Blue Bend Photography - North Carolina Weddings

Another Amazing Wedding at the Biltmore Estate

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Yesterday Nick and Jacob went to the Biltmore Estate for an exquisite wedding. Tiffany and Andrew got married outside in the Biltmore Butterfly Garden just in front of the Green House. They did a lot of their photos before the wedding ceremony which gave them a lot more time to get a lot of different locations and variety to their wedding photos. After the wedding ceremony they had another couple of minutes to get a few more bride and groom photos (this time with kissing!) and then they headed to the Biltmore Champagne Cellar for their wedding reception. Because it was a bit of an elopement, they only had 8 wedding guests total. It was an extremely intimate and private affair and one of the most beautiful that I've ever seen. The Biltmore always does an awesome job at weddings and this one was definitely a great one. Our newest member of the team, Jacob, was a great help during the wedding and even snapped a photo of me (Nick) going the distance to get the shot. :)

To see the whole post see here: Biltmore Estate Wedding Photos

North Carolina Wedding Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:14:00 +0000

North Carolina offers breathtaking Wedding Locations and Wedding Photos

Of all the states in the Union, North Carolina offers, what could be, the most diverse possibilities for weddings.

On the west side of the state, North Carolina has some of the prettiest mountains, and oldest mountains in the world. Rolling vistas, mountain streams and the occasional waterfall all await the visitor of Western North Carolina. The largest of the cities in the area, and the one with the most places to get married, is Asheville. Asheville is Western North Carolina's little big city, or big little city depending on where you come from. Asheville offers a large selection of great restaurants and bars, as well as museums and conference centers. Whatever type of wedding venue you have in mind, Asheville and Western North Carolina can provide it.

Outside of Asheville there are a handful of cute, but resourceful towns. Starting to the south is the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate is home to many, many weddings every year. Because there are some many different places on the grounds to get married, they can host quite a few at the same time, but have the weddings never really see each other. The Biltmore Estate is quite possibly North Carolina's most famous and most beautiful estate to get married at. There is a North Carolina Wedding Photographer (www.bluebendphotography.com) that has photographed quite a few weddings there and has a great collection of photos at this link: Biltmore WeddingPhotos.

Western North Carolina also has many little towns tucked away in the mountains that offer amazing spots for a wedding. Some of the more famous towns in Western North Carolina are: Hendersonville, Waynesville, Candler, Bryson City, Cashiers, Highlands and Brevard. For a wonderful collection of photos of different wedding venues in Western North Carolina, check out Blue Bend Photography's site.

Two hours to the east of Asheville in North Carolina is what is referred to as the Piedmont. The landscape changes drastically into slow rolling hills with the mountains of Western North Carolina in the distance. The temperature goes up about 10 degree and the vegetation changes. This is the area of North Carolina that much of the state's grapes for wine is grown (Vineyards make great spots for wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions). Cities such as Statesville, Charlotte, Mooresville and Concord are some of the bigger cities in North Carolina's Piedmont. This is another very established area of the state and offers endless options for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception.

East of i74, North Carolina gets much bigger north to south. The state dips down south on the coast to Wilmington (another great spot for a wedding - beach weddings are GREAT!) and follows the coast up along the "Outer Banks".

The Outer Banks is possibly North Carolina's most famous area for BeachWeddings. They are a long string of islands with the most famous string toward the top of the state around Nags Head. This whole area of North Carolina, no matter what island you're on, offers amazing areas and spots for wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions. The wedding photos that couples walk away with from North Carolina Beach Weddings are equally as beautiful as the mountain wedding photos from Western North Carolina.

Asheville's Best CPA

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:49:00 +0000

A couple of years ago I switched CPAs. My business was growing and I couldn't handle all the tax and accounting stuff by myself anymore. After a little research and asking around I stumbled upon Bret Pacheco CPA. He has completely blown me away with how quickly and efficiently he does the accounting, book keeping and tax preparation. In my opinion he is Asheville's best CPA!
Bret takes the time to develop relationships with all of his clients so when there is any question about which way the business should go, he can answer with better expertise. I know that much of my businesses success is due to his CPA business and advice. Not only does he do all the major stuff: tax prep, bookkeeping, etc, he gets to know you and your business to better advise you and your business decisions.

Kauai, Hawaii - Personal Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000

Sacred Cow! This place is AMAZING!

