you can make for some memorable times. Shar-
your partner’s personal feelings towards you
ing a thank you speach to your parents can really
and their promises to you? Same goes for trying
touch some hearts and help folks forget about
to get those kinds of words out! Incorperating
the camera. Make it unique to you, but planning
personalized & handwritten vows into your day
activites can mean so much to everyone in your
makes for a unique ceremony and is a MUST!
circle and help them be more in the moment for your day!
FLOW
R EL IEV E STR ES S
CREATING A FLOW FOR YOUR DAY THAT
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT FALL
keeps you in the moment and not torn between
under this catagorey including; sharing a first
what you want to do and what you *might* need
look, doing an engagement session to get not
to do. One suggestion I have is to split the day
just comfortable in front of the camera --but
into photojournalistic portions where you are
confident (youv’e done this before!), letting go
just experiencing moments uninterupted and
of insecurities, selecting a dress or suit that stays
the more guided portions where I’m directing
in place as you move, doesn’t make you feel re-
you on what to do (portrait time.) This is why
stricted (go for comfortable!), and you don’t
my ideal timeline can be helpful because you get
have to pay attention to. Not having to split your
most of the guided portion of the day over with
attention can be a life saver if you are looking for
early and you get to spend the rest of the day vis-
an emotional day.
iting with guests and grabing appetizers at your lesure ;)
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PRECEREMONY
Le t t h e day begin!
This portion of The Wedding Experience really sets the stage for the entire wedding day. It is also packed full of monumental moments! Select those closest to you to experience them with. The next few pages will share tips and tricks that will ensure a seamless morning of bridal preparation and beautiful portraits! 61
G E T T I N G R E A DY I T ’ S T H E MOR N I NG OF YOU R wedding! Hopefully all of the little details are taken care of and you’re relaxing with your best friends while d r i n k i ng a m i mo s a . If certain items haven’t been checked off of the todo list, it’s time to hand them over to someone else. Delegation is a key part of a stress-free wedding day. I know it’s hard to hand over the decorating duties and all of the last minute things that need to be done but, it really is important to relax the mo rning of your wedding. The rest of the day is going to be fast paced and filled with a lot of emotions! There are a few things to consider about the “getting ready” portion of the day. Do you want to share a “first loo k” with your dad or an y other per son who plays a huge role in your
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life? Will you and your s p ou s e -to -b e be exchanging gifts during this time? If so, who would you like to deliver them? Are there certain women in your life who would appreciate seeing you get into your gown? Some brides want very few people around for this moment. Other brides love having aunts and grandmas present. It’s totally up to you! Refraining from putting on jewlery until the gown is on ensures the loveliest photos. Speaking of the gown, if your gown is on a plastic hanger, try to make a note to bring a wooden hanger (w it h not c he s s o t he d re s s do e sn’t f a l l) along for picture sake. If you forget, no big deal! I’m a pro at making things work no m att er w h at !
THE
WindowE F F E C T
BY HAVING JUST A SIMPLE window in the bridal prep area, I am able to create beautiful portraits with soft light. I prefer natural light so the more windows, the better! IF YOUR VENUE DOESN’T offer a getting ready space, consider an Airbnb rental or private home over a hotel. They provide a lot more character and comfort! (and sometimes beautiful backyards too!) If you want to get ready outdoors, awesome! Let’s just find some shade!
EVERY LI T T LE Detail
RINGS, FLORALS, JEWELS ... I WA N T TO PHOTO GR A PH YOU R DETA I L S I N A WAY T H AT M ATC H E S a nd showc a s e s t he s t y le of t he ent i re we dd i ng d ay a nd me a n s s ome t h i ng to you . To t he r ig ht you’ l l f i nd a l i s t of t he mos t c om mon de t a i l s t hat I sho ot . Ple a s e br i ng a nyt h i ng el s e t hat wou ld help re pre s ent you! A l s o, a s k you r f lor i s t to s end over a ny s t r ay f lower s or g re ener y t hat matc he s you r b ouque t to add to t he photos! O dd ly enou g h, s c r aps l i ke f a l len of f p e t a l s , f lower s w it h no s tem s , or broken of f le ave s work wel l for t h i s! I a s k br ide s to gat her a ny de t a i l s t he y have b efore I a r r ive s o t h at I c a n w a l k i n, s ay hel lo, g ive you a hu ge hu g a nd t hen b e g i n!
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W HAT T O B R I N G
{
- dress - hair pieces / flower crown - rings (all three) - shoes - bouquet - jewelry - invitation suite - handwritten vows - family heilooms - old family photos (a marriage you admire or a photo that means a lot to you) 67
D AY- O F R E M I N D E R S
68
G ATHE R the goods.
If possible, collect all of your details before I arrive so that I can begin quickly and have more time for some candid shots of you and your ladies!
EXT R A elements.
Sometimes, depending on the theme and “look” of the wedding day, there may be some extra elements that you could include when you gather your details. For eample, if you’re having a geode themed wedding, you could include a few cr ystals or gemstone sand. This can make all the difference!
KEEP
all three rings.
BR ING the bouquet.
The most common detail missing when I arrive are the rings! Some may tell you to hand over your wedding band to the best man before the day begins. However, it’s actually better to hand it over later so that I can shoot some great ring shots with the rest of the goodies! If you forget, no worries, I can always shoot the ring shot at the reception if there is extra time! Don’t forget the bouquet! Have the bouquets delivered to the bridal prep room before the first look so that you can have your bouquet in your portraits. No worries, if it’s hot, we’ll be sure to keep it in water as much as possible before the ceremony! 69
WHEN YOU’RE PLANNING A WEDDING DAY TIME-line, the best advice I could give is to add cushion time! Sometimes the most simple things can take an extra 20 minutes and then all of a sudden, the whole morning is thrown off. I have seen “getting the bride in her dress” take almost 40 minutes because of a button malfunction. It’s a smart idea to add in an extra ten minutes here and there so that we have some wiggle room to work with! This way, if one part of the day gets thrown off by 20 minutes, I can help you compensate that time in other areas. There are so many different things to think about when you’re planning a wedding day and so here are some tips for the preceremony timeline! I realize that every single wedding day is different and so not all of these tips will apply to every wedding day schedule. Something else to consider is that not EVERYTHING will go as planned, and I promise you, that is completely normal!!
PACK YOUR BAGS Have designated bags already packed for each section of the day or weekend. This can prevent stress, delays, and a messy getting ready room! Assigning someone to make sure each bag goes where it needs to will help ease your mind!
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TRAVEL TIME Best case scenario is to have the getting ready space, ceremony and reception at the same place. If this is not the case, be sure to think about the travel time and TRAFFIC every step of the way! Try to keep everything as close together as possible. Travel time eats away at our photo time, is stessful, and can cause delays.
TIMING TIPS
CREATE A CUSHION Leave room for spontanety! A 10 minute cushion every now and then is a GREAT idea! It’s amazing how fast time can slip away the day of. In my ideal timeline I’ve got a few of these here and there! We want a relaxed day, so let’s have a cushion-y timeline so we can have exactly that! 71
Top left image from www.graceloveslace.com; bottom left image from www.spelldesigns.com; top and bottom right images from www.ruedeseine.com
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IN SEARCH OF
A GOWN that’s just
MIND BLOWING?
