Memorable Pre-Wedding Photography

July 16th, 2009

In the rush to get everything ready for your wedding, it can be easy to forget to slow down and take the time to simply enjoy your engagement. Many couples do not even think about having professional pictures taken until they are already married and hear about someone else’s engagement pictures. That’s when you say, “Darn! I wish I had thought of that sooner!”. The last thing that you want to feel later is regret over a missed opportunity, so be sure to find time in your busy schedule for some pre-wedding photographs.

It used to be that engagement photos were very formal. The traditional pictures were generally composed as a close-up shot of the engaged couples from about the waist up. The bride would usually wear a pretty dress, and maybe a piece of her wedding jewelry if she already had it. The groom typically wore either a suit or a nice sweater or golf shirt. As people have gotten away from formal or stiff wedding photography, this style of engagement portrait has fallen from favor. One exception would be the couple who is planning to have an engagement announcement in the newspaper, in which case, this may be exactly the type of picture that is needed.

Just because posed wedding portraiture has gone out of style does not mean that you should skip the engagement photos altogether. The new trend in pre-wedding pictures is to have images taken that are fresh, playful, and creative. These photos are intended to capture the spirit and personalities of the bride and groom-to-be. To make this happen, engagement photos are now being taken in interesting locations, with festive attire, and with whimsical props.

Golf courses, carnivals and fairs, museums, and parks are all wonderful sites for your engagement photo shoot. As it is a special event, you will want to choose a lovely outfit, even if the locale is low-key. Imagine a picture of the two of you drifting around the carousel at the fair; the bride can wear a pretty sundress accented with her wedding jewelry, and the groom can wear a nice button down shirt. The final result will be pictures that are playful, memorable, and that capture some of the spark of young love.

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Boots and Black Tie Weddings

July 16th, 2009

If you are a Texan, you probably know just what I mean by a boots and black tie wedding. The literal meaning of a boots and black tie wedding or event is that the gentlemen wear black tie attire, but instead of the traditional shoes, they wear a great pair of cowboy boots (your dressy black cowboy boots, please, not the scuffed up ones that you wear working on the ranch!). At this type of party, the ladies will also wear very elegant attire, most often long dresses, but they are also free to add some character to their outfits, as well. Western inspired details are the most common choice, and some of the ladies may also decide to wear a very fancy pair of boots as well under a long full skirt.

The spirit of a boots and black tie wedding is one of relaxed elegance. In other words, it is black tie, which is formal, and yet, festive, fun, and above all, never stuffy. The bride can wear any gown that strikes her fancy, although with the men in black tie, it needs to be fairly dressy. An all-over lace gown can be the perfect answer, and if the skirt is full enough, the bride can even wear her own pair of boots under it (this is cute under a full skirt, because the boots will only peek out once in a while). To bring the look back down to earth, unique handcrafted bridal jewelry is great, as is a loose hairstyle.

Part of the spirit of relaxed elegance will be achieved by the music at the wedding. You definitely want a great band for dancing to really get the good times rolling. If you are a true daughter of Texas, you might go with a hot country band. Brides who are not country music fans could consider another style of music with a folksy edge that will get the toes tapping, such as zydeco or Irish folk music. What to avoid? Anything too stuffy like classical music.

Food is always a big part of the festivities at a wedding.  Choose a whimsical cake topper to perch atop your dessert, such as a little bride and groom dressed in formal attire with cowboy boots (this is the type of thing that you can custom order from a website like etsy).

A boots and black tie wedding is a fun twist on the traditional formal black tie wedding. It is one of the rare occasions in life where you can have your cake and eat it, too; an elegant and stylish wedding that is also festive and fun. Whether you are a native son or daughter of the Lone Star State, or are just looking for inspiration for a great wedding theme, a boots and black tie wedding might be just what you have been looking for.

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