Laurie and Adam: Raffaldini Vineyard, Ronda, NC

Laurie and Adam got married at the beautiful Raffaldini Vineyards. If you haven't seen Tuscany in person, the next best thing is this place. The vineyards, grounds and building are all stunning! Laurie and Adam and their guests were awesome as well!

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Asheville Wedding Photography - Blue Bend Photography

Wedding Photography - How much time do I need?

We get asked this question A LOT. There is no good canned answer but I can give you a few things to consider when thinking about how much time you'll need.

1. Getting ready shots. Getting ready shots are the most common thing that I see people take out of their wedding photography package and the most common thing that I hear people say they regret not having photos of. When you are looking through your photos a couple of weeks after the wedding is over, it always a huge bonus to have pictures of your hair getting done, your make-up getting done and photos of your fiance and his buddies getting ready. The most common thing that I hear people say about the getting ready shots is: it helps to build a more complete picture of the day.

2. Photos before vs. after the ceremony. This is also something that is becoming more and more popular. When I first started shooting weddings 10 years ago in Detroit I didn't have a single wedding where the bride and the groom saw each other before the wedding. Now-a-days, I would say that about 1/2 of the 80-100 weddings that we do each year involve bride and groom photos before the wedding. There are definite pros and cons to seeing each other beforehand. I can't say if you SHOULD do it, but I will say that if you do photos before you can spend MUCH more time and get tons more variety. A 1/2 hour after the ceremony is about average for the amount of time that I (as the photographer) would get with just the bride and groom. The last big wedding that we did where the bride and groom saw each other beforehand involved three photographers (Nick, Maddy and Philip) and an hour and a half with the bride and groom. We got tons of amazing stuff.

3. Do you need a photographer till the very end? Once the dancing starts there isn't a whole lot of time that you need the photographer there. I would say that on average an hour of dancing is enough. Once the Bride/Groom dance, the Mother/Son and Daddy/Daughter and Garter/Bouquet have been done most of the photos look the same. If you're trying to figure out time, I'd say that most you can cut the photographer an hour before the end of the night. Of course, if you'd like photos of the two of you leaving the reception (sparklers, get-away car...) the photographer has to stay.

4. Photos at the end of the night? These are also pretty cool. The photos really tell a whole story if you have all the photos in your album starting with the hair and makeup and then the end of the album has a picture of the two of  you "ending the night." Our style at Blue Bend Photography is one of photojournalism. We believe in telling a story in photos and when you have an obvious beginning and an obvious end it really puts the album together nicely.

5. Adding it all together. The first question that I always ask brides and grooms on the phone is what time everything is ending. Once you know what time you need a photographer to stay until, you can start doing the math backwards. So if your wedding reception is booked till 11 and you didn't want the "get-away" shot, you would probably need someone till 10pm.  Next question would be "Do I want getting ready shots?" If your hair/makeup was going to get done starting at 2pm, you'd want the photographer to show up at 2. All together that would be 8 hours. This can also help you with planning the rest of the timeline of your day. If hair and makeup is going to take 2 hours and your ceremony is supposed to start at 5 and you might want photos of the two of you before... you might want to push  your hair and makeup back a couple of hours. Remember, it's always better to have a little more time to play with. The last thing you want on your wedding day is to feel rushed or pressured. Start early and enjoy the day.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I know it may seem weird to ask photographers about non-photography wedding things, but believe me... we've seen a lot of weddings. Feel free to ask. - Nick (Asheville Wedding Photography - Blue Bend Photography)

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1 Photographer vs 2 Photographers at the Wedding

Another question that we get asked a lot about is "Do I need 1 photographer or do I need two at my wedding?"

The very first wedding that I ever assisted on (gosh that seems like a long time ago) was in Michigan with about 500 guests. It was two very large families (one Italian-American and one Hindu-American) and both were very close families. There were two full ceremonies (one for each of the cultures) and it was one of the most beautiful wedding days that I've experienced. The company that I had just gotten hired at thought that it would be a good idea if the main photographer had another shooter to help get all the important shots. With two people we were able to capture many, many more candids than had one person been by him/herself.

