Posts Tagged: city wedding photos
Lighting, Weddings and Musts to Know
We thought – with so many in the depths of planning weddings – that we would share some of our expert advice about timing. This is not timing as in “did he propose in the middle of your grandfather’s funeral?” (Guys: don’t do that, mkay?)
We’re talking about timing so that your photographer can get the shots you really want on the day of your wedding. Brides and grooms have gone to the trouble of thinking through what moments and people they would like captured, where they are having their weddings and choosing the season. But one of the things that needs to be considered most during planning is timing. It’s important in comedy and it’s important on your wedding day.
- What time does sunset occur?
- What time should your ceremony start and how long will the ceremony portion last?
- Do you want lots of shots taken outdoors?
- Where will your reception be and do we need to allow for drive time while the sun shines?
Much of our pricing depends on the amount of photo coverage hours needed, so planning ahead is key.
Ryan and I begin photographing approximately two hours before the ceremony for those couples who do not plan to see each other beforehand, which is customary. I work with the bride, bridesmaids and the bride’s family for an hour and can capture shots of her getting ready and transforming herself and spending quality time with specific people. This allows us to get all the fun of the preparation while still giving the bride time to freshen her make-up and ready herself for walking down the aisle. If a bride wants photos of her hair and makeup being done, we’ll need even more time, but we can help you get that sorted out when we speak.
Ryan photographs the groom, groomsmen and groom’s family during the second hour. This allows us to complete all photos that do not include the bride and groom together before the ceremony gets underway. You’re up, you’re fresh and ready and excited and it just makes sense. It makes the process more efficient following the ceremony and allows the couple to get to their reception sooner.
Following the ceremony we need 30-45 minutes (depending on wedding party and family size) to photograph the bride and groom together with their families and wedding party. We prefer to begin with family first, then the wedding party, and then with just the bride and groom for the most amount of time. We know that you want to join the party that is YOUR celebration, so having a plan and knowing where the sun will be if you want outdoor photos is something we can anticipate and create for you.
If you’re interested in seeing more of our weddings, visit that page of our blog where you can see the anticipatory beginnings, tender middles and lovely ends to ceremonies across seasons. Here is also a blog of ours for those interested in seeing how lighting can affect the details of a wedding and make them truly shine.
During the reception, we photograph candid moments of all kinds and do not interrupt the bride and groom for posed photos. We want you to mingle and celebrate, dance, eat and enjoy your day. Those moments make amazing photos anyway. The only exception we make is if the couple requests sunset photos at which point we will watch for the perfect moment before stealing the couple away from the reception for a minimal amount of time.
Most receptions last 3-4 hours, so if a couple plans a formal exit complete with sparklers, bubbles, and a getaway car, they will likely want us to photograph that exit and stay until the end. However, if a couple does not plan a formal exit and anticipates staying until the last guest leaves, then they can plan on less photography coverage hours and we will slip out (after hugs, a last check-in and goodbyes) and let you keep partying.
For us, lighting your day is important and we know how to handle it. You have other things to think about, so once you’ve chosen place, season, type of wedding and time of day, we’ll know how to counsel you and make things work.
While your wedding is photographed to memorialize it and is a big production, it is also one of the biggest milestones in a person’s life. We want you to feel the joy of the day and not just like you’re modeling or being posed. So consider the season, the time of day, time changes for daylight savings if those apply, how much of the behind the scenes you want captured, as well as the outdoor and natural light and we’ll do our best. To help, here is a favorite website we use to determine sunset time.
After all the planning, it’s an adventure! Let the magic happen!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
wedding venue spotlight: holiday inn city center, charlotte
Wedding clients tend to search for locations that will do two handfuls of things really well, AND be easy to get to AND have great views, catering options, a Plan B space and all sorts of other amenities and accommodations. Take a thoughtful look at the Holiday Inn City Center Charlotte. This may be exactly what you’re casting for.
We want to see the sky, but be cool inside for our August wedding. Is that possible? Does the venue have rooms for everyone and places to gather between events? Can we be inside for the ceremony and then walk a short distance and be outside? Are there things to do around the venue? Can we dance underneath the stars at our reception?
Yes – to all of those. Charlotte is a big place, but you can gather those you love in one single spot and celebrate. The Holiday Inn has everything in terms of help with planning, catering, rooms, of course, a gorgeous open patio to say vows beneath and outside its walls is a city ready to be discovered and roamed and played in.
