Tips & Clicks: Location Scouting

“If Gretchen would have driven me past this place before her wedding and said, ‘this is where we’re taking our bride and groom portraits’ I would have told her she was crazy.”

I had a very lovely maid of honor tell me that at one of my weddings two months ago and I didn’t blame her! It really got me thinking, though. I think the difference that sets someone apart as a “professional” photographer is the ability to look at any situation and find a way to make a good photograph. Gretchen and Mike were married at Castaway Portland which is in a very industrial area of the city and while I love industrial/city images, I always strive to mix it up and add some green, simple, lovely photos as well.

I think when most people go to look for locations they look for a “beautiful place” like…where the WHOLE place is beautiful and I do too in some way. Those places are a dream and totally stress free, but let’s face it: not only are those hard to find, but almost everyone shoots there BECAUSE it’s so beautiful and it can be hard to make your photos different. So, instead I look for ONE spot. All I need is at least ONE spot that I can make work, regardless of what the rest of the location looks like. If I can pose my couple right, frame my shot right, and get the right kind of light: I’m golden.

When I was driving around the Castaway area looking for a place to go after the city/industrial photos, my choices were pretty slim. Then I drove by an area that is a medical office complex, has a big dirt lot next to it where 18-wheelers park, and the smallest little patch of grass with trees and a bench overlooking the water. It was NOT a pretty place, by any means, but I knew the second I saw it that I could make it work. I don’t need the whole place to be beautiful, I just need a couple little spots to have some potential and I will MAKE them beautiful!

Also, don’t just look for places with the “perfect” light. Sure, that’s obviously ideal and I do look for those places and love to shoot in the perfect lighting whenever possible, but I also look for places that are out of my comfort zone in terms of light and that I can push myself. It really helps and you never know, you could create one of your favorite images!

>>This photo is probably one of my favorite photos from the day. It was taken next to a fence with a big orange 18 wheeler parked about 25 feet away. It was about 92 degrees, 1:30 in the afternoon, and the sun was beating down on us. BUT! I went for it anyway [=

Tips & Clicks: Becoming a Photographer

Have camera will travel.

There’s a lot of ideas of what being a photographer is all about. It’s lavish, exotic, full of beautiful people and places, and easy workdays, right? Well, no. To be honest most of my days are spent on a yoga ball in front of my computer. Sure, there are the days that I get to visit beautiful places and photograph beautiful people, and while my workdays aren’t easy by any means, I’m passionate about what I do so it makes them more enjoyable. With all of the misconceptions of what being a “photographer” is like, I thought I would first shed some light on at least what I have experienced it to be. Obviously there are SUPA legit photographers who have completely different lifestyles and everyone has different businesses, but for the most part:

1. I spend a lot of time at the computer
2. I spend a lot of money on equipment/software/education
3. I wear so many “hats” that were they real hats I wouldn’t ever have to do my hair.
– client management
– book-keeping
– marketing/advertising
– scheduling
– meetings
– networking
– editing
– quality control
– blogging
– maintenance
Literally the list goes on and on. Honestly, actually taking pictures is probably what a lot of photographers do the least. For every hour I am photographing there are probably 5 hours of work on the backend.
4. I’m not rich.
(WHOA! Big shocker) Sure, I pay myself a salary that I consider decent for where I am in my business and my life, but I’d probably still make more money being a bartender.
5. It’s a lot of hard work.
Like, really, really hard work.

That being said, if you’re dream job in life is to become a photographer you can definitely do it! Where there is a will, there is always a way. Just make sure you have a realistic idea of what being a photographer is like and the amount of time/energy/money/and effort it takes to make a sustainable living. It does NOT happen overnight (as much as my impatient heart wants it to)

////////////////////////////////////////////

So, here’s some of my personal tips that I have implemented that have gotten me where I am so far. I am by no means the best person to give this advice. I’m still figuring things out every day and working on getting my business to the point I want. There are people far more qualified than me to help you on your way, but I understand that sometimes when you’re just starting out those people can seem intimidating or sometimes out of touch with the things you’re going through as a beginner. Having mentors and idols who are above you is an invaluable thing, but it’s also nice to have a homegirl (or boy) that’s in the same boat as you to confide in and help you as you grow together!

