Sara Gray Photography Portland, Oregon

Alright, friends — I’m back with some more advice about styling your engagement session, thanks to Lindsey’s great question last time. Lindsey is one of my 2012 brides and so much fun. You’ll have to look for her engagement session coming up soon!

Let’s get down to business: Styled photo shoots are very in right now. If you read wedding blogs, you’ve seen them in their infinitely complex glory, from elaborate shoots based on movie premises, gourmet picnics with vintage props and furniture and I even saw one recently where a groom assembled an entire “Starbucks” with menus and chairs and tables in a field to recreate the place where they’d first met.

Can we reality check for a minute? In your busy life, do you really have the time to arrange vintage prop rentals and elaborate outfits? Is the final product really going to be something that reflects your relationship?

I take a little bit more relaxed view of styling. A lot of my couples want that “styled” look for their engagement sessions, so here are my best pieces of advice for coming away from your engagement session sane and pleased with how your photos reflect you.

1. The First and Most Important “Styling” Element?

Take a hint from Rosa and Chris (above) or Rachel and Neal (below): It’s your clothes. Coming well dressed and a little gussied up (but just a little!) makes a huge difference. It can take your photos to a new level. You’ll want to hang them on your wall or share them with your friends if you looked great. That said, make sure you don’t wear something that you’d never wear in real life. This is the theme to this post: You should always be true to your own style and personality.

2. If you’re using props, pick one. Don’t get carried away.

It happens a lot. “We want vintage! And coffee mugs! And balloons! And six outfit changes!” I get it, I do. You get one engagement session, and you want to hit the high points. Take some of the pressure off, though — five themes will drown out the focus on you and your relationship. Two of my favorite “styled” engagement sessions are pictured here (above, Ivy and Zack, who incorporated Voodoo Doughnuts into their shoot and below, Didi and Kevin, who stuck to coffee and books at Stumptown Coffee and the Ace Hotel). I love the simplicity. Stick with one idea. Trust me.

3. Don’t forget about your personalities and your history.

Am I starting to sound like a broken record yet? I think the saddest thing would be to spend weeks arranging props and themes for your shoot and in the end, to feel like the photos weren’t at all you. If you’re trying to think of things to incorporate, think about you guys, not what’s cool on the wedding blogs. Think about where you met, the places you like to go together or where you’re most comfortable. The rest of the details will take care of themselves.

Above, Morgan and Brandon, who just celebrated one year of marriage. Those yellow billy balls were incorporated at their wedding after this shoot. Loved the tie-in!

Footnote: If you are wanting a styled look for your engagement session and are feeling a bit lost about where to start, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend my friend Kimberly with Billede Design. She can whip something up for you to make you feel your best and keep your vision true to you (and all for less than it’d cost to have your makeup and hair done).

Any other questions from blog readers or brides that you’d like me to address here on the blog? Bring it on in the comments.

Awhile back, one of my fabulous September brides, Kirsten, asked a question for my advice series: How do I make my wedding photograph well?

Here are my top three tips for making sure the party you’ve put together to celebrate your nuptials is a beautiful in the photos as in real life:

1. Details, details.

If you’re a follower of my editorial-style photography work, you know that a lot of my shots are of details. For instance, the bird’s nest (above) that Morgan and Robert had on their wood “wedding cake” or your shoes, programs, favors and flowers. This style of photography tells the story through not just the moments you experience and the people you celebrate with, but the things that were there with you. As a general rule, the more layers of visual interest you bring in, the better for the photographs. Budget tip: Want loads of detail without breaking the bank? Go for inexpensive flowers, thrifted items or handmade napkins from fun fabrics that will pop with color and detail without overloading your budget.

2. Go with pros.

For your makeup and hair, that is. Of course you should go with a professional wedding photographer (you knew I was going to say that, didn’t you?) whose style you love, but specifically here I mean hire someone great to do your hair and makeup on the big day. This serves two purposes: You’ll look amazing, first, but even more important, you’ll feel confident if you love the way you look, and most of us need a confidence boost to be in front of the camera for hours! Cat’s hair and makeup (above) and Jen’s hair and makeup (below) were both done by some of my favorite artists at Face Body Beauty.

