Wedding Week - Jess + Nate Studios

Eventually the cake is cut, champagne is topped off, plates are cleared, and the limo pulls away from the party. The big day is over, but the photos live on. It's one of the few things that have remained a norm in weddings, the fact that the photographer and the resulting album is your key to remembering that special day. I absolutely loved my photographer, Sara from One-Love Photo, so I was incredibly excited when I discover another amazing studio out in Ann Arbor. I was introduced to Jess and Nate Studios earlier this year and fell in love with their saturated colors, gorgeous settings, and theatrical staging. Since choosing someone to capture the day is a big decision, Jess was sweet enough to answer a few questions that I know many people are faced with in the last phases of planning.

Jaclyn: A little introduction to begin. Were weddings what drew you to your craft, or do you feature other styles?

Jess: "We have always loved photography independently of each other and both Nate and I took photography courses in college. We're truly influenced by film and cinema and have always approached our photography with a cinematic eye. In 2003 we photographed a friends wedding and that got us started. We love the ability to capture real moments in an artistic way and give our clients the best experience we can."

Jaclyn: Describe an ideal wedding to shoot.

Jess: Really, as cliche as it sounds, I swear it's how we feel: Any wedding where the bride and groom are in the moment and truly enjoying their wedding. Photographing someone's joy is a high words can't describe, but hopefully our photos later reflect how that couple truly felt on their day.
 

Jaclyn: Should a couple follow a shot list or do the more organic and natural photos work the best?

Jess: A shot list in our opinion is always a bad idea. All weddings are different and when you give your photographer a pinterest link of hundreds of photos or a list of "must have photos" then you are asking them to no longer document your day as it unfolds (and for why you hired them to begin with), but to follow your list of ideas or shots you think need to be taken. Collaborating with your photographer and showing them one or two images you like is never a problem, but these giant lists and idea boards can lead to hindering your photographer rather than assisting them...maybe even insulting them. If you have hired a great photographer, trust is really important to the photographer/client relationship. The one exceptions to this is a family formal list. We don't know the bride's family and who is important to her so we will ask for a detailed list of people/groupings for family images.

*Tip: This is a great piece of advice that was discussed yesterday too. Assign someone to gather the family and use colored corsages to make it easier to find them in a crowd.

Jaclyn: What trends are you seeing for wedding photos this year?

Jess: We actually noticed some great trends with brides wanting more relaxed looking family portraits (we love this trend since we love family formals that are a bit more true to how your family really is. We try to make these as natural and fun as possible. Another trend we like is the move away from really themed styled weddings, and more natural affairs, which I think is a welcomed trend.

Jaclyn: If your couple is a little uncomfortable in front of the camera, how do you get them to relax?

Jess: We will always ask them to do something that feels natural to them but in a directive way-like "let's start here and just snuggle with each other and walk over towards us and talk to each other!" It's great at getting them loosened up and realizing that not every photo we need to take of them needs to be super posey-so they can relax and be more natural. We also really love doing an e-session with all our wedding clients because this gives us and our clients a trial run on the poses we might ask them to do or try on the wedding day and also just helps us build a natural rapport with them. They in turn can trust us that we will always make them look their best.

*The things to remember as the big day gets closer:

• Request an e-session with your photographer to calm any nerves
• If you aren't doing a first look, be prepared to miss cocktail hour
• Allowing your photographer to work with their style, rather than follow a shot list will result in better photos. Remember, you hired them for their style
• If the big day has less than spectacular weather, remember to relax and be a little brave. An umbrella and your new wife or husband by your side can result in some amazing photos
• Be in the moment and enjoy yourself, it will show in the photos

Thank you so much to Jess and Nate for sharing your advice with everyone. They are amazing tips that can help everyone connect with their photographer, while reducing any unwanted stress.

Tomorrow is the last day of Wedding Week, so I'll be sharing a sparkling DIY that can add some character to your reception and future parties for that fact. The classically chic Stella & Dot necklace giveaway is also up until Monday! make sure to enter here and retweet anything from Wedding Week for an extra entry.