I’ VE GOT TO SHARE MY FAVORITES
I’ l l list my top dress desig ners and e ver y
w it h you just in c as e t he y imp ac t you t he y
sing le one of t hem is a must s e e:
way t he y have me. I’m const ant ly pinning
Sp el l Br ide, Grace L oves L ace, D aug hters
inspirat ion (and re a l we dding dress es for
of Simone, Rue D e S eine, Dre amers &
s a le!) C he ck out my Pinterest b o ard for
L overs, Sa ld ana Vint age
dre amy b ohemi an we dding gow ns to have
S e cond Faves: Show Me Your Mumu, Fre e
a litt le bit of t he shopping done for you!
Pe ople, BHLDN, Sara Jos eph C outure Br id a l, L e anne Marsha l l
Look for something you can move in. You want to focus on the emotions of the day, be able to live in the moment, and feel carefree & open to spontaneity.
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LOOKING TO DITCH THE CLASSIC BRIDAL UPDO?! It’s easy to take it and make an elegant, romantic, and very organic look by loosening it up. Try requesting something
HAIR
INSPO
more billowy and undone from your stylist. A big loose braid with flowers tucked in will keep the hair off your face but still feel wild & free! Think letting it all down is for you? I’m right there with you. Try big loose curls with a flower crown, baby’s breath tucked into your afro, beach waves with a few tiny braids, or a 60’s vibe with striaght wispy hair and a headpiece. There are so many amazing options!
THE BRIDAL B OUQUET THE ANATOMY OF THE BOHEMIAN BRIDAL
having trouble making a decision about your florals,
bouquet is imperfectly perfect; featuring wildflow-
here is what I suggest. I reccomend making your
ers, grasses, vines, or ferns, and skipping the prestine
bridal bouquet a big priority! When I’m photograph-
round shape to opt for something more organic, like
ing a wedding, if the bride has a gorgeous bouquet, I
it was just picked from the earth. Consider cascad-
can make the entire day look like there were beautiful
ing florals, over-the-arm style, and non-symetrical
florals everywhere! I can use the bridal bouquet to
shapes for your bridal bouquet.
spruce up bridal details, reception details AND even bride and groom portraits as well! The bridal bou-
Quick note: There are so many expenses when it
quet is so versatile when it comes to your photog-
comes to wedding planning. Many brides have to
raphy, so I highly recommend getting your DREAM
prioritize what they want to invest in. I just want to
bouquet and investing less on the bridesmaids bou-
give a little tip that can save money and make a huge
quets and bouts since they will not be photographed
impact on the way your images turn out. If you’re
nearly as much! 75
YOUR FIRST LO OK YOUR FIRST LOOK IS AN AMAZING PART OF YOUR wedding day! If you aren’t sure about this tradition, the next few pages will explain why it would be a romantic addition to your wedding day celebration that not only adds to the experience but also reduces stress. Please know that I would never want any of my couples to feel pressured to go with this option. However, I do want to make sure that I share all of the benefits of a first look because there is a reason 90% of my couples do it and LOVE it!
THE
FIRST LOOK explained
I have confessed my deep love for “first looks” every chance
side the boutonniere is supposed to go on and little by lit-
I get and I tend to point them out in blog posts. There is a
tle… the tension grows.
reason for this. They’re AWESOME. However, not everyone is aware of how awesome they are because they get caught up
It’s before the ceremony and the gravity of what is about to
in how “non-traditional” it is and they immediately write it
happen starts to sink in and the calm, collected groom who
off. I can talk about those brides because I was almost one
was swimming in the ocean just a few short hours ago is now
of those brides. I want a REACTION… I want my groom to
starting to feel a little anxious. So what happens next? The
be so surprised and overcome with joy when I walk down
groom waits in a little room somewhere for his que from the
the aisle that he bawls at the first sight of me! Who doesn’t
coordinator. It seems like it’s taking FOREVER. Finally, the
want that reaction? Luckily, I’ve been able to witness the best
coordinator leans her head in and hurries the groom to get
of both worlds because Bret and Sara decided to share an
ready. With clammy hands, the groom enters the ceremony
intimate “first look” moment on their wedding day (where
and what does he find? …. he finds anywhere from 20-200
Bret sobbed into Sara’s neck) AND he still LOST IT when she
people and they’re all looking where? Right at his face… be-
came down the aisle. He was in tears and so was everyone
cause everyone has expectations and anticipation about his
who was watching him!! YESSS!!
first reaction. This is the farthest thing from a private, intimate moment. Sure, it’s SO powerful and SO wonderful... but
After experiencing this wedding and shooting over 100 oth-
when Sara walked down the aisle… Bret wasn’t a nervous
ers…. I’ve come to this conclusion. Some couples love “tradi-
wreck… he had spent the morning with her and their best
tions”…. but what a bride (myself included) REALLY wants
friends and the pressure was OFF. By the time the ceremony
when it comes to her partner seeing her for the first time is
rolled around he was ready to ENJOY the beautiful day!
a REACTION. Those who are not interested in a First Look usually think that by seeing each other beforehand, they will
The nerves were gone and when the nerves are gone… true
lose part of that reaction. They also assume that it will not
emotions are free to be expressed. And OH were they ex-
be as emotional or as intimate as it would be if they were
pressed! (Seriously, he bawled!). So if I were to condense
coming down the aisle. What I have found (this is starting to
what I just wrote… basically, Grooms normally become in-
sound like a research paper!) is so ironic! Everyone knows
credibly nervous on wedding days…. even if they seem cool
that wedding days are a bit stressful for the bride and groom.
and collected.
For most grooms, the nerves kick in before
they see their bride because when they see her, everything
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The whole day is focused on them, they need to look their
becomes VERY real! So when the nerves start creeping up,
best, they need to be on time, the groom has no idea what
instead of keeping the groom in a secluded space until his
time to enter the ceremony, what if you took him to a pri-
After portraits are done, everyone prepares for the ceremony.
vate place… no people, no on-lookers, no distractions….
The guests begin to arrive and everything is in place. Pretty
and you let his beautiful bride, the love of his life, quietly call
soon it’s time for the processional music to begin and one
his name and have him turn around to see her for the first
by one, the bridesmaids make their way down to the front
time. He would turn around and finally get his first look at
of the ceremony. As the groom clasps his hands… they
his stunning bride and not only would he get to see her… he
aren’t clasped out of nervousness but excitement. The music
could embrace her… cry with her…. kiss her… and ENJOY
builds, the mother of the bride stands and all of the guests
that moment with her for as LONG as they wanted. As she
follow her lead. The groom looks up and here comes the
shows him her dress, twirls a few times and then asks him
BRIDE!!! His best friend, his companion, his sweetheart…..
what he thinks… his nerves start to diminish. After all, she’s
she’s stunning…. ABSOLUTELY stunning. The closer she
the one who can make him most comfortable anyway.
gets, the bigger he smiles becuase no matter what, this is still the first time he gets to see her walk down the isle which
Because they aren’t on a time crunch… they casually move
means he actually, finally gets to marry her. This is still a
into their romantic portraits. No one is around, the coor-
unique moment that he will only experience once.
dinator isn’t announcing “15 minutes left”, and there is no pressure. It’s just the two of them and their photographer…..
