I was to apologize for my lack of steady blog posts. You would think that as I got busier I would have more to blog about. Yes, this is true, but also as my children get older they seam to bug me about every thing. LOL Not a good excuse I know. But that was part of the plan when going full time photographer was I would be here for the children when they need me and not them waiting for me to get home and then tell me about everything.

With this being said: They are back in school and I have more time to focus on one task at a time. I was to say THANK YOU to all my clients who are still waiting patiently for their images or a blog post about their event. I did not leave you out! You are all on the list and will feature them as I finish them. So this week is a week of getting things in order and next week is getting stuff done and out the door!!! I loved my summer couples and looking forward to all my fall couples!!

I have also been preoccupied with many sunsets this year. It still amazes me every time I see one fad away into the lake!

If your a last minute bride, I still have the last weekend of October open and December open!

Andrea was going to make masks for the whole wedding party but time got away and she was able to make at least two masks. How cool are these!!! I loved being a part of your wedding day! Thank You, Andrea & Matt!!

Congratulations Jackie & Jodi!

Love you two to pieces!!

So when I came across this article on The Rock ‘n Roll Bride blog, that said everything I wanted to say but didn’t know how to consolidate my thoughts. I just have to share it.

I believe in this, I feel it works, It creates smooth, relaxing, and just all around a fabulous wedding day!

Here is the link to read the whole article, I’ve also copied it here for easy reading too!

From the ROCK ‘N ROLL BRIDE BLOG!! A Blog that every bride should read. I love it!! I’m not even a bride and I love to read it.

NOTE: This is not my writing skills, it’s a complete copy because I believe in this article so much!!

♥  ♥  ♥

So, you’ve booked a kick-ass photographer for your wedding and you’re confident they are going to produce a set of images that you’re going to be looking at for years to come.  Can you just sit back, relax, and let them get on with the job?  Sure, of course you can – but when you come to planning your day there are a few things you might want to consider to help your photographer really capture the images you have booked them for.

1) Insist on a pre-wedding shoot

A pre-wedding shoot takes place a couple of months before the wedding and is a great opportunity to start building a relationship with your photographer.  On my pre-wedding shoots I experiment with different ways of directing you, positioning you, and what kind of things I need to say to capture the most natural shots I can.  At the end of it you’ll know that having your photograph taken really isn’t that scary, so when it comes to the actual day you can be fully relaxed for the photographs.

2) Consider a “first-look” and pre-ceremony photographs

It goes against tradition but something becoming more popular is having a first look and scheduling your bride and groom portraits before the ceremony itself.  Why would you do this? It means that your gorgeous husband really is the first person to see how beautiful you look in what can be a very special and intimate moment.  The pre-ceremony portraits are usually more relaxed as this allows for an extended session where you can use even more of the venue or location you’ve chosen to get married.  Even better is that after the ceremony you can relax and enjoy being with your guests.

3) Think twice about group photographs

It’s a part of the job few photographers enjoy, but one that features at nearly every wedding – the group shots.  The more shots you ask the photographer to shoot, the more people need to be found, the longer it will take, and the more time you will spend at your wedding standing in the middle of a lawn wondering where Auntie Ethel has wandered off to.  The group shots can sometimes be an interruption to the day, and to get them done quickly your ever-so-friendly photographer momentarily lapses into Mr. Bossy while the mother of the bride gives them evil eyes implying it was the photographer who insisted 20 group shots was necessary!

I advise my couples to think small with the group shots – parents, siblings and grandparents.  Partnered with one shot of the whole wedding party and you have a set of photographs that’ll please anybody, and take ten minutes to rattle through.

4) Schedule in enough time

Your wedding day will fly by so fast – you’re not likely to get bored – so schedule in enough time for a strong portrait session – especially if the strength of your photographers portrait work is one of the main reasons you hired them.  A good length would be around 40 minutes.  Also, listen to your photographer when they try to whisk you away from the party to shoot them.  There’s nothing worse than wishing you’d spent that extra 20 minutes with your photographer when you had the whole evening ahead of you to spend with your guests.

A good tip is to schedule your portrait session immediately after the ceremony.  This gets it done and dusted before you’ve had too much to drink and once it’s done, you can relax and enjoy the reception with no interruption.

5) Tell your photographer of anything particularly special

Different brides have different priorities.  Some may have spent a lot of time sourcing vintage jewellery; others may have created a really fabulous table plan; the car might be very special to some; and there may be some couples who really love the interior styling of their venue.  Your photographer will probably capture the most important elements of the day – but if there is something really important to you just let them know!

Likewise, if you’re really fond of a particular relative or friend – point them out.  At a recent wedding I was told that at a previous wedding there were very few shots of the elderly relatives so could I make sure to focus on a particular group of people?  Of course I could, but only because I was told.

6) Book the right photographer

Finally, it may seem like common sense – but really make sure you book the rightphotographer for you and your wedding.  Be really clear about what they offer and that their style is what you are after.  As you look through their portfolio look at how relaxed the couples are – do they look like they are enjoying their time in front of the camera?  Are they  natural or forced?  Relaxed or stiff?

If you can imagine the photographer at your wedding and fitting in with your guests then chances are you’re a good match.  Getting that bit right is probably one of the most essential aspects of creating fantastic photographs.

♥  ♥  ♥

Thanks to David for talking to us today.

David is based in Chiswick, London but will soon be moving to Edinburgh, Scotland.

This was the hardest contest to pick a winner. I wanted to pick all. I had so many wonderful, heart filled, honest, tear jerker stories. I enjoyed reading all of them and had to have help in picking just one. I’m so lucky to have awesome families out there who read my blog and want to share their story with me.

It truly helped me in answering this question myself with my family.  I don’t want to share the intimate and honest story that Stephanie shared with me. But my heart was pulled more in her direction, not sure if it was because I could relate in a small way or if it was how honest she was and pulled me in.

But I’m truly excited to share this experience with these three beautiful people!

I love her look and her personality!

Senior Season is ON so lets bring it!

It’s a Girl!!!!!

Jill already has a super cute little almost 3yr old girl. Now she will have a sister to fight over who’s hair brush is who’s.

Then we went on to just have some fun.

And my fav of the day!