We are SO excited to announce that we were involved in two Style Me Pretty features in two days! It’s hard enough to be featured once, so imagine our surprise when we found out that two of the weddings we were involved in were selected, and we were even more surprised when they were published back to back!

Be sure to click here and here to see the full posts. There’s a whole lot of pretty to inspire you!

If you’re anything like me, one of the first questions I always ask before doing anything is “What am I going to wear?!” An engagement photo shoot would be no exception. Engagement photos are a great way to capture the beginning of a new chapter of your lives together, and also serve as a nice way to announce your engagement to friends and family. However, your beautiful, smiling faces are just a part of these photos, there are many factors to consider such as your clothing and props. Now, we are not professional photographers by any means, but we feel like we have seen enough engagement photos to have a good idea about what looks good and what doesn’t. So, with that said, here are some of our top tips for how to look your best for your engagement photos!

Photo by Kelsey Lauren Photography

Be yourselves! No matter what outfits you settle on, make sure they reflect who you are as a couple. The best photos are ones where your personalities shine through!

Be comfortable! This means that the clothes should not only fit well (no one wants to have to constantly remember to suck that tummy in), but also make you feel great. Not sure if you’re going to be able to stand steadily in the brand new stilettos you just bought? Skip them! Go with your trusty wedges that not only make your legs look great, but are also easy to walk in. When in doubt, stick with the classics and basics. If you’re not sure if the clothes you want to wear are just a part of a “phase” or an effort to keep up with a “trend,” consider sticking with a simple dress that will never go out of style instead. The little black dress is popular for a reason; you won’t look back at your engagement photos in 20 years and wonder “what was I thinking?” The typical couple picks 2-3 different outfits for their photo shoot. Your outfits should work well together, but don’t necessarily need to be identical. For instance, it might look kind of odd if you were wearing a casual sundress while your fiancé was wearing a formal suit and tie. Try having him wear a casual button down and jeans to go with your sundress and you can wear a cocktail dress to go with his suit an tie outfit.

Photo by Kelsey Lauren Photography

Don’t forget about your hands, feet, and shoes! Get a manicure and pedicure before the photo shoot. Your hands need to look great because there are going to be a lot of photos of your ring! Some people forget, but photographers will be taking some full body shots. Nothing ruins a great outfit like a scuffy pair of shoes.

Don’t neglect your makeup! Even if you’re usually a no makeup kind of girl, dusting some powder over your T-zone won’t hurt. Heck, even giving your fiancé a light dusting might be a good idea too! Make sure any make up you wear is matte and SPF free as shiny, glittery, sparkly makeup can make you look oily and doesn’t photograph well, and SPF can give you a white cast in flash photography.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and bring props! Does your fiancé play a mean guitar? Bring the guitar and take some photos of him playing the guitar and singing to you. Did you guys meet at a bookstore while reaching for the last copy of Harry Potter? Bring that book! Are you both obsessed with Star Wars? Take a fun photo as Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper! All that matters is letting your personalities shine through.

Photo by Clean Plate Pictures

The most important thing to remember is to have fun! If you enjoy yourselves, the camera will capture some truly amazing shots.

James of Bel Inizio Photography recently posted some pictures of Catelyn and Daryl’s October wedding at Casa Real at the Ruby Hill Winery, and when we saw them we knew we needed to get our hands on them for our blog! We absolutely love working with James and we can always count on him to share his amazing images with us. Thanks for being so awesome, James!

Congratulations Catelyn and Daryl! We hope married life is treating you well!

We were SO excited to receive the images from 2013’s Romance in the Vineyards showcase at the Palm Event Center! We were lucky enough to work with a great group of vendors, and we were all really pleased with how our vignettes came out. Each vignette had a different theme, which allowed all of us to showcase a plethora of different and exciting things! Which vignette is your favorite?

Lighting and Decor- Fantasy Sound Event Services

Linens- Napa Valley Linens

Florals- The Flower House

Furniture- Milk Glass Vintage Rentals

Stationery and Favors- Unveiled Bridal

Tabletop Rentals- Pleasanton Rentals and Hartmann Studios

We want to express a HUGE thank you to Tyler Vu Photography, Rhee Bevere Photography, and Maurice Ramirez Photography for capturing these amazing photos!

