So recently I was at a wedding where after we got through the traditional speeches they decided to open up the microphone to guests. Which I’ve only seen a handful of times. Most brides like to assign speeches. So they open the microphone up… Guests start to give these tear-jerking speeches. Then grandpa stands up. I’m expecting this sweet speech about watching grandchildren grow up. He takes out a $100 and says, “I want to know who controls the household. Whoever has control over the money has the control over the household.” The feminist, journalistic, photographer in me really though oh this could be good. Grandpa walked over to the couple and the bride politely allowed the groom to snatch the $100 from grandpa’s hand. Grandpa took out his pointer finger and said, “That’s the last time. You have control over the money.” I still get a big smile thinking about grandpa. I love when unexpected things happen at weddings.
Here are my Cake Rules..
So one thing that no one tells you is how to cut a wedding cake. So when there is no wedding planner it’s usually me explaining to a bride and groom how to cut the cake. I start off assigning them one side of the cake. I choose the side based on lighting and where the guest will be standing. Then I have them cut the cake together, scoop the cake on a plate, and then they take turns feeding each other. My simple rule is that the bride allows the groom to feed her first if for whatever reason the groom’s hand slips and cake winds up all over the bride’s face. She will get the last laugh. In general, I find the brides are usually the first ones to throw cake. Either way, I tend to look out for the bride’s best interest.
*If you plan on throwing cake you might want to have a bride’s maid standing by with a napkin, a glass of water, mirror and touch up makeup.
Photo Booth
Photo booth
When it comes to photo booths ours is a little different from the rest. Traditional photo booths have you locked into a tight space, which makes it fairly hard to capture large groups. When we set up a photo booth it’s more like a high fashion shoot. We bring lights, umbrellas and we roll out a seem less backdrop. If you want we can even coordinate your background with your wedding colors. We even have a photographer on hand to help wit posing to shoot you.
I find photo booths are a great way to entertain guests. I tend to think photos booths are better then the traditional table shots. With our photo booth each guest gets a 4×6 print of their photos, you get an album and we place all the images on an online gallery.
Recently I was giving a friend of mine who’s an armature photographer some advice about a friends wedding he’s been asked to shoot. Shooting a friends wedding is a ton of pressure but is an honor. As a professional wedding photographer there is nothing better then being apart of a friend’s special day. The trick is you have to treat your friend exactly as a client because this is your business. From my experience you can’t simply say I’ll take care of you and that be the end. You have to treat a friend like every other client. You have to sign contracts, answer questions and go over everything. In my opinion you need to go over things more so with a friend then anyone else because you don’t want to have any confusion.
I remember the first time I shot a friends wedding. Everything went perfect except after the wedding when I put everything up on a password protected online gallery. Once you logged on to the gallery with your password the site remembered your ip address and there wasn’t any need to log in again, unless you logged out. I released the gallery, called my friend to get her logged in and then went to bed. When I woke up I had 10 missed calls? The voicemails went from “Sara I have some questions about the online gallery” to my friends husband calling, screaming and cussing at me in the middle of the night. They thought the their images were up on the Internet for the world to see. I pulled the gallery and called them immediately. They didn’t understand the concept of the website remembering their password. I was really unset and frustrated at the situation. I had explained to them how the gallery worked, had their best intentions at heart but still ended up being a bad experience.
The June Bride
June should be the most popular month to get married but it’s really not. I guess people associate June weddings with June Gloom. From a photographers standpoint, the gloom acts like a giant soft-box hung from the sky, which provides even, flattering natural lighting.
The longest days of the whole year are in June because of the summer solstice. Which means after a typical sunset wedding you have two hours of magic hour, which is perfect for pictures. If you don’t know what magic hour is.. Read The Magic Hour. The temperature in June is usually the best warm but not hot, cool but not cold.
Another thing to consider most flowers are available in June. A girl friend of mine Hannah from Modern Bouquet told me “I can get any flower a bride wants in June. Which isn’t the case in any other month.”
Typically June seems to be the slowest month for weddings and honestly it’s a little disappointing because it’s the perfect month to get married.
If I were getting married tomorrow…. I’d be a June Bride.
One Love…
One love
The idea of waking up next to the same person for the next 50 years can be a little overwhelming. I’m on a flight right now and across the aisle from me is an elder couple. Watching these two interact with each other is in a way beautiful. I suspect they’ve been together for the past 50+ years. The way they hold each other’s hand during the take off.
One of my favorite wedding traditions is the anniversary dance. The anniversary dance is when all the married couples get a special dance in their honor. After about 30 sec. into the song the DJ excuses the couples in ascending order, starting with the newly married couple. I tend to cry when he gets past 30 years. I love it when the DJ has to keep going 30 years, 35 years, 40 years, 45 years… At one point there are two elderly couples battling for the title of married the longest.
