Best Small Wedding Venues in St. Louis, MO (Intimate & Micro Weddings)
Are you planning a micro or intimate wedding in St. Louis, Missouri? If so, you’re in the right place! Today I’m sharing my favorite small wedding venues in St. Louis from the perspective of a wedding photographer.
Are you planning a micro or intimate wedding in St. Louis, Missouri? If so, you’re in the right place! Today I’m sharing my favorite small wedding venues in St. Louis from the perspective of a wedding photographer.
Intimate Weddings & Elopements Are In
No matter what you call it - an elopement, a micro wedding, or an intimate wedding - it’s undeniable that these smaller celebrations have become so much more popular since 2020. Whether you’re trimming down the guest list to reduce budget or stress, or you’re looking to increase the impact of those special moments, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a wedding that isn’t packed with people. Just because you’re having a smaller event doesn’t mean you have to miss out on booking an iconic St. Louis wedding venue. From restaurants to greenhouses to private outdoor spaces, St. Louis has plenty of incredible options for elopements and intimate or micro weddings.
Are you planning a wedding, but the timeline has your head spinning? Get my FREE Wedding Timeline Guide full of sample timelines and helpful tips and tricks!
Top St. Louis Small Wedding Venues
Not sure where to start in your venue search? In no particular order, here is a guide to some of the top small wedding venues in and around St. Louis. Not all of these venues are explicitly "tiny,” but these are all spaces that work very well for small weddings or elopements!
Verde on Cherokee
This one is a bit of a guilty pleasure, just because I’m so partial to greenhouses and impeccably decorated spaces! Verde on Cherokee has 4 main sections to the venue, with both indoor and outdoor options, so there’s tons of flexibility for any weddings of up to 100 guests.
LOCATION: 2118 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO 63118
MAX GUEST COUNT: 100
Check out my full write up of Verde on Cherokee HERE!
Marry Me Cottage
Just about half an hour outside the city in O’Fallon, MO, Marry Me Cottage is a venue that specializes in small wedding days. As if the name didn’t say enough, Marry Me Cottage is an exceedingly cozy, excessively sweet, and overwhelmingly cute place for micro weddings and elopements. The venue has 4 distinct spaces that have a wide range of guest capacities - from 10 to 50 total headcount. As far as pricing and packages go, Marry Me Cottage’s collections start at 20 minutes and go all the way up to 4 hours, and include a variety of options including an officiant in every package. Day-of investment starts at $175. I recommend getting a more extended rental time so you can take advantage of the many awesome photo locations around the property!
LOCATION: 9036 Veterans Memorial Parkway O'Fallon, MO 63366
MAX GUEST COUNT: 50
Learn more at: https://www.marrymecottage.com/
Contemporary Art Museum
In the most literal sense, no two weddings are ever the same at the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis. Being an active art gallery first and an event venue second, the ever-changing exhibitions that line the walls and floorplan of the space mean that CAM is ever-evolving and always exciting, which is one of my favorite things about shooting here. CAM has 3 distinct spaces that work for ceremonies, cocktail hours, or receptions - the Performance Space, Cafe & Courtyard Terrace, and the Lobby. Rental times are maxed out at 5 hours, so couples have a good amount of flexibility in how they want to use their time.
LOCATION: 3750 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
MAX GUEST COUNT: 300
Learn more at: https://camstl.org/event-rentals/
The Thaxton
If you’re looking for something a bit more stylized, The Thaxton just might be for you. The Thaxton is an art-deco wedding venue in downtown St. Louis. With a max seated capacity of 120, a smaller event or micro wedding won’t get swallowed up in a massive room. This multi-level venue offers distinctive spaces like the Grand Hall, Speakeasy, and an additional 2nd Floor event space, each oozing with their own specific vintage charm. Essential amenities including day-of coordination, a wedding party lounge, tables, chairs, lounge seating, and a full sound system, ensure a seamless and elegant celebration all wrapped in the stunning historic setting of The Thaxton. When hiring a photographer for your wedding here, make sure they’re very comfortable photographing in low light!