This is the first scenario, one of a very large wedding, where I suggest to brides and grooms that they have two photographers. If you have a very large wedding where it is going to be difficult (or impossible) for one person to be near most people or most of the action at once it is a good idea to have two photographers. Of course, if you have a wedding with 500 people, it might even be a good idea to have 3 photographers. I have had half a dozen weddings where I thought it would be beneficial to have 2 other people with me and suggested to the bride and groom as such.

The other scenario where it is very advisable to have two photographers is if you would like multiple angles of something simultaneously. For example, if you know that you are getting married in a giant, beautiful cathedral with a balcony, and you'd want a shot of you and your dad walking down the isle from above and from front on, you need to have two photographers. The father and daughter walking down the isle in a cathedral from above is one of my favorite wedding shots, but you can only get that if you have a second person in the balcony, because, of course, you can't have the entire wedding party shot from above.

Some other times that it is very nice to have more than one photographer is if you and your fiance are getting ready in two different locations. While it is possible to drive from place to place and get shots of each of you getting ready, there is bound to be something missed while in transit. Having two shooters makes it possible to have both groups getting ready with nothing missed.

There are lots of other examples of things like that, and it is a very nice extra if you can afford to have another photographer there.

I would seldom say that a second photographer is "necessary," but I would rarely advise against it. Of course, if the number of photographers is going to equal the number of people at the wedding, or be very close, I would probably say you should stick to just one.

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Wedding Makeup Advice by Wendy Ballance of Blush

Wendy Ballance of Blush is one of the best Makeup Artists that is around. I've had a lot of brides ask me for advice on how much or what kind of makeup to wear when it comes to the wedding day and for photos. I have photographed a lot of weddings, but I'm not any kind of makeup expert like Wendy. She has graciously written an awesome article for anyone interested in makeup for the wedding day. Enjoy! -Nick at Asheville Wedding Photography: Blue Bend Photography
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First, I would like to thank Nick Gillespie from Blue Bend Photography for asking me to write this post on wedding makeup. I absolutely love my job and every aspect and detail that goes into wedding makeup!

Wedding makeup is a detailed and exciting part of planning your special day. Over the years, many women have told me they wish they would have worn a little more makeup or hired a makeup artist to come to their wedding location. It’s important to look and feel your best…It’s your wedding day!

To hire or not to hire:

If you are doing the makeup yourself, make sure you are 110% comfortable. You’ll be nervous and time-crunched on your wedding day, so you don’t want to be stressed about your makeup. Before your wedding, get together with a friend and have a practice session. Apply your makeup just as you plan to on your wedding day. Then have your friend take some pictures inside and outside to see if anything pops out at you. If you looked washed out, add more. If you feel a little made up, it’s right!

But here some reasons why it might be best to hire a professional:

• A professional makeup artist is trained in wedding makeup. They work with professional photographers and know what looks good and what doesn’t.  I have been in the industry for seven years and still learn new tricks and techniques all the time. Make sure you ask about a makeup artist’s background and training!
• Your makeup artist will come to your requested location…you don’t have to go anywhere! I don’t recommend going to a makeup counter unless absolutely necessary. You could get stuck in traffic. Or if the artist needs to stop and help customers at their counter, it could put you in a time crunch.
• Makeup artists know how to apply false eyelashes, setting products and primers that you might not have in your makeup kit.
• You are paying for your hair to get done…why not your makeup? This is your wedding and you will look at these photographs forever!
• It’s easy!! Why wouldn’t you want to feel like a princess for the day by bringing in your own personal beauty team?!

When to hire: IMMEDIATELY!

• Some makeup artists are in as much demand as photographers. Make sure you book your beauty team as soon as you can.

