Boise, McCall, Sun Valley Idaho Wedding photography

13 Tips for Stress-Free Christmas Photos

Todd & Julie — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 01:20:10 +0000

13 Tips for Stress-Free Family Christmas Photos

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year…right?! From a husband and wife photographer studio with four kids, and at one point, three dogs of our own, we think we’re qualified and yes OBLIGATED to offer up a few “verified” tips to keep your Christmas photo session stress-free!

Figure out what you’re going to wear well in advance of your session. In need of some inspiration? We’ve included a link to our Pinterest gallery brimming with outfit inspiration for your next Christmas session. Here’s the link: bit.ly/tnpxmas Outfits are one of THE most important aspects of preparation for your Christmas pictures session with Boise Photographer Todd Nichols Photography.

Was there ever a pup that loved his tiny human more? The tender fingers and uplifted head of this sweet fur baby and little angel say it all!

the tippy toes get me every time…

When to schedule your Christmas adventure session? The sooner the better. Be sure to allow for plenty of time to get your images back and order the products you want such as this gorgeous image box, perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself as your annual Christmas legacy!

Plan for the weather. We live in a four seasons location and trust me we’ve seen ALL four seasons in one day here! Look at the forecast and be sure to plan ahead for that with layers that can easily be pulled on and off.

If you have young children, plan around nap times and eating times. We are definitely above offering a bribe or two to get our wee clients smiling and happy for these photos!

We are usually writing about Boise, McCall or Sun Valley weddings and Boise wedding venues but we are digging this too! We definitely encourage bringing your furry family members. They are a special part of your family and should be included. Be sure to give them a special holiday touch too! A pretty scarf or bowtie can be just perfect!

Never was a little girl loved more by her faithful friend…

Check with your photographer to see if there is any particular theme to the shoot so you can coordinate your outfits or bring your own personal touches to add to the fun.

Its a good idea to have your young children in a different outfit than what they will wear for pictures to begin with. When you get to the shoot location you can change them. There are so many accidents that can happen along the way not to mention potty accidents. So, just wait until right before the start of the shoot to change into their cute outfits.

The nutcrackers of Christmas…

Avoid having the children drink colored drinks on the day of the shoot. It will color their mouth and if it spills it could be difficult to get out.

Whats better than a snowball throwing machine for a little boy?! He’s ready for an epic battle!

Once you arrive at your session, just try to relax. We are professional photographers and we’ve got you covered. If you have special bribes for the kids after the session let me know so I can encourage your little ones too.

Two besties and their sweet furry babies…

For clients that are coming with furry babies, be sure to bring their leash and try to walk them ahead of time to get the wiggles out. Do bring treats for them so they will be more inclined to listen! Let us know if there is a special word that gets them to perk up such as “walk” or “treat” that we can use RIGHT as we snap the picture to get their rapt attention!

Look at this little angel playing in the snow during our adventure session!

Add in some texture to your holiday shoot. We love it when you come with fur, velvet, lace or fringe. It makes the images unique and adds depth!

This private adventure session with a young family in Sun Valley was blessed with an epic snowstorm on the day of the shoot!

Adding in a few adorable accessories such as hats, scarves, glasses, bowties, blankets can have huge impact!

brother helping to push the toboggan for sister while their faithful dog watches over them…

Most of all have fun! We want your moments not your poses. This day will never again repeat itself. You and your kids will never again be this young. Who knows what the future holds. Enjoy this!

snowy happiness!

snowball fight and these two friends got nailed by the kids!

A little VA VA Voom for the Christmas photo!

Don’t be afraid to be extravagant and fancy for your pictures! A little Tulle, velvet and silk can go a long way! Look at your favorite brands for inspiration and don’t forget our Pinterest board link at the top of this article.

A snowflake kiss… We also encourage romance in the snow!

Snowshoe adventure session for Matt and Sarah!

This pop of red goes a long way! We love it!

The winter storm flocked everything perfectly for these two!

Was there ever a cuter snowman cookie or two more adorable plaid humans?!

We do love a man in uniform and his beautiful love in red in the snow….exquisite! We plucked a small bit of red berries for her hair…

A quiet moment for mom and dad…

snowy adventure session with colorful props makes this image pop!

adorable mini adventure session photos! Gingerbread house!

The finished product, perfect for gifting to loved ones or keeping as a legacy piece year after year…

We hope these tips will help you as you plan for your Boise McCall or Sun Valley Christmas photos!

If you are still looking to get your Christmas photos done, we are scheduling Christmas mini adventure sessions in McCall and Boise. Sessions are $149 and include a $100 studio credit which should be enough to get your a digital image, or a handful of prints. You can also use your credit towards holiday photo boxes which are wonderful for gifting or Christmas cards etc. We will edit and upload your images to an online proofing gallery within 48 hrs. You will be able to view and order whatever you’d like from there. There is no additional purchase required. Thats it!