LOCATION: 1009 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63101
MAX GUEST COUNT: 120
Learn more at: https://www.thethaxton.com/thethaxton-weddings
SqWires Restaurant & Market
Nestled in the always gorgeous Lafayette Square, SqWires Restaurant & Market is most commonly known for its delicious, seasonal, and expertly curated menu of American Cuisine. Just off the main restaurant, however, is SqWires’ Annex & Front Room - two spaces that are perfect for small to medium-sized wedding ceremonies and receptions. The Front Room has warm brick and plenty of natural light and can host up to 40 guests, while the Annex is laden with industrial touches, tall ceilings, and an inviting mezzanine. The Annex can host a guest count of up to 150. If your itinerary allows, I highly recommend using the mezzanine and staircase for a few creative night photos!
LOCATION: 1415 S. 18th St, St. Louis, MO 63104
MAX GUEST COUNT: Front Room - 40 | Annex - 150
Learn more at: https://sqwires.com/sqwires-annex-front-room/
Your Boutique Hotel
If you’re open to taking a short trip to the other side of the river, Your Boutique Hotel (formerly WOW on Broadway) in Alton, IL could be the perfect option for a micro wedding! From a visual standpoint, Your Boutique Hotel stands out due to its iconic spiral staircase, beautiful exposed brick, and gorgeous yet functional getting-ready spaces. This venue is perfect if you have out-of-town guests because the venue still functions as an active hotel. Accommodating family or friends who are traveling for your wedding is extremely simple at Your Boutique Hotel.
LOCATION: 515 E 3rd St, Alton, IL 62002
MAX GUEST COUNT: 100
See our full venue review on Your Boutique Hotel!
Magic Chef Mansion
The Magic Chef Mansion was built in 1907 and, after being sold and purchased by the current owners, has been a restoration project and labor of love over the past 20 years. Now, having been restored to its former beauty, Magic Chef Mansion is host to so many gorgeous small events including, of course, weddings! The vintage furniture, deep wood accents, and turn-of-the-century styling make it the ideal place for couples seeking a timeless, classic look to their wedding day. While the size can be expanded if you rent tents for the property, the mansion by itself can comfortably entertain 75 individuals.
LOCATION: 3400 Russell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63104
MAX GUEST COUNT: 75, up to 150 with an outdoor tent
Learn more at: http://magicchefmansion.com/events/
Piper Palm House
Oh, I didn’t add enough greenhouse inspiration to this list? My bad! Here’s Piper Palm House! While not a greenhouse in a literal sense, the stately windows, high ceiling, ample natural light, and impeccable greenery that lines the walls just ooze a natural, historic, yet distinctively contemporary aesthetic. No matter the wedding size, beauty just comes naturally to Piper Palm House.
LOCATION: 4271 Northeast Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110
MAX GUEST COUNT: 200
Learn more at: https://www.towergrovepark.org/piper-palm-house-1
Lafayette Square Park
Lafayette Square Park is one of the most popular parks in St. Louis, and for good reason! Not only is it perfect for a beautiful casual weeknight stroll, but it’s immaculately maintained and is host to 3 of the best park-style wedding venues in the area! The Park House, The Kern Lakeside Pavilion, and the Betsy Cook Pavilion are all stunning settings for smaller sized weddings. The Park house is a legendary historic building, constructed in 1867, that can now be rented for indoor gatherings. The Kern Pavilion is the park’s most recent restoration project, completed in 2014, and the window-lined walls and spacious interior are perfect for receptions. Finally, the Betsy Cook Pavilion is an open-air pavilion that overlooks the lush grotto and wrought-iron bridge that the park is known for. This pavilion is perfect for small ceremonies that want a bit of protection from the elements.
LOCATION: 2023 Lafayette Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104
MAX GUEST COUNT: 50
Check out this Lafayette Park Micro Wedding!
Boo Cat Club
One of my all-time favorites, Boo Cat Club is just outside of Forest Park and is a vintage-styled gem. While it has plenty of space for larger weddings, it’s still perfect for micro-weddings, elopements, and small weddings. The venue’s three distinct spaces - the Catacombs, the Theatre, and the Ballroom - offer unique settings for every key part of the day. Top amenities like a bridal room, onsite tables and chairs, and an event manager help to ensure a seamless experience. Boo Cat Club is truly not one to miss!
LOCATION: 812 UNION BLVD., ST. LOUIS 63108
MAX GUEST COUNT: 200
Learn More At: https://boocatclub.com/weddings/
Third Degree Glass Factory
Third Degree Glass Factory in merges industrial chic with an art gallery ambiance, offering a unique wedding venue for up to 280 guests. Established in 2002, it boasts two adaptable spaces that work nicely for weddings - the La Soffietta Room and the Glass Gallery. Personally, the Glass Gallery works exceptionally well for small ceremonies or cocktail hours. The space itself doesn’t need any work to look great, and it won’t overshadow a smaller group of people.
