MOuntain peak studios
Welcome Guide
Hello hello hello!!
Congratulations, you’ve decided to marry your person! And congratulations to me, too, because you’ve chosen me to join you for the
ride. Words cannot describe how honored I am to be a part of your love story. I can’t wait to get to know you, to capture your wedding day, and to join you for a reception boogie. There’s so much to think about between now and then, and I’m sure your heads are already spinning- making decisions about things you didn’t even realize existed. So to make it a little easier, I’ve created this to help guide you
through the whole process! These are all the things that as a photographer I’m thinking about. I’ve made it as comprehensive as possible so that you spend less time worrying about the details and more time getting excited for your wedding! Think of this as less of a rule book and more of a guide, aimed at preparing you as much as possible so that when The Big Day rolls around, you can kick back
and enjoy the champagne (and the presence of all your nearest and dearest, of course).
What to expect!
I believe it’s my job to make sure that you feel calm, authentic, and engaged during a shoot with me and I will go above and beyond to ensure this is the case. I will always direct and pose you so you don’t feel or look awkward in any of your photographs.
As a wedding photographer, i've gone to well over a 100 weddings. I’ve seen it all - the cold feet, the wardrobe
malfunction, the teary grandpa, and at least thirteen pairs of stashed
stilettos in a bush. But one thing that I know for sure, is that regardless of how much planning you do, the
wedding will always unfold as it’s meant to. People seem to swing between being extremely excited and
extremely overwhelmed as they’re going through the stages of wedding planning--so if you’re feeling either of
those things, know that this is completely normal!
I want you to know that i am here for you through it all. If you need advice, guidance, some words of
encouragement or just an extra friend, i am here for you ALWAYS!!
Engagement sessions
Tune out the noise that says you
should invite people based on
social obligations! This is your day, you should stay true to how you want to do it.
There is no shame in asking for
help. If you need to practice asking for help in small incremental steps, start now so that you’re a pro at calling in some big favors in the leadup to the wedding. And, guess what People who love you will be thrilled to help!
Hold on tight, and enjoy the
process. It’ll rush by faster than you know it!!
Here's some important reminders!!
Timelines
Timelines make your day flow smoothly, giving your guests, staff, and vendors a general idea of when and where everything will pan out. With timelines as with weddings, there is no one-size-fits-all approach so it’s super important to make a timeline that works for you. If you have a wedding planner, they’ll be able to help you create something that aligns with your vision of the perfect day. But one thing to remember is that things almost always take longer than you think they will. Allow some time in between events so you have a second to breathe, kiss your partner, and drink some water. I always make sure to keep a 30 minute window of time before the ceremony without any photos to give you a chance to tame those flyaways or eat a quick bite!
Getting ready photos
At once calm and chaotic, the getting ready part of the day
has all of the feels crammed into a couple of nervous and
tender hours. With all of the action buzzing around the bride
and groom, it’s easy to find yourself in a really chaotic, crowded, and cluttered space that inadvertently adds stress to the situation. Considering the right space for this part of the day is more important than most people think, which is why I recommend thinking about this early.
The factors that contribute to me getting good photos are
also the ones that contribute to a more relaxed day for
everyone. Here’s what I’ve learned we need:
A clutter-free space
Good natural light and lots of it!
TIP: A big window is ideal when taking portraits of people getting their makeup done. (The makeup artist will love the extra light, too!)
A space with an interior style that suits your own. If at
home, don’t forget to get rid of all of the day-to-day clutter like electric fans or socks or dog beds. Fill the space with flowers, your favorite things, and just a couple of your
favorite people.
Enough time (at least one hour for each partner, but longer
if you’re rolling with a big crew). I’ll be sure to show up right as the finishing touches are being placed. TIP: A great way to maximize my time is to put all of the things aside that I need for the detail shots. The ring, the shoes, the cuff links, the love letters - put it all aside so I can arrange them and swap through quickly.
While each of you are getting ready, chances are you’ll be filled with nerves. As you won’t have each other for comfort in these moments, consider writing a love letter for your fiance to read before the ceremony. It’ll be a nice little keepsake, make for some incredibly emotion-filled images before the ceremony, and help build the excitement in the leadup to the I-do’s!
First look
First looks are probably hands-down one of the sweetest new wedding traditions, shaking off old school traditions that say you shouldn’t see each other until you're on opposite ends of the aisle. They kick up the romance a couple notches, allowing you two to share a private moment without your guests, and allowing me to capture some of the unfolding awe and excitement between you.
They’re a really fun opportunity for all of us to put our heads together and get creative! You can exchange private vows after your first look (one of favorite things that couples do), you can exchange gifts, words of love, or just go for good ol booty slap for that encouragement.
There’ll be plenty of time for us to become friends before your big day, but if you’re a little unsure about spending time in front of the camera, let me know. Most people have some reservations about it and I always do my best to get to know you so that I can give you the kind of direction that feels authentic to you. I’ve got lots of prompts up my sleeve for the shy and the rambunctious alike, so you’ll never be left wondering what to do with yourselves. Portraits like these allow you to create precious keepsakes, step back from the buzz, look into each other's eyes, and take a few grounding moments to yourselves.
