Sara + Cameron | engaged!

SARA + CAMERON

If I write a goal to blog oh, let’s say, 20 of the recent weddings I’ve shot in the past two years here, does that count as accountability? hello? anyone out there?

For many a long time I’ve treated this blog as a place to show photos, and stick to the photos. I kind of want to go back to talking more about all the things I want to share with you. About why. About me. So here we go! As we approach this change of seasons, I find myself lamenting as I do with every change of seasons. The months go by too quickly to quantify the change that happens, but looking back over a whole season feels much more complete. Back in May!? How was that such a flash, when the world was fresh and everything feeling new and anticipatory with what summer would bring? And now here we are, and instead of feeling the optimism that comes with spring, I find myself looking at fall like a placeholder for the dread of winter to come. dramatic much? SOOOO as the eternal optimist would do, I’m challenging myself to look at things with fresh eyes + see the beauty beyond being stuck on IT IS GOING TO BE SO COLD AND DARK FOR SO LONG.

One of those things, from my business standpoint, is engagement season! I LOOOOVE that so many people get engaged over the holidays and jump right into selecting a venue + date + reaching out to vendors. I love emails that chronicle, in our very first meeting, love stories, and wishes for wedding days, and just simple hellos and connections over the internet.

Here’s an engagement from one of my 2020 weddings - I can’t wait to celebrate with Sara + Cameron. Like, when you are so awesome on just a random weekday, your wedding is going to be filled with greatness! Shot mostly film, canon 1V

Angie + Crescent | married at Oak Grove

I have no excuse why I never blogged this wedding (yes I do, four kids, job, homeschool, etc?) but here we are. Last summer had a weird but awesome trend of how wedding days went for me: MAAANY happened at Jorgensen’s Oak Grove. Gorgeous ceremony followed by dramatic rain followed by clear and awesome night!

Angie + Crescent’s wedding, shot on digital and film (a mixture of Portra 400 + Cinestill 800, which is my absolute fave for shooting this venue!) enjoy!

Marie + Derek | Married at Strongwater

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I have ZERO good reason why this 2017 wedding has never seen the light of day besides a social media share here and there. I will say, it likely should’ve been picked up by some blog somewhere along the way buuuut, that’s just not why I do this job. Besides to highlight the kick ass job that Orchard Lane Flowers + the Bliss planning team did, I don’t need anyone else to give me accolades for doing a bomb job. …. it’s MY JOB to do that week in and week out, soooo. Here ya go! Love this couple, loved this day!

Venue: Strongwater Events

gown: Ivy Bridal Studio

planning: Bliss Wedding & Event Design

Hair: Shannon Goode

Emma + Matt | Married at Oak Grove

Emma + Matt spent the week before their wedding checking and checking and totally prepared for snowpocalypse 2019. After all, a perfect snow globe existed for us to view it in: the greenhouse of Jorgensen’s Oak Grove in Westerville, Ohio. Well, as it turned out, like too many Columbus weekends, it was a rainy + slushy day that we were just happy to be cozy + to experience two people in love get to promise themselves to each other!

Images shot digital + on Cinestill 800 + Portra 400 + HP5 pushed two stops to 1600.

enjoy!

Venue: Jorgensen Farms Oak grove

Floral: Evergreen Flower Co.

Rentals: Lost and Found Vintage Rentals

Calligraphy: Bride

donuts: Buckeye Donuts

invitation suite: Rachel Marvin Creative

Bridal Gown: B. Loved Bridal

Bridal Hairpiece: BHLDN

Bridesmaids dresses: David’s Bridal

DJ: Buckeye Entertainment

Emily + Brian | engaged!

a quick + sweet engagement session from this summer (take me back, what I wouldn’t give to be unbearably hot like it was this day!) with Emily + Brian + their pups. shot on digital + film (with double exposed xmas lights // portrait 400)

let's talk first looks

so here’s the thing. I see the “taking pictures part” of my job as secondary to making sure your day is everything you want it to be. Maybe because the taking pictures part is so so so second nature and within every muscle memory I have, that I extend my experience to try to make your day run smooth. OF COURSE I’ll follow any schedule you want, on your wedding day, but when people ask WHY to a first look here are some of my reasons (spoiler, NONE of them are because it makes MY day better/easier/etc.)

it’ll calm your nerves: I’ve had so many couples who just . . . relax, once they’ve seen each other. They pretty much turn into a more accurate version of themselves (vs. wedding day self) once they’re with their partner.

it’ll extend your wedding day: I’d say this is my biggest reason to DO a first look. Do you like the idea of spending *most of the day with your love + your most loved people? Yeah? Then do a first look! otherwise, you’re both hidden away, counting down minutes until wedding time arrives.

logistically, it makes sense: winter wedding? Short on day light hours? A way to alleviate your stress is to do most of the photos before hand - that way if it’s dark just about right after your ceremony, you don’t feel the rush to get things DONE and you can actually enjoy yourself more.

alone time with your partner: Seeing each other at the top of an aisle IS very exciting, but I promise it’ll be exciting no matter whether you’ve seen each other before or not. The thing is, if you don’t do that first look, think of ALL THE THINGS you want to be sharing with your partner about how your crazy day was, about how amazing they look, etc. etc. But, you’re getting married + don’t have the time to be candid with each other.

Now, like I said, that’s not to say if you don’t do a first look you’re doing it wrong, or ANYTHING like that. Your wedding day is all about what you want to make it the best start to your lives together! I just hope that you consider all the options!