Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — The Family Shots

May 11, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Wedding Series: For Brides

You’re getting married! There’s so much to do, and so many things to get done. Find a caterer, a florist, get the perfect dress, and then make sure you’ve hired the right photographer to capture all of your hard work!

Well, you’ve definitely taken the right step as far as a photographer goes [oh hey, we travel]! 😉

Every Thursday over the next six weeks, I will be doing a piece for our “Wedding Series: Tips For Brides.” It’s going to highlight tips and tricks for the bride when working with a photographer.

WEEK FOUR: THE FAMILY SHOTS

There are really two types of family photos I’ve found people want — traditional or non-traditional.

Traditional is typically done at the altar. After the wedding, everyone stays at the church. You line everyone up and get shots like this:

Sometimes, brides who are fairly traditional (or come from families that are) want these types of shots. The only issue I ever run into with these is lighting. I always ask what it’s like inside their venue, because sometimes churches can be very dark, which make it hard for good pictures — even with lights!

If it’s a well-lit location, and this is really the style you like, then let’s go for it!

The second type of family portraits after the “I Dos,” are the non-traditional. These are ones we take outside. This is also where we can get those candid shots!

But we can get non-candid, regular smiles, too!

Or strike a silly pose!

Make sure to talk with your photographer about the style of photos you are wanting. Do you want them at the altar? Do you want them outside? What’s the lighting situation inside? These are all things to think about!

Tune in next week!

Want to see the series so far? See the entire “Wedding Series: Tips For Brides” series!

Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — It’s All In The Details

May 4, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Wedding Series: For Brides

Well, you’ve definitely taken the right step as far as a photographer goes [oh hey, we travel]! 😉

Week Three: It’s All In The Details

You’ve been planning this wedding for months — maybe even years. You’ve put a lot of thought into the details, so make sure your photographer captures them!

Each bride puts different details into her wedding. For this country farmhouse wedding, the groom surprised the bride by writing on the soles of her boots she was going to wear walking down the aisle. That was clearly an important detail to capture.

And while it’s important to capture those unique details, there are some that tend to be the same at every wedding. Make sure your photographer gets these:

The Cake

The Rings

The Table Decor

The Bouquet

The Boutonnières & Corsages

The Dress (Before it’s on the bride)

These are some good basics to make sure to capture. If you’re the bride, make sure you communicate with your photographer which details are really important to you. If you’re the photographer, make sure you schedule a meeting with the bride to go over these types of details.

Everyone is unique and different, and these details are often incorporated into the wedding. I am always on the hunt for special things to the bride and groom that they felt important enough to work into their wedding decor.

See the entire “Wedding Series: Tips For Brides” series!

Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — The “First Look,” / Bridal Reveal

April 27, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Wedding Series: For Brides

Well, you’ve definitely taken the right step as far as a photographer goes [oh hey, we travel]! 😉

Week Two: The “First Look” / Bridal Reveal

One of the first questions I ask at my meetings with brides: “Did you want to do a “first look,” or will walking down the aisle be the first time he sees you?”

Here is a first look we did before the ceremony, below. I was able to get this close and intimate specifically because it wasn’t done during the ceremony. It was a special moment set aside for just the two of them (and me … the third wheel photographer). 🙂

If the bride asks what I prefer — it’s always that we do a special “first look.” It’s where I set the groom up, his back facing away. I bring in the bride. She puts her back against his, or reaches her hand around the corner. There is always so much tension in these shots — the can’t wait to see each other.

From there, I snap the shots and either take the bride back to her room, or … we let the groom turn around.

I prefer this because I can catch the intimate one-on-one response of the groom the first time he sees his bride. It’s special. It isn’t a moment that has to be shared in a crowd. It’s just the two of them.

Now, sometimes I can’t convince the bride and groom otherwise, and that’s ok. It’s your day! I can only speak from a photographer’s standpoint, because after that reveal, we can take the bridal party / bride & groom shots, etc. — all before the ceremony! After the ceremony, we can snap the family photos, and then send the bride and groom off to the reception and not have to keep their friends and family waiting.

That’s not to say we can’t get great photos if the first time the groom sees his bride is when she walks down the aisle.

We definitely can, but if I am ever asked my preference — it’s to have a special first look. So I can get shots like this:

Check back next Thursday for the next post in our “Tips For Brides” series. To read them all, click here.