Now let me put a disclaimer before we continue…my clients
capturing the excitement and the joy of their wedding day.
are not required to do a first look by any means! I used to feel
This is their time to be TOGETHER… and to be ALONE.
bad for sharing this option with couples who were against it
When does that happen on a wedding day? Without a first
because I didn’t want to push anything on them. However,
look…. it doesn’t. After their romantic portraits are done,
I’ve seen the benefits of a first look over and over again and
they meet up with their best friends. Their bridal party joins
so I only share this because I want the BEST for my couples!!
them and because they still have plenty of time to spare…
It’s totally ok if couples choose not to share a first look! It’s
they can chit chat and joke around. After a few minutes the
just my preference to do one for many reasons.... Keep read-
bridal party portraits begin and they’re FUN. They’re FUN
ing to find out more of the benefits of sharing your first look
because there is time to make them FUN. There aren’t any
privately! For brides not interested in a First Look, lets start
guests waiting impatiently at the cocktail hour and there isn’t
chatting soon about how we’ll create a special timeline to fit
a DJ coming to find the photographer to get a time check.
everything in!
It’s wonderful!
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F I R S T L O O K | Why it’s Worth It 50% MORE PORTRAITS You’re investing a lot into your wedding photography. With a first look, you’ll receive 50% MORE portraits of the two of you (while your hair and makeup is the most fresh, too!)… and those are the images you will decorate your home with! With a first look, you make the most out of this large investment and get the most for your money.
ENJOY THE SURPRISE FREELY You actually get to have intimate time on your wedding day with your partner. Most brides don’t realize that when you come down the aisle and totally SHOCK him with your gorgeous-ness… he can’t even tell you how amazing you look. He can’t touch you, embrace you or even SPEAK to you. You have to wait until 30 minutes later when the ceremony is over for him to react and tell you how amazing you look. And after 30 minutes of the ceremony, the reaction isn’t the same as the initial first glance.
EXTEND YOUR DAY BY 3 HOURS First Looks allow you to extend your wedding day. Normally the wedding day would start when you come down the aisle, then the ceremony would end, you would rush through portraits so that you’re not late for the introductions and then it’s reception time. With a first look, your wedding day is extended by over 3 hours! Instead of being rushed for your wedding party portraits (and depriving your friends of appetizers) you actually get to enjoy them and have fun hanging out with your BEST friends on your wedding day. It is wild to think that you can go most of your wedding day not spending it with your spouse-to-be and mututal friends! Give yourself those extra 3 hours to spend with your love!
YOUR ONLY ALONE TIME First Looks allow you to be TOGETHER and alone on your wedding day. When Bret and Sara saw each other, not only was it intimate, it was their only time to be alone the whole day! They cried and laughed and cried some more… and then that put them in the PERFECT mood for our romantic portraits. Normally portraits are a little rushed after the family formals and it can be hard to really get back into that “lovey dovey” mode…. especially with family around and guests that you desperately want to see! When you have just shared your first look, you’re READY to love on each other and I always capture some super sweet images during those moments!
DIMINISHES NERVES You get rid of your nerves! I’d say, literally 1/2 of my couples who have decided to do a first look, the grooms were not fans of it at first. However, because they have never experienced their wedding day before, they didn’t know how nerve racking it can be. I have testimonials from grooms who initially weren’t a fan of the first look... but afterwards admitted to being SO much more relaxed and ready for the ceremony!
YOUR WEDDING PARY WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME Bridesmaids and moms love the first look because they get to take their pictures while their makeup is still fresh (not cried off at your ceremony!) and their feet don’t hurt yet from their shoes! Groomsmen love it because they are done early and can let loose as soon as the ceremony is over. The entire wedding party (including you two and your parents!) love getting to spend the cocktail hour chating with family and friends, being great hosts, and not missing out on those yummy appetizers that get passed around ;)
FIRST LOOK E X P E C TAT I O N S
If you have never seen your partner cry or get emotional, you can’t expect them to be overly emotional on your wedding day. Some folks just embrace their partner and never cry.... and that’s OK. Some grooms show very little emotion when their bride is coming down the aisle and that’s ok too. Just enjoy this amazing day and try not to put any expectations on your partner. If you take this advice to heart, I could potentially be saving you a lot of disappointment on your day. One thing I have noticed after shooting weddings for almost a decade is that the stress and nerves that come with a wedding day can sometimes make it hard for some to truly express their emotions. It’s just a lot to take in all at once. This is a great reason to share a first look and also a great reason to give some grace to your spouse! Sure, you deserve to feel special, but my encouragement to you is to enjoy this time together, no matter what their reaction is like! If you decide not to do a first look, please expect to enlongate your cocktail hour by an extra 30 minutes to an hour to be able to get all of the portraits done after the ceremony.
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F I R S T L O O K | From the Couple
“He is the person I go to every day when I am nervous or overwhelmed, and that day was no different.” “Having a first look before the ceremony was a great decision for my husband and myself. I was very nervous the day of the wedding and having time with my groom before the ceremony helped calmed my nerves before the walk down the aisle. He is the person I go to every day when I am nervous or overwhelmed, and that day was no different. Some of my favorite memories of that day happened in the time leading up to the ceremony, and without a first look, I would have had a different wedding experience. With the first look done in advance I was able to take in all aspects of the ceremony. I was pres-
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ent in that moment and was able to listen to the message from our officiant. I had time to glance at our guests and appreciate that we were surrounded by friends and family - something that may never happen again. After the ceremony, we were able to take family photos and not feel rushed. With family photos out of the way, Joni was able to capture some amazing photos of my grandparents, that are honestly some of my favorite photos from the day.” -Emily
“We decided to do the first look to take a little bit of the pressure off. We wanted to enjoy every second of our wedding and didn’t want there to be this immense nervous build up as I was seeing her for the first time in front of 200 people that were also seeing her for the first time. We wanted to share that moment together and to be able to sit in that feeling for a moment alone. And trust me, it was WORTH IT. It ended up being the one moment that if I go to think about it I feel like I am instantly there. I remember every second of it. And the icing on the cake was that it didn’t take anything away from the ceremony. When I saw her I wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion, I was overwhelmed with joy. She was gonna be mine!” -Craig
“Coming from a pretty traditional Southern family, it was scary for me to think about straying from years of customs, but when Ali and I really thought about the events of our wedding day, the First Look was the only way to go. With all the nerves and excitement of that day looming just hours away, I am reminded as often as I look back of how thankful I am for the suggestion to do the First Look. It is a moment of my life that will be forever etched in my memory. That precious time spent together before all of the day’s events did not detract from the excitement of seeing her walk down the aisle at all. On the contrary, it added to the sweetness of that magnificent day, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!” – Manny
“At first I was very hesitant to agree to a first look at my wedding. I had always invisioned the first time seeing my soon to be wife would be as she was escorted down the aisle by her father. I was very close- minded about the thought of a “first look” initially, but I am SO GLAD that I decided to take part in one. Your first thought may be that a first look takes away from that “special moment” when you see your bride for the first time, but for me the first look ADDED so much more joy to an incredible day. I was able to see Britt in a very intimate environment before the ceremony because of our first look. It was an experience that I will never regret agreeing to or forget. It was very special to be able to see how beautiful Brittany looked, and the experience literally took my breath away. If you choose to include a first look as a part of your wedding day, you will certainly not regret it! It was a unique and incredible experience that words truly cannot express. I would recommend a first look to EVERYONE getting married. The experience is breathtakingly incredible and was one of the highlights of my wedding day.” – Harry
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y o u r w e d d i n g p a r t y. Lets chat about your wedding party! This is when the fun REALLY begins! I know from experience that all couples want their closest friends to have an AMAZING time during their big day and I will make sure that happens! Wedding party portraits should be a ton of FUN! After you share your first look, depending on the locations and the timing of the day, your wedding party will join us for portraits! If all goes well, we will be able to accomplish ALL of your wedding party protraits BEFORE the ceremony. This means that your guys and gals will be free to mingle at cocktail hour if they wish! If there are flower girls and ring bearers involved, they can either join us for the pre-ceremony portraits or we can take one final group photo after the ceremony. Be sure your groomsmen arrive with boutonnieres and your bridesmaids arrive with bouquets!
