Lauren is one of those impossibly beautiful gals, with the sweetest personality to match. She’s the kind of girl you want to hate because she’s so pretty…. but you can’t because she will kill you with her kindness (and so will her entire family and her new hubby, Brett!) Lauren and her mom asked for and took every piece of advice I could possibly give them. They were little sponges soaking up all the knowledge… my favorite kind of clients. When it came time for Lauren’s bridal portrait, they wanted a beautiful, traditional location. I gave them a short list of spots around Charlotte that fit the bill… but ultimately, they knew someone who knew someone, who pulled some strings…. and we shot her bridal portrait at the Kannapolis Research Station’s Murdock Labratory. I had never been inside, but Googling told me this place would be beautiful, and Google wasn’t wrong. I arrived to a rotunda style building covered in white marble. It was incredible, and Lauren looked like she was right at home in her wedding gown there. Her mom informed me they’d never had anyone do bridals here before. I honestly don’t know if this is something they’ll offer in the future, but we were very respectful of the space, so I hope they will!   The image below on the right is the one they chose to print and frame. It was stunning!

I’ll be the first to tell you, one of my biggest wedding regrets was skipping the bridal session. You see, I wore my mothers wedding dress that I’d had altered (to be strapless instead of long sleeve) and on our wedding day, things were so crazy, rushed that I don’t think I really got to enjoy wearing it. It had a simple zipper that got zipped in 0.2 seconds…. no big ceremonial moment of “getting into the dress” for me. I was also busy micro managing 10000 other pieces of my wedding, that I could have delegated out (like tying ribbon on bouquets, and moving lamps… yes, for real). *All images from Emily’s bridal session at The Mayton Inn in Cary, North Carolina, dress from Gilded Bridal and bouquet from Blooming Branch Creative From Emily: “So glad I did this! It was such a great day and I was so thankful to see small changes I wanted to make to my dress prior to our wedding day.” SO! Here are six reasons you should absolutely NOT skip a bridal portrait. 1. See how your dress wears. I remember just after I got married, I had a friend get married. She got dressed and started down the aisle with her dad, only to realize her dress was never hemmed!!! She had to wrangle holding it up the rest of the day to avoid tripping over it… such a nightmare! 2. Test your hair and makeup style Most times if you are working with a reputable hair and makeup artist, they will include a trial run in their fee to work your wedding anyway. Now, some will tell you that this is not really an opportunity to do bridals because you may try many different styles and makeup looks, but you’ll want to talk with them about that.  However, it will be a good indicator of how your hair and makeup process will go, and how it will photograph! You might think you are caked with makeup, but photos may tell a different story. Of course photos aren’t everything, so you want to make sure you look how you want in person, too. 3. Decide on jewelry You may have several bracelets, necklaces and multiple pairs of earrings you’ve set aside. This is a great chance to try them and see which you prefer! 4. Test out your florist Like hair and makeup artists, this might be something they include in their fee to do your wedding. You’ll get to see how the colors, textures and size of your bouquet work with your dress. You may decide you want more of a certain flower, or less greenery. On the note of YOUR bouquet, have one made that you love. Spend extra to have your favorite flower, pretty silk ribbon, etc. Why? Because IT WILL BE IN ALL YOUR PHOTOS! You can skimp on the bridesmaids and centerpieces…. but please don’t skimp on yours!! Also, I ask for it to be delivered to the bridal suite so I can photograph it with your other details… so it will be used in many different capacities. 5. Decide on undergarments You’d be shocked how many times brides decide after their bridal portrait to take their dress to have cups and or boning sewn into their dress because trying to keep a strapless bra up and comfortable for 8+ hours sounds like a nightmare after only 2 for their bridal portrait. You’ll also know what undies work and don’t work under your skirt. I’ve watched so many gals go through different cuts, Spanx, commando, etc. trying to make sure their rear end looks flawless on their wedding day! 6. It’s all about you Let’s face it, your wedding day is too…. but it’s just different. The time flies on wedding days, and it’s usually more about sticking to a schedule than getting to be doted on by you mama, sister or best friend. Having someone help you walk, hold your dress, fluff your train and slip your shoes on does not happen for more than five minutes on your wedding day, but on portrait days… it’s like a full 2 hours of fanning you with palm fronds, and who doesn’t love that!?