1. Know your equipment before you ever really start photography. 
– This means practicing, practicing, and practicing. Not practicing at someone’s wedding or practicing on a paying client. Practicing on inanimate objects, practicing on your brother or sister, practicing on your dog, literally just get out there and take pictures. Take a class at the community college, read books, never stop learning and excelling. Once you have your camera on lock and you know it forwards, backwards, and with your eyes closed. Move on to step two.
2. Practice some more, but this time. Preferably with some one. 
– Completing a summer long internship was the best thing I did for my business and really helped me gain confidence, skills in my desired field, and practice in real life situations. Reach out to photographers and invite them to coffee/lunch (and pay for them), join photography clubs or groups and go to meet ups, make friends in the industry. Assist them, intern with them, walk their dog, literally anything. Building strong friendships and bonds in the industry will only strengthen your business. Referrals are an amazing asset and having someone you can go and ask questions or get advice from is invaluable.
3. Set up all your business shiz BEFORE you start shooting
– Nothing makes me more sad than seeing photographers who want to be ‘professional’ and taken seriously, not taking their business seriously. Before I started doing weddings I filed my business with the state of Oregon, opened a business bank account, researched all the tax laws that applied to me, got business insurance, had or rented back up gear, and was full on ready as far as the legal aspect of everything goes. It’s really simple, if you want to be taken seriously then be serious.
4. Determine your CODB (cost of doing business) and what you need to ideally bring in each month/three months/etc. This will help you with your pricing. If you’re just starting your business chances are this is super easy for you to do. You don’t have a ton of expenses yet other than big purchase equipment and the basic things needed. Some examples of things to factor into your CODB are:
– Equipment/Rentals (just like you do for taxes divide the amount you spent over the span of 5 or 10 years so that you can factor it evenly into your CODB for a while)
– Insurance
– Website/Blog hosting
– Office Supplies
– Advertising
– Taxes/Licensing
Add up your projected expenses for the year in all those categories. This will give you the bare amount of money you must make JUST to break even and maintain your business. Divide this by how much (and how much is realistic for you) that you want to be shooting and this is the absolute minimum you should be charging per session. This leads us to point 5
5. Don’t sell yourself short.
– Seriously, you want to be a photographer to make a living being a photographer. That’s just not possible if you are under valuing yourself, under cutting the industry, and giving everything and your first-born away. I’m not saying you need to come out of the gates charging 4000 for a wedding or 1500 for portrait sessions. I’m just saying, know your CODB and value your business, your art, and your time. “But what about the fact that I don’t have a client base and need to build my portfolio/word of mouth” Well, for starters that’s why you listened to tip 2 and already practiced, assisted, interned, and picked the minds of your industry peers. Secondly, I personally view that as a vicious cycle. Photographers justify giving everything away for free as building a client base, but if you want to do this as a living those people aren’t your ideal clients and they’re just going to tell all their friends and family that you gave them a shoot, album, and all the images for free. Which is going to keep giving you more of that same client. Charge lower if you’re just starting out, but still make it worth your time. Personally, when I started photographing weddings I started at 800 for 6 hours. I felt this was reasonable for my skill level and experience. I was still making enough to cover my CODB and have a little extra for myself (not much, but a little) and while I was still considered budget or cheap there was still SOME kind of investment there that made my clients value me and my work. Plus, when they referred me it wasn’t because of my LOW LOW prices. It was because they loved their photographs. If you’re a portrait photographer (sorry if this is TOTALLY off base, I’m not a portrait photographer) you might consider charging a low fee or no fee for the sitting session, but then charging for the digitals or prints after the client sees them. That way there is no risk, you’re still potentially making money and covering your costs, and the client knows that you’re building your portfolio/client base.
6. Put yourself out there and don’t conform to industry “standards”
– One of the biggest mistakes I personally felt I made when I first started photography was to try to be like everyone else. I figured that was what people wanted. They wanted pretty soft music, light blue backgrounds, soft cursive text, and a lot of usage of the word swoon, but that’s just not me and honestly, all it did was blend me in with everyone else. Last year I decided that I didn’t care what everyone else was doing. I was going to do things my way and be who I was. People were either going to hate me, my photos, and my website or love them and either one was fine with me. You can’t please everybody. I was scared when I first implemented my brand. I was afraid of how it was going to be received, afraid I’d never book any clients, afraid no one would take me seriously, afraid that I had made a terrible mistake, but none of those things ended up being the case. When you follow the crowd you blend in with the crowd. When you put on a hot pink blazer, change your hair, wear bright lipstick, like fun music, don’t take yourself too seriously, and produce work you’re proud of…you stand out. Look inward. Look at your closet and clothes, your furniture, your make up each day, how you do your hair, what you do in your free time, and find out what makes YOU unique and different then use it to your advantage. Don’t look at other photographers, look at you.

