ever ours. - an all things romantically wedding blog-

{behind the scenes} wedding photography...

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

disclaimer: much to your disappointment, there aren't any gorgeous images in this post. sorry!

so a few weeks ago, within the wedding photography world, there was a bride who wrote a complaint about how much wedding photography cost and how it was "whack" how much they were charging.

while i agree that sometimes some photographers are definitely not worth the amount they are charging, i am understanding at times with why they charge what they charge.

i don't think the general public realizes what a wedding photographer's job entails.

and so i'm fortunate enough to know quite a few truly amazing photographers who took the time to educate me what they do and the time it takes with each client and thought it would be best to share it with you all.

i'm hoping this serves as an educational tool for brides and grooms.

just so they are aware what they are paying for and what exactly a wedding photographer does.

i suppose i could write an essay on this, but i wanted to keep this short and easy to read.
so here are a few points people should know about:

1. most important is that a photographer does not just show up for those 8-10 hours to take your wedding photos and that's it. please remember that.

2. during an engagement session, a photographer takes approximately 100 to 500 images.
during a wedding, a photographer takes approximately 1,000 to 3,500 images.
that doesn't include what the second shooter captures too.

3. immediately after the engagement session and/or wedding, the photographer has to "dump" and back up the images so there will never be a situation where these images are lost. this can take up to an hour depending on how many images were taken.

4. next is one of the most tedious parts where the photographer culls through those thousands of images and gets rid of any "bad ones" which typically means closed eyes, multiple duplicates of the same shots, weird and awkward positions, some not-on-purpose blurred images etc.. some photographers go further and organize them into collections (family, ceremony, reception, etc.). after this culling process, comes the intensive editing. this is where the photographer will edit photos for color and exposure correction as well as making sure that the images fit their photography style (which is why you picked them in the first place, or at least should be the reason why you picked them in the first place). so from the thousands of images that they took, most photographers slim it down anywhere from 300 to 1000, which they then send to the clients to approve. all this takes more than just a few hours especially if you want your images to be awesome sauce.

5. most photographers provide album design for their clients. these can take anywhere from 7 hours to 2 weeks to design. but this only happens AFTER the clients have given them the images they like best and want. the photographer can't proceed with anything til that happens. the photographer has to then take the selected images and customize them to the layout of the album design.

6. all in all, each client can take about two to four weeks of a photographer's time. you have to remember that they work with multiple clients at the same time. so their day to day could consist of answering inquiries, taking care of their email inbox, meeting with potential clients, meeting with clients, backing up their images, culling their images, editing their images, emailing clients images, waiting to hear back from clients, editing images again to fit clients' needs, album designing, sending to clients to approve of album design, editing album design to fit clients' needs, waiting to hear back from clients, sending album layout off to album design company, making sure the album is just perfect when it comes back, packaging it up for the client and sending it off. and that is just client care. the photographer also has to spend time to market and promote themselves. some are more than fortunate and can depend on word of mouth. but for those just starting out, they really need to find the time to put themselves out there.

7. please also remember that involved with the pricing of a wedding photographer includes things like web hosting, graphic design, postage, shipping, fuel and airfare, hotel fees, advertising, office supplies, and taxes too. it's no joke running a small business on your own.

8. wedding photographers are human too. like you, they also need to have a life outside of their work. they need to spend time with family and friends too. so there is also a constant juggle of a work/life balance like any other person. they can only take a certain amount of clients per year in order to keep themselves sane. if you think about it, most weddings are on the weekend and there are only about 52 weekends per year. so keep their sanity and pricing in mind when it comes to that point.

theses are only just a few points that i wanted for you all to be aware of.
as far as why certain photographers charge a certain price, the reasons behind it may be different. they may charge that much because that's their only job and they are trying to support a family and a living. they may charge that because perhaps they are that damn good. who knows. that's up to your opinion..the eye of the beholder.

