Hey Friends + Fam!

I’m Kirsten (pronounced “Keer-stin”) and I’ll be the wedding photographer for this incredibly special couple!

You are their loved ones and distinguished VIPs we’ve already heard so much about, making my team and I especially excited to meet all of you as we join in celebration and spend the day together!

We want to ensure that this photography experience feels easygoing, natural, and straightforward, encouraging everyone to feel free to just relax and be themselves, while also having a clear picture of the photography-based particulars and details through the course of the day. Not only are we here to clarify logistical and timeline details and help with any other questions, but we are empathetically present and accounted for with moral support as well! :)

Wedding days are so fun, beautiful, emotional, and extraordinary in so many ways. That said, they can also feel stressful, overwhelming, uncomfortable, and confusing sometimes too. And no matter how many weddings someone has experienced in their lifetime, through whatever role they played in regard, each and every matrimonial adventure is different in just about every way possible. Because of these traits, weddings could be seen as little microcosms of life… as they are comprised of family members and friends, decisions and plans, emotions and feelings, reflective of cumulative, personal experience and perspective of each person included. In my 12+ years of experience as a wedding photographer, having planned my own wedding, and serving as a bridesmaid for several close friends and family members, I consider myself to be highly attuned to the details and dynamics that weddings entail.

With this in mind, I’d like for each of you to consider my team and I to be advocates and an open reference guide at any time throughout the process, whether it be during the months and weeks of planning, or throughout the course on the wedding day itself. It’s my goal to offer a grounding sense of direction and peace, with seasoned advice and objective perspective if it’s asked of me.

There are so many incredible moments that take place over the course of these days that we feel so privileged and honored to be present for and document. The tender-hearted, heart-pounding, nostalgic, tear-jerking ones, as well as the overly sensational, hysterically funny, epically signature split-second moments and memories of all of you just being yourselves and making memories… That’s what we’re here for. The authentically unforgettable and timelessly capture-worthy. The true, honest, and real versions of every one of you, and of course our couple too. :)

So who are we, you might ask? :)

I’ll be the one interacting with each of you most directly over the course of the day, photographing each segment, portrait, group shot, and detail. You can come to me with just about anything, and I’ll be happy to listen, guide, or help in any way I can. I’m very friendly and relaxed, love to listen, appreciate, and observe, tuning into the little details and anticipating special split-seconds. I am most often smiling and photographing, but sometimes you might see me seemingly staring at something randomly, making a funny face, or thinking. This is most often because I’m reading light, thinking through the timeline, or pondering something relating to my composition or settings. :)

My style is very documentary and organic, so I don’t pose much or direct unless I find it to be absolutely necessary. I want all of those organic moments to happen naturally without my input, so I wait patiently for them without saying much to disturb the natural flow. But if you would like direction or guidance, please don’t be shy and let me know how I can make you feel more at ease! I completely understand that being photographed is not always the most comfortable experience.

Now let me introduce my AMAZING assistant… :)

together as a team, we like to practice balance between being happily present, helpful when needed, and an integral part of the day, while simultaneously being unobtrusive and unnoticed, documenting quietly as each moment plays out organically. So while we’d like to connect with you and make ourselves at home as part of your new family members. :) we also hope you don’t notice us at all so you can freely be yourselves and take each moment in without even noticing the camera.

what to expect on the wedding day

Getting Ready

Make sure to have everything you need upon arriving to your getting ready location in a timely manner. Store your things in an organized fashion, somewhere sensible in the space that doesn’t add to clutter or a messy look. This part of the day can feel emotional, scattered, and a bit stressful, so having a good sense of order with tangible items will help create a sense of peace within the space. Remember to be loving, supportive, helpful, attentive, and respectful to the couple and their parents especially, as this is their day, one they have waited for their whole lives. Just relax and be yourselves. Make sure you eat something balanced and be mindful of alcohol consumption during this part of the day so you can be sure to enjoy it with a present heart and mind throughout the day until it’s really time to let loose later on. :)

Pre-Ceremony group photos

If there’s a First Look in the timeline, the couple will see each other for this private moment and have some photos taken together before it’ll be time for group shots where you’ll all be included. This is a good time for you to use the restroom, eat something, make a trip to your car with your belongings, touch up your makeup, etc.

