Nerdy Houston Wedding Photographer

Interview with a Wedding Hair & Makeup artist

September 21, 2021

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of talking with Lilliam from Lilly Bridal Artistry about hair and makeup for your wedding day.

I’m obsessed with how a hair & makeup artist can pull a bride, bridesmaids, or mother’s entire wedding look together. You have the dress, the shoes, the jewelry but it doesn’t feel like a completed look until the artist gets their hands on you.

There’s so much that goes into hair and makeup behind the scenes, before the wedding and even after. Wedding days are so crazy and unpredictable, I’m glad there’s someone looking out for your camera-ready looks. Watch the interview with Lilliam below.

*Also note* I thought a slideshow was running at one point and it was only running on my side. 😅 I’ve included the photos in question below.

See more of her team’s work, or book a consultation on her website – Lilly Bridal Artistry

Randy & Shafia’s Ronin Art Studio Wedding

September 14, 2021

Wedding Photography from Randy and Shafia’s Roinin Art studio wedding.

Recently, I have gotten the chance to shoot more and more intimate weddings held at unique places like the Ronin Art studio. These quaint locations are the perfect spot for an artsy wedding in the air-conditioning… something that’s a must in our sweltering summers.

Check out the wedding photos below & don’t forget to check out all of the amazing vendors who were a part of this amazing day.

Vendors

Venue: Ronin Art Studio

Wedding Coordinator: Moonstruck Events

Hair: Nicole Anne Hair Studio

Makeup: NxN Makeup Artistry

Florals: Blooms by Mela

Linens & Furnature & Bakedrop: All the Pretty Things

Wedding Dress: Modern Affinity

Interview with a Wedding Planner

September 7, 2021

Monday I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rochelle from R & J Events to talk about her job as a wedding planner.

As a wedding photographer, I find myself wearing the wedding coordination hat often, so when I hear that a couple has hired a wedding planner, I’m giddy! That means I can relax a little and let someone else run the schedule & field the questions and I can focus 100% on taking photos.

I learned so much from talking with Rochelle about wedding planning. The most interesting thing I learned is that the first vendors that she works on hiring after the Venue are the vendors who physically have to be at your wedding. It makes sense, and I’ve never thought of it like that. They can’t be in multiple places at once so it’s important to lock them in for your wedding date.

Watch the whole interview here

John & Allyson’s Classic Houston Wedding

August 31, 2021

On one of the hottest days in July, John & Allyson said “I do” in front of God and family at Allyson’s family church in Houston. The wedding date was extra special for Allyson because it’s also her Grandfather’s birthday, which they also celebrated at the reception.

The wedding was filled with soft pinks and white hues including a gorgeous bridal bouquet to drool over. Allyson’s bridesmaids were resplendent in light blue dresses that fluttered in the whispering breeze. John wore his dress blues for the ceremony and was accompanied by his father, the best man. In fact, Family was a major theme for the evening. Family helped pull the wedding together and they were part of the wedding party.

I love a first look and Allyson blessed me with not one but two first looks and a first touch. She had a first look with her father at their family home then a first look with her bridesmaids at the church as she was exiting her limo. A little before the wedding was to start, John & Allyson shared an intimate moment where they held hands and talked for a few minutes before the wedding.

After the ceremony, we headed to the Club at Falcon Point golf course in Katy, TX. The staff cleared the course for a few moments giving us some time to take a few more photos on the property. John and Allyson commandeered a golf cart and enjoyed a few moments alone as they drove to the portrait location.

Guests danced the night away and enjoyed a stunning sunset. At the end of the night, John & Allyson’s guests sent them off with a sparkler exit and Allyson’s grandfather helped chauffeur their getaway vehicle.

Vendors

Wedding Planner: Alyssa Marie Events

Flowers: Bella Dia Floral

Hair & Makeup: Simple Beauty Artistry

Reception Venue: The Club at Falcon Point

Church: Saint John Vianney Catolic Church

Cake: Susie’s Cakes & Confections

DJ: Rock N Robin

When to taking family portraits at your wedding

August 17, 2021

Today, I wanted to talk to you about when to take wedding portraits of your family and wedding party.

