Princess Tea Party Stylized Bridal Session| Wilmington Wedding Photography

My daughter wanted to take some special photos with her little girl. I couldn't think of a sweeter way than to do a tea party, but with a bridal twist. This session was so much fun and I hope she'll cherish them forever, I know I will.

Marcy was born with Spina Bifida, a congenital defect of the spine in which part of the spinal cord and its meninges are exposed through a gap in the backbone. It often causes paralysis of the lower limbs. Marcy has recently turned 2 and uses a wheel chair to get around indoors, she also crawls very fast! Myself and another photographer along with many other photographers around the US created non-profit called Redefining Spina Bifida and occasionally will hold fundraisers, if you're interested in reading more about it and how we started you can click here: Information

Thanks to everyone involved in making this tea party a success.

Venue: Long Creek Farms

Planning, Decor, and Florals: Southern Bridal Events

Dress: The Dressing Room

Hair and Makeup: Dalisay Hair Salon 

Wedding Day Photography Tips | Wilmington Wedding Photography

You're engaged and now it is time to plan your wedding day! There are so many small details that most couples do not take into consideration, and a lot of them effect your photography! Which, lets face it, is probably one of the most important investments that you will make on your big day, as it is the only thing, other than your marriage, that is going to last a lifetime! 

In the four years that I have been photographing weddings, I have become quite knowledgeable on timing and tips for the big day and I would love to share some of them with you!

Take someone to the dress fitting with you. Bring your Maid of Honor or a Bridesmaid to the final dress fitting with you. Make sure that it is someone who is going to be by your side for the entire day. If I happen to be your photographer, and if you have no one, I have no problems going with you! When it comes time to bustle your dress, it is VERY handy to have someone there who knows what they are doing. If you are absolutely stuck, have someone at the bridal shop film it or take photos of them doing it so that on the day of your wedding you are not stuck in the bathroom for 30 minutes trying to figure it out.
 

Have your bridesmaids clean up the area and get dressed 30 minutes before you put your dress on. This will make for beautiful images of everyone seeing you for the first time and your girls helping you get dressed and get your jewelry on. Doing this simple thing will eliminate not only clutter in all of your images, but will ensure that everyone is ready in a timely manner.
 

Guys, this one is for you … learn how to attach a boutonniere. The number one question that I get from groomsmen is “do you know how to do this?” So, YouTube how to properly attach a boutonniere, and if you are wearing suits, look up how to fold the little pocket handkerchief. (Hint: Lay your pocket square flat. Bring the left side to right side. Bring the bottom towards the top, but don't fold it all the way. Fold the fabric in thirds horizontally so that it will fit your suit pocket.)
 

What time is your ceremony? When thinking about this, take into consideration the time of year and what time the sun goes down. There is nothing more disappointing than not having the sunlight that is needed for photos.

What time are you planning on arriving at the reception? For your photos not to be rushed, I would suggest at least 1.5 hours between your ceremony and reception time.
 

Are you having a receiving line? If you are not planning a receiving line, have someone announce this at the ceremony. 9 times out of 10, a receiving line ends up happening anyway, and the bride is too nice to tell people to leave hugs for the reception. This is time that is taken away from your pictures, especially if you are going to be chasing the sunlight. If you are planning on one, make sure to add at least 30 minutes into your timeline for it.
 

Have a list of must have family shots to give your photographer. Make sure that your family knows that there are photos after the ceremony and make sure that they know where to go for them. You want this part of the day to go quickly and smoothly. Waiting on family members is not fun!

Do you have children? If you have small children and you have a family member or friend watching them, make sure that they are the first ones at the scene of the family photo location. Snacks are always nice to have on hand too in case they get hungry. Most small kids are in need of a nap after the ceremony so the sooner pictures can be taken with them, the better. I have been to weddings were the kids were so grumpy that no photos were taken with them and it is very heartbreaking for not only the bride and groom, but for the photographer as well.
 

