So what does Christmas and wedding photography have in common? Or, what are they doing in a post together?
Let us explain…
It has been said that art can introduce people to their souls.
It has also been said art should illuminate lives and have the power of emotion to topple anything in it’s path..
It is our goal every year to capture that kind of beauty, that LIFE that is so visible on a wedding day.
It has become our tradition every Christmas to revisit our past year of work with an attitude of enormous gratitude.
From the beaches of Florida to the bourbon trails of Kentucky…from the mountains of north Georgia to the hills of Tennessee, we were blessed by so many to be a part of their lives on a day that truly is like no other…and in many cases, even loved a bit in return for the love we gave.
With this we say thank you. It is the relationships we cherish most….and those are a gift beyond measure in a season where the most important gift of all was bestowed to each of us…we can’t wait for 2015!
If you are considering a rustic wedding, there are 5 keys that can make, or break the success of your event! We are going to outline some of those here …
1) The Venue. When considering a rustic wedding, the venue becomes KEY. The backdrop, the visual, the feel and atmosphere all will come into play and to the forefront on your wedding day. While the look and feel of a place is certainly critical, pay attention to the people there as well. It is important that you have great chemistry with the folks who are handling your wedding . It’s one thing to take your money for a service, it’s another to have someone put their heart and soul into making sure your day not only goes as planned but is a HUGE success! You can find great examples of that combination of rustic wedding venue combined with folks that take awesome care of their clients at a few of these we have listed below:
The folks over at Antique Acres are awesome, you can find them here!
http://www.antiqueacresga.com/
Likewise for the fine folks over at Rocky’s lake Estate. You can meet them here!
http://www.rockyslakeestate.com/
2) The accessories and details. Once you have started to narrow your choices, check out what kind of accessories and details your venue offers. Maybe it is a vintage car or truck, old vintage signs or other accessories that will add to the backdrop and texture of your rustic wedding day.
3) Choosing your vendors always comes into play when planning your wedding, and it is just as important when it is a rustic wedding. View their work. Is it in keeping with the feel and ambiance of the day? Beware vendors that state they can produce a product that they can not show you they have successfully produced in the past. In other words if your asking your caterer to do a good BBQ, but they specialize and are known for their elegant 5 course meals, it may be worth checking into further before any commitment or money has changed hands.
4) Climate and weather are also a huge consideration on a rustic wedding. Consider your location for the time of year, the season, average temperatures, backup plans for bad weather and the comfort of your guest. Keep an eye out for power and make sure your plans work with what the venue can provide. Some venues are built to accommodate power and new technology, some are true working barns and you will need to consider that when evaluating your guest needs and comfort. Everything from power for someone’s health requirement to additional , portable restrooms can come into play and consideration here for a rustic wedding.
5) Attitude and approach. These play an absolute CRITICAL role in any wedding success but even more so with a rustic wedding! The attitude we speak of is both the venues owners and employees , your vendors and your OWN! While managing before hand and planning a successful rustic wedding is an absolute requirement, likewise it is a requirement to relax the day of. Trust your vendors and make sure you stop and take in every moment of the day, breath and “be” and you will enjoy your day, a day like no other, so much more!
1) Go for the meaning. Finding a location that is important to you both can add great meaning to the backdrop of your day. Once you’ve made a decision or at least narrowed the choices, do not hesitate to get vendors such as your photographers involved. Issues such as a setting sun, different hours for that all important “golden Hour” and a workable timeline will go a long way to ensuring you are happy with your location.
2) Plan Early. Starting the planning process as far out as you can and are comfortable with can be extremely helpful with your budget and sanity! There remains a pervasive attitude that destination weddings are always more expensive than a local wedding…in many cases this simply is not true….for example it is common for a destination wedding to have a much more streamlined guest list that reduces cost and narrows the focus to very close family and friends only. While preparing that list may be a challenge, it may also prove to expand your budget dollars in other areas for vendors, guest needs, special services or just plain old pocket money!
3) Working with the background location , you just might encounter a more relaxed and acceptable wardrobe for you and your guest. While it may seem trivial, if your a bride who can’t wait to kick off your shoes, having a ceremony in, for example, barefoot, means a far more relaxed couple, wedding party and guest…relaxed equals fun…fun equals memories that will last a lifetime!
4) Work the logistics. You will want to make sure that not only are you getting the best deal for your money, but that hotels , venues and ceremony sites are not spread too far apart and that ample, affordable transportation is readily available. Also ensure you have repeatedly reviewed the timeline with your vendors, ensuring you are allowing enough time for everything that you want and have planned.
5) Vendors. Between the local vendors available at your destination and what is available to you near your home base, you may have decisions to make. Look closely at the work of the destination vendors, if you have any reservations about getting what you want, do not be afraid to see if the vendors you are comfortable with will travel. You may be surprised at the affordability versus the peace of mind of getting just what you want! Lastly…once you have spent the money, planned your rear end off and are finally at your big day…take a deep breath, relax and trust your preparation, your vendors and enjoy!
Wedding Photography….whether it is wedding photography in Marietta Georgia, or wedding photography in Jasper Georgia, or wedding photography that is a destination…
it’s an industry where hundreds, even thousands are trying to be noticed and break into the business..
So how do you dear reader, make sure you get wedding images that are just what you want?
Thankfully, there IS a roadmap….
If you follow the suggested outline you greatly increase your chances of getting the images you dream of on your wedding day.
1) Use a Filter. Yes, you can find photographers crawling out of the woodwork at your local coffee shop…and Google is great for that general search…but being more refined and using something more particular like the Professional Photographer’s of America gives you a point of starting your search with a far better filter. Once at the PPA’s site consider not only the specialty your wanting to hire your photographer for but search for photographers who are certified. These photographers, designated as CPP’s make your search much more refined…and give you a starting point of dealing with a full professional who continues to invest in their education.
2) Once you’ve narrowed that search view the work. Make sure the work speaks to you emotionally. Finding images you like but that just does not “vibrate with truth” for you personally is not the way to ensure success. Think of it as “good enough” being the enemy of personalized, great wedding photography…YOUR wedding photography…take your time and find work that you LOVE..
3) Once you’ve located photographers to consider…have them show you entire weddings. Yes looking at awesome , individual images of various weddings is fine, but an ENTIRE wedding, from beginning to end, is a great way to have a sound idea how your day would be documented..If they can not or won’t produce a full length show and/or album, it may be best to consider moving on…
4) Have a relationship….yes you likely DO have a relationship somewhere if your considering getting married, but we are talking about having a relationship with your photographer…Make sure you “click” (pardon the pun) will go a long way to making sure not only your images are great, but that you and your guest enjoy the likely chemistry with your photographer….trust us..it DOES matter to the final product.. The key to making sure your images look natural is letting your photographers “in”
5) Once you’ve selected your photographer, you should get a chance to work together before the big day, if possible by having an engagement session. This let’s you get used to each other and some of the guidance your photographer may offer. Last, but far from least, avoid trying to manage things the day of… LET GO….you’ve planned, spent, chosen and prepared….have some faith in your friends, family and vendors for your day to be uniquely and successfully “yours”. Riding the small issues that may arise during any wedding will help you enjoy your day…and isn’t that really one of the main goals?
