Real Couples // Llamas and Piñatas in the Woods: Amy + Adam

Real Couples // Llamas and Piñatas in the Woods: Amy + Adam

Amy and Adam had one of the most fun wedding days I've ever been a part of! They held their ceremony and reception in a Redwood tree grove in Redwood Regional Park. They incorporated wooden ducks into their ceremony decor as a nod to their Korean heritage, but opted for vintage wooden duck decoys instead of the traditional version to match Adam's love for antiques. From the food and cake to the decorations and favors, their friends and family were essential to making their day go off without a hitch. Ukulenny provided music for the ceremony and entertainment during the reception. He even went table to table during lunch taking requests and encouraging guests to sing along! 

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21 Wedding and Engagement Gifts Hand-Picked by Vessel Brooklyn

21 Wedding and Engagement Gifts Hand-Picked by Vessel Brooklyn

Everyone can agree that no two people (and no two relationships) are alike. Yet so often we fall into a cookie-cutter trap when selecting gifts for the ones we love. The best gifts say something about both the giver and the recipient and the bonds and memories shared between them. If you’re looking for a gift, ask yourself: what makes this person unique? When thinking about the time you have spent together, what are the first images that pop into your head? When you really tap into these specifics and use them as your springboard, you will end up with a gift that is thoughtful, creative, and one-of-a-kind.

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Real Couples // Sunflower Sunbath: Lauren + Sean

Real Couples // Sunflower Sunbath: Lauren + Sean

Broom’s Bloom Dairy has fields of crops all over in Maryland, but Lauren and Sean told me about the sunflower field that only blooms for a tiny amount of time (coupled with the temptation of fresh made ice cream), and this is where we found ourselves in an afternoon as the sun began to sat. The flowers were a maze we escaped into, muffling the sounds from the rest of the farm. We were suddenly isolated, surrounded by sunflowers, and showered by sunlight. 

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Real Couples // A Weekend in London: Amelia + Francis

Real Couples // A Weekend in London: Amelia + Francis

This couple wanted some natural, but also special, photos and that's why they chose Sara as the photographer. They live in London, which is a perfect place for a photo session. All of the photos are about a normal weekend in Amelia and Francis life's: how they had breakfast, how they walk around the city...normal moments that Sara photographs from her perspective. The final result is an amazing photo shoot by Sara and a really timeless memory for the couple.

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Black BeauTEA Talk // Celebrated, Not Tolerated: Woke AF Wedding Vendors List

Black BeauTEA Talk // Celebrated, Not Tolerated: Woke AF Wedding Vendors List

One part that really seemed to stand out last month according to the feedback was the story about none of the vendors posting photos of the black bride's wedding. Her story really drove home why I push the phrase, “Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated,” so much. It's very important that on top of realizing these issues, we do our part to support those who truly support us! How many times have you been online and come across a new viral post about yet another business owner coming out as having been racist?! How many of these business owners had you supported in the past? Yea, I know girl, me too, and the worst part is there is no way for us to be able to tell, right?! Well of course there isn't, but we can damn sure look for the businesses that SHOW us that they are here for us. It's really easy to do; if you go to their website and don't see anything close to a representation of you, peace out! You'd be taking a chance with giving this business your support, or in other words, your coins!!

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10 Tips for Stress-Free Wedding Dress Shopping

10 Tips for Stress-Free Wedding Dress Shopping

You should feel beautiful, happy, and confident in whatever you choose to wear for your wedding day. But unless you live in a vacuum, it’s hard to stick to your vision, or even decide on a vision without everyone offering an opinion. Making matters worse is the generic advice in every wedding magazine on how to find your “perfect” dress. 

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Real Couples // Firefighters in Love: K + K

Real Couples // Firefighters in Love: K + K

Kim & Katy’s Livermore wedding was a celebration after my very own heart: chock-full of love, funky, and homemade, the most one-of-a-kind event you can imagine. The pair met volunteering at Pride 2008 in the city, and apparently it was magnetic attraction at first sight! Katy did some shady underhanded redistribution of teams to end up working with Kim, while Kim “lost” her truck to give them more time to talk. They were on the phone the very next day, and the rest is a story that’s just begun!

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4 Tips for Planning a Feminist Destination Bachelorette Party on a Budget

4 Tips for Planning a Feminist Destination Bachelorette Party on a Budget

If your best friend is getting married and you want to give her a proper send-off into matrimony, a destination bachelorette party is the perfect way to do it. But, you may be worried about how to have an unforgettable girls’ getaway while staying within everyone’s budget. Don’t fret too much; there are ways you can plan the destination bachelorette party your friend deserves and keep everyone’s bank accounts in check.

