Winter Wedding - February 7, 2009

Winter is a beautiful time of year to get married ... if you are willing to bet on safe driving conditions for your guests.

Luckily for Sarah and Scott they had a perfect day for a winter wedding. They were married in Stratford, Ontario and the temperature was about -6 degrees. The only "problem" with the weather, was that it was a bit windy. The reason I say "problem" is that it could have been MUCH worse for this time of year.
The vast majority of bride and groom shots were taken outdoors on an open field and on Tom Patterson Island. Two lovely locations that really captured the season.

Thank you Sarah and Scott for venturing outside to have your photos taken. It was well worth the pink noses and goose bumps :)
I can't wait for you to see your wedding album. Congratulations!

Trash The Dress - Fall 2008

I am excited to post a few of my favourite photos from Beyond The Window's first annual Trash The Dress Event which was held in September 2008.

The day proved to be fun and artistic and the girls looked phenomenal! Makeup application was done by the very talented Carrie Tibbs of Beauty Marked. She did a fantastic job. Thank you Carrie. I would also like to thank Cowboys and Angels in Waterloo for sharing their talent by creating the wonderful hair styles. The downtown Kitchener location that we used was exactly what I was envisioning. Dark and moody inside and messy and urban on the outside. It created an outstanding contrast to my stunning "models". Tara, Lisa and Kristin - thank you, thank you, thank you!

I am thrilled to announce that Beyond The Window's Trash The Dress for Spring 2009 has been planned. It will be held on:

Sunday, April 19, 2009

with a rain date of Sunday, April 26, 2009.

Trash The Dress is a fabulous occasion to wear your beautiful dress again and YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR YOUR WEDDING GOWN if you don't want to! You may wear an old bridesmaid dress, an old prom dress or even your favourite cocktail dress.

If you would like more information about the day and pricing, please contact me at info@beyondthewindow.ca. I would LOVE to hear from you!

Friday Weddings? Yes!

I might as well stop saying things like, "boy, April went by so quickly" or "oh man, it's almost June!" I just have to face the fact that time goes quickly, especially when you have a lot on the go.
Yes, May is just about over and at the end of May comes my first Friday wedding of the year. May 30, 2008.

Friday weddings are becoming increasingly popular. 9 of the 31 weddings that I will be photographing this year will be held on a Friday.
If you are considering holding your wedding on a Friday here are a few advantages to encourage you to do it!

1. Your ceremony can take place later in the afternoon and this can make it easier on your guests to get off work early or not have to leave work early at all (which your guests may appreciate).
2. Your guests still have the rest of their weekend for other things. They can sleep in and/or still have all of Saturday for other personal commitments.
3. If you are going on a honeymoon, Saturday may be an extra day to pack, open wedding gifts or just simply relax before you leave on your trip.
4. SAVE MONEY! The biggest advantage is the cost savings; Beyond The Window along with many other vendors offer discounts for Friday weddings.

My biggest suggestion for Friday weddings is to take ALL of your photos before the ceremony.

Why?

Taking all of your photos before the ceremony allows you to go directly to your reception once your ceremony is over. This could save you money since you will not have to "entertain" your guests with food and drink (which many couples do while photos are being taken).

Having all of your photos taken before the ceremony eliminates time required for extra travel. If family members and wedding party member’s all meet at the couple’s location of choice, then the photographer doesn't have to travel to 2 or 3 different spots (which is normally what happens on a Saturday wedding). This can save A LOT of time. This extra time can then be put towards “getting ready” coverage or more reception coverage. Or, since you’ll require less time for travel you may be able to get away with a smaller wedding photography package which of course will save you money.

One of the biggest concerns of couples is that they are afraid that the "seeing other for the first time" will feel less important and not as exciting. I strongly disagree. I have photographed about 10 weddings where couples have seen each other for the first time before the ceremony and it is far more exciting. I say this because the couple can react in a way that perhaps they wouldn't during a ceremony. They can hug, kiss, cry or squeal with excitement and act completely like themselves. Friends and family can still be a part of this moment too. And from my photographic opinion, it makes for better photos since this moment can be captured far more openly.

I don’t anticipate that Friday weddings will become less popular. Infact I think that Friday weddings will become more accepted in the next couple of years; perhaps equally as common as weddings held on Saturdays.

2008 Trash The Dress Event

Beyond The Window is thrilled to be organizing its first Trash The Dress Event! It will take place in September of 2008. I have my brides lined up and meetings for hair and makeup are scheduled for next week.

The location for the photo shoot has not been finalized yet however I am patiently waiting for confirmation. Well, I’m trying to be patient :).

I was greatly inspired to do my own Trash The Dress Event last summer but I didn’t have the chance to pursue it since it takes a great deal of planning. I started my planning for this year’s event in November of ‘07. I hope to have all my details finalized by the end of April before my weddings kick into high gear.

I am confident that Beyond The Window’s Trash The Dress Event will be fun, creative, inspiring, challenging and very rewarding for Beyond The Window and for the brides as well!

My plan is to have another Trash The Dress Event in the spring of 2009. This will allow brides from 2008 to participate if they are interested! If you (the person reading my Blog), are interested in participating in 2009, please feel free to email me at info@beyondthewindow.ca. I’d be very happy to hear from you!

A New Album For My Customers

Hello everyone!

I am thrilled to say that the Coffee Table album that I have been working on is complete. I am extremely happy with the final product however I have decided to create a larger sample album for couples to look at. This will provide them with a more accurate example of what they will receive. I am about one quarter of the way through. I imagine that by the end of March I will have the new and updated album in my hands to show to customers!