This has come up a few times and I wanted to share with you the easiest and most efficient way we do this.

I prefer to take most of your group portraits immediately after your wedding. After you walk down the aisle hand in hand, we ask that all of the family and wedding party stay behind.

From here, we like to whittle the group down. We start with the entire group, then move to the entire family on one side then the other. I will always work with your elderly family members first to make sure they are not out in the heat or uncomfortable for too long. As we photograph your family, we release them to the reception or cocktail hour. We continue to do this until it’s just you and your spouse.

There are a few reasons as to why we prefer to take pictures in this order. One is because once the ceremony is over, it’s like a weight has been lifted from everyone’s shoulder. People feel more free and relaxed because the “hard part” is over. The sooner we take photos, the more likely everyone will be sober, present, and or still put together, and less likely we will have to hunt a family member down for the photo.

Sometimes, if we have the time before the wedding, we try to get a couple shots of the brides with their bridesmaids and the grooms with their groomsmen. This doesn’t always happen, and sometimes it’s just easier to do this after the stress of the ceremony.

Of course, you don’t have to follow this guideline. I will always do what works best for my couples.

Joseph & Jordan’s Art Industrial Houston Wedding

August 10, 2021

It was a surprisingly pleasant summer evening in Downtown Houston when Joseph & Jordan said their vows. The intimate industrial venue was located between one of the U of H campuses and the Saint Arnold Brewery just north of Downtown Houston.

The venue was decorated in greenery and succulents, my favorite part. The wooden alter was made by Jordan’s father. After their wedding, the couple will turn it into an entertainment center. I thought this was a really smart and creative way to reuse wood (which is SO EXPENSIVE right now) and to keep a part of their wedding with them always.

The wedding was a small, friends and family affair. A friend got ordained to marry them. Friends helped serve food, drinks and cut and serve the cake.

What a beautiful wedding. I’m so thankful to have been able to capture it. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Troy & Hailee’s Galveston Beach Engagement Portraits

July 20, 2021

As we reach into summer, I find myself spending more and more time at the beach for engagement portraits. Every time I try to take photos somewhere else, both myself and my clients are drenched in sweat by the end of it. There’s something about the ocean breeze and sand between your toes to make you feel better.

I met Troy and Hailee at Stewart Beach in Galveston just before sunset. We chatted about life, wedding plans, twins, and crabs. Troy pointed out some crabs while we were taking photos and even captured a sand crab at the end of the night as we were walking back to our cars.

Leighton & Heather’s Galveston Engagement Portraits

July 13, 2021

There is a unique place as your heading out to Galveston that I have wanted to stop at and take photos for a while now. I was so excited when Leighton and Heather agreed to be my guinea pigs. So, before heading to the beach, I met up with the couple at the marshes.

When we got to the beach, I found out that Leighton & Heather could dance. When I say dance, I mean intense quasi-acrobatic swing-dancing. They showed me their sweet, sweet dance moves (which I captured) then we walked down to the jetties, which I’ve been intrigued about for a while now. There, I got into some trouble with the lifeguard because I kept standing where I wasn’t supposed to stand, and I asked Leighton and Heather to stand where they weren’t supposed to… who knew there were so many rules around the jetties?

My Wedding Go-Bag

June 15, 2021

As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen a lot and had to react to several minor disasters. Throughout the years, my “go-bag” for weddings has gotten bigger and bigger. It seems with every wedding I am adding something to it. I have done surgery on a boutonniere before to put the rose back on the stem. I have had to wrap a bouquet in some ribbon that I brought and trim parts of the bouquet that hung over because a bridesmaid had a severe allergic reaction to holding the bouquet. You name it, I’ve probably done my best to fix it.

If I didn’t have the fix in my bag, you better believe it went into my bag for the next wedding. My cousin tried a lip-stain before her brother’s wedding (she’d never used one before) and she didn’t like it so she tried to rub it off… If you’ve used lip-stains before you can imagine how that went… but you don’t have to because I have a photo of it. That was the day I added makeup remover to my go-bag.

So what’s in my bag you ask?

