Visual Roots Wedding Magazine- Winter

VI SUAL RO O TS P H O TO G R A P H Y

VISUALROOTS.COM

OUR STORY

PICTURE THIS...

Picture this… a photography camping trip to Cyprus Lake, a roaring bonfire and two people talking late into the night.

The stars aligned and that was the start of our love story. Everything we adore wrapped into the beginning of ‘us’.

Since that night lots of things have happened– we had kids, got married, bought a house and started our photography business...not quite in that order!

We started Visual Roots in 2001, way back in the good ol’ days of film.

Visual Roots brings the concepts of two photographers together to tell one story– Creating unique and modern portraits of you and your loved ones.

Our passion for the outdoors is evident in the style of our work and has attracted clients who love being outside too!

This shared love of nature allows an easy rapport with our clients {and their dogs} and has brought us to photograph weddings mostly in the Muskoka & Georgian Bay region.

We do travel around Ontario and Canada too so don’t be shy, talk to us about your destination.

When we are not busy photographing weddings and portraits you can find us having dance parties with our kids, playing with our dog Calvin, packing for another camping adventure or {most likely} on a body of water paddling a canoe. We are trying to catch up to Bill Mason with our canoe collection.

Maybe one day we will but until then… drop us a line.

We are always up for a good love story.

KATE & ANDREW

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Letters from you

Kristin & Dean

You guys were brilliant during the wedding. It was really a pleasure working with you. Kate, you were so accommodating and helpful.

Dean and I can’t say enough about how happy we were to have you both there photographing our special day!

Jen & Nathan

It was like working with friends. Both Andy and Kate blended right in with the dynamics of our wedding party. They were professional and funny, right in the moment but not intrusive.

To this day I still have people saying how wonderful our wedding photos are.

Jenn & Damian

“You guys are INSANE. Wow, wow, wow.

There is not a second of those photos I didn’t LOVE. I am speechless. you guys are so talented.

My fiancé and I really want to have a nighttime wedding, but I’ve heard that will spell disaster for our pictures.

What do you think we should do?

Go for it! While photographers generally prefer natural light to artificial light for the photographs, you should always do what makes you happy. At Visual Roots we come equipped to handle any lighting situation and have years of experience with many different venues and circumstances, including nighttime weddings.

Because you never have to worry about your images not coming out nicely, go ahead and have your dream wedding and leave the details to us!

I know it’s best to take formal photographs before the wedding, but I guess you could say we are oldfashioned. Why do you think taking the formals beforehand is so important?

Here at Visual Roots, we definitely pride ourselves in catering to the needs and desires of our clients. That said, we are believers in taking the formal photographs before the wedding, ensuring not only more time to get the best photographs but also getting the formals out of the way by the time you are ready to go to your party. We find that stress levels with brides, grooms, family members and wedding parties is greatly reduced when the formals are taken care of and they can focus on just having fun and being with their guests. Also, depending on the time of day, we may have better light and access to better portrait locations before the ceremony.

We’d love to set aside some time for an engagement shoot. Is this something you do?

We sure do! We work with you to plan the engagement shoot of your dreams, including location selection and wardrobe recommendations. Additionally, we can even help you design pieces for your wedding using your engagement shoot photos for sign-in boards, guest books, save-the-date cards, thank you cards, table place settings, and much more. Visual Roots also offers many wonderful album options to help you remember your engagement shoot forever. Be sure to check out page 12 of this issue for more information about scheduling your own engagement shoot for a lifetime of special memories!

HAVE A QUESTION? We’d love to hear from you. Please send your question to info@visualroots.com.

CLIENT SPOT LIGHT

anita & chris

We recently had the privilege of photographing Chris and Anita’s gorgeous wedding. The beautiful sun shone down on us as they said, “I do’ at the base of Blue Mountain.

Because weddings are a flurry of excitement and special moments between loved ones, family and friends, it is important to not only capture those smiles, cute flower girls and beautiful flowers; stunning photography also captures the wishes of the client.

How can you be prepared for the biggest day of your life so far? Here, Chris and Anita share: THE BEST ADVICE FOR A BRIDE. “Take a moment, stand in the middle of the room and just take everything in.” says Anita. “You’ve put so much hard work into making the perfect day that you don’t want to miss out on how wonderful everything turned out!”