but i just really want brides and grooms to understand and be aware of what goes on behind the scenes. when they pick their photographer, i hope that they keep all this in mind.
i highly encourage brides and grooms to do their research. this doesn't apply to just wedding photography, but all wedding vendors.
examine their work, really examine their work.
is it your style? are they consistent? can you see yourself loving this 40 years from now? talk to them and see if you even mesh. you see this as investment in not just a product but an experience to cherish forever, so do they.
you might find a diamond in the rough who is just starting out and doesn't realize his or her full potential yet and that's why they are charging on the lower end. they may be just building their portfolio. or you may have already been following a wedding blog and you very well know who you want and why, but please do not be surprised by their price. like those in corporate america, wedding photographers do get raises because their work is constantly improving and more amazing.

anyways, i could go on. there's a lot more to it with this subject. this is just a starting point for all you brides and grooms. but i just wanted to share and educate those out there who are on the search of a wedding photographer.
they most definitely aren't "whack". they are the only ones who are there to capture your big day for you to have forever.

hope you all made it to the end. many thanks for reading it all the way!

xoxo,

{engagement} love in the mountains...

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

a simply beautiful backdrop for an engagement session.
absolutely gorgeous mountains in Canmore, wouldn't you say?

huge thanks to
White Leaf Photographs
for sending these over to share.
head on over here to see much more
and stick around the blog too!

xoxo,

{engagement} love and camping...

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Sean and I chose to do a camping theme because of our love for outdoors and camping. Sean has always been into hunting and shooting, and camping always brings back great memories for me because I grew up camping with my grandparents. We searched our families garages to find some old camping props for the pictures. We found a couple things at my uncle's, and I got some of the things from my parent's that had been given to them by my grandparents. We also found a cute sign at a thrift store for really cheap that reads "all because two people fell in love!" So cute right? We reserved a campsite at Leo Carrillo and set up a tent, made a fire in our campsite's fire pit, and set up a cozy picnic table. We roasted marshmallows over the fire pit which is one of my favorite things to do when camping!"

many thanks to

Ashleigh Taylor

for sharing this engagement session via Two Bright Lights.

head on over to Ashleigh's blog for much more of her talented work.

xoxo,

{announcement} lovely bridal shop in los angeles...

2012-02-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

so excited that one of my favorite boutiques is now in Los Angeles!

head on over to check out

Lovely Bridal Shop

today!

{real wedding} at huntington beach...

2012-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

a perfect girly pink and orange real wedding.

their dessert table by Candee by Sandee was pretty spectacular.

more can be seen here.

many thanks to

Frenzel Photographers

for sending this wedding over to share via Two Bright Lights.

head on over to their blog for much more for their work.

xoxo,

{engagement} love at warren dunes...

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Keegan, also a wedding photographer, and his fiancée, Kelsey

wanted a "wintery beach" for their engagement session.

and the Warren Dunes was right up their alley.

Louie Abellera

captured this sweet couple in this amazing backdrop so stunningly.

you have just got to check out more of what Louie got right here.

and definitely, most definitely, stick around his blog as well.

xoxo,

{styled} something (g)old...

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

many thanks to Candace from Lovestru.ck

for sending over this styled shoot.

love the hints of gold.

"Our photo shoot was centered around a sophisticated neutral palette. I wanted to tell the story of how a couple’s personal style can be incorporated into a wedding, so that the couple’s personality is the focal point of the event rather than over-the-top details and decor.

The first scene was staged as the bride’s closet. I wanted the closet to reflect the bride’s personal style, so I mixed vintage furniture and accessories that she could have inherited from her mother and grandmother with modern perfume bottles, makeup and jewelry that she purchased herself. The bride’s closet is literally a treasure trove of accessories from past and present, and she expertly adorns her neutral and simplistic bridal gown with dramatic layers of gilded jewelry from her collection. She loves accessorizing on a day-to-day basis, but her wedding gives her the opportunity to create a more luxurious look.

For the reception decor, I styled the space with the same mindset as the bride’s closet. The space is simple and elegant, and like the bride’s style, the food and decor are designed in neutral colors with gold accents and details. The groom’s refined style is incorporated into the design with the clean lines of the cake and the classic details like the vintage champagne and crystal chandelier.

check out the video of the shoot:

Something (G)old, Something New - Fall 2011 Styled Shoot from Lukas Holoubek on Vimeo.