It gets me every time… To see two people that are madly in love after a million years. I love it when the cheesy DJ always asks them if they have a special message for the happy couple. They always say with a big she’s always right, short memories and a great sense of humor.
I love weddings…
House Rules
When I meet with a couple for the first time and go over wedding details I always ask them about their wedding officiate or church; if they have mentioned anything about photography rules. Its fairly common for churches to have rules of what a photographer can and can’t do during a ceremony. Out of respect for everyone I try to abide by those rules. I actually have it in my contract that The House Rules.
The reason I ask them is so I can plan my shots and work around the rules. Which cameras, and lenses I need to bring. Many times I’ll research the location and find out the available or ambient light in the church. If I’m limited as far as where I can be during the ceremony I’ll look up the layout and try and figure out the best angles. My goal during the ceremony is to capture those blessed moments like a ninja sneaking around.
Take a Picture it will Last Longer
After the cakes been cut, the bouquet has been tossed, the music been turned down, the guests have all gone home and the dress has been boxed the only thing you have left is a new shiny ring and PHOTOs. This is where I’d like to insert a bunch of bad wedding photos.
Weddings are once in a lifetime, you want to have yours captured by a professional wedding photographer. I feel like a broken record but it’s true.
The Magic Hour
Don’t let the name full you, sometimes it’s 10 min and other times it 2 hrs., it just depends on the time of the year. Magic hour sometimes called golden hour is just after the sunsets, when the sky turns into a glowing soft box. Photography is all about timing. Most weddings are around sunset, which in the winter months leaves me biting my nails. When you’re planning your wedding consult your photographer about your timeline so that you get the best photos and lighting possible. If it were my Big Day I’d have a first look and get all the formals done before the ceremony. That way after the ceremony there’s no time pressure. After the ceremony we can do a couple images of the bride and groom and then its off to cocktail hour. Believe me the last thing your family and bridal party want to do after the ceremony is take photos for an hour… they want to party. It easier all around getting formals done before the ceremony.
The bride and groom get to have a romantic first look. Doing the first look down the aisle is a lot of pressure and couples generally feel the erg to squeeze on each other a little bit. Who could blame them it’s only natural.
A Foodie Ceremony – Bon Appétit
From a recent wedding I shot. The happy couple had a friend of theirs officiate the wedding. Here is what he had to say….
Welcome
Friends, family, and all who have come here to bear witness to this momentous day – or for a great meal; Welcome. Without your love and support, Hirono and Kevin would not be who they are today – as strong, confident individuals and as partners building a life together.
This day was inevitable, time always moving this couple toward their destiny.
They said they built the train track over the Alps between Vienna and Venice before there was a train that can make the trip. They built it anyway. They knew that one day the train will come.
Friendship
It is often said that it is love that makes the world go round.
However, without doubt, it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel.
However, without doubt, it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel.
True friendship provides so many of the essentials for a happy life – it is the foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, it is the mortar which bonds us together in harmony, and it is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when the world outside seems cold and chaotic.
True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense of worthiness.
True friendship nurtures our hopes, supports us in our disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential.
This couple came together as friends, they pledge to each other not only their love but also their strength, warmth and, most importantly, to continue the fun of their true friendship.
Marriage
What is Marriage?
Love knows no bounds. In its truest form, marriage knows not of gender, faith, or color, but of two souls united by a common destiny in friendship and in partnership to build their future, together.
Many speak of defining love and marriage. But few capture the essence of what it really means to be married.
It has been said; “You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without”
And it has been said; “To love someone deeply gives you strength. But, being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”
It has also been said; “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
“There is no choice more intensely personal, after all, than whom you choose to marry; that choice tells us, to a large extent, who you are” says Elizabeth Gilbert.
Pablo Neruda once said; “Love is a fire that feeds our life.” and it is in that spirit that we are gathered here today – to feed our souls as we honor their union and to feed ourselves as we celebrate good food and the foodies who love to eat.
Toast
And now a toast to wedded bliss:
May you feast upon limitless possibilities
May you dine upon dreams
May you devour this love as if it was your last
May you relish the sweet taste of affection
And May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness, as to help you to know your fullness.
Like any good recipe, a marriage is more than the sum of its ingredients:
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First bring a great friendship to a rolling boil, Next, add the spice of attraction A dash of Passion A tablespoon of forgiveness A cup of faith A sprig of honesty A pinch of patience And a teaspoon of trust Top with heaping scoop of laughter Serve generously with good friends and family And so today is but the first course… |
Vows
Kevin & Hirono, today you celebrate one of life’s greatest moments and we are here to give recognition to your love and friendship, as you join together in the vows of marriage.
Kevin, do you take Hirono to be your Wife? (“I do”) Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her? (“I do”)
Hirono, do you take Kevin to be your Husband? (“I do”) Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him? (“I do”)
You may now exchange rings as a symbol of your commitment to this matrimony.
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!
Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Yonei into yo