3. Consider the light.

Some spaces just have better light than others. Consider this when you’re choosing your venue, and choosing your event’s time of day and time of year. If you want that dreamy natural-light look to your wedding photos, it’s just not going to happen inside a ballroom. Likewise, getting married in the winter limits the hours of daylight you’ll have to take photos, so consult with your photographer on scheduling so you can fit everything in during daylight hours.

I hope that’s helpful! My advice series will be continuing (with video and these kinds of posts) so I’d love more questions from all of you! Comment on the post or e-mail me at sara@saragrayphotograph[email protected] to submit a question that I’ll address in a future advice post! Happy Thursday, all.

This is a question I get a lot, so in this quick video, I explain why doing an engagement session will make a difference in your wedding images.

I’m excited to bring you the first in the series of videos that I’ll be sharing on the blog. In this short video, I talk about the top three things to look for when you’re shopping for wedding photographers. I also say “um” a lot. So much for all that theatrical training.

I’m going to be doing one of these videos each month, and I’d like to hear from you — what would you like to hear about?

I am so excited to be featured in Oregon Brides’ new fall-winter issue! They asked me to recommend my favorite wedding band, and I told them about Marianna and the Baby Vamps and Moon Vine Music. Check them out, and check out the clip below! The new issue of Oregon Bride is now available.

Thanks, Oregon Bride, for including me! I hope more people find great wedding music because of this fun article.

Awhile back, I made a post on my Facebook page with a teaser to an article about how to save money on a wedding. One response I got totally made me laugh — Joan, who is the mother of my good friend Katy and my former bride Jody, said, “You mean E-L-O-P-E?”

Well, let’s be honest. Money is a little on the tighter side these days for some folks, and it’s true. I think a lot of people are choosing to elope or hold small, intimate weddings. What I love is that I’m seeing people do it with great style. For example, did you see this completely fabulous city hall wedding featured in Martha Stewart Weddings in the latest issue? Here’s a little sneak peek.

(via Green Wedding Shoes)

There are a few of you who are taking a different approach this year — whether that’s tying the knot at city hall in style, taking your family and close friends for an intimate ceremony on the beach or having the ultimate Portland experience and getting married at Voodoo Doughnut.

I get that, and I want to be part of it. So I’m offering a special elopement package, with a smaller price tag for your smaller (but no less stylish) celebration.

Eloping? Ask about it by filling out the contact form.

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all drop $100,000 on a wedding? I’d love it. But it’s just not a reality for most people.

The good news is, you don’t need that kind of money to have an unbelievable wedding. The secret: You don’t have to spend too much money. Instead, you can use time and creativity to make it gorgeous, and a phenomenal time for all your guests.

I’ve seen a ton of weddings, and in my experience, there are great ways to pull off a budget wedding and some ways that just don’t work. Here are my three top ideas for making your wedding fit your budget, without sacrificing style.

1. Cut your guest list.

I know it’s hard to hear, but the single best way to save money on your wedding is to invite fewer people. The alternative is not being able to properly feed, entertain and pay attention to your guests. More intimate weddings are on the way in, anyway, and it takes some of the stress out of your big day.

Think about possibly inviting just family and close friends for a more personal event. Then, really spoil those guests that mean the most to you with a nice meal and lots of personal attention from you, the bride and groom. Guests go out of their way to attend weddings, and it’s only right to make sure you thank each of them personally for coming.

2. Pick a different time.

In the wedding world (particularly in the Pacific Northwest, with its pronounced seasons), everyone wants to get married on a Saturday in July or August. Well, there are only eight of those Saturdays each year, so they’re like gold to wedding vendors. If you pick a different day of the week or time of year, you’re much more likely to be able to get off-season or weekday discounts with venues and vendors (I offer a 10% discount to off-season couples).

Have a winter wedding with a white-on-white snowy theme to take advantage of slower winter months, or have a fun cocktail party wedding on a Thursday or Friday night. Weeknight weddings are gaining a lot of popularity, and they’re an opportunity to buck some of the more traditional aspects of the wedding and really have fun with friends and family.