First, thank you so much for all your kind words last week… it’s surreal to have it out and public… part of me is so fearful that now something awful will happen… but I am trying to focus on the good…. and that I have no signs on anything wrong! On to today’s topic… everyone’s favorite word, budget. This is not a post telling you what you should or can expect to spend… let’s get that straight. This is advice on allocating the budget you have to get the most from it… in my opinion.     When we got married, I kept a running spreadsheet of what I had spent… and at the end, I couldn’t believe how all the small items added up so fast… things that were so insignificant. Below is a list of certain items I think are necessities: Bride Groom Venue Officiant Photographer Witnesses Invitations Let that sink in…. everything else is just nice to have. Seriously. When I say “bride & groom”, I literally mean YOU and your significant other just showing up… and when I say “venue” that doesn’t necessarily mean a traditional wedding venue… this could be your back yard, park, etc. Legally, you need a someone to marry you, a couple of witnesses… and you need to inform them of the occasion. Your goal is to get married, don’t lose sight of that. Remember when Chandler kept calling his and Monica’s wedding “a party” and she was pissed? He wasn’t wrong. We can call a reception a reception all day long, but it’s a party. The following is the “nice to have” list. Food Coordinator Flowers Music Videographer Pretty decor Bridal party stuff   Now… I wanted to make a list of insignificant expenses… things that no one will notice if they aren’t there. This will help free up some of your budget to afford the items on the nice to have list… or splurge on the necessities list: Expensive hangers… you know the ones… for THEE dress shot. Seriously guys, I can find a non-hideous hanger, and a lot of times I keep one in my car! Don’t waste precious dollars here if funds are limited. Expensive ($23.53 with shipping) vs. Grab one out of your coat closet ($0) or if you must spend on a prettier one…. Container Store ($7.99) Monogrammed cocktail napkins. Are they pretty? Yep. ($75) Are they any more useful than the 1040 pack from Costco? Nope.  This can also apply to other linens… skip table runners (~$20ea), and chair covers ($1ea) Crazy bridal party gifts. The copious amount of robes, slippers, pajamas, etc. can blow a budget…. those Pretty Plum Sugar robes are adorable… but good God, if you have just 5 gals… you’ll drop $340… and you know that won’t be all you gift them. A common gift is a piece of jewelry to don on the big day… give a pair of pretty earrings with a heartfelt note, and call it a done. Cake toppers. Yes, they can be cute or pretty… you justify the price by calling it a “keepsake”… but it’s just going to collect dust and be that thing you move 18 times and can’t bring yourself to part with, so avoid the hassle and don’t buy one to begin with. Have your florist provide some loose blooms to stick up there and be done with it. YOU’RE CUTTING IT TO PIECES AFTER-ALL. (~$50) Party favors. What is this, a six year olds birthday party? No one needs your goodie bag filled with…. candy (I’m guilty of this one), seeds, plants, cupcakes, popcorn, shot glass, etc. to take home to “remember your wedding” (~$3ea) Kid stuff. Again, I’m guilty of this. Reality is… it’s  not your job to entertain the kids that come to your wedding. As someone who’s going to be a parent soon, I cannot imagine taking a child to a wedding. That seems like a horrible time for me, so I don’t expect you to provide my kids toys, stations, special food, etc. to keep them happy.  (~$10ea) Extra paper stuff. Besides an invitation (which I do still think should be on paper and sent snail mail) everything else is fluff. Table numbers, escort cards, guest books, save-the-date cards,  fancy calligraphy envelopes, etc. are just not necessary. ($400) Transportation. We all manage to get ourselves from point A to point B every day… why is this day any different? Renting fancy limos, vintage cars, car service, trolleys, or buses can be convenient… and I do think in some cases are a safety feature if booze will flow heavily…. but isn’t that what uber is for? ($600) Some of the dollar amounts above are spot on (I Googled) and others are estimates… so let’s base it on a 150 person wedding with 10 kids in attendance and 10 tables…. I just bought you over $2300 to use somewhere else! I mean… that’s the wedding album/string quartet/Manolos you thought you couldn’t afford. You’re welcome. Now…. as a photographer, I’m the FIRST to tell you how much I love photographing these things…. I mean, a vintage car and pretty paper goods top my list of details that make my heart sing… but if you not having those things means you can now allocate money to something that matters more to you, do it! So here’s my list of must haves… again, in my opinion… A dress you feel pretty in A beautiful bridal bouquet (it will be in ALL your photos… so don’t get a dinky one… skimp on bridesmaid bouquets or centerpieces instead) An outfit he looks great in A nice invitation (I did not say expensive) Floor length linens (seeing table legs is like seeing spanx!)… only exception is if you are doing some pretty wood tables or something. A venue with or adjacent to pretty outdoor space  (even if you’re not utilizing it for your ceremony or reception, you will take photos out there. It doesn’t have to be huge, a pretty courtyard will do fine) Yummy food… which could be fried chicken for all I care… it’s still yummy. A beverage. We served local, keg beer and cheap, tasty wine! Good music. A bad DJ can ruin a party… spend wisely, as your friends will remember “the party”… pllllleeeeeaaasssse don’t put someone in charge of an iPod. A coordinator. Someone to wrangle vendors, light candles, refill your glass, and deal with the drama you don’t know is happening…. is invaluable!   I challenge you to examine things you purchase when planning your wedding, and ask yourself “Is this going to make my wedding memorable and/or is this important to me, and why?” **This post stemmed from a fellow disgruntled wedding vendor who was overly annoyed with brides haggling or walking away from their services for a relatively small amount. She was frustrated because she (and all of us) keep seeing brides spending money on meaningless items and then passing up higher end things that should matter. We lose clients and thus paychecks because of this stuff guys….  Don’t look back at your wedding and think… “man, I wish I hadn’t bought X and spent that money on a a better DJ/Food/Photographer/etc.”