LOCATION: 5200 DELMAR BOULEVARD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63108
MAX GUEST COUNT: 280
Learn more at: https://thirddegreeglassfactory.com/events/
Olive + Oak
Olive + Oak's new event space at 216 W. Lockwood offers an intimate venue that mirrors the restaurant's warm atmosphere, ideal for small weddings and elopements (if you’ve never visited Olive + Oak for a meal, make sure to make your way there). "The Hall," the main venue, accommodates various gatherings with exclusive access to the atrium and mezzanine. Alongside this, the private dining rooms are perfect for smaller, close-knit celebrations. I’ve documented some amazing events here, including wedding receptions! Pro Tip: There’s no better way to celebrate your wedding at this beautiful venue than with one of Olive + Oak’s signature cocktails.
LOCATION: 216 W Lockwood Ave, St. Louis, MO 63119
MAX GUEST COUNT: 200
Learn more at: https://oliveandoak.oohosp.com/events/
Laumeier Sculpture Park
I’m lucky - one of my favorite places for sessions is also the location of an amazing wedding venue! Laumeier Sculpture Park, nestled in a 105-acre park with over 70 large-scale sculptures, offers a totally unique setting for small weddings and elopements. With a capacity ranging from 50 to 500 guests, the park provides diverse indoor and outdoor venues, including the romantic Leaf Pavilion, Heartland Garden, and the historic 1917 Estate House. If quirky, creative, and non-traditional is your vibe, then the photo opportunities at this location are virtually endless. Even though the park covers a lot of land, smaller weddings will still find plenty of options here that are well-suited for their guest count!
LOCATION: 12580 Rott Road, Saint Louis, Missouri 63127
MAX GUEST COUNT: 500
Learn more at: https://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/event-rentals
Having a Small Wedding? Compromise on the guest list, NOT your photographer. Let’s chat!
9 Winter Wedding Planning Tips So You Can Have The Best Day Ever
Planning a wedding during the colder months also comes with its own set of unique challenges. How do you pull off your own unforgettable day in a less traditional time of year? After photographing dozens of winter weddings, I’ve rustled up some tips to help make your winter wedding a success.
Have you been dreaming of having a winter wedding? I don’t blame you - those chilly wedding days offer much in the way of cozy, festive, and intimate themes (and maybe some more affordable rates on a venue). Whether you’re looking to lean into the snow and ice, a special holiday, or a bustling New Year’s celebration, these “less popular” winter season dates can still pack a hefty good time!
That said, planning a wedding during the colder months also comes with its own set of unique challenges. How do you pull off your own unforgettable day in a less traditional time of year? After photographing dozens of winter weddings, I’ve rustled up some tips to help make your winter wedding a success.
Choose the Right Venue
Choosing the right venue is key. Not only will you want a venue team experienced with pulling off winter weddings, but make sure you book a spot with ample space indoors to take photos and to have a backup plan for the ceremony or reception. If you can’t go off-location to an indoor photo spot, you’ll want to stick around at the venue. You don’t want to be in a situation where all your photos have to be taken outside, so pick a venue that has indoor space (away from the footpath of arriving or mingling guests) where you and your photographer can get some amazing shots!
Local couples! Looking for the perfect St. Louis Wedding Venue? Check out THIS list!
Embrace the Season
Winter weddings offer the opportunity to incorporate seasonal elements into your decorations, attire, and even the menu. Think white and silver accents, soft lighting, warm cocktails, and hearty comfort food. String lights, candles, and well-placed lamps can add to the cozy atmosphere without pulling attention away from the couple.
Plan For Inclement Weather
It's always a good idea to have a backup plan in case of bad weather on your wedding day. This is especially true in the winter when snow and ice can cause travel delays and make remote venues treacherous. Make sure the venue is prepped to clear the way for guest parking or that capable transport is provided from the venue to where they’re staying. Give guests the option to arrive earlier than needed so that they can have flexibility in their trip to the venue!