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Real Couples // Old Town Alexandria Summer Engagement: Lauren + Micah

Real Couples // Old Town Alexandria Summer Engagement: Lauren + Micah

We first met at the University of Maryland where we would meet every now and then for lunch with a group of mutual friends. Our relationship grew very naturally. We started as friends and as time went on, our lunch meetings with our friends became lunch dates with just me and Micah. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other. One of our favorite places to spend time together has always been Old Town in Alexandria. We both enjoy being outside and being near water. The day after my birthday (February 19, 2016), Micah had my best friend invite me to get my nails done and go to happy hour. After Kristian and I left the nail salon, she suggested we go to Old Town for dinner and drinks. When we arrived in Old Town, Kristian pulled up next to Founder’s Park (which is right along the water). She handed me a box and told me to look at what was inside. On the outside of the box was a note that said “Open and walk towards the light in Founder’s Park.”

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Real Couples // Spanning A Decade and Thousands of Miles: Soundarya and Anand

Real Couples // Spanning A Decade and Thousands of Miles: Soundarya and Anand

Far too often, we are asked to let go off things. But maybe, it is not always a good idea, not in all cases at least! Ours is one of those stories that proves otherwise. Our story spans a decade—a decade of funny, good, bad, and hard times, plenty of roadblocks, and inconveniences. We met each other 10 years ago back in 2007, in college in India, thanks to our friends who set us up. I was a freshman, and Anand was already in his junior year, and we had the most beautiful time in college, holding hands and taking long walks in the valleys, motorbike rides in the woods, watching sunrises on the beaches, sharing memories with friends and going to parties. Two years just flew by, and Anand graduated from college and decided to do his Master’s in the U.S. Living on two different sides of the globe didn’t make it easy, but we became the experts and ‘know-alls’ of video conferencing apps and international calling cards. After three long years, I moved to the U.S. in 2012 to New York to get my Master’s, and I fell in love all over again. However, this time it was with New York City, which I now call my second love. Anand was living in Boston by then. Living in the same country made things a lot easier for our relationship. We had our shares of fights and break-ups, but in the end, we "always found our way back to each other." I recently moved to Philly for a job, so we are still in a long-distance, although a shorter distance, relationship, and we are still counting up those air miles/burning up the highway, and we are happy.

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Ask A Wedding Photographer // Taking Care of Your Digital Pictures

Ask A Wedding Photographer // Taking Care of Your Digital Pictures

DOWNLOAD THEM!

Your online gallery is a great place to view your images, share with family and friends, and order prints; however, don’t forget to download your digital images while your gallery is active. You may prefer to download your pictures from your USB drive, or else just think of it as a backup. Just remember, we can’t expect them to last forever (cough, floppy disks, cough). Which brings us to...

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Woke Wednesday // Meet Cassandra Zetta, an LGBTQ+ Wedding Photographer in Cincinnati

Woke Wednesday // Meet Cassandra Zetta, an LGBTQ+ Wedding Photographer in Cincinnati

Cassandra: June 2012 was momentous for me personally, as I got married and officially started my business in that same month. Planning a same-sex wedding prior to marriage equality, while it was mostly wonderful for us, still stirred up emotions that should never be associated with such an exciting experience. We dealt with anxiety, nervousness, and worry about how vendors would treat us. With every email sent, the question "Are you comfortable working with a same-sex couple?" was included so that there weren't any uncomfortable surprises later. A bit of our joy was stolen from us simple because of who we were. For these reasons, I realized it was imperative to effect change in the wedding industry, and I knew I could make a difference with photography. And so, I overhauled my business in the fall of 2013 to refocus on LGBTQ+ weddings and elopements. The work I am doing now fills my heart and soul in a way I never could have imagined possible. Being able to share my passion and mission, while having life experiences that allow for a true understanding of those in the community, while inviting them to love openly and honestly, is a gift that I am honored and privileged to give.

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Real Couples // Foodie DC Wedding: Jess + Amanda

Real Couples // Foodie DC Wedding: Jess + Amanda

We are Jess and Amanda. After meeting in Istanbul in 2013, we fell for each other over a shared love of cooking and exploring the world. We have settled in D.C. until our work at the State Department takes us overseas. 

Amanda proposed in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was a misty night in September after we dined at an awesome restaurant in the city, Pineapple and Pearls.

We married on a similarly misty day in January. It was so chilly outside as we took our photos in front of the Capitol, but our awesome photographer Shawnee Custalow of A Lovely Photo warmed us with her enthusiasm about our special day.