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Wedding Series: Tips For Brides – Portraits

April 20, 2017January 11, 2018 by Kcityphotography, posted in Wedding Series: For Brides

Well, you’ve definitely taken the right step as far as a photographer goes [oh hey, we travel]! 😉

Week One: The Bridal Portrait Session

This week, I’m giving tips for the bride during her portrait session! I always set aside time from the chaos to make sure I get shots of just the bride. You’ve gotten your hair done, your makeup perfected, and spent weeks (maybe even months!) picking out your perfect dress. It’s so important to get shots of you as you are in that moment — ready to marry the love of your life, about to walk down the aisle surrounded by your closest friends and family members. There’s so much excitement shining through your eyes — and a world of possibilities in your future.

There are a few shots I always love to get:

The Eyelash Shot:

It’s a classic shot, your head tilted slightly, gazing down, capturing your perfect lashes.

The Silhouette:

Definitely one of my favorites. I love playing with the light. I had one bride call me a “lighting wizard.” I’ll take it! These are so pretty and fun to do.

Just The Dress:

You spent so much time (annnd probably money, if we’re being real) to find the perfect gown for your big day. I like to get details like this!

Lacing It Up:

Some of the most important people in your life help lace up the dress. It’s usually a mom or Maid of Honor. Although, I’ve had to step in to help countless times when they couldn’t figure it out! I’ll never leave ya hangin’!

Full-Length:

You’re in the dress, it’s almost show time!

My last little tidbit to mention is the bouquet.

Where To Hold Those Dang Flowers!

As every bride will tell you whose wedding I’ve shot — the one thing I repeat over and over and over is: “Hold the bouquet at your belly button!”

I say it to to the bride and bridesmaids at the beginning of the day. I repeat it before every shot. Sometimes I turn it into a question and ask them, “Now, where do you hold the bouquet?”

I get that chime of a teacher lecturing her class, “At the belllly buttttton,” they repeat back.

I remind them right before they walk down the aisle when I stop them to take a shot before they continue the rest of the way down. This way you don’t get shots with the bouquets all over the place!

Let’s review! Here are some important shots to make sure your photographer gets!

The eyelash shot
The silhouette
Just the dress
Getting “into” the dress / lacing up
The bouquet / holding the bouquet at the belly button

Check back next Thursday for the next post in our “Tips For Brides” series. To read them all, click here.

Jeremy & Amanda’s Warm and Beautiful Country Club Wedding

April 11, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Photoshoots

Mid-70s, a cool breeze, and a wedding! There was nothing better this past Saturday. The weather was absolutely divine, it was like God said: “Today, Jeremy and Amanda are getting married, so let this day be perfect!”

Speaking of perfect – Amanda’s bouquet was stunning. Just stunning. Lilies, tulips, roses, and a tear-drop style. It was definitely one of the most breathtaking bouquets I’ve ever seen!

Plus, those rings! *whistles*

I always love it when the bride’s ring fits inside the groom’s. I have only ever had it happen a handful of times — and this was one of them! I always personally find it to be a good omen, they’re so meant to be together … the rings fit together — just like them!

Now, let’s talk about Amanda. The new Mrs. Maxwell. She was so grateful to everyone there. She thanked her bridesmaids repeatedly, the Executive Hills Polo Club owner, and me. She thanked everyone for being there to support her and make her day special. She was also a total knockout!!

She had six bridesmaids in beautiful royal blue dresses – ready to cheer her on!

I know I’ve already mentioned the flowers, but seriously … look at them! It reminded me of something out of a royal wedding!

The ring bearer was decked out in a shirt that said: “Ring Security.” So clever!! His glasses totally matched his shirt and gave the perfect overall “anybody who wants that ring has to get through me first” vibe. And their little flower girl — decked in a white gown befitting a princess, complete with a blue ribbon to match the bridesmaids!

Now it’s time to talk about Jeremy, and his groomsmen. This picture literally sums up what a fun crew they were! I suggested they pick him up, but definitely didn’t realize this is what they’d do!

