STRESS FREE ENJOYMENT
Wedding planning is no joke and having a planner makes it 1000x easier. Plus on the day of, your family and friends can relax and enjoy themselves and celebrate you two without having to be assigned extra tasks. Trust me, everyone has a much better time when there's a good planner in your corner.
LETS ME FOCUS 100% ON YOUR MEMORIES
Without a planner the timeline management, people wrangling, sometimes decor/wedding party placement, etc. falls on my team. We're happy to step in of course, but any time we do that it takes away from us getting to capture more in between moments and focus on maximizing our portrait time together.
INCREDIBLE DECOR OPTIONS
Planners have connections with the best decor rental companies and literally study gorgeous tablescapes and event design for a living. If you want your guest's jaws to drop when they walk in, a planner is what you need to make your incredible vision come to life.
THEY KNOW THE BEST PEOPLE
Let's face it, there's a TON of talent in the wedding industry. How do you know if they're actually awesome in real life or just have a decent instagram? You guessed it - your planner will have a curated collection of the best and most reliable people to hire for your big day.
MY #1 TIP - HIRE A PLANNER
TAKE ME TO YOUR PLANNER RECS
Venue coordinators, while great, are only there on behalf of the venue. They're not there to make YOUR experience seamless, beautiful, and most of all - fun and relaxing. Read on to find out why wedding planners are the real MVP.
DJS
SCE Event Group
Bring on the Bash
Pat and Sean Kelly
Silver Sound Entertainment
Remixologists
OFFICIANTS
Journeys of the Heart
Lehigh Valley Celebrants
Rev. Kelly Jo
Leeroy Williams aka “The BROfficiant”
Reenie Panzini
INVITES & LETTERING
Stone Hill Paperie
Every Little Something
Ma Plume Design | Léa Bushnell
Papertree Studio
Chez La Mariee
Ink and Press Co.
DECOR RENTALS
White Glove Rentals
Vision Furniture PHL
CAKES
The Sugary
The Master's Baker
Bredenbecks
Whipped Bakeshop
Nutmeg Cake Design
CATERING
John Serock Catering
Peachtree Catering
Feastivities
Sage Catering
BANDS
EBE Talent
Jordan Kahn Music Company
BVT Live
York Street Hustle
Gypsy Wisdom
Cherry Crush Band
DOGSITTING
Furever and Fur Always
Smile 'N' Wag
LIVE PAINTING
Event Painting by Nicole
Andy Greenle Celebrations Painting
Kelly Lagaras
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Bayelle Films
The Neskes
Tag Visual
Little Kings Media
Timothy Lebo Films
N.S.T. Pictures
PLANNERS
Lavish Haus Events
Blake Event Co
Fulton Events
Taylor Emily Events
Faye + Renee Events
Tiffany Chalk Events
Your Sweetest Day Events
GLO Weddings
FLORISTS
Margaux St. Ledger
Belovely Floral Co.
RAM Floral
The Bloemist
Twisted Willow Flowers
Fresh Designs Florist
Winsome Floral Co.
BEAUTY
True Beauty Marks
Jackie Scully Beauty
MKUP the Beauty Studio
Daneene Jensen & Associates
Something You Onsite Beauty
Vendor faves
***Do not skip try ons! Make sure your dress or outfit fits perfectly the week before your wedding to allow for any last minute alterations. And make sure you try it on with the exact undergarments and shoes you'll be wearing the day of your wedding.
Ensure there are minimal underwear/bra pad lines and that the hem hits where you want it. If you have complicated undergarments or need to use body/boob tape, let me know so I can allow *at least* 30 minutes to get that sorted on the day of. And make sure you and whoever is helping you get dressed that day practice it ahead of time.
PAD HAIR AND MAKEUP
Make sure you pad the hair and makeup end time by at least 30 minutes before everyone needs to be dressed in case someone's hair isn't curling right or makeup needs touched up, plus it'll give everyone time to eat.
Whoever is helping you get dressed needs to be fully done with hair and makeup and dressed before you so keep that in mind when planning your hair and makeup schedule.
VEILS
If you're wearing a veil, make sure the shade of white matches your dress. If your dress is ivory but your veil is bright white, it'll appear blue in photos. Also a great idea to add a bobby pin or two from the side of the comb to make sure it doesn't fall out.
BABYSITTING
If a member of your wedding party has kids that'll be at the wedding, make sure they have a plan for someone to watch their kiddos while they get ready and during photo time.
getting ready
getting ready on time is key!
FAMILY FORMALS
**It’s super important to tell your family members that will be in the photos where they need to be and when.** If they're taking place right after your ceremony, have your officiant make an announcement at the end to let family know to stay put. And if there’s an extra grouping you think of while at dinner, please grab me or my second photographer. We’re there for you!
FIRST KISS AND RECESSIONAL
Don’t be afraid to take your time during your first kiss! If you linger longer than a peck, it gives me ample time to get a close up and wider shot. And if you stop three quarters of the way down the aisle and go for another kiss, well that’s just a bonus for everyone!
MARK THE CENTER WHERE YOU'LL STAND
If I had a nickel for every time I backed up at a ceremony and realized the couple was standing way off center from the arch or chuppah, I'd be rich at this point. Haha. But there's an easy solution! Ask your coordinator to lay down a small piece of tape or a rock that marks the center and just quickly glance down when you go to hold hands.