Romance in the Vineyards took place at the Palm Event Center on October 30th, and we had a great time setting up all of our different vignettes. We wanted to wait until we received the professional photos before we shared them with you….but we just couldn’t wait! Here a few sneak peeks of our different vignettes. They were all taken with a cell phone, so please excuse the quality. We will be posting the professional pics soon, so keep your eyes on the blog!

Today’s guest vendor blog comes from our good friend Donnie Brown! We recently saw this post on Donnie’s blog the other day, and completely identified and agreed with EVERYTHING he had to say. So without further ado….

“There are few things in the world as exciting, confusing, and frustrating as planning your wedding. Endless are the vendors, the options, the details… And, that is when everything goes well. What if you are hiring someone who isn’t telling you the whole truth???

Having been in the industry for more than 30 years, I have seen it all. I have placed myself front and center for every cause you can imagine. And for those of you who know me, you won’t be surprised to hear that I have my opinions. My opinions are not based on loose information either. But, rather on years of experience visiting and revisiting every scenario at one time or another.

Today’s blog is focused on a topic that has come to my attention recently which has me completely perplexed. A professional wedding planner (not naming names so don’t ask) that I know who has come on the scene the past few years has taken it upon themselves to create a business plan which is completely misleading and unethical. They are demanding wedding vendors such as floral designers, photographers, invitations artists, cake designers, etc. to pay a kickback under the table of 15% of their contracted price with the client back to the planner as an additional fee. The planner then charges a ridiculously low “full service” fee to the bride. The bride is under the erroneous assumption that she is getting a great deal and discounting other qualified planners who work ethically and transparently because of the ticket price difference. What they don’t realize is that the vendors who are forced to pay the kickbacks are marking their services up an additional 15% to accommodate the loss. Therefore, the bride is paying the money anyway. They just don’t realize it. Plus, many talented and ethical vendors will refuse to pay this fee and are therefore never an option for the planner’s bride. This narrows the field and eliminates many excellent options for the client.

I have seen a lot of things in my professional career, but this takes the cake.

My suggestion: Ask the important question when booking your wedding planner. Make sure they are charging you exactly what is in your contract with them and not receiving kickbacks or referral fees from vendors.

I have been offered commissions before by vendors who wanted my referral business. My vendor selection process is based on criteria that has nothing to do with my financial gain, but rather for expert services for my client. That’s what really matters. What I charge my client is all I charge my client.  I always tell these vendor inquiries that they should offer any such discount or extra perk to my client. That plus taking very good care of them is payment enough for me!

Just a little food for thought from my soap box!”

Today’s Brides Blogging post comes from Michelle Grant. Michelle and her fiancé Jeff have such an adorable background story, so allow me to let Michelle tell it in her own words:

“We actually went to school together from elementary through high school.  We had second and fifth grade together but somehow managed to not have a class together again ever.   We also lived down the street from each other in San Jose. With all of this, you’d think we would’ve been closer growing up!  Not the case. He was pretty shy and I was an outgoing tomboy. We kind of ran with a different circle of friends and after high school graduation, we didn’t see each other again until we were 21 at a bar called Katie Bloom’s in Campbell.   We both recognized each other from a distance and finally mustered up the courage to say hello. He was twice the size I remembered him as!  At the time, he was a fitness manager at The Right Stuff Health Clubs and I was a waitress. He was just as handsome as could be, I couldn’t stop staring!  After that first night, we made plans to hang out in the next few weekends to come. I messaged him on MySpace a few days later because I couldn’t wait and we made plans for what I thought was the next weekend. The next weekend, I invited my best girlfriend Sabrina (one of my bridesmaids) to meet Jeff and his friends in Campbell.  We waited a few hours and I was heartbroken thinking he had just stood me up.   I messaged him again on MySpace and jokingly said “what the heck?”. He laughed and thought I was nuts, our message had actually said we’d meet up the weekend after next.  So he didn’t stand me up at all, I was so excited to meet him that I didn’t even read the message carefully enough!  We met with a group of friends that weekend and it was all over from there.  We have been inseparable for seven years now. We moved to Arizona 3 years ago to finish our degrees at ASU. I work in commercial banking and Jeff is in the application process with a few different police departments.   He has had his heart set on being an officer ever since I can remember. I’m so proud of him. We are so excited to get married and celebrate with our friends and family in February!”

