Here is the Amazon link, if anyone is interested in purchasing a copy. It has some really great information on planning a stylish wedding for less for all you 2010 brides.Thanks to the lovely Catherine Sabino for writing such great text and for including my images and some of my words in the pages!

My great friend Beth Helmstetter, planner extraordinaire, is also featured in the book- she gives planning advice and talks about Christa and Travis’s Hartley Botanica wedding from last year.

Sarah and Eamon’s rings in the top left and Angie and Brett’s rings on the right page.

Angie and Brett’s cake..

I said it once and I will most definitely say it again, I love Chris and Carly!! Not only did they put Heather and I up in a super swanky, totally stylish room at their location, Orbit In, but their family and friends opened their hearts to us so quickly and made us feel like we were really part of the family! Being a part of someones wedding day is such a personal thing and it’s always wonderful when you leave the wedding and know in your heart that you’ve made friends for life.

Like I said in their rehearsal dinner post- Chris and Carly really spent a good amount of time thinking about their wedding photography goals and clearly communicating them to me so I was able to really think about style, posing, etc. beforehand to make their photo time run smoothly!

A big way to ensure rockin’ photos is to really consider your location options. Chris and Carly chose the best and most convenient option- everything took place in one location! Wahoo!!! Obviously, some people choose to get married at a church w/ an additional location as the reception venue but I can’t stress enough how much more smoothly weddings run if there is no travel time involved. Just another tip to get the best out of your photography dollars!

Chris and Carly opted for a first look before their ceremony which also allowed them to get the most out of their photography. We were able to do their family group photos, bridal party photos, and some photos of them alone while there was plenty of light and before people were dying to start partying!

This was by far the smartest thing Chris and Carly did that made our job easier. They scheduled their ceremony just as the sun set behind the mountains. There was still plenty of light left but it was all shaded and beautifully even. Don’t want racoon eyes? Consider the light! By far the biggest thing I will be thinking about when scheduling the days events on my wedding day!

Now, Chris and Carly were into photos more than most- so not only did we get a bunch of great shots before the ceremony but they allotted an additional hour after their ceremony to head over to the other hotel they rented to take more photos there. Here’s where things got fun.

Chris and Carly also added a Guest Gallery to their reception coverage to ensure that all their guests were properly documented. Those images coming later this week! XoXo

The lovely ladies over at Southern Weddings Magazine used a few of my images in their November 2009 issue! They had their release party last Friday and it was a huge success. Congrats girls, the issue looks amazing from what I’ve seen so far!!! Seeing my images in print is never going to get old!!! Not to mention being printed along side some of my inspiration- like Elizabeth Messina. So exciting..

Caitlin and Timbo- in their sunglass glory! 5th from the left..

Dana and Keith’s ring shot- gummy bear style..

and a shot of Jen w/ a full page in the credit’s section!

Where do I start with these two??????? Chris and Carly started out as really cool clients now they are really really cool friends. When we met over coffee a little less than a year ago I felt an instant connection- the wedding they were planning sounded completely fantastic, renting out The Orbit In in Palm Springs to bring all their friends and family together in one place for a fabulous weekend of celebration. Chris and Carly pulled out all the stops w/ their decor- they used the feel of the Orbin In to create a really cohesive aesthetic which led to some amazing photographs! This was one of those weddings where I wanted to run up onto the roof and scream, “Is this seriously  my  job??!??!??”

The post that is going to follow this is going to have a lot of tips for getting great photos in it (because I truly think Chris and Carly did everything right)- but the one I am going to include in this is COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER.

Chris, Carly, and I were on the exact same page since the day we met. They described the type of photographs they wanted- they were creative and had detailed thoughts about their engagement session images and how they wanted their photographs to really reflect the feeling of the day. They sent me pictures of the venue, explained what their inspiration was, showed me the vintage postcards they used for their Save the Dates, Heather and I had dinner with them before to further chat about wedding things and life things, so that on their wedding day we would all know exactly what our goals were. They trusted me and set a scene for me that was impossible to not feel inspired by!

Now, I realize that some clients don’t necessarily set out to have wedding photos like Chris and Carly’s- some clients would rather quickly take a few portraits in a beautiful vineyard or grassy area overlooking the ocean and then get on with their party. To some, photos aren’t the end all (GASP!) … but that’s a good thing to communicate to your photographer too- that way we know that you want to get in and get out and we can talk and communicate about the best way to get great photos in that case too! So – biggest lesson today.. photographers are not mind readers, we have to click the shutter to get the shot, so share and communicate information w/ your photographer so you can both put your best foot forward on your big day!

Chris and Carly invited me to stay at the hotel where the wedding was taking place and Heather, who came out to assist for the weekend, and I quickly felt like part of their family. We arrived on Friday and photographed their rehearsal dinner which took place at The Parker. Because Chris and Carly are awesome and truly put importance on portraits we were able to make a little time to do some shots of them at the hotel before dinner.

Some details of The Orbin In

The Parker

Wedding day photos to follow soon!!