Wedding Tip of the Week

You’d be surprised at how many brides show nerves when it's time to walk down the aisle … not about getting married but about walking down the aisle without tripping, forgetting their vows or dropping their wedding ring into a river (one of my biggest worries during our ceremony).

I like to say breathe, smile, and remember: the people watching are here to celebrate with you, Simon Cowell didn’t get an invite … they are NOT here to critique you. So relax and remember that you’re about to get married to the love of your life. Now beam like you mean it!

And while we’re on the topic of walking – do NOT look down! Take your time, look at all your friends and family members, look at your future spouse at the end of that aisle … and smile.



Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Clean them nails

I never thought I'd blog about dirty fingernails. But here we go - this one is for you guys: clean those fingernails. No, we don't request that you get a manicure prior to your wedding day (although you might actually enjoy it) but we do request that you clean your nails. Not that I'm in any position to comment on the beauty of hands but if your wife (or you) would like to get some close-ups of your hands with wedding bands, you'll have to face the music: doll them up like this groom:



Here's an example of what we don't want to see:



And here is the photoshopped version: So yes, while mostly everything can be fixed in PS, I don't much enjoy cleaning your nails digitally.



Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography
- Your Vermont Wedding Photographer -

Why we don’t like other cameras around when we’re taking formal family portraits

Even with a photojournalistic approach, the posed family photos are still an important part of the day for most couples. Different parts of the family live in different states or countries so this is one of the few times where everybody is at the same place at the same time … perfect for taking that big family photo.

While you as an amateur photographer/guest may want to capture those picture-perfect moments as badly as the professional photographer, she’s the one the B&G have hired and … (and I’m saying this in the nicest way possible because I know you love the family, you love the couple, you love photography and you really just want to capture those memories) … you’re making our job incredibly difficult. You don’t mean to, I know that. But you are.

“But why”, you might ask, “It will only take a second for me to snap that shot, no?”

When photographing large groups, the attention of the group gets lost with a large number of cameras (actually, anything that exceeds one camera/photographer) is pointed at them. I need to make sure that the photos I take (the ones the couple is paying for) are perfect.

People don’t know which camera to look at (trust me, there are always a couple of folks who will insist on looking in your direction no matter what) and the photo simply doesn’t look good with everybody looking in different directions. It won’t look good on anybody’s camera. Not on yours, not on mine. It’s like watching TV with everybody having their very own remote control.



So we have to take the photo again. And again. Usually, it will be hot (or cold), people will be thirsty (or freezing), kids will lose interest/find a dirt patch to play in/start crying, the parents of that child will eventually lose their cool, people will start to get hungry, bored, cranky … the mood drops with tension levels rising simultaneously (groom checking his watch “we need to be introduced in 10 minutes”). It’s a miserable experience for everybody and it will show in the couple’s photos.

So as a guest, this is the time to step back and allow the professional the room he or she needs so we can then take the shot and move on to the next group. Before you know it, we’ll have taken all the formal pictures in a fun and relaxed way and the couple will be able to enjoy cocktail hour with you and the other guests where you can take plenty of photos. Sounds like a plan? Awesome!!!!

The ladies below were absolutely fantastic, photogenic and so much fun to be around - making taking the "formals" super fun. With no distractions, it was a breeze.



Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Wedding Tip of the Week - Shoes, Slipping, Style and Slamming Portraits

It seems like a no-brainer but take the time to make sure you get the right size wedding shoe and make sure you can actually walk in them - accident free! Trust me - I have a pair of high heels sitting in my closet - the first pair of shoes I bought after moving to Los Angeles; to me, they were so "Hollywood" at the time. Sadly, I only "wore" this pair once. On my way from the bedroom into the next wall.



Once you've found the perfect pair of shoes, practice taking a walk in them. This is for both men and women. There are too many guys I have found who have only worn a real dress shoe at their high school graduation 10 years ago.

If the soles are still slippery on your wedding, here’s an easy fix: scuff the bottoms of your shoes before walking down the aisle. Fine sandpaper works great for this. Forgot to sand them as you’re about to head to the ceremony? Worry not, just spray the soles with hairspray.



