o glorious day

Surrounded by the renewing blooms and brilliance of spring, we wish you a Happy Easter!


xoxo-E

tuesday tip: advance payment

I know, I know. I'm breaking some deep-rooted Southern mannerisms today by talking about money. But I keep seeing so many questions by brides on wedding message boards about paying for wedding photography, that I thought it better to talk openly than to let it sneak up on those in the midst of planning (or hoping to plan soon!).

When I first began my career as a wedding photographer, one of my brides had to mail me her final wedding photography payment from her honeymoon destination. I can only guess that the feelings of post-nuptial bliss, joy and tranquility were not present as she and her new husband raced around the island looking for the one and only small post office.

Many brides know a 50% deposit is usually required to secure wedding photography services--so that both parties are equally committed to the big day--but the final payment still seems to be a small mystery. I cannot speak for every photographer in my industry, but I will say that worrying about writing a handful of checks on your wedding day or finding a post office on your honeymoon is not the kind of stress I want to impose upon my clients.

In my experience, both having been a bride and now working in the wedding industry, full payment for services in advance is standard for many vendors.

Starting two months before the big day, I work closely with my clients to make sure every last detail of their day has been covered so that they are as most at ease as possible on their wedding day. By two weeks before the wedding date, everything should be in place and any stress should start turning into excitement.

If all the bride is responsible for on her wedding day is stepping into her wedding dress, my goal has been met.

My hope is that by speaking to this subject for today's Tuesday Tip, it will help brides successfully budget for their big day and be as prepared as possible. If you have additional questions or thoughts, please comment below and let's get through this money matter together!


From our world to yours,

-E

sarah + matt wedding preview

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Ashe!

What a beautiful wedding held at the historic Callandwolde Fine Arts Center this weekend in Atlanta. Can't wait to show more images from this day!

katie + bobby engagement

Brazil, Ukraine and Asia. Katie and Bobby have a different type of long distance relationship in that they love to travel the globe together. In fact, about right now while we're all looking at their sweet engagement photos, they are gazing across the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland! (Wouldn't you just love that stamp in your passport?)

Recently, I had a wonderful afternoon with these two and their little pug, Addison, around the Westside Provisions District of Atlanta. They got engaged at the magnificent Bacchanalia restaurant, so it was fun to incorporate location details into their photo session. We even got to slip into the restaurant for a moment to capture a shot of where this new journey of theirs all began!

(Spoiler alert: Addison is about to steal the show for a bit by walking on two legs!)

Congratulations on your engagement, Katie and Bobby! I can only imagine the amazing adventures you have in store!

xoxo-E

tuesday tip: how to wear wedding rings

Rings are one of my favorite details to capture on a wedding day. They mean so much and there is great thought that goes into picking out just the right ones. During a wedding, I usually hear the same ring questions arise. For detail-oriented questions like these, I thought I'd ask the lovely planner of Pretty Swell Parties, Melissa Bloomfield, to guest blog today. She has some great tips for this Tuesday!

From Melissa:

I remember the weeks after getting engaged very clearly. I had a new sparkly piece of jewelry on my left hand and there was nothing more fun than waving my hand in the air to catch a taxi (I was living in NYC at the time), or signing a credit card receipt, or any other excuse to look at that ring!

But admiring and enjoying your engagement ring--that's the easy part. Then comes your wedding day. What happens when you throw your wedding band into the mix? Which ring goes on top? Should you switch your engagement ring to the right hand for the ceremony? And then how do you wear your rings after that?

Like many wedding etiquette questions, there isn't necessarily only one right answer here. It is perfectly fine to move your engagement ring to your right hand for the ceremony, if that is comfortable for you, but there is also no reason not to keep it right where it is. Your wedding band can go on in front of your engagement ring during the ceremony, and then youcan switch them after the ceremony. The truth is,  if you forget to switch them back that day, who cares, you are married! Enjoy the cake and dance a little bit! You've got the whole rest of your life to wear them the "right" way.