Portrait time
If you have a fleet of bridesmaids or groomsmen (or both),it’s worth getting some images of everyone with the flowers and the dresses and the ties and the cute matching outfits. Just make sure people know what’s happening! Make sure to tell them when we will need everyone for photos. (maybe even tell them we need them 10 min earlier than we actually do) it’ll help everyone know where to be and when.
Pro tip
Less is more!! It can get really overwhelming really quickly with a big bridal party. If that's not what you want, you don't need to have a big bridal party or even one at all!! If you do want a big bridal party that is also okay!! As long as you are doing what you want for your day!!
Family portraits
One thing that’s absolutely necessary for this part of the day is that everyone knows it’s happening, everyone’s on board, and there’s someone (Wedding planner? Sibling? Best friend?) who knows who everyone is and can help me herd everyone in the right direction at the right time. Before the wedding you will be able to write down a list of every single person we'll need and where they should be at what time so we can fly through these and get everyone back to celebrating as quickly as possible! Pro tip: make sure to tell the family we will need 10 min earlier than we actually do. I've had times where we are waiting on a family member and the whole thing gets delayed
The ceremony
I’ll start by saying this: take things slow. With the kiss, with the walking, with the everything. Tell everyone else to do so, too. Resist the urge to rush through and just savor every moment! This allows me plenty of time to get the shot I need, too.
pro tip: go for the unplugged wedding!
An unplugged wedding is not only an amazing opportunity for your guests to disconnect from their devices and to connect to the present moment but they also help me get unobscured shots of you and the rest of the ceremony. There are so many pivotal moments that happen in the blink of an eye - if someone jumps out in front of me with their iPhone while you and the love of your life have your first kiss as forever partners, chances are you’ll have a big iPhone shaped blur in the foreground and I’ll miss the shot.
It’s hard to ask people to keep their devices in their pockets. And although the people you've invited undoubtedly love and respect you, it can sometimes be hard to disentangle ourselves from our technology. Set out little reminders for your guests to help nudge them in the right direction. Make some cute signs to put up, add a note to the programs, and let your celebrant know so they can remind them before the ceremony begins.
And tell them not to worry - I’m on the job of capturing some great images for everyone to take home!!
After the ceremony...
If we are not capturing photos right after the ceremony, i can't recommend enough having some private time together. Your wedding day goes by quickly and i am a firm believe in making sure you guys soak in all the moments. Whether you go back to the bridal suite, sit by a fire, or go for a walk, it's so important to spend some quality time together before heading into cocktail hour and getting mobbed with love by your friends and family!!
Reception time !
Pro tip:
Consider doing a photo dash during the reception! BUT instead of doing it
where the DJ will play a song and we have to run to each table, have everyone be called table by table and run to you guys by the sweetheart table!! It's a great way to get photos with everyone if that's something you wanted to make sure you got!
Make sure to give me a heads up if there will be any special moments happening! Will you want to take anymore photos during the reception, will there be any games played, any performances? Also, most people don’t like to be photographed while they’re eating, so this is a good time for me to grab a quick bite too and be well- prepared for the rest of the night! It’s great to put in a request with the kitchen that I get my meal first (at the same time as you guys) so that I can eat before the next event takes place! Some venues will feed me with you guys but most will feed me at the very end and sometimes i don't get to eat because the dj has started the next set!
The most important thing? HAVE FUN!! Dance, drink, eat, hang out with your friends, spend every second with your new husband/wife!! Do whatever the hell you want!! Enjoy the party and soak it all in
Photo delivery
It takes me up to 10 weeks to select, edit, and deliver your gallery of photos after the wedding but I’ll be sure to sneak you a couple of previews within 48 hours so you can share them with family and friends while everyones still buzzing from the big day! When you get all of the images, it’ s always such a special moment for everyone! A few of my couples
have invited friends and family over for a special viewing event--it’s always amazing getting to relive that day with your nearest and dearest. Plus, any excuse to make a batch of popcorn is always welcome. Feel free to share your images with your guests so they can share them on their own social media. But please don’t forget to tag me! Not only does it help others find their way to my page, but it’s always so fun for me to see which snaps everyone loves most.
Please refrain from adding filters when reposting (it goes against the rules laid out in my contract).
If vendors want to use any of my images for their business pages, that is totally fine! I will send them the gallery after i deliver the gallery to you guys!
Videographers
- Bucket list films (we offer a discount if booked together)
- akam productions
- folded crane films
- 4k weddings
Planners
- weddings with verve
- honeycomb and prince
- Ophelia events
florists
- made of leaves
- simply stems floral
- bloomery flower studio
- flora and dean
Hair and makeup
- Erica michele makeup
- Mua courtney rose
- makeup by mckenna
- bridal by lex borino
Dj's
- SCE event group (ask for jason cohen)
- Posh djs
- Dj Menes
- Dj hi kevin
Officiants
- Michele zipp
- Love and light officiants
Let's recap!!
- I will always direct and pose you so you don’t
- feel or look awkward in any of your
- photographs!
- Don't forget this is YOUR wedding day, you can
- do whatever you want!
- Don't forget to drink water and have some
- food (especially on those hot days!)
- Slow down, don’t forget to breathe, take it all
- in, and have a good time.
- Don't forget to have FUN!!!