Joe and Nick have an extended history of photography. For those of you who don’t know, Joe shot Nick and Maddy's wedding 10 years in the past in Austria. Forasmuch as spending 2 weeks as one unit in Austria and Germany for the wedding, Joe and Nick have been greatest mates. They came around to shooting for the same wedding photography group in Detroit and after that, following both moving to Anchorage, Nick shot for Joe's outfit (Anchorage Wedding Photographer - Chugach Peaks Photography). In the far, Nick came around to shooting Brook and Joe's wedding in Homer, Alaska (unmistakably one of the coolest wedding areas ever). Now that Nick is once again in the “more level 48,” Nick and Maddy have a Wedding Photography company in Asheville, NC: Blue Bend Photography and the four of them need to fly across the country to hang out – because Joe refuses to ever leave Alaska :(

The four of us enjoy outside stuff and chose to tackle the Kalalau Trail in Kauai. It crosses the North Shore (Nepali Coast) of Kauai 12 miles from the closure of the closest street. It's all in all harsh terrain, but absolutely worth it. It is, by a long shot, the most drastically unimaginable landscape we’ve ever viewed. Resulting from the fact that its just receptive by foot and is an all in all extended trek, the beach is practically your particular when you get there. In one of the photographs you are able to see our camp post in the lowest part of the photograph.

See the rest of the article!

Swag Inn Wedding Photos – Kimberly & Will – Asheville Wedding Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:39:00 +0000

I know that I say this a lot, but this weekend was amazing. The wedding at the Swag Inn this weekend with Kimberly and Will is definitely in my top 10. In the car on the way up the mountain from Asheville it was pouring rain - coming down in buckets. I was a bit down, to be honest, because I could tell that we were headed somewhere with an amazing view and we were going to be stuck in the clouds. 20 minutes after arriving, not only had it quit raining, but the clouds had completely gone! It had gone from gray and rain to blue and beautiful!

We were at 5100' above sea level and had a spectacular view. As you can see below it felt like you could see all the way to Asheville. The whole wedding party consisted of the Bride and Groom and their parents. That was it. It was incredibly relaxed and intimate. We spent about 2 hours just walking around the grounds, soaking up the weather and taking photos. The photos are definitely some of my favorites that we've ever gotten.

If you are in the Asheville area, I can't recommend this place enough. Within minutes of arriving we felt like we were on vacation. The whole atmosphere of the place is relaxing and puts you at ease. There are so many details I can't begin to list them all. They even have your name on a walking stick for you to use while at the Inn. From Asheville it's only about an hour to the Inn. They have amazing food, rooms and grounds. They do brunch on Sundays, picnics, bbqs and evening dining. Thank you, Kimberly and Will, for having us share a gorgeous day with you. -Nick and Maddy

For a Full Gallery of the Wedding Photos

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Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Highlands, NC - Glass Pavilion - Asheville Wedding Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Last night Kelly and I photographed a wedding at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC for the first time since they finished their new Glass Pavilion. It is BEAUTIFUL! If you have been to a wedding there before, there isn't the tent anymore. Where they used to put the wedding reception tent, right outside the barn in the courtyard, is now a giant, beautiful, glass-walled pavilion. It has huge ceilings with giant chandeliers hanging from them and lots of warm light. The Old Edwards Inn used to be a nice place to shoot weddings, but now it's a stunning place to have a wedding. The Old Edwards Inn is now, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful spots in Western North Carolina for a wedding reception - definitely my favorite in the Highlands / Cashiers area. I can't wait to go back in October!

For the Full Gallery of the Photos

If you are interested in the Old Edward's Inn and Spa and would like more information please check out their website or see below for directions.

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Old Edwards Inn Wedding Photos - Gail & Thomas - Highlands, NC - Asheville Wedding Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Gail and Thomas made the trip up to Highlands to tie the knot from Savannah, GA. It's one of their favorite places and if you have been to the Highlands area, you probably know why. They had a late afternoon wedding outside on the edge of a beautiful rock bald. There was an incredible view with hardly a cloud in the sky (which was incredible after the morning and afternoon thunderstorm!) After the gorgeous ceremony at Sunset Rock we headed to the newly built Old Edwards Inn Pavilion. Up till recently there was a white tent in next to the barn, but recently they have built a stunning glass pavilion for weddings. There is another blog post with photos of just the Old Edwards Inn pavilion here.

For a full gallery of the Wedding Photos

If you are interested in the Old Edward's Inn and Spa and would like more information please check out their website or see below for directions.

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Detroit Destination Wedding: Mary Beth and Adam's Wedding Photos - Asheville Wedding Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:49:00 +0000

The first weekend of June Adam and Mary Beth flew us up from Asheville to the Detroit area. We started our day at the hair salon where all the girls had their hair and makeup done.They had their ceremony at a big beautiful church and then their reception at an intimate venue in a small town called Plymouth. There was lots of hand made details and even a vintage RV to take the couple and the bridal party from the ceremony to the reception. My time in Michigan went by too quickly and I already miss it. Thanks for letting us share your day with you MB and Adam!

