Wedding decor is so subjective, and there are so many schools-of-thought on the matter. When I got married, I wanted all things fall. I let the season heavily influence how and what I used to decorate my ceremony and reception. Some people choose a specific color, some choose a feeling, some choose the time of year, ect. While I certainly wouldn’t do anything different with how I chose to decorate, I have been opened up to so many more options with how one can decorate to achieve a certain look. One thing I think many couples overlook when choosing decor…. is draping/lining the tent. I love tented receptions, I love the open-air feeling they afford a good party. The space seems confined, and yet endless at the same time. No matter what style of party you are throwing, a draped tent will add drama and beauty to your space. Catey & Michael had a wedding with a draped tent and I think it made a world of difference. While I love tents, I don’t love tent guts. Seeing the poles and underside of the the tent is just not really my jam. Just think…. you’ll spend your evening UNDER the tent, not outside looking at it. So make what you and all your guests see pretty! It’s definitely an added expense, but totally worth it, in my opinion!! While the below image isn’t a tent (it’s the amazing reception barn at Adaumont Farm) from Kristy & Reed’s wedding and it has the same effect.  

About 2 weeks ago I had to venture to DC for work, and it just happened to coincide with the Cherry Blossom Festival. I really enjoy DC, and Jeremy and I actually considered moving there when he was looking for a job. It has so much wonderful history, shopping and neat neighborhoods. At my day job, I’m charged with the task of putting together our bimonthly magazine… and in turn, I basically photograph everything for it, including the cover. Since the Cherry Blossoms were so perfect, I thought they should grace the cover this time. Interested in reading more about my day job? Click here for the latest magazine!  If you’re in Charlotte, we would love for you to join our chapter, Queen City Grange! We were lucky enough to photograph Jonathan & Melissa back in 2012 (engagement- digital, film & wedding- digital, film) just outside of DC…. we would love to travel back for your day!

The height of booking season has hit us (thankfully! it’s been a long winter) I love getting to meet with brides about possibly photographing their wedding day. These last few weeks I’ve met with a slew of ladies and gotten all kinds of interesting questions. A few months ago I was asked to contribute to an article being written for Creative Loafing about questions couples should ask when looking for a photographer. You can find it here! Actually, my full response was this…. “Are you well equipped to work in low light conditions? This is something I almost never get asked, but it is SO important. Nearly anyone could take a passable photograph when the sun is up….. but what about when the glow of the candles is all you’ve got? You better know your photographer has the right stuff to make your party photograph well, even if lighting conditions suck. Make sure you ask to see reception/evening/dark church shots if your party will go on into the night or you’ll be in a dark space. ….. on a side note, please don’t ask what kind of equipment I use. Chances are you have no clue what constitutes “pro” equipment, so when I rattle off 50 1.4, D700, SB900…. you won’t have a clue what any of that means. Just because a wedding guide tells you to ask what kind of equipment I use, doesn’t mean a thing if you aren’t well versed in photography.”   It’s so incredibly important that a wedding photographer be able to capture images when it’s dark. The images above were from Maggie & Rory’s reception, they had 2 tents (which easily bounce a photographer’s flash) but their dance floor area was not tented…. meaning we had nothing to bounce light off of…. but we use off camera lights to combat this issue! As you can see above, all the images are properly lit, even though it was next to pitch black out at that remote house and yard. Don’t be afraid to ask a photographer to see dark reception photos if your party will go well into the night. Just because I love daytime/outdoor/bright photos, doesn’t mean I can’t capture a late night soiree!