Set an Earlier Ceremony Time
If you’re wanting naturally-lit, daylight photos, you’ll want to make sure you set an earlier ceremony time to account for this. Even if you’re doing a first look before the ceremony, building in a few extra minutes between the end of the ceremony and the predicted sunset time will give you and your partner time to take family photos AND go out for sunset photos. If you want extra photo time, ask your photographer to take you around for some night photos during the reception. These can be SUPER magical with all warm lights you may have around the venue.
Provide Heaters
Ask your venue if they have heaters! Propane patio-style heaters are a great way to add an extra layer of warmth for your guests, especially if the ceremony is outside or the venue doesn’t have great heating (like a barn). If you’re going to have to purchase them yourselves, just buy a couple to place near grandparents or other temperature-sensitive guests. After the ceremony, you can have your venue team move them outside of the reception space in case some guests want to steal away for some fresh, chilly air. Of course, fires are a really aesthetic option for providing heat, but they come with more management and more danger.
Venue: Destihl
Consider Your Attire
Your attire is going to be crucial for your enjoyment of the wedding day. If you’re wearing a suit, consider styling a scarf into your attire. If you’re wearing a dress, shawls, stoles, and wraps can really compliment the dress without overpowering your look. If you don’t want a covering in every photo, you can absolutely take the wrap off for a majority of your images. Still, having the option to cover up for warmth is never a bad thing, especially when moving from one location to the next.
Don’t Assume You’ll Get Moderate Weather
Here in the Midwest and much of the U.S., it’s not uncommon for winter to provide a string of moderately comfortable outdoor temperatures. Early November or March weddings can be especially sneaky in their temperature swings. Never assume that your wedding day will be warm!
Plan for everything to take at least 10 minutes longer - ceremony, family photos, wedding party photos, travel between locations, and even your creative session with the photographer. Taking a 5-minute break between any outdoor photos to warm back up could seriously benefit your enjoyment of the day (and your safety).
Need help planning out the perfect timeline? Our FREE timeline guide can get you on the right track.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
The logistics of a winter wedding are amplified by the chilly temperatures, so DELEGATE everything. If you have a solid vendor team, and you know all decorations are going to be handled to your standards, that is totally worth the investment. However, if circumstances didn’t allow for that level of comprehensive coverage, the couple arriving at the venue after getting ready and having a list of tasks to complete once there will eat away at the timeline, no matter how early you were.
Close family is often more than willing to help with details on the day of (transporting stuff, setting up the guest book table, gift table, etc.). If you don’t have adequate help with the decor from your vendors, reach out to some family! The wedding day is, by default, busy for the couple - don’t give yourself more work that can be delegated!
Keep Your Guests Comfortable
When it comes to the comfort of your guests, this is a top priority if any portion of the day will be outside. Older guests should be especially mindful of their attire and how much time they spend outdoors. In your pre-wedding communication (invites, emails, etc…) be sure to encourage them to overprepare on their outerwear!
Consider providing blankets or hot chocolate for your guests to keep warm. My secret little wedding hack? Get a huge box of Hot Hands hand warmers for your guests (and wedding party) to use. They last the entire evening and get really warm!
With a little extra planning, a winter wedding can be just as beautiful and memorable as a wedding in any other season. Embrace the season and its unique charm, and your wedding is sure to be a massive success.
Want to make sure your winter wedding is captured creatively and authentically? >>
How To Include Your Dog In Your Engagement Photos
Welcome to this photographer’s guide to including your dog in your engagement photos! Let’s look at some steps you can take to prep your dog, and yourselves, so that your engagement session goes without a hitch!
The Ultimate Guide To Bringing Your Dog To Your Engagement Session
Welcome to this photographer’s guide to including your dog in your engagement photos! As a dog owner that happens to be a wedding and engagement photographer, I understand two very crucial concepts:
1) You want to include your beloved companion in your session.
2) The one time your dog is not a perfect angel sent straight from heaven is when the cameras are out.
Let’s look at some steps you can take to prep your dog, and yourselves, so that your engagement session goes without a hitch!
Teach a “Focus” Command
In the weeks before your engagement session, you’ll want to set yourself up for success! Getting your dog to look in the correct direction, especially at a camera, can be a super difficult task. The dog likely hasn’t met the photographer before, and the size and shape of a large professional camera pointed at them could be a bit stress-inducing for the pup. Quite often, if the dog does end up looking at the camera, you’ll see them with an averted gaze, ears pinned back, scratching, or licking their lips - all signs of minor stress and the dog attempting to calm the situation
Ideally, every dog will look at and focus on their owners when their name is called. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. We humans tend to say our dogs’ names frequently, and they become conditioned to that sound and can learn that it doesn’t always mean something important! That’s why a “Focus” command is a great tool to have! It’s a cue that you can use that the dog is expected to regularly complete and it’s rewarded frequently, too. This way, you can use the phrase during the session if the photographer wants the dog to look at you, or the photographer can use the command when it’s time for the dog to look at the camera.