If you’d like to get in touch or schedule your 20 minute Adventure Christmas Mini Session in:

McCall Dec. 1 click here >> http://bit.ly/mccalladvxmas

Boise Dec. 8th click here >> http://bit.ly/boiseadvxmas

Or if you have additional questions email us at info@toddnichols.com or call 208-550-1828. Hope to see you soon!

Happy Holidays!

With Love + Adventure,

Julie + Todd

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3 Reasons To Consider A Boutique Bridal Salon For Your Dream Wedding Dress

Todd & Julie — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 14:37:18 +0000

We have had the privilege of being the trusted advisor for many brides looking for other quality wedding professionals for their wedding day. So, we really appreciate being able to refer our clients to another wedding professional that embodies the same high standards that we strive for every day. One of the first and most important decisions a bride makes is finding the perfect wedding dress. After all, it’s what she and generations after her will be looking at in her wedding photography, hopefully by Todd Nichols Photography, for a very long time right?!

Beyond finding that perfect dreamy wedding dress, the experience should be a joyful one. Many times saying “yes to the dress” becomes a true family and friends affair. Shouldn’t it be one of the more memorable moments in your wedding day preparations? We feel a boutique bridal salon is the best place to create just such an experience. Here are the reasons why…

Personal attention. A typical wedding dress salon will have numerous clients trying on dresses at the same time with the salon employees attempting to satisfy numerous clients or not available at all. This can be frustrating and a waste of precious time for all involved. When you go to a boutique bridal salon such as Bridal By Marie in Eagle you will be greeted warmly and personally by the OWNER who only works with ONE client at a time by appointment. You will have her undivided experienced attention focused solely on you.
You get the entire salon to yourself! The last time we heard of a store owner attending to only one client at a time was when a celebrity wanted to go shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills! This is the kind of singular experience you can expect to have with boutique bridal salon Bridal By Marie in Eagle. With the undivided attention of the owner focused solely on finding exactly what you want, you’re sure to have a dress shopping experience like no other. Being the only customer in the salon makes for a serene atmosphere and one in which you and your family or friends can relax, “ooh and ahh” over all the dress gorgeousness and feel completely immersed in the experience.

Susan, Owner of Bridal By Marie at Chateau Des Fleurs, Eagle Idaho

3. You work directly with the owner and have one-on-one fittings. Yes, I know this sounds like number 1 above but it’s possible to have personal attention by someone other than the owner. When you work with the business OWNER there is no one else to ask, no barriers to decision-making and the keen interest on the part of the owner in your happiness is absolute. We have found that when working with business owners, there is a much higher degree of precision, customer service and overall client happiness.

To sum it up, if you’re looking for a bridal salon in the Treasure Valley that is stylishly experienced, offers unparalleled “Beverly Hills” level exclusive salon access and top tier personal customer service you’ll most definitely want to make an appointment with Bridal by Marie in Eagle, Idaho.

And just so you know we’re not the only ones that feel this way

Awards:

* Bridal By Marie – Winner #1 Bridal Shop in the Treasure Valley

Idaho Statesman Best of Treasure Valley Contest 2017

*Bridal By Marie – finalist in Idaho’s Best Contest – Best Bridal Salon

(winner to be chosen December 2019)

We hope this helps you in your dream wedding dress shopping journey!

With Love + Adventure,

Julie + Todd

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D-I-Y Wedding Invitations

Todd & Julie — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 22:48:17 +0000

We are always on the lookout for great services that will make life easier for our wedding clients. And…we came across these easy to make online wedding invitation templates…check this out at https://spark.adobe.com/templates/invitations/wedding/

The entire invitation system is click-based, meaning you can create your own design with your computer and NOT be a graphic designer! Definitely a plus. With a few clicks you should be able to master the basics in just a few minutes. Also don’t be afraid to experiment with customization and personalization. After all it’s YOUR day and it should reflect your aesthetic. Keep in mind you can instantly modify your design with just a few clicks of your mouse. And when you make modifications, you’ll see your changes immediately. Adobe Spark quickly puts you in the creative hot seat without a complicated learning curve.