It doesn’t get much cuter than that, does it?!

So, without further ado, here is Michelle’s guest blog on how to keep your groom involved in the planning process!

When I first got engaged, I frequently heard, “have you started planning yet? Have you chosen the venue?  Have you chosen your colors?”  People assume that there isn’t much “we” involved when it comes to planning a wedding—but it doesn’t have to be that way!  This day is just as important to your groom as it is to you.   As brides, we have to be creative when it comes to including our men in the planning process since we all know they don’t dream about flowers and dresses when they pop the question.  I have a few pieces of advice for my fellow brides to get your men involved and keep them interested in the planning of the biggest day of both your lives.

The first thing I did was just ask!  “Hey babe—what colors do you think we should choose?” Not expecting him to care much, he surprised me when he said he knew for sure he wanted purple.  When I asked him why, he told me, “because The Joker is purple”.  Batman is all time favorite movie and he’s a HUGE comic book fan, I mean HUGE—so this gave me an idea.  I can relate the wedding to things that interest my future husband!  Genius! Purple—the Joker, perfect!  Lucky for me I really wanted a deep purple as one of our colors so it worked out great.  But the point is, if we relate the wedding to things that interest our fiancés, they will actually get involved.  And despite what we as women or society might say about men being a part of the wedding planning process, they do love to feel included and it’s actually quite easy to include them.

I really took the comic book idea an ran with it.   I thought about the parts of the wedding that are fun for the groom—obviously, the first thing that came to mind is when he gets to pull the garter off my leg.   I thought to myself, I should really do something special or fun for him.   Then the idea of making a custom garter came to me—so I’m custom-making a black and yellow garter with a batman patch on it.  Is it my style?  Not really.  But will my husband feel over-the-moon that I surprised him with a Batman-themed garter?  Absolutely.  In fact I think he might cry!  But he will feel so special and loved—isn’t that what a marriage is about?  The point is to make your groom feel like he is a part of the process.  This isn’t just your day—it’s his day too!  You don’t want your groom to show up, look around, and feel that he had nothing to do with the planning.  You want to look around together and feel that togetherness and love.  A marriage is about talking things over, coming to an agreement, and loving the outcome because you chose it together.

Simply asking your man is a great way to start.  What does he envision for your big day?  Is there something that is really important to him that you might not know about?  These are things to think about and ask.  And don’t underestimate yourselves!  We know our men better than anyone.  Whether it’s comic-book themed ideas or his favorite sports team, be creative and have fun with it!  Your men will follow.

Today’s Bride Blogging post comes from our very own Bri Reeser! Bri and her husband Kyler met their freshmen year of college, through a mutual friend. They quickly became best friends, and began dating a year later! Bri and Kyler just tied the knot on June 15th, 2013, so they are very recent newlyweds. Keep on reading to find out how Bri dealt with some planning nightmares!

During my engagement, I would have dreams that I was stuck trying to plan my wedding hundreds of miles away from the venue. I dreamt that my fiancé was living on the other side of the country, being busied with finishing a master’s thesis that left little to no time to help, and that my girls were scattered far and wide–some in other states, others in other countries. I’d wake up with deep breaths, only to realize that my dreams were a reality. I WAS living on the opposite end of California, Kyler WAS thousands of miles away and stressed more than I was, and my girls were nowhere near me to bring me constant comfort. Whenever I told people about our situation, I was met with open mouths of disbelief and eyes of pity. And the recurring question was, “Oh my goodness, how are you doing this?!”

Looking back, I pat myself on the back that I did it! I planned my wedding without my friends or fiancé, while working a full time job and trying to stick to a tiny budget. Now, I can’t say that I was 100% alone in this. My friends, as far away as they were, became huge encouragers and did everything they could from a distance. Kyler sat patiently while I cried from the stress and nodded in agreement and excitement during Skype sessions meant to share my recent crafts. My sister and mother stepped in as my extra sets of eyes, ears, legs, arms and any other vital pieces I may have needed.

