The very first day Jeff and I came in to work at the new studio, the painting contractor brought in the owner of a local paint store so that he could ask him a question. On his way out, the owner turned to me (sitting happily behind my new desk) and asked what kind of pictures we took. I pulled out one of my favorite wedding storybooks and showed him exactly what our style was. He said, “My daughter just got engaged and she’s looking for something like this”. *did a little jig in my heart*

Then he told me her wedding date. And all I could remember was that almost everything in the summer was completely booked. I couldn’t image that weekend still being open. But when we checked our calendar… there it was. The last available date for summer ‘08! I was even more thrilled when she and her mother came in for an interview and were excited about our work!

Today we did Allison’s engagement shoot and got to meet her football player fiancé, Brick. I don’t know if that’s his birth name, or the name you give a line backer so that people on opposing teams will fear him. Either way, we think it’s super cool… until I’m telling Allison to lean against the brick and she thinks I mean him and not the wall behind her.

I know this is hard to believe, but we’re totally and completely (over) booked through the end of August! Absolutely no spots left! And even though it seems insanely early, I wanted to give a heads up that we’re now booking for the Fall, which is CHRISTMAS SHOOT TIME!

Deadlines:

Last date for Christmas shoot: December 5th
Last date for Christmas orders: December 12th

For those with older children who won’t be changing much in a few months time, I ask that you try to book our earlier Fall slots, so that those with infants can get the dates closer to Christmas.

Outdoor shoots only occur in the late afternoon, which means that there’s only one spot per day. These go faster than in-studio spots, so if it’s what you’re hoping to have, call early!

Christmas Card Prices:

Design fee: $25 (includes one tweak)
Extra design time: $5 per tweak
Price: $1 per card (no envelopes)

Cards can be custom designed based on an idea from you (routed through Melanie’s style-meter) … or can be chosen from a group of previously designed cards that you can simply replace with your own image. There is a wide range of creativity in this area. From something busy and fun, to something simple. Cards can showcase several images, or just one large portrait. It’s totally up to you.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail!

Hope to see you in the Fall!!

-Melanie

After two reschedules due to wind (of all things!), nothing was going to stop me from getting to today’s shoot! Not even a nasty case of bronchitis! Luckily (but not happily), Melissa was sick, too… so she didn’t give me a sideways look when I apologized for coughing so much. We sounded like a couple of seals barking. But the shoot was a success!

The WORST part of being a wedding photographer? Taking bridal shots a month before a wedding and NOT being able to show off how awesome they are!!!! *shakes fist at Miss Connell*

Today was dubbed Lewis Family Day as we hosted the family at our guest house and studio for the afternoon, helping them NOT have to trek back to Goldsboro, only to return a few hours later for our church’s Seder service. They’re now in the Three Kids Club and have learned that you no longer get pictures of yourself once children are in the mix. So we goofed off a bit today and got some cute shots of Mommy & Daddy as Husband and Wife. Very worthwhile.

Typically, what can make or break the success of an overall wedding photography set isn’t in the beauty of the bride’s dress or the uniqueness of rings (though that doesn’t hurt!). It’s actually in the details; the flowers… the instruments… the wedding favors. These things are what will make your wedding stand out from the others. Try to find something other couples haven’t used. It might be a color that can be translated throughout the day in different ways. It might be a type of flower that you don’t see very often (if at all). It might be the sash on a reception hall chair or a myriad of other things that can take the look of your wedding to the next level. As photographers, we’re interested in so many aspects of your day because it all works its’ way into our images. The more we have to work with, the more you’ll love the final product.

Take a look at these shots from Meridith’s wedding this past December. She had a wonderful venue (The Umstead Hotel in Raleigh), gorgeous dresses and Scottish men in kilts. But what struck me as totally unique were her flowers. I’m usually not a fan of bridal bouquets that lack color, but her choice was so outstanding that it made the white work! Couple that with the bright lilies carried by her sister and you have an amazing scheme.

Her ceremony had a string quartet situated to the side, which opened itself up for me to maneuver around for specially composed shots. The traditional Jewish Chuppah provided a wonderful bit of bokeh (blur) in the background to offset the scroll of the instrument.

And here’s my favorite image from the day. It shows what can happen when we’re just “testing out lighting” *wink* and no one’s paying any attention to us. Of course, it helps that Meridith is extremely elegant and poised.

We want our brides to feel free to show us their ideas and ask if they’ll translate well into pictures. Because sometimes, things just don’t go over as well as you’d hope. Lucky for us, we’ve just about seen it all! So drop us a line… give us your best detail idea or ask us what we’ve seen that really knocked our socks off. A few well placed concepts really do go a long way!