classic bride

E-shoot Inspiration. Run with it.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:39:00 +0000

This is my inspiration for you ... for your e-shoot ... from what I believe is not an e-shoot. ;o)

I'm loving the timeless trench mixed with playful pink polka dots. Grab your honey {and photog} and have some fun in the rain.

What are you doing for your e-shoot?

Image found on Prepaganda.

Candy Bars = out, like yesterday | Drink Bars = IN {+ here to stay}!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:12:00 +0000

I suppose the blog title says it all but let me explain a teensy bit. I hate to knock something in its entirety so yes, if your candy bar was designed and brought to life by Amy Atlas and the ganache in your imported macarons from Paris match the sashes on your bridesmaids dresses, ... okay ... fine, your candy bar is probably totally fabulous in its own desperate way ..... But. Most candy bars I've seen in real life and on the webs, ... well, they look more like they were designed for a second-grade Valentine's Day party. You know what I'm talking about ... the M&Ms sorted by color and scooped into clear vases ... twizzlers {sometimes still in the wrappers - really?!?} plopped inside another clear vase ... etc. etc. When images of this sort start to become ubiquitous, I find it clear that a trend has run its course. Are you with me?

So I'm saying farewell to the now-ick candy bar and giving the drink bar a warm + welcome hello!

I'm really loving the minimalistic approach of this Martini Bar via Sunday Suppers. You don't always need ribbons and bows and color-coordinated ingredients ... jus' sayin. This looks fresh, clean and inviting.

The understated labels are fun yet simple. I. heart. ... and am ready for a 'tini!

If you're dying to turn up the decor quotient a tad, how about this cocktail bar via Southern Living {below}? I love the 'W' monogram made of mums. And the lemons and limes add some vibrant color.

I know if I were heading to a wedding and spotted a bar like one of the two shown above, I'd be beelining. And if it were a Bloody Mary bar, sorry, you'd be left in the dust. :o)

Are you planning on having a drink bar at your wedding? If so, share in the comments what drinks you'll be serving. And if you're planning on doing a candy bar, please share the why. ;o) j/k ... sort of.

Images: Top 4 via Sunday Suppers. Last image via Southern Living.

Overdue favorite wedding of 2011: Lauren Bush + David Lauren

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I never had the chance in December to write up a Favorites 2011 list so I'm just going to share one overdue favorite with you today.

Favorite 2011 wedding:

Lauren Bush and David Lauren.

Yes, yes, yes, Kate Middleton was gorgeous and all and she did marry a {once-cute} prince but Lauren's dress {custom designed by the groom's father, Ralph, of course!}, fabulously bohemian headpiece and eclectic-yet-all-American Colorado ranch wedding tops it for me. You can see more images here.

Now tell me your fave wedding of 2011!

Images found on Vogue and here.

Interior Design --> Wedding Color Palette

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Loving this periwinkle and cream color palette for a wedding!

Found via Eclectic Revisited on facebook {one of my faves for design inspiration}.

Submit your honeymoon to UK's BRIDES magazine! ;o)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Just wanted to share this fun opportunity that came across my inbox this morning:

The UK's BRIDES magazine is looking for some romantic honeymoon photos and they'd love to see yours. You can submit your photos along with a little info about your fun escape to the mag and you just might be featured on BridesMagazine.co.uk!

Good luck!

CB At Home: Accessory shrines

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:12:00 +0000

Hey loves, I hope you enjoyed the weekend. Mine was fabulously lazy with one early morning flea market thrown in. I woke up before the sun rose {not too common for this girl} on Sunday and traveled with some friends back to Tongeren, Belgium, {Did you miss my other European antiquing posts? Click here to catch up.} and I thought I'd share my favorite little jewel I toted home with me:

Yes! It's my first full-body dress form and I was told it is over 100 years old. It's marked 'PARIS Made in France' and I've already been imagining dreamy back stories for it. Some of my friends were a little creeped out by it but after I added a few sparkly numbers and tucked a pair of RayBan aviators on the 'shirt collar', I think she {or is it a he ... can't really tell but does it really matter? ... } is looking pretty chic next to my accessories table.