When to start makeup: As close to your pictures as possible. A makeup artist can add in a few hours for touchups before the ceremony if you are having pictures taken early in the day. This is especially recommended if your wedding/pictures are outdoors.

If you decide to apply your own makeup for your wedding day, here are some tips:

PRIMERS:

• Use a makeup primer before your foundation. This helps with wear-ability and provides a smooth surface for the foundation.
• My favorites: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Makeup Forever HD Primer

FOUNDATION:

• Your foundation shouldn’t have a SPF higher than 15. The particles in sunscreen can flash against the camera and make your face look lighter.
• I am not a big fan of mineral makeup; it usually has mica in it which isn’t camera friendly. But if you love it, wear it.
• When you do your test run and take photos, make sure your face isn’t lighter than your neck and chest.
• My favorites: Bobbi Brown (Skin foundation for normal to dry or Natural Long Lasting Makeup for Normal to Oily); Revlon (Colorstay or PhotoReady foundation); Makeup Forever (HD foundation)

LIPS:

• When choosing a shade: choose one that is a little darker than you like when looking at yourself.
• Use a lip liner that matches your lipstick perfectly!
• If you love a nude lip, use a nude that has a little more pink than brown. Brown tends to look muddy in photos.
• My favorite lip colors in the pinky nude category are: Brownie, Brown, Sandwash Pink, Brownie Pink and Tulle (all by Bobbi Brown)
• If you don’t normally wear lipstick, I recommend you don’t wear it on your wedding day. You will feel like it’s too heavy! Instead, choose a lip liner color that you love, use it to fill in your entire lip area, and top it with a little gloss. Or just stick with a good lip gloss.
• If you want to wear a stronger color on your lips, that’s great! But remember that the strong reds, plums, and bright colors will transfer on to your new husband’s lips, so be prepared with a few Kleenex in your purse to make sure he doesn’t wear your lipstick the rest of the day!

CHEEKS: You need to add a little more cheek color than usual. You want a pop of color on your apples!

EYES: All eye makeup should be as waterproof as possible! Use waterproof eyeliner and mascara!

• My favorite eyeliners: Bobbi Brown (gel eyeliner); MAC (Powerpoint Pencils); Revlon (Colorstay Pencils)

GENERAL TIPS:

• Don’t add any glitter. If the glitter particle is too big in the powder, it will flash back at the camera and your face will look like it’s sweating.
• If you want sheen on your cheeks, use a mineralize skin finish from MAC or Revlon. I like to highlight the cheekbones and nose, but not too much!
• Purchase a sheer/translucent powder to touch up your face throughout the day/night. Your makeup won’t look caked-on by the end of the night.

If there are any questions I didn’t answer, you can email me via my website at www.ashevillemakeupartist.com. If you are looking for a makeup artist for your wedding day, I would love to work with you!

Wendy Ballance
Blush by Wendy Ballance, LLC

Erin and Aaron - Biltmore Engagement Photos

Erin and Aaron had planned on having us do an Anniversary Session with them in a couple of months, but since getting the "big news" they bumped it up a couple of months. They wanted to have some couple photos taken of them two of them one last time before having kids and last weekend was the perfect weekend. The weather was fantastic, the Biltmore was practically empty and we made a whole day out of it. Maddy and I have gotten to know Erin and Aaron pretty well over the past year so it never really felt like a photo shoot. We even brought stuff to do a picnic (sparkling grape juice instead of champagne, of course). The company has yearly passes, so we can take anyone we'd like to after 5pm any day of the week. It's a great place to escape for the day and an even better place for photos. I can't wait to do family photos of the three of them in a couple of months!

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My Brand New Nephew: Archer William Richard

I'm an uncle for the first time! My sister had a baby boy two days ago and he's awesome! He was born completely healthy; that's pretty much all anyone could ask for. I'm sure that he will be very familiar with the camera as he grows up. Here are a few pics from when he was about a 1/2 hour old.

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Asheville Wedding Photography - Blue Bend Photography