For those of you who may be facing a similar situation, first of all, let me say that I’m sorry. It is rough, and there are moments of loneliness, stress, and bitterness. But hold tight, because there are also moments of pride and realizations of strength! If you haven’t quite begun the process, I have a few tips for you that might make everything a little bit easier:

1. Be Thankful for what you DO have!

I didn’t have any of my best friends where I was living during my engagement. I always imagined staying up late giggling and glueing invitations closed. I pictured the Saturdays Kyler and I would spend visiting caterers and discussing how the gazebo would look. I didn’t get that. I did, however, get my mother and sister. They were absolute godsends. Anything I needed, they got me. Any tears I cried, they wiped away. I didn’t have the crowd I had always imagined, but I had my foundation. Don’t wallow in the disappointment that long-distance can bring. Take advantage of those who are sitting there saying, “I’m here to help! What can I do?”

2. Think Ahead!

This is an obvious statement to us brides. We know that weddings take time, and if you don’t call certain places a year in advance, you won’t be getting that for the day-of. This also applies to your time with your fiancé or friends. Think ahead to when you might see them next, and plan the big stuff around that (if it can wait a bit). The weekend before Kyler flew back to Boston, we crammed all our venue tours in and decided on one before he left. We waited and sampled caterers the weekend that he flew out for Thanksgiving. We met with our site coordinator over Christmas break. I made sure to have my dress fitting before one of my girls moved to Minnesota. Thinking ahead not only ensures that you will take advantage of the limited time you have with your fiancé or bridesmaids, but it also allows you to turn otherwise small tasks into big events! And this can really make up for the many things you will do alone.

3. Use the locals!

A lot of people get married in cities or states away from their hometown. In college, the chance of finding someone who’s from your hometown becomes less likely. Inevitably, you or your husband will have friends who will have to travel to the wedding. In my case, I was the one traveling. I lived 6 hours away from my venue, so just “dropping by” to remeasure the gazebo or sample a new menu item was not an easy task. If you have family, future family, or friends that live in the area, use them! I was lucky enough to have my husband’s amazing family living in the same city as the venue. They took care of linens, desserts, and anything else that was hard to handle from afar. Not being involved in every decision can be difficult, but when you’re a long-distance bride, there’s just got to be some wiggle room.

4. Decide: Here or There?

What can you get done in the comfort of your own home? A lot actually! Make your save the dates, invitations, aisle runner, wedding signs. Buy your dress, your shoes, your earrings… the list goes on and on. While I was still in southern California, there were many moments when I just felt alone and unmotivated. But I would always remember that I still had so much to do! I knew that when I arrived to Livermore two weeks before the wedding, I was going to see Kyler for the first time in 6 months! I wouldn’t want to super glue favor tags, draw on chalkboards, or plant succulents. And although we ended up doing all of these things together, there were many other tasks that I finished well in advance so that I could enjoy some time with my soon-to-be husband before the big day.

5. Don’t be a Bridezilla!

I’m so thankful that none of my friends or family have claimed that I was a crazy bride. In fact, they all said I was super calm and level-headed. Whoo! This was due to the constant reminder that none of it mattered. Yea, I just said that. What I’m saying is that the food, decorations, music, or even if Kyler had a suit didn’t really matter. I’m so so happy that all those things worked out, but there were a lot of things that didn’t. I didn’t have many connections where my venue was, so I passed off my cake to a friend of a friend. I had a super simple, super beautiful vision of what I wanted in a cake. Well, one sweet but untrained 15-year-old baker and two very hungry then very sick dogs later, I had an unexpected cake on the dessert table. It was nothing like what I visioned. But you know what? I don’t have even a single memory of what my dessert table, much less cake, looked like. That’s because none of it truly mattered. What mattered was dancing with my new husband, looking over his shoulder at my two best friends dancing with a drink in hand, and all my bridesmaids swaying in a circle, hands held, smiling at the beauty of my wedding.

