the FIRST MOMENT 

I have been shooting weddings for 10 years, and I can promise you that seeing one another provides better pictures and less stress on the wedding day!  Below are some of the major reasons why I feel this is so important.  I saw my groom prior to the ceremony as well, so I practiced what I preach!

- As the bride, once you see your groom you relax and can really focus on the ceremony, not what needs to happen when it concludes.

- By taking all of the photographs before the ceremony the couple, family and guests all get to the reception at the same time.  Trust me when I say that after your ceremony the last thing you want to do is round up guests for pictures, you want to enjoy your family and friends as soon as you can.

 - There will be natural light to create your images together unlike when the ceremony is late and the sun has already set after the wedding. Most couples fall in love with my images because of the use of natural/available lighting to create a feeling/mood -- and I want you to have the best images I can provide.

- The groom can be a lot more natural in front of just you, and not the hundreds of guests watching his face to see if he will cry.  It is a lot of pressure up there!  I can also capture his face better than from the back of the church aisle.

 - There is 99% less stress on everyone involved in the wedding day.

How do I keep this moment so special? 

First, I require that it is just the two of you in the room for the 'First Moment'.  Once you are ready to go, I place the groom in a beautiful spot/location where his back is turned.  When you are ready, you tell him to turn around and see you for the first time.  It is a magical moment that you have been waiting for -- I photograph these moments and then step away to give you two some time to take it all in.  Then we can begin your images! 

Thank you to Lauren Clark for not only being MY photographer, but for inspiring a lot of the words on this page!