And lastly, always have two pairs of shoes (yes, tell your fiancé that your photographer told you so!). Your fancy ones for the wedding and pictures and some comfortable ones to change into for the party. It doesn’t always have to be white, either. Feel free to bring a pair of shoes that “pop” for the wedding portraits – a pair of cowboy boots, your favorite pair of funky shoes, Wellingtons – whatever your style may be. They make for great photos.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Tip of the Week - Wedding Make-Up

It's your wedding day and you want to look more gorgeous than ever. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind so you'll look beautiful throughout the day.



Use waterproof make-up
Chances are, you will cry or sweat during the course of the day and you don't want to pop into the bathroom every hour to touch up your make up. Foundation, eyeliner and mascara should all be waterproof. Think bashful bride, not Alice Cooper.

No Glitter, please.
The movie was dreadful and glitter doesn't look much better in photos. Actually, glitter reflects light and looks like little white spots. Not good.

On mineral make-up
I love mineral make-up and would have never thought that some brands could make a person's skin look ghoulish in photos. When you do your make-up trial run, have your maid-of-honor take a photo (with flash) of you and see how it comes out. If you look like Shrek, have your MUA recommend a different brand.

Wear white during your trial
It's the best way to find out how your wedding day make-up will look against your white wedding dress. Not wearing a white dress? Find a top that matches the shade of your wedding dress to test drive your make-up.



Wear a button down shirt as you're getting ready
When it comes time to slip into your wedding dress, simply unbotton your shirt. No need to pull something over your head messing up your hair and/or make-up.

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

Switch it up!

Traditionally, the bride’s family and friends sit on the left side whereas the groom’s family sits on the right side of the church. (Unless it is a Jewish ceremony where the bride stands on the right side.)

Your family thus will not be able to see much more of you than your fantastic hair (from behind), your gorgeous veil (from behind) and your stunning dress (from behind). You get the idea – they’re not going to see you smile, cry, wink or much else because they’re … yes, you guessed it, behind you!



My point – nothing is set in stone. There’s really no right or wrong or “must do it this way” when it comes to getting married. Have fun with it and see what really works best for you and your families.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Wedding Tip of the Week #3 - hug it up!

Parents, this one is for you! Your kids just said their "I do's" and marriedly bounced back down the aisle as you are following them. Now what? Start the receiving line?

Not so fast. Hug & kiss your kids first! Don't worry about protocol or assuming formation for the formal receiving line. Strangely enough, I find that many parents are not sure what to do after the ceremony. Here's my tip: they're your kids, they just got married and you're thrilled for them (you are thrilled for them, aren't you?) so HUG them, KISS them, pinch their cheeks. Don't worry about wrinkling a dress, smudging the make-up, posing for "formal" portraits as Uncle Bob pulls out his camera - that's not what it is about. It's about the joy and happiness you're feeling. Show it and hug your kids! Don't worry about the cameras around you, simply enjoy and let your wedding photographer capture the emotions of that moment.













And now that you're almost hugged out, enjoy shaking hands and sharing even more hugs & kisses with family and friends are you're standing in the receiving line.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Wedding Tip of the Week #2: Bring on the bug spray!!!

30 minutes. That's how long I lasted in the yard a couple of minutes ago trying to plant my fall mums until I finally surrendered and fled inside. The reason: Mosquitoes. And plenty of them. The count reveals the damage: 12 bites on my face (mostly around the hair line and around my eyes), plenty on my neck and the rest on my back. Why didn't I use Mosquito Spray you may ask? Sure, and the explanation is simple: I used the remaining supply on the dogs so they wouldn't be bothered by those pesky blood suckers.

But back to the brides who are planning outdoor weddings this fall in Vermont. What could be more beautiful than outdoor portraits with fall foliage in the background? Really, not much could be prettier. However, to ensure that you and your wedding party are not wildly swatting bugs (never looks good in photos!) or spend the rest of the reception scratching yourselves frantically, make sure you buy a good bug spray. Buy plenty. And then some. Share the joy of the bug free outdoors. Ask your venue if they can set up citronella candles for you and your guests or if they can do a preemptive spray of the area.

I personally like the DEET free Burt's Bees herbal Insect Repellent for two reasons: It doesn't stink and it's not tested on animals. Yes, it's a bit oily but it works. But shop around and compare, there's plenty of stuff out there.