So when you begin to remember that your fiancé is nowhere to be found and your friends are scattered, grab whoever is closest and remember what matters: you’re getting married to your best friend. You may be miles apart for now, but in 2 or 6 or 12 months, you will lay your head next to their head and laugh at the memories from your big day.

Hey all! I’m Bri Reeser and I’m the new administrative assistant here at Fantasy Sound. I’m a recent graduate from Azusa Pacific University in Southern CA. After 4 fabulous years there I earned my BA in Music Business. After spending a year interning at Warner Brothers Records I knew I had to have a career where I get to spend my days with fun people, and plan fun parties! Also- I just got married! So this job is a perfect blend of all my hobbies and joys.

Some random facts about me: I have such a big sweet tooth and am willing to eat almost anything chocolate, especially if it’s combined with peanut butter. Reese’s are my weakness. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I would eat cereal or pancakes for every meal if I could get away with it. (Why are all my facts about food?…) I love being outdoors!Before moving up north, when I wasn’t working, I spent my days exploring new hiking trails, pushing myself on longer runs, or taking my humongous, beautiful dog Ryder on walks to the park. I definitely miss being home sometimes, but I’m excited to learn more about all the great things Livermore has to offer. Most important fact, I love my husband Kyler to the moon and back. He is the smartest and funniest person I’ve ever met. I am so blessed with all the wonderful things happening in my life currently.

I’m so pumped to join the Fantasy Sound family! If you have any questions, or suggestions for my next adventure here in the East Bay, you can email me at bri@fantasysound.com

Welcome to another blog in our Guest Blogger feature! Today’s post comes from Lisa Teller, who is a professional makeup artist specializing in airbrush makeup in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is extremely passionate about each of her bridal clients and is currently booking for 2013/2014.

For more information, services, bridal portfolio, or to book her for a session, visit her website.

Also, be sure to stay connected on social media:

FACEBOOK

PINTEREST

INSTAGRAM: @lisatellermua

With bridal season well under way, my inbox has been flooding with inquiries! So I thought I would share with you some of the tips I share with my bridal clients, when they have questions about hiring a professional makeup artist for their wedding day! Of course, my advice might be a little biased being that I’m a professional makeup artist, but it is my opinion and advice from working in the bridal/photography industry. I always try to help steer each client down the path that is best for them, even if they don’t end up booking with me!

Why should you hire a Professional Makeup Artist?

That’s like asking, “Should I hire a professional photographer?” – YES!

Yes, your family members own cameras and yes you and your friend’s own makeup. However, on your most special (and most photographed and video-ed day of your LIFE!) would you trust someone inexperienced?

Protect your investment! If your spending thousands of dollars on photography/videography wouldn’t you want to spend a little more on your hair and makeup to make sure you absolutely LOVE your pictures?! Long after the guests have left, the wedding has come and gone, and the honeymoon is over, your pictures will be your most cherished memories of that day – now don’t you want to look amazing in them?!

Not only will this be your most photographed and/or video-ed day of your life but you will also be in various other situations during the day that your makeup should look flawless during: daylight, indoors, from far away(the view of the guests), through teary vows, up close to people, hugging, kissing, eating, drinking and toasting, and dancing the night away – this could mean 12+ hours! You will need a makeup artist who understands all these realities and can choose the makeup that can withstand each of these scenarios and looks best for you and your facial features.

So yes, you can just have a friend do your makeup but will they understand all of these things and have the product knowledge to give you gorgeous photo-quality makeup that will last? Most likely not, unless you have a friend in the industry – then thats just fabulous!

How should you pick a professional?

Now, what makes a professional a professional?  What should you be looking for?

A professional makeup artist is someone who has invested time, education, experience, and lots and LOTS of hard work honing the art of makeup! They understand much more than just applying makeup on a face. They have an understanding of the physiology of skin, color theory, lighting and product knowledge – including photo-quality makeup. They have customer service knowledge, practice hygiene and proper sanitation practices, they are punctual, consistent, and reliable. Above all, they have a passion and fire for makeup artistry and the bridal industry!

