You’ve done your research. You’ve seen the portfolios. You’ve found any number of truly talented photographers – so how do you decide? Well, there are things to look at beyond just their portfolio!
Do They Have a Good Reputation?
The wedding industry is a massive industry, and as such, vendors tend to cross circles and quickly build for themselves either great relationships and reputation or something less than stellar. Do your research into online ratings and reviews to see not only how other couples have interacted with them, but also if other vendors have had good or bad things to say. Also, do they know other vendors well? The right networking can allow your photographer to suggest venues, florists, caterers and more that are guaranteed not to disappoint.
Does Their Personality Mesh With Yours?
Your wedding is all you, baby. So, when it comes to actually documenting and remembering that day, you’ll want your photographer to align with you, your partner, your vision, your style – the whole deal! Do they connect with you? Are they excited about the same things as you? Do you feel at ease with them? All big, important things!
Do They Have the Best Technology?
The best of the best is always evolving, but that doesn’t mean your photographer shouldn’t have top of the line cameras, editing software, etc. – AND, most importantly, extra equipment they can swap I if something techy goes awry.
Are they a Studio vs. an Individual?
You may fall in love with a solo photographer’s work, but there is an inherent risk in hiring someone who is a total body of one. If they fall sick or there is an emergency, or they get held up, you are straight out of luck. With a studio fleet of talented photographers, there is always a backup plan and a replacement ready and able to swap in if need be.
Planning your perfect wedding means making sure everything is cohesive, everything ties together and your theme is on point. But, with endless possibilities, where do you begin with choosing a theme? Here are some important things to consider.
The Venue
The biggest and most expensive part of your wedding should come first and will really be a big picture guiding point for determining appropriate themes. You want to secure your spot first and then plan around it. Will you be getting wed in a grand hall? Something elegant will work well. Outdoors? Consider more rustic themes.
The Season
Whether your wedding will be outdoors or still inside, seasonality can play a big part. Even if you’re in four walls and a roof, a summer beach theme may seem out of place at a January wedding in Vermont.
The Colors
You’ll, of course, want to think about your personal favorite colors – you do, after all, want your wedding to reflect you and make you happy. But also consider the setting (will your colors blend in or pop or clash?) and the atmosphere you want (romance or a party or something cozy?) and also don’t forget to consider what your groom may want!
The Guest List
Some themes are a lot harder than others to execute on a mass scale, so it is important to consider the number of guests you have coming. For larger parties, pick themes that will be easier to set up en masse and aren’t so detail reliant.
Also, the age range and general mood or interests of your guests may come into play. If 90% of your family and friends hate the outdoors, maybe a forest theme outside is not going to be the way to go.
The Budget
The biggest dictator of what you’re able to do is, of course, your budget. Your theme should be something you can actually afford to do. If you’ve only set aside $5,000, for example, a royal glam theme might be a little impossible.
We almost can’t believe it – it is time for the last entry in our year-long Flattering Poses series! For our final focus, we are highlighting the strawberry-shaped body type. If you mimic this beautiful berry, it means you have a fuller upper body, arms and bust, and slimmer hips and legs. Today, we will be honing in on poses that accentuate your lower half and have your gorgeous beauty shine!
HANDS ON HIPS – IT’S A GOOD THING!
Create angles by throwing your shoulders back and placing them on your hips. This will accentuate your figure in a super proportional way.
THE ANGLED SIT
Doing some seated shots with your shoulders and upper body staged perpendicular to the camera while your torso twists toward helps create a smooth proportion and really lets you fabulous legs shine!
PERFECTLY PROFILED
Capitalize on your naturally fabulous profile by taking some photographs from the side. At a straight perpendicular angle, any discomfort around head-on proportion is completely erased!
CRISS CROSS
Balance out a fuller upper half by creating a wider base. Sit cross-legged with your feet far apart for an instant hourglass shape.
FULL DRESS IN ACTION
Motion, movement and majesty. Invest in some action shots that show your body in lovely motion – and get a nice big twirly shot of your dress to overcompensate for wider shoulders.
After all the festivities, all the food, all the toasts, and the cheers, the members of your closest circle – your wedding party – will be left with one final, tangible, lasting memory of your big day and their involvement: their gift, of course! Check out some of these delightful presents we adore and hope you will, too.