Ah, and then the moment everyone is waiting for! The vows, the”I do,” the forever! There was a set of white doors to hide Amanda from Jeremy, and when she walked through them he teared up. He may tell you didn’t, but he totally did. He was knocked out by this stunning woman he would soon get to call his forever! There were tears and laughter. A good mutual friend, Tim Kile, officiated. My favorite line of his: “I’ve only done this one other time, but it’s bound to be better than the first time.” Chuckles everywhere. Amanda couldn’t stop talking about what an amazing job he did, tying their love together into the sermon and reciting scripture to help them in their new lives together.

And after that first kiss as husband and wife — many more followed!

And their location was picture perfect. Bright grass, tall trees, a white picket fence surrounding the roadway, and a deck to stand on. The ceremony was outside, with a reception inside. One bar outside, one inside. The Executive Hills Polo Club was just stunning!

The inside reception area had multiple chandeliers, a perfect backdrop for a first dance as husband and wife!

Then came time for the speeches. While the Matron of Honor, Maid of Honor, and Best Man did a really great job, it was Amanda’s dad who knocked it out of the park. I heard one of the wedding guests say he should be on “Comedy Half Hour.” He had everyone in stitches, and Jeremy covering his face!

Their wedding hashtag was so cute. #Maxout. I can’t wait to see what their many years of marriage bring!! Congratulations, Amanda & Jeremy!

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Willows & Redbuds: A Gorgeous Maternity Shoot At Forest Park

April 7, 2017April 7, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Photoshoots

The third time is a charm! Ally and I had to re-schedule this shoot twice — once due to it snowing, despite it being 70 degrees the day before, and once due to a tornado. Such is the life of a photographer in the Midwest! But it was worth the wait — everything is in bloom right now! Plus, the wind LOVED Ally — it kept blowing her flowy floral jacket perfectly.

I met up with the lovebirds, Ally & Aaron, at Forest Park in St. Louis today (Kansas City Photography is in both KC & St. Louis!). Ally’s original due date was in May, but her doctor recently bumped it to the end of April. We are going to be meeting Mr. Jaxton even sooner — hooray!

Ally met Aaron six years ago while working at Syberg’s in downtown St. Louis. It took a few years, but Aaron finally worked up the courage to “officially” ask Ally to be his two years ago.

The couple brought along their pups Gonzo and Wilson. Gonzo is super old, and realllly blind, but he was a good sport. Thankfully, they brought a favorite squeaky toy that really helped get the pups to look at me! That’s one of the tips on our blog post about shoots with pets!

You can tell Gonzo is not impressed. Or he is just squintin’ ’cause he can’t see anything. Poor dude! It also helped they brought along an assistant, AKA the sisters of all sisters — Jessica!

One of my favorite things to do during shoots is crack jokes. Then, I get reactions like this:

It doesn’t help that I am good at getting people to laugh, builds up my ego a little too much! Hahaha.

Congrats to the happy couple!

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It’s A Dog’s World — Meet Tatiana’s Furry Family!

April 5, 2017April 3, 2018 by Kcityphotography, posted in Our Silly Family

Hi, everyone! Tatiana here to talk about my beautiful (and stinky) family!

First, let’s start with Eric:

We met in college and there is no one else in the world I would rather share my adventures with. He loves Minecraft, Warcraft, arts and crafts … Kraft Mac N Cheese — you get the idea!

I am constantly on the go. My mom FORCES ME to take naps at her place because really, who has time for sleep? I’m always busy with my cosplay, both an art and a business, promoting my brand Momo Bunny Cosplay. I make the world smell good with Scentsy, and make the world look good with photos. I am constantly running around KC for photoshoots (on one end of the camera or another), and editing until my stomach tells me it’s time to stop and eat. Eric supports me through it all! He is the most understanding, optimistic person I know and he is the calm in my chaotic world.

I introduced him to cosplay and now we travel across the country every year, exploring different cities and going to different conventions. We are the perfect team and four years later we own a house together (Christine’s old house, actually)!

We have very few professional pictures together (we gotta change that!) but I think our “Lady and The Tramp” shoot has some of my favorite pictures of us together!

We love Disney, and we love dogs. Speaking of which, lets move on to my fur babies!

Meet Lily:

Lily is a Coonhound I rescued from KC Pet Project about three years ago. I was looking for a doggie to be my companion during hard times and I fell in love with her picture right away! She is my baby girl, my best friend, and she has a deep bark to scare off sinister solicitors. 😉

Her hobbies include sunbathing, chasing critters, and digging.