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Wedding Inspiration // Mt. Hood Anishinaabe Winter Elopement

Wedding Inspiration // Mt. Hood Anishinaabe Winter Elopement

Jeremy and I thoroughly enjoyed our Native American themed photo shoot because we were able to incorporate our culture into the details. Both being Native, we have family heirlooms, traditional beadwork, and items that are important to us. I was very clear up front that the only way this photo shoot would work is if I had approval capabilities throughout the process. I did not want anything stereotypical or anything Jeremy and I wouldn't really have at our real wedding. Our culture is very important to us, so we wanted our heritage to be portrayed in an accurate fashion. Yes, Jeremy and I are a real engaged couple! It was important for me to wear my grandmother's turquoise bracelet and for Jeremy, his grandfathers bolo tie. I am a professional beadwork artist; therefore I wanted elements of my work incorporated into the shoot as well. Modern Native Americans get married in all types of ways. Some have very traditional weddings, others your average American wedding, but for us, we always wanted to mix elements of both. We get to throw our own Native wedding this September. It was fun to do this photo shoot and practice for the real thing!

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Real Couples // A Bavarian Elopement: Melanie + Farhang

Real Couples // A Bavarian Elopement: Melanie + Farhang

"After spending a couple years embroiled in the process of wedding planning for a larger affair, we have decided to throw the big event out the window and take off to Bavaria to elope. We are flexible with the specific day, but we are shooting for sometime during the two weeks of folk festivals that take place around mid-August in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to maximize the braids/lederhosen/dirndl/beer swilling good times! Do you have any availability to be flown out to capture the day and drink some german brews with us?”

That’s how it all started. My reply was almost instantaneous with a “Yes, please! I will gladly document your wedding and drink some German brews with you!” Over the next few months, Melanie and I talked back and forth to discuss logistics to make it happen. Serena was brought on as the official photographer, as I concentrated on making a memorable film of the day. Serena and I both adore intimate elopements and what could be more romantic than eloping in Bavaria, the land of Grimms’ fairy tales? 

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Real Couples // Carmel-by-the-Sea: Jess + Karolyn

Real Couples // Carmel-by-the-Sea: Jess + Karolyn

This wedding between two incredibly talented Irish photographers on a cliff in Carmel was fairly unplanned in that they were married the day before they intended, in a city they didn’t plan, on a cliff they hadn’t seen before, but in the end it was perfect. Their home in Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK and Ireland that doesn’t have marriage equality, so they’d been planning their Big Sur ceremony so they could get married somewhere beautiful—to finally have a piece of paper that said they married. But the week of their ceremony, the storms had been brewing in Big Sur and didn’t seem like they weren’t letting up. Warnings of weakened bridges to Big Sur, the intended wedding destination, and pictures of washed away cliffs filled my inbox as I drove from the airport to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Karolyn and Jess realized that I was there an extra day, the one day it was expected to not rain, so they decided Carmel would be the place they would get married. They were married with the sun shining down on them, hands clasped together, over the rushing sounds of waves, while greenery was hanging off cliffs for as far as the eye could see. And this is the story of how they were  finally married. 

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Tulle & Fury // Being Sexually Harassed by Married Men at Weddings

Tulle & Fury // Being Sexually Harassed by Married Men at Weddings

To make it even worse, the large majority of men who’ve hit on me at weddings are married. Physical safety aside, there is an emotional cost to working so hard to plan a celebration of marriage and then witness someone else shit all over theirs. What is it about weddings that emboldens guests to act like they aren’t married? Is it the desire to feel in control? Or to assert power over a woman? Especially a woman of color?  Is it simply because they’re A-holes?

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Wedding Inspiration // Capricorn + Libra Zodiac Elopement

Wedding Inspiration // Capricorn + Libra Zodiac Elopement

The inspiration for this shoot was drawn from the Zodiac signs, specifically Libra and Capricorn, without being too literal. Libras are known for being harmonious with a light and airy personality, while Capricorns rely on structure and are represented by dark, earthy tones. A scale is the symbol for Libra, so the shoot also plays with the theme of balance, which can be seen through the contrast of the light and dark color palette.

This was meant to be a nontraditional shoot, set in an intimate venue with a backdrop that acted as a setting for the ceremony, as well as the dessert bar. One bride rocked a flowy, ivory jumpsuit, while the other wore a dark lavender tulle skirt with an intricately beaded ivory top. The jewelry was hand-selected to compliment each bride’s sign, with one ring boasting a dark green sapphire and the other, a light blue sapphire. 

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Woke Wednesday // Meet La'Quitia Denson of Beyond the Pond Photography

Woke Wednesday // Meet La'Quitia Denson of Beyond the Pond Photography

I have always wanted to get myself involved in things that not only affect me, but others—whether it's sexual orientation, gender, race, or for some of my friends, it's religion. But I had a hard time finding my voice. As a bi Afro-Latina woman and first generation American in my family on my mother's side, I've seen and heard and felt a lot of things.

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