THE BIGGEST SURPRISE ABOUT THEIR WEDDING DAY. “The biggest surprise would have to be that the rain stopped just in time for the limo to pick us up. The sunshine came out & turned into a beautiful & perfect day.”

THEIR FAVORITE PHOTO MOMENT. “All of my photos captured a favourite moment but I do have to say that the photos taken with just myself & my god-daughter were the most memorable. ” says Anita, “seeing her smile & be playful was just perfect.”

WHAT THEY LOVED MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH VISUAL ROOTS PHOTOGRAPHY. Anita says, “I loved the fact that you Kate & Andy were so easy to work with. They made everything seem so easy & had a lot of fun with us. They went above and beyond for us, especially Kate, helping me with my crinalin throughout the day. Thank you!!”

HOW TO TAME THOSE WEDDING DAY NERVES. “I took some advice from my photographer.....when I got nervous I just danced around and sang the hokie pokie!”

WHICH ONE MOMENT WILL LAST FOR THEM FOREVER. “My favourite moment was dancing with my mother.

I couldn’t have asked for that moment to be anymore perfect.

The smile on her face and the tears from her eyes were absolutely priceless. She’s my everything and my wedding day wouldn’t have been complete without having that dance with her.

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GETTING MARRIED WITHOUT BEING HARRIED

• Be sure to have a hair and makeup trial at least a month before your wedding. This will give you peace of mind to know exactly how you will look and give you the opportunity to change things in advance if necessary. Make sure to bring all jewelry to the trial to see how makeup shades work with the pieces.

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Have your florist deliver your flowers to where you are getting ready, not the ceremony venue. Since you never know when the mood will strike for a great photo, you’ll want your flowers there and ready to go.

• Find out what the rules for photographs are at

the ceremony location. All venues are different, some restricting the location of photographs and even the times in which they are permitted.

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Consider shooting your formal photographs before the ceremony. Getting this step out of the way early in the day frees up the rest of your time to spend with your guests. You will be able to go straight to cocktail hour and catch up with loved ones without stress. It’s a new age, so it’s no longer considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.

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Have food delivered to your getting ready location. It may be hectic, but take the time to have a bite before the wedding since it will be a while before you have the opportunity to nourish yourself during the reception.

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Prepare an emergency bridal kit with clear nail polish, mints, a sewing kit, stain treater, Visine, safety pins, bobby pins, pain reliever and mini deodorant.

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Allowing 50% more time for hair and makeup than you originally anticipated alleviates the number one reason wedding schedules end up running late. This will assure you have plenty of time for all the portraits you want to take before the wedding.

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Make sure you discuss a “rain plan” with your venue just in case Mother Nature doesn’t see sunshine in the cards.

YOUR WEDDING

A WEDDING DAY PHOTO TIMELINE A wedding is a whirlwind of events, gone in the blink of an eye. There’s little more important to a perfectly executed event than an organized timeline. If you are looking to effectively plan out your wedding day with your wedding coordinator or fiance, here’s a look at a typical wedding photo timeline from our point of view. We are here to help assist you in planning out your day so that you don’t miss a beat.

6 HOURS BEFORE THE CEREMONY We’ve just finished packing our bags and we’re now going over the wedding information form and having a meeting to talk about the details of the day.

3 HOURS BEFORE THE CEREMONY We leave the studio for the wedding site. The bride’s wedding party’s hair and makeup should be well underway to leave plenty of time for ‘getting ready’ photos.

1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE CEREMONY We arrive at the preparation site to capture the finishing touches of hair and makeup and to document the bride getting into her wedding dress and the groomsmen making their final preparations.

Andrew checks in to the reception area and photographs the small details of the day from table settings to flowers.

30 MINUTES BEFORE THE CEREMONY We leave the preparations site to set out for the ceremony site. Here, Andrew and I coordinate to set up any equipment we need during the ceremony. At this time you should have a quick refreshment and take 5 minutes of quiet time ; you’ll want to regroup before all the excitement begins!

RIGHT AFTER THE CEREMONY As soon as you come down the aisle we gather everyone together and do a group photo of everyone who made it to your wedding then allow 5-10 minutes for congratulations, high fives and hugs.

