3 reasons why we chose to open our time restrictions!

One of the things we get asked most often is why we don’t have time restrictions on wedding days. There are multiple reasons we have decided to not limit the time we spend with each couple on one of the most important days of their lives. We want to share the entire narrative of the day, we want to have creative freedom- and that takes time- and we want to capture the intimate moments of an exhausted couple at the end of the night. Read on to get a little glimpse of why we choose to open our time restrictions.

We want to tell the whole story.

Most of our wedding days start with the bridesmaids getting their hair done and end when the reception clean up has already begun. Why do we do this? Because, moments can happen anytime. Moments don’t follow a schedule or care what time of the day it is. Surprises happen. Memories are brought up. All of these things happen throughout the day and these are things that our couples want to remember. In the past (when we charged by the hour) we would get to the venue after things had already been happening and we felt like we had entered the story in the middle. Or, when we would leave earlier in the night, we felt like we left before the story was finished. This day only happens once and we want to tell the entire story, not leaving out any details. 50 years from now, we want you to remember as much of your day as possible, especially the unplanned, unposed and unexpected moments.

Creativity takes time.

At the risk of sounding redundant, Sophie and I really do care about capturing each of our weddings in the most honest and full way that we possibly can. When we would charge by the hour, we always felt rushed. We felt like we had to get as many photos as we could in a short amount of time. Because of this, we would not actually be paying attention to what was really happening during the day. We would actually miss important moments because we were so focused on checking off all of the photos on our list. When we are there all day, we have the time to capture as many details as we can while still having time to be in the moment and observe. Instead of focusing on getting everything done, our couples can focus on enjoying their day and being present. They can focus on each other and their loved ones. This drastically reduces our stress and the stress of our couples and creates many more opportunities for amazing photos.

Sunsets and late nights under the lights.

Time restictions don’t usually effect the overall quality of our wedding photos. What they do is limit our opportunities to capture those moments that are just a little extra. If there is a beautiful sunset, we love to grab our couples to get a few photos. It’s also another great opportunity for our couples to get some much needed alone time. We love late nights under the hanging lights, bon fires, and end of the night cuddles between two people- so exhausted, yet so in love. We would never want to miss those moments, and we know you will cherish the memories for many years to come.

The photos are usually taken when it is quite dark and they are not always technically perfect, but I’m glad we chose to stay a little later for these photos.They are just a few of the moments we probably wouldn’t have captured when we charged by the hour. Enjoy!

3 reasons why we love first looks!

Sophie and I recently had the opportunity to tell Jackie and Mark’s story. During their wedding day, they decided to see each each other before the ceremony. This is traditionally called a “first look.” Sophie and I love first looks and this blog will explain why! This is theirs….

The first time we meet with a couple, we always give them our “first look pitch.” We start out by saying that we fully understand what tradition means to some people. And we also fully understand how important the first time you see your bride or groom is on the biggest day of your lives. (First looks are not necessarily new to wedding photography, but we still find that a majority of our couples have never heard of them.) We then begin by telling stories. Stories of when a first look has made a huge impact on a wedding day. Or, possibly even saved the day entirely! For the sake of the length of this blog, I will not share these stories in full. Instead I want to share with you 3 reasons why we love first looks and why we we think you should seriously consider seeing your significant other before the ceremony.

It makes the day so much less stressful.

Whenever we have the opportunity to do a first look with our couple, it changes the schedule of the entire day. It opens up a lot time to be able to enjoy the experience of the day instead of rushing to get everything done. For example, the first look you saw at the beginning of the blog started at around 1:30 pm with the ceremony starting at 4pm. (The first look usually last around an hour.) After the couple had time to be together, we then grabbed the whole bridal party to get the photos with their entire group. Afterwards, we headed inside to get some photos with the family members who were already on site. The bride and groom then went to separate spaces for a few movements to unwind and prepare for the ceremony. Think about this for a moment: by the time the ceremony begins most of the photos are done and out of the way. After the ceremony, the couple were not rushing to get the photos done. They were not struggling to gather people together. Instead, they were mostly just enjoying being together and with their loved ones. Most of our couples even get to join in on the cocktail hour and never leave their guests waiting too long in order to be seated for dinner. When adding a first look to your schedule, it is amazing how much the stress levels for the day go down and everyone is able to enjoy the day instead of hurrying to get everything done in a short amount of time.