////////////////////////////////////////////

At the end of the day the biggest piece of advice I can give to beginners who are trying to get into the industry is to network your butt off, don’t be afraid to invest in your business if you’re serious about it, set realistic goals early on, and always continue to grow, push boundaries, and get better. Like anything it takes a lot of time, dedication, and love to make a successful photography business (I’m still working on it!), but I really believe that if you produce great work and take your business seriously, clients will follow.

Tips & Clicks: Putting Together An Inspiration Shoot

If you’ve been keeping up, last week I posted my very first Tips & Clicks about whether or not you should undertake and inspiration shoot and whether it’s the right thing for you! This week, as promised, I’m going to go over some of the basics of the beginning stages of putting one together! (If you went through the other post and decided: HECK YEAH BRITTANY, I’M READY!)
You did? Sweet, you’re in the right place then. Let’s get started!

1. All inspiration shoots start with the same thing: AN IDEA.
Ideas can come from anywhere, but it’s best not to get them from other shoots. Books, television, movies, fashion ads, anthropologie displays [; Literally it is all around us, you just have to harness it and interpret it into wedding form!

2. Draft up your idea, story, inspiration
Make your plan. If you want to do a shoot based on bowling and The Big Lebowski, come up with a color scheme you think will work, the overall feel you want the shoot to have, and any key details you can think that will help get your idea across. The important thing is not to go too overboard with ideas/inspiration. You want to make sure other wedding professionals know your expectations and goals, but leave room for creative freedom and interpretations on their part. This is a collaborative effort, after all.

3. Pull your resources/connections together
Hopefully (if you read my last post and answered appropriately to all the recommendations) you’ve photographed a couple of weddings by this point and you have at least a handful of other wedding professionals you have worked with or have networked and built relationships with. This is an important step and one that can take you the longest if you’re not semi-established. When deciding who you should work with on your shoot ask yourself these questions:

• Who have you work with in the past?
• Does their work match the look/feel of your shoot?
• Have you invested in them and their business and build a relationship?

If you can’t answer those questions then it could take some time before you have a backing of professionals who would want to invest their time and money into working with you. It’s always best to have a relationship with someone before asking them for something and essentially cold emailing them. (Really, no one likes cold emails of people asking for things)
Here’s some ideas if you need to get started:

• Spend time on their Facebook. Comment, like, share, etc their business adventures.
• Take them out for coffee and introduce yourself (DO NOT MENTION THE SHOOT — unless you feel a super strong connection right off the bat.) The goal here is to lay the foundation for a relationship
• Ask what you can do for them…not what they can do for you! — Go into the meeting with this mindset. Listen to what they have to say about their business. Do they need new promo photos? Are they looking for canvases to fill their studio/client meeting space. Are they having trouble walking their dog one day a week while they’re at their kid’s soccer game? Literally, anything you can do to make their life better and set you apart in their mind. It may seem silly because let’s face it, you’re awesome and anyone would be lucky to work with you, right? Well, as true as that may be there are a sea of wedding professionals out there and if you can be that one in a million that isn’t selfish, people are going to remember that and you’re going to build a friendship. Through this friendship will come referrals, shoots, etc. So take the time. Get to know them.

