AZ in August: The Details

These are some of my favorite “detail” shots from our wedding, we were truly blessed having our wedding in Tlaquepaque because it is so beautiful! We were lucky enough to have the problem of narrowing down all the gorgeous places for photos, so here’s what we came up with!

Ok so I must admit something, that even though I love the photo above with our rings on the tile… the next set is by-far-and-away my favorite of our ring-shots. I didn’t think of it, but my lovely and talented Sister in Law did and I said “Go for It!” And she did… and it was awesome.

Don’t our rings look gorgeous in the offering hands? And to think I would’ve passed that little stone monk by! What’s your unexpected favorite wedding photo?

Post-Wedding Christmas Cards!

So yesterday I decided to take a distraction from my troubles and my cares to review Minted.com's Holiday Photo Cards and I found some AMAZING ones! Take a peek at my favorites for Newlyweds...

holiday photo cards - peaceful flurry

holiday photo cards - Winter's Woodland

holiday photo cards - Contemporary Hanukkah

holiday photo cards - Merry Marry

holiday photo cards - Merry Candy Stripes

holiday photo cards - Gifted

holiday photo cards - snowfall


holiday photo cards - mistletoe kiss

holiday photo cards - Joy and Love

I know it's only June but this is typically when me and Mr. AZ bust out the Christmas music, I don't know why. We always do... but between it being June and Minted's Holiday Design Challenge, we're already in the Spirit of the Season... our season just lasts longer. 

Do you all start celebrating early? Do you want to use these gorgeous photo cards post-wedding? Which one is your favorite? Psst...Mine are the 1st and Last ones!

The Problem with Wedding Photos

I should be excited about our impending wedding photos... the only problem is that **I** will be in them. This poses a significant problem as my mere presence ruins photos. I generally have rock-star level self-esteem so please do not misinterpret my meaning. "Unlike you bunch of wack-jobs, I think I'm just fine the way I am."-Missy Pyle as Alexandra Cabot in "Josie and the Pussycats"*

IMDB

I am, however, one of those people who receives this comment FAR too frequently "She's so much prettier in person".Thatsnotacomplimentthankyouverymuch!?!?! I have read and researched methods to correct my un-photogenic ways. Tips to look better and more natural in photos seem to work for others. Penga had a great post on just this.... but did it work for me? Of course it didn't. Case in point...

 Personal Photo from my Friend Laura's Wedding

Seriously? WTF is up with my face?! I totally ruined this awesome funny photo. Or I made it funnier. But I wasn't mad or concerned, that's just what happens to my face around cameras. I just kinda scrunch up and become awkward. Cameras basically stress me out, and the only thing that helps...

 Personal Photo: Me on the Right

 

Yup you guessed it, a little booze. Not kidding. I go from horrible in photos to decent in the blink of a champagne toast. Am I the only one who needs to be slightly tipsy to alleviate the dreaded "Scrunch Face?" My weapon of choice for our wedding photos:

Francis Ford Coppola**

Do you have any photography secret weapons? Please tell me I'm not the only not-photogenic person here? Seriously?

*I sincerely recommend this movie. It was really glossed over in 2001, but it's about how record companies are trying to brainwash the youth of America through rock and roll music. Hilarious.
**My running joke for this canned Champagne is: "It's like a CapriSun for Adults!" I feel like this tagline will catch on soon.

Faux-To-Booth

Why spend upwards of a thousand dollars on a Photo Booth rental when you could make a Faux one for less than 10% of the cost?!

With streamers....

source 

With White Paper...

 source

Or with fun fabric...

source

Ultimately I think our Faux-to-Booth would look best in one of our Venue's many arches with just a simple fabric backdrop similar to this minus the flower arch.

source

Now the quest is on for the perfect Fabric Backdrop! Are you springing for a REAL booth or going Faux?

Photo Retouching....

My MOH (of DOOOOM!) offered to retouch my wedding photos. Gasp all you want, but she's amazing at fixing skin, makeup, shadows etc. So I assumed I would take her up on that.... until I saw the Real Beauty Campaign viral video....