A small note: Our bride and groom models are a real-life couple. They eloped a few years ago and did not get proper wedding photos, so they were very excited to reenact a wedding and receive beautiful photos."

for more from the Something (G)old shoot, check it out right here.

shoutout to vendors involved with the shoot:

Photography: The Mullers
Videography: Lukas Holoubek
Concept/Styling: Lovestru.ck
Personal Styling: Sequined Silver Lining
Bride and Bridesmaid Attire: Ready or Knot {Wedding Chic}
Vintage Rentals (vintage props and furniture): Nostalgia Rentals
Cake: The Cakery
Grooms Suit, Shoes, Accessories: Post & Nickel
Window Draping: Memrical
Mother of the Bride Attire: Winning Crown
Cookies: Kristen’s Cookies
Flowers: Blooms
Fine Jewelry (including wedding bands): The Silversmith
Bite-sized treats: Garden Café and Bakery
Champagne: Corkscrew Wine & Cheese
Furniture (white table): The Tweed Couch
Vanity Accessories (perfume bottles, beaded purses ): Accessories by Ward’s Kitchens & Baths
Bride and Bridesmaid Hair: Reve Salon
Mother of the Bride Hair: The Refinery & Company
Makeup: MAC Cosmetics in Dillards
Models: Mary Clare Sweet, Ian Aeillo , Dani Dubay & Jill Alvord
And a very special thank you to Ann and Maggie Hansen for letting us borrow their beautiful antique jewelry and accessories. xoxo!

xoxo,

{real wedding} at puckett's gro. & restaurant...

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

i don't know about you,

but i'm in love with the moments captured in this wedding.

down to the very miniscule moments you don't realize yourself happened

and captured on camera.

that's when you know you got a good photographer.

colossal thanks to

Ulmer Studios

for sending this one over to share.

i can't say enough about this duo.

they just know how to get it done.

head on over to see more from this wedding and their blog.

xoxo,

{engagement} love at a lighthouse...

2012-02-08T06:00:00.001-08:00

how stunning is this session at Key Biscayne's Bill Baggs State Park.

the couple had originally got engaged at a lighthouse so they decided to come back to one for their engagement session. the bride-to-be even managed to snag private access to the top!

huge thanks to

Rebecca Borge

for sending this over to share.

see more right here, but stick around her blog too!

xoxo,

{real wedding} at north carolina's bald head island...

2012-02-07T06:00:00.001-08:00

congratulations to Josh and Vanessa!

"Josh and I met in business school in NC. We love to explore and have new experiences together. In fact, before we moved to NY from NC, we took a 30-day cross country road trip. We love exploring new places, and have had a great time exploring New York City together. We enjoy being outdoors, especially biking and skiing, taking weekend trips and the never-ending search for the best pizza and burger joints We wanted a small, southern coastal wedding with our closest friends and family (about 100 people). And to hold the reception outdoors with a water view. I liked the soft, romantic, white traditional look and candlelight. Josh and I also knew the wedding had to be in NC, despite the fact that we don't currently live there, because NC will always be home for us. We wanted the entire weekend to feel like us so we tried to infuse personal touches throughout--from Josh's kilt at the rehearsal dinner (which my mom made for Josh in his family's tartan, and the fabric was in fact flown over from Scotland), to the traditional Scottish binding of the hands in the ceremony, to Josh's dad officiating, to the pictures hanging in the reception tent of our Grandparents and parents marking the # of years they were married (all 30+ years each), to the recipe/guest book (not sure if you saw it, but we had all the guests send in their favorite recipe for us, and we put them in the book with a space for them to sign next to it...this served as our guest book), and lastly, one thing I wasn't aware of in the planning stages-- Josh's recording of him singing our first dance, which was one of our favorite songs. (Josh had recorded the song earlier in the summer at a studio in NYC and surprised me with it at the reception.) The perfect way to kick off our reception- and life together. "

many thanks to

Anne Liles

for sending this wedding over to share via Two Bright Lights!

wedding vendors included:

photographer: Anne Liles

venue: Bald Head Island, NC

dress designer: Priscilla of Boston

floral designer: Salt Harbor Designs

cake designer: Willy's Bakery

band: Heartbeat of Sould

xoxo,

{engagement} high school sweetheart love...

