DC Vineyard Wedding

Most couples don’t think too much about what kind of light, indoors or outdoors, will be happening during their ceremony. When I was shooting Becky and Jonathan’s ceremony, I kept thinking ‘THIS is perfect light! These ceremony pictures are going to be badass!!”

Obviously, I’m going to make ceremony pictures look good no matter what I’m given in terms of light. But in photography, everything is light. If your ceremony pictures are important, my best advice: go to your ceremony location at the same season/time your ceremony will be. Are you standing there squinting in the sun, barely able to see your partner? Is it kinda dark? Is the sun setting (then it’s way too dark)? All my clients have engagement sessions and I tell them I’m a slave to the light so we schedule sessions around the light. Same thing with your couple shots or ceremony shots. And this wedding is a great example of working with the light! Usually the best time for light from March-September is around 5:00-7:30. So don’t start your wedding at 7:30 if your ceremony will last 45 minutes; because by the end, it’s so dark, I have to whip out my flash. From September-December 3:30-5:30 is usually the best light. And as it gets to late October, the light is pretty much going or gone by 5:15.

I totally love it when couples have an arch, Chuppah, or something to decorate/define where the couple will stand. It makes for awesome pictures.

Ok, so you remember summer camp right? I’m sure you have all played “Chubby Bunny” where you stuff as many marshmallows into your mouth, one by one, and each time say “Chubby Bunny” until you literally can’t speak. Well Becky’s Uncle has been playing Chubby Bunny with Becky since she was a little girl. And her wedding was no exception. At the end of this game (he won) he presented Becky with a picture frame of them playing the same game- only as a little girl. I’m not going to lie, it was so sweet and touching after laughing so hard I could barely take a picture (stuffing marshmallows into the bride’s mouth is not the normal thing you see at a wedding- that’s why I love my couples).  And yes- that is the Waffle House. A few guests and the couple headed out to the Waffle House for the after-party and I just had to snap a few shots. This is at 2am which might explain the story about the random guy in waffle house massaging a bridesmaid’s foot. But I’m not saying anything. Nope.