Its crazy how little time couples spend together on their wedding day.

Some couples plan their wedding for up to two years together. They go over every detail of their day. They work extremely hard together to make sure their day is unique to them as a couple and will be a great experience for their guests. And then comes the wedding day. And on this day, most couples do not end up seeing each other until 4 or 5 in the evening usually at the ceremony. And after the ceremony the couple is then pulled in all different directions. Even when the couple is together, they are usually being asked to do one thing or another whether it be to take photos, see friends or family, or because they are needed to make some last minute decisions for the reception. When we set up a first look experience for our couple, we make sure no one else is around. We make sure the space is quiet and comfortable so that during this moment the couple can actually be together. Sophie and I obviously take photos during this moment but we always stop or move if we feel like we are in the way at all. Photos are important to us but not as important as that moment is for those two people.I’ve also never once have anyone say that the first look took away any of the excitement or emotion for the rest of the day.Actually, it’s the opposite. Whenever we ask our couple what the best part of their day was, they often say it was the first look!

Even when things don’t go exactly as planned, magic can happen.

As I mentioned earlier, the first look shown above did not go exactly as planned. First off, it was a little behind schedule. Which meant we would be given a little less time then normal. Which ended up not being a big deal at all because it was too cold outside to stay out there for a long time anyways. Sophie and I set up what we felt like would be a good space for the couple to be together and I went to grab the groom. Sophie always stays with he bride so she knows where to go and what to do once she gets to the spot. When the bride arrived at the door, the wind picked up pretty heavily which meant things were flying around everywhere making it difficult for the bride to make her way down the stairs without help. In the middle of the moment, the sun came out from under a cloud which forced Sophie and I to change our settings quickly. As this was happening, the bride was so excited to see her groom and kiss him that she got makeup all over his face. Also, did I mention it was cold and the bride was in a dress? But, thats the beauty of a first look. No matter what happens, this is the first time you get to see the love of your life on the day you are going to marry them. Sophie and I quickly adjusted our settings, the couple laughed as she tried to get the makeup off of his face, and the cold only forced couple to be closer. All of which gave Sophie and I the opportunity to take unposed, passionate, and real photos allowing them to remember that moment for the rest of their lives. As we were heading inside, Jackie turned to Mark and said, “If we didn’t do this, I probably would have thrown up I was so nervous.”

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear any questions, comments, or stories you have from your first look experiences. We thought we’d end the blog with a few of our favorite first looks, Enjoy!

Alaina and Eric at Panther Creek State park.

Alaina and Eric are getting married in Michigan. But, they asked if it would be possible for me to come to where they live in Tennessee for their engagement photos. Ummm yes. Yes, I think it would be possible. My family and I took look long drive down south and it was worth it.

We hope you enjoy their story!

Bobbi Jo and Brady's elopement in the leaves.

Tyler and Jesse's wedding

Maya and Skip learn how to ride tandem.

Nan and Mark's Wedding

My Mother in law got married and I am honored to have had the opportunity to tell their story.

Going for a walk

I always thought when I had a child, I would want to capture every moment of their lives. Especially as a photographer. But, I can count on both of my hands the number of times I've actually pulled out my camera when on a journey with my son. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe because I've worked really hard to be present whenever I am with him, maybe because it's kind of a hassle, or maybe because it is way more convenient to just take quick snap shots with my iPhone. Whatever the reason, I just don't have many photos of him taken with my camera. 

The other night, as the sun was going down I said, "we should go for a walk" and I decided to bring my camera. Momma and Milo take many of these short walks and it was something I wanted to document. I'm not sure if I will get my camera out more now or not, but I am glad I did on this night. I hope you enjoy a little sneak peak into our lives. Just a quick walk around the block before the sun goes down.  

Jennie and Jake's Wedding

Sarah and Patrick's Wedding