So, I’ve seen a lot of weddings…and I love fashion…and I’m a creative professional.  Put it all together and you’ll soon find out I keep a file of visually interesting wedding bits and pieces I have found recently.  This is where I get to share all my ideas with you on what makes great images and what I’m seeing out there in the wedding world.  You’ll soon find out weddings aren’t old-fashioned affairs anymore!  In these style pages you will most certainly find ideas that can help you get your wedding noticed…

So, browse through these “style guide” pages and feel free to follow the links.  Most images in these style guide pages are not mine unless specifically credited as such…all include the designers name and I try to include the pricing if available.  I don’t sell any products and I have no stock in these companies (wish I did!) - I am just a serial shopper!!

I hope this helps you discover something new or gain the confidence to try something different.  Enjoy!

3 WAYS TO GET YOUR WEDDING FEATURED IN A MAGAZINE:

1) THEME - Create a unique theme to build your wedding plans around.  Here’s where you have to get really out of the box!  Don’t pick something simple like “Red and White Ball” or “Cinderella Fairytale” - magazine editors see that all day long.  Stand out from the crowd!  Instead choose something totally unexpected like Shakespeare’s “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream” or “Parisian Lights.”

2) DETAILS - Invest your time to plan the details and create a unique ambience to fulfill your vision.  It’s the little pieces of your wedding day that magazines want to feature.  From your shoes and hair-pieces to the table settings and style of your dress, carry your vision throughout.  Look at high-end wedding magazines like “Grace Ormond” and “Your Wedding Day.”  Decide where you’d like to get featured and then talk with you photographer about whether it is a good match for your theme.

3)  TIMING - Alright, you’ve taken the time to plan an extraordinary affair and you are super excited to see it come to life.  If you want great images, don’t rush through it…work with a photographer who will take the time to arrive hours before the wedding to document the details, take bridal portraits before the wedding, and have enough time to capture the details of your reception.  I suggest hiring a second photographer/videographer so that one photographer can focus on your events and the second can focus on the details.  Consult your photographer on your location and the timing of the sunlight so you can maximize your opportunities.  For example, a “Cirque Du Soleil” theme will mean you need to work with your photographer to make sure you have ample ambient light opportunities to play up the drama.

DESTINATION WEDDINGS TIPS!

Destination weddings are an incredible opportunity to get magazine-worthy images of your wedding day! This is a once in a life-time event and the pictures/video are all you will have left afterward. Take it seriously and expect to invest in this service for a professional.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your destination wedding photography/videography:

1. Hire a serious pro! Don’t expect that a beautiful location will automatically mean you get great shots. It takes a professional to interpret lighting, positioning, architecture, storytelling and combine it all with great equipment and experience to produce stunning images.

2. Take your time! See if your photographer will set aside a few hours for bridal portraits on the day after the wedding (or if you have a really small wedding, on the day of the wedding). You can travel the area and hit all the hot spots. After all, isn’t that why you chose it?

3. Destination weddings are all about the “Experience.” Capture every emotional moment by having your photography/videography team arrive early enough to shoot the getting ready process. Hair/Makeup are some of our favorite shots - energy is high and emotions are, too! Make sure your professional provides you with a list of tips so you can have all those little details like your dress, shoes, and jewelry ready.

4. Audio is everything! Beach weddings are windy and many PA systems echo and distort the voice. Even in the most capable hands video is nothing without great audio of your ceremony and the emotional greetings of family and friends who haven’t seen each other in years. Make sure your videographer uses professional wireless microphones on both the groom and the officiant (one acts as a back-up).  Without it, even the most scenic of videos will feel lifeless.

After all is said and done, see if your photographer can submit your images to magazines or websites. Remember all those great ones you saw while planning your wedding?  That could be you!