With my new addition, I felt inspired to spruce up my vanity. I did a little googling and found the holy grail of 'accessory shrine' inspiration here. I grabbed a few milk glass compotes out of the guest room {left over from our wedding 3 years ago} and started organizing. Here's a little glimpse:

{Above: The European charm bracelet I talked about in this post that my mother gave me years ago. love.}

I found the little gold + glass jewelry box at the Braderie de Lille in France last September.

The little glass bottles I picked up at a tiny flea market in France last summer. The vendor explained that he found them while on a World War II exploratory dig in the nearby area. My friend bought a grenade he had found on the same dig. The milkglass compote is from my wedding. :o)

What does your vanity look like? Is it skillfully arranged with fun mementos or a crazy mish-mash of your favorites? I'd love to see some photos!

ps. Dress forms can be fabulous wedding accessories, too. ;o)

Images by me.

Styled wedding shoot from Washington state: Vintage meets Modern

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I love receiving styled shoots and finding out all the inside details. Photographer Mary Collier, from Washington state, sent in this lovely shoot and explained:

Late last summer I teamed up with a local antique/re-purposed store from Wenatchee, WA to create Whim Weddings. Truly a mix of old and new. We wanted the look to be vintage as far as the scene and the details but keep the bride and groom looking modern and fresh. This shoot was set in a cherry orchard just outside of town and shot close to sunset.

Thanks for sending over this lovely shoot, Mary!

Credits:
Photography: www.mkcphoto.com
Dress: www.wenatcheeweddings.com : Bella Sera
Hair & Make-up: Tousled
Props and styling: Out On A Whim
Baked Goods, including cake: Top Tier Cakes for All Occasions

Dear bride-to-be,

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

While catching up on some of my favorite blogs, I came across a beautifully honest post and I just had to share a quote from the blog entry because I think the message will resonate with almost every bride-to-be:

"It's difficult to be around people who are trying to be perfect- perfectly healthy, perfectly polite, perfectly poised, perfectly controlled. Remember that being human means being imperfect, being flawed. Let yourself be. Let others be... Stand up and reveal who you are and know that you are good enough. Stop worrying that people will find out who you really are. Instead, hope that they do. Help them by openly sharing yourself and being not who you think you should be, but who you really are." -Melody Beattie

Here's to letting your hair down and planning a perfectly imperfect wedding!

xoxo,
CB

Image stream from the film Melancholia via here.

CB is loving Fibi & Clo sandals!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Have you guys heard about Fibi & Clo? If not, I feel certain you will soon fall in love!

Here are two of my favorite styles:

{Top: Love Knot, $45; Bottom: Gold Cascade, $45}

Seriously, how cute are these?! And did you catch the prices?

fibi & clo kindly sent me the Gold Cascade pair and I am saving them for when it warms up a little but I can't wait to flash a little glitz this spring. They look and feel fantastic - l.o.v.e.

And girls, tell me they are not peeeeeeeerfect for bridesmaids gifts, right?! Or to fill a basket on the dancefloor for guests' tired feet! Beautiful and comfy! I love. See the full collection here.

What do you think?

{In order to comply with newly revised FTC Regulations, I was kindly sent a pair of sandals by fibi & clo for this review}

Shimmer + shine for the bride

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:03:00 +0000

The holidays still have me lusting for shimmer and sparkle and then I spied this sequined silk-chiffon beauty on Net-a-Porter:

Now tell me that isn't meant for a NYE bride! Sometimes I really wish we would have married during the winter holidays - it's such a fabulous excuse to pile on the glitter. I'm imagining shimmery gold lambskin ballet flats peeking out ... how would you accessorize?

Oooh, and bonus: completely re-wearable! Investment piece if I ever!

Napa Valley wedding with full-on charm!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Loving this super sweet Napa Valley wedding today! And, no, you're not seeing double - the bride has a twin sister - how fun! Scroll down for all the eye candy and details!

Thanks to photographer Laura Monfredini for submitting this lovely wedding along with the following write-up:

Stacey & Glenn chose to say their "I-do's" in the Napa Valley even though they're from New Jersey because it was where they first said "I love you" & "I love you, too." The couple met online & immediately connected. A few months after they met, Stacey's identical twin sister, Suzanne, invited the new couple out to San Francisco where she lives for a visit. Stacey & Glenn headed up to Napa & on a sun-soaked afternoon (after a couple of glasses of wine), Stacey worked up the nerve to tell Glenn that she was in love with him (how cute she said it first!). Luckily, (she says) he quickly responded that he was in love with her too. A year later, almost to the day, Glenn proposed. They decided immediately on a small, intimate, destination wedding in Napa & Suzanne helped orchestrate the cross-country affair. The day was perfect -- it was warm but not too hot, the ceremony took place at the Avia Hotel, in the charming revitalized downtown Napa, and the reception was in the backyard at a private estate, set in the vineyards a few miles up the road.

