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When it comes the epicness of your wedding day, finding the right Houston wedding photographer is key. Your photos will be the lasting memories of laughter, love, and all the dance floor shenanigans. So, let’s dive into some tips and tricks for picking the perfect person to capture those candid moments, epic scenes, and all the vibes that make your big day uniquely yours. Ready to find the Houston photographer who’ll turn your wedding into a visual masterpiece? Let’s roll!
Scroll Through Snaps:
Start your Houston search online and scroll through photographers’ portfolios. Look for a google listing first. Then go to their website (helps determine if they are legitimate). Once you have determined they are legit move on to instagram, facebook, etc. Look for a vibe that clicks with your style. Whether it’s capturing candid moments or epic dance floor shots, find someone whose work makes you go, “Yep, that’s the vibe!”
Face-to-Face (or Screen-to-Screen):
Schedule a chill meet-up, either in person or virtually. (I personally love tacos and margs!) Get to know your potential Houston photographer, ask questions (can even be about themselves to help get to know them), and make sure you vibe together. After all, you’ll be spending a whole day with them—might as well enjoy their company! To me this is the most important step!
Chat with Happy Couples:
Put your detective hat on and dig into reviews. Check out what other couples are saying. Did the photographer bring good vibes and capture all the feels? A happy couple’s endorsement is worth its weight in gold. (Bonus tip if they have reviews turned off run!) You can find reviews on google, facebook, The knot, Weddingwire, etc. You can easily search their business name and all the places they have reviews will show up. Don’t just read the top one (its pinned) go through as many as you need to see the similarities. Here are my reviews for example! Google , The knot, Facebook.
Budget Banter:
BE HONEST! Lay it out on the table— ask what’s included in the package, what might sneak up on your wallet later. Can you add hours of coverage later? Can you decrease coverage?. No one likes surprises, especially when it comes to dollar bills. Make sure everything’s as clear as a pristine wedding day forecast.
Lock in the Date and Plan B:
Confirm the Houston wedding photographer’s availability for your big day. Also, ask about their Plan B in case life throws a curveball. A good photographer has backup plans smoother than a dance move, ensuring your memories stay epic no matter what.
Remember, finding your wedding photographer is like choosing your dance partner for life—make sure you’re on the same wavelength and ready to capture all those unforgettable moments!
LOOKING TO BOOK YOUR 5 STAR PHOTOGRAPHER: CONTACT ME HERE!
I always get asked how can i get my details to look so perfect! How do i get my detail photos to look like this?! What did they do differently? The truth is easy, be prepared and plan ahead. Details have easily become a super integral part of the wedding day and honestly it has been fun to push myself creatively to create something new and different every time! Anyways here are some tips to help achieve this look.
Here’s a guide on what Houston Wedding Clients can do to help create better wedding detail photos.
Plan Ahead:
Collaborate with your wedding photographer well in advance. Share your vision for the wedding, your preferred details, and any sentimental items you’d like to be included in the photos.
Prepare a Detail Collection:
Gather all the essential details to be photographed, such as the wedding dress, ALL RINGS (yes his as well), shoes, jewelry, invitations, bouquet, and any heirlooms or special items. Have them ready in one place for the photographer. (A shoebox or just box in general is a good spot for this!)
Keep Items Clean and Tidy:
Consider a Styling Kit:
Some brides create a styling kit with extra ribbons, flowers, or other decorative elements that can enhance the detail photos. Share this with your photographer for additional creative options. (Bonus tip Etsy has some beautifully curated kits! )
Personalize Your Details:
Add personal touches to your details that reflect your personality and the theme of your wedding. This could include custom monograms on invitations, unique jewelry, or personalized hangers for your dress.
Choose a Beautiful Houston Wedding Getting-Ready Location:
Select a getting-ready location with ample natural light and an aesthetically pleasing backdrop. A well-decorated bridal suite or room can make a significant difference in your detail photos.
Trust Your Houston Wedding Photographer:
Your photographer has experience capturing wedding details. Trust their creative vision and allow them to experiment with different angles and techniques.
Coordinate with Houston Wedding Vendors:Houston Weddings can be expensive! Let’s remember they are technically a luxury, and as fun and incredible as they can be, you don’t NEED a big wedding. Often times I hear my brides tell me how much they have had to spend or they wished they had the money to allot for X. This blog is going to give you some ideas on ways to save money without lowering the quality of your day – because in this industry you get what you pay for. Harsh… but I can only be honest, and want the best for my people!
One of the easiest ways to save money on a wedding in Houston is to have your wedding during an off-peak season, such as during the summer months, or on a weekday. This can result in significant savings on everything from venue rentals, to catering, and floral arrangements.
