Fun with the groom

Wedding season is almost here!!!! Time to think about portraits. One of my favorites is the "floating groom". Yes, it's commonly done; yes, it can be corny BUT: it's FUN. One of my brides commented "I didn't even want them to do it because I usually think these ones are cheesy but I LOVE it." However, she got talked into it by the bridal party.





The other thing I love about it is the bride's reaction to seeing her husband in the hands of her bridesmaids:



So whatever you decide on doing, I'm game. Whether it be your girls lifting the groom, me jumping into a creek to get an awesome picture of the two of you sitting on the bridge above, climbing a tree to get just the right angle, jogging along next to your bridal limo along a parade route - count me in.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Wedding Flower Tips

I love flowers. So much that last year saw me digging holes for the 2200 (TWOTHOUSANDTandWOHUNDRED – yes, this isn’t a typo) bulks I had ordered. Now I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring to admire this lily/tulip/iris/crocus wonderland.

I also love color and contrast and always have a great time taking your bouquet out for a photo session. Below are just some of my favorite bouquets from last year –



As far as color trends go, pink is still a bride favorite but colorful summer bouquets in red, orange, yellow and more organic designs with unique details such as peacock feathers are becoming more and more popular.



When it comes to your florist, you don’t want a “yes ma’am” kind of person. A good florist should be able to tell you whether your choices are realistic and then suggest alternatives if certain flowers you have in mind will be unavailable or insanely expensive.



One more thing to keep in mind: If you are planning an outdoor summer wedding, you definitely want to select flowers that can stand the heat.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography
- Your Vermont Wedding Photographer -

Play it up!

I love games. Except for Monopoly which is entirely my husband Damian's fault - he'd put any loan shark to shame playing this game. I do, however, love, love, love outdoor games that are less competitive. So if you're planning your outdoor reception in Vermont, why not play it up a bit?

One of my favorite bridal portraits ever! And I swear, this is totally not posed - just the bride enjoying herself.



A game of bocce at this Vermont outdoor wedding.



Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Unique and totally "YOU" Save the Dates!

Here's a confession: I love paper. Beautiful paper, different textures, matching envelopes ... there's something really neat about it. Unfortunately, my handwriting is atrocious (more than one person thought my name was actually "Quatrin" after receiving a personal note from me) but that hasn't stopped me from stockpiling boxes of paper.

In any case, I stumbled across Save the Date Originals on one of my wedding boards (yes, vendors have wedding boards as well ;-) and was completely smitten with her designs.

Being old enough to still remember vinyl long players and singles, I love this design in particular.

Vinyl Save the Dates:



Arrrrrr .... Pirate Save the Dates:



Poker Chip Save the Dates:



Boarding Pass Save the Dates:



So, there's no excuse to NOT make your wedding your own, from your save-the-dates to your decor.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

When is the best time to take "formals"?????

Some photographers are adamant about taking the "formal" portraits before the ceremony. Some will argue that those photos are best taken after the ceremony. Truth be told, both have their advantages. Biggest advantage of having your portraits done pre-ceremony: you're not going to miss out on cocktail hour!!!! Disadvantage: you fear you might ruin your grand entrance by stepping out in your beautiful attire in front of (almost) everybody prior to walking down the aisle. It all depends on how you want your day to flow.

If you think you might be happiest getting the ceremony done with - then by all means, let's take the formals after you tied the knot. And trust me, I was a wee bit nervous myself right before our "I do's" - not because I doubted our decision but because a) I hate speaking in public, b) dislike being the center of attention and c) have issues walking in high heels ;-)

That being said, it's always fun to grab a quick sneak peek of the couple a couple of minutes before the ceremony as it was the case with Catherine and Chad pictured below. It was a very sweet and tender moment and they actually didn't get to "see" each other before getting married.



More than anything, I want my brides to be happy. Oftentimes, brides think there are rules to weddings (cannot see groom beforehand, must throw bouquet, cannot mingle with guests until formally introduced at the Grand Entrance), but I believe you should only follow one rule: Do What Makes You Happy.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

A girl and a hammer. A husband and a drywall patch-kit. And some gorgeous print options.

I love wall prints. No shocker there. What I don't love is the fact that apparently, drywall doesn't hold prints in heavy frames all too well. I found this out the hard way when I hit the first couple of nails into our (new!) drywall. It is truly amazing how big a hole a fairly small nail can rip into a wall when not nailed into a stud. My husband quietly handed me a stud finder, got the drywall mud and spatula back out and fixed the gaping holes. Then he sanded and painted the wall (again). Sigh.

