That’s right – I just invented a new category of crazy.

The minute we set a wedding date, I hopped on Lonely Planet’s website to search for the best places to travel in November.  I’ve spent hours looking at a map, trying to suss out some spectacular location that no one has ever thought of as a honeymoon destination.  I’ve searched Sidestep innumerable times, looking for locations with the cheapest flights.  I have annoyed my friends by bringing it up more often than anyone could possibly want to hear about it.

I am obsessed with planning our honeymoon.  My name is Tracy, and I am a Honeymoon-zilla.

The honeymoon was the one part of wedding planning that I was really looking forward to.  John and I love to travel, and we do so often, so planning a trip is not new for us.  But something about the honeymoon adds extra pressure.  There is almost an expectation that this will be the most extravagant trip  you’ll ever take, that it will go beyond your normal travel experiences and truly be spectacular.  That it has to be unique and perfect in every detail – the kind of trip that makes all of your friends jealous and outdoes any trip you will ever take. » Continue reading “The Honeymoon-zilla”

Congrats to Melissa and Chris – their wedding will be featured in an upcoming issue of The Knot magazine!  To see more of their beautiful art gallery wedding, CLICK HERE.  Congrats guys!

The best way to create authentic family photos is to spend at least part of the session doing something fun.  It doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy – just something you and your family like.  Something unique to you that someday you’ll want to remember.  It’s what allows me to create images that show who your family is, not just what they look like.

Sometimes it’s hard to think of what that specific activity is – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they “aren’t that interesting” and maybe they should just go sit in the park and smile.  Don’t default to boring!  Take time to think it over – it’s worth the effort.  Here are a few ideas to get you started. » Continue reading “Make your family portraits more interesting”

We hired our wedding photographer for her personality.  Her authenticity and ability to have a genuine conversation is what impressed us, not her albums.  Sure, we loved her work, but we loved a lot of people’s work.  There are a lot of highly talented photographers, and work alone wasn’t enough for us to make a decision.  Personality was everything.

As a photographer, I know how important it is that the couple and I are on the same page.  When I have clients who are like me – people I would be friends with – it just works better.  The couple feels more comfortable, they relax, they have more fun.  And I work better because I have more fun, and I create better images.  It’s just the truth.

So if you’re out there looking for a photographer for your wedding, I encourage you to really take the time to sit down with people and talk.  Not just about wedding albums and print prices, but about who they are and who you are.  Make sure your personalities click, and that you’d feel comfortable having them around when you are in an emotional space on your wedding day.  Make sure you like them and that you trust them.  It’s the most important thing you can do to make sure you get the best images of your wedding day. » Continue reading “Personality matters”

Hallelujah, I have a wedding dress! (No, it’s not the one in the photo.)

There is a pervasive myth in wedding culture that you’ll absolutely fall in love with one of the first dresses you try on.  That you’ll zip into the dress and just know its “the one.”  That you’ll start crying, and so will everyone with you because the dress is just perfect.

This was not my experience.  I realize I’m a little tougher to please because I’ve been in the wedding industry for years.  And I’m not very girly.  But all I wanted was a dress that was not strapless, didn’t have beads or lace, and wasn’t poofy.  I don’t want to look like a princess, and I don’t want to carry around 10 yards of fabric.  That’s just me.  And from the experience shopping, it felt like I was the only one who didn’t want those things.  The moment I’d mention not wanting strapless I was limited to about 3 dresses at each store, and those with straps often came with lace, beads, tulle, etc.  I went to 6 stores like that, and at two of them I didn’t even find anything I was willing to try on.  I was getting discouraged. » Continue reading “The Dress”