This was truly one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been a part of. The bride got ready at the historic Wolf Creek Inn, such a fabulous space to get prepared for this day. The rest of the day took place at the grooms incredible family home and property. The amount of love, hard work and preparation that went into this day was amazing and this couple deserved all of it! I was so thankful to be with J&K and counted it a sincere honor to photograph their wedding day.
Oh how I love these two! It was so completely fabulous to shoot this amazing couple at the beautiful RoxyAnn Winery in Medford, Oregon. I can’t wait for their upcoming wedding in Southern Oregon soon!
A few months back I was contacted by Sarah about her summer wedding next year in Medford, Oregon. I was so excited when I found out I would work with them and I looked forward to their engagement session so much. We chose the gorgeous Edenvale Winery located in Medford, Oregon and this fall session was a delight. There was no shortage of beautiful areas from the pear tree rows to the gorgeous outbuildings. It was such a delight to get to laugh and hang out with Jesse and Sarah and I can’t wait for their summer wedding next year!
Congratulations you two! Wishing you a beautiful beginning at you continue on your love story!
Many couples wonder if having an engagement session with their wedding photographer is really necessary, especially if they have already had some photos shot by a friend or if the wedding is coming up shortly after they booked their photographer. Today I want to talk about why it is in fact really important and will actually make your wedding day a smoother, more relaxed day.
Your wedding day is a super exciting day, filled with joy and excitement, however, it can also be a day of stress and busyness ( is that even a word?) . Any good wedding photographer’s goal is to make this day as easy as possible so that you as a couple can enjoy the day and relax. The more qualified vendors you hire, the more the details will be off your plate and in the hands of experienced professionals. What does this have to do with an engagement session you might ask? Everything!
Engagement sessions have many purposes and I want to highlight a few wonderful benefits of what can be a really fun time with your photographer.
1. Comfort
On your wedding day you will be spending a lot of time with your photographer, and I mean a lot! From getting ready all the way to the reception, your photographer will be with you for most of the day! A huge benefit of an engagement session is that you are meeting, getting comfortable with, and building a friendship with your photographer ahead of time. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve walked into an engagement session with a couple that has a good bit of apprehension on their side about taking photos, only to leave laughing and completely at ease. When this happens, it gets carried over to the wedding day. You now know your photographer a little bit and have established comfort. As a photographer I love showing up to the wedding day already feeling I know the bride and groom well and that’s good news for everyone!
2. Posing
Each photographer and couple approach posing differently. As a wedding professionals, it’s our job to learn how to pose and encourage natural interactions with each couple. Sometimes this is easy and sometimes a challenge depending on the ease that each person feels in front of the camera. During an engagement session some of this can be figured out and by wedding time you both feel comfortable settling into posing or candid moments because you’ve done it already!
3. Wedding Decor
Most every wedding where I’ve shot an engagement session prior has the images from the session displayed at the wedding. You can use your engagement session images for save the dates, invitations, or wedding decor ( most commonly a guest book or canvas to sign). This is a great way to show the fun and joy of your relationship and you can even display them alongside other snapshots you’ve taken throughout the course of your relationship together!
Last but NOT least, engagement sessions are fun! Creativity can abound here and that brings so much joy. If your wedding is at an upscale venue try an engagement session at the coast or up in the mountains. If your wedding will be in the woods, why not do your engagement session somewhere with dynamic structures or an old building. So much planning and detail goes into wedding planning. let your engagement session just be fun. Laugh, make jokes, enjoy each other and just let that glow go straight on in to your wedding day.
I hope these four reasons why engagement sessions are so important before your wedding day were helpful to you! Even if your camera shy, all the more reason to warm your way into photos by doing an engagement session before your big day.
Congratulations, and I wish each and every couple a joy filled wedding and a beautiful love story as you start your journey together.
xoxo
Rachel
Who:Daniel and Joy
Where: The Westgate Plaza. St. Michaels Church, Mt. Woodson Castle
When:August 20th 2018
What: getting ready, church wedding, cocktail hour and reception
This gorgeous wedding day was truly magical from start to finish! The day was an absolutely perfect San Diego day! It started out cloudy as I arrived at the ornate Westgate Place hotel in downtown San Diego! What a perfect place to get ready. The atmosphere was so calm and the bride radiant. I enjoyed capturing both Joy and than Daniel as they prepared for their day. We than headed over to St. Michael’s Church, a stunning place for an afternoon wedding! The rest of the party took place at Mt. Woodson Castle in Ramona, California. It was my first time shooing at Mt. Woodson and I was instantly in love. The entire place is a photographers paradise and we had so much fun during couples photos incorporating their venue and capturing their obvious connection. The reception was full of sweet moments and I welcomed every minute of it.
Some definitely highlights: Joy’s dress was handmade by her sister and it was the most exquisite dress. The bride played piano beautifully and serenaded us all in the lobby at the Westgate. The groom was a wonderful singer and sang to his new bride during their reception! The first dance was to “a tale as old as time” which was absolutely perfect for this wedding day.
Thank you Joy and Daniel for choosing me to capture your day, what a privilege!
Thank you to all the fabulous vendors!
Gown: Tanada Couture
Makeup and Hair: Natural Beauty Bar
Church: St Michael’s Church
Venue: Mt. Woodson Castle
Videographer: Current Films
Bakery: Flour Power
Florals: Organic Flora
Catering: Personal Touch Dining