As awesome as it is to have a husband who can fix almost everything, I don't fully appreciate having STUDS determine where I can and cannot hang pictures. 24 on center, phewww. It would be so nice to just grab my little lady hammer and quickly hang up a picture without having to arm myself with a stud finder, hooks, wire and anchors. But I found the perfect solution!!! Lightweight and totally awesome gallery wraps, standouts and float wraps that saved our walls as well as our sanity!



Above is a gallery wrap where the actual photographic print is bonded to canvas and wrapped around the wood frame - the actual photo extends to the frame. Lightweight and it looks awesome. Love it. Another plus: no glass to clean so it can just be dusted off. It's also UV coated so the print won't fade.

Standouts (pictured below) are even lighter than gallery wraps because they're made from lightweight foam banded with a Black, White, Light Wood, or Stainless edge and they come ready to display with hanging holes on the backside. Super easy, no stud finder here. A win - win - win. For myself, the drywall (or our property's value) and my suffering husband.



Float wraps (below) are another super cool contemporary option. Float Wraps are similar to Gallery Wraps or Standout mounted prints in that they add dimension by extending out from the wall. Float wraps are unique in that they appear to be floating on the wall with the main focus on the image!
Float Wraps are created by wrapping the photographic print or canvas print around masonite to create a thin wrap - then comes a neat block that creates the "floating" effect. The back of the block also contains drilled holes for hanging. My dreams have been answered!



Ok, I'm off to hang some great prints without collateral damage (not including my own thumbs - still working on that one). Happy home decorating.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Personalized wedding favors

I love wedding favors. No, let me rephrase that: I love unique and personalized wedding favors. Let's be honest - most "knick-knacky" wedding favors will most likely end up in the back of "that drawer" (you know which one I'm talking about!), never to see the light of day again. If you want to give your guests something that is personalized and won't take up unnecessary space at their place, why not go for edible wedding favors instead?



You can personalize your wedding favors here: My M&Ms
Select up to three colors that match your wedding colors and up to four images or personal messages.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

2010 Wedding Cakes

Personally, I think there's nothing better than wedding cake. Or wedding cupcakes. Or wedding cake AND wedding cupcakes. 2010s couples had it all: beautiful and unique wedding cakes, gorgeous and lovingly displayed cupcakes, candy buffets and much, much more ....



Yummy!!!!!!

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Groom's Attire

Let's face it - the bride (for the most part) takes center stage at the wedding. And many grooms are just more than happy to take a shower, clean their nails, get a haircut and throw on that tux. However, if you want to make a bit of a splash on your wedding day, here are some fun ideas for grooms:

Shoes: You can either don a funky pair yourself or coordinate to wear some unexpected footwear with your groomsmen:





While we're on the topic of shoes, your socks can make a statement as well:



And accessorizing is not just for the brides ... why not wear heirloom cuff links or splurge on some unique pieces for yourself to hand down later:



Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Shoes, shoes, shoes

Having a themed wedding?
Want to have a keepsake forever?
Can’t find the right shoes for your wedding?

Well, I just stumbled across this unique store on a wedding forum for vendors and NoraKaren graciously granted me permission to post photos of her hand painted wedding shoes. I love, love, love them.









Now I ran scenarios through my head that would allow me to justify the purchase of a really GORGEOUS pair of shoes for a change but then I thought about my life … I’m on my feet all day long on weekends shooting weddings so that’s out. During the week, I’m either hiking with my dogs, editing files, meeting with clients or sanding drywall trying to get our expanded living room ready for the holidays.
Darn, I don’t have a lifestyle that supports glamorous shoes. Maybe if I bought them it would come???

In any case, whether or not you want your shoes and/or clutch to match your wedding colors or if you want to have shoes that are uniquely designed just for you, check out this nifty store.

Happy wedding shoe shopping.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Outdoor Ceremony Seating

Vermont is the perfect place for having an outdoor wedding. With some many charming country B&Bs, mountain tops, open fields or National Parks available for your outdoor wedding, your choices are endless.

One often overlooked aspect is ceremony seating. White folding chairs are always classic and timeless but you can also select seating that will enhance the style and atmosphere of your rustic country wedding. Among the choices are Adirondack chairs, rustic wooden benches or simply bales of hay. Covered with either quilts (ask around in your family to give this a personal touch) or colorful fabrics by the yard from the fabric store, they'll look fantastic and you can even have your seating match your wedding colors.



A couple of things to keep in mind:

- it can't hurt to have one row of "regular" chairs for elderly guests or guests who have allergies
- cover those bales with thick fabric. Otherwise, you risk the straws poking and prodding your guests during the ceremony
- call a local farm or feed store to see if they will pick up and drop off those heavy bales. Or make this an event for all the groomsmen
- to be on the save side, hit the bales with a nice dose of bug spray although fresh hay or straw doesn't usually hold any bugs.






Happy wedding planning!

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography




photos via The Knot.