Credits:

Photography: eLLe Photography - www.ellephotographs.com

Dress & Hairpiece (Bride): Romona Keveza, Exquisite Bride, Milburn, NJ -- http://www.exquisite-bride.com/

Dresses (Maids): J Crew -- www.jcrew.com

Suits (Groomsmen): Brooks Brothers -- http://www.brooksbrothers.com/

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Wedding “detailer”: Heidi Johnson, “Sew Heidi”, Napa, CA, sewheidi@earthlink.net

Rings: W. Kodak Jewelers, Hoboken, NJ -- http://www.wkodakjewelers.com/

Wine: Eponymous Wines, Napa, CA -- http://www.eponymouswines.com/

Catering: Peter Hall Catering, Napa, CA

Location: Avia Hotel (ceremony), private estate (reception), Napa, CA

Happy New Year + Charm Bracelets: The new must-do for honeymoon travel

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:09:00 +0000

Oh, how I've missed you, my loves! I ended up booking a last-minute flight home for the holidays and enjoyed several wonderful weeks with the family before returning home to Europe and suffering a serious case of jet lag {why are the flights to Europe always so brutal?!}. But I'm back now and have so much to share with you! And a belated cheers to a happy and healthy new year in 2012! It's going to be a good one - I just feel it!

On the flight home, I was watching a movie {Monte Carlo if you must know ... and yes, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that} and I couldn't take my eye away from Leighton Meester's fabulous charm bracelet! It reminded me of the gorgeous one my mother gave me years ago and as soon as I arrived home, I pulled it out and have been wearing it ever since. But it also got me thinking about another piece of jewelry of mine that was about to hit the attic storage ... you probably have one, too!

Just like almost every college girl 10 years ago, I happily succumbed to the Tiffany silver craze ... I still have the treasure trove of little blue boxes holding sterling bracelets, rings and necklaces {that are sadly collecting dust now} to prove it. Yet for some reason, I continued wearing my round-tag Tiffany bracelet ... but over the past two years, I've begun to feel like it was starting to look dated and rather stale. Enter my re-found love of the charm bracelet! I'm toying with the idea of collecting and adding charms from our European vacays to the links. I also like the idea of wrapping my old Tiffany tag necklace around my wrist to create a double-decker charm bracelet. What do you think???

I love the idea of starting a fresh charm bracelet while honeymooning abroad and collecting charms along the way!

I also love the idea of layering a charm bracelet with lots of different styles to create a more modern look. Mary Kate always has the layered look down to a science:

Would you start a charm collection on your honeymoon? C'mon, join me!

Images, from top: Via here; Via here; Via Tiffany; Found here; Olsen twins via here

Impeccable Oyster Bay, NY, real wedding!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:12:00 +0000

It's always a treat to share a wedding by photographer and CB sponsor, Patricia Kantzos. Her images are always so stunning yet so natural and that lovely combination makes the editing process effortless for me! Always a plus!

It is with joy that I share today the happy union of Kimberly and John. The couple wed earlier this year in September at the Piping Rock Beach Club + Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, NY. The day was classically charming and cheerful:

Congrats, Kimberly and John! And a huge thank you to Patricia for sharing this lovely wedding with us!
Credits:
Florist – Petals Locust Valley, http://petalsfineflowersandweddings.com/
Caterer – Piping Rock Beach Club
DJ/Band - Vision
Makeup – Maria Poulos
Hair – Christine Grassi
Cake – Piping Rock Beach Club
Invitations – Invitations, Etc., Livingston, NJ
Wedding Gown – Ulla Maija
Shoes – Kate Spade
Grooms Suit - JCrew
Bridesmaids Dresses - JCrew
Hair piece, jewelry - borrowed
Photos - Patricia Kantzos

Patricia Kantzos Photography is a sponsor of Classic Bride blog but this is not a sponsored post.

