Today’s blog post could have been titled: Any color + white + ivory = rich and sophisticated wedding colors.
I selected these photos to illustrate how simple orchestrating a successful color scheme for your wedding can be. It can be tempting for planning brides to freak out a little bit with so many colors to choose from–and it’s not always straightforward for non-designer types to find the combos that are fresh and attractive. So, perhaps you’re a bit overwhelmed with color and how to use it at your wedding. You can always try out this formula: Pick ANY color that you like. One that makes you happy, or makes you feel love, or simply makes your heart sing when you see it. Now add two whites. You might have to experiment here. Maybe it’s the icy whites that set off your main color. Or perhaps you need to go the other direction, toward buttermilk or vanilla ice cream. I promise that when you find your color’s mates in the while family, the combination will read as rich, complex and sophisticated.
Recipe for success? Your favorite color plus two whites. Give it a whirl.
We LOVE it when our photos are featured on Style Me Pretty. It’s such a pretty blog and feel proud when we’re in such good company. Click on over here to see the feature. And if you’re curious who put together such wonderful work, check out Geranium Lake Flowers, Ella Events, & The Art of Catering
This article hit me square in the chest as I had my coffee today. I appreciate the way the writer, a fellow wedding photographer, was able to verbalize a feeling that I have felt before. And hopefully, that feeling, and it’s companion desire to shoot what’s honest and meaningful in our clients lives, is visible in our work. I’ve excerpted the beginning of his blog post and then linked to his website. Thank you Jonas Peterson of Brisbane for percolating a discussion that’s long overdue.
The Mason Jar Manifesto
It’s 4.47am when I sit down to write this. I woke up 30 minutes ago and couldn’t go back to sleep. I’ve been thinking about this for so long, but a couple of things lately have reinforced what I already knew.
The wedding train has derailed.
Put down those mason jars, store away that vintage typewriter and fairy lights and sit down because you need to listen. This is an intervention. The whole wedding industry has gone detail bananas and we need to clear a few things up.
- You! Over there! Step away from the hay bales and the Vintage Navajo rugs and come over here. Sit! Down! No, you don’t have to put lavender on the plates, you need to wake up!
We’re getting lost in details. The whole wedding industry is drifting away from what weddings are about and we’re all part of the problem – bloggers, photographers, planners and vendors – all hypocrites feeding the detail beast.
Strip it back.
Peel the layers off.
And start again.
Read the entire post here.
The SMP Little Black Book blog is featuring Katie and Josh’s oh-so-classic wedding pics today. I’m so pleased to see them run photos in this style, since not every wedding includes a vintage typewriter or a settee in a meadow (if you know what I mean….)
Cruise on over to Style Me Pretty and see the classics done nicely: Beautiful bride, handsome groom, white flowers and black ties. I never thought I’d find a traditional wedding feel like a breath of fresh air. And if you’re interested in seeing more of this sweet wedding, visit their pics on our blog.
We’re oh-so-pleased to see our pics of James & Lindsay’s pink and white, french-inspired wedding on Elizabeth Anne Designs blog this morning. Lindsay looked amazing in her fluffy Vera Wang gown. Kim from Geranium Lake Flowers created a swoon-worthy mood inside the creamy white ballroom at the Governor Hotel.
If you’re interesting in seeing more photos from this gorgeous Portland wedding, check out their full blog post here.
All in all, a picture perfect day for James and Lindsay!
I didn’t notice while we were taking these portraits with Grace, Chris and their wedding party, how stunning the light was coming through the evergreens. At the time I saw the light was nice, but as I was preparing the files, I could see that it looks like an outdoor cathedral.
Grace and Chris were married in a Catholic ceremony in the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Lourdes, where Grace and her siblings attended school as children. Grace’s family carried out traditions of the lazo, which unites the couple within the wedding rosary, and also the arras wherein the gift of 13 golden coins signifies good financial stewardship for the couple.
Afterwards, Grace and Chris celebrated with their family and friends at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver. The highlight of the evening was a surprise performance by the Blazer’s Breakdancers. A dancer, disguised as a waiter, tripped on the floor scattering dishes during the couple’s first dance. Shocked faces turned into laughter as the fallen waiter was joined by a half dozen dancers for a spirited performance in the dance floor.
