Things I’d love to photograph at a wedding:
• Different religions and traditions (so far I’ve covered Catholic, Jewish, Christian, Military, Non-Denominational, Quaker, Chinese Tea Ceremonies, and will get to shoot a Buddhist wedding this August)
• Same Sex wedding
• Man of Honor or a Best Woman
• Bridesmaids with parasols
• Swaths of fabric draped from the ceiling
• A big barn wedding reception
• A wedding dress in a nontraditional color
• Any place I’ve never shot
• Groom/groomsmen with fun socks
• Bunting flags
• A wedding dress with frills and ruffles out the wazoo
• A flower girl with wings
• A creative getaway (bicycle built for two? dogsled team? rickshaw? hot air balloon? magical glass elevator?)
And I always love:
• vibrant colored shoes peeking out from under a bride’s dress (bonus points for the groom w/ matching socks)
• Ring bearer pooch
• Stripes or polka dots galore
• Photo table numbers (great use for those e-session pics)
• Uplighting and other lighting effects to enhance a room
• Veils – especially birdcage and cathedrals
• “Living room” lounges
• Lots of big paper lanterns
• Shockingly awesome reception wedding dresses
• Outdoor spaces and natural light
• Tea length wedding gowns
• Candles and twinkle lights everywhere
Basically I love photographing weddings with quirks. I like seeing new things. I like weddings that aren’t your standard wedding celebrations. Long wood tables with burlap runners and candles everywhere? Count me in. Big white modern room with brilliant splashes of color and custom cocktails? Oh yes. Italian countryside-inspired outdoor fete at sunset? Si per favore.
Any of these themes strike your fancy?
50s era
Daffodils
Pinwheels & Lollipops
Skeleton Keys
Tumbleweeds
Lavender
Spanish Moss
Apples
Antique Typewriters
Seersucker
Alice in Wonderland
Cotton Candy & Lemonade
Poinsettias
Bumblebees
Starry Night
Bastille Day
Rock-n-roll
Grandma’s Rose Garden
Apothecary Jars
Pick an idea and indulge! It’s your wedding day so make it yours. Hire a wedding planner to help you realize your vision. If one is out of your budget, get elbows deep in the world of weddings and play around. Ask friends who have been married, ask your vendors, ask me!
For a little inspiration, here are just a handful of the wedding blogs that I follow:
Style Me Pretty
Wedding Paper Divas
Once Wed
The Wedding Chicks
100 Layer Cake
Snippet & Ink
Elizabeth Anne Designs
The Bride’s Café
Polka Dot Bride
Offbeat Bride
Something Old, Something New
Classic Bride
So dish… What inspires your wedding vision?
“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.”
~Bo Bennett
