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!

handy posing tips.

Here are some tips I found from a fellow photographer that I think are really helpful.

Hints and Tips: Posing
By: Lara

Many people absolutely hate the way they look in front of the camera. And really, it's understandable - in pictures, you see yourself in ways and angles that you aren't used to seeing. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help.

You may feel stupid, but practice in the mirror ahead of time. Figure out which side of your face photographs better, practice facial expressions and natural looking smiles, and get an idea of what poses work best for your body using some of the suggestions below. The one caveat to practicing in front of a mirror? Don't do it to the point that you can't feel natural in front of a camera anymore.

Good posture and a long neck go a long way in making you look slimmer in pictures. Stretch out your neck and tilt your head down just slightly to avoid the appearance of a double chin. If you are standing, plant your legs at a 45 degree angle to the camera with one leg a step back, and shift your weight to that back leg. Twist at your waist toward the camera, so your upper torso is facing the camera but your lower torso is angled slightly away from it. If you aren't sure what this pose looks like, open any fashion or gossip magazine - stars and models have this pose down perfectly.

If you’re sitting, be sure to sit up straight and point your knees away from the camera. Also, rather than pressing your arms to your side, hold them slightly away from your body so they look toned and slim. If you are carrying a bouquet, try holding it slightly lower than your waist and point the fullest part toward the camera, so that the best part of the flowers - the top - is captured. Although it feels natural and fun, avoid posing with both arms stretched around the people beside you - it broadens your shoulders unflatteringly and more than a few bosoms have popped out of strapless dresses!

While posing, think happy thoughts. You don’t necessarily have to “make love to the camera,” but think happy thoughts toward it at the very least. After shooting for what may seem like hours, your cheeks may start to hurt. The solution? Give your poor face a rest and don’t smile between pictures. If you have a problem blinking when you get your picture taken, close your eyes and then open them when the photographer is snapping the picture (it helps if the photographer announces when each picture will be taken by saying, “On three - one!...two!...three!”). If they aren't doing that, ask them to!

Despite all this complicated advice, the best thing you can do to look good in front of a camera is to relax and have fun! It sounds trite and obvious, but it really works.

helpful hints.

For all you new brides out there, here is an article that I think is very helpful. I know when I was planning my wedding I read any and every thing I could find that was wedding related.

Brides Guide to Better Wedding Photography
by: Mark Parker


I’m sure you already know that choosing the right wedding photographer is more important than choosing the right groom. (Just kidding). Getting the right photographer is important, but there are lots of things that YOU can do to ensure that your wedding photos are as good as they can be.


1.Pre-Wedding Photo shoot.
Having a pre-wedding photo shoot can improve your wedding pictures more than anything else you might do. Think about it, your photographer is VERY comfortable on his end of the camera. The time you spend with your photographer in front of the camera will help you become more comfortable being the subject. Try to get to know your photographer. Have fun. Be crazy. Let’s face it; those "magazine bride photos" that you have been looking at do not happen all by themselves. They are well planned, rehearsed, and the photo that you finally see in the magazine was probably picked from hundreds of photos. The more time you spend with your photographer, the more likely it is that he will capture that one special moment that only happens once.

2.The Pose.
"Chin up, a little to the left, shoulders back, stand on one foot, hold your breath…hang on…don’t move. " Any photographer worth his salt should be able to pose you in an elegant and attractive position. Do you know the reason for all these the contortions? By lifting your chin you banish the double chin. Holding your elbows away from your body reduces the apparent width of your torso and accentuates the bosom. Shifting your weight to your rear foot cocks your hips into a position that gives you a sexy curviness. There are many other little tricks your photographer may teach you. Just listen and he will not lead you astray.

3.Hair and Makeup.
Your wedding day is not the right time to experiment with makeup and hairstyles. Be sure to plan a separate day to have a hair and makeup "dress rehearsal". If you plan to wear a headpiece, use this time to make sure that it will fit with your hairstyle. If you plan it right, your photographer may be available to take some formals on this day too.

4.Props.
Give you photographer the tools he needs to be creative. When ordering flowers for the wedding, be sure to order an extra single rose, boutonniere, ribbon or other inexpensive items that the photographer can use in your photos. Don’t forget to have a copy of your wedding invitation that he can incorporate into the detail shots of your big day. Photos of wedding rings with flowers, invitation, maybe even your shoes and garter can really add to your album.

5. The Bouquet.
How should you hold a bouquet? In a single word.. DOWN!! Never hide your thousand dollar dress with a hundred dollar bouquet. If you’re a five foot bride, do not order a 3 foot cascading bouquet. It’s going to be a long day. By the end of the day, you will be wishing that your bouquet was smaller, lighter, more durable, and maybe even artificial. And if it’s too big you may even injure your guests during the bouquet toss.

6. Backgrounds and angles.
Remember, your wedding day is all about you. Many times complicated backgrounds in your photos distract the viewer’s attention away from the bride and will take away from your photographs. Keep backgrounds as simple as possible. Interesting angles are what keeps the images of a professional photographer from looking like the images of "Uncle Joe". Everyone knows what a wedding looks like from 5 feet 6. You may see your photographer lying on the ground or climbing trees. Don’t laugh at him. That’s why he gets paid the big bucks.

7.Lighting
When choosing your venue and time of day, keep lighting in mind. If your wedding is outdoors, the best light happens 1-2 hours before sunset. If your wedding is indoors, try to avoid buildings with high dark ceilings and few windows. Since natural light will look much better in your photos, try to plan your wedding when the room will be the brightest. By the way, photographers hate fluorescent lights. They make you look green.

8.Single Use Cameras
Lots of people use them and they seldom work. You may get a few good photos here and there but don’t expect too much. You’ll probably get a whole camera full of photos of Cousin Skip’s girlfriend that you hardly know. Your three year old niece will probably take a lot of pictures of people’s belly buttons. And if anyone gets tipsy at the reception you may get a lot of photos of the ground, shoes, or eyeballs (from holding the camera backwards). Your photography is best left to professionals. Well that’s it for "The Brides Guide to Better Wedding Photos". Congratulations on your big day. Now let’s make those memories last! Mark Parker is a Birmingham Alabama Wedding Photographer. His work can be seen at http://www.MarksBrides.com .