Here are some things to consider when looking at professional makeup artists for your big day:

Price. Yes, I said it – you get what you pay for – as with everything else wedding related (& life in general). When budgeting for your wedding a lot of brides tend to forget to factor in their beauty costs for the day! I can’t tell you how many married ladies I meet (often who are bridesmaids of their friends) that wish they had cut out those cute pinterest inspired table favors that most guests left behind or that DIY wedding project that didn’t work out and spent a little more money on incredible looking makeup artistry for their photos on their wedding day!

With a higher rate, generally, comes with higher reviews and incredible service experience! You aren’t just paying for makeup services the day of, but all of the wonderful customer service that comes with it! We’re talking all the emails, phone calls, questions, and correspondence that goes along before, during, and after booking.

Remember: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” 

Experience and Quality of Work. Do research! Check out their website, read their bio, look over their resume, look over their portfolio’s (especially bridal)! Make sure they have bridal experience and can work under that pressure! Remember often times you will have a pretty strict timeline of when you and your entourage need to be all dolled up and ready to go by! Make sure the artist has quite a few weddings under his/her belt so that they can work swiftly under that kind of pressure and can handle any mishaps in a timely manner with grace!

Your artist’s makeup kit – While I take pride in using the best quality brands that are photo-quality, some clients become so engrossed in brands that have a certain stigma attached. In my experience, one cosmetic brand doesn’t make the best of every product! This way your makeup artist can provide you the best possible makeup services specifically for your needs.

What is “photo-quality” makeup?

Not all makeup is suitable for photography. Photo-quality makeup is HD makeup free from certain ingredients making it great for HD and photo! Have you ever gotten your makeup done or did it yourself for a night out where pictures were taken? Have you ever noticed in the pictures that your face might have looked lighter than your body? If so, the makeup used might not have been photo-quality!

When should you book your makeup artist?

ASAP! Especially if your getting married during peak season like summer! Many artists like myself are already getting inquiries up to 10 months away and into next year! Nothing is worse than finally finding a makeup artist who you connect with, does amazing work, fits into your budget, and has amazing reviews than to find out that he/she is already booked that date and unavailable! Most of the infographics and other timeline objectives from pinterest and other wedding planning sites suggest booking three months before your wedding – WAY wrong! Booking early will guarantee your wedding date is available and can save you money! This can start as early as meeting with a makeup artist for your engagement/save-the-date photoshoot!

What should you expect?

The consultation/trial – The consultation/trial is one of the most important aspect of the entire process! It’s where you and the artist will sit down and discuss all the aspects of your wedding day from your dress, theme, and feel of your wedding and get any questions you have answered. Taking those things into consideration, it will determine your wedding day makeup look beforehand!

I suggest my clients bring in inspirational pictures of makeup ideas for their wedding day. This includes makeup styles they like AND dislike! Getting a visual of what you’re talking about is extremely helpful when you’re trying to explain a “smokey eye” to me, because my version of a “smokey eye” could be very different from yours! I also suggest my clients touch base with their bridal party beforehand and get a headcount of who is interested in makeup services, as I usually complete a contract with the bride after the trial if she wants to book!

Now you may not want to hear this, but I wont book a bride without a trial run! Honestly, you should be concerned if an artist will! Even the most amazing artist’s in the world won’t be able to read your mind, but again, its about protecting your investment! You will get to see every detail of your wedding day makeup beforehand to make sure that it’s exactly what you want and any concerns you may have will be addressed there!

I also do not recommend having your engagement shoot makeup and trial makeup done in the same session. I know that with each minute closer to the wedding your costs are growing exponentially, but they are two very different looks! Your engagement session should be about your and your fiancé and your everyday loving selves! Your makeup and hair should reflect that! It should be more casual and upbeat, yet clean and classic! Your wedding day makeup (the makeup you’d leave with from your trial session) is a more glamorous version of yourself! The makeup may be a bit more dramatic and elegant and needs to go with the more formal occasion of your wedding (imagine you in your fabulous white gown!).

I will, however, allow you to do both together for a higher amount as it requires more time and services as your trial makeup would need to be changed for the engagement photoshoot. My engagement sessions also include optional light hairstyling and travel for at-home service!

