Weddings

Wedding Inspiration: Vintage Romance

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We all have vendors that we have worked with or just love, if you are in the wedding industry – you know exactly what I mean.  Your personalities click, each helps the other and you become in theory a dream team because you all have the same amazing goal to make a wedding perfect.  While we don’t always get to choose who we work with at a wedding, in about April this year I wanted to have a chance to work with some of my favorite people in the wedding industry and do an inspirational photo-shoot.

Sunset

Photographer: Jeanine Thurston

Originally it started small, Melissa Schans (model/actress) was all excited and we were planning for sometime in May 2011.  I gathered a couple of vendors that were willing to work on this project, but as you can’t control everything that happens – if we would have done the shoot in May I would not have had Samantha Koch as my MUY/Hairstylist.  We decided to post-pone so that she could still be part of this production.  In the end, it was good that we waited – because good turned into great.

Photographer: Jeanine Thurston

Julia Kaaren, owner of Mulberries Flowers was in the group from the start.  She has amazing energy along with a creative eye – and well – of course I just love her dearly as a vendor and person.  I am forever grateful that she brought Jon Taugher into the shoot as he had some amazing Retro Bicycles that added some fantastic imagery.

Then of course there is Susan Dillon of Kitty Mae Millinery.  I had never met her personally… fb friends, and of course Melissa always spoke highly of her.  Above all, her artistry in hair pieces speaks for itself.  Then after some chats on facebook… there was not a doubt in my mind that our personalities clicked.

In July, after having a hundred dreams about what I wanted this shoot to look like; let’s be honest, I couldn’t make it all happen while working a full schedule and with two kids at home on top of it.  I put a post on ISES board for a wedding planner, and Isabelle and I met for coffee a couple of days later.  Loved her, and could tell she “got” what I wanted to photograph and she organized my mind for me along with every other detail.  We also brought in LeAnne to assist her in some of the details as well.

Katharine Salzgeber of BoutiqueDeBijoux jumped right in with her hand-made jewelry designs.  They are beautiful, one of a kind pieces that fit so perfectly with our look.

Then of course there is Blushing Bride Colorado.  Danielle has a beautiful little boutique dress salon in Windsor, Colorado.  I’ve known Danielle for many years and she jumped right in, providing us with dresses for our models to fit the look we were going for in this project.

Melissa Schans was in from the start.  She has done some bridal modeling for me before and she is an instant sell when it comes to bridal modeling.  She has all the poses, expressions – and best of all she makes everyone smile.

Brittany Quinn, I had the opportunity to photograph this summer and was so happy that she was able to be a part of this photo-shoot.  Fresh… just back from spending some time in China – I’m surprized that she didn’t still have jet-lag from such a long trip, and she looked amazing.

Kirsten Sletten, was the third model for our shoot.. and I so wanted to bring her on sooner but I had already had another model at the time and didn’t want to have too many.  But, the instant that the other model wasn’t able to make it – I couldn’t have been happier to have Kirsten come on!  What a beauty – and hope I get the chance to photograph her again – she is gorgeous.

Then of course comes THE MAKERY.  I was at the Grant Humphrey Bridal show when I first got to taste their cupcakes, and I’ve been sold on them ever sense.  Yum, beautiful, great to work with.  Will always refer them – love them and their creations.  Even my husband is completely sold on that they have the best tasting cake EVER as he would put it.

Pampered Passions also was kind enough to loan us a vintage piece for some shots.  Beautiful quality.

Then last, but certainly not least, Michael Sasser.  He was my wild-card.  I had never worked with him, never met him, and two days before the shoot he agreed to take some video and create a little vendor promo for us.  I’ll be honest, I’ve worked with a lot of videographers – and the talent really varies a ton, so I went by a referral from another photographer with my fingers crossed.  I can not say enough about how amazing the video he created was, and loved working with him.  Personality… love, video… love, and the simple fact that he pulled it together so quickly for me was amazing.  Many, many thanks to him and he has definitely made it to #1 on my referral list.


A little stress the few days before when the weather people were forecasting 30% chance of rain.  We ended up getting 100 degrees that day and sun… with the storm moving in just in time to give us some great images and give us a few sprinkles right as we were finishing the shoot.

In my mind – it went AMAZING… wouldn’t have done anything different and we have some great images, video and made a few more long-lasting friends in the process.