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Sample List for FA M I LY F O R M A L S I absolutely love meeting my couple’s families on the wedding day! Family formals are normally one of my first interactions with them and so I love to have a game plan for this part of the day! Here is my family formal shot list that is set up in an order that ensures speed and that grandparents can be done first and not stand as much. A few things will reshape this list and we will chat about that closer to the big day! We do have to limit the family formal time in order to ensure that we stay on track with the timeline. However, any large family group shots that I don’t accomplish during family formals, I can be sure to capture at the reception!
B&G with Bride’s Grandparents B&G with Bride’s Immediate Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings, Nieces, Nephews) B&G with Bride’s Siblings B&G with Bride’s Parents Bride with her Parents Bride with Mom, Bride with Dad B&G with both sets of Parents B&G with Groom’s Grandparents B&G with Groom’s Immediate Family (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings, Nieces, Nephews) B&G with Groom’s Siblings B&G with Groom’s Parents Groom with his Parents Groom with Mom, Groom with Dad 1-2 other combinations if time allows
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THE CEREMONY Here it is! The moment everyone has been waiting for! The music is playing and the guests have been seated. You and your fiance have been dreaming about this moment for your entire engagement! Vows will be shared and promises will be made... this is what it’s all about!! In a world full of wedding blogs, Pinterest and bridal magazines, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and consumed by the “prettiness” of the event. While details do matter and planning is necessary, it’s important to never lose sight of the real purpose of this amazing day!
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LIGHTING
ORDER OF SE RV IC E
Ceremony lighting is really important. If you get
I have seen so many couples do so many AMAZING
married outdoors at 12pm, the lighting will be ex-
things during their ceremony. I’ve photographed
tremely harsh and not only will there be harsh lines
couples planting trees, symbolizing their strong roots
of light on your faces, you will also be squinting. I
and love of the outdoors. Some couples sing songs
suggest planning an outdoor ceremony 1.5-2 hours
+ play guitar together while some read poems. I’ve
before sunset if you are having a FIRST LOOK. If
seen ring warming ceremonies, rope ceremonies and
you are not interested in sharing a first look, then I
the crushing of the glass. The options are limitless!!
would suggest having your ceremony 2-3 hours be-
As you plan your ceremony, make sure you design it
fore sunset to ensure that you will have plenty of time
to be exactly what the two of you envision it to be.
for all of your portraits afterwards (the lower the sun,
This is your day!! If you have the freedom to be cre-
the more romantic the lighting.) If your ceremony is
ative, then by all means, be creative!!
not in the shade, the ideal sun position is between 2575 degrees on either side behind the couple. (Notice in above photos the sun is behind and to the side of the couple)
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PROGRAMS & D E TA I L S
C O O R D I NAT I O N
The BEST advice I have for the program making pro-
Hiring either a full event planner or just a day-of co-
cess (and is eco friendly!) is to remember that not
ordinator (or designating a type-A friend in a pinch)
EVERY guest needs a program! Most families only
is SO important!! Brides realize very quickly that if
take one and you could end up with hundreds of ex-
they do not have someone in charge of the coordina-
tra programs! Yikes, what a waste! Also, before order-
tion of the day, that responsibility will automatically
ing your programs, have SEVERAL people check it
fall on the mother of the bride, the photographer or
for spelling and grammatical errors. Programs and
the BRIDE! When a photographer is in charge of the
the ceremony decor are things that you can plan in
timeline and the coordinaiton of the day, the images
advance but then deligate the actual job of setting it
will suffer. All of my most stressful wedding situa-
up to a friend or coordinator. The last thing a bride
tions were caused by a lack of organization and co-
needs to be doing the morning of her wedding is
ordination. Having someone there to put out fires
running around setting up floral arrangements! This
that arrise and help move people along to where they
leads me into my next column!
need to go can be a huge relief. It’s so important to make this a priority.
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SHOULD YOU
UNPLUG YOUR CEREMONY?
One thing that has gotten a little out of hand with modern weddings is guests getting a little camera happy. With modern technology, so many more of us have constant access to a camera. As a person obsessed with capturning moments, I think this is AMAZING. Although, I also see the detremental side where we aren’t exactly experiencing things fully or getting a little carried away with getting the perfect shot when it isn’t appropriate. Whether you have 6 guests or 100, each and every one of them are there for a reason. I’d like to think they would spend their time with you taking in every word of your vows, but some feel a little preoccupied with getting 20 cell phone shots in. This totally breaks my heart and I’m on a mission to try to take care of every one of those souls the best I can.
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WHY IT’S A GOOD IDEA Your guests will listen better and interact more with each other and your ceremony. They could feel more imersed in your vows and experience a few tears alongside of you. Without all of the distractions they will feel much more open to meeting new people and chatting with other guests. You’ve spent a lot of time considering them and how to make their experience at your wedding the best it can be! What a bummer it could be for them to miss it. Another thing to be cautious of is the potentential to compromise YOUR photos. Now, on a wedding day I see myself as your eyes when you don’t have the availabiltuy to experience something first hand or when you do and you want to remember it exactly how it happened. If a guest gets in MY way while I’m taking photos, I see it as them jumping in front of YOUR camera. If that were to play out more litterally, I don’t think the guest would do that. This isn’t about me, I want you to have the photos you have dreamed of. Imagine this, you are walking down the asile and there are two different ways the photo can turn out; the first is a photo where you are beaming with happiness, your grandma has her hand to her mouth in awe, your mom is wiping a tear from her face, and all of your college friends are filled with joy seeing you so happy, or the second photo where you are beaming with joy, your grandma has an iPad in front of her face, your mom is leaning over trying to see past the iPad, and all of your college friends have their phones up, looking at their screens, trying to get a photo. Which one feels better to you?
WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP I understand their desire to have a photo of you during a special moment but I have good news, they can have their cake and eat it too! They can experience your day AND have access to the photos they want (fairly soon after too!) I LOVE that I can provide grandma with her favorite classic portrait of you, cousin Sarah with a picture of her kids on the dance floor, and whoever catches the bouquet gets an action shot too! From your gallery, the images are avaialble for download, order affordable professional prints, and easy access to get them on Facebook or Instagram.
HOW TO INFORM YOUR GUESTS Some couples put up a sign and people don’t pay much attention to it and do what they feel is best. I’d suggest sending a thoughtful note within your intivation suite that explains why you want them to refrain, what you are envisioning for your day, and reasure them they will have access to all of the photos very soon after the event! You might also want to have the officiant remind them at the begining of the ceremony before any events start to happen.