Delovely Details WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:27:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered the Delovely Details contest! The randomly selected winner is little miss southern love. - Congrats! You will receive an email shortly regarding your prize. :o) xox.

And Nicole is offering a little love to all CB readers - just mention CB and receive 10% off any order! :o)

Attn. European Vendors: Be a part of CB's Parisian Inspiration Shoot!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Since moving to Germany, one of my primary goals has been to highlight and share the beauty of Europe and all it has to offer in terms of weddings. I've done this to a degree through the Honeymoon series but I've been wanting to step things up and start meeting wedding vendors over here ... the best and the brightest ... and then share their amazing talent with you!

So what do I have up my sleeve? Well, my husband and I currently live within driving distance from Paris so weekending in The City of Light is a breeze! After some thought, I decided I would give it a shot and start laying the groundwork for an inspiration shoot in the heart of Paris for the winter or spring of 2012. As I mentioned {very} briefly before on the blog, my husband has been away on business in an area of the world that isn't always the safest ... he'll be coming home in late January after six long months of being apart. We are already planning a belated anniversary vacay to Paris and it would truly be the icing on the cake to capture our happy reunion with a creative shoot in our favorite city on Earth. :o)

Now I know you've seen inspiration shoots aplenty on every single wedding blog but trust me, this is going to be different ....

I'm not just going to share the end results and wait for the ooohs and aaaahs. I want to share everything ... From beginning to end: The inspirational images that sparked our ideas, the choosing of European vendors and how we'll work together and what it is they bring to the table, behind the scenes details ... choosing outfits, props, locales, deciding on shot angles and more ... I want to share every step with you! I don't know about you but when I see a crazy amazing shoot, I want to know exactly how it came to fruition! I'm also hoping that this might help you to feel like a stylized European shoot is absolutely do-able ... I want to show you the ropes and introduce you to wonderful vendors that can help make an engagement or couples shoot in Paris a possibility for you!

I also want you - my fab, fab, faaaabulous readers - to be a part of this incredibly fun process! I'll be sharing all of our planning on CB and I'd love to hear your feedback every step of the way - whether you think a certain location would suit the shoot better or you know of a drop-dead gorgeous accessory that would make an outfit shine - I want to hear it! :o)

So what do we have lined up so far? Let's take a look:
Styling expertise: After styling, coordinating and planning my own wedding, {which has been featured in Wedding Style Guide, B Magazine, InStyle Weddings, Weddings Unveiled and numerous other wedding and style blogs} I'm excited to apply my talents to styling a Parisian shoot! I also styled the New Orleans photoshoot in 2010 for my own shop, CB Vintage.
Props: As the proprietor and careful curator of CB Vintage, I've got a hold on what works and what doesn't. I'm looking forward to working on creating a selection of French antique wares to include in the shoot.
Location scouting and research: I already have several locale ideas jotted down and am researching other possibilities. Always open to new ideas, as well!
Models/Subjects: My husband and myself.
Attire: Luckily, I've got that covered as well. I'll share an in-depth post about the details in a future planning post but there will be two outfits for each model. The first selection will be a mod 1960s style look: Short, vintage 1960s wedding dress {it was actually my Mom's and fits me like a glove - it's so impossibly chic and I love that my Mom was so fashionably daring!}. Paired with a handsome suit + dapper hat. The second selection will be a more modern take with strong vintage details selected from my own wardrobe and my husband's.
Inspiration: This is obviously a work in progress and will be a collective effort of all vendors involved {as well as considering reader input}. But I did go ahead and put together an initial inspiration board to get the ball rolling {you can see that along with details below}

VENDORS: How can YOU be involved?
-- We're currently looking for an amazing photographer{s} to shoot on location in Paris for a day.
-- Possibly a hair and/or makeup artist
-- And a talented florist to arrange a stunning floral bouquet.
-- Did we leave something out? If you're a European vendor and feel like you have something stylish and substantial to contribute, let us know!

VENDORS: Interested but wondering what's in it for you?
While there will be no monetary compensation for vendors' time and attention spent on the shoot, each vendor will receive plenty of praise, credit and press on my own blog, Classic Bride, which has been again and again praised by some of the most prestigious bridal magazines as a top bridal blog - see for yourself. CB also has an ever-growing and loyal audience comprised of many affluent brides-to-be with a penchant for all things European! In addition to the many posts I'll share about the planning and execution of this shoot with links to respective vendor's sites, I will also be offering every vendor who collaborates on the shoot with me a large-sized ad {300 x 250 pixels} on CB for 4 months {A value of $1,380.00!} The photographer{s} will receive a large-sized ad for 8 months {A value of $2,760!}.

