As a little girl I used to stare up at the moon and wonder if somewhere in the world the boy I was going to marry might be looking at it at the same time. I never dreamed that the answer would be no because it was daytime where he was playing, laughing and growing in to the man I love today.

While I can’t wait to walk down the aisle toward you and share our wedding day with the people we love, I most look forward to sharing a life with you and discovering the man, the husband, and the father that you have yet to grow in to.

Jeg elsker dig,

Din lille skat

Mandy + Christoffer,

Since we hadn’t met face to face, we didn’t know what to expect but we have to say…thank you!  It was awesome to hit the ground running and the flow was easy throughout the shoot; that all elusive ‘click’ was an easy fit with you two.  I’m so glad you were both able to getting in some special smooch time prior to Christoffer’s trip back to Denmark   Sadly, the afternoon fog rolled in but it didn’t stop all the beautiful cityscape of San Francisco, CA to come alive.  Our goal was to shoot some city texture, get some great moments and have a different take on some of the icons of the city.  We can’t wait to meet up again for your wedding!

All the best,

B + W

We started the day at Swensen’s, a special spot for them….pssst, it was their first date

Mandy just had to do this pose!  She does this at every special occasion in her life and promises to do it again in her wedding dress!

I love the way the blue POPs here!  Grawrrr…these two had no problem sharing kisses with the camera.

Love this hidden moment and the color, iron and cracks of the buildings.

One of our favs from the session, the light reflection, red stairs and Mandy a beauty.

Again, one of our favs…sure those looking from the bus were smiling.  ahhhh, love.

Couldn’t help but snap a shot here; Christoffer grabbed the Financial Times and they said this is pretty close to normal for them

A different view from a famous San Francisco icon – Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory

Mandy’s eyes are striking and we couldn’t help but get some close ups…

…and Christoffer’s weren’t far behind!

One of the favs from the day…just love the serenity of this shot

Another famous icon, we happy talked the driver to give us a few minutes.  They had 100 people waiting and watching

We have to say that Meredith and Joe have been one our forefront supporters from day one of hiring us and we are SO grateful.  They even had a separate table, with name tags, for us at the wedding and a full course meal – a special touch which was over the top.  Thank you, thank you for letting us share this experience with you both and jumping on suggestions for fun places to shoot!  The night topper was when Meredith jumped on the backlit bar.

You two are amazing and we are so happy as you start your new journey together.  CHEERS!

Best,

B + W

Soon after their ‘first look’ at 10 Below at The Oxford Hotel

Mere, has anyone told you that you have the most FANTASTIC legs!  So, jealous – Wendy

A unique angle getting ready to head down for the ‘first look.’

Oh, how Wendy loves detail shots   They had these super cool matches…

Mere and Joe surrounded by MoH and Best Man and brother, Nick.

The ceremony…

As their closest friends and family look on set through the reflection of the wine glasses, Mere and Joe say their vows.

With only a few drops of sweat and tears, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Davis!

As a special treat, their steaks were ‘flambeed.’  Did I spell that right?  Oh, that’s hot!

Joyous toasts with story after story of these two…so fun.

A little fun after the ceremony, grawrrr.

Mere’s Cinderella moment, as her prince charming puts on her blue slipper.

To: Mere and Joe; From: The Blacksmith Staff!  Congrats!  Disclaimer:  This is only meant as a joke and the staff are NOT actually drinking their liquor

High class ambiance.

Forever more their anniversary will be shared with Joe’s birthday – double the celebration!  The whole gang sang for Joe and the staff entertained him with a GIANT cookie.

On a whim, the bride decides to chill out on top of the beautifully lit bar.  Mere is one of those fearless types we love.

Oh, the best part is we’re across the street from Strictly Organic (so a coffee fix is 10 paces) and our friends at Audette Media (An Internet Marketing Boutique) are above us.  For those of you that would like more specific directions, here’s a direct map to our new showing location across from the Old Mill area.

And because a post is not as fun without a pic, here’s a few of the new fun space!

All the best,

B + W

Nicole from Singing Sparrow has impeccable taste for decorating, no?

The outside is a big, red barn

And the neighbors, a new cool women’s clothing shop, was named after this little princess, Kariella.

Everything from the getting ready toasts, the ‘first sighting’ under the arbor, the umbrella shots to the ceremonial flowers and kiss had a sparkle to them.  Even when the rain was a damper, it helped the colors become more vibrant – isn’t it good luck anyway?

The absolute highlight came at the very end of the evening right as we were ready to go.  We said briefly, gosh it’d be great to get some shots in the soaking pool area and Emily replied, ‘Yeah!  Let’s do it’ – grabbed David and that was it.  She casually dipped her feet in for relief when we briefly mentioned that we’d always wanted to shoot a bride in her dress in the pool.  Inch by inch, she said “what about this?”  Then…she went for it   She looked like a goddess and I can’t imagine how that must have felt after the energy of the day.  We weren’t expecting such fearlessness (it was a like a trash the dress session on the wedding day!) but were like, yeah GO FOR IT!