Another option is to have your wedding coordinator hold on to your engagement ring for you, and then put it back on after the ceremony.

For day-to-day wear, put your wedding ring on first, closest to you, and then your engagement ring on top of that. Some people prefer to wear their wedding band on the left, and engagement ring on the right, which is a great option if your rings aren't an exact set, or your wedding band is very ornate or thick. This is really just a matter of preference, and you can't go wrong!

Many thanks to Melissa for offering some great words of wisdom today! There are so many details that go into such a big day, it can be overwhelming at times (so no, you're not the only one freaking out). For a little stress relief, you can put your wedding details in good hands. Through Pretty Swell Parties, Melissa offers everything from day-of coordination to a completely customized wedding experience.


From our world to yours,

-E

little getaway: family, friends & crab claws

Before we hit the ground running with the spring wedding season this year, Bryan and I packed up for a short getaway last week. A little time to rest and refuel. With Bryan's side of the family living near Tampa Bay, it was also a great chance to visit and catch up.

In the spirit of truly turning off my work brain for a bit, my shoulder didn't carry the weight of a camera for the few days we visited. Plates full of red stone crab claws, disc golf under moss-dripped trees and morning jogs scented with salty air were a welcome retreat. And hours and hours of conversations with friends and family. 

As we set out to head back to the city yesterday in the darkness and dampness of the early morning hours, I couldn't resist asking Bryan to pull over so we could watch the sun rise over the water. We arrived in Atlanta a little later than we hoped last night, but how often do you just let yourself stop. and wait. and watch the sun paint the sky?

And Bryan won the coin toss to post the photo he took of me at sunrise. This is about as organic as it gets, folks...bed head, travel clothes and no make-up at 7 a.m.!


Hope you all had a great weekend. I can't wait to show you what we're up to this week!

xoxo-E

tuesday tip: wedding addresses

With a full wedding season on the horizon, I bet many of you brides out there are cultivating and creating a massive list of addresses. This list-making can be an extensive process, but it can be worthwhile and beneficial for many years to come!

This Tuesday I offer you the tip of creating a catalog of wedding guests in an electronic format (such as an Excel spreadsheet) so that when December sneaks up on you (like it does every year), you won't have to scurry around in search of this information again. Your wedding guest list serves as an excellent source for your Christmas card list.

And since you'll already have some amazing wedding photos, we can design a custom holiday card with a few of your favorites and well wishes for friends and family. I love opening up Christmas and thank you cards featuring photos we've taken with a little handwritten note!

Have a wonderful day, friends!

From our world to yours,

-E

katie + bobby engagement preview

Had a great afternoon with these two over the weekend capturing some romantic, chic and travel-themed engagement photos. Can't wait to share the full post as they even have a cute little pug who stole the show by walking on two legs!

xoxo-E

Editors' Choice Award 2013

It's an honor to be chosen to receive a 2013 Editors' Choice Award from Two Bright Lights! (And it's great to have such wonderful partners in publicity!)

We just adore our couples and strive to tell each of their stories in an organic, creative and candid way. We love all the little details that go into making a wedding meaningful to the bride and groom. Whether it's a colorful lantern parade with wedding guests to the reception or homemade mason jar chandeliers lighting the ceremony at dusk, we want to capture the things that make your day personal to you.

We were also thrilled to see a great response from blog editors this past year who also fell in love with these couples and published their weddings. Can you blame them?

Below is a handful of the places where we're excited to have been published:

Jenny + Zack on Eco-Beautiful Weddings 

Anna + Madison on Rustic Wedding Chic

Lauren + Robby on Oh Lovely Day 

Lindsey + Garrison on Brenda's Wedding Blog

Tabatha + Quentin on DIY Bride

Where the Wild Things Are styled wedding shoot on Green Wedding Shoes



Thanks again to Two Bright Lights and to all the wonderful blog editors out there--keep the inspiration coming!


xoxo-E