The date of the shoot has not yet been decided. Once all vendors are in place, a date that works for all will be set.

If you think you've got what it takes to be considered or if you have any questions, etc., shoot me an e-mail and I'll be happy to chat with you!

INSPIRATION:
Now for the fun part! Below is a peek at the inspiration that's already brewing in my head ... it's an impressionistic mixture of all the aspects I find beautiful about Paris ... sharing coffee while catching up on the news of the day ... grainy black and white film ... strong vintage appeal ... all with a hint of mint green to serve as a softer and more subdued homage to the brilliant bright green color heavily showcased in Amelie - one of my fave films.

Other quick ideas I have: Capturing a jaunt to a photobooth a la Amelie, languid shots by a Metro stop and on the steps of Sacre Couer, enjoying sips of espresso at a streetside bistro and a few shots with the Eifel tower in the background maybe in the Jardin des Tuileries ... Oooh la la! Oh - and that mint green camera below? I have one just like it for the shoot!

Credits, clockwise from top left: Elizabeth Messina; Camera via Ink on my Fingers; Absinthe bottle; Vogue photo shoot; Image found on Google images; Scene of Paris by Robert and Kathleen Photography; Anemone bouquet found on Google images; Cafe Du Marche.

Announcing the Mikasa contest WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Congratulations to Virginia Rego, who was selected randomly using Random.com.
Virginia, you will be contacted shortly with more information.
Thanks to all who entered the Mikasa contest! :o)

Holiday / Wedding Candle Line-up

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:29:00 +0000

As soon as I feel that first autumn chill, I am always compelled to light some candles at home ... and make a steaming hot pot of soup with some spicy chai tea. There is just something about cooler weather that brings out the nesting instinct, don't you agree?

I've slowly acquired a few favorite holiday scents and thought I'd share my top candle picks with you. I think they would work equally well for a sparkling holiday wedding or an intimate holiday get-together at home {or simple couch-cuddling nights with your honey}.

My favorites, in no particular order:

1. Nest Holiday Candle: One of Mom's friends gave this candle to me on my wedding day. It emits such an ahhhh-maaaazing scent without even being lit. I also adore the simple gold striping on the glass jar - perfect pop of glitz for the holidays. A blend of pomegranate, Mandarin orange, pine, cloves and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla and amber. $32.

2. Yankee Candle Co.'s Mistletoe: Seriously, this is Christmas-in-a-can for me ... it takes me right back to trying so hard to stay up on Christmas Eve so I could "catch/meet" Santa coming down our chimney and never making it ... instead waking up bright and early before my parents and running at break-neck speed out to the living room to first see that Rudolph did, indeed, eat his carrots and that Santa was able to polish off my Mom's homemade cookies and his glass of milk before diving into the presents waiting under the tree. Yep, one whiff of this brings it all back ... obvious choice for Christmas and/or a Christmas wedding {which I LOVE!} ----> Click here to see my written + visual on the perfectly imagined holiday wedding at home. :o) $25-ish usually.

3. Molton Brown Medio Candela in Re-Charge Black Pepper: I love to light this in the fall when I'm having some friends over for dinner. It creates a great spicy energy. Combines the scents of Madagascan black pepper, galbanum, petitgrain, vetyver and Egyptian basil to create a spicy fusion that warms the home. $49

Now that you know my fave holiday scents, I hope you'll share a few of yours! Is there a fabulous scent I'm missing out on and simply must have? Do tell! ;o)

ps. I also loooooooove the idea of using well-crafted soaps to spread divine aromas {at a wedding or at home}. Read my post here on how to use soaps from the South of France as escort cards and more!

Want to avoid cookie-cutter wedding shots? {Tips from a top NYC photog}

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:33:00 +0000

It's photo week on CB! You just learned a few tips on taking your own great honeymoon photos ... now we're going to take a step back and learn from another great photographer about curating fantastic wedding photos and avoiding crummy cookie-cutter wedding photos.

