Monday, March 31, 2008

Wedding Trends: What's Hot for 2008 Weddings

As I was browsing through some of my online wedding resources, I came across this article, which I thought would be useful to many of you who are thinking about what to do for your upcoming weddings.

What's hot now? This year, bigger is definitely better, from luxe place settings to statement-making gowns and hairstyles.
By Christa Vagnozzi

Is chocolate brown still the new black? Are brides really planning to wear two dresses? These are some of the many burning questions this year's brides and grooms are asking.

Trend 1: Making Split Decisions
Can't decide between a princess ball gown and a sexy mini? Wear both! In 2008, brides will make their guests do a double take by switching up their looks between the ceremony and reception with their gowns and hairstyles -- like an elegant updo for when you recite your vows and switching to natural cascading curls to party. And it's not just the bride that's getting a makeover between acts. Couples are also changing up their palettes with a progression of color throughout the day. Guests arrive to a clean, all-white ceremony, experience a hint of pale hues during the cocktail hour, and then step into an explosion of rich color for the reception.

Trend 2: The Gray Area
Steel gray will replace chocolate brown as the accent color. We absolutely love this soft yet deep hue teamed with butter yellow, bright aqua, rich eggplant, or pale pink. It's so versatile! Introduce the color in your stationery, either in the typeface or paper, and then gradually build it into your reception space by way of slate gray table accents and pewter-toned bridesmaid dresses with a contrasting sash.

Trend 3: A Return to White
In recent years, white has taken a backseat to bold hues like hot pink, orange, and purple. The classic color (or lack thereof) is poised to make a huge comeback in a fresh, modern way. Think tall, glistening glass vases overflowing with crisp arrangements of white phalaenopsis orchids and clouds of soft baby's breath. Also, picture sparkling white cakes covered from top to bottom in miniature fondant blossoms. Palette partner: Rose-colored metallics will add a big dose of sophisticated glamour.

Trend 4: Lush and Luxe
Size does matter. Event designers and brides alike are teaming up to create showstopping floral arrangements, such as those seen during the days of Marie Antoinette. This move toward French opulence means more petals, blossoms, candles -- even feathers! -- as centerpieces go from simple and low to towering and lush. Gilded place settings, brocade linens, and hand-painted invitations complete the elaborate look.

Trend 5: Sample Stations
Self-proclaimed foodies will love this trend: tasting bars for every whim. Sure to be popular, wine and cheese stations are not only delicious, they can be educational as well. We know one couple who hired a professional sommelier to provide pairing pointers. Our favorite is the champagne bar. Just pick your favorite bottles of bubbly and don't forget the mixers, such as Chambord, Midori, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. Guests will have so much fun making their own signature cocktails.

Trend 6: Vintage Visions

From dresses to rings, brides are revisiting the past for style inspiration. For wedding gowns, that means delicate fabrics like chiffon and tiers of tulle, along with bygone embellishments such as beaded straps, keyhole halters, and lace sleeves. For rings, the hot style for '08 is something vintage. Whether it's simply an antique-style band or a real antique (think your great-grandmother's diamond), what's old is definitely new again.

Trend 7: Guests Make the Call

Need help picking that first dance song? Have your guests vote on it. With wedding websites adding more features like blogs, polls, and quizzes, it's easier than ever to involve your loved ones in the planning and decision making. Blogs are also great for reaching out to your bridesmaids and getting feedback on dress colors, flower options, and decor ideas. We love the idea of setting up wedding polls on your website and asking your guests to vote for their favorite cake flavor, entree choices, or dance music.

More Hot Trends

Green Weddings: Couples continue to be earth-conscious in 2008, from buying conflict-free diamond rings and recycled gold wedding bands to serving locally grown, free-range fare and donning bio-friendly wedding dresses made of 100 percent silk and cottons. They're also honeymooning at eco-resorts and gathering friends for charitable showers at soup kitchens and local park events.

Honeymoon Hopping: By now, it's no secret: Brides and grooms are going big this year for their weddings, and that includes the honeymoon too. Newlyweds are jetting off to not one, but two or three different destinations to celebrate their union. And they're traveling further than ever before. The hot spots: South Pacific jaunts to Tahiti and Bora Bora; Mediterranean getaways to Sicily and the Greek Isles; and African expeditions to Zambia, Botswana, and Johannesburg.