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

Wedding Tip of the Week - 1

Hello and welcome to a new series where I will post a new "Wedding Tip of the Week" every Tuesday to ensure your wedding photos will be picture perfect.

The #1 photo request I get when photographing brides getting ready for their wedding is "the mirror shot" - where the bride looks into the mirror either applying make-up or checking just one last time before walking down the aisle.

You want to make sure that the mirror is streak free clean for a perfect reflection. Now most of us don't have window cleaner at hand when staying at a hotel/friend's place or wherever else you're getting ready so what now? You can always use a moist towelette and follow up with a regular bath towel to rub the mirror clean. Worst case scenario: grab some lightly damp paper towel (toilet paper as a last resort) and follow up by rubbing the mirror dry with an old newspaper/coffee filter.



Happy preparations!

Kat
Kingdom Wedding Photography

The Big Smash

You’re smashing a handful of wedding cake into your bride’s face. The thought going through her mind at this point is:

a) He is so romantic. Just as romantic as the vacuum he gave me for Valentine’s Day.
b) He is so fun and spontaneous, I love it!
c) He’s a dead man!

If the answer is a, consider yourself mildly lucky. If the answer is b, you two are on the same page and you just dodged a major bullet. If the answer, however, is c, you are … well ... a dead man.

I’m all for having fun on your wedding day. It is, after all, a party. If you want to get married in a balloon or while scuba diving, go for it! Have a blast. If that’s what both of you agree upon, it’s all good. However, having cake thrown into your face against your will is not all that much fun for most people – much less a bride.

There is a time and a place for a good food fight. Your wedding is probably not the right time, nor the right place. Unless your wedding theme is “The Three Stooges” and you guys have actually talked about it beforehand and are both into it. Gentlemen: If she says “no”, she actually means “no” and she’s not going to change her mind, nor will she find it funny on your big day.

If you’re still wondering why most brides find this not funny, kindly consider this. Imagine you just bought the big screen television you always dreamed of. You have the snacks for the big game ready, the beer is chilling in the fridge, and your buddies are on the couch when your fiancée throws a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce at the screen. Would you think “hey, that’s kinda fun” or “What in the world”? If it’s the latter, try to put yourself into her pretty shoes for a sec.

Your (now) wife has spent more money on the dress, hair, make-up, shoes, flowers than you spent on this TV. This is the day she has been planning for months (it may have been the day she has dreamed of since she has been a little girl), she has put so much time and effort into this (think invitations, seating chart, party favors, flower arrangements … just to name a few) and the last thing she wants to happen is for you to smash cake into her face in front of her family, her friends, and co-workers …. The only reason she is not kicking you at that point is probably the blurred cake vision.

If you want to throw cake into somebody’s face, why not gently feed your new bride a piece of cake and then throw the rest of it at your best man. He’s a guy, he’s your buddy, he’s most likely going to find it more amusing than you wife … and he won’t make you spend your wedding night on the couch.

Happy Couples cutting & feeding each other cake:











Two stories from recent weddings:

1) The groom who changed his mind.

During our first phone conversation, the groom mentioned that they had planned a fun and relaxed wedding and that there would be cake throwing. I was excited beyond belief - this would have been the first mutual agreed upon cake throwing fest of my career.

Note the word "would" in the previous sentence.

The groom saw his gorgeous bride and immediately dismissed any and all plans that involved cake in any function other than eating/feeding and it was the sweetest moment ever. I can't even say I was disappointed, it just wouldn't have fit the occasion.

2. The groom who did.

No cake smushing was mentioned in our wedding consultation so I didn't expect it. Neither did the bride.
The groom hit her "full frontal", sending cake over her face, her dress and everything in the vicinity. The bride was close to tears as the Maid of Honor was wiping her face and dress when the groom leaned over to me (I had stopped taking photos at this point as it was clear that the bride needed no documentation of this particular wedding moment) and asked "This was not a good idea, was it?" Nope, really wasn't.

Kingdom Wedding Photography

Why hire a professional wedding photographer?

Well, our very own wedding is proof of why you want to hire a professional photographer to capture your wedding.