G.E. Masana is a NYC wedding photographer who has been featured in countless wedding magazines and was privileged to shoot the wedding of Vanessa Penna, the Editor of ELLE, as well as the wedding of Diana Bloom, the photo coordinator for Victoria's Secret, among many others. He's obviously coveted in the wedding world and knows his stuff which is why I was rather excited when he shared his fresh vision with me and asked to share a few honest and unfussy tips on achieving meaningful and fabulous wedding photos. Hope you enjoy and learn a few things. From G.E.:

Warning: This is not the kind of information you’ll ever see written in a bridal magazine. These are insights of my own - honed as a working wedding photographer from photographing hundreds of brides and grooms in the NYC area (and sometimes elsewhere).

Be "Camera Unaware"

Have you ever felt the best photos of you were when you didn’t know there was a camera there? So it is on the wedding day. Ignore the camera. Seriously! When you’re involved with your real life moments, having a great time at your wedding, feeling emotions, laughing, crying, interacting with your closest friends, celebrating this amazing day with those you love... you’re not only living your life to the fullest (as you should be)...Your photographer is then free to capture all the natural moments you’re experiencing, getting genuine expressions, reactions of you and everyone and as a result, getting your real memories for you to remember your day with always. But if most of your photos are of you stopping what you’re doing to look at the camera and smile, pose or mug for it, then real moments are being interrupted, missed, overlooked - or worse, stopped from ever happening. And so, in every case, never documented. Forget the camera’s there and get real moments of you enjoying your wedding!

Like this father + daughter moment:

Your Attitude's Showing In Your Photos

Be sure you've given yourself permission on your wedding day to relax, let go, and have fun so you can take in and savor all your great moments! I photographed a wedding where the bride seemed like she was floating on a cloud all day long. She really was! I asked her about it and she told me she was "taking in every second - and loving every moment." The more you can do that, the more you're going to experience an amazing day, have amazing memories - and have the photos which capture it all.

Tip: You can assign someone else to handle anything which needs to be taken care of so you’re free to have fun, enjoy great meaningful moments, and to be yourself, on your day.

The Photographer's Style Matters, Too

Make sure to hire a photographer whose work, style, and personality you connect with. That rapport is key because when the photographer is more like a familiar face, you’re relaxed in front of their camera and free to be yourself. As you look at photographers, check their photos for proof of their ability to capture spontaneous "height-of-moment" interactions without stopping the action or interrupting or making people to pose, to get their shots. Having trust in your photographer that they’re truly unobtrusive (and not just saying so!) frees you from having any concerns about what they’re getting, second-guessing them or feeling like you need to check on them - which in turn means you’ll be enjoying your wedding more... while your photographer documents great moments.

How to avoid this major cause of cause of stress on your day

Poor scheduling of planned photo sessions creates stress and undermines the best efforts so allow some additional time - just in case it's needed. This is one part of the day you shouldn't rush through or try to squeeze in. Your photos will show it if you do. Also the time of day, season, climate and location have an enormous impact on your how your photography turns out. Keep in mind that because "cameras don't take pictures, people do" and that "all photographers are not created equal," one photographer's ability to create stunning images under less than ideal conditions will differ from another's.

So Here’s What To Look For: When you look at their portfolios, you want to see the photographer consistently creates exceptional imagery under many diverse situations, and no matter the type of wedding. The best way to do that is make sure to see different weddings from the same photographer, not just their best shots from their best wedding.

How to Guarantee You Look Gorgeous in Wedding Photos

Just as you'd do a trial run with your hair and makeup to determine how you'll look to everyone in real life, schedule a Pre-Wedding Session with your photographer to see how you'll look in your photos. I often do that with my bridal clients. Contrary to popular thought, great makeup, great hairstyle, and even great genetics are not the biggest factors to looking amazing in photos because when it comes to how you look "in camera," it’s not so much about being photogenic. It's really up to optic principles.

The three big optic principles are:
[1] Highlight and Shadow Contouring,
[2] Camera to Facial Angle Selection,
[3] Lens Compression Optics

A photographer schooled in classic training knows how to use these to have you look stunning in your photos. Knowing up front you’ll look incredible means you can have confidence in your photographer on your wedding day, and be free to be relaxed, natural looking and be yourself in your wedding photos.

What Makes A Wedding Photo Great?