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

high school sweethearts that just wanted a simple and sweet

engagement session.

pretty sure this was spot on.

thanks to

Caroline and Evan Photography

for sending this session over via Two Bright Lights.

head on over to their website and blog for much more!

xoxo,

{you need this} be my ban.do valentine...

2012-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

it should come no surprise to you all that i'm a huge fan of ban.do.

in fact, i'm pretty proud to say i have a jar of ban.do goodies

and two of their gorgeous flower headbands.

everything that ban.do has would be a perfect valentine's day gift,

hint for all the guys, or even just for girl friends, or heck, even if a gift for yourself.

check out some of ban.do's favorites for valentine's day below

but go to their site for so much more!

i have my eye on that scarf by the way.

xoxo,

{listen loves} no. 13...

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

the dude wanted to contribute on the blog

and since he isn't exactly a wedding fanatic, the only way he can really contribute is with my listen loves. and he loves it.

especially when i allowed him to pick his favorite 80's pop tunes.

we both love the 80's. don't get us started on our epic dance moves.

(sidenote: the dude is also tone deaf. so don't ask him to sing. ever)

but anyways,

here are ten of his favorites.

i'd say they're all a pretty good way to start the weekend. :)

hope you all have a fantastical one!

listen loves no. 13 by Lydia Yeung on Grooveshark

xoxo,

{engagement} love in a pine forest...

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

ack. i die.

honestly, i would love to traipse around in woods like that.

so beautiful.

it makes this engagement session even more amazing.

not only that, Gary lives in New Jersey and Raché lives in South Africa.

she flew over for holiday and they discovered, along with their photographer,

this amazing pine woods forest.

massive thanks to

Tin Sparrow Studio

for sending this stunning engagement session over.

y'all must check out more of their talent over on their blog.

xoxo,

{real wedding} at georgia's porterdale mill...

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

congratulations to Kahran and Regis!

"We wanted a laid back, non stuffy, modern feel to our wedding that reflected our own personal style. We knew that our venue had to be a blank slate that would give us the freedom to incorporate our own design elements. While the reception was set in an empty loft at the venue, the ceremony was on the outdoor lawn in front of the river. We decided on a natural glam theme and incorporated lots of natural elements such as burlap, branches, and wheat grass. I wanted my dress to be big and glamourous (hence the glam part of the theme). I added black lace gloves and lace jewelry to incorporate some vintage style elements to my attire. My bridal party had casual attire because I hated the idea of them purchasing clothing that would be worn only once. I wanted my flower girl dresses to be unique, but still child-like, so I fell in love with these tutu dresses, custom made by an independent fashion designer in the Philippines. I’m a southern gal and didn’t want any fru-fru food at our wedding. I knew I wanted some good old fashioned southern soul food. Guests were greeted with collard greens, mac and cheese, roast, and blackened chicken. Overall, our wedding turned out to be everything we ever imagined and more."

many thanks to
Caroline Fontenot
for sending this wedding over via Two Bright Lights.
check out more from Caroline's amazing work right here.

other wedding vendors involved:
wedding planner: Events Boutique
wedding gown: Jasmine Bridal
cake: Classic Creations Catering & Cakes
bridesmaid dresses: Anthropologie
venue: Porterdale Mill

xoxo,

{love} makes my heart sing...

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

they aren't engaged yet, but they wanted to have their love captured forever.

huge thanks to

trü studio design

for sharing this love session with us.

you must head on over here to see more

but stick around trü studio design's blog as well.

xoxo,

{real wedding} at tacoma's titlow lodge...

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

huge thanks to

Jay Eads

for sending over the gloriousness that is this wedding.

loving the sweet details that the bride, Krystle, and her mother, came up with for the big day.

the lemonade stand is too cute!

don't forget to head on over to Jay's blog for more from this wedding
and so much more of his gorgeous talent.

other wedding vendors included:

second shooter: Benj Haisch
event design: Krystle + Christi (bride's mom)
venue: Titlow Lodge Tacoma, WA
caterer: Sheila Whittingslow and Sharon Condor Puyallup, WA
florist: The Flower Shop, Puyallup, WA

cake: Pioneer Bakery

xoxo,

{listen loves} no. 12...

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

got a few new artists/bands on my playlist for this week.
so very loving them very much indeed.
hope you all have a great weekend!

listen loves no. 12 by Lydia Yeung on Grooveshark

xoxo,

{engagement} love at discovery park...