Happy wedding planning! ~ Love, Julie and the TNP team…

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McCall Wedding Photographer | Matt + Sarah McCall Engagement Session

Todd & Julie — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 13:42:51 +0000

We are McCall wedding and engagement photographers and were SO excited when Matt and Sarah told us they would love to have their engagement pictures in McCall in winter! Of course we LOVE engagement sessions in urban and warm locations but theres something super fun about snow, adventure and love! This engagement session in McCall was a miraculous gift weather-wise. We dodged the practically non-stop snow storms and had absolutely perfect weather with beautiful sunshine, clear blue skies and lots of fluffy white snow! You can see the infectious laughter and happiness with these two as we had a snow shoe adventure session with them into some beautiful snowy mountain, pine tree and lake view locations. Aren’t they both absolutely beautiful?! Thank you Matt and Sarah for being willing to brave the snow and cold to get these shots, you guys were awesome!! Especially at the end of the shoot when the temperatures were dipping, down by the water. You’re the best, we love you both! We’re looking forward to your wedding at Blackhawk on the River with McCall Weddings this summer! It will be here before you know it! With Love + Adventure ~ Julie + Todd

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Sun Valley Wedding Photographer | Todd Nichols Photography | Trail Creek Cabin | Matt + Stine

Todd & Julie — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 23:05:27 +0000

This Sun Valley surprise engagement proposal was perfect! Matthew called us several weeks before the proposal and we talked about different location options and timing. We had a super windy day on the day of the proposal and so we opted not to do a mountaintop location like we had planned and went with our backup location close to the Sun Valley Club. Fortunately the wind died down and the sun was out and it was gorgeous with the fresh snow and flocked trees! The proposal went off perfectly and most importantly Stine said yes! We brought champagne and flutes for the celebratory toast. So fun to just bury it in the snow until the right moment and whip it out for the happy couple! We then took pictures close to Trail Creek cabin and just had fun with them! Then we went back to the Sun Valley Club and met up with Stine’s family where the engagement was announced! There was much celebrating and toasts all around which we captured below. Congratulations Matthew and Stine! We loved being there for this super special moment and meeting you both! We hope to see you back in Sun Valley for your wedding day! We love you guys!

Here are 5 tips for planning your perfect Boise, McCall or Sun Valley surprise mountain engagement proposal:

Figure out what kind of engagement ring she loves if she hasn’t told you already. Be stealthy or enlist friends or family to help you figure this out.
Let her family in on the surprise (you might need their help getting her to the moment!)
Hire a professional Boise, McCall or Sun Valley wedding photographer. Todd Nichols Photography would be an excellent choice. We can help you tremendously with knowing what location and time would be best. And, it’s peace of mind! You’ll be anxious enough with remembering what you want to say to your beloved without worrying about where, when and will the pictures turn out ok of this no do over moment?!
Plan your proposal around a holiday. It’s a great time because family is usually close by to help you celebrate and you may already be at a scenic spot…which brings me to my next tip…
Pick a scenic, memorable location! You’ll look back on these images for a long time and picking a gorgeous, memorable location will heighten the sentiment of the moment not only in the moment but for years to come.

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Boise Wedding and Portrait Photographer | Lazy Bear Ranch Engagement Session | Kortney + Daniel

Todd & Julie — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 18:02:20 +0000

“The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horses’ ears.” ~ Arabian Proverb

Love and Adventure! Sneak peeks for Kortney and Daniel’s engagement session at Idaho wedding venue Lazy Bear Ranch were ridiculously hard to choose. Every shot of these two stunning sweethearts and their horses Pineapple and Margaret was beautiful! Of course, this backdrop for their wedding at Lazy Bear Ranch is to-die-for Idaho gorgeous also! With a lake and over half a mile of Weiser river frontage we couldn’t resist incorporating those water features into this shoot. Kortney and Daniel own L&L Meats and are intimately acquainted with outdoor Idaho and so it was a perfect choice for them to have their engagement pictures here as well as their ranch wedding next year. We had so much fun with you Kortney and Daniel and can’t wait to work with you again for your wedding next Sept! With Love ~ Julie + Todd

Venue: Lazy Bear Ranch, Weiser Idaho

Beautiful hair and makeup: Kayla Brim, Idaho Stylist

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McCall Wedding and Portrait Photographer | Shore Lodge Wedding, McCall Idaho | Rachel + Jonny

Todd & Julie — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:22:33 +0000

This wedding couple stole our hearts from the moment we spoke with them months ago about their Shore Lodge McCall, Idaho destination wedding. Theirs is a love story that began years before they even met! I’ll let Rachel and Jonny tell you in their own words…

“Our story really began over 40 years ago, when Rick Olson met Phil Mushlin on the steps of the Vanderbilt library. From that moment on, they became great friends. Little did they know when raising their kids on different coasts of the country that two of their children would also become great friends and life partners.

In June 2016, Rachel and Jonny arranged to meet in person, a few days after he moved to Boston for a new job opportunity. Prior to Jonny’s move to Boston, they had talked on the phone and emailed a few times, and discovered they had many mutual interests. The first day she met Jonny, Rachel introduced him to the cit of Boston, leading him on a full day walking tour of Boston and Cambridge. She concluded the tour of the Mass., Ave. Bridge — the same place that Jonny would propose to her a year and a half later. They stood on the bridge, talking together and admiring the shining city lights throughout the Boston skyline.