After taking a look at the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty I decided I ethically couldn't "fix up" my photos.... It's also one of the reasons I don't love professional photography... I just don't feel like its really me in any "fixed up" photos. I prefer the look of organic photos... call me crazy...

 I'd love my photos to all be SMP or Martha material... but it's just not going to happen. I love looking at the eye candy but I have a confession to make...

So our "organic" non-re-touched photos may not be perfect but perfection is simply unattainable. I'm not a perfectionist, I never have been so why did I really want these photos to be perfect? Perfect enough to compromise my ideals?

After really giving it some thought what do I want out of my photos? I want to look happy, regardless of my terrible smile, my chubby cheeks, or Dirk's ability to create a double chin despite his being thin. I want photos like these...

MissAsB 

dragonsus 

spraguebride

 

laylabelle

Sure they'll never be on the cover of Martha, but don't they make you smile? Do you hope for these kinds of funny photos? What are you looking forward to in your wedding photos? 

Photography: Trial Run @ The Venue!

Because my FSIL is doing our photography she wanted to be comfortable not only shooting us, but also shooting our venue. So we all got in the Outlander and trucked it up to Sedona for the day. We also had a tasting... more on that later... but now- MORE PHOTOS!!

Our reception venue at Noon in August... aka we love the SHADE!!!

Personal Photo

Us being cheesy by one of the ivy-covered archways overlooking the Patio de Las Campanas...

Personal Photo

Smoochin' in the Ivy Covered Archway... note to self.... need BIG HEELS

Personal Photo

Even our nephew (ringbearer #1) was a pawn in our photography...

Personal Photo 

Fiance making a kissy face, and me laughing (with really obnoxious bangs)... within a beautiful alcove with a fountain

Personal Photo

The outdoor "hallway" that leads from the Chapel to our Reception Venue...

 Personal Photo

Close up in that same "hallway" and me grinning like an idiot...

Personal Photo

The money shot of us with the Chapel in the background...

Personal Photo 

So what do you think of our "in the family" photographer? And just how big do we think my heels will have to be? 

Photography: Trial Run

So you've heard about the non-existent "professional wedding photographer" and why we don't necessarily love them.... but you haven't heard all of the reasons  we love my FSIL! Aka our photographer on the cheap... well let me bring you photography trial run number one... aka our fake engagement photos.

Source

Our E-Photo Shoot started off with me a little awkward in front of the camera.... UGH

The air lightened up a bit when FSIL started telling us to move around and what to do...

Then we got a little pensive...

And then ended up with the best picture ever...

Then we got to do some awesome mail box shots...

How did your Engagement Photo shoot go? Did it make you more at ease in front of a very large flashy camera?

5 Golden Rings

Well 2 platinum and 1 titanium ring was too long a title for this post! Merry Christmas (or a very belated Happy Hanukkah)  I bring you a Christmas-themed present, er well.... blog post.  There's a highly infectious disease caught by reading far too many Bridal blogs and the first symptom is thinking you can be a rockstar like the other bridal bloggers... so here goes... my Christmas inspired attempt at.... photos of rings

Personal Photo

Let me first explain that while the fiancé has a fancy-pants camera.... seen below.... I have no such fancy camera. So whilst I should have let him take a shot at this, I was going to figure out how to take photos of our rings that didn't come out blurry darn-it!

Personal Photo

For those of us with point and shoot cameras, the art of the ring photo takes a little bit more time and patience, but it can be achieved. First set your camera to Macro (I know- what the heck does that mean! The little flower button, I found out). Then place the rings in a simple background- white paper worked best for me.

Photo #1: Simple White Background.  But you'll notice you can see the detail on the rings! Success! This photo was achieved after a good 5 minutes of "playing" with the camera. So if at first you don't succeed, try try again!

Photo #2 In this shot I really tried to capture the "architecture" of my e-ring. I think it Kinda worked.

Photo #3 My first attempt at staging.... not so good.

#4 Pine cone shot- I LOVE this one, it ended up sparkly and pretty on the first try!

 

Photos #5+6 Look what we got in our [homemade] stockings!! 

Photo #6 and finally the rings rest gently on the mantle!

So have you tried out your point-and-shoot camera or do you have a fancy pants camera? How long did it take you to master the art?