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Mosteller Mansion Wedding, Hickory, NC: Jennifer and Tom - Hickory Wedding Photographer - Blue Bend Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:53:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Nick and I took Jennifer's Bridal Portraits at Biltmore and shot the engagement photos at Jump off Rock in Hendersonville. Last weekend Nick headed out to the beautiful Mosteller Mansion in Hickory to photograph Jennifer and Tom's wedding. The Mansion is a very traditional southern estate that lends itself for the perfect and elegant wedding. The whole day was filled with emotion, love and lots of laughter and dancing. Tom's family is from England and it was a great group, that added lots of fun to the wedding. Here are a few of Nick's favorite photographs of the day.

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Asheville Engagement Photos: Allison and Robert - Black Balsam, Pisgah Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:58:00 +0000

On Sunday, Nick and I headed into the mountains to meet Allison and Robert for their engagement session. We met early in the morning to get some great photographs in the mountains with blue sky and some fog in the distance. The Black Balsam area is just off the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville and great for hiking and the photography opportunities seem endless. The weather could not have been any better and it was so much fun hiking around and soaking up the scenery. Allison and Robert were awesome and fun to take photos off and even the swarms of mosquitoes and flies did not bother them. Here are some of our favorites of the day. Enjoy!

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Asheville Wedding Photography: Caitlin and Prasheel - Home Wedding - Biltmore Forest, Asheville, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 17 May 2011 17:59:00 +0000

A few days a go Nick headed to the Biltmore Forest in Asheville to shoot Caitlin and Prasheel's wedding. If Biltmore Forest sounds familiar to you, it is probably because it is right next to the world famous Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The wedding was held at a beautiful estate with lots of character and charm. The bride and groom were so easy to work with and Nick got some amazing photographs of the two of them. Even though the weather was not always cooperating the wedding party and guests had a great time and had lots of fun on the dance floor. Here are some of Nick's favorites.

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Lake Lure Wedding Photos: Amber and Chris - Lake Lure Inn and Spa, Lake Lure, North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Nick and I and had the pleasure to go shoot Amber and Chris's wedding at Lake Lure, North Carolina (just south of Asheville). The Lake Lure Inn and Spa is famous for being in "Dirty Dancing". Scenes from the movie were filmed at the Inn and also surrounding areas, such as Chimney Rock and Lake Lure itself. Amber even stayed in the 'Jennifer Grey' Suite. We got there early enough to take some getting ready photographs of the girls and we were able to head over to the cabin where the guys were staying to get some nice shots of them, too. Amber and Chris put so much work into their wedding, it was absolutely stunning. They had beautiful details at the ceremony, which was directly at the Lake with the mountains in the background. They even had a full on candy bar, that matched the colors of the wedding. It was a great event with everything falling into place. They ended the night with a great North Carolina String band, that got the crowd really moving (if you know anything about the Asheville music scene, you know about bluegrass). The lead singer taught all the people on the dance floor how to dance traditional square and line dances and everyone had a blast. Nick posted a video earlier this week. Here are a few of our favorites. Enjoy.

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Hendersonville Wedding - Abby and Eric - Asheville Wedding Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:04:00 +0000

This weekend we were photographed a wedding locally. It seems like most of our weddings are all over North Carolina and the southeast, but it was a nice change of pace to be closer to home. Abby and Eric's wedding was in a small town called Hendersonville. It's only about 25 minutes south of Asheville. If you haven't been before I recommend it. It's a very cute little downtown with lots of cool little shops. They chose to see each other before hand and do all the photos before the wedding. This is always a plus for us, as photographers, because we get so much more time and variety with the photos. Things tend to be less rushed as well. After they had done their "first look" we left the hotel and headed to the downtown area where they both spend most of their time and where they got engaged. We got lots of photos of them walking around downtown, going to their favorite places and hanging out in the beautiful weather.

The weather for the wedding was also incredible. I know there is some saying about good luck getting married in the rain, but the photos have such a different look when there is a beautiful blue sky in the photo. Saturday was one of those wedding days. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and this time of the year the temp perfect. I know I'm partial because I call this area home, but the Asheville area, in general, is so beautiful and lends itself so nicely to photos. Every wedding that I've ever done in the Asheville area has had amazing scenery, a cute little town or rolling green hills in the background. I consider myself so lucky to have ended up in the Asheville area doing what I love to do - taking photos.