Home-Spun Weddings: For the utmost in personalization, couples are choosing to wed in their own or their parents' backyard. While it may be harder to plan than a ballroom wedding (you'll need to bring in your own caterer, tent, decor, etc.), your day will be truly one-of-a-kind.
Cover Bands: You heard it here first. Cover bands are in demand for 2008. From '80s cover bands to other genres such as classic rock, swing orchestras, or Latin ensembles, it's all about specialized live music to keep guests on their feet.

Friday, March 28, 2008

More Favorite Places

I have had the good fortune of traveling to some VERY cool places, all in the name of work. I know its hard to believe, but its true. One amazing trip was to Naples, Italy, where I got to work for about a month and tour the southern part of the country on my time off. Here are a few photos from around Naples...



One of the many cafes in Naples, but this one is located next to a very cool and very historic castle...


A typical italian scene...

Thursday, March 20, 2008

leti and nick: engaged!


how absolutely hot are they?!?! we met leti and nick at a wedding we did last year, and when we got the call to do their wedding this year, we were psyched. for the engagement shoot, leti said she wanted something sexy and romantic, and nick was more than happy to oblige. after an ominous late winter storm, the weather cooperated and gave us beautiful blue skies. we met at harbor island in san diego, right next to island prime restaurant.


after shooting some from harbor island, we headed around to the other side of the harbor for another view of downtown and some more steamy pics.


we can't wait for your wedding later this year, congratulations again leti and nick!

Weddings Revisited: Kim and Brian


Since we just launched our blog, we thought it would be fun to share all the weddings we did over the last couple years, in between posting our new stuff.

Kim and I went to Italy together with some girlfriends, and when she asked me to shoot her wedding, I was a little apprehensive, since photographing weddings is MUCH different than beautiful architecture. But Kim and Brian are SO attractive and their wedding party so awesome that everything turned out great. They got married on a beautiful February day at the North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, CA, right across the bridge from San Diego. We couldn't have been luckier to get to shoot such an amazingly beautiful couple at such a gorgeous location. Here are some of our favorite pictures:







And Kim and Brian are having a baby, so you'll have to check back soon for pictures of the new lil one.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

leticia and gilbert: engaged!



OK, so this is a bit late, but with the new website coming up, we have been a little behind in posting on our new blog. We met Leticia and Gilbert in early February out at the very funky Venice Beach, in Southern California. Wading through the performance artists and basketball players, we found some peaceful spots on the beach to capture their engagement photos. They looked so happy despite the sometimes foul smelling rocks and strange looking surroundings, we can't wait to shoot their wedding later this year.



Congratulations Leticia and Gilbert, thanks for being such great models and spending the afternoon with us.

Monday, March 17, 2008

katie and mark: engaged!


we met katie and mark on a friday afternoon, in beautiful balboa park, in san diego. katie had just flown in from very cold wisconsin to see mark and take care of some of their wedding planning, and we took a little time out of their schedule to shoot some engagement photos. after a very cute story of how they met, we got down to business, doing our best to put a HUGE smile on mark's face. he was a tough one, but we finally got him to crack a few smiles in between the serious poses.





we wish we could shoot their wedding, because they are such an adorable couple, and we had a lot of fun making them try all our crazy poses. congratulations katie and mark, and best wishes for the most fabulous wedding!!!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

the collage

today i tried out this new tool from gary fong i got that allows me to create these neat collages. now if you are familiar with photoshop, you'll know that this so-called magic is just a series of cleverly programmed actions, but i don't care, i love it. in just a few minutes, i created this very artistic and snappy collage of baby madeline.


Monday, March 3, 2008

beautiful places

Since I have so many images that I haven't had a chance to share with the world yet, I figured I would share them here on my blog, every so often, while the wedding and portrait pictures are scarce. Here are a few of my favorite places...

1. My hometown of San Diego, viewed from Coronado Island



2. Washington, DC, where I went to college



3. Pike's Place Market in Seattle, where you can find amazing flowers, foods, art and other local things, like the famous fish mongers.



Check back for more of my favorite places soon