The Engagement Session

R and I weren’t sold on doing an engagement session, we both feel a little awkward in front of the camera (and in the limelight), but we decided, upon the suggestion of our fabulous photographer, to try it. And we liked it!

Laura Ivanova, our photographer, totally helped us feel comfortable in front of the camera and got some great shots of us. The only downside is that R kept cracking up (nervousness?) and I would then laugh for about 2 minutes straight (nervousness).

I am REALLY glad that we did them because we could get comfortable in front of the camera, we’re now familiar with Laura’s style, and we got some great photos in the process. Here’s a teaser:

See more at Laura’s blog.

Just Loving Our Photographer

I knew that our photographer was the right person for us as soon as I saw her blog. Then I met her, and I was so completely sure, there was no question that we’d be hiring Laura.

We ended up losing a $750 deposit because of her awesomeness, but… I know it will all be worth it.

Check out these great pics from my friend Rachel’s wedding to her love, Aaron.

Laura did such a fabulous job capturing the sheer joy of their day, that I just had to share.

Both R and I are beyond excited to work with her in less than 2 months!

Must Stop Looking at Photographers

I need to stop. My wedding is 9 months out, and we’ve booked a great photographer, but I can’t seem to stop looking at photographers, and wishing.

I really dig Shannon’s style, she’s got a great eye for light and detail, which were to the two things I was looking for. Her photos are pretty amazing, and she’s fantastic to work with, she’s very relaxed, but professional.

So, why can’t I stop staring?

Here are the photographers we’d go with, if our photographer decided to cancel on us for whatever reason:

Grady Photography (the two images are from Grady) — what a fantastic photog. I love the capture of emotion on his site, and his prices are not too shabby!

SoulCam – Scott and Robin are soooo sweet, and their photography just keeps getting better. We met this this spring and I loved them, plus, they offer lots of great perks in their packages and you can tell they’re passionate.

Red Apple Images is quirky, cute and fun. I feel like the price, $1,350 for 6 hours, is more than fair and love the photos. If you’re going for a more casual wedding, Red Apple fits nicely.

Want to know who we chose (among the amazing selections in MN)? Just ask

But still, I’m happy. I just need to stop LOOKING!

A Little Planning Goes a LONG Way

How do you know how much time to dedicate to your wedding photos? Some photographers suggest 45 minutes, others say 2 hours.

And, how do you determine if you’re shooting photos before or after your actual ceremony? If you do it after, you risk missing the cocktail hour (sad) or making your guests wait, and wait, and wait between the ceremony and reception — which many guests find to be rude.

Some brides are against taking photos before the ceremony because of the emotion of seeing eachother for the first time on the wedding day — some want to save that for the moment that they start their trek down the aisle (I couldn’t, I’d be a blubbering mess of tears!).

So… I present to you, Wholly Matrimony’s tips on planning a photogenic wedding.

I will totally be using these tips, as the GTB and I are investing a solid chunk of our wedding budget in the photography, because it is so important to me. Why wouldn’t I put the extra effort into helping our wonderful photographer capture the best moments?

Capture The Moment 5

The GTB and met with our fourth and final photographer on Saturday afternoon. We met with the photographers from SoulCam at a Caribou Coffee. Scott and Robyn really “wowed” us with their packages — they included so many little details.

Their packages include 2 photographers, all images on a high-res disc with copyrights, free engagement session, pre-scouting of locations (to ensure they find and utilize spots that’ll make your photos great!).

We were looking at their 6 hour session with all the perks for only $2,250!

They even have a shorter session for under $2,000.

Scott and Robyn’s angle is to capture moments from multiple angles. He may be head-on, but Robyn could be off to the side, capturing the same photo or waiting a few moments and capturing something completely different.

They had quite a few traditional photos in their portfolio, but their more “photojournalistic” images show such depth of color and such.

We were in love with Scott and Robyn upon meeting them and almost felt like giving them a hug after meeting them!

At first, I was thinking that we may not use them as they didn’t seem as “angular” and (I guess) avant garde, but after looking at their online gallery again, I am now completely unsure of whom I should choose. Help!