You can also go your own way by scheduling your wedding at an unusual time of day. Host a morning wedding and serve brunch following the ceremony as a way to save money on food, but still send everyone home satisfied. You can also do a dessert-only reception, but make sure you don’t schedule your wedding during dinnertime, because guests will come hungry and be unpleasantly surprised.

3. Use your imagination

Lots of couples think that since they don’t have much money to spend, they don’t have many options for decorations or a theme. I think the opposite is true — being short on money can force you to think outside the box and come up with some really original ideas that make for a fresh theme for your wedding. You can buy cheap citrus bulk and use them as centerpieces, like I did in an inspiration shoot in March. Lately, I’ve been dreaming of styling an entire wedding using artichokes — if you played it right, I think it could be very Anthropologie. Go vintage and collect plates, glasses and silverware at thrift stores before the wedding, pick wildflowers in a field and use them for your bouquets and centerpieces or fold a thousand paper cranes. Think beyond the traditional ideas and pave your own way by using items that mean something to you and finding the beauty in the everyday object.

Because every post is better with a photo, I thought I’d share this one from my own mother’s day celebration a couple of weeks ago. I made this centerpieces from tin cans, IKEA tealights, mason jars I had sitting around and flowers from my mom’s garden. It was beautiful (and everyone loved it), but it only cost me about a buck (for the tealights).

Since January 4 (which was the day most of you went back to work after your holiday breaks), the inquiries have been flooding in. Since so many people get engaged over the holidays each year (yay!), there is always lots of interest right after the first of the year.

Some wedding vendors call it “engagement season.” I think it’s exciting. One thing we take for granted as wedding vendors, however, is that we do this every year. The people inquiring about packages and availability are doing this for their first (and only) time. Ever, for most of them.

So I thought it might be helpful to share some tips with all of you freshly-engaged guys and gals about how this all works (or should work) and how to get the most out of this time of fierce planning and anticipation.

When do I hire a wedding photographer?

A wedding photographer is a big piece of the planning process that is your wedding — I’m not just saying that because it’s what I am (honest!) — it’s really true. As such, it should be part of the first wave of arrangements you make for your big day.

You have to start with the venue, logically, because until you have it reserved, you can’t be 100% sure of your date. Then once you’ve got that nailed down, start your search. When you find a wedding photographer you love, book them before they can fill your date with someone else’s wedding.

Note: This is especially important for brides getting married in July and August. There are only nine weekends this year in that range, and tons and tons of people who want to get married then because of the usually-stellar Oregon and Washington weather.

How do I choose a wedding photographer?

It can be daunting to start out fresh searching for a photographer for your wedding. Instead of taking it to the gods of the Google search right away, try talking to your friends. Think about people you know who got married in the last several years and ask them what their experience was like. If they had a great one, they may recommend their photographer. If not, you’ll know who to steer clear of. Your wedding coordinator will probably also have some suggestions for you.

All that said, you want to find a photographer whose style you love, since that style will undoubtedly find its way into your photos. Once you’ve found one or two that you want to check out, let them know you’re interested and ask for pricing information, to make sure their vision is in line with your budget.

I wrote another advice post about a year ago about how to choose the right wedding photographer for you, so if you haven’t read that, check it out by clicking here.

What’s the process of hiring a wedding photographer?

This one differs just slightly from photographer to photographer, but let me give you the basic rundown, which I am taking from my own business, my fellow photographers’ businesses and my experience trying to hire one of my own back when I was a bride.

This process usually starts with you reaching out to the photographer and letting them know you’re interested, and asking for information about their packages.

Remember that when you contact a photographer to ask about availability, they’re going to give you the most up-to-date information, but it has a short shelf-life. In a month where there are thousands of people planning their weddings and asking vendors about their availability, there is a high chance that there will be others asking about your date (although many photographers, like myself, will call and give you the first right to the date in the event that someone else does want it).

Some people choose to book right away, but most people prefer to meet face-to-face with their photographer (when possible) to get a feel for what they do and how easy they are to get along with, as well as seeing some of their offerings and products in person. Then you’ll usually have a chance to sign a contract and put down a deposit to secure your date, which I’d recommend doing just as soon as you know you want to hire this person.