Granted, we had an informal and very small wedding with only two parents and two guests in attendance, one of them the best man, the other one being the "photographer", a cinematographer by profession. So what could possibly go wrong one might wonder?

Our photographer showed up to the ceremony dressed in a long-sleeved, hooded sweatshirt with a scene from "Dungeons & Dragons" printed across the front. Yes, we had an informal wedding with me wearing a nice summer dress but his outfit was more than just casual.

The ceremony was short and sweet – I don’t remember half of it as we were standing on a little bridge across a river and I was petrified of dropping the ring into the water. I did, however, see our photographer moving around, he was taking what appeared to be enough photos to fill an entire wedding album. Well, we did have plenty of photos but the prints we received were overexposed, underexposed, blurry, distorted and not a single one was usable. Did you ever watch the movie “Natural Born Killers”? Remember the LSD sequences? That’s what our wedding photos looked like. Nothing like seeing yourself blur through a triple-exposed photo.
The only photos we actually have of our wedding day are two images taken before the ceremony as well as the 10 images the professional wedding photographer provided by the wedding chapel took. Unfortunately, you can only see my husband's face in the photos. ;-( My hair and my back look great, though.

Pre-Ceremony photos taken by my Dad as well as my husband.




Up until this day, I want to kick myself for trusting a friend with our wedding photos and for opting for the basic photography package listed on the chapel’s website. We were thinking small & fun wedding, no big fuss – it was about us getting married, not the flowers, not the dress and not about a fancy cake. Well, seven years later, I wish I had more photos of our first kiss, of us walking down the aisle, photos of us hugging my parents afterwards … and the list goes on. My point: With wedding photography, the old saying holds true "You get what you pay for.". It is also not something just anybody can do. And when it goes wrong, it ain’t pretty.

Photos of our ceremony:




You can read the entire story of our wedding day in this week's (Febr. 10th, 2010) edition of the Barton Chronicle, pages 2-3 of the Wedding Supplement.

Professional photographers are artists with an eye for the tiniest of details such as your bouquet, shot of shoes/veil/rings, your place cards ... just to name a few. A professional wedding photographer knows about posing, camera angles, the flow of the day and much, much more.

Pro photographers pride themselves on their equipment and generally they have the best gear available. People who dabble in wedding photography on the side can’t justify the expense of professional gear, reliable backup gear, and proper business insurance. And then consider experience – an amateur can show you a few good images, but can they do that day in and day out? Do they have the experience to deliver high quality images on a consistent basis? Probably not, or else – they would be in the business themselves . And one last point, when you hire a Pro – they are indeed putting their reputation and their livelihood on the line. You have trust, you have references, and you have a proven track record.

In addition, your wedding photographer is there for one reason and one reason only: to photograph your wedding. Your “Uncle Bob” is there to enjoy your wedding. Have your guests celebrate with you and have them take photos because they want to or because a moment presents itself – but don’t have them take photos because you don’t have a professional wedding photographer.

Still on the fence? Read this article!

Kingdom Wedding Photography

Animals and Weddings

I love pets. And if we're ever going to renew our vows, our dogs Daisy and Jake will be part of the wedding. They're part of our family. As a wedding photographer, I've seen dogs work amazingly well as ring bearers but I've also seen dogs take off with the wedding rings with the best man chasing after them.

It all comes down to your animal, his/her level of training, his/her comfort level when in an unfamiliar environment with many people as well as the style of wedding you are planning to have.

If your dog is well trained and reliably listens to your commands even when there are distractions, then there's no reason to not have him/her be part of your wedding

If your dog (like mine) is well trained but would rather raid the buffet table or solicit affection from anybody attending your wedding, then you might want to consider have a friend walk your leashed furry friend down the aisle.

However, if your dog is shy, timid, aggressive, nervous, has very selective hearing or is not comfortable around strangers, you would be doing him/her a disservice by having them there. They would be much more comfortable staying in their own home, away from the stress and excitement. Also keep in mind that you will have to have somebody supervise your dog on site. Also: not all of your guests will be excited about having a dog bouncing around and if you have invited parents with younger kids, it's usually best for everybody involved to leave your pup at home.

I've had the pleasure of photographing great weddings at couples' residences with their respective cats and dogs.







Kingdom Wedding Photography