15 MINUTES AFTER THE CEREMONY We travel to the family portraits location. Starting with the largest groups we work our way down through both sides of the families including grandparents and maybe the dog. This allows people to leave for the reception once they are finished with photos.

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35 MINUTES AFTER THE CEREMONY It’s bridal party time! We travel around the resort or photo location in order to get the best light and beautiful scenery. Depending on the size of the bridal party and location of the photos this can take anywhere between 20-45 minutes.

1-1.5 HOURS AFTER THE CEREMONY At this time we have just the two of you for some bride and groom portraits. We start by photographing from farther away in order to give you a little time together to breathe and be excited that you are now husband and wife.

2 HOURS AFTER THE CEREMONY You are arriving at the reception to join your guests.

At this time we strictly document the reception candidly as it unfolds, including the first dances, toasts, dancing, and cake cutting. But don’t worry; we are always available for any photo request you may have throughout the evening. Just ask!

6 HOURS AFTER THE CEREMONY We pack our equipment and prepare for our departure. But first, we will check with you to make sure there aren’t any further photos you would like or an overtime request. We may go outside for a night “time exposure” photograph of the both of you to showcase the beauty of your location at night.

Three weeks before your wedding we will touch base via phone or e-mail to discuss your wedding day photo timeline and go over your Complete Wedding Information form with all your wedding details including locations, family members, special wedding day events, vendors and much more.

This information will ensure we are all on the same page for an unforgettable and stressfree event!

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THE DETAILS CAPTURING THE SEEMINGLY SM ALL THIN GS .

So many things are special about your wedding day. While some details may go unnoticed by your guests, there are things that hold personal meaning to you and your families.

From the bracelets you and your bridesmaids made together to the canoe paddle your father hand carved– the family traditions, inside jokes and handmade crafts are all ways your family and friends show their love and play a part in your special day. It’s all a part of your distinct personality as a couple, sharing your yesterdays while you prepare for your many tomorrows.

At Visual Roots, we make sure we capture those details as they are part of the telling of your story.

GROUP PHOTOS Here at Visual Roots we pride ourselves in capturing the most natural, candid portraiture possible. This style showcases your day as it was, helping to bring your personalities forward and documenting your day for a lifetime of memories.

While we shoot the majority of our images this way, it’s also very important to capture traditional formal portraits as well.

These group shots are best done, right after the ceremony. Since our most important goal is keeping the day flowing on schedule, we allow 3-5 minutes for each desired grouping to ensure maximum results with minimal time.

We recommend a group shot of all the people who attended your wedding done right after the ceremony.

This way everyone is included in your day.

Because we prefer to not to keep people away from the celebration we always start with the largest groups and break it down after that to allow for any couples finished with photos to head to the reception.

Make sure to make time for special people and furry friends too. Whether it is your elderly grandparents or aunts and uncles who have flown in from a far, it’s a great idea to include them in your formal photos.

When including your special furry friend make sure you have a doggie helper to make everything transition well.

If you have ideas for any ‘can’t-miss’ portrait groupings make sure to note them on your provided wedding information form. We’re happy to work with you to capture all of your special moments!

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PACKAGES & PRICING Create the perfect photography package for your wedding day!

Start with a bundled package and upgrade with add-ons, or build an entire shoot from scratch.

Every wedding is different and our packages are flexible to suit your needs.

All Visual Roots Packages include : Pre-wedding consultation & scheduling assistance, two photographers Kate & Andrew.

Uber $5,995.00 Engagement photo session, 8x8” signature guest book 10 hours wedding day coverage, 12x12” ‘The One’ album, 75 designer Thank You cards 16x20 canvas print {Bonus} DVD of high resolution images from wedding coverage.

Unique $3,795.00 Engagement photo session, 8x8” signature guest book 8 hours wedding day coverage, online gallery, 12x12” art album {Bonus} DVD of high resolution images from wedding coverage Modern $3,095.00 8 hours wedding day coverage, online gallery 10x10” art album, 50 5x7” Thank You cards {Bonus} High resolution files of all album images on DVD Engaging $2,595.00 Engagement Photo Session, 8x8” Signature Guest Book 8 hours wedding day coverage, online gallery, 50 5x7 Thank You cards Contact us for complete details and terms.