Last but not least…

Always remember to keep your expectations high but not unattainable and you will look gorgeous! You deserve to look and feel beautiful and special on your most important day! Keep that in mind when choosing your makeup artist!

XOXO,

Lisa Teller | Makeup Artist

www.lisateller.com

Today’s guest blog comes from our Texan friends over at Fairy Tale Photography. Kevin has worked with FTP’s Laura Parker at many events and she is always an absolute joy to work with, so when we decided to start this guest blogging series, we knew that we HAD to include them! They decided to focus their blog on engagement shoots, and give you some valuable advice on the do’s and dont’s! Without further ado…

Dreams Do Come True…

Award-winning custom photography with two photographers, huge album, editing, and exclusive website for your images. We are fun, full of life and love. Prepare to laugh and cry with us on your big day….

Fairy Tale Photography artistically captures the most adorable moments and goes above and beyond to give their clients the best! Each photographer, whether shooting a wedding or engagement session, is enthusiastic about assisting you and your loved one. Countless couples rant and rave about Fairy Tale Photography’s fast delivery and their ability to gorgeously capture sentimental moments that you will cherrish for a lifetime! For more information please visit www.fairytalephotography.com.

Know your photographer:

It’s important to research your photographer’s past engagement sessions. A good rule of thumb is to find a consistent style in the sessions. Also, referencing one of their engagement sessions helps the photographer better understand the look you’re going for. Fairy Tale Photography works with natural light so it is essential to be on time in order to get the most out of the daylight.

Location and Props: If your photographer has you select multiple locations, try to make them close together so it wont cut into your time! If you’re both huge sports fans, bring your jerseys! If you are musicians, talk to the photographer about bringing some specific props to the site. How you both met and how he asked are key elements in your story, feel free to incorporate some of those elements into the shoot!

Clothing: Dress comfortable but cute for the shoot. If you’re wearing a dress you don’t feel amazing in, you’ll spend time pulling at it and adjusting it. Choose clothes you feel confident in!  Bring at least one change of clothes. This allows you to combine casual and dressier elements into the shoot. More changes are ok, but remember, cuts into your time.

The more authentic, the better! Each couple is completely unique, your engagement photos should tell the story of your unique love! If your partner has a gorgeous smile, be sure to make them laugh so it’s authentic. If he normally wraps you in a bear hug, make sure to tell the photographer those are key things to look for or draw out of your partner.

Be Specific: The more the photographer knows about you both, the better! Informing them about what you like, dislike will only result in better pictures and you getting  photos that you absolutely adore!

Have fun! This day is all about you and your soul mate; the photographers want you to walk away with outstanding photos but they need your help! Typically the first couple of shots are awkward and the smiles are plastered on. Crack a few jokes with your partner, don’t hide your face if you start laughing; the authenticity makes the pictures absolutley precious! Relaxing in front of the photographer leads to more natural chemistry!

Thanks, Fairy Tale Photography, for agreeing to be included in our guest blogging series!

Adam and Natasha became Mr. and Mrs. Faville on April 27th, 2013 at the beautiful Murrieta’s Well in Livermore. They couldn’t have asked for a better day for a wedding- sunny and warm with a light breeze that kept everyone happily comfortable during the outside ceremony. The couple’s ceremony was very unique. They had each written a story of when they first met, and the officiant read them aloud during the ceremony. It was the first time Adam and Natasha heard each other’s story and the guests loved it! It was such a cute touch!

The couple chose a color palette of pink and purple which can be seen in the gorgeous flower arrangements, that were made by Adam’s mom! Didn’t they turn out wonderfully? The combination of beautiful roses and vibrant day lilies really made the arrangements pop.

The couple had a lot of little touches that were on trend, just like the signage above. We think these personalized signs are so cute, and they work perfectly in a rustic setting like Murrieta’s Well.

Natasha and Adam had their reception inside the barn, which they wanted to dress up a little bit. Our champagne GOBO washes on the walls really helped complement their pink and purple color scheme. The addition of one of our 12 Light Crystal Chandeliers over their sweetheart table adds a little intimacy and romance.

Congratulations Adam and Natasha!