Another way to save money on a wedding in Houston is to choose a “budget-friendly” venue. When I say “budget friendly,” let me explain… There are many beautiful and affordable wedding venues in Houston, (such as The Homestead Tx, pictured in this blog post) that offer all-inclusive wedding packages. From decor rentals, chairs, tables, catering, etc, choosing vendors who provide more than one component often results in a cheaper total. Think of it as same quality, but less “middle men” and less labor costs since bundled services typically only include one set of labor costs vs the labor costs for 4 or 5 different companies.
One of the biggest expenses of any wedding is the cost of feeding and entertaining your guests. To save money on your wedding in Houston (or anywhere, really), consider limiting your guest list to only your closest family and friends. This can significantly reduce the cost of catering, venue rental, and other expenses, while still allowing you to have a memorable and meaningful wedding celebration. The money saved by having a smaller guest list can be put towards decor, premium wedding vendors, or even your savings account!
Hear me out… if your “all in” budget for photo and video is 5k, I always recommend to my clients to pick one must-have instead of splitting your budget in half and hiring two mediocre companies to get both. I know, I know… it’s a hot take, but I promise you won’t regret investing in one must-have photographer or videographer. The videographers here are not going to like what I have to say… but I obviously vote on investing in a great photographer over a great videographer. Your photos will last forever! In addition to being digital, they are tangible items you can print, hang or create albums of, and pass down through the generations. One thing I love to suggest to my clients is to create a dropbox folder for your guests to drop videos into and create your own slideshow together of your big day as a date night.
Want to chat about the possibility of me photographing your Houston Wedding? Contact me to learn more!
Every year I try to create a new Houston engagement photo session tip blog. Alas here we are. A new year and a new engagement season. Houston Texas seriously has some of the BEST engagement session locations. From Downtown Houston, to open fields, Galveston beach, LOTS of public park filled with greenery. So honestly the skies the limit. Enjoy some of my favorite tips for planning and having the most successful engagement session in Houston.
Pick a location that has a lot of coverage options! The more scenery the location has the more places we have to play around with shots. I also would encourage verifying if the location requires a permit fee. We love a good park but downtown comes at a price. Not open to paying a permit fee? Thats totally fine I have lots of options out of the city with the same feel without a permit fee.
Choose a day that will be less busy! Houston Texas engagement season will be in full effect! So the less people there are out and about. The less likely they’ll be in the back of your photos & you can be more comfortable without worrying about people during your session.
Make sure the location you chose is the best that suites your personalities! If you love trees, let’s explore those woodsy areas!!! Or if you love downtown, let’s hit the streets!! Met at your favorite restaurant (i love food and trying new things) let’s do it! Honestly the skies the limit when it comes to location.
Bring a “prop” of some-sort. When I say “prop” i mean like a blanket, your favorite drink, a mini picnic, something to utilize at your session’s location. Things that you enjoy doing together or to enhance your outfits are always a plus! They also can add a pop of color to your session while showcasing your personality. (PS cowboy boots and hats count) we love a good Houston engagement session with cowboy boots.
I am always here to help you plan your Houston engagement session outfit ideas. I love using Style & Select to help show you what your complete outfit would visually look like. As well a help come up with a cohesive color scheme. I always! recommend staying away from patterns or logos. Neutral is always better. Beige, grey’s, ceam, natural tones always work best together. With that I always advise you bring one more “Casual” outfit, and one more “fancy” “done up” outfit.
When you book hair and makeup for your wedding often times it comes with or has the option to add on a trial run. I always like to recommend using this trial run for the day of your Houston engagement photo session. You can see how the makeup will last, do you like it, do you love the makeup artist etc!
Let’s talk pets, If you’re bringing your adorably lovable furry friend, bring a (human) buddy too! This way your human friend can take care of your pet while we capture other shots. Often times we think our pets are the best behaved animals ever. Well Ish happens and instead of you getting frustrated or feeling overwhelmed you have someone who can help out. And we get to take advantage of all that extra time and yummy light without getting flustered, or worried.
Drop in the comments the prop you would bring to you engagement session! I’d bring a quilt or blanket.
Want to chat about the possibility of me photographing your Downtown Houston, Engagement session? Contact me to learn more!
When you start to plan your wedding you go through all the vendors you think you want / need. Venue, photographer, florist, catering, rentals, cake, videographer, officiant, etc! One vendor typically get’s left out and is super under rated. A Top Houston wedding planner. Weather that be full planning, month of, week of, or even just day of services. There is a level of planning to fit all needs.
Ive decided to start a new Blog series where I feature some of my favorite wedding vendors to work with. Who they are, how they started, and support other small business’ in the Houston wedding industry. So If you want a planner to jump in and work until the couple are happily leaving in their exit cars. Learn more abut Bluepoppy events.