Here she is trying to hide one of her holes in the yard with her face. Quite the personality she has!

Next up is Luna:

(Christine and I definitely did NOT plan to name our children the same names. Funny how that works out though, right?).

Eric saved her after she was chained up in a yard, left behind by her previous owners at an abandoned house (savages!). I suggested we name her Luna after my love for Sailor Moon over the phone when Eric explained she was black. He left out the detail of her being a Chihuahua… now Luna is short for “Lunatic.” She has her sweet moments, but her breed only really bonds with one person, and like Frenchie from Grease explains, “The only man a girl can depend on is her daddy.”

She loves barking, biting, pooping, yapping, more barking, and sacrificing the blood of the innocent to her nethergods… I mean … napping.

Meet Zero:

It has always been my dream to have a basset hound! I was looking around and realized we really couldn’t afford what breeders were asking for and no shelter had any basset’s available. Then, a breeder contacted me asking if I would possibly want one of her pups that has to undergo a minor surgery. Because of his hernia, no one else wanted him no matter the price. As soon as I went to her house to meet him, he jumped around his brothers and sisters right into my lap! He chose me from the beginning.

He’s about a year old now and I still can’t get over his cuteness! I always say dogs are a lot like toddlers and Zero likes to prove that everyday. He pushes his limits and then gives me those puppy eyes to see how much he can get away with. Boy is spoiled!

BUT HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THAT FACE?! HOW??

Zero was named after the dog in “Nightmare Before Christmas,” another huge fandom of mine. He enjoys snuggling for hours, chewing on random objects abruptly without warning, and howling. He is currently pursuing a music career in yodeling. He’s really going places.

I can never get the three in a photo together! This is the best there is! Luna barking Lily away and Zero wondering why his older sister be so cray-cray … and so tiny.

My babes are crazy, noisy, and hairy (especially Eric), but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Brian & Kellie’s Autumn-Colored Country Wedding

March 28, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Photoshoots

I started this blog in 2017, so some of my favorite weddings of 2016 never got highlighted — until now! Today I wanted to take a look back at the last wedding I did in 2016 before winter fully set in.

Brian & Kellie Hudson

It was an unusually gorgeous day Saturday, November 12. Renyers Pumpkin Farm in Wetmore, Kansas, was usually already closed for the season, but it stayed open for Brian & Kellie’s big day. And it was in the 60s. The 60s! In mid-November!

When I did the couple’s engagement photos in February, Kellie told me she wanted to encompass the colors of fall in her wedding colors — oranges, purples, yellows. We even incorporated that into her Save the Date!

And when I walked into the Coach House to see her wedding decor in person, I gasped. She nailed it! It looked like a lovely autumn day — but inside! The chairs were lined with colorful orange and red leaves. There was a fire going, and logs were set to place their delicious wedding cheesecake upon (yes, cheesecake!! It was so good!).

Since the weather hadn’t yet turned bitterly cold, the leaves were still clinging to the trees. We could really get some great shots that reflected everything we love about fall — there were some leaves that already said goodbye to the season on the ground, but there were still some clinging on hoping we’d just skip winter and prance right into spring.

The dresses and vests were a dark, autumn purple. Kellie’s bouquet had twine and fall flowers interlacing.

It was truly a fall wedding — gorgeous colors of nature represented throughout! There was a shot from the couple’s engagement shoot that they absolutely fell in love with — and asked me to recreate it for their wedding day. Done!

Brian & Kellie were adorable. The cute little forehead kisses Brian kept sneaking. The way Kellie would reach for his hand instinctively — the same hand with a new promise displayed on his ring finger.

The two didn’t want to see each other before walking down the aisle. Kellie was so nervous he would catch a peek, but Brian said it was so important to him to get this shot. They held hands around the corner, not seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day until Kellie walked down the aisle.

After the vows and the tears, it was time for some fun! Renyers has a life-size foosball! I have never seen one of these, but before I could even make the suggestion they go play, the groomsmen’s jackets were flying off, and the bridesmaids were sprinting into the game!

We ended the evening with gorgeous country sunset shots. It was an unforgettable day of love, laughter, vows, cheesecake, and foosball.