What if they’re already booked?

If you have your heart set on a photographer and someone beat you to the punch on your date, it can be a terrible feeling. But photographers (at least here in the Pacific Northwest) are part of a supportive community and most photographers you love will be able to point you toward someone who has a similar style and pricing options. Ask the booked photographer if they can recommend someone they’d trust and you’ll most likely get a great recommendation.

Enjoy your time out there planning and have fun! I remember how fun it was to be planning my own wedding a couple of years ago and I can’t wait to see what all you engaged couples come up with this year.

I wanted to take one more day to share with you some brilliant ideas I saw this year between all the weddings I attended, plus some ideas on how to improve on those ideas for 2010 weddings and beyond. Let’s just jump right back in!

2009 Trend: A Splash of Color

I’ve got to admit, there’s not a whole lot more fun as a wedding photographer (especially in Portland, where we have more than our share of dreary days) to show up to a wedding and see bright pops of color. I saw quite a few fun, colorful touches at weddings this year, like Anna and Alex’s purple decorations (above left) and Anna’s brilliant, bright bouquet (above right). Below left is Jody and Jeremy’s Tiffany-blue cake (complete with bling) and below right is one of Shannon and TJ’s bright bouquets — there were a whole array of them in peaches, pinks and purples and all were handmade by Shannon’s amazing mom.

Make it 2010: Go for the cool combination

I’m all in favor of keeping the color in 2010 weddings — I say the more, the better. It shows such a vibrant side and definitely looks great in photographs. This year, why not think outside the box with the actual combinations of color? Take your color cues from unusual sources or play around with an application like kuler from Adobe to come up with something unexpected. My vote? A rich turquoise with mustard yellow and purple accents. Think jewel tones. And after you’ve picked those colors, please call me. I want to photograph all that color.

2009 Trend: Unique locations for portraits

I had several couples this year set aside time for an extended portrait session on their big day away from the action. In Jody and Jeremy’s case, we took a walk in cute downtown Centralia and they danced in the middle of an abandoned street. Below, TJ and his groomsmen taking a jump on a cool bridge in Bothell Landing, a few miles from the wedding site. I loved these opportunities to incorporate a new location into the wedding-day photos, and they also gave the bride and groom a few minutes to play and have fun without the wedding coordinator, minister or mom rushing or stressing them.

Make it 2010: Bring in some contrast

There are so many options of places to go on your wedding day (if you set aside the time — that’s key). But where to go? I’d love some big-time contrast between the sites. Say for example that your 2010 wedding will be held at a country club with very formal, traditional touches throughout. Why not escape beforehand and take some photos in an industrial setting, or sharing a milkshake at a local diner down the road? If the wedding is country, go urban. If the wedding is on the beach under the wide open sky, why not opt to go inside somewhere for a more cozy setting? The variety is endless here — use your imagination.

2009 Trend: No matching!

It’s been cool for a little while now not to make your bridesmaids matchy-matchy. Alisia did it subtly (above left) by putting her bridesmaids in the same color, but drastically different styles. Andrea told her bridesmaids (below, shoes above right) to wear gold, yellow and brown. That was the only guideline. Didn’t they come out cool? When you don’t force your bridesmaids to match, you’re likely to have happier friends plus they end up in things that set them apart as individuals instead of lumping them together.

Make it 2010: Keep one element consistent

By keeping one element the same, you identify these wonderful women as your attendants, but you still don’t stifle their individuality. For instance, what if they’re all wearing the same dress but you tell them to wear their own shoes, and to think unique! You could end up with a variety of jewel-toned and bright shoes while still maintaining an air of uniformity. Uniting with color is a good way to do this, just make sure you’ve picked a color that’s standard (like the blue dresses above) or that will be OK even if all the shades aren’t the same (like with Andrea’s yellows, golds and browns). Or how’s this for a new one — have custom headpieces with flowers, feathers etc. made for each girl that will unify the group, but then let them wear whatever dress they want in a certain color family.