Wedding Party Survival Flask
If you have a crew with a sense of humor, this offbeat little number will surely make them smile. Poke some fun at the overall rigors of wedding planning while also giving them something they’ll use with this customized wedding party flask.
Personalized Travel Mug
Keep your friends and family hydrated and caffeinated with an adorably personalized travel mug – there is even a place to add their official wedding party title to be immortalized for them every time they take a sip.
Groomsman Hammer
Don’t forget the guys, too! Honor the groom’s party’s involvement with something personal – and handy – with the monogrammed travel hammer. Cute but also manly, so you know they’ll be a hit!
Keep Your Crew Cute
Adorable, personalized robes are an excellent bridal party gift that works two-fold: first, your party will look superbly synchronized for any getting ready pictures, and secondly, this is a gift they can use on their own after the wedding’s over.
Cufflinks
When the groomsmen are pure class, give them a gift that can be used uniformly on the wedding day and separately for any formal event after. Cufflinks bearing their initials are a timeless – for a reason! – choice.
Beauty Boxes
Make your gift super personal, fun and memorable by giving your bridesmaids each a customized beauty box. Who doesn’t love getting a present of pampering? And what more perfect way for them to unwind after the hustle and bustle?
If you are blessed to be getting married in Texas – specifically near Dallas, that is – then you may be overwhelmed with the significant number of gorgeous ceremony locations! To be honest, that is precisely the type of problem we love and, to make things a little easier, we’ve rounded up our five favorite Dallas wedding venues here!
For a farmland-inspired fairytale of a wedding, look no further than this highly customizable venue. With plenty of options for every style and views almost as breathtaking as the bride, we’re absolutely in love with this place.
Country charm, wild spaces, wonderful water features and the great romantic outdoors away at this Ellis County oasis. With plenty of space for every wedding party size and romance in the air, there is something for every bride here.
A wide-reaching venue that is rich in both romance and warm feelings, this venue was not only started by tried and true wedding industry professionals, but it offers up sweeping views that have to be seen outside of a fairytale to be believed.
When you walk down the aisle, you just know you will want every detail to be perfect: you’ve painstakingly selected your dress, you’ve gotten the most beautiful blooms, you know what your makeup will look like – but when it comes to hair, there are so many options! Up or down? Curled or straight? Today, we take a look at some of our favorite bridal hairstyles.
LOVELY CURLS
We love that you never have to commit to an updo fully or wearing your hair completely loose – consider a half pulled back look with some sweeping curls to set a genuinely romantic tone.
CLASSIC COIF
Make your hair and face the focal point and opt for straight hair pulled entirely off your face. Add your interest thanks to some volume up top.
CLASSIC UPDO
A gorgeous go-to for a reason, this classical style updo elevates your hair to new levels of elegance while allowing your face to remain free of pesky flyaways.
ROMANTIC AND SIMPLE
Another variation on the updo, this style keeps your lines simple and clean and adds a youthful romance as your style also serves as the perfect setting to showcase a circlet or a tiara.
LONG AND LOOSE
No muss, no fuss, all easy and breezy, wearing your hair loose with some light waves is a gorgeous, clean option to showcase a bubbly personality.
MAKE JANE AUSTEN JEALOUS
Complete the look of a perfect romantic heroine with a style that gathers your hair in a low bun to one side, while a lovely loose tendril frames your face – and your love story.
If you know one thing about us here at Convey Studios, it’s that we love weddings with personality and couples that bubble forth with their own unique story and details. Today we are excited to feature Rhianna & Toney Dempsey’s spectacular, Poe-riffic, spellbinding, otherworldly October wedding!
The scene for a truly gothic romance is set with plenty of mystical elegance.
It’s the happiest kind of spooky season when this haunted house inspired décor paves the way for true love.
Flowers of romance can be found blooming wherever true love stands – here, in visions of rich, royal purple.
We just love the chance to snap some candid shots as the bride prepares for her big day – just look at this ethereal beauty!
You can’t beat the timeless romance of a lover’s hand tapping you on the shoulder.
This is why we adore First Look shoots – there’s an undeniable magic to their romance.