Follow this link for a slideshow of our favorite images.
Update: October 11, 2011. Here’s a link to all of Chris & Grace’s sweet wedding day photos.
When our clients see their proofs for the first time, they also see our suggestions for their wedding album. Kate and Per requested a single edition art book, which is similar to coffee table book. It’s always challenging to translate the digital design to the realities of paper and ink. What we show in the beginning are options for a cover, which wraps around the outside from front to back. From there, we show spreads in the form of pages. A spread is a right and left page shown together, so you have to imagine the crease down the center of the page.
After they have reviewed our proposed ideas for the wedding album, our clients review their proof book or website to add, subtract or modify the photos. We don’t limit the number of redesigns, we’ll show as many versions as it takes to get to an album they love. After all, isn’t that the point of having a photographer at your wedding?
It’s always an honor for us when our work is featured on a blog we love. Today our photos from Scott and Zoe’s super sweet and pretty wedding are the Little Black Book blog. Here’s the link to their feature. They really appreciate comments at the Style Me Pretty blog site, so please tell us what you think.
I had not met makeup artist Kirstie Wight before Kate and Per’s wedding last weekend, which is a shame because I’d already be raving about her. Kirstie did Kate’s makeup and I was impressed with both how stylish and flattering the look was. It can be hard to strike that balance. Sometimes I feel that wedding day makeup overwhelms the unique beauty of a bride we are photographing, but not in this case. I look forward to seeing more of Kirstie’s work. She was super pleasant on wedding day which is another key feature of a make up artist.
I asked Kirstie to share a bit about herself:
It all started at the tender age of 8, when I got my first allowance. My mom took me to the local drug store where I bought my very first lipstick and nail polish! Fast forward to today and the love affair still continues. Who knew that a little girls obsession could turn into a successful career?
I have spent the last 14 years working in the cosmetic industry. I have worked with movie and television personalities, professionally trained other makeup artists and have done runway makeup for LA fashion week. I call Portland my home but I have also enjoyed living and working as a makeup artist in Los Angles and Seattle.
Every woman I meet is beautiful and I have the honor of making them look and feel even more so. Whether it is a one on one personal consultation, or making an entire bridal party look breathtaking, I truly love what I do.
You can ready kirstie at kirstiewightmakeup-at-gmail.com or 503.804.5081. Here’s a link to her website: http://www.kwmakeupartist.com/
Some photographers spend hours and hours taking group photos or family photos. However, we’ve found that most of our clients want us to find a way to get group photos completed as quickly and painlessly as possible. Over the years, we’ve settled on this list as our baseline, and it takes us about 45 minutes to an hour to make these photographs.
Portrait of the bride
Bride with Maid or Matron of Honor
Bride with all bridesmaids
Entire wedding party (are there ringbears, flower girls or readers?)
Groom portrait
Groom with Best Man
Groom with all groomsmen
Bride with her Mom
Bride with her Dad
Bride with Mom and Dad
Bride and Groom with Bride’s Mom and Dad
Add Brothers and Sisters and spouses and their children if any
Add Grandparents and Aunts, Uncles, Cousins if any
Bride and Groom with her Grandparents
Groom with his Dad
Groom with his Mom
Groom with his Mom and Dad
Groom and Bride with Groom’s Mom and Dad
Add Brothers and Sisters and spouses and children if any
Add Grandparents, Aunts Uncles, cousins if any
Groom and Bride with his Grandparents
Now, this list just covers the family and the wedding party. Portraits of the bride and groom are among the most important images from a wedding, so we like to find 20 minutes to do this somewhere in the day. Our favorite time is immediately after the ceremony, but often we’ve found that the couple don’t want to miss their own cocktail hour. In that case, before the ceremony can work just as well. The most important ingredient, in my mind, for terrific portraits is privacy. Our goal is to create images that speak to your connection and your feelings–and it’s hard to do that with your Mom and 16 cousins spectating. So, when penciling out your wedding day schedule, we ask our clients to try to find at least 20 minutes where we can be apart from the rest of the group.
We love to talk wedding photography. Drop us a line if you’ve planning your schedule. We love to share our expertise, so even if we’re not your photographers.