Once we’re ready, Sarah will come let you all know where to be for photos. We’ll typically begin with Bridal Party group photos first, so the family members have freedom to finish getting ready, greet other members as they arrive, etc. We’ll capture each of you with the couple individually, and then photograph all of you together as a group.

After Bridal Party photos are complete, Sarah will gather the family members and we will capture group photos in order of what we have listed in our notes, based on our planning conversations with the couple. Any requests outside of what we have in our notes can absolutely be fulfilled, if time allows, once we’ve gone through the listed combinations of family members first. :)

Oh and feel free to bring your drinks along if the venue allows, and just have fun. Tell stories or share memories together if something sweet comes to mind. And just do your best to be present and enjoy being together on this special day. It can feel overwhelming sometimes, but that’s why it’s great to capture these photos before the ceremony, so everyone can relax that much more afterwards, and get to spend time with all the other loved ones who are present too.

We like to keep it simple and rolling along without a bunch of overly posed variations and different locations. Our goal is to take a few great shots and get going onto enjoying the rest of the day together.

Post-Ceremony

If the couple did not opt for a First Look, we’ll be taking group photos immediately following the ceremony, so please DO NOT GO FAR from the end of the aisle once the processional has ended. Be sure to let all family members you wish to be included in the photos know that photos will be taken at the altar. If another space is designated, we will of course let everyone know asap. This could happen if there is a harsh change in lighting, weather, or if we simply choose to photograph elsewhere for a better creative composition. Either way, good communication is key from all parties! This will help avoid precious time lost, confusion, and the potential for frustration. It’ll also help make sure all of the special members are included in each particular photograph.

We’ll start with photographing family members first, likely beginning with capturing the couple with their grandparents. We’ll capture everyone in order of the list we have from the couple, and any additional requests can be photographed after our list has been completed, as long as time allows. Anything additional can always be captured during the reception!

Cocktail Hour

This is one of my absolute favorite parts of the day! We love capturing every element of this fun time where your families and friends come together in celebration, sometimes for the very first time! Everyone looks fab and is fresh and ready for the night to begin. They’re excited to see what’s being served and can’t wait to sip on something chilled, boozy, and fun while mingling and conversing with everyone.

Morgan and/or I will be walking around capturing candid moments and details of the food and beverages, so feel free to snag us for a shot if there’s a particular photo you’d like!

We like to walk around and silently ponder to ourselves about who we’ll eventually see cutting a rug on the dance floor later! ;)

Extended Family Groups

After dinner’s been served and speeches are over, the dance floor is typically opened up. Anytime during the dancing portion of the night is a great time to pull other extended family members and friends for group photos together. We like to check in with the couple before heading out to make sure we’ve captured everything they wished for, going over our list of notes together to be sure we covered everyone.

thank you

What an honor it is for all of us to be part of this incredible day with these two. I mean, they could have just gone off and gotten married somewhere by themselves, but they wanted all of US to be present too, and that’s pretty darn special.

It’s such a privilege to have beautiful memories like the ones we’re all about to make together! We’re really looking forward to coming together for these two, supporting and loving them, celebrating them, and encouraging them as they step into this next chapter of their lives together. It’s going to be amazing and I can’t wait for the day to get here!

Thank you in advance to each of you for making such a great experience for us to witness and be a part of. We love what we do to our cores, and it’s truly because of people like you that give us the WHY behind this incredible profession we call “work”.

Can’t wait to have some FUN and share in all the good vibes together!

✌🏼🖤,
Kirsten