The majesty of an autumnal background is the perfect setting for this love story.
American Gothic, reimagined, and if we do say so, even improved upon!
Rich red candles add a touch of elegance – and a mood for love set by candlelight.
We beat you haven’t seen a groom’s entrance like this before! As the music begins, the husband-to-be rises up from his coffin, brought to life by true love.
That smile is worth all the words in the world.
The heroines of gothic romance WISH they had a veil like that!
A frothing cauldron sets the mystical atmosphere and creates a feeling of otherworldly love.
As rings and vows are exchanged, a crystal ball lights up in an ethereal glow.
Truly a royal affair – this see of violet has us seeing nothing but love.
We adore this fun-loving crowd! It’s all smiles all the time when a wedding is this original!
The only word we have for this? Stunning. Simply stunning. And the perfect, magical way to cap off the most wonderfully mystifying wedding we’ve had the pleasure to capture.
Your special day is not complete without being surrounded by your loved ones. And, if you are lucky enough to have your grandparents around for your wedding, you will want to surely make them feel involved and included. If your elder loved ones have passed, you can still keep them involved by incorporating their memory into your ceremony. Take a look at these heartwarming celebrations of family across generations.
You’re never too old or too grown or too married to hug your Nan. When you are blessed with the ability for your grandparent to be present at the ceremony, we just love seeing them pass on their excitement and adoration. You’ll cherish these memories forever!
Age is truly just a number. In fact, your grandmom probably rocked harder and was cooler than you ever knew – and still is! Consider making sure you get some photos of your grandparents having fun throughout your wedding. In fact, we dare anyone not to smile looking at this happy snap!
Grandads just wanna have fun! Capture those smiling eyes for a lifetime and make sure you set aside some time to connect with your Pop at the reception. You just know there’s no one who’s going to be your bigger cheerleader.
Don’t forget the hugs! It’s a scientific fact that grandmothers give the best hugs and just want you to be happy. You’re going to be in a whirlwind at your wedding, but don’t forget to make a little time for a pep talk and a hug with grandma.
If your beloved grandma has passed, that doesn’t mean you cannot still have her be a part of your big day. Save her a seat with a lovely photographic memorial – she’s still in your heart and still smiling on you.
Your something old, borrowed (and blue, in this case!) can be a sweet way of making sure your grandmother is still a part of your day, even if she can’t physically be there. Sewing a piece of her favorite dress into your own wedding dress means she’s with you literally every step of the way.
Your grandparents are so important and love you very much – your wedding isn’t only a time for yours and your partner’s love to shine, but it’s also all about the love of your families – and so, it’s all about… the grandparents!
The best part of there being so many different wedding traditions? There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate – it’s really all up to you!
Today, we’re taking a look at that storied, sacred moment of a groom seeing his bride in her wedding dress for the first time. Everyone can agree that is a special, heartwarming moment, but how and when it happens tends to vary. Do you guys have a private first look to see each other before you walk down the aisle, or do you prefer the element of emotional surprise as the groom sees his bride for the first time at the altar? Let’s explore!
FIRST LOOK – PROS
You get the advantage of having some quiet alone time before the ceremony. For many couples, this can be a calming and grounding moment.
There is the chance to take some really great photos in one of the rare pauses of the day versus all the shots that will be hurried, posed or during the ceremony later on.
Seasonal timing can come in to play. For instance, if you’re having a winter wedding, you only have natural light until around 5 o’clock in the afternoon and so this first look can afford you some critical photos.
It’s a private experience you and your partner can share on a day filled with almost zero alone time.
FIRST LOOK – CONS
It’s a break from tradition! If you don’t want to be too modern in your nuptials, this is a pretty stark departure.
A first look can sometimes build pressure rather than release it – there may be expectations of emotion that, if they’re not met, can lead for some discomfort going into the ceremony.
You simply may not have time! Weddings are already jam-packed so throwing an extra step in there can be a lot.
It may feel a little awkward if you set it up as a fully private moment but then are still witnessed by photographers, videographers, etc. making it potentially less intimate and more awkward.
CEREMONY – PROS
There is something timeless and romantic about a groom seeing his bride as she walks down the aisle – it’s often called a magical moment.