Here’s how to teach a focus command. During the dog’s regularly scheduled mealtimes, when they’re expecting food, ditch the bowl a few times per week. Instead, use their regular food and put it in a training pouch or similar slobber-proof container. Just make sure it’s easy to access the food and deliver it rapidly!
If you’ve done any formal training with your dog in the past, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a verbal marker and a reward. In dog training, a “marker” is an indicator to the dog that, in that exact moment, they’ve done something correctly. The “reward” is anything that the dog enjoys - food in this case. You’ll be speaking the verbal marker at the exact moment your dog does what you want, so choose a word that’s easy to say excitedly! Most people, including myself, choose the word “Yes!”
So, for your first session, grab your food, put your dog on a lightweight leash and simple collar, and find a quiet place in the house to do your first session. I like to sit in a chair when teaching this!
Sit down and keep the leash in one hand
Your dog may be confused at first and may try and walk away or sniff around, that’s okay! Just let that happen. You want to get those problem-solving juices flowing.
Keep an eye on the dog, but don’t say a single word. Just gently keep them in your vicinity with the leash.
The exact moment your dog looks at you in the eyes, calmly (but in a fun voice) say “Yes!” and deliver food to the dog. This is the first win!
Do this 3-4 more times, each time immediately marking (Yes) and rewarding simply when the dog looks at you.
On the last repetition, let the dog have the rest of the food after the final successful eye contact. You can dump the rest of the food on the floor as a huge jackpot, or simply continue feeding the remainder of the food by hand.
That’s your first session! Do this multiple times a week (or for every meal if you’re determined and the dog is motivated) in many rooms in the house. You may find your dog freely offering eye contact throughout the day. If this happens, keep treats nearby so you can always mark (Yes!) and reward that good behavior!
Now, to add the actual command! Now that the dog has the concept of, “eye contact is AWESOME” down to a science, it’s time to layer your command over that behavior. The steps are very similar to your first session:
Quiet room, leash in hand, sitting calmly on a chair. Let’s say your dog’s name is Moose for this example. 🤣
Wait for your dog to stop paying attention to you. A slight glance away or sniffing the ground is enough!
When they aren’t making eye contact with you, say “Moose, Focus!” Don’t say anything else and do not repeat the command. The moment they make eye contact, say your marker word and reward heavily!
Similar to phase 1 above, repeat only a few more times for your first session. They should catch on super quick if you’ve laid a solid foundation! The string of events will always be: “Focus!” > Dog makes eye contact > Say marker word > Deliver reward. You’re taking something that the dog is already familiar with, eye contact, and saying, “Hey. I like when you do that. Can you do that after I say this specific word?”
This is THE most important step out of all the other steps. For this to really take hold, you need to do these sessions at a variety of locations, times of day, and - importantly - with different people. With your partner, your friends, your parents, coworkers, etc… We need to get the dog to understand that when someone says “Moose, Focus!” that they are to lock eyes with that person to unlock delicious rewards.
If you want to really amp up your dog’s attention, vary the rate of your rewards and the type of reward, once the concept is nailed down. Once in a while, wait a few seconds until you give your marker, and only give the marker and reward if they HOLD that eye contact. Reward sometimes with a single piece of food, and sometimes with a whopping handful. Sometimes they get a piece of chicken, other times a normal piece of food. Have fun with it! Just make sure that the dog, and you, have fun and that you keep the training sessions relatively short (under 15 minutes in the beginning).
At the end of this process, your dog should be able to Focus on your eyes, and other peoples’ eyes, on command in a few different locations. If you’re consistent and your dog is decently motivated, this should really only take 2-3 weeks to build a really solid Focus command!
Choose A Familiar Location
We got the hard, and most important part, out of the way! Now, it’s time to plan your engagement session. With all my clients, I always ask if there are specific locations that they like or that are special to them. If you’re wanting to include your dog in your engagement session, take your dog’s familiar locations into account.
