Alison and Mike opted for an intimate wedding with close family and friends only. The ceremony was in their spacious backyard and a catering company helped prepare some of Alison’s family specialties (Alison is a chef). It was a relaxed and enjoyable celebration of love.

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An Entire Week of Wedding Celebration

John & Katie are old college friends. This wedding was an amazing opportunity to document the entire wedding experience rather than just the ceremony and reception. The week started in SE Ohio with a bachelor party kicked off with a round of golf at Brass Ring Golf Course in Logan, Ohio. The bachelor party then headed to “Barton Meadow Lodge” a nearby Rental Cabin for two days of canoeing, board games, and libations. Returning to NE Ohio the entire wedding party met for a rehearsal at Rockport United Methodist Church where a minister from the bride’s childhood came out of retirement to guide them through the next day’s ceremony. Afterwards the families met each other, many for the first time, at Behind the Woods restaurant in Cleveland. The bride’s heritage is largely Irish, and the family and groom had recently taken a trip to Ireland, and brought back with them a love of Meade (honey wine) and a traditional Irish toast. The next morning I joined the bride at her Bridal suite at the Marriott to document the preparation of the bridal party. With only a few snaffus we made it to the church on time and the wedding went off without a hitch (though everyone got a good laugh when the minister managed to mispronounce the couple’s new last name). We took formal photos around the church (including the playground) and headed to Progressive Field (formerly Jacob’s Field) where the Cleveland Indian’s mascot Slider and a live Irish band helped the couple celebrate their first evening of marriage.

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Slideshow

Trying something new this time. The above slideshow links to a place you can buy prints.

Tip 1: Look Past the Portfolio

Ask to see a recent wedding the photographer shot in its entirety. All photographers have a good 20-image portfolio, but only a good photographer consistently captures the essense of every wedding.

Tip 2: Beware the Bait-and-Switch

There are many “wedding photographers” in South Florida who will book multiple weddings for the same date. On your wedding day they will call in “sick” and send a low-cost substitute photographer. Always ask for a strong financial guarantee that the photographer will be at the wedding himself/herself.

Tip 3: Independent Research

Check your photographer out independently. Ask for a reference or two and make sure they aren’t a family member or friend of the photographer. Search Google for their name.

Tip 4: Equipment

Does the photographer use professional grade equipment and do they always carry a backup camera? Without a backup camera a single slip, spill, or bump and they (and you) will be out of luck. The specific brand or cost of a camera should not concern you – I routinely switch between $400 (film), $7,000, and $24,000 cameras which allow me to capture images with different feel.

Tip 5: Look for Someone You Like

Working with a photographer that you get along with will keep you at ease throughout your big (sometimes stressful) day, capturing more natural and flattering images. The best photographer in the world won’t do you any good if you’re not comfortable with them being around. It’s simple, pick someone you like!

Tip 6: Trust Your Gut

Can you trust them on your big day? Do they seem enthusiastic about your wedding or is this “just another” wedding to them. I wake up excited the morning of every wedding I shoot, looking forward to capturing the fleeting moments throughout the day that make up the essence of that wedding.

TJ & Jess in 90 seconds

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TJ & Jess in 7 minutes

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The wedding took place at Hale Farm and Village, a historic reenactment village and a still-functioning farm. The bride choose this location because for a time in her life she worked as a butter-churner at the farm.

Flying to Ohio for the weekend Maria, Austin, myself, and Maria’s brother Nick visited several locations in and around their home town of Hudson, Ohio.

Many thanks to Nick who served as an excellent assistant, and much less expensive for everyone than flying an assistant with me from Miami.

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Tara and Sean

NOTE: The videos on this website require a fast connection to the internet (I refuse to use YouTube quality) and Quicktime. Sorry for any inconvenience.