ENGAGEMENTS

considering an engagement session?

Many of our clients ask us; ‘Is an engagement shoot really necessary?’.After all, your wedding pictures share the beginning of your life, right?

Shooting an engagement is important for several reasons.

First, this time allows you to get comfortable in front of the camera with your photographer, figuring out how you work best together before the wedding.

Next, you can showcase your personalities in a more casual setting, while creating some fun

VI SUAL RO O TS P H O TO G R A P H Y

captures for wall portraits, your wedding sign-in book, sign-in board and Thank You cards (shot early enough, we can also provide the images for your Save the Date cards and invitations).

Images also add another dimension to your wedding album, chronicling the story from engagement to your wedding day.

Best of all, this is time for just the two of you, for you to enjoy and savour this amazing moment in your lives together.

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Fun engagement shoot ideas: At the place he proposed: After all, what better way to capture an engagement than the place it all started!

Images with your dog: What better way to capture your new family than by including a beloved furry friend in your session?

At your favorite restaurant: Meaningful memories happen with food, ambiance and your special song playing in the background.

Winter Wonderland: Sipping hot chocolate around a roaring campfire or making snow angels, celebrate your love of the seasons by keeping each other warm.

Doing your favorite activity: Jump on your bikes and head out on the trails, or grab the sticks and play a friendly game of street hockey. Celebrate the activities that brought you together!

Your favorite nature hike: Your shared love of nature is what brought you together.

On the water: Paddle together into the sunset.

A romantic beach: In the morning, evening or any time of day, the sea meets an endless sky for a feeling of forever.

In your ‘hood Your favourite dog park, food truck or vintage bookstoreare great spots to capture fond moments from this time in your relationship.

At your favorite, cute coffee shop: Quirky and cozy, local mom and pop shops are a great way to take a quick break to refuel and to catch some local, architectural shots with you in the process.

Where you first met each other: Whether your first meeting was a discussion at the library or fumbling for the door at the local coffee shop, going back to your beginnings is a marvelous memory.

THE PROCESS

FROM SHOOT TO ALBUM The weeks prior to and directly following your wedding planning are busy times. Here is a timeline which will help you to understand how we are working our hardest to avoid any unnecessary surprises: Three to four weeks before your wedding: We meet in studio or, for destination clients, over the phone for our last consultation to gather info on anything that has changed and review the timeline of your day.

The week of the wedding: We give you a quick checkin email or call to see how your doing and make sure we have everything.

The day of your wedding: We arrive at the scheduled time and quickly run through the course of the day.

A week after your wedding: We get started on your wedding images; archiving, editing and retouching. At this time we send out a sneak peek on Facebook or our blog and begin preparing your online wedding gallery.

Four to six weeks after your wedding: We deliver your online gallery. We also send you an album planning info form to help prepare you to choose your favourites for your album.

Six to eight weeks after your wedding: You should return your album planning form to us at this time so we can begin the album designing process.

We need to receive your album planning form no later than 8 weeks after your wedding or there will be delays in delivery of your album.

Ten to twelve weeks after your wedding: We send you a proof of your album layout and will communicate with you by email or phone to make sure it is perfect.

We can also use this opportunity to take orders for portraits, wedding party member gifts, parent albums, and any of the other unique keepsakes we offer.

Sixteen to eighteen weeks after your wedding: Your album and artwork are ready for pickup! At this time we also provide a client care card packet which will ensure a long life for your precious heirlooms.

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

RURAL ROOTS DESIGN CO. ruralrootsflowersco.ca We met Diane from Rural Roots Design co. through our clients Jamey and Gord. I was amazed at the floral decor at their wedding, it totally meshed & enhanced the decor of the venue and the colours of their day.

Diane has such a gift and a great personality which makes her a joy to work with.

Rural Roots Design Co. is located at 3232 Penetanguishene Rd. Barrie, ON Canada

By Appointment Only: diane@ruralrootsflowerco.ca 705-321-7791

We recently sat down with Diane to find out more about how and where she works.

Read the interview and see more examples of Diane’s designs on our blog: visualrootsblog.com

P/ 705 361 3270

E/ info@visualroots.com A/ 20 Doan Ave, Tiny ON L0L 1P1