Figure out what you like.

 Are there pictures that have stood out to you in magazines, adds, friends' wedding albums??
1. As much as possible, clip those pictures from magazines and keep them in a file just for Wedding photos.  When you do
find your photographer, this will be a great tool for you both in terms of making sure he/she understands exactly what you
want and are hoping for for your own wedding.    

2. If you have a friend with wedding pictures you really like, ask her for the name of the photographer and get the website information.  
In the event that you  can't get that particular photographer at least you can forward the link to the photographer you do end up getting, again
to show them what you like.



3. Try to attend a Bridal Show , such as the ones held at the Expo Center 
 - Not only can you  see a wide variety of  styles but most photographers will have 'specials' running if you sign up during the fair.
 Be advised, it can really be overwhelming at these fairs so make sure to bring  a few friends with you.

TIP:  bring some self -adhesive address labels with all your information on them, that way you don't have to waste time filling out cards
 for drawings or special information etc... Include your name, address, phone number, email and date of wedding.


The Different Styles defined....

  The main styles of Wedding photography are Traditional and Photojournalistic.
The extremes being:
Traditional:  Portraits and events of the day are mostly 'posed' or 'staged' (for ex: the traditional toast picture)
Photojournalistic:  No posing, all candids, no touch-ups that would change the content of picture (editing limited to slight color adjustements)

Most of the time photographers will use some combination of both styles but leaning heavily towards one style or the other with varying degrees of creativity.
What is important is for you to figure out what YOU like, what YOU want, and then find a photographer whose work matches what you have in mind.


Blue Door Studio STYLE

Our style  is more of a creative photojournalistic style:
Our emphasis is on capturing the events of the day as they happen,
  capturing the emotions and the subtle details that tell the story that is yours.
Below are two pictures taken at the same moment -  We always have at least two photographers to capture different angles.



photo by Heather Bravine-Morris


       photo by Joelle Morris

We  are not purely photojournalistic in that we also refine and create what we like to call 'Creative Portraits'.
Beyond adding special filters and touching up blemishes, we like to play with colors and contrast.  

 
        


By nature, family group shots after the wedding tend to be more formal,
 though doing them outside can sometimes allow for a more casual look.



With the bridal party however, we tend to be a little more creative.

   



Decide on your Budget

Bridal fairs are a great place to get an idea of what you can get and for how much.  
There can be a significant range so its important to compare both the quality of product relative to the price of the product.  
Another great tool is of course, the Internet.  There are a number a great sites such as Wedj.com, Wedplan, OneWed, TheKnotm,
where you can enter the date of your wedding and your zip code and it will give you a list of photographers in your area.
 Some will even allow you to input specifics such as your price range, how many hours you need etc...
and then will give you a list of who has packages with that criteria...
It's definately worth checking out.



What you can expect with Blue Door Studio photography:

~ We value people and we love getting know them and hearing their stories.
We hope to put you at ease as we help you plan for your wedding and then continue to put you at ease throughout your wedding day.

We also understand how incredible it is to find the Love of Your Life and therefore how Precious yourWedding day is.
These are once in a Lifetime moments.
 

These Pictures are frozen moments in time that allow you to forever remember details you might otherwise forget.
Though Formal shots are traditional and important in their own right,
You won't usually forget who was in your wedding party, or what family members were there...
but what you might otherwise not remember is
the last look between you and your father right before he walked you down the aisle,
your Husband's first reaction to seeing you walking towards him...
the look of his face when you said 'I do' ...
or how he craddled your face when he kissed you...
Those are the moments we love to capture!  Those are the moments we are always looking for and anticipating.
Sometimes you won't even know that those moments happened until you see the picture...
Those are the ones that speak more profoundly than any words...

It is our Honor to capture them.


The Blue Door Studio Photography TEAM

~ We have three photographers, two guaranteed at all Saturday and Sunday Weddings 



~  Heather Bravine-Morris 
Based in Portland OR
Shoots Internationally
Primary photographer at each Wedding
 - Creative Portraits, Group Shots - Main shots at the wedding - Candids throughout the day.

            

  Primary Second Shooters - Main Shots during Wedding -Candids before and after the wedding


~  As much as possible we try to cover the Wedding day in its entirety from beginning to end *.... 
(*  Depending on distance and time of day etc...)

~  Wedding planning Sessions are included at no extra charge:
1st Weddinig planning Session:  Informational, you decide wether or not you want to reserve a date,
 if so, you receive the contract to sign and the photo checklist.  
Your homework will be to write out ideas/ find clippings to bring back to me at our next meeting :  1 month prior to Wedding.
2nd Planning Session:  We finalize the details of the wedding by going over your ideas and your photo check list.
 You will receive 'Wedding day ' schedule  and 'Order of service' schedule to fill out
 and hand out to your Bridal Party , make final payment.
voila !!