favorite finds

Every wedding season, I typically shoot anywhere between 15 and 20 weddings . . . and I always fall in love with ideas, creations and tiny little details that my couples are incorporating into their big day. Now because of the wonderful world of Pinterest, we have an even broader place to seek out for inspiration. I'm a sucker for bringing in some unique little touches that separate your wedding out from others, whether it's in a fashion statement or reception detail. Here are a few from recent weddings that jump out at me for your inspirational pleasure! 1. The Blusher Veil. I know I've oohed and ahhed over Kate's blusher veil a hundred times on this blog, but here it is again for emphasis on just how darling it was. It was so fun to play around with during portraits! I adore a beautiful fashion veil or headpiece when the wedding is celebrated outside of a church . . . 2. Succulents Bouquets. Angela of Fresh Designs created these stunning bouquets, and adorned a couple dozen reception tables with different succulent arrangements for a fresh, delightful spin on traditional wedding flowers. Although many couples are stepping outside the box and allowing their floral designers to use their creativity, these were such a refreshing spin on a bridal bouquet. 3. To Go Boxes. I'll admit, up until this past summer, you'd really never find me indulging in wedding cake or dessert. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth, and it was a plate of calories I was happy to pass up. Not so much anymore, my friends. This baby has instilled in me a sweet tooth like no other, and I was more than delighted when Rachel and Paul included this adorable message on their dessert table for those who wanted or needed to leave after the cake was cut. You can bet your you-know-what I made my way home with one filled a bit too full. ;) 4. The Hell With It! A Change of Plans. Nisha and Matt had originally planned their wedding in our hometown in Plattsburgh, NY, on a date that I'd already be in town to shoot another wedding, so it worked out perfectly for me to be a part of this beautiful couple's big day. A few months later, I got an email from Nisha that enough was enough - wedding plans were too much, it was too stressful, and they were heading to Charleston, South Carolina in April with their nearest and dearest for an intimate wedding in one of their favorite places. I happily packed my bags and hit the road, and had one of my most memorable weekends ever in such a beautiful place! 5. Hydrangeas. I know these may not be that magical to you, but I am in love with hydrangeas. I grew up in a teeny, tiny house in a crappy part of town, but smack dab alongside our driveway was a ginormous, beautiful hydrangea bush that made it feel quaint and lovely. I don't see them as often as I thought I would in wedding flowers, but with all of the other amazing details Mikey and Heath incorporated into their August wedding, it was natural to see something so breathtaking to me included in her bouquet. There are so many more lovely things to share with you, and I promise to do so while I'm spending the next few weeks in my archives, updating websites, working on marketing materials, and waiting for the little man's arrival. Happy Tuesday, everyone!

rachel and paul: married!

The beautiful Rachel and Paul are such a wonderful couple who I got to work with last September . . . they got married on the most perfect late-summer day you could ask for. It was warm, but there was that feeling in the air that gave a bit way to the early chill of fall. Rachel and Paul came to Montana, where Rachel's parents live, from England to celebrate their nuptials, and the party was an absolute blast. I hadn't worked with the couple before because of their location, and they were as natural as could be in front of the camera, alternating between fits of laughter and meaningful connections. Angela with Fresh Designs designed the entire event, bringing her effortless touch to every table, nook and cranny that was part of the day. Rachel and Paul, thank you for including me in your beautiful day!

welcome to march!

I know we have a long ways to go until spring is officially here, but I wanted to welcome everyone to the wonderful month of March . . . the gateway to spring, the month we get teased the most with warmer days, sunshine on your face, and can kick the kids outside to enjoy the fresh air a bit more. It is also baby month for me! My due date is March 31st, and next week I begin my weekly checkups to see what kind of progress little G is making in there. I am excited, anxious, nervous, and sometimes feeling a bit impatient, but I remind myself that when I'm barely able to focus on the hook of my nursing bra at 3:00 in the morning due to exhaustion, I will recall these days that I can sleep in with fondness. ;) And of course, within hours of meeting him, we will never understand how there was a time we were as happy without having him here. I still have lots and lots of shoots to share with you, among other things, and am excited to lay it all out this weekend for a fun few weeks of blogging before I pop. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love, attention, excitement and warmth you all give to me, my family and my business. I wouldn't be as happy without you all in my world!

heather and luke: engaged!

Heather and Luke's engagement session was short, sweet, filled with beautiful light, and a wonderful representation of why engagement sessions are so important . . . seeing how they interacted with one another in front of the camera completely blew me away. They were so at ease with one another, from moments of playfulness to moments of serenity. Their wedding will take place at the home of Heather's parents, where this session was held, and is being coordinated and designed by the extremely talented Leslie Lukas. I am so honored to be a part of it!

emily and evan: engaged!

Emily and Evan were relaxed, delightful and photographed beautifully in this gorgeous light! It is an honor to be a part of this wedding celebration, as I photographed the wedding of Evan's brother, Cole, and his lovely wife, Michelle, almost two years ago. I love working with families over and over again!

the debate: should we hire a professional?