The best touch — Kellie gave me a card at the end of the evening. A handwritten letter thanking me for being her wedding photographer. It was so humbling — especially when the honor was all mine!

Thank you, Kellie & Brian!

Are you getting married? We are in both Kansas City and St. Louis — plus, we travel! Contact us today!

“How Much Do You Love Me?” Amanda and Dustin’s Engagement Shoot!

March 22, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Photoshoots

Hey, everyone! Tatiana here to talk to you about a celebration of LOVE. First off, congratulations to Amanda and Dustin for winning our free engagement shoot!

They chose the Love Locks Bridge for the shoot location. They picked it from our awesome list of the Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in KC. This was such a fun area to explore and I’m grateful they were willing to go on little adventures to get the perfect shots.

It was such a treat meeting them and seeing their love for each other shine through on camera. When I asked how they met, here’s what Amanda had to say:

“We both met each other on Tinder (what people nowadays consider a hook up site lol). Definitely not our case!”

They were both in search of their special someone and became head over heels!

This is one of Dustin’s signature signs of affection for Amanda: the forehead kiss!

When the proposal happened, Amanda was so surprised, she thought the conversation was heading for the worst. AKA a breakup … not an engagement!

They were at the Plaza for their anniversary and it was bitter cold. Dustin casually asked Amanda “so, how much do you love me?”

She put her arms out wide and said “THIS MUCH!”

“Alright, and how much do you think I love you?” Dustin countered, with Amanda giving the same response as before.

Dustin disagreed and held his hand up, measuring a tiny amount, almost an inch. At this point, Amanda was really confused and thought he was trying to break up with her.

He then said (and I’m paraphrasing) “Sometimes you need to appreciate the small things, because they can turn into something much more.” That’s when he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring!

And what a ring!!! Whoo-whee!

When I heard the touchingly romantic story, Dustin said jokingly: “Yeah, I had to bring her down a little bit to build up the moment.”

There you have it, folks! TRUE LOVE! This tree stump is a new favorite hot spot — we got so many cute shots by it.

I wish them the best in their happy future together!

May the playground teasing never die, and Amanda stay safe from the slide bandit.

P.S. Book us for your wedding! 😉

The Calm Before The Storm: Jenn & James’ Maternity Shoot!

March 9, 2017 by Kcityphotography, posted in Photoshoots

We got hit really hard with severe weather Monday night. We even had to go to the basement at the wee hours of the morning when a tornado warning was issued for our area. But the good news is — I got a shoot in before all that hail hit! Meet Jenn, James, and baby Genevieve (she’s still bakin’)!

Jenn had a whole Pinterest board for me to look through, and I noticed a lot of those pins were silhouette shots. Some of my absolute favorite shots are silhouettes!! Done!

Not gonna lie, James supeeeer didn’t wanna do the shoot. He just got the Nintendo Switch (the last on in Missouri), so he had Zelda brain. But regardless, he was a great sport, and we got some amazing shots!

You could see how much they love each other just by the photos!

Jenn is very fit. She goes to the gym 6 days a week. It was important to her that we incorporate some workout shots into the shoot. Her favorite hashtag is #fitbump. She lives it!

I saved the best shot for last — this sums up Jenn’s pregnancy. She has been SO hungry, especially for sweets. Since my oldest daughter, Lily, just got her Girl Scout cookies in to deliver … we had quite a few cookie props for Jenn to use!

Congrats, James and Jenn!!

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Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — The Family Shots

WEEK FOUR: THE FAMILY SHOTS

Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — It’s All In The Details

Week Three: It’s All In The Details

The Cake

The Rings

The Bouquet

The Boutonnières & Corsages

The Dress (Before it’s on the bride)

Wedding Series: Tips For Brides — The “First Look,” / Bridal Reveal

Wedding Series: Tips For Brides – Portraits

Jeremy & Amanda’s Warm and Beautiful Country Club Wedding

Willows & Redbuds: A Gorgeous Maternity Shoot At Forest Park

It’s A Dog’s World — Meet Tatiana’s Furry Family!

Brian & Kellie’s Autumn-Colored Country Wedding

Brian & Kellie Hudson

“How Much Do You Love Me?” Amanda and Dustin’s Engagement Shoot!

The Calm Before The Storm: Jenn & James’ Maternity Shoot!