Try and pick a location that they’ve been to before, but one that doesn’t always mean extreme stimulation. For instance, a small park that you go on calm walks in regularly is a great place, but the dog park or their favorite fetch spot is less than ideal. Dogs are great at pattern recognition, and if they recognize that they’re at the dog park or a spot where they regularly do high-intensity exercise, it’ll be really difficult to maintain their focus during the session. Excitement and stress hormones will start coursing through their veins before you even get out of the car!
In short, try to pick a spot that they’ve been to before, but not one that’s associated with crazy intense activities. The back corner of a park, a wooded trail, or a historic city neighborhood are all fantastic potential choices!
Exercise Your Dog Beforehand
If your dog hasn’t gotten much physical or mental stimulation on the day of the shoot, it’s a great idea to knock off that top layer of energy with something fun and engaging. Be careful, though, as you don’t want to overwork the dog! An overtired pup is just as difficult to work with as an understimulated pup. They’re literally just toddlers with big pointy teeth and tails - you can’t convince me otherwise!
If you need ideas for what to do with your dog that’ll calm them physically and mentally, here are some things I love doing with my two herding-breed dogs!
Structured walking - I love going on a “structured walk” with my dog. This requires your dog to be able to walk on a loose leash, but it’s so worth it. Throughout the walk, I encourage the dog to engage and disengage with me at various times. We stop and sit, we climb on obstacles, I tell them to “Go Sniff!” or “Go Potty!”, and we just generally explore and play together while keeping their focus on me and how fun I am. This concept will translate well when it comes time for the session
Trick training - Using their regular mealtimes to go over their tricks is a great activity. Even if it’s just sit, focus, and lie down, the repetition and mixing up the order of commands is super mentally exhausting. Split the meal between you and your partner and trade-off calling the dog between the two of you for a super exhausting way to practice their recall.
Tug - This is my absolute favorite game by an unfathomable amount. Sage, my oldest dog, loves tug and has a really great bite, so we play this regularly! Switching between tugging, dropping the toy, and completing commands is extremely rewarding for her!
Sage, our first dog! She’s half Blue Heeler, half Border Collie, so she’s got the drive to play!
Glacier, our younger pup. Half Blue Heeler, half Aussie Shepherd. He’s less drivey and more cuddly!
Choose The Right Reward
The dog’s favorite treats are an easy win to bring to the session, but food is not the only thing you can use to motivate your dog! Any command that is rewarded with a piece of food or a treat can also be rewarded with a toy or even just a gentle touch. If your dog is unlikely to take food from your hand during the session, but may opt for a toy, bring both just in case!
For toys, I recommend something that they, of course, love playing with, but that isn’t associated with playing fetch. As mentioned before, a fetch toy will more than likely amp the dog up way too much. Additionally, fetch is an outwardly rewarding game, meaning that the reward is sent away from the owner for the dog to chase after. It’s not the game you want to play when you want photos of you and your dog together!
Squeaky toys or tug toys are the perfect choice to bring to your session, as they’re still a great reward for the dog but don’t indicate that a big long game of “run away and come back” is going to take place. 😉
Arrive 15 Minutes Early
When you’re loading up to drive to your first location, plan to arrive a few minutes early, between 15 and 30 minutes, ideally. When you get there, keep the dog on leash.
Find a quiet place in a lower-traffic area close to the parking lot where you can sit and let your dog decompress. If they’re anything like my dogs, a good sniff check is needed right after getting out of the car to assess the situation and familiarize themselves with the environment. A park bench is perfect for this! Sit down and just let the dog decompress after getting out of the car.
For my clients, I’m typically arriving at the session locations 30 minutes early anyways. This allows their dogs time to sniff me out and for me to establish myself as something that’s really no big deal! After a few minutes of hanging out, the dog is typically bored of me or on to something more interesting, which is the perfect time to begin the session!
Keep Gear To a Minimum
Even if you normally walk your dog in a bright harness, jacket, booties, collar, and a big leash, I encourage you to keep your dogs’ gear to a minimum! A collar, a 6-ft black or different dark-color leash, and a cute bandana (if that’s your jam) are all that you really need.
If you’re on private property and can trust your dogs off-leash, that’s a great opportunity to get some photos of the dogs just playing and being dogs! However, if our session is in a public area, we have to abide by the local leash laws. In this case, it’ll be much easier to hide a simple dark-colored leash behind the dog for posed photos, and it won’t be distracting for photos of you two walking the dog.