I know that I have said this before but I am extremely geared up for this year! The end of April just can't seem to come fast enough (although I know that it will).

I'm excited about trying new "things" with my camera, polishing up my composition even more and of course creating the beautiful new albums for my customers. I am very eager to see/hear couples reactions when they receive their book.

Between now and when the wedding season begins, I have 2 possible maternity sessions as well as 1 baby/family portrait session. Once the weather warms up a bit, I also plan to get out and start photographing interesting objects and places.

Until my April's posting.....take care.

Tips For Winter Weddings

My winter weddings have come to an end for this year. Overall the weather co-operated quite nicely. Although I have photographed winter weddings in the past, I became aware of a few things as I was photographing this year. I've decided to dedicate a post to Tips and Suggestions for planning a winter wedding (from a photographic stand point).

Tips and Suggestions for Planning Your Winter Wedding Photos

CLOTHING:

Many couples love the idea of having their photographs taken outside for their wedding - even in the winter. The idea of capturing snow on the ground, snow on the trees and snow in the air excites couples. Provided the weather co-operates, all of these magical and beautiful aspects of winter can be captured.... if you go outside! A few of my clients this year, discussed how they were willing and wanting to go outside for their photos but on the day of, I was told that they decided not to go outside because it was too cold.
If you plan a winter wedding and plan for outdoor photos be prepared - it will be cold. It's the winter! :)

First and foremost let me explain that I completely understand that everyone's ability to handle the cold differs. For me, -7 degrees (heck -17 degrees) barely fazes me and that is because I come properly dressed. Yes, I wear snow pants, boots, a hat and gloves and a realize that brides can not wear snow pants and a hat, however there are many pieces of clothing that can and should be worn, not just by the bride and groom, but the wedding party as well.

Boots: Everyone should wear winter boots and socks. If there is snow on the ground, you won’t see the boots anyway and with the addition of long dresses, this pretty well eliminates the chance of seeing the boots. If by chance, the boots are noticeable, don’t worry, it will make sense for the photo. It makes sense to wear boots in the snow and as long as they aren’t neon green (unless you want them to be), they will look great. Not wearing the appropriate foot wear will leave your feet cold and wet and could damage your formal shoes (both men and women).

Long Johns: Cover your legs! No one will see your legs anyway! This extra layer will keep your legs warmer and therefore make you more comfortable.

Shawls: For the women, shawls should be worn. They can be rented, purchased or even made specifically for you with your style and colour(s) in mind. This will keep the girls’ arms, backs, necks and even their hands warmer.

EXTRA IDEAS/SUGGESTIONS:

Drinks: Bring along a couple thermoses of warm drinks; hot chocolate, tea and/or coffee. Having a nice warm drink to enjoy after the photo session will warm you up as well.

Travel Time: Leave extra time for travel. If the roads are wet and/or slippery it will make driving slower. If there is snow and/or wind to reduce the visibility, that will make driving slower. Leaving extra time will make the traveling safer and make the entire day less stressful because you will not feel rushed. If it ends up being a clear day, the extra time allotted for driving can be substituted into more photos or time to just relax!


All of these ideas have been used by past clients who have ventured outside for their wedding photos. The photos that you see on my website that are taken in the winter have been with couples who have been prepared for the cold …and it was cold :)
If you come prepared for outdoor photos, the photos will be extremely creative, relaxed, fun, romantic and artistic. The beauty that winter brings each year can be captured and more importantly, you can enjoy and treasure the “winter wedding photos” that you originally planned for.

….what if the weather is just too cold, too windy, too wet, too dangerous? Have an indoor location decided upon well in advance. Having to organize an indoor location on the wedding day could be stressful and time consuming so have everything well prepared before the big day. Organizing an indoor photo location well before your wedding day can also allow you to choose a location that you really like (e.g. a historical building, a train station, the church, a City Hall, someone’s home) rather than having to use the hall that you’ve booked (this is typically the last resort for couples – they want to be away from their guests for their photos).

If you are planning a winter wedding, I hope that these tips have been helpful! I thoroughly enjoy photographing weddings in the winter. It’s a whole new world once the snow covers the ground – a world I look forward to every year.

Happy Winter!

New Inspiration for the New Year!

Hello everyone! Happy New Year to you all. With the New Year comes new resolutions (or for some...repeated resolutions :). I don't make resolutions. I never have. That being said, I do have goals and intentions for 2008.
First of all, I'm going to keep on top of my blogging. Not the most important goal that can be made but it is a fun way of communicating and keeping people up to date with what’s “new”. So I will write on my blog once a month. Just a moment, I need to set a reminder in my calendar.....Done.
Now, onto more significant objectives.
2007 was a fabulous year for me both in my personal life and in my career. I had another fully booked year with weddings and 2008 is quickly heading in the same direction. Last year, I progressed enormously in my creativity and even in my technique. I’m eager to see what this year will bring.
I am updating my current wedding album to a “Coffee Table” style wedding album. It is stylish, creative, beautiful and clean; all of the details that I have been looking for in an album over the past few months. I am positive that my customers will be very pleased with this keepsake of their wedding photos.
I have been thrilled with my assistant, Blythe. She is an absolute asset to Beyond The Window. She will be continuing into the New Year and that makes us both excited. I’m ready to see how her work will progress this year.
I have ideas outside of wedding photography for the New Year. I won’t mention them now. Perhaps the suspense will draw you back! These ideas have me itching for the fall to come!
That is all for this posting. I WILL post again in February :) Until then, take care and enjoy the winter weather.