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

let's point out the stylish outfits from this couple.

loving her boots.

but also that polka dot umbrella too!

bravo to couples brave enough to stand in a downpour!

massive thanks to

O'Malley Photographers

for sending this engagement session over!

y'all must head on over to the O'Malleys' blog for much more!

xoxo,

{engagement} love on the family farm...

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Allison and Curt wanted to do their engagement photos at her grandfather's farm. Allison's family grew up on the farm, and she has many fond memories spent with relatives visiting her grandparents"

i think it's pretty amazingly sweet that they did their engagement session

on land that had so much importance for Allison, not just historically, but sentimentally.

sweet thanks to

Lime Green Photography

for sharing this engagement session via Two Bright Lights.

please head on over to Lime Green Photography's blog for much more!

xoxo,

{real wedding} a michigan autumn backyard wedding...

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Dan and Laura's backyard wedding was a sweet affair at the home Laura grew up in. Surrounded by friends from California, where they live, and the family and friends they grew up with in Michigan, it was a true celebration of who they are. Dan and Laura have been together for more than ten years, were high school sweethearts, and their wedding was a grand celebration of something that was a long-time coming. Some unique details: they gave out-of-town guests little bits of Michigan in a cute gift bag to welcome them. Laura's mom grew all the flowers for the wedding in her garden and put together the bouquets the morning of the wedding. They had sweet homespun decor, from the gorgeously written menu and wedding party board to the mason jar glasses at each place setting. They had a typewriter and scrabble tiles because Dan is a writer. In lieu of party favors, they donated to Greenpeace. It was a lovely autumn celebration and we were glad to be a part of it!"

many many thanks to
Bryan and Mae
for sharing this wedding via Two Bright Lights.
you must definitely want to head over to Bryan and Mae's blog too!

xoxo,

{engagement} anything to say you're mine...

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

loving this fall engagement session.

just a sweet couple in love.

excited to introduce you all to

Alyssa Wilcox Photography

check out more from this session right here

and stick around her site too to see more of her gorgeous work.

xoxo,

{listen loves} etta james...

2012-01-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

in remembrance of a truly amazing golden voice

who never failed to give me the good goosebumps

and always helped my day get better.

here are ten of my favorites.

{listen loves} etta james by Lydia Yeung on Grooveshark

{listen loves} no. 11...

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

a sunday kind of love would be nice everyday.

feeling in this sort of mood for this weekend.

listen loves no. 11 by Lydia Yeung on Grooveshark

xoxo,

{real wedding} at los angeles' smog shoppe...

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

from Stacey of Stacey Lynn Design:

"It is always fun to work on a SmogShoppe wedding. The venue brings an automatic easy-going and fun feeling to a wedding. Nicola and Greg found the importance in having an eco-friendly and fair-trade wedding. They were simple in design and let the natural beauty of the venue shine. Nicola wore a stunning short vintage inspired dress which only added to the cool, laid back vibe of the event. The ceremony took place in front of the iconic succulent wall as the sun descended behind it. Vintage family photos were added to the bookcases to fit in flawlessly with the eclectic design. Everyone loved the British inspired signature drink, Pimms Cup, and having DJ Heather on the turntables mixing a set of lounge, jazz, local artists, and world beats.

It was important to Nicola to use eco-friendly flowers, so Flour LA used roses from Eufloria, in Santa Barbara, sustainably grown in coconut fiber, along with local fruits and vegetables to add to the centerpieces, including apricots, artichokes and kiwis. Her bouquet consisted of a soothing palette of yellow ranunculus, orange dahlias, succulents, stock and dusty miller. The handle was covered in a thin lace to match her dress. The centerpieces were rustic-modern. We created a wildflower look with structure, and used various sizes of white ceramic bowls for each table. "

Nicola's dress was most definitely a highlight of the day. Seeing that her family and many guests are from London it was a desire for Nicola to wear a favorite British designer. The lovely champagne mini dress by Temperley London was simply stunning in design and fit."

major thanks to
The Why We Love
for sending this dear wedding over to share.
head over to check out more from this wedding
as more from The Why We Love too!

xoxo,