Ever considered a first look? The most relaxed weddings seem to be when we have a first look. This not only created some AMAZING photos, but it also created a very special moment where the couple was able to cry, laugh, and enjoy the moment without having to worry about the formalities of a wedding ceremony. This also may leave enough time to take all of your formals before the ceremony, so that when the ceremony is over, you're able to visit with your guests and head straight to the reception. No running around and no making your guests wait around for you! And trust me; the groom is still blown away when he sees his bride walk down the aisle. Having that first look, in my opinion takes nothing away from that moment.
 

Have a backup plan for photos. No one wants to think about rain on their wedding day, but the reality is that it can happen. Whether it be an indoor location, or just rain boots and umbrellas, a backup plan is very helpful.

Dress for the weather! If it is cold out, have shawls for yourself and your bridesmaids, or bring jackets to wear in between shots.

Time your reception. It can be very hard to keep a schedule during a reception, but if you only have your photographer until a certain time, it is important to get the formalities out of the way (first dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss, garter toss etc).
 

Have fun! This is the most important piece of advice that I have. Relax and enjoy your big day. You have probably put a lot of work in to planning your wedding, so enjoy it. 

Original post by Bree Orser Photography

Cherilyn + Rick, First Look| Wilmington Wedding Photography

First look with Cherilyn and Rick was absolutely heart touching!! I wanted to share their day with you, but also take the opportunity to talk about a First Look. Stay tuned for their entire wedding day blog, coming soon! 

First Look – Some of you may ask what is that? Others may have thought about it but said No way that’s to nontraditional and my parents would totally have a fit if I did one. I’m here to say they may seem nontraditional in your parents eyes but it may be that they are just uninformed about what exactly a first look is and what benefits it has for you the couple and the wedding day. First to explain exactly what a first look is – it essentially is a time before the wedding when the bride and groom get to see each other in a private location and spend some alone time together before everything starts. Now to get into the reasons why a first look is a great idea.

1. It gives you alone time with each other before everything gets crazy. Think about it… from the time you start doing your hair, makeup and all things pretty, you have people around you, all day. Same thing with the guys you may not have as many people running around like the girls do but most of the time the groomsmen are arriving, changing making sure their “do” is just right and it can get a bit hectic. Having time alone in a private location can be great. You get to see each other, calm your pre-wedding nerves and spend one-on-one time with each other. This is the only time you will be alone the entire wedding day. Cherish it!

2. He gets to be the first one to see you! When you are at the end of the aisle waiting to walk down and your groom looks down he is looking with the 250 other people.  He also may be distracted if guests get up or lean over snapping away with their cameras and I-Pads. You, as the bride may also not be able to truly savor the moment of seeing your soon to be husband for the first time, because you may be so emotional you can't see past the teary eyes. Also you have the man walking you down the aisle to focus on – dear dad.

3. It solves most wedding time-line issues. Do you have a ceremony late in the day? This will cause for a time crunch during photo time after the ceremony because you may have limited time when the sun is still out. Doing a first look before the ceremony allows for plenty of time for the most important photos of the day… your bridal portraits. Bridal portraits can take 20-30 minutes. If you do a first look after a few moments of alone time you can start portraits. Most couples don’t add in enough time for portraits of themselves during the wedding day. This also allows you to knock out bridal party photos and even some family photos if you wanted to.

4. Removing the Gap! – Removing the gap simple means that you can enjoy your guests and your guests can enjoy you when they should… right after you are married. Being married is a time to celebrate and to spend time with those that came to celebrate your marriage. Most guest don’t care to sit around for a few hours. They have to find something to do or if they are out of town guest even worse they have to figure out where they can go.

5. You make the Bridal Party much happier – Unfortunately even the best bridal party members can only handle so many photos and so much time dedicated to the process of taking photos. If you do a first look it gives you the opportunity to allow your bridal party to hang out until you are done with your portraits. Once you are done, grab a couple of quick photos with them and then they can relax again until ceremony time. This way they don't have to endure the ceremony, then family photos, then bridal party photos then wait on you to do your bridal portraits then rush to the reception. This can be very exhausting for not only them but for you as well. 

6. You get some awesome photos out of it. To be able to capture the initial emotion of both you and your groom is just undoubtedly my favorite part of the first look.

If you haven’t thought about a first look, its definitely something to consider. Even if you have plenty of time and are not going to run out of available light the first two reasons alone are worth it.