Five favorite things: Weddings

I adore photographing weddings. Capturing real moments as they happen is always so much fun, and it makes me so happy to see two people so in love that they are committing their lives to each other. Weddings are a combination of portraits, styling details, documentary and family photos, but it is so amazing to put that all together for a story from the big day.

1. Ring details.

Ring shots are some of my favorite details from they day. The engagement and wedding rings last past the wedding day, and their significance needs to be documented.

The engagement ring is the pivotal thing that took it from a relationship to an engagement. It is the beginning of a larger commitment, the promise to be there for each other for the rest of forever. Agreeing to bind your lives together in front of the people who are the most important to you (if that’s the route you choose) is such a monumental thing. While the wedding day is amazing, incredible and a celebration; the important thing is the relationship and commitment that is being celebrated. A wedding is one day. The marriage is forever.

2. Bride and groom portraits.

I ask them to kiss. A lot. It’s their day to celebrate their love, and I think it is important for that to be on display as often as possible.

The bride and groom spend so much time preparing for this day, but the reason for the big, white dress and everything else is their love; and I want to make sure to capture that as authentically as I can.

3. Flowers.

They reflect the theme of the day, decorate the ceremony location and spruce up the reception hall. The bride and her maids carry them, and while the tradition may not have been born of the romance we associate with a wedding day (people smelled, guys … like so bad they had to carry flowers to mask the scent; among other reasons for the long-held tradition), the flowers are gorgeous and add to the overall story of the day.

4. The dress.

It is worn for one day, but the time and energy that go into finding that perfect dress for a bride’s big day needs to be showcased. And they are all so different and as unique as the brides’ personalities. When you think about weddings, the dress is always one of the first things to come to mind.

5. Wedding party photos.

These are the people you asked to stand with you, to support you as you embark on this new journey. The photos with them should be fun and full of energy. They should reflect your relationship with those closest to you. I will gladly take a photo of a group of people laughing together over standing with fake smile any day. I want to look back at photos and be able to recall exactly how it felt to be in that moment, and photos that express that natural emotion are a favorite of mine.

To book your wedding or engagement session, you can contact me at kelsey(at)kelseyalumbaugh(dot)com. Follow @kelseyalumbaugh on Instagram to see the more photos and like me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/kelseyalumbaughphotography to see more of my work.