jen + tyler....engaged!

My sis and her man of over 2 years have finally decided to take the plunge. They made it official this weekend. You should see her ring, it's gorgeous. Tyler, you did good!

Some shots of them I took awhile back:




So in honor of their newly engaged status, I decided to post some more wedding tips. I seriously wish someone would have been there to share these things with me.


Hints and Tips : Final Wedding Hints
By: Lara

Your wedding day is going to be crazy busy. It's important to have some sort of photography schedule during the day, so that people know where they need to be and when they need to be there. It also gives a limit as to how long the formals can drag on - even the photographer knows that formal group shots are everyone's least favorite part of the day, and keeping them as short as possible makes everyone happy. Along with the schedule, write out a list of requested formal group shots so that two weeks later you don't start to think, "Hey, did I include great-grandma Doris in those...? I meant too....Shoot!"

When deciding on the flow of pictures for the wedding day, consider breaking tradition and doing the formal shots BEFORE the ceremony. While you and the groom will see each other before you walk down the aisle, for many couples the benefits outweigh that negative. For one, everyone’s makeup and hair is freshly done and is looking its best. If anyone is missing or late, or some pictures are missed, you can take a few minutes after the ceremony to grab them quickly instead of tacking more time onto the already long photo session between the ceremony and the reception. It allows the bride and groom to get to the reception faster, which is a plus for everyone and guests will love you for it. A bonus for more reserved couples is that it allows them to get some of the emotion of the day out of the way in private, so they are more composed when hundreds of eyes are on them during the ceremony. Your photographer will be able to arrange a private, quiet moment before the formal shots begin for the groom to first lay eyes on his bride, so the feeling of seeing her for the first time isn’t entirely lost.

Weddings can be stressful for everyone involved. Don't be afraid to ask for a moment - either alone or with your new husband - to decompress. If you aren't doing group shots immediately following the ceremony, you also might consider sneaking away with your groom for a few shots of just the two of you before you're off to party at the reception. If you are taking a limo or trolley to the reception site, consider inviting the photographer along with you. There can be some fun and emotional shots during the ride, and if you have time the group can stop at a fun location to grab some crazy shots.

While it sounds obvious, don’t forget to eat throughout the day! A little food puts color in your cheeks, and the last thing you would want is to faint from low blood sugar on your big day. Be wary of drinking too much - a glassy-eyed, red-faced bride or groom doesn’t make for good pictures. And possibly more importantly, this is likely going to be the most expensive night of your entire life and you definitely want to get your money’s worth by remembering as much of it as you can!