Thank you, Emily + David for such a FUN day and choosing to share your shining moment with us.

All the best,

B + W

First frame of the day out the camera and it’s a keeper.

Here are the bridesmaids picking out wedding jewelry and completely oblivious to how adorable they all look in their rollers.

The ladies toast with cosmos…

…the men toast with PBRs

<teary> The father-in-law hugs the bride in a moment of bliss at first sighting of her in her dress.</teary>

Love the macro for ring shots!

Bride and Matron of Honor right before the ‘first sighting.’

Groomsmen crash the ‘first sighting’ moment

5 minutes before the rain but man does it make for great exposure!

…and rain cometh.  Sadly it decided to gush right at the family photos, which put a temporary damper on things.

When the rain past, the smiles came again!

Bride and Father of the Bride headed toward the aisle…

With a ceremonial offering, friends and family placed flowers around the Bride + Groom.

The ring exchange.

75% frosting, 25% cake…and all of it DELICIOUS!

…he thought it was delicious too!  Too bad we didn’t get frosting on the nose – that would have been cute

Mini-cake and cupcakes by Kellie’s Cakes

For details, they had custom printed matches, dated M & Ms and custom wine classes for guest gifts – beautiful.

Love this casual, classic shot.  Camera unaware, playing with the dress.

The first dance out back at O’Kanes.  DJ by Star Productions

Father, daughter dance under the light globes

As one of the highlights of the evening and one of our all-time favorite shots, Emily decided to take a dip in the soaking pool with her dress

People always told me two things: One, you meet the right person when you’re not looking for them.  Two, when you meet the person you are going to marry, you just know.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered all those people were right the day I met you.

It’s hard for me to explain what it is about our relationship that I like most… because it’s about a feeling more than words, it’s an overall sense of content and ease that I have felt from the beginning.  While this might not be the most romantic sentiment in the world, it is the foundation which we have built our love, friendship, and the beginning of our future together.

As we get closer to the big day and everything is falling into place, I am excited to have a celebration that is so ‘us’.  I look forward to becoming a McGuire as we continue our lives together.

“What is important is not how a couple looks at each other, but how they look towards their future together” – Anonymous

..and the light continued to get better and better

Again, a artsy shot we love of the two of you

Common Questions:

What do we wear?
We’ve had brides bring a portion of their entire wardrobe to the shoot, saying, “What should I wear?”  We giggle because we love fashion.  Don’t fear! Bringing your wardrobe is not necessary after you read this post!  Most commonly, our couples bring two outfits each: one casual, comfortable, everyday outfit that they feel really good in and represents them as a couple, and one dressed up look – something stylin’ that you would wear out for a special occasion date or a friend’s wedding.  Bold colors always pop on camera and add to the mood of the day.  The most important thing is that you’re confident in your look and feel it’s a good representation of your personality.

Do we shoot at more than one location?
Yes!  A typical engagement session includes two location spots fairly close by.  A lot of our couples are outdoor-lovers, so they may choose to do one natural spot and one more urban location.  We’ll communicate with you ahead of time to best understand special locations of your relationship, locations we want to shoot and recommend, or locations that connect with you both.  When traveling outside of Bend (which we love), we may reach out to you a bit more for special locations in your area.  From there, it’s all about the light, texture and background.

How long is the engagement session?
A typical engagement session is 1-2 hours.  If we’re traveling to your location and meeting face-to-face for the first time, we like to grab a cup of coffee or connect a bit prior to shooting, so plan on 2.5 to 3 hours.

When can I see the engagement pics?
After the shoot is completed, the next question is…when can we see them?  We like to post our favorites (top 10-20 images) on the blog typically within a week of the shoot; the full gallery is available 1-2 weeks after that.  Recently, for our brave brides, we’ve been including with the engagement session post a love letter from bride to groom (or vice versa) as a part of our letter series.  If you’re interested in participating, it adds such a special touch and often surprise to your fiancé.

More questions?  Please post in comments below!

…and because posts are always better with a pic, here’s a teaser of the recent engagement session of Heather + Phillip.  More to come, stay tuned!

I think we have lived the last 5 years in dog years…

When me met we had no intentions of settling down. A more than rowdy 21 yr old guy and a bitter girl who gagged at the thought of having another kid or being married! As our wedding day approaches I can’t help remembering how different things were. Look at us now with our kids, dogs, bills and more LOVE than either of us imagined was possible!

Mike, We have seen through some dark days. I was so worried that things could never be good again. Since you made the decision to stop drinking 2 yrs ago you have made all my dreams (even the ones I didn’t know I had) come true. You are the roots of our family tree and you nourish and protect us all. I admire your dedication to provide for your family in every way . You accept me for all my “quirks” and I know it’s not easy. Thank you for giving me the privilege of being home for our kids, it means more to me than I ever expected! Well babe, I can’t wait to be your ol ball-n-chain! Here’s to you Poppa… World’s best dad, friend, husband, lover and the perfect man to be my anchor so I can keep my head in the clouds.

