A while back I talked about unity ceremonies and how there are so many different options to “combine” your lives together. Today I have another idea for you from Kristen & Jarred’s wedding at Wedgewood at The Retreat. Beer plays a huge part in their lives. They both love drinking a cold one and exploring new breweries together. So on their wedding day, it was only fitting to share a glass of beer to symbolize their union.

Jarred bought a limited edition beer while on a trip. The brew master created it for his wife in honor of their anniversary, so Jarred saw it fitting to share with his bride on their wedding day. They poured the beer into a glass and shared it together.

Unity ceremonies don’t always have to be lighting candles together; you can use sand, two different types of wine, beer – get creative! The most important thing is to find something that symbolizes and fits the both of you best.

See Kristen and Jarred’s beautiful wedding below photographed by Cara!

For more information on wedding photography in Southern California or to get a quote, please visit our website at www.shyheartstudios.com or give us a call at 657-221-8882.

Remember a while back how I’d promise I’d share my tips with you as I go through the planning process? Well… I’m back with more advice! This week I’ll share some insight on music.

Music has been a STRUGGLE for me. I’m one of those people have extreme music A.D.D. and can hardly get through a song. Road trips with my fiancé are a blast 😜. But anyways, back to wedding music. When curating our playlist, I wanted to make sure I had a few songs that every generation would like. I had my grandparents, parents, and Maid of Honor help me with a few favorites.

I avoided the typical dance music (like the Cha Cha Slide, YMCA, Don’t Stop Believin’ etc.) simply because I hear these songs EVERY single weekend and my brain would explode. So here’s the BEST advice I received from our owner and a past bride (THANKS BRIANNA!): 1. Aim for more genre related music than specifics and 2. Make a “Do Not Play List” and “Must Haves” list. It was like the heavens opened and my life became so much easier! I’m still fine tuning, but I thought I’d share my current list with you!

Check out Kyra & Alex’s adorable engagement session photographed by yours truly!

For more information on engagement or wedding photography in Southern California or to get a quote, please visit our website at www.shyheartstudios.com or give us a call at 657-221-8882.

We’ve talked a little bit about preparing an emergency kit for your wedding day, but let’s talk a little bit of what else you should do to be prepared. Today I’ll share two pieces of advice that will be a serious help: timing and a list of contacts.

Creating a timeline is an essential part of your wedding day. It helps not only you, but your wedding party, vendors, and family stay on track for all of the fun you have planned! One of the biggest mistakes that I see in timelines is not leaving enough time for certain events. While venues and planners typically create these, your photographer should also have one for all of the photos you’d like. When I work to create my couples’ timelines, I ALWAYS make sure to leave extra time in for certain events that I know take longer (ie, table rounds and money dance). This allows us to not miss any of the important events. I always recommend doing your cake cutting, bouquet, and garter tosses before open dancing to ensure that you still have everyone’s attention and so that we don’t miss these awesome photos!

Now let’s talk about a contract list. If you hired a planner, they typically have a call sheet with everyone’s name listed. However, if you didn’t, I’d highly suggest keeping a running list with your vendors name, the main contact, and their phone number and/or email. As a worst case scenario, having this list printed and with you on your wedding day will be incredibly helpful. Another suggestion I  tell my couples is to have their maid of honor and best man be the main contact on the wedding day. You likely won’t have your phone on you as you’re getting ready. By designating them to take calls, this ensures that you’ll be stress-free and that they can help handle any issues.

Check out Alyssa & Christian’s wedding photographed by yours truly!

For more information on wedding photography in Southern California or to get a quote, please visit our website at www.shyheartstudios.com or give us a call at 657-221-8882.