We’ve photographed lots of weddings there and the number of indoor and outdoor options for amazing photos, regardless of the time of year, is noteworthy. The windows and reflections, lighting and skyline are all perfect for weddings and parties of all kinds.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
2015 Pixels highlight reel ~ part deux – WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!
Starry, starry night in the mountains
As a followup to our engagement highlight reel for 2015, you knew we had to do a wedding version; I mean, c’mon. It’s fun for us to remember and reminisce about the couples and their families, but also about the locations, the weather, the unexpected moments that entered our lenses and the magic that happens when a planned photo has an element of surprise. Whether these couples were basking in “end of the night starlight” or nestled on a rainy church lawn, in a field with horses or smooching under a glass roof, they were in their own perfect moment. Here are just a few of our favorite shots from the weddings Pixels had the privilege to photograph.
Above are Micala and Tyler at their reception. See more of their wedding in Todd, NC and reception in Laurel Springs.
Below are Rebekah and Josh. Their wedding is a guide for any couple who have a theme in mind. They didn’t miss a single detail.
Wedding with Scottish details and Scottish weather
This outdoor wedding provided us with so many opportunities to experiment (including the shot below) and so many moments of tenderness with the couple and family.
Caught in God’s perfect light…
This shot of Meghann is not from her wedding, but from her bridal session, but we had to include it. Taken near her family’s farm in Warrensville, NC, she took our breath away in every shot.
Bride in a perfect mountain landscape
A Charlotte City Center wedding is an event unto itself, but these two only saw each other that day. Their wedding under a glass ceiling was gorgeous and special. We love this shot.
Center City Charlotte rooftop kiss
Whitney and Preston’s wedding was deeply personal and rife with details about them.
Joy in the meadow
The best portraits aren’t always of the bride and groom. This one of Sarah and her decorated military dad was just too perfect. And so was her wedding to Danny. Not one shot of Sarah and Danny disappoints.
Father and bride….
Katie and Josh’s wedding managed to be Elegant Celebration and Crazy Party in one evening. Autumnal details for the groomsmen’s ties and bridesmaids’ bouquets at the wedding gave way to glowing necklaces and bracelets for the reception.
The Big Send Off in Blowing Rock, NC
A fan favorite as weddings and wedding stories go – Elisabeth and Isaac. These two decided to buy a house and up-end the whole wedding timeline. It didn’t stop them from having a brilliantly simple and gorgeous Tanglewood Park wedding, though.
“We did it!”
Amber and Andy’s wedding was special for so many reasons, not the least of which was that they were starting a new family with Andy’s young daughter and cementing a new life anchored in love, respect and joy. This shot captured part of that vibe.
A New Family Story Begins
So many of our favorite shots of brides and grooms are taken outside where nature can play a role. This one of Kendall and Nathan though was just perfect. See some of them outside as well at their lovely wedding in Wilkesboro, NC.
A private moment in the pews
We are booking weddings for 2016 and 2017 and would love to help capture the moments that solidify memories – both planned and unexpected. Call us at 336.990.0080 or email us mail@pixelsonpaper.net and let’s get started!
Summer Rooftop Wedding in Center City Charlotte
Summer is done, at least by the calendar, but we never tire of celebrating a summer event and Sherea Jones and David Johnson’s wedding was absolutely awash in summer light. They were married on the rooftop of the Holiday Inn at Center City, Charlotte on a beautiful day in June. This teacher & head football coach and his gorgeous girl gathered along with their dearest family and friends – most from out of town – to celebrate a union, tell stories and dance.
We shot their engagement photos in March of 2014, so seeing them again and watching them seal the deal surrounded by so much love was immensely satisfying.
We’re always interested in high points from the day, naturally, and the best memories from their point of view. They told us that included in their favorites were seeing each other for the first time, dancing with friends and family (and THEY ALL DID; it was party people!!), how gorgeous the food looked and how yummy it tasted, the weather and the overall sense of happiness everyone shared. Sherea and David also shared that one of their biggest laughs came when they were discussing all the things that COULD have gone wrong, but didn’t.
Their day was amazing and we loved being a part of it! We have more summer wedding stories and events to share, but this continuum from engagement to the day itself was a blast!