A small sewing kit
Scissors
bobby pins (in multiple hair tone colors)
rubber bands (big black ones as well as the small clear ones)
A fingernail clipper
A small first aid kit
Lint roller
Tampons
Tissues
Mini toothbrush thingies (no water needed)
Flossers
Tumms
Tylenol
Spray-on deodorant
Hair spray
Makeup removing wipes
Wrinkle-release
Q-tips
Tide stain remover
Snacks
Ribbon
Adhesive dots

Do you need everything that’s in my bag for your wedding?

Probably not. Hopefully you won’t need to use anything from my bag. However, I believe when you’re least prepared, Murphy (Murphy’s Law) hits the hardest. Your emergency wedding kit may have things like a raiser or baby powder instead of ribbon and adhesive dots.

How do you get one of these fancy kits?

You can either make it yourself (grocery stores have that travel section, which is perfect for an occasion such as this), or you can order a kit online. A lot of people are using their experience to put together a wedding emergency kit you can buy off of Etsy.

Wedding Thank-You Etiquette

June 8, 2021

Growing up, my mother instilled in me the importance of a thank-you card. At an early age, I was writing my own thank-you cards to friends and family members who sent me a gift for this reason or that. Sadly, Thank-you cards seem to be a thing of the past. I’ve been to so many children’s birthdays where gifts were opened after the party and a thank-you never came. I’ve also thrown a birthday party for my son recently where we didn’t send any thank-you cards (mainly because the children ripped into the gifts like piranhas and I had no idea who gave what).

When Andy and I got married, we got several gifts sent directly to our apartment before we were married and took several home after. As I opened gifts, I would write a thank-you note. This way, I didn’t have to worry about writing down the wrong gift or missing someone.

Who gets a thank-you card?

Anyone who sent you a gift.

When should you send out thank-you’s?

For gifts you receive before your wedding, send the thank-you notes before your wedding. For gifts received after send out your thank-you notes 2-3 weeks after your wedding. This means you may be spending every night after your honeymoon writing thank-you cards, but you can do it!

Do you want to feature a wedding portrait on your thank-you cards but haven’t gotten photos yet?

Ask the photographer for some photos early (I usually post sneak peek photos that can be used). You can also use an engagement photo on your cards instead of wedding photos.

What to write:

Address your gift giver & write something genuine and from the heart. Thank them for coming to your wedding as well as the gift. You can say what you are most excited to use the gift for or how great it looks or how soft it is…

Interview with a Wedding Hair & Makeup artist

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of talking with Lilliam from Lilly Bridal Artistry about hair and makeup for your wedding day.

Randy & Shafia’s Ronin Art Studio Wedding

Wedding Photography from Randy and Shafia’s Roinin Art studio wedding.

Vendors

Interview with a Wedding Planner

Monday I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rochelle from R & J Events to talk about her job as a wedding planner.

John & Allyson’s Classic Houston Wedding

Vendors

When to taking family portraits at your wedding

Joseph & Jordan’s Art Industrial Houston Wedding

Troy & Hailee’s Galveston Beach Engagement Portraits

Leighton & Heather’s Galveston Engagement Portraits

My Wedding Go-Bag

So what’s in my bag you ask?

Do you need everything that’s in my bag for your wedding?

How do you get one of these fancy kits?

Wedding Thank-You Etiquette

Who gets a thank-you card?

When should you send out thank-you’s?

Do you want to feature a wedding portrait on your thank-you cards but haven’t gotten photos yet?

What to write:

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX

A Houston wedding photographer

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of talking with Lilliam from Lilly Bridal Artistry about hair and makeup for your wedding day.

Wedding Photography from Randy and Shafia’s Roinin Art studio wedding.

Vendors

Monday I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rochelle from R & J Events to talk about her job as a wedding planner.

Vendors

So what’s in my bag you ask?

Do you need everything that’s in my bag for your wedding?

How do you get one of these fancy kits?

Who gets a thank-you card?

When should you send out thank-you’s?

Do you want to feature a wedding portrait on your thank-you cards but haven’t gotten photos yet?

What to write:

A Southwest Houston wedding photographerRichmond, TX

A Houston wedding photographer

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX