If you would like to leave comments, please email them to me at crownphotographic@suddenlink.net or put them in the form on our 'contact us' page. I had to turn comments off because I didn't think you would be interested in the ads someone keeps slipping into our blog for you to read. Let me know if you have any questions.
Color...don't be afraid to use it. I have seen brides use colors I wouldn't have thought to put together that looked fantastic. If you're not sure about your choices, don't be afraid to enlist the help or advice of someone you know who is able to use color effectively in their own lives (clothing, home decor, makeup, etc). This is not to say that vivid color always works better than muted shades and neutrals, but if you want to use it, go for it. I saw a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes called Something Blue this morning. I love the color. Wearing those under your gown would give a beautiful pop of color to your photos. We've had a number of brides dare to wear brightly colored shoes with a white gown. Your shoes will end up in more shots than you realize, so make sure they are not an afterthought. (and yes, make sure they are comfortable too!) Also, I see more and more brides giving their bridesmaids the choice to select any gown in the color they chose. I think this is one of the kindest things you can do for your girls. Bridesmaids come in all shapes, heights, and sizes. Allowing them to choose gowns that flatter their figures is great for them and for your photos. Everyone is happy to have a gown that fits, flatters them in the photos, and they are able to smile big because they are not pulling at a gown that doesn't fit their particular shape properly. Fit is another issue and should be another blog entry. Alterations are important, so make sure everyone is fitted properly, and this includes the guys. Trousers that are too long or too short are not flattering and do not appear flattering in photos either, Same with the gowns. Essentially, everything you do, or don't do, affects your photos in some way. This is why I blog. To help you with the things you may be unsure of or simply weren't aware of. Have a great day and happy wedding planning!
Children...I love them. I have three of my own so I know how challenging they can be at the best of times. Here is an important recommendation that can make or break your grand entrance and walk down the aisle:
Think seriously as you consider having children under the age of 4 or 5 years old as members of your Bridal party unless you are 100% certain of the result.
Consider how a particular child behaves when they become tired and have waited for hours for this event to happen. They will be excited, well most of them, about going down the aisle with you initially. However, reality sets in on the day virtually every single time. Babies become tired and are either crying or go to sleep. Toddlers are much the same. If they become cranky on a normal day when they are tired as most little ones do, you can bet they will be extremely cranky trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey and wearing shoes that they are not accustomed to. Inevitably they will fight the process as they are simply too young to understand why someone needs to keep combing that stray hair back or is making an attempt at retying a bow that they've untied for the tenth time. And it always seems the crying begins just as the bride is about to walk down the aisle...and it is never a quiet subdued kind of crying, it is the kind of crying that makes strangers want to call the police.
While it is thoughtful of you to want to include them, by all means include them in some way, but not in your walk down the aisle. Maybe have them walk with you or drop petals to lead you into the reception when the moment is not quite so critical. Or be creative and invent something else meaningful for them to do. They may be your favorite nieces or nephews, but if they are too young, please consider it seriously. Most of the time, the child ends up being left out of the walk anyway out of necessity because no one wants to force a screaming child down the aisle.
Also, if you are able to convince them it is more fun to walk down the aisle than it is to eat ice cream, please consider dressing them last. The earlier they are made to dress, the more agitated they become with their clothes and shoes. This does not always apply to darling little girls who can spin around in their dresses barefoot, but again you risk damage to the outfit before the walk has begun. I am all for a little princess enjoying her dress up day. It makes for great photos, but I can get those in the span of a minute or two and save you the trouble of working a stain out of the dress. I do love little ones and love to photograph them dressed in their finest, but this is the reality of the situation.
Just remember it is your day and your call. There are tough decisions that have to be made about your day, this is one of them. While it is difficult not to hurt feelings, bear in mind the possible outcome given your choices. If you can live with it, then you should have no regrets.
We see many things that brides may not view from a photographic perspective initially. One that immediately springs to mind is tanning. Personally, I feel that you are born with the color that works best for you. My personal preference aside, if you intend to tan whether by natural or artificial light, please be cautious of burning in the days just prior to your wedding for obvious reasons. If you opt for artificial tanning products, ensure that it looks natural and avoid having lines of demarcation especially along the feet and hands. Wedding ring and shoe shots are not so attractive with very visible lines running along the sides of your hands or feet. This seems to apply particularly to spray on tans. It is a good idea to try it out far in advance of your wedding day so you are sure of the product you are using and the precision of the method used. Honestly, some of these products tend to appear very orange in the photos and in group shots it tends to be most obvious when standing beside a lighter skinned person. It all boils down to your preference. These are merely guidelines to offer assistance to enable you to make the best decision for your day. I do believe the last thing a bride wants is to look like a carrot on her wedding day.
Jewelry is often another difficult choice for brides to make. Brides are often wearing their jewelry for the first time on their wedding day. I highly recommend, even if only around the house for a few hours, try it on, make sure it is comfortable, hangs the way it is meant to hang, and doesn't flip or bend in an odd manner which will possibly be bothering you the entire day. I have seen jewelry take on many configurations during a wedding day, and frequently the bride is not even aware of it. While I don't mind doing it, I often find myself rearranging jewelry for photos because it seems to take very little movement for some items to become twisted or moved out of place. It might be a good idea to ask your married friends what type of jewelry they wore, and if it worked for them or not. Comfort often ends up being the biggest issue, and I have seen brides who thought they could tolerate something that pinched or pulled or was simply too heavy that ended up being removed right after the ceremony if not before.
Shoes...this is an important issue. Comfort may not seem number one as there are so many beautiful shoes to choose from, but your photos certainly won't be lovely if you are in severe pain. I've heard multiple brides say beauty is pain. Pain will not make your day beautiful and I speak from experience. Four inch heels on cobblestones were difficult for me to ignore even in Italy. (and yes this is Brenda not Graham blogging here!!) Make sure your shoes are ones you can live with. As with the jewelry, I recommend wearing them at least around the house for a few hours. It will certainly give you a good idea how well you will tolerate them on your wedding day. While you think you may be enjoying your day so much you won't notice the pain, I can promise you I have seen far too many brides in pain and ready to marry barefoot. If you have shoes you simply must wear, buy the adhesive foot petals and trim to fit as needed to apply to the areas that may tend to rub your feet. Your feet will thank you and so will your photographer when you are able to smile for the camera.
Well, it's after midnight so I need to wrap this up for now. I will add more later to hopefully help you better plan your special day. There are many things brides don't often consider simply because it hasn't come to mind or no one thought to mention it. I will try to cover these areas. If you have a specific question, feel free to email me and I'll help if I can. We witness all aspects of the wedding day and can offer our perspective on your particular issue. I couldn't tell you how many gowns I have ended up bustling after multiple attempts were made.
Posted by crownphotographic
on June 26, 2009 at 5:56 PM
I hear this one a lot....and it is a question that is at the forefront of every couples mind as they battle their way through the huge amount of planning before the big day. To make it easier, we accept all three options.....Cash, Check & Credit Card through PayPal. That way, they have every option to assist them in managing their budget more effectively. We also offer payment options where couples can pay over the final 90 days before the wedding or longer payment dates if required....and all interest free !!
Posted by crownphotographic
on May 26, 2009 at 11:26 PM
During the many introductions and consultations we share with prospective couples, we often get asked if we provide video coverage as well as still photography for weddings......alas we don't. There is an old saying about having too many fingers in too many pies (if you haven't heard it then maybe it's an old english saying...) We like to dedicate 100% effort and concentration to our still photography coverage and would hate to let our clients down by attempting to provide video coverage too.
Following the no to the video question, it is normally followed by...."do you know any good Videographers?" ....... that one is easier to answer .... YES ! we know what can only be described at the BEST Videographers in Houston !!!!
Reel Memories Wedding Films are simply in a league of their own. Beau & Kelly provide unobtrusive but stunning video coverage. You only have to check out their work to see how top class their product is. We have had the emense pleasure of working with Reel Memories Wedding Films on a number of occasions and not only are they fantastic at what they do but they are genuinely wonderful people too. Check out their blog, it has video trailers and tips on how to plan your big day...... check these guys out ..... its so much fun !!
Posted by crownphotographic
on May 21, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Boy does time fly ! .... this time last year, Brenda & I were in Italy for our own wedding. We spent 3 days in Rome finalizing the ceremonial paperwork before moving onto our ceremony location of Ravello on the Amalfi coast.
Ravello is simply the most romantic setting for a wedding you can imagine. We had the assistance of the most entertaining & wonderful Italian wedding coordinator (Mario Capuano, Wagner Tours). We stayed at the scenic & romantic Hotel Parsifal who made us feel like royalty (thank you Antonio & family). Our photographer was the talented and amazing Enzo Campitelli. Enzo didn't speak of word of English and I don't speak Italian ...... thankfully Brenda's Italian got us through most things but as we shared the same profession as Enzo, a sixth sense was present and we understood what each other wanted or needed.
Our amazing flowers were arranged & provided by Armando Malafronte who is the premiere florist in the region. Armando was chosen to provide the floral arrangements for the world premiere in Rome of the new Dan Brown movie "Angels & Demons" starring Tom Hanks .... how lucky were we !
Our wedding dinner was at hosted by Pino at Ristorante Salvatore ..... the food, Prosecco and our Italian wedding cake were amazing. It was the most wonderful time of our lives.
So, as Bren & I approach our first wedding anniversary (May 23rd), this weekend we'll actually be working ! ...... yes we wanted to help two couples in need so we'll be shooting two weddings and celebrating three ! .... On Saturday 23rd we will be photographing Lindsey & Ryan's big day at The Courtyard at St James and on Sunday 24th, we'll be with Bethany & Daniel at the wonderful Vineyards of Waverly Manor in New Waverly.
We will take the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary belatedly on the 29th. It will be one year to the day that we exchanged our vows for a second time on the second level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. We exchanged our vows at 10pm (Paris time) as the lights of the Eiffel Tower began twinkling ... SO romantic !
Posted by crownphotographic
on May 21, 2009 at 4:25 PM
This is the place where you'll be able to see what Crown Photographic are up to .... we'll be posting news, snippets from recent shoots plus vendor information, tips & ideas for couples as they prepare for their big day.