This famous issue among brides, wedding photographers, and mothers-of-the-bride all across the globe is one that has always hit close to home for me . . . your aunt/best friend/cousin/sister’s boyfriend just loves to take photos, is trying to get into the business of photography, and is willing to shoot your wedding for next to nothing, or better yet, even free. And I, my friends, have been on both sides of this fence. Here is my story, and here are my thoughts, to help you make your own decision, or to help you guide someone you know into making the best decision for them: 1. I once was the best friend/cousin/relative of a person who owned her first digital SLR camera and had an eye for taking decent pictures. I once was the girl who started a photography blog, hired a graphic designer to give me a professional-looking logo, and bought an internet ad with the hopes that someone would find me and give me a chance. And I booked my very first wedding this way, for a couple who had eloped to Big Sky, Montana, in the dead of winter and said their vows in the great room of their beautiful condo. My shoes were too loud, I ran into the floor heater trying to get a shot, my camera was not capable of shooting in low light, and I had no idea how to use my flash. The couple adored me and my photos and said they loved the idea of giving this photo opportunity to someone just starting out in the business. In other words, their expectations were low, and they were more or less looking for some sort of documentation of their day, regardless of how artful they were. I will always, always be grateful to them. 2. My rates were affordable to anyone and everyone who contemplated hiring an outside person to shoot their wedding. I started out at $500 for unlimited wedding day coverage, and slowly moved my way up to the $1,500 range, where I sat for a long time. I once was asked to arrive at 12:00 to shoot a wedding that started at 7:30 that evening. And because there will always be people willing to hire someone to simply document their day with no real expectations except to get a DVD of the images a few weeks later, I overbooked myself, fell into the referral category of “she’s wicked cheap!”, and grew to loathe shooting weddings. 3. Regardless, I was absorbing information like a sponge, soaking up every bit of camera, lighting and posing knowledge I could find, building a portfolio I was proud of, and wouldn’t be sitting here today typing this had it not been for me being that-girl-with-the-nice-camera-and-good-eye. 4. With this said, I have a soft spot in my heart for the girl-with-the-nice-camera-and-good-eye, and I want her to succeed. 5. With that said, my career as a photographer is now my career. Through trial and error, mistakes and success, this business is a 40-hour-per-week avenue for me that provides me the same comforts as someone who has a boss to answer to if they don't get to work until 8:20 every morning. It is extremely important to me, and just like every other industry out there, there will always be wonderful, talented newcomers who get the job or the clients you want. Over the years, I learned the value of my profession, time and talent, began to truly love my work again, and enjoy working harder than ever to give my clients the value of what they’ve chosen. But wait . . . there’s more! Without sounding like a pitchy salesperson, I now want to share with you, from a professional standpoint, the top three reasons I feel you should hire an established professional to document your wedding day: - Let your guests do what you invited them to do . . . relax and have fun. The novelty and excitement of “shooting a wedding” sometimes disappears when your photographer friend sees people she hasn’t seen in years, and wants to raise her own glass of Chardonnay to you during the beautiful toasts. - Up until your wedding day, there is a timeline to plan. And unless you have hired a wedding planner, your photographer becomes the go-to person during the planning and on the wedding day to help your day unfold effortlessly and without the stress of “What do we do next?!” and “Why isn’t anyone dancing?!” - THE MOST IMPORTANT reason in my book, because you still can get above and beyond the reasons above and still have a lovely day, is the quality of the products you will receive when all is said and done. Digital negatives are a given these days . . . everyone wants them, and everyone gets them. Photoshop knowledge is plentiful, and you may even get them retouched and color-corrected. But the quality of the prints and products you may want can only come from a professional lab that established photographers have access to. I could go on and on and on, but this post is long-winded as it is. Please know these are simply my opinions, and this is my story. I can’t stress enough that I have played both roles, and I wouldn’t have the business I have had it not been for the clients who chose to not hire a professional. I am simply writing this for those on the fence, to share a little bit of knowledge, and maybe help guide them to their best decision based on their photography wants and needs. And no matter who is there with camera in hand, the most important thing is that you enjoy every moment . . . it will be an amazing day!

presentation products!

Oooh, I am sooooo excited about these little beauties that just arrived last week! And the beautiful new logo on their surface . . . . these lovelies are my new presentation boxes for prints and flash drives for all 2013 weddings and beyond. The print boxes are designed to hold the 5x7 prints that I have started including with every package, and the smaller boxes are for my flash drives, which will be the new standard form of delivery for all wedding packages. They are adorned with my beautiful new logo that my dear friend Amber designed, (and I will say more about that later in a separate blog post because we have lots and lots to share in that regard!), and the products themselves come from a wonderful company called Loktah. I've had my eye on them for a while, but it always takes some time to fully settle on the whats, hows, whens and whys of incorporating a new staple product. I firmly believe these materials help me better represent my brand, style of photography, and overall experience my clients will have with me . . . These products come in a number of different color tones and patterns, and I will most likely incorporate just a couple of other options as well to keep things bright and colorful around here. :) Cheers to a beautiful new season!