Your timeline will be protected. You have a lot going on on your wedding day – throwing one more ‘to do’ in the mix can be overwhelming.
If you’re doing an earlier ceremony, there very well may not even be time!
Those photos and the film of your husband’s eyes lighting up at the ceremony will be magical.
CEREMONY – CONS
You have the potential to get so swept up in the business of the day that you are taken out of the moment and may not register or fully appreciate that detail in the myriad of emotions and thoughts that run through your mind as you walk the aisle.
You could lose out on some special photos of just the two of you.
If you value intimacy, skipping the first look could mean you lose out on sharing something very private for all time.
You’ll get more time with your guests if you do your first look photos prior to the ceremony, rather than rushing for pictures between the wedding and the reception.
At the end of the day, both are beautiful, wonderful options – it’s up to you, your partner, and truly no one else.
Are you lucky enough to have found your soulmate in good old Fort Worth? Are you searching for that perfect place to have your engagement shoot? Fort Worth is actually a cornucopia of magical locations! Get ready to fall in love all over again as we take a look at some of our favorites: Fort Worth Japanese Garden, Fort Worth Water Gardens, Mudsmith, the Scatt Jazz Lounge, and Trinity Park.
FORT WORTH JAPANESE GARDEN
Located in the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, the Japanese Gardens offer up a tranquil setting, breathtaking views and a real sense of inner peace to accompany your love. You feel a sense of zen just looking at these pictures!
There’s nothing more romantic than a small bridge, still waters and a feeling of love and peace.
The curving trees and precise horticulture creates the perfect backdrop for any engagement memories.
Surprising architecture allows for some inspiring and unexpected shoots!
If romance is the name of the game, you are sure to find it here. There’s a storybook quality to be found among the low hanging branches and sturdy trees.
FORT WORTH WATER GARDENS
This surprising oasis is not hard to find. A magical reprieve in the city, it is located right by the Fort Worth Convention Center, and this architectural dream is what magical engagement photos are made of.
The sunlit, rushing water blends together to create a bit of a romantic fantasy while also no competing for attention in a shot meant to showcase your connection.
You don’t have to go far after all to share a romantic moment by a waterfall!
The coolness of the water is balanced perfectly by the warmth of the architecture itself, making this an ideal location for a photoshoot in any season!
MUDSMITH
Iconic and fully caffeinated, the Mudsmith coffee house has all the vintage charm and romantic flair to showcase any engagement shoot. From meticulously crafted drinks to a cute café setting, if you’re looking for charm, you’ve found it here.
For latte lovers, cappuccino couples and even pint pairs, Mudsmith offers up not only delicious drinks but old-fashioned cuteness.
If you have a flair for the vintage, your classic love is well-documented here.
Even the coffee is in on your engagement shoot! A heart-topped latte, a rustic table and the incorporation of something you two enjoy doing together makes a nice added touch.
Doesn’t this just look straight out of a cozy romance movie? Mudsmith is the perfect setting for a love that’s warm and comfortable.
SCATT JAZZ LOUNGE
From Casablanca to almost any Judy Garland flick, embody the romance and the adventure of a time past with this throwback to the ‘40s and live out your own timeless romance with an engagement shoot from another, sophisticated era.
Celebrate how your love makes you always feel like dancing under the neon lights and with a smooth song in your hearts.
Here’s lookin’ at you, kid. We just adore how love can transport you to another time – and the Scatt Jazz Lounge is your perfect vehicle.
TRINITY GARDENS
If your love is outdoorsy and natural, let that shine through with your engagement photos! Offering up gorgeous outdoor scenery, Trinity Park is a natural escape right here in Fort Worth!
Crisp, adventurous and comforting. From trees to open spaces, Trinity Park has a romantic aesthetic.
Let the sun shine down on you and your romance!
It’s just the two of you. Trinity Park’s open nature takes your engagement shoot out of the hustle and bustle and lets you feel as though you’re the only two people in the world.’
Plus, did we mention its pet-friendly? If your dogs are a part of your family, you are blessed with this gorgeous opportunity to include them in your pictures!
Have you been inspired by one of these locations? Whether your engagement is an urban affair or one with nature, Fort Worth has plenty of options for magical locations.