Have An Exit Strategy
If you’re anything like my couples, you’ll want a majority of the session to be about capturing you and your partner. I recommend we limit the dog-inclusive photos to maybe the first 20 minutes of the photoshoot. After that, it’s best to either safely contain the dog for the rest of the photos or get a family member to take the dog home. Here are some strategies that I recommend for getting your dog safely off-location so you two can enjoy the rest of the session…. UNLEASHED! Get it?…….
Drop the dog off at your home: If the first location for your session is less than 5 minutes from your home, it’s pretty simple to just take the pup back to its stomping grounds! This will also give you the opportunity to change clothes, should you want to do an outfit change.
Contain your dog in your car: This is a great option, but only under certain circumstances. If your dog is ok being contained in the car away from you and you know they won’t hurt themselves when alone, that’s great! The other stipulation is that you all should stay within eyesight of the vehicle and the air conditioning should probably be left on, especially in the spring and summer. If your session and location can check all those boxes, this could be a great option!
Get a friend or family member to take the dog home: This is the most popular option! Convince a friend or family member to take the dog to your house or their house for the remaining session time. Typically, pizza or alcohol is a suitable method of compensation here!
Even if you’re only able to manage a couple of these tips, I assure you, after having done well over 100 of these engagement sessions, you’ll have a far more enjoyable time with your dog during the shoot! If you’re engaged and still need some amazing photos, let’s chat! I’d love to get to know you two (or three)!
Coronavirus (COVID-19) And Planning Your Wedding Day
Is your wedding looking like it will be affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus)? If so, here’s a wedding photographer’s perspective on some ways to plan your big day around this global phenomenon.
Disclaimer: The information in this article may become outdated. Federal and local guidelines concerning best practices for dealing with COVID-19 are always changing. An individual should always reference the most up-to-date information from the CDC before taking action.
Coronavirus. COVID-19. That Cough That Just Won’t Stop. You haven’t stopped hearing about it, and neither have I! It, like many topics these days, is a divisive one. Some people believe it’s a government conspiracy, while many believe it’s the next plague. No matter how you interpret the information out there these days, it’s undeniable that it is currently or soon to be impacting your daily life which, inevitably, will mean that your wedding day may be affected. Many venues are already postponing or canceling weddings. Let’s look at how to navigate this complex time!
Take Care Of Yourself First!
The most important part of this season, be it flu season or COVID-19 season, is to take care of yourself. Wash your hands more frequently than normal, make sure you get an above-adequate amount of sleep, stay hydrated, and find a quiet area to go for a walk or hike to get some exercise. See the CDC’s prevention guidelines for more up-to-date information.
Don’t Stress Over Something That Hasn’t Happened
If you live in a state that has issued a ban on certain gatherings over a predetermined size, make sure to cross-reference that mandate with the size of your wedding! Double-check with distant family and friends that were already planning on making the trip and confirm if they still plan on traveling or not. If your local government hasn’t issued any size limits on gatherings, then don’t panic. It’s the same concept as worrying about rain on your wedding day. Have a backup plan, but there is no sense in calling the whole thing off because of a possibility. Just stay up to date and communicate with your venue and vendors!
Plan For A Reduced Guest Count
Typically, between 17% and 20% of guests invited to a wedding end up not coming to the event, whether they declined the invite or neglected to let you know. That’s the standard number on a normal wedding day, so plan for a greater number of people to drop out during a time like this. It’s completely understandable, and it’s entirely a personal choice for that guest. The fact is, those people did really want to go to your wedding, but this is not a normal situation in the slightest. If it was someone you were greatly hoping would attend, I’m sure they would appreciate seeing the ceremony streamed live. Services like Facebook and Instagram make it really simple to just set up a phone and broadcast your ceremony. Just make sure to keep the phone charged, and maybe invest in a simple phone tripod!
What If Your Wedding Gets Postponed?
So, your venue canceled or postponed your wedding. What can you do?
If the venue canceled in the interest of safety, and your guest count is still below your local government-mandated number, you may be able to relocate to a friend or family member’s property, providing they have enough land. If this is a change you’re willing to take on, it will allow your guests to not worry about changing flight and travel plans, and you can keep most, if not all, of your vendors on your day!
Most venues are providing the ability to reschedule the date with no further charge. Take your venue up on this if it is something you and your guests can accommodate.