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ROMANTIC PORTRAITS
If we’re being honest, all of the wedding day images are important but the real favorites are almost always from my time with the couple! These romantic portraits of just the two of you will be the images that you frame beside your bed or over your mantle and they will also be the images that will fill your album for generations to enjoy. These images are always my favorite not only because of their beauty and an authentic representation of your love, but because this is such a sweet portion of the day. For this brief moment in time, you will be alone with your partner on your wedding day. You will have a chance to love on each other and really connect before the craziness begins! Romantic portraits are normally done before the ceremony (after the “first look”) and then I LOVE shooting a few “just married” portraits after the ceremony as well! This is when the light is low and golden! It’s such a romantic time for bride and groom portraits! If you’re not interested in a first look, we will make sure to include a lot of time after the ceremony for these portraits!
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TRUSTING
PORTRAIT L O C AT I O N S
One of my favorite parts of my job is taking something so magical like the outdoors and combining it with a couple madly in love! Sometimes I may pick a location that will be puzzeling to others but if there is one thing that I love and appreciate about my couples, it’s that they trust me! (and their sense of adventure, of course!) Sometimes I select a portrait location that requires a little bit of hiking, hopping a stream. or climbing. Sometimes I just have a specific trail in mind. Let me know what you are willing and not willing to do and I will happily accomodate that! I always want to keep saftey in mind when selecting spots near cliffs so please stay on the cautious side of your boundaries. I will appreciate it! More often my couples trust my trail suggestions, beach-side cuddle spots, and are willing to pull off the road here and there, and they now have the most amazing portraits! So my encouragement is to just trust me! You don’t have to worry about a thing! Trust my locations and I promise you, you’ll LOVE the results!
THE CASE OF A
RAINY W E D D I N G D AY
Once the week of your wedding rolls around, we are all refreshing the weather forcast every hour. Things can get a little nerve racking but I want to reassure you that even if it rains, you will still have beautiful pictures. I know that rain isn’t ideal and no couple would wish for rain on their big day but if it happens, it happens..... and it’s going to be JUST fine!! Some of our best weddings have been on rainy wedding days! Here are a few things to remember: 1. All I need to create natural light portraits on a rainy wedding day is a porch! Just one porch! 2. In the end you will still be married! That technically is the main goal ;) 3. Take it one step at a time. Don’t think about your entire day and what will happen if it rains. That will only overwhelm you! Definitely have a rain plan for your venue but then let your vendors do the work of handling the rest of the day if rain is in the forecast.
What if it rains?!? | YOUR OPTIONS EMBR ACE I T
TEN T IT
I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT IF YOU
WHEN YOU IMAGINED DINING UNDER
dance in the rain with your love on your wed-
the stars but instead you’ve got rain clouds, it
ding day that every time it rains you will think
can be a dissapointment. I understand!! One
of that memory. I’ve shot weddings where the
option is to find a backup tent or ask your
guests get out and dance in the grass barefoot
venue if they have one they provide in case
as it pours on them, loving every minute (I did
of rain. Tents can still feel very outdoorsy but
too!) There are some circumstances where this
provide shelter from turning your dinner into
could be detremental, like cold weather, but oth-
soup. Plus, you are still so in touch with the
erwise it could provide a lot of fun and relief to
outdoors you know when there is a break in
just let go and enjoy what nature gave you.
the rain and we can run out to enjoy the freash air for a few songs!
MOV E I T
FA K E IT
THIS IS THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN AVOIDING,
NO MATTER WHAT, I’M GOING TO MAKE
but sometimes it just has to happen. Ask your
it feel like you got to spend your special day out-
venue if they have an alternate space available
doors and give you the natural light photos you
for last minute moves and how much time in ad-
want! Bring clear or white umbrellas for out-
vance they need the decision. If this is not avail-
door portraits and we can utilize porches, aw-
able, find a backup location and have an easy
nings, and my secret weapon -- a greenhouse --
way arranged to contact all your guests about the
if nearby! Let me worry about the pictures. You
move (have emails available for a quick blast!)
have enough to think about. If there is a chance of rain I’ll be sure to do a little extra location scouting!
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R E C E P T I O N D E TA I L S
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THE PARTY IS HERE! RECEPTIONS CAN BE A BLAST! HOWEVER, IT’S IMPORTANT to make sure that you have your event well thought out. This is the job of your coodinator and your DJ/Band. Your caterer will also play a big role in the design and set up of your event. Every aspect of your reception affects the overall outline of the evening. For example, if you’re not having a plated meal, your reception will need to be set up in a way that allows movement. Guests will need to be able to find the food stations easily. If you are having a plated dinner, you will more than likely need escort cards, full place settings and space for all of your guests to be seated comfortably. Whatever the style of your event, make sure that you plan out all of the aspects of the evening. Your coordinator and DJ can help you set up the evening so that guests won’t leave early or experience long periods of waiting for the next thing to happen.
Much like the ceremony, you have the freedom to make your reception your own! Get creative! It’s your party, it should be exactly how you want it to be! Here is a list of some of the more common events that happen often at receptions: - Bridal Party Introductions
- Welcome Greeting
- First Dance
- Blessing
- Father-Daughter Dance
- Cake Cutting
- Mother-Son Dance
- Toasts
- Anniversary Dance
- Bouquet and Garter Toss
- Traditional Religious Dances
- Large group portraits with friends
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RECEPTION TIPS
The fun has begun! It’s time to relax, dance and celebrate!! Your reception should be a BLAST! The last thing you need to be worrying about is your timeline. Your coordinator and DJ should take care of making sure that everything stays on schedule and make the adjustments if needed so that you can enjoy your night. Here are some helpful tips that will help your reception flow smoothly.
- GUEST CONSIDERATION : Take your guests into consideration when planning your timeline. If you have a lot of elderly guests that will not be staying until the very end, make sure you schedule the cake cutting at a relatively early time so that they can be a part of it.
- KEEP IT MOVING : Chat with your coordinator about how you can plan your reception in a way that will keep guests engaged and moving all night!
- MAKE IT YOUR OWN : If you want to have a special dance with your grandparents, do it! Serve ice cream instead of cake, go for it! Make your reception a reflection of who you are and don’t feel tied to traditions. Also, make sure you give your DJ or Band a “Do Not Play” list if there are some songs you really don’t want to hear during your reception!
- DON’T GET CAUGHT UP in the formalities and the details. Sure, details are pretty and fun to photograph, but they can steal the joy of the day if you get too caught up in them. Plan your centerpieces, welcome table, etc. well before the wedding date and teach your coordinator or family friend how to set them up so that you aren’t even thinking about those things the day of!
- RECEPTION COVERAGE : If you haven’t purchased enough coverage time for your photography to last until open dance or the exit, that’s ok! I have several options -just get in touch! I recommend planning your timeline so that you can have at least 30 minutes to one hour of dancing photographed. The guests who dance during the first hour will still be dancing in the third hour! One hour of dancing will be enough time to really capture the joy of your reception!