After meeting that day, Rachel and Jonny began to spend lots of time together, whether it was going boxing, visiting with friends, watching movies, or cooking dinner and discussing history/current events at Rachel’s family’s house.

Knowing Rachel’s fondness for running, Jonny surprised her during a run together with his proposal on the Mass Ave Bridge, where Rachel had taken him as part of the Boston tour on the first day they met. The surprise continued when Jonny led Rachel to the celebratory dinner that night with both the Olson and Mushlin families.”

As you can imagine this wedding day was packed to the brim with so many heartwarming moments between these two sweethearts and their families. We thoroughly enjoyed being their McCall wedding photographer and documenting the deep Jewish family traditions that were so richly evident in every part of the day and the connections between this amazing set of families. Thank you for trusting us with your wedding day memories Rachel and Jonny! We love you! ~ Julie + Todd

Venue: Shore Lodge

DJ: DJ Dave

Hair and Makeup: Kayla Brim

Bouquets and Centerpieces: Lorna Howard

Videography: Kim Haskell

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Boise Wedding and Portrait Photographer | Barber Park Wedding | Keitan + Brad

Todd & Julie — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 02:39:05 +0000

Sneak peeks for Keitan and Brad! This wedding day was incredibly romantic and the many thoughtful details by both bride and groom had so much meaning for both. What in incredible story they have! Check this out…providence brought these two together in a foreign country, in the same hospital, on the same floor on the same day. There were many tears of happiness and joy and the spirit of kindness, consideration and loving protectiveness between them was so wonderful to see. Their beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony at Barber Park wedding venue in Boise was thoughtful and spiritual. Todd and I were honored to have been there to document this incredible love story. Blessings to you both as you encourage and support each other along life’s journey together. Congratulations and happy 1 week anniversary! With Love ~ Julie + Todd

Venue: Barber Park

Coordination: The Wedding Doctor

HMUA: Erica Mohammadi

DJ: DJ One One

Floral Artistry: K Costa Floral

Cake/Cupcakes: Becky Morgan

Transportation: Idaho Towncar

Accommodations: The Anniversary Inn Boise

Photography: Todd Nichols Photography

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Boise Wedding and Portrait Photographer | White Barn at Happy Valley | Taylor + Dustin Wedding

Todd & Julie — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:53:22 +0000

Sneak peeks!! Taylor and Dustin got married at The White Barn at Happy Valley last weekend and it was beautiful! This sweet couple also have two adorable children which we could not keep our eyes off of all day, they are little angels! The wedding party was super fun and Taylor, your infectious laugh is fantastic! This wedding venue is a wedding photographers dream and a must-visit for anyone looking for a rustic yet elegant barn for their Boise or treasure valley wedding day. Thank you so much for the honor of documenting your wedding day Taylor and Dustin! With Love ~ Julie + Todd

Venue: The White Barn Happy Valley Nampa

DJ: Juan Bautista – DJ AV

Caterer: Coned Pizza

Bar Service: Joe’s mobile bar

Desserts: Pastry perfection

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Eagle, ID Wedding and Portrait Photography | Italian Estate Wedding | Stacy + Zac

Todd & Julie — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 01:35:14 +0000

This is a love story that spans continents and time, I love these two! Zac proposed to Stacy in Italy and they planned their entire wedding day theme around all things Italian right down to their elegant Italian estate in Eagle! It was perfectly them and unique in every way! Zac had his shoes flown in from Italy (we loved the pink laces Zac!) and the bride looked absolutely stunning in her elegant “Berta” wedding gown from Lovella Bridal in Beverly Hills. There were so many personal, thoughtful details throughout this day. The bridge that you’ll see in the ceremony pictures was built by Zac. Very impressive! Their beautiful, well-mannered husky baby, Scarlett was “pawsitively” the perfect ring posing helper. Check out the images of her throughout the day. We love her too. Friends and family were treated to a dinner party post-wedding catered by Delish Catering. The culinary tour through Italy was a masterpiece. Guests were delighted with Stacy and Zac’s favorite Italian wine flown in specifically for their day. The event was perfectly executed by Kim of “Celebrations by Catalyst Group”. Full event professional credit listed at the end of the images below. We love being an Eagle, Idaho Wedding Photographer. Thank you so much Stacy and Zac for being so amazing to work with on your wedding day. We adore you and we hope you enjoy this selection of images. We were so honored to be there with you! With So Much Love ~ Julie + Todd

Venue: Estate home in Eagle, Idaho

Photography: Todd Nichols Photography

Hair: Miranda Hale

Makeup: HIllary Manfredo

Catering: Delish Catering

Floral Artistry: Wishing Well Botanicals

Event Coordination: Celebrations by Catalyst Group

Wedding Gown Designer: Berta

Bridal Salon: Lovella Bridal (Beverly Hills)

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