6 Tips to Rock your day

Tip 1: getting ready

this is one of my favorite times of the day - there's so much excitement in the air! in order to capture these genuine moments as beautifully as possible, here are some things to keep in mind:

clutter: i know there's a lot going on, but try to keep suitcases, laundry, wrappers, half-eaten bananas, you-name-it, tucked away in a closet or different room.
natural lighting: if possible, get ready in a room with lots of window light. the best scenario is to have enough window light that we can turn off all the room lights (colors in the camera get funky when daylight mixes with artificial tungsten light). lighting may seem like a small thing, but i promise it makes a world of difference.
if the prep space at your venue/house/hotel has poor natural lighting options, i would recommend looking into other options, like a well-lit airbnb. there are lots of super rad/affordable ones!

Tip 2: Couples portraits

the best times for couples portraits are right after the ceremony + right before sunset.

why right after the ceremony? the pressure is off + there's so much pure joy/giddy energy.
why right before sunset? it's the best light of the day: golden hour. right after the sun disappears, we'll also get some wonderfully moody light.

if you have a photographer, chances are that these are her/his preferred portrait times as well.

TIP 3: CEREMONY LIGHT

for outdoor ceremonies: spotty + harsh light is not ideal. if you're having your ceremony midday, make sure that the the sun is behind your officiant. this way you two will be evenly backlit. if you are unsure about your ceremony spot, let me know + i'd be happy to help.

for indoor ceremonies: the more light the better. the darker the space, the higher the iso on the camera + the less crisp the image. as for receptions, i fully support some intimate mood lighting; to combat high iso, i’ll bring a free-standing light to help illuminate toasts + first dances.

TIP 4: UNPLUGGED

an unplugged ceremony is when you request that guests refrain from taking photos or video.

while your ceremony doesn't need to be entirely unplugged, i would recommend that guests take photos from their seat, without standing up or going into the aisles. this helps ensure that no phones or heads pop into frame during big moments.

TIP 5: YUM

dinner. i very much appreciate a nighttime meal! if the dinner is sit-down, i humbly request a gluten-free meal... oh yes i'm one of those. if there's a buffet, i also make a stellar gluten-free forager.

TIP 6: breathe

be present. it's your day!

we'll consider all these tips + logistics beforehand; your only day-of task is to appreciate every single moment of this crazy/beautiful happening!

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