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105
BREAKING
TRADITION knowing how & when it’s right for you
BREAKING TR ADITION CAN FEEL LIBER ATING TO SOME w hi le ot hers c an fe el gui lt. May b e you are consider ing hav ing br idesmaids AND br idesmen. Or may b e you and your sp ous e are wa l k ing dow n t he isle toget her... you don’t want to we ar w hite... or sp ending mone y on b outonnieres or favors fe els si l ly. No matter w hat, I SUPPORT YOU! I re a lize t hat s ome couples exp er ience resist ance f rom ot hers and t hat c an weig h on you. S omet imes it is just nice to he ar t hat s ome one out t here supp or ts you and your de cisions. There are s o ver y many re as ons to bre a k t radit ion and e ach and e ver y one of t hem is resp e c t able. S omet imes we fol low p at hs w it hout t hin k ing to stop and contempl ate t heir “w hy” or if it is r ig ht for us. In order to re a lize w here you ne e d to st ray and w here you want to fol low c an b e determine d by a litt le s ou l s e arching and a bit of res e arch. Here a fe w ways t hat cou ld help f igure out w hat is r ig ht for t he t wo of you:
1. RESEARCH. When lo ok ing at t he y t ypic a l we dding l ayout f rom your c u lture, s ele c t one concept at a t ime and re as e arch it’s org in and me aning . A ls o consider w hat it cou ld me an to t he t wo of you in to d ay’s world. Ask yours elves if t his repres ents t he t wo of you wel l, if it conf lic ts w it h any of your b eliefs, or if it e ven s ounds f un or romant ic! 2. ASK WHY. You c an dig re a l ly de ep by ask ing yours elf w hy 5 t imes (a ka t he 5 Whys exercis e.) If at any p oint you f ind t hat you answer “ b e c aus e I’m supp os e d to” or “ b e c aus e my p arents want me to,” you mig ht want to consider t he p ossibi lit y t hat is not for you. Ask ing w hy again c an le ad to “my mom wants me to b e c aus e she t hin ks I’m supp os e d to” or “ it wou ld me an a lot to her b ec aus e it is t he s ong she d ance d to at her we dding” and t hat c an ma ke a l l t he dif ference! 3. KEEP ONLY WHAT SPARKS JOY. B as e d of f of Mar ie Kondo’s #1 Ne w York Times B est-S el ler “ The L ife C hang ing Mag ic of Tidy ing Up,” ask yours elf if e ach element of your we dding br ings you j oy. Why waste e ven a minute of your d ay (t hat a lre ady go es by to o o o o fast!) on s omet hing t hat won’t e ven br ing you j oy?! To re ad more on t his one (it’s t hat go o d) go og le “ The We dding C hang ing Mag ic of Tidy ing Up” by we dding pl anner, Meg g ie Francis co!
D E S T I NAT I O N
WEDDING tips
There are so many reasons why I love destination weddings. They are SUCH an incredible experience for everyone involved. Every time I have the pleasure of serving a couple and their guests in a new place, I hear so much buzz about how this is the “wedding of the year” from just about everyone in attendance. Guests are always so stunned by the location, it’s beauty, and the fun they are having! Being removed from their everyday lives enables them to forget the worries of home, let go of their devices, and ultimately be more present during your day. They also feel so much more love, care, and connection from the couple since they get so much more quality time with them than a local wedding permits. For the couple, the experience is so rewarding and life-giving. Not only do they feel the warmth of creating something so amazing for their guests, but also they get something unique for themselves. They end up with pictures that blow their minds, memories that focus on nature and people instead of stress and material things, and they get to have their first real adventure together be something of epic proportions. If you are anything like me, I can’t have just one day of celebration. I turn anniversaries into weeklong events and my birthday into a series of parties, trips, and music festival tickets. Destination weddings give the couple the chance to make their celebration bigger and longer, relieving the pressure of the one perfect day, without sacrificing the engagement of those around them. As a photographer, traveling somewhere new for work can reignite my creative fire. I can’t tell you how thrilled I get with every new opportunity and location. I enjoy the planning and research it requires as well as the adventure I get to be a part of. Traveling is a huge part of my life and I love the feeling of sharing it with others! This journey fulfills the wanderlust we all feel (unless you’re like me and it’s turned into full-on fernweh!) so take the leap and enjoy the trip!
THE DRESS -Ok, this is a biggie. Transporting the dress of your dreams may feel a little scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Store your dress in a garment bag or have it professionally packaged. Some airlines are prepared to hang your dress for you and if not, you can store it in the overhead compartment. Never let it go into checked luggage since we all know what kind of reputation airlines have with those! -If you have yet to select your dress, consider finding fabrics that don’t wrinkle, are lightweight for travel (Grace Loves Lace is great about this), and fit the climate and scene of your wedding location! You might struggle with a heavy ball gown in humidity and sand, while a mermaid gown in cold weather won’t hide leggings and boots! If you have already found the dress of your dreams and it is a little prone to wrinkles, no worries make sure you will have access to steam it upon your arrival. WHAT TO SHIP, CHECK, & CARRY ON -Destination weddings usually offer incredible scenery so you don’t have to invest as much of your design energy and dollars on decor or other material things. I mean, your guests are going to remember watching that amazing sunset over the mountains before they will your wedding favor. With a more minimalist approach, you don’t have to worry about transporting as many items! I’m an incredibly light packer, so I think whether your destination is sunny and warm, like a beach in Mexico, or it’s icy and cold, like the Swiss Alps in winter, you can find ways to skip on bringing a lot of stuff (you need way less than you think!) If you do want a decadent design, consider hiring someone local to the area to design and source the items or a designer local to your own area that is experienced in destination weddings. -If you are getting married within your country, I think it would be the least stress-inducing to ship your decor and other nonessential things. This is a frequent travelers tip; you can mail any-
thing to a specific post office (via general delivery) or UPS store and they will hold it for you for 10 to 30 days. Pick the office closest to your destination and contact them to make sure they offer this service, how long they are willing to hold your packages and their preferences on addressing your package. Ship well ahead of time in case of delays and keep an eye on tracking numbers. -If you are traveling outside of your country the safest option is to put your decor and other non-essential items in a carry on so they don’t get trapped in customs without anyone to defend them! Some countries have bans on specific goods so be wary of those and keep receipts, cut or cover labels, and bring an invitation as proof of no intention of resale. You can also consider distributing the goods across several family members and friends suitcases. -Have a plan on what you’d like to do with your items afterward. Do you want to ditch the suitcase and all of the goods entirely or do you want some of them to come home with you? Keep your end goal in mind as you shop for goods and suitcases. -I’ve got to touch on what has priority for your carry on suitcase. Besides the dress (top priority, obviously), this space needs to be reserved for items that CANNOT be replaced if lost in transit. This can be anything from your personal care (like prescriptions, contacts, difficult to find/custom toiletries) to wedding supplies (rings, paperwork, family heirloom items, or accessories that are important). The bikini you want to wear on your honeymoon, your favorite toothpaste brand, or the vase that you want at your reception can technically be re-bought at a store near your destination in a pinch. As a pro packer, I like to list or lay everything out on the floor and make 3 piles. One pile will represent what absolutely needs to go into the carry-on, and the others will represent the “maybes” and the low priority items. Once the carry on is packed, you can see if there is any room left for a few “maybe” items and the rest go into a checked bag or shipping box. ARRIVE EARLY -If you are not wanting your destination to be as much as a new and wild experience for yourself as it will be for your guests, many suggest visiting the place beforehand to meet vendors, handpick venues, and get a lay of the land. You could even find lots of your decor locally and store it until the time of the wedding. This could save money and give your wedding a more authentic feel. If this is not an option or you want to keep things a surprise for the both of you, Skype, vision boards, and Pinterest can help you communicate with your vendors! -No matter what, you do need to arrive several days before the wedding. You need time in case there are travel delays, to adjust to time changes, have a trial for hair and makeup, do any last
minute shopping, and have some time to relax and get pampered before the day. No one wants to be tired or fighting jet lag on their wedding day! SAVE MONEY -Some destinations have some savings built right in! “Slash your décor budget by incorporating local blooms — think olive branches and grape leaves in Tuscany or exotic flowers and plants in the tropics — and serve local specialties at the reception, like conch fritters in the Bahamas or carnitas in Cabo, to cut catering costs,” says Yolanda Crous on Brides.com. Embracing the culture, style of goods offered, and natural beauty of your destination can help cut costs and give your event a more authentic feel. Consider going early to source decor and store it locally or arriving a few days early to do some shopping for your event. If you decide to do this be sure to research ahead of time! -Talk to your accommodation provider (resort, hotel, home rental, or venue) about discounts since you will be bringing a big group of people. They may be able to offer percentages off or just include free perks, like room upgrades, credits, or airport shuttles. It’s worth a shot to ask! Also, since it is easier to make a destination wedding on a weekday, ask if any of your vendors offer any non-Saturday savings! -Always ask about possible taxes before you sign with a venue. Some countries have taxes that may not show up on your proposal. You don’t want any surprises! CONSIDER YOUR GUESTS -First, you have to make sure that all of the most important people to you can make it. Make a list of the “deal breakers” so that you know if they don’t have the means or availability to attend, you might have to reconsider. Talk to them first and if there are any problems, investigate to see if you can help! -For most guests, this is the “wedding of the year” and a special vacation for them. Some maybe have dreamed of traveling but needed the push or a comfortable opportunity presented to them. Many feel so grateful for the experience you are about to share with them. You can enhance this by planning a few extra events so that you can all spend more time together. This can be something easy like a special daily meeting spot by the pool to later grab lunch together, or something more elaborate like a bonfire with a DJ and appetizers. Either way, your guests get to spend way more time with you but they also have room to explore on their own! -Many turn this into a vacation for themselves so providing a welcome packet of things to do, places to stay, and an itinerary of when they are expected at your events will help make this an amazing getaway!
