As a wedding photographer in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, one of the areas of wedding planning that can make the biggest difference for the final album is the wedding day timeline.
Here are some issues to think about when developing your timeline:
- First Look
- Greeting Guests (Most of our clients do not do this)
- Distance between ceremony and reception locations
- Family Photo Session
- Cocktail Hour
- Garter and Bouquet toss
As you prepare for your wedding day photography one of the best things you can do with your photographer is have an engagement session. Some of the benefits of doing an engagement session are:
- You get to know your photographer better.
- By practicing some key poses you are better prepared for wedding day photography.
- This session will help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera.
- Of course, you will receive lots of fun photos to remember your courtship.
- Many people use the photos in their save the date cards or for additional printed material on wedding day.
- It is lots of fun. Just look at some of the photos below.
With all these benefits in mind it makes sense to plan accordingly to get the most out of your engagement session. Here are some points to ponder if you are planning your engagement session with Matt Mason Photography:
Beautiful, timeless, romantic, fun, exciting, precious, emotional, anticipation, tradition, memorable. These are all words to describe weddings. However, some people attach other words: Stressful, nerve wracking, busy, pressure, appearances, expectations, superstitions.
One of the more stressful parts of the happy couple’s day centers around not seeing each other before the ceremony. Tradition dictates that the groom waits too see his bride until the moment when the beautiful bride in all her glory walks down the aisle. This is a splendid moment full of emotion. There is no doubt, as a photographer, that this is a very exciting moment to capture.
We love stepping into a reception hall and seeing all the hard work and preparation that our brides put into their wedding reception. There is something so special and unique with all our receptions. In our 2014 best of series we are sharing some of our favorite photos and today we share our best of reception photos.
We love shooting the rings. There is something beautiful and symbolic about the love each couple shares. Every ring and ring combination is unique and presents a new challenge to make an image that is artistic and memorable from the wedding day.
Rings represent life long commitment, a covenant that is sealed with the giving of rings. There are very few things from the wedding that last. The food and cake are eaten the decorations are thrown away, the flowers fade and what is left over for generations? The rings and the photos.
Enjoy some of our 2014 favorite ring shots...
At Matt Mason Photography we love working with the wedding party. Big or small we enjoy seeing the love and support the bride and groom receive from the closest people in their lives. We see it all. We have shot wedding parties that are larger than some entire wedding celebrations.
We also recognize that the wedding party is making a personal sacrifice to take photos that will be forever remembered in the couple's album so we try to make it fun and interesting for everyone. Not every day is 70 degrees with a nice breeze....
One of the most important portrait sessions of the day is the romantic session. We get to see the personalities of the couple and the passion for each other really shine. We like to see a blend of candid moments mixed with some nice posing. We never feel like there is too much time in the day for the romantic session. Look below at some of our favorite 2014 Romantic images.
The sun has come out and the seasons have finally changed. Summer is here. Memorial Day weekend always amazes me. My 6-mile "commute" over to the studio increases a good 40% in time (not distance) from this holiday until Labor Day. People start showing up--everywhere. It all becomes a bit more touristy but it's summer and I love it. I, Jake Schnake, was born and raised around the lake and have spent every summer of my life enjoying its beauty. It amazes me it never gets old. There are certainly days I would love to move out west to some majestic backdrop for life and photography but there is always the raw beauty found along the shores of Geneva Lake.
I look over and my assistant is crying during the father/daughter dance. She had never even met this couple and the love dad had for her daughter moved her into tears. And it would be a lie to say I've been tear free from every reception.
It is such a wonderful time to share in the 'once here, quickly gone' moments. Brief moments. We have the honor of capturing these memories and moments that quickly fade into history without the photographic reminder. We are so thankful for the privilege of preserving such important moments and cannot wait to be a part of many special more this coming season.