If you’re having trouble finding a date later in the year that is available for your wedding, book it during a weekday. Weekday weddings are an absolute BLAST, and I’ve enjoyed every Monday-Friday wedding that I’ve photographed. It’s so special, so unique, and parking will almost always be easier to find. Try it, it is SO fun!
What If Your Wedding Date Doesn’t Change?
If your wedding looks like it will continue, business as usual, then continue getting excited for your big day! There are a few simple tactics you may use to keep your wedding safe for all in attendance, vendor and guest alike.
Consult with your venue about putting up hand sanitizer stations around the location, if they aren’t in place already.
Avoid physical contact as much as possible with as many guests as possible. It may be a smart idea to toss out any type of receiving line, especially if hugs and handshakes were to be involved.
If your meal is going to be served buffet-style, see if your food vendor can bring on a few extra helping hands to serve the food. Keeping the utensils out of your guests’ hands and having the staff be the only ones handling them will reduce the likelihood of anything spreading by that method.
Elderly guests and anyone living with elderly or immunocompromised people should be encouraged to stay home. It’s not ideal, but it is the safest option for them since the severity of the effects of the virus increase as the age bracket climbs. Get them hooked up with a live stream as noted above, or talk to your video team for some higher-quality options.
COVID-19 may come and go, but it’s ripple effects will be felt for the coming months, possibly years. We as wedding vendors want to make your day as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, no matter where or how it happens. We’re in this together, and are absolutely willing to field any questions you may have about customizing your services to fit this unique situation the world is in.
Why The Pre-Ceremony First Look Is The Worst Addition To Your Wedding Day
Are you wondering whether you should or shouldn’t add a first-look to your wedding day? Here’s why it may be a really bad decision.
I’m sure you experienced it. The moment you got engaged, maybe 24 hours after it happened and the adrenaline subsided, the bombarding commenced. Ads in the mail, targeted Facebook campaigns, Instagram promotions, spam emails…. All wedding vendors trying to grab your attention and to convince you to book them for your wedding. They all bring a certain level of bias into the mix. The florist has opinions, the DJ simply won’t recommend that you place the cake cutting before the toasts, and the photographer (that’s me) does not recommend you try and recreate that mountain-backdrop portrait you saw on Pinterest. You live in Kansas for goodness sake! At the end of the day, as you manage all that communication, balance the itinerary, and make sure Uncle Bob has the requisite Miller Light at the open bar, it’s easy to forget what really matters.
How do you feel on your wedding day? Can you remember it? Are those fleeting moments crafted in such a way so as to allow your mind to take a backseat to your heart? It sounds corny, but your wedding is of as much emotional significance as it is legal - if not more.
How Does The First Look Fit Into This Equation?
The first look is arguably to most hotly-debated topic in my client consults. If you didn’t know, the “first look” in the wedding industry is when you and your betrothed, before the ceremony, see each other and have a few quiet moments together before the hustle and bustle of the rest of the wedding day begins. Technically, the first look could also be at the ceremony as the bride walks down the aisle, but in the context of weddings, the “first look” is almost exclusively reserved for the pre-ceremony version.
When I ask my couples if they’re doing a first look, if they haven’t had the conversation yet, the answer isn’t always apparent. Maybe your cousin chose not to do a first look, and she really enjoyed seeing her bride for the first time during the ceremony. But, of course, your best friend did his first look before the ceremony and continues to praise the logistical benefits that doing so afforded his wedding day timeline. So, the choice could go both ways.
The fact of the matter is this, and I want to make it abundantly clear to my couples and any couples reading this: Never sacrifice the traditional or emotional significance of a moment during your wedding day to the benefit of the timeline. Sure, allowing the couple to see each other before the ceremony removes much of the tasks between the ceremony and reception. However, if guests have to wait an extra 30 minutes for the meals to be served, that’s fine, nobody will starve. If the DJ needs to wait to play the walk-in music, it’s okay, they deal with that all the time. If the photographer needs to cram a few extra family photos into an hour than they planned to, no worries! It’s part of the gig, and we can always do some night photos with the couple (which I highly recommend).
If you were looking forward to the pivotal moment in your life when you see your person standing at the other end of that aisle, glowing like they never have before, then hold on to that. Keep that close to your heart, and your partners on your wedding day will adapt and, most importantly, be excited for you in that choice. So, this first look event that you see in countless magazines and articles may be for some people, but it also may not be for you!