Elopement YOUR
DAY
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68
YO U R E L O P E M E N T E L OPE M E N T S
ARE
SO
U N IQU E!
m a ny p e ople , bud ge t , a nor m a l we d-
T he y a re a ny t h i ng but s t a nd a rd s o it
d i ng ju s t d id n’t s ou nd l i k e “ you ,” or
wou ld b e i mp o s sible for me to g i ve you
you a re ju s t lo ok i ng for t he mo s t a d-
a s muc h s t r uc t u re d a d v ic e a s I h ave
vent u re , I tot a l ly s upp or t you ! You
b e en a ble to w it h t r a d it ion a l we d d i ng
h ave b oi le d a we d d i ng dow n to t he
d ay s . Even w it h t h at s o, I s t i l l re c-
mo s t i mp or t a nt p a r t s , t he m a r r i a ge
c omend brow si ng t h rou g h t he ent i re
a nd
g u id e s o you c a n pic k up on l it t le t ip s
vow s .
prom i s e s
made
t h rou g h
you r
a nd i n s pi r at ion here a nd t here t h at c a n s t i l l apply to you r d ay. You s t i l l
T h i s do e sn’t me a n you c a n’t h ave a
h ave to c on sid er t r ave l t i me s , s u n s e t
w hole lot t a f u n w it h it --a c t u a l ly I
s c he du le s , b ouque t s t y le s , w here to
t h i n k t he opp o sit e i s t r ue! You h ave
f i nd you r d re s s , a nd ot her b ohem i a n
t he av a i l a bl it y to do t h i s up w it hout
i n s pi r at ion! He y, you m i g ht e ven fe e l
t he c on sid er at ion of a nyone e l s e b e -
more v a l id at e d i n you r d e c i sion onc e
sid e s you r s p ou s e -to -b e . It c a n b e
you s e e a l l t he t h i ngs you D ON ’ T h ave
tot a l ly you ! S o p op a b ot t le of c h a m-
to do! T h i s g u id e i s s t i l l he lpf u l to
p a ne ge a f t er you r c eremony, s e t up a
you !
t a ble for t wo to d i ne u nd er t he s t a r s , h ave you r dogs b e t he b e s t m a n a nd
No m at t er you r “w hy ” for opt i ng for
m a id of honor, or ju s t f rol ic i n a f ie ld
t h i s s t y le of we d d i ng ; pl a n n i ng a n en-
of w i ld f lower s b a re fo ot a nd c a l l it a
t i re e vent s ou nd e d aw f u l , you don’t
d ay !
w a nt to re a d you r vow s i n f ront of s o 112
T H E H A R D E S T PA R T . . . T H E R E A R E SO M A N Y A M A Z I NG PL ACE S A ROU N D T H E WOR L D SO I t h i n k t he ha rde st pa r t i s ju st choosi ng one for you r epic elopement . Onc e you have t hat dow n, e ver y t h i ng i s s o e a s y! I f you a re hav i ng t rouble , I’ d su gge st v i sit i ng t he s e c t ion for s elec t i ng enga gement s e s sion loc at ions on pa ge 14 for ide a s . I’m a l s o happy to g ive pers ona l rec comend at ions of i nc redible la nd s c ape s t hat have be en on my bucket l i st or s omeplac e I’ve be en t hat s ou nd s per fe c t for you . We w i l l be work i ng clos ely to de velop you r t i mel i ne a nd I c a n e ven help w it h f i nd i ng a f ford able f l ig ht s! I’m tot a l ly here for you!
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YOUR CEREMONY COULD BE ON...
{
• a beach with the waves hitting your bare feet • the base of the Swiss Alps with the sun settting over the mountains • a gondola in Spain with tons of florals lining the boat • a snow packed trail overlooking El Capitan • standing in the middle of a river or gorge with the water taking your train downstream 115
Marriage YOUR
POST-WEDDING
PLANNING A
M a r r ia g e
more beautiful than your wedding
MONO GAM Y ISN’ T EVE N IN OU R BIOLO GY. I T ’S NOT A PA RT OF ou r i nst i nc t s to l ive our ent ire li fe w it h one p ers on t he way chi ld rais i ng or su r v iv a l is. There is no p ar t of us t hat natura l ly k nows how to d o it , but we st i l l do. I t hin k t hat s ay s s omet hi ng sp e ci a l ab out mar r i age t hat we have to cho o s e t his p ers on over and over agai n e ver y d ay. I k now t his ma ke s it not s o e asy, but it a ls o ma kes t he b enef its i nsur mount able. It is tot a l ly ac cept abl e to re ad b o oks on how to rais e a chi ld, ask adv i ce, or s e ek help, but for s ome re as on w hen you lo ok i nto d oi ng t he s ame for t he one t h i ng you aren’t a l re ady prog rame d to d o - - mar r i age, s o ci et y c an get t heir ju d ge on. This is esp e ci a l ly t r ue w hen it comes to couples t herapy. I want to e ncou r age you to resist t hat ... b e c aus e t here is s omet hi ng mag i c a l t hat happ ens w he n you have s ome one t here to sp e a k i nto your lives . D on’t wait unt i l you have a maj or probl em, est abl ish a rel at i onship w it h s ome one w ho c an get to k now t he t wo of you at your b est s o t hat t he y c an help you at your worst .
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“Mar r i age is hard work” is t he phras e we have a l l he ard 2 0 mi l li on t i mes , ye t it do e sn’t re a l ly des c r ib e w hat k i nd of work is i nvolve d and how to ma ke sure you are putt ing in t his myster i ous “work.” At f i rst I was a litt le angere d by it’s vau ge ness, but I s o on re a l ize d t hat e ver y couple is un i que and e ach wou ld re qui re di f fe rent t yp es of ac t ion. May b e you g re w up w it h 2 0 s ibli ngs s o shar i ng a sp ace w it h s ome one is a pie ce of c a ke, but hand li ng f i nances toget her fe els ne arly i mp ossibl e. Or may b e your p ar t ner st r ug g les w it h commun i c at i ng t hei r fe eli ng s wel l, but t he y k now how to ke ep t he p ass i on f resh. Mar r i age is hard b e c aus e li fe is hard. We a l l have our fau lts and f l aws and w hen combi n i ng t wo s ep erate i mp e r fe c t humans, adding in t he hard s itut at i os t hat li fe t hrows at you, you ge t s omet hing t hat c an b e dif f ic u lt - - but you get to get t hroug h it TO GET H E R ! T he re are s o many res ourc es out t here to help you pl an your mar r i age and t his des er ves just as much res e arch, t i me, and t houg ht as you r we d di ng
pl anning .
I
enc ourage
you
to
dig
in
and
work
on
t his
toge t her. R e ad b o ok s, s et bud gets , watch Te d Ta l ks , go on sp ont ane ous d ate s,
and
f ind
your
g ro ove
in
t he
toug h
t ask
of
commun i c at i on!
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after your wedding THIS IS TOTALLY A HARD PART FOR me. I spend so many hours handpicking images,
fine
tuning
each
one,
and
inadvertenly reliving your day! I often find myself laughing out loud, wanting to send you screen shots of funny images, or the desire to chat with you about the moments that were captured. I truly feel each image so it can be hard when I’m stuck behind a computer screen and not sharing with you! Nevertheless, I do suggest planning something special for your viewing! This is a great moment to reminence and relive your day! Take your time and talk about each memor y!!
PHOTO DELIVERY TIMELINE
1 WEEK
2 WEEKS
4-6 WEEKS
social m edia
blog post with
online gallery with
sneak peek with
some highlights
600-800 of your
one of my favorite
from your day
final, edited, high-
photos
120
resolution images
one final note I C AN’ T BE LIEVE YOUR DAY HAS C OM E A N D GON E . I T I S I M P ORTA N T to ma ke sure t hat your images get pr i nte d and d ispl aye d around your home. It c an b e e asy to l et t hem hang out on li ne, but wou ld n’t it br i ng you much more j oy to displ ay t hem ? If you cho os e to have k i ds , t his c an show t hem t he fou nd at ion t he y are st anding on . If you get i n a d is ag re ement, c atchi ng a g l ance c an ma ke you stop and t hin k ... may b e e ven s of ten your he ar t a bit. When you have guest s, you c an fe el a l itt le pr i d e show i ng of f w hat you have bui lt. You r love is t imel ess, t hes e images are t i meless - - sur round yours elf w it h t hem!
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YO U R O NLI NE GA LLERY
Years ago you had to order prints of the images that you wanted to have forever. That isn’t how I work around here! I want you to have ALL of your memories in your possession forever and ever! I also want you to share your images freely and without any hesitation. This is why I deliver your images via an online gallery! This means that you don’t have to wait on a package in the mail and you’ll have access to them wherever you are! I’ve listed some important information that will help you understand your online gallery and all that it can do on the next page! Enjoy! :
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DOWNLOADING PHOTOS: You will be able to download your edited images directly from your online gallery and they will be high resolution! This process is very simple! All you have to do is click the “downwards arrow icon” and you will be guided from there. You can download just one photo, all the photos, or just the ones you marked as your “favorites.” If you opt to download the entire gallery, you will be notified via email when your entire download is ready. It takes a few minutes to prepare for hundreds of images to be downloaded! Also, be sure to save a copy of all of the folders to your own dropbox and hard drives -you can never be too safe!
ACCESSING YOUR PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE: The online gallery system that I use actually has a mobile APP that is free to download! If you pull up your gallery in your brower on your phone, you will be prompted to download a FREE APP! In this free app, you’ll be able to access your gallery (both wedding and engagement galleries) and you can download images to your phone for clear, crisp instagrams!
ORDERING PRINTS: You can actually order professional and affordable prints from within your online gallery and have them shipped directly to your house! Print sizes are all under $10 and are printed in a professional lab to ensure color and contrast accuracy! You are more than welcome to print images on your own. However, I would warn you to avoid Walmart and other similar labs. I cannot promise that your colors will print true-to-life if you choose to print at those stores. If you don’t print through your gallery, I recommend using Mpix.com!
GALLERY EXPIRATION: I have great news! Your galleries will not expire for 10 years! Isn’t that amazing?! You may have kids running around everywhere before your wedding gallery expires! However, even though you will have access to your images for a long time, I would still recommend downloading them and saving them in multiple places for safe keeping!
SHARING, WATERMARKING & EDITING: You have the freedom to share your images in any way that you choose! These are your images and I want you to love them so much that you can’t help but share them! I don’t believe that it is necessary to watermark my images. All I ask for is some type of credit whenever you use an image on social media! I only have ONE rule when it comes to what you can and cannot do with my work. I always encourage my clients not to re-edit their images. Let me do that hard work! However, if you have an image or two that you want to print at a very large size and you find an imperfection, I will gladly perfect it!
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C R E AT I N G YO U R F I R S T
Heirloom
EC O A L BUM S It wasn’t until I spent my cousin’s 10 year anniversary with her husband in their home that I realized I needed to offer albums to my clients. She told me they look through their wedding album every single year together on their anniversary. I thought that was a sweet tradition and I want to make sure that is available to my clients as well! There is something special about creating your first heirloom. Having digital images is wonderful but having a printed keepsake that tells a visual story of your wedding day is priceless! If you haven’t already invested in an Eco Album of your own, you can always come back to me at any time and order one. I’m not a photography business that pushes product sales at all. However, these unique & eco friendly albums are important not just for my couples to have... but for their grandchildren to enjoy as well.
SIZE OPT ION S:
10x8, 14x10 S AY T HA N K YOU W IT H A PA REN T A L BUM : Many couples don’t have any trouble picking out their parent’s holiday gifts the year they get married! Many parents do so much to make their kid’s wedding a dream come true and what a wonderful way to thank them with their very own album! If you want to surprise them with an album of their very own, let me know before November 1st so we can get them ordered in time! 124
Notes:
THANK YOU! Last, but certainly not least, THANK YOU for trusting me with your special day. I’m so honored to be the one capturing your memories and I cannot WAIT to celebrate alongside of you! Enjoy this season of planning but also remember that your MARRIAGE is more important than the wedding. The wedding will come and go in a matter of hours but your marriage needs to stand the test of time. Continue to make time for one another, even with all that needs to get done. As you continue to plan, please feel free to contact me with ANY questions you may have along the way! I hope this guide has been helpful as you continue to plan and prepare for your engagement session and wedding day! xx, Joni