Wow, we couldn't be more excited to show you this next wedding! When you're shooting, you try stuff and you push yourself and some things work and some things don't- and that's just the way it goes no matter how much planning and preparation you do. Katie and I spend a LOT of time preparing so we can make things run as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. We only do one wedding a week because we value having time to plan and brainstorm. We want to be at the wedding rehearsal. We want to visit the sites where the ceremony and the reception will take place and have a chance to walk around, take notes, and talk things over. On the day of the wedding we always try, if possible, to set up our equipment ahead of time so when it comes time for the big family group shots or the shots of the bride and groom, we are ready to go on our end.
We are firm believers that the photography is for the wedding, not the wedding for the photography. As a result, when it comes to the more formal shots, we want to take up as little time from the bride and groom as possible, and then speedily get them back to just enjoy their wedding. But again, even with all of the planning, things don't always work out exactly the way you hoped it would. Weddings are like a roller-coaster ride. They move fast, and they don't stop for you or anyone else until that ride is over. You don't have two hours like you would in a studio to get a shot composed just right or get the lighting just the way you want it... you just don't have that much time to think about it. Most of the time you are simply relying on pure instinct. But this was just one of those days when everything seemed to work and the planning and preparation paid off. And this is one of those days where I feel that we walked the tight rope of Candid vs Controlled-Environment very well.
This is the wedding of Josh and Jen Hendrick (hence the title 'Jendrick' which i'm proud of thinking up). You might remember them from some of the engagement pictures we posted a few months back... such great people! Now, I have to brag on Josh for a second. He has singlehandedly lifted the the weighty stereotype of "men and weddings" off of the backs of all men, for all time! From here on out, anytime a women says anything about a man not helping enough with the planning of the wedding or makes the comment that "men are worthless"... that man can now say... "But what about Josh Hendrick?" to which the women will suddenly fall silent, with no comeback for it.
But seriously, he carried his load like I've never seen any man do before- and I mean it in the best way possible. Jen was actually very relieved to have so much help. Josh knew everything and had everything worked out down to the last detail. Do you know what Josh was doing during his "bachelor party", the night before the wedding? Maybe one last wild party with all of guy friends??? Nope!! Josh's "bachelor party" consisted of him making his guy friends stay up with him untill the wee hours of the morning making center-pieces for the reception. I think you get it now. It was fun to watch.
As for Jen, me and her go way back. We actually used to work together at Starbucks back in the day when I was a shift-manager. (I still miss that free pound of coffee a week) She really is one of the most consistently kind and sweet people you've ever met and her and Josh are a match made in heaven.
During their entrance into the reception hall, they both came out singing each having their own microphone- it was so great and people went nuts! Josh actually has his own band. Let me tell you, this band can wail! If you have a chance to hear them live it's amazing! They had a presence about them and when they started playing it was like people couldn't help but rush the dance floor. I remember that Josh did a rendition of Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life" and you just knew that Jen felt like the most special girl in the world at that moment.
Anyways, you've got to check out their band, I really think they are going to hit the big time and I mean really soon. It's called Dallas the Band, and I'll put some links at the bottom of the page so you can check them out. The promo video at the bottom was made while they were recording in California. You can find other videos on youtube as well.
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One of my favorite dance shots ever! |
Dallas (the band)
www.twitter.com/dallastheband
www.facebook.com/dallastheband