All my luv forever,  T

–

Tana + Mike,

You’re passionate, fearless and fun – a dynamic combination that shined through in these images and why we enjoy getting to know you both!  Thank you so much for taking the afternoon to ‘play’ with us in downtown Seattle at Pike’s Place Market, thank you for being open to trying all our ideas and thank you, thank you for wearing your red fishnets!  Yeah, baby!

Can’t wait to see what you’ll brew up for your ’80′s themed’ wedding!

B + W

Wow, okay – this has everything: it’s iconic, relaxed, sexy, fun…love it!

A special, silent moment among the mayhem of Pike’s Place.  Funny, we even got the pigeon

Gorgeous Tana!

One of our favs – adorable

Only you two can pull this off – sweet and sexy.

Get a room you two… he he.

Definitely…ummm, see above.

Tana + Mike, thank you for being fearless.

This was a pre-wedding dance dip.  A warm-up really

Love the light on your hair here Tana!  This is the famous ‘gum wall’ under Pike’s Place.  We’re talking 60 years of gum here people…

King Kong coming ‘acha

Look at that glam smile – Mike, you’re a lucky man.

Here’s one of the first frames, kickin’ back having some fun!

I want to express to you how much I love you and am over the top excited to marry you! We have been together for a long time, but I still feel the great anticipation of this big step. It means a lot to me that we are ready to make these personal commitments and vows to one another, and to enter into this partnership for the rest of our lives. Our time together over these past five years have been the most fun, passionate, and life changing for me and it is all because you.

Since meeting you in class all those years ago, you have been an amazing teacher and friend. You are such a wonderful person, kind, patient, and understanding. I am such a lucky woman to have your love and respect. Meeting you has started one of the best adventures of my life and I can’t wait to grow with you and learn from you for the rest of my life.

There are so many reasons why I love you and want to be your wife, I couldn’t possibly list them all. I am so honored that you want me to be your partner in life; to be that person you choose to hike with, to camp with, to snowboard with, to play cribbage with, and someday to raise children with. August 28th will mark the beginning of our new adventure together, and I can’t wait!

Love, Katie

—

Katie + Brian,

May you revel in each other for all the days to come and remember this moment of joy and playfulness.  I know ‘adventure’ is your middle name, so here’s to the grand adventure that lay ahead!  We’re so thrilled to share in your upcoming wedding!

P.S.  We finally got the tree sap out of Byron’s shirt from this tree-climbing session – he he.

All the best,

B + W

That’s what we call magic clouds

Love this one and the candid, super sweet moment.

Don’t tell anyone the secret location of the rope swing, okay!

This is a favorite

We couldn’t help but post this fun pic Katie.  Byron was shooting from a tree limb here

This was a ‘give me some attitude’ look – Vogue style!

Love the texture of the metal here and we’re always fans of sweet kisses

Karen + Greg (as you met in the engagement session) are a casual, fun-loving couple and this night didn’t disappoint.  Complete with passed hors d’oeuvres, full bar, king crab buffet, projected slideshow of their wedding, masterful cake and dancing all night long…it even cured Karen’s flu and made her smile ear-to-ear.

We’d like to thank the vendors that made it so seamless and beautiful to photograph: Venue and Food – The Oxford Hotel; Floral – Leaf & Petal Floral Design; Cake – Enlightened Patisserie; DJ – Star Productions; Event Design – West Coast Event Productions

All the best to you two and hugs to you both!

B + W

The official Stillwell cake

The Karen fan club!

The food was drool worthy – for SURE.

Love this shot – the sweetness of friendship

Importance
We love engagement sessions for so many reasons – so much so that we include them in every collection we offer.  Why, you ask?  For us, it provides a relaxed setting to get to know you, your story and the moments you want to keep on your wedding day.  It’s a way to connect with you – our clients – and make you feel comfortable being behind the lens while having a little fun!  When you’re relaxed and having fun, we can capture the BEST smiles!

Spotlight
Zoom forward to your wedding day, now that you’ve seen our work and we’ve connect with the camera in the middle, you never have to worry about us getting those special wedding images.  Most won’t tell you this but we as photographers spend the most amount of time with you on your wedding day, as much or sometimes more than your family – really!  Spending most of your waking moments on one of the most important days of your life with someone unknown, well it’s kinda weird.  So, the engagement session brings that essential level of comfort to you on your day.

Incorporation
We also often have clients purchase a slide show of some of the favorites from the engagement shoot to incorporate into the wedding or prints for the guest book or invitations, images for their Facebook or wedding websites – these are some of the great ways of utilizing your engagement shoot as a prelude to the wedding.  A DVD of all engagement images from the session can also be purchased separately (although both engagement and wedding image DVDs are available in our high end collection).

Overall, the goal for the engagement photography session is for us to get to know you, have a little fun, and take a moment of your lives to celebrate the start of your marriage.  Let the stress of everything else in life shed away and take 2 hours just for the two of you to be together.

Here’s a few samples of  engagement sessions that capture that moment.

UPDATE: Engagement Session Basics: Part 2 (Wardrobe, Locations, Timing, Proofs, etc.)