Carrie and Rebekah are lucky to share a bond beyond sisterhood. Despite an eight-year gap in age, they have pretty much always been best friends and they are truly balancing points for one another. While at first it may seem as if Carrie is a classic ‘first born’ child: all about details, organization, and structure and Rebekah fills the ‘youngest child’ role: fun, laughter, and a good-time gal, they actually BOTH bring ALL of these traits to Blue Poppy Events.
For years, they discussed what kind of business they could create together. Something that would utilize their skills, push them to learn and grow, and also be family-oriented. Wedding and event planning sort of fell into their laps at the right time and the right place in life. Just as they were trying to find ‘the perfect business idea’, they kept getting asked by friends and family to assist with their weddings and events. “You know how to run a wedding rehearsal, right?” “Can you set up a reception?” “Do you know anything about wedding day timelines?”. As neither sister is one to shy away from a challenge, they took on these requests for help with all seriousness and refused to let someone’s special day fall to pieces.
Well, after hours and hours of searching for what captured who they are and what they wanted their business to be. Carrie and Rebekah realized how fortunate they are to have one another as a sister and began to think about their own families. While they each only have one daughter, their hope is that their children will grow up to be more like sisters. In searching for a way to symbolize this in their busines they ultimately decided. They selected blue for the color of 1 daughter’s birthstone and the poppy is the other daughter’s birth month flower.
Fast forward to today and Blue Poppy Events is now growing into everything this sister team hoped for – and more. They love to meet with couples and hear what they have envisioned for their wedding day. Then helping bring that dream to fruition. Rarely a wedding passes that Rebekah isn’t getting choked up when the bride walks down the aisle. Carrie has to leave the room as the first notes of the Father and Bride’s song starts to find a tissue. They adore each and every celebration that they get to be a part of… and they have A LOT of fun doing it!! They’ve even been caught once or twice in a dark corner of the reception dancing to the party music! 😉
Now that you’ve fallen in love with the two best planners out there make sure to check out one of my favorite blog posts of theirs HERE!. Enjoy the rest of the images from one of my favorite weddings of all time. I had the pleasure of working alongside with The best Houston Wedding planners Bluepoppy events.
Venue: The Bryan Museum
Florals/Design: Rexberry Luxury
Band: Flight of the Keys
HMUA: Blush Artistry
Cake: Cakes By Jula
LOOKING TO BOOK YOUR 5 STAR PHOTOGRAPHER: CONTACT ME HERE!
Space Center Houston offers an array of exhibits and experiences for those fascinated by the universe! The center focuses on education and fun. It’s perfect for families!
Be inspired by nature’s beauty at the Cockrell Butterfly Center in Houston. Walk through the Rainforest Conservatory, a live butterfly habitat that will make you feel like you’ve been transported across oceans! The center also doubles as a museum for butterflies and entomology for those who love the science of nature.
The Houston Zoo is full of animal encounters that will leave you in awe! This is a fun attraction for all ages. It’s also a favorite amongst locals!
If you love shopping, The Galleria is Houston’s top shopping destination. It’s also the largest shopping center in Texas and the fourth largest in the country! With luxury shopping, fine dining and an indoor ice skating rink, there’s something for everyone at this shopping destination.
Want to find the perfect spot to document your Houston trip to share with your online community? Visit Houston’s beautiful street art and murals that are Instagram worthy! You can book a private tour by cart with Joyride to visit some of Houston’s lesser known murals as well as some of the most popular. Or you can discover them on your own with friends!
First off let me start by saying there are so many pros and cons to every wedding option. I wanted to add some pros to a smaller backyard wedding in the Houston, texas area because well they are incredible!
Pro 2. Secondly Your space allows for a comfortable getting ready location. What do i mean by that… well, my job as a storyteller is to capture you in your element. You’re home creates a sense of peace, enjoyment, comfortability. The more comfortable the more you trust me and give me your true raw self.
Pro #3 NO ONE WILL HAVE THE SAME IMAGES AS YOU. I feel like this is self explanatory :] Your space = your images. We live for originality!
Pro #4 You make the rules. No one can tell you how many people can be in your space at one time, or what food and drinks you can have, how long you have to get ready, and no one to care about if you decide to party till 2am instead of the allotted time of 10pm.
Pro # 5. You can have as little or as many people as you want / can fit. Typically I find my clients love a smaller intimate wedding to allow for more details, and extra money spent on important things like photographer (me 😝), florals, details, dj etc.
Lastly Pro #6 and my personal favorite WE GET TO TAKE PORTRAITS FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT! I mean this is your Outdoor Texas Backyard Wedding, You run the show and it’s your space. So we can go anywhere, do anything, and create as much as we want. You want to frolic in the cow pasture and take portraits next to cow pies I’m game. Im here for you!
Enjoy the Full gallery of this Outdoor Houston Texas wedding HERE!
let's make magic together!