The best wedding photos aren't mere snapshots. Guests can take snapshots. But the best wedding photographers make photos that tell a story. That’s because the better photographers don’t simply "aim and shoot" but purposefully picture sequences of how your day unfolded. Looking at your photos is a richer experience for you every time you view them for the rest of your life when your photographer tells stories with them. I know this for a fact because I still get thank you notes years later from couples because looking at their wedding photos again on their anniversaries and family get-togethers, they’re moved - and so they write to thank me yet again. They mention "story telling" in their photos as a big reason they’re touched.

Thanks for sharing these great tips, G.E.! If you want more on the subject, G.E. has additional tips on his website entitled "20 Questions You Absolutely Need To Ask Every Photographer You Interview" ready for download.

G.E. Masana has been interviewed in the two leading professional photography journals, RANGEFINDER and STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE, and published in nationally renowned wedding magazines such as MARTHA STEWART WEDDINGS, THE KNOT, BRIDES, ELEGANT BRIDE, BRIDAL GUIDE and TOWN & COUNTRY WEDDINGS among others. His wedding client list includes Jen Chapin, singer songwriter and daughter of the legendary Harry Chapin; Vanessa Penna, Editor, ELLE; Gaines Peyton, co-owner Sears-Peyton Gallery, NYC; Diana Bloom, Photo Coordinator for Victoria's Secret, NYC; Evan Galbraith, son of Evan G. Galbraith, former Ambassador to France; Randolph Pratt, son of Pfizer Pharmaceutical's Chairman Emeritus Edmund Pratt; Timothy Breese Miller of the New York City Metropolitan Opera; Rebecca Odes, author and co-founder of gURL.com; Barrie Gillies, Writer, BRIDE'S magazine, among many others.

You still have time to enter the Mikasa giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:03:00 +0000

For the crazy simple directions on entering to win 8 Mikasa place settings:
http://classicbride.blogspot.com/2011/11/sponsored-post-mikasa-love-story-8.html

Good luck!

How to make your honeymoon photos POP! {w/fab photog Laura Monfredini}

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:58:00 +0000

Last week, I shared a gorgeous Irish wedding shot by Laura Monfredini. I loved her photography style so much that I started exploring her blog and noticed several images taken during a recent European vacay. I always find it interesting to peek into vacation photos taken by professional photographers ... seeing what they focus on, how they frame the shot ... it's almost like a free class on composition for amateurs like me. ;o)

So I started thinking ... how great would it be if Laura shared some tips for making vacay photos POP ... like, say, for your honeymoon???? Well, lucky for you and me {as I'm about to set sail on a 10-day Mediterranean cruise -yay!!}, Laura agreed! Read on for her fabulous advice:

I was so excited when Sarah asked if I would do a guest post for Classic Bride with some tips for making your honeymoon pictures better. I just love photography, and honeymoons, and giving out advice, so I couldn't wait to jot down my ideas. Here's my top 10 to get you started & I'd be more than happy to answer questions in the comments:

1. Have a camera with you. This may seem completely obvious, but the best way to make sure you have great pictures is to take a camera with you. It's a little easier to have a camera on hand these days with all the smart phones out there, but I like to have a little more flexibility with my shots than those offer. Because I'm a total photo nerd, I usually have one of my SLRs with me, but even I don't like to carry them when I just want to go out and enjoy the day. For the normal couple on a honeymoon, I recommend getting a really great pocket camera. I have a Canon s95 & have taken this little guy with me on tons of trips. It's a great camera for serious photographers because it has manual controls (I can pick my f-stops and shutter speeds!) & they're so easy to use that I think anyone could pick them up pretty quickly. It's on the more expensive side of pocket cameras, so if it's a little out of your budget, I'd suggest looking into an older, used model (I think it was called the s90).

2. Learn what your camera can do. This goes along with No. 1, know your equipment. Play around before you go. Learn a little about photography -- there are some great online resources (I like "Short Courses in Digital Photography" http://www.shortcourses.com/ ) that will explain the basics of how f-stops and shutter speeds work. For those of you who already know such things, my tip is to shoot people on low f-stops and to slightly overexpose (you do this by adjusting your shutter speed and ISO on a digital camera). A slight overexposure will erase wrinkles. It's like building photoshop right into your camera. For landscapes and architecture, you want to shoot on a higher f-stop and faster shutter speed to capture details.