FALL + WINTER TIMELINES
Keep in mind sunset time for portraits! If you’re getting married in late fall or winter, you may need to have an earlier ceremony or first look to ensure we have an hour and a half of portrait time before the sun goes down.
CEREMONY + FAMILY PHOTO TIPS
YOUR DRESS/PANTS MIGHT GET A BIT DIRTY AND I PROMISE THAT'S 100% NORMAL
If you’re wearing a long gown, we’ll of course take care to pick up your train when you’re moving as much as possible, but if we’re taking photos outside, there will inevitably be some dirt. It’s totally fine!! And if you decide to get your outfit preserved or dry cleaned, they can totally take care of any stains.
WORRIED ABOUT THE WEATHER?
I've shot in every weather condition imaginable at this point, even a tornado! There's no use worrying over something totally out of our control. Most venues have gorgeous spots inside or overhangs we can put you under. I have special rain gear to keep myself and my cameras dry, don't you worry!
What I actually worry about is extreme temperatures and keeping everyone safe and healthy. If it's really hot, make sure you mentally prepare yourself and stay hydrated and fed and take breaks when you need to.
"YOU CAN PHOTOSHOP THAT RIGHT?"
If you have an obvious breakout or cut/injury, I will gladly digitally airbrush those out on close up images where they’re visible. I do not alter bodies/faces or remove tattoos, scars, or anything else that makes you YOU. I am always learning and working on body neutrality and acceptance and want to bring positive energy and love to every session and wedding.
Flyaway hairs are also sometimes actually impossible to edit out so if your day is looking windy, either embrace it (I mean, Beyonce has a wind fan at shoots for a reason), or have your hairstylist pin up tendrils because otherwise they’ll be flying in your face all day.
YOUR DJ/VENUE OFFERS EXTRA PHOTOGRAPHERS - JUST SAY NO
Oof this is an awkward one. I have in my contract that I will be the sole professional photographer at your event and here’s why:
I would love to just say sure, the more the merrier! But because they’re usually not professionals, I’ll spend the day chasing them out of the background of key shots and not be able to 100% focus on capturing your day. I’ve had them step in during the ceremony processional, first dance, cake cutting, you name it! And your guests will assume they’re with me and if they’re not the most professional people, things can get hairy. So if they offer that, just politely decline and blame it on me.
IF YOU WANT A SPRAY TAN, GO PRO!
Pretty please, DO NOT DIY A FAKE TAN AT HOME FOR YOUR WEDDING. 😉 The color can read as too saturated and unnatural on camera.
Editing uneven or patchy skin is really difficult and time-consuming and is not included in my editing. I would need to outsource that which would incur an extra cost to you and take longer to deliver your images which obviously no one wants. Please also be mindful of tans and sunburns before your wedding because if there are tan lines or peeling skin, they’re here to stay in your photos!
PAMPER YOUR TOOTSIES
If you’re wearing shoes that aren’t super comfortable for your ceremony, make sure to bring an extra pair just in case you need to switch them out before portraits or the reception so you can get your dance on!
uncomfy situations
FRESH FLOWERS AND GREENERY FROM YOUR FLORIST
Ask your florist for 4-5 medium sized blooms and a few bits of texture pieces/greenery that make up your bouquet. These take a good detail image and make it great. They add life, dimension, texture and best of all – they match your decor and the colors for the day.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When scheduling drop off times with your florist, please make sure they arrive with your flowers at least 30-60 minutes before my start time and drop them off in or near where you’re getting ready.
YOUR INVITATION SUITE AND ENVELOPE
I recommend including two copies so that I can photograph any pieces that are two-sided and to ensure I always have clean and wrinkle free paper to work with. If your envelope was custom addressed, ask your calligrapher or printing company to create one with your venue’s address on it or a fake address so that your home address isn’t in the photos shared online. And if you go with a custom envelope liner on the inside, I’ll definitely want two of them so I can showcase both sides.
I would love for you to mail me a copy of your invitation or send me a photo so I can plan my layout ahead of time. Note: The copy you mail to me won't be used on your actual day. Those are for planning purposes only because they often get a little wrinkled or warped in the mail.
YOUR RINGS
No matter where each of you are getting ready, always include **all rings** for detail photos with me including engagement rings and wedding bands. I have a plethora of velvet ring boxes in all kinds of colors to display your rings in your details, but if you have a custom ring box or dish, feel free to bring that along!
ADDITIONAL PAPER GOODS AND LINENS
If you have a custom menu, ceremony program, vow books, table cards or other small paper goods, feel free to include these! And if you’re including special silk or gauze table runners, I would love an extra piece to style with your details.
YOUR PARTNER'S DETAILS
I’ll photograph the invitation suite and details of the person I’ll be with in the morning, but if your partner wants theirs photographed as well, they can make a box or bag for my second photographer when they arrive. This includes shoes/socks, jewelry, accessories, fragrance, watch, etc.
SHOE TIPS
If you’re planning to use gel inserts or taping a penny to the inside of your shoe for luck, I would wait until after I’m done shooting details for a cleaner look in the photos. And if you want to spring for beautiful shoes but they aren’t the most comfortable, you can always wear them for the ceremony and switch to more comfortable ones for photos and the reception.
I always start wedding days photographing all of the little details you spent months planning that deserve a moment in the spotlight. I’ll happily create magic out of just your invitation card and rings, but if you want to go the extra mile, read on!
