People say to me all the time: “You're so lucky. You get to go to weddings all the time." They're right. We are lucky. We get to be among people having a great time, looking and feeling their best and participating in what is often the most important day in someone's life.
Here’s the other thing we are lucky to see: the terrific style and creativity that our clients bring to their celebrations. If there is one thing we’ve learned while photographing weddings, it is that a wedding doesn’t have to be expensive to be lovely. We dedicate our blog to sharing the terrific ideas that we’ve seen before and will see this coming season, with a focus on ideas that are simple, elegant and stylish.
Every image in this blog is shot by us at events we've photographed. So, we say "thank you" to our clients who have shared their warmth and happiness with us.
This morning we spent some time with Chelsea Fuss, shooting some floral still life ideas that she pulled together. Chelsea is a terrifically talented florist and event designer. She’s also the author of {frolic}, which is the grooviest design blog. I like to dip in when I’m feeling soggy. Her light, bright aesthetic is an antidote on a gloomy Portland morning. Here’s a still life with vintage wallpaper.
In the latest issue of Portland Bride & Groom, John was quizzed about wedding photography for the Advice column, “What Portland’s wedding experts want you to know”. Here’s some tidbits from his section of the article.
What makes your work unique? My style is more editorial, in that I look for the story to be told at each wedding. I don’t go in with a preconceived idea about the wedding.
What advice do you have for couples on a budget? I’d suggest that they invest in a better photographer for fewer hours, versus a lesser photographer for the entire day. That said, the most important thing is finding someone whose style is a perfect fit.
What questions do couples never ask you that you wish they would? They’d ask what they can do to help me get better pictures. I’d tell them to relax, ignore me, and just be present for each other. That’s what ultimately shows up in the photos.
What should couples understand about the costs of working with you? We don’t just hand over a disc of images after the event. We spend at least 30 hours in post-production, designing and producing gorgeous albums that the client really loves.
What should people understand about what you do? I want my photos to be beautiful and natural and interesting. Achieving any one of those things is easy. Getting all three in one shot is hard.
What kind of couples do you like to work with? My ideal clients are self-confident and they are comfortable with themselves. They understand that it’s my goal to capture them just as they are.
I’ve been mulling over this entry for a long time. For most brides, choosing a wedding dress is the first and sometimes, the most thrilling part of planning her wedding. Even the most pragmatic bride has probably envisioned herself in the dress of her dreams.
As photographers, part of our job is to really look at people. I’ve noticed that some brides really seem calm and comfortable on their wedding day–others not so much. Being comfortable in her wedding dress seems to play a pretty big role on how a bride looks in her photos. It’s hard to look radiant when you are constantly tugging up the top of your 12 pound strapless dress.
Of course, the tone of your wedding ceremony and the formality of your venue should play the largest role in what kind of dress to wear. For example, you wouldn’t want to wear a long beaded train at your simple beach ceremony. Likewise, you’d probably feel under dressed in a chiffon slip dress at a Catholic church. Beyond matching the style of your dress to the tone of your event, I think there might be a couple more strategies to help you find the perfect dress.
If you are busty
you’ll probably want to wear a bra. A deep V-neck keeps a dress like this from looking too covered up. Likewise, a halter style dress can look plenty bare, while still allowing you to wear a supportive and pretty halter style bra.
Consider strapless if
you are pretty darn thin and your arms and shoulders are fabulous. To stay put, the bodice of a strapless gown needs to be snug, snug, snug. Even the skinniest girl can find herself with some poochy bits near the armpits and back. If you are soft and squishy like me, think about something with straps for a smoother look.
Strapless alternatives
There’s a reason strapless gowns are so popular–they are so pretty. But let’s say you refuse to be tugging on your top all day long. Here’s a couple examples of dresses that are near to strapless. The advantage is that you’ll look bare and pretty, without all the structure of a strapless bodice.
If you’re hippy
And really, lots of us are. Two great shapes for your figure are A-line and Empire. Both of these silhouettes will glide over your middle parts and make your hips and thighs virtually disappear. Consider an A-Line if your waist is small, and Empire if not. Each of these examples above are strapless, but you’ll find A-line and Empire waisted dresses in a large number of styles.
Focus on shoulders or back
Let’s say your best features are your shoulders or your back. Here’s a few other dresses that look stylish, soft and very feminine. The dress on the right would be a great choice if you were on the flat chested side–the ruching adds a little extra oomph in the bust area. The dress on the left would be perfectly suited to a small chested girl would can go braless or for a b-cup with some stick on silicon cups.
And if you’ve got a rockin’ bod
Lucky girl! Or maybe you’ve been working out like crazy. Whatever reason: this is the va-va-va-voom dress. On some girls, the mermaid cut looks demure. On other girls, it can look super sensual. Some versions have a train, which, when bustled, make the dress even more spectacular.
After not seeing navy in wedding style for a while–the last two weddings we photographed each used gorgeous blue to very good effect. To my eye, navy is luxurious, substantial and rich. It can look crisp with white or ivory or blend nicely with other rich tones like burgundy or chocolate. And for maid’s dresses, navy is often easier to wear for most girls than black. For guys, a vest or tie in midnight blue can add pop to a black suit without looking flashy. Here’s a few from an April wedding.