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Asheville Engagement Photos - Jennifer and Tom - Hendersonville, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:06:00 +0000

Tonight Maddy and I headed up to Jump Off Rock in Hendersonville, NC for some engagement photos with Jennifer and Tom. Last week we did Jennifer's Bridal Photos at the Biltmore and got some great stuff. It was no surprise today when Tom was equally as comfortable in front of the camera as Jennifer. Both of them were great sports about walking out to the edge of a huge drop-off for some awesome big sky photos. We had perfect weather for pictures and with both of them so great to work with, it went awesome. The big wedding day is only 5 weeks away! Watch for those photos too! I'm sure that they'll be amazing.

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Point Lake Golf Club Wedding Photos - Amanda and Patrick - Charlotte Wedding Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:08:00 +0000

On Saturday, Nick and I drove down to Mooresville, NC to the beautiful Point Lake Golf Club for another stunning wedding. Amanda and Patrick got married outdoors and had the reception in the quaint, dreamy village, which was modeled in the Cape Cod style. The streets were lined in cobble stone and the azaleas where in full bloom. We started taking photographs early in the day and had plenty of time with the Bride and Groom to go explore and find cute spots to take photos. It was fun photographing the two of them, because they came up with their own photo ideas and incorporated their own style. Here are a few of our favorite pictures of the day. - Maddy

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Jennifer's Bridal Portraits - Biltmore Estate, North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:26:00 +0000

On Monday evening Nick and I met Jennifer and her Mom at the Biltmore Estate. They came all the way from Hickory to meet up with us. The weather could not have been any better for these bridal photos. It was warm and sunny and there was just enough wind to make Jennifer's hair and dress move the right way for the pictures. Jennifer mentioned that she was little bit nervous, but we were really inspired as soon as we took the first picture. She is a natural in front of the camera and knows exactly what to do. This made for a fun and exciting shoot for at the Biltmore. We came up with some new locations and took advantage of the colorful spring flowers. The Biltmore has a flower festival going on right now and offered some beautiful flowers and photo opportunities. Also the grass was just starting to get green around the Estate and looked stunning in the photos. Here are just a few of our favorites.

For the full gallery of photos go to our site HERE
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Jennifer and Eric - Charlotte Wedding Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:00:00 +0000

This past weekend Nick and I (Maddy) headed to the Charlotte area to photograph Jennifer and Eric's wedding. They had the ceremony at St Matthews of Charlotte and then the beautiful country club of Firethorn. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day. The Firethorn Country Club was a perfect venue for such a nice day and were able to take two golf carts and drive around the golf course to find perfect spots to take pictures. Eric and Jennifer gave us a lot of time for their photos. The reception was filled with good music, lots of dancing and laughter. Congratulations to Eric and Jennifer.

For the rest of the photos see our site HERE
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Flat Rock Playhouse - Music of the Night Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:55:00 +0000

The Flat Rock Playhouse is showing "Music of the Night" this month. It is such a fun and energetic show about Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous musicals. There are four featured singers and a wonderful choir ensemble. Be prepared to be enchanted and get ready for some goosebumps. To find out more about the show visit the Flat Rock Playhouse website.

For the rest of the photos see our site HERE
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Archer William Richard Prudhomme

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:25:00 +0000

About three months ago, I was photographing Tiffany and her cute pregnancy bump. Now, I had the opportunity to take the first official pictures of Archer William Richard Prudhomme. He was such a cutie and already has lots of personality. It was a fun photo shoot and we were able to wrap Archer up in a little blanket and take him outside for some outdoor pictures. He was so content, that he fell asleep on the tree trunk. Here are some of my favorites of the day.

-Maddy

See the full gallery at our site HERE
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Event Photos and Portraits - Red Bull Music Academy Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Last weekend I went up to Detroit for the weekend to photograph the Red Bull Music Academy. While up there I had the opportunity to meet and photograph many Detroit electronic music artists. The Red Bull Music Academy photos are not online yet (I have to wait till they give the approval), but for now here are some portraits of the artists.

See the rest of the photos on our site HERE
Asheville Wedding Photography

Amber's Bridal Photos - Biltmore Estate

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:12:00 +0000

This weekend Amber and I did her Bridal Photos at the Biltmore. The weather was amazing and because we went at about 5pm the sun was in the perfect place in the sky for that warm light. Amber looked great in her dress and was a great sport about trying different locations.

See the whole post HERE
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Laurie and Adam: Raffaldini Vineyard, Ronda, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:35:00 +0000

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!

See the whole article here: at Blue Bend Photography!
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Wedding Photography - How much time do I need?

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:17:00 +0000

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)

View the original article at Blue Bend Photography

1 Photographer vs 2 Photographers at the Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:53:00 +0000

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.

View the original article here at the source: Asheville Wedding Photography - Blue Bend Photography

Wedding Makeup Advice by Wendy Ballance of Blush

noreply@blogger.com (Nick Gillespie) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:43:00 +0000

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