Leilani+Hilson: Ceremony and Reception

The final installment!  These two were all smiles from start to finish :)  I'm so excited to finish off this blog series with everyone celebrating with them :)  This wedding was one of the happiest weddings I have ever seen!  As friends and family started to show up, the smiles and the laughter just got more and more pronounced :)  These two got to celebrate their love along with all of their guests, and I think that's just about the best part of any wedding!  Enjoy the rest of the photos!!

Selfie before the kiss!

Finally man and wife :)

Wedding Wednesday: What's the backup plan for my wedding day??

  One of the most common questions asked of wedding photographers is "What happens if something comes up and you can't photograph my wedding?"
WOW.
  Not something that is fun to think about.  You never want to hear from your photographer "Hey I'm not going to make it to photograph your wedding...."  It's a nightmare situation, and it's something that needs to be addressed LONG before it actually happens.  
  So the answer to that particular question should never be "uuhhhhhhhmmmm....."  Your photographer should have something in place, or at the very least a general idea.  
  Are you ready for my own personal contingency plan?  Good.  The very cool part about Old Soul Imagery, is I have a built in associate photographer with my husband!  We shoot very similar styles, and once the photos are all edited, even I  have a hard time distinguishing who took which photos.   If for whatever reason my husband is not available to shoot your wedding, I have an extensive and AMAZING network of local photographers who could step in and take care of you on your MOST important day!  Once they are finished with the actual photographing, I would still take on the editing myself.  
  Now not every photographer will have the same plan in place.  The most important thing is just that your photographer has something in place.  

Enjoy some of my favorite detail photos below!  

Wedding Wednesday: How to save money on your venue

  Hello everyone!  We are right smack dab in the middle of one of my favorite seasons right now; WEDDING SEASON!!!!  I know a lot of couples got engaged over the holidays, which means a lot of you ladies are trying to plan your weddings right now.  This can be absolutely overwhelming to do!  Especially when trying to stay within a budget.  So I've decided to help lighten your load a little!  One of the most major expenses involved in wedding planning is the venue.  It can also be one of the most overwhelming decisions!  There are so many details involved in just finding a venue.  Does it include tables for the reception?  Does it include table linens?  Plates? Chargers? Silverware? Catering?  Decorations? DJ? Sound system? Cake?  Chairs for the ceremony as well as the reception?  Can I have my ceremony and reception in the same venue?  Can I bring in outside vendors?  Is there a fee for bringing in outside vendors?  Is there restrictions on outside vendors?  
  Wow.  Did you know there were so many things involved in just this one aspect of wedding planning?  Because until I started photographing weddings, I sure didn't!  
So here's my advice to you future bride; pick your battles.  Meaning decide what details you want to worry about.  
  For example, if the thought of finding table cloths and place settings for your bare tables scares the living daylights out of you, find a venue that offers to include them!  If you don't want to worry about chair rentals, ask for them to be included!  If you want to bring in all of that yourself, then make sure your venue allows outside vendors and doesn't charge a fee for bringing in your own.  If you don't think about these hidden costs beforehand, your venue could end up costing you a lot more than you initially planned on.  
  Now I'm not saying that just because it's included it will be the best deal.  I would recommend doing a little bit of research before meeting with your venue to make sure you are getting the best deal.  
  Ok, so to wrap all that up and simplify:  do research on what's included, and ask about any hidden vendor fees.  These two little things could save you thousands!  
  Just in case you are still looking for a venue, here are a few photos from The Elegant Barn in Gilbert!