VENDOR LIST

KITTIE MAE MILLINERY  l  MULBERRIES FLOWERS l  LADYCHARM ARTISTRY l  ISABELLE KLINE l FOTOTAILS PHOTOGRAPHY l  MICHAEL SASSER VIDEOGRAPHY l BLUSHING BRIDE COLORADO l THE MAKERY l BOUTIQUE DE BIJOUX l RECYCLED VINTAGE BICYCLES

Photographer: Jeanine Thurston

A day of bridal fashion photography

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Fashionista

Sunday – Sept. 26th finally!  After about 6-8 weeks of planning/coordinating… and more, it all came together perfectly.  Beautiful upper 80s for weather… bright sun, everyone involved showed up on time or early.  I have had a chance to work with Heathyrre Kautz a few times over recent months and she again… worked her magic on the models turning the canvas into absolute perfection, and Claudia Opara was assisting Heathyrre.  Berenice worked on hair…. and when she arrived she was a little quiet… with a little nerves because it was actually the day before her wedding.  While the models rotated in and out of chairs between make up and hair the ones on break poured over bridal magazines and chit chat until everyone was ready to go to play dress up for the afternoon.  David was the lucky “groom” for my ladies, with huge beautiful light brown eyes that would make about any girl melt.  To round out the models we had Tristin Huntamer, Rachel Vigil, Melissa Schans,  and Courtney Dalton.  Newberry Brothers provided us with a couple beautiful bouquets, and I did a quick stop at Fun Services to add balloons to a few shots too.  Danielle from Blushing Bride Colorado met us at the park with so many beautiful gowns, and even a tux for David.  It was a completely exhausting day – but so much fun, and loving the images that we all managed as a team.

I would love for you to visit the little video we put together with some selects from the shoot : Bridal Fashion

Black and White

Wedding photography Q & A

/ jeaninethurston / 6 Comments

Every bride that I meet with has so many questions about their wedding photography.  Here are a few of the most frequent questions with answers, or suggestions for you to make everything go just right for your wedding day!

What style of photography is important, and what style of photography do I want for my wedding?  Each bridal couple will definitely find photographic styles that are more pleasing to their eye.  It is so important to know what you like visually, but it is also very important that you know what is going to be important to you in the future when you are pouring over photographs of your wedding day.  We suggest a photography style that will combine photojounalism of all those candid moments with a photographer that is also a professional portrait photographer so that you get proper group shots as well.  While the group portraits can be fun and outgoing (not just stand up  in a straight line), you want a photographer that can photograph with proper lighting to make everyone look their best too. 

Black & White vs. Color?  While most of my wedding clients come in wanting the photojounalistic b&w images that look fine art… when I poll them after their wedding I have had about 90% return feedback that although they still loved some b&w images for their wedding album, they actually preferred most of the images in color.  Many bridal couples love the b&w artistic looking images… but when you have spent all of your time planning your wedding & decorations… picking your colors… and venue – it is very important to have a good representation of that.  This isn’t coming from me as a photographer – this is what I have received in feedback from actual wedding clients year after year.

Is liking your photographer important?  MOST DEFINITELY!  Although it is just as important to find a photographer that is good at what they do… natural expressions don’t always just happen.  When you can smile and laugh with your photographer and feel comfortable being with them it is going to make it so much easier on your wedding day.  If your photographer will fit in well with family and friends they will be able to get all of those candid moments much easier giving your images a more “insider” feel.

 I don’t really need a wedding album do I?  Many bridal couples will pass on a wedding album thinking that they will have a DVD of images and put something together themself.  Most of the time, unfortunately, those images sit on DVD and never make it to an album at all.  Professional wedding album layouts can really tell the story of your wedding day and is something that becomes an heirloom for future generations.  We have a 99% return of clients that didn’t order album within 3 years coming back to ask us to do an album for them for this very reason.  Our suggestion… do an album with your wedding photography package, it will save you money in the long run.

What time of day should I do my wedding?  Many clients see album/photography samples and fall in love with the photographers’ work.  Then they plan their wedding only to get their images back and wonder what went wrong.  If you tend to enjoy images with soft lighting and scenic panoramas, then plan your wedding time with your photographer to capture these images.  The same goes for the wedding reception… if you don’t want dark images, it may be a better plan to do your wedding earlier in the day.  Sunset photos?  The same applies…. while official sunset time may be 7pm on a given day…. that doesn’t mean that is the best time for sunset shots.  Typically for the photographer, sunset images are actually better captured and hour or two before sunset – so plan your wedding accordingly if that is what is most important to you. 

 Backing up files – what is important?  Digital photography has made leaps and bounds and is definitely the choice of most photographers as well as clients as you get so many more images and coverage of your wedding day.  Make sure your photographer is protecting your investment.  Backing up files on-site before leaving the wedding site is very important… it puts you and your photographer at ease.  Then knowing that images are also backed up off-site from the photographers location is another really good idea… the more places they are the more assured you can be that your images are safe!

 More questions?  leave us a comment and we will be happy to answer all of your wedding planning & photography questions!!!contact-image.jpg