2009 Trend: Early send-off

Two of the couples I worked with this year did one of those traditional send-offs in a way that doesn’t happen much anymore — they did it in the middle of the celebration. For Andrea and Paul (above left), they were announced into the reception hall and welcomed with bubbles, and Annie and Dan (right) were showered with bubbles on their way from the church to the reception (in her dad’s 56 Cadillac convertible, no less). These worked great because everyone who was there for the celebration was still present, so it made these send-offs much more impressive (not to mention photo-worthy). I loved these moments!

Make it 2010: Think outside the box

I totally advocate for newly married couples to do a send-off (or a welcome, or whatever you want to call it) in the middle of the celebration — ideal timing is between the ceremony and reception. But why not incorporate something new? Try having your guests sprinkle flower petals or paper confetti in your wedding colors, or go old school with birdseed (check with your venue, some won’t allow it). Why not have your sendoff through a tunnel of people with big palm leaves, forming a roof on the tunnel? With a little imagination, this age-old moment could be really new and modern.

I hope this week has given you newly-engaged  couples lots of food for thought! It’s been really fun reliving some of the fun celebrations I got to attend last year, and it makes me so excited for what’s to come this year! Next week on the blog I’ll be sharing some fun portrait sessions, including one with my favorite floral designer!

The last year was so much fun — many of my weekends I filled with wonderful celebrations of love, and I was so inspired by not only the romance, but the ingenious ideas that people implemented into their celebrations. Since it’s that time of year when there is a whole new crop of couples planning their nuptials, I thought I’d share my favorite ideas and details this year, along with some ideas for how to bring them up to speed for the new year.

2009 Trend: At-Home weddings

This year, I attended a few weddings held at private homes, and I loved the personal feeling at both of them. Kristi and Jason (above) got married and held a lovely reception at Kristi’s aunt’s home overlooking the ocean in Garibaldi, Oregon. Getting married at home means you don’t have to follow anyone’s rules for decorations or timelines, plus it’s a place that has history and sentimental value. Shannon and TJ’s backyard wedding (below) featured great details like Hawaiian juices and a whimsical tree strung with colorful ribbons.

Make it 2010: When dealing with an at-home wedding, you run the risk of a high stress level, but bringing in an outside wedding coordinator that can take the details off your plate and make sure the party runs as smoothly as possible, while allowing the homeowners to enjoy the party too, is a great move.

2009 Trend: Keep it classic

I saw some really beautiful classic details at the weddings I attended in 2009. Above left, Stefanie’s bouquet was a gorgeous white and green that lent a sophisticated vibe. On the right is Missy and Fred, with Missy’s classic white rose bouquet alongside her elegant gown. Going with classic, luxurious colors is a great way to create a timeless celebration. Below, Paul and Andrea’s classic golden chairs and crisp white table linens made for a sophisticated palette and Jody’s bridesmaid bouquets, below right, were such a soothing cream ensemble.

Make it 2010: Going classic is always in style. Make it very next year by incorporating clean, modern lines along with classic items like elegant, neutral-colored flowers and sleek chairs and tables. Or incorporate a sense of humor by putting a clever spin on your color scheme — mostly whites and cremes, for instance, with a few punches of color.

2009 Trend: Cupcakes

I saw tons of cupcakes this past year — delicious cupcakes, like Kristi and Jason’s chocolate and vanilla spread (above left) and Shannon and TJ’s collection of different flavors from Trophy Cupcakes in Seattle (above right).

Make it 2010: Cupcakes are delicious and definitely a fun way to incorporate some fun into your celebration. But why stop there? A dessert spread with cupcakes, mini pies, eclairs and more goodies could make for a really bright, exciting display that will give everyone something they love for dessert.

2009 Trend: Handmade Details

Andrea and Paul’s wedding (above) had some great handmade touches, from their Star Wars pins to their Etsy-made cake topper featuring birds modeled after Paul & Andrea themselves. 2009 was most definitely the year of the Etsy wedding, and it’s a trend I totally support — the ingenuity on that site is amazing.

Make it 2010: Team up with different creative people to make your celebration amazing, but don’t just look on Etsy. Here in the Pacific Northwest, there are so many amazing small, locally-owned boutiques and artisans, look right into your own backyard as well. Finding a great piece can be design inspiration for your entire event.

Tune in on Thursday for more real-world inspiration for 2010!