3. Shoot what inspires you. I've noticed when I travel that if one tourist takes out a camera and shoots something, that almost every other tourist with a camera in the near vicinity will try to take the same picture. I'd suggest thinking about what you really want to take a picture of and what inspires you and focusing on that. I never remember (or care) about certain statues or castles or churches. I like to shoot the feeling of the place I'm in. I focus on getting the overall scene and then zooming in on some element of it that will tell a bigger story. I skip the things I'm "supposed" to shoot. I look for my own "postcard" shots.

4. Shoot your story too. Not every shot has to be postcard beautiful either. Don't forget to take pictures of the funny things that happen and that you see -- random signs, weird things you ordered to eat that just were not what you were expecting, local Starbucks offerings, whatever you're into and that you just get a kick out of. Those make for the best stories, in my opinion.

5. Don't forget the people. I think that the people in any given place are just as interesting as the architecture. I take a lot of pictures of locals and tourists. I would just recommend not forgetting to respect the subjects -- some people don't want to be photographed, and some local spots ask you not to. Just pay attention and you should be okay.

6. Ask a lot of people to take pics of you for you. Confession: I am not good about just handing my camera over to strangers to ask them to photograph me and my guy (Bill) because I worry too much that I'll ask the wrong person to take my picture and they'll run off with my camera. When I am more trusting, this is one of the best tips I have. Ask people to take your picture & ask someone else to do it again right away & then ask someone else. It can be hard to find a good photographer on the fly, but you can mitigate against this problem by having a lot of different people take your picture. You'll be happy to have some options when you get home.

7. Photo each other. Some of my most favorite shots ever are the ones that my guy has snapped of me in candid moments & that I've taken of him the same way. Turn the camera on each other & try to sneak a shot here & there. Since Bill is my photo partner, I just crack myself up taking pictures of him taking pictures. These always make me smile & think about how lucky we are to share a passion.

8. Plan a photo project. I love to discover things that are very "local" and to shoot a series that focuses on these things. A few years ago, Bill and I vacationed in Cape Cod & shot cottage doors. They were all brightly colored, unique but unified in their concept. I'm also partial to window boxes, cafe set-ups, anything that instantly transports me back to the place I visited. It can be fun to look for these things together & they make for a great souvenir if you frame the pictures together or in a collage when you get home.

9. Look for the light. Every photographer out there, myself included, is prone to waxing on and on about "the light". That's because it's just really really really important. Great light = great photos. Early morning light is lovely & so is the late afternoon light right before sunset. Bill and I plan to take photo walks during these times and we leave museum going to the harsh light of mid-day.

10. Composition is King. When I was first learning photography in college, my professor really emphasized composition. It's not something that gets as much discussion these days with all the focus on the technical side of photography, but in my mind, composition is still absolutely critical to great photography. I was taught to pause before you click & look around the whole frame of your photo to see if you like what's there. This takes a little more time and isn't easy to do, but it does come more naturally if you start training your eye to do this. There also are technical tricks you can learn to help with this, like the "rule of thirds" (google it for a lot of commentary) & they are a good starting point to get your mind thinking about composition when you're looking through the lens. Put it on your reading list along with your camera manual!

10. Leave the camera home (or at least in your bag) when you really just want to unplug, unwind, and enjoy the moment. Sometimes you need to put the camera down to get inspired all over again.

Fabulous tips, Laura! Thanks so much for sharing your insight! I love that you mention 'people shots' ... on my last vacation a few weeks ago {to the French Riviera and Provence region}, I felt so inspired by an older lady's impossibly chic ensemble {it included a cape and fabulously huge sunglasses} that I was compelled to snap an inconspicuous shot of her. She just seemed to ooze French refinement and embodied the intangible essence of the Côte d'Azur. I love the idea that a person can speak just as loudly and tell just as great a story as a cafe scene or historic setting. I will make sure to try and capture more interesting people on my next vacay! ;o)

Cheers to great vacation + honeymooning photos! And, remember, if you have any questions, ask Laura in the comments! :o)

Need some {crazy beautiful} place settings? I've got the contest for you! ;o)

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:19:00 +0000

Hey loves, don't forget about the fabulous contest currently going on - you could win 8 place settings from Mikasa! Perfect for a newlywed nest, no?!

Click here to read the uber simple rules on entering!