Aisle Style: The Altura Studio Blog » Inspiration for Pacific Northwest brides by Altura Studio

For the last 5 days, we’ve been sweating our way through a big outage with our webhost. When finally things were resolved this morning (thank you Westhost!) we were happy to learn that one of our images won an ISPWP award. I don’t even mind that it’s 9th place, since ISPWP is an international organization and the other winners are some of the finest images I’ve ever seen. We’re delighted just to be included in the mix. And we also want to say thank you to our clients, Janna and Daniel who were such a pleasure to photograph last summer.

Janna and Daniel’s wedding was definitely the most fun we’ve ever had shooting at Timberline. We laughed and smiled all day long with this very sweet couple.  There are so many reasons why this was such a great day. To begin with, everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) was warm, sweet and kind. From the completely gorgeous Janna, to kind-hearted Daniel, the lovely sister, every single wedding attendant, two sets of caring family and scads of friends–every single person we encountered was radiating affection and love for the couple.

Next, Janna and Daniel are two really terrific people. They love each other like crazy and are not afraid to show it. During the ceremony, the vows they had written to one another nearly made me cry. And I heard during the toasts that Daniel, at one time, had shipped Janna a box of autumn leaves so that she would feel less homesick for Oregon’s fall. You can tell from the way that Janna looks at Daniel that she’s found just the right man.

And selfishly, we appreciated that Janna and Daniel were totally game to make some amazing photos with us. The weather was crazy: rainy, sunny, windy, cold. When the sun peeked out they were willing to let us take them outside and drag them through the puddles.  Worth every splash, I’d say. Janna’s wide smile and Daniel’s warm demeanor made them a joy to photograph. The image above in the lower left corner is now our favorite photo of the year. Thanks Daniel and Janna! We were so happy to be with you on your wonderful wedding day.

Here’s a little slideshow of our favorite photos. Come back in about 3 weeks to see all the photos from the day.

If I was getting married this summer (and didn’t have an unlimited budget) I would have a wedding just like the one pictured here. What I appreciated about this wedding was that it was both simple and elegant. It downplayed the formalities and instead emphasized the conviviality of the celebration.

Jennifer’s dress and flowers were clean-lined without being stark or spare. Her bouquet was a simple construction of lilies, gathered with smooth satin ribbon. The flowing ends of her halter-style gown ties created the feeling of a train. At the last minute, she decided to tuck two simple orchids into her loose updo, which I think was the perfect touch. The groom wore a yummy blue chalk striped suit. I think his suit /tie combo said “stylish” as much as it said “getting married”.

Shortly after arriving, the guests gathered in a lower meadow for a short ceremony. Since nature’s decor is pretty darn spectacular, the only set-up required for the ceremony was about 50 white chairs for the guests. As the sun was setting, the wedding party and guests strolled up to the larger meadow for wine under the trees, followed by a wonderful family style meal beside the lake. The caterer set up the meal on one long table, making the evening friendly and conversational.

Perhaps you’d like a simple lakeside dinner as your wedding celebration?

2007 seemed to be the year of the best friend/minister. What could be cooler? A few clicks on the Internet and someone who knows you uniquely and personally can perform your ceremony. And it’s perfectly legal. An excellent trend, with only one caveat.

Here’s the catch. Your newly ordained best friend, despite his or her exceptional charm, has probably not performed a zillion weddings. There’s a trick or two that the old pros know that you can pass along in advance of the big day.

Tip #1. It matters where you stand.
The best ceremony photos show both the bride and groom’s faces. To do this, the couple needs to stand somewhat closer than typical body language dictates and facing slightly towards the guests. Make sure you’re standing close enough to easily hold one another’s hand. That way you won’t have to straight-arm across a giant divide when it’s time to say vows or exchange rings. We photographed one wedding where the uninitiated minister positioned the bride and groom off to the side and took the center spot for almost the entire ceremony. (uh-oh.)

This is a good distance, they can easily reach each other. The bend in the arm makes a nice line.

Look how far this couple has to reach to touch each other. I think it’s too far apart.

Tip #2. It matters where you stand, part 2
Make sure that the two of you are positioned far enough away from the front row so that the photographer can get a good angle across the aisle. If you’re positioned too close to the front row, your heads will make a little eclipse: we’ll see the back of your beloved’s head and only a tiny sliver of yours. Given a little distance, we can get wonderful photographs of each of you looking at each other.

This is a great angle for the ceremony. There was about 8 feet between the couple and the first row. The attendants are standing in a slight arc, which is good however, be careful that they don’t move too far forward and obscure the view of the wedding couple.

Tip #3. Practice makes perfect.
Many modern couples are less formal about their weddings and are willing to let their friends take creative license with the ceremony. Keep in mind that what’s cute and funny to you and your friends may not go over so well with your 72-year-old Aunt Ruthie. Resist the urge to overly personalize your vows. You’ll never regret keeping it simple and classic.

Tip #4. Step aside for the kiss.
The best ministers know to do a little sidestep just as they pronounce the couple married. (We LOVE those guys!) It’s easy to get absorbed into the emotion and excitement of the moment, but remind your guy or gal, that stepping aside gets us a fantastic photo of your first married kiss without his or her head popping out the top.