4. Send them your pitch.
Draft up a pitch email with the general ideas of the shoot and send it to your friends that you want to be involved. For my last styled shoot, our pitch went something like this:

“Hi (So-and-S0)!
I am currently in the process of setting up an editorial (or whatever your style) wedding shoot and would love to invite you to participate by featuring your fabulous (whatever they do)!! We’re going to submit the photos to a few blogs in the hopes that they are picked up, but really we’re just looking for a fun way to pass the off-season blues! I am already teaming up with (YOUR BESTEST BUDDY WHO YOU GOT IN ON THE SHOOT ALREADY) to bring this vision to life! Honestly, we just love you and your work so much and can’t imagine having anyone else do the (whatever they do) 🙂 We would love to have you on board if this is something you would be interested in! All the vendors participating in this stylized photo shoot will be offering their services at no charge, in trade for the marking and publicity that will be gained by our efforts afterward to showcase your business and the creative freedom to let loose and do things you’ve always wanted and you will, of course, receive all the pictures for your marketing purposes and  We are looking to schedule the shoot on XXXX XX, XXXX. If this is something you’d like to participate in, please let us know if this date would work for you!
I have attached a proposal of the inspiration for this shoot so you better get a feel of what we are trying to accomplish!
Hope you have a good day! I look forward to hearing from you!”

Just a general idea to get your juices flowing. Feel free to obviously tweak it and send whatever you’d like! 

5. Once you have the other wedding professionals on board, everything should roll in to place with each person doing their job. However, I do have some TIPS for you [=

• Ideally you want to get a coordinator/stylist on board. My first shoot I didn’t have one and honestly it was kind of stressful managing everything and everyone involved. I’m a photographer, not a coordinator. So, I’ll leave the coordinating to the professionals. Seriously, they make the shoot so much more fun, relaxed, and you can focus on what you love to do. Plus, they often know tons of wedding professionals that they can contact or recommend to you.
• Decide how many people you need involved. Is it a large shoot that needs all the bells and whistles or a small shoot that can get by with one model, a cake, a stylist, and a florist?
• How will the costs be split up? Will each person be responsible for their own costs? If you’re an establish photographer in your area and have a reputation this is often fine because you’re working with quality professionals. However, if you’re newer you may have to discuss splitting some of the costs involved with people who are spending a lot of money on the shoot (the stylist for decor, the florals, etc)
• How many models will you have? Honestly, models are stressful and they’re on of the hardest things to secure. Two of my shoots I’ve worked with professional models and while they’re a dream to photograph sometimes you might have to pay them and the chemistry between the couple isn’t as sincere. I recommend just getting a real couple (one you’ve photographed before would be ideal)
• Be prepared to leave your credit card number places. Such as the bridal shop where you get the gown, the rentals vendor, etc.
• GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME — this is a huge one. Make sure everyone knows the schedule of the day and they allot that much time to the shoot.
• Make a shot list so you don’t forget anything important that you need to photograph
• Make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to bring and what they are responsible for
• Have snacks, water, and/or coffee available (it makes everyone happier, trust me)
• BIG ONE!!!! — HAVE EVERYTHING DONE PRIOR T THE SHOOT so it’s just setting things up when you arrive. There’s nothing worse that waiting for people to still get things ready and put stuff together. When you get to the shoot it should literally just be an unloading and a set up. No one is still decorating a cake or putting together floral arrangements.

I know putting together a styled shoot feels overwhelming and in some ways it is. But, with a proper plan, timeline, and a solid idea/group of amazingly talented people, it can be amazing. Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself and don’t feel like you can’t possibly do one just because you’re not a social butterfly. Really, all you need is ONE person. If you can get ONE person involved they together you can pull your contacts and build the team. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. My first shoot I had no idea where to get a dress from and I didn’t want to ask any of the other professionals involved to go out of their way and help me. Finally I had no choice and confided in my bestest buddy who was on board that I spent time developing a relationship with (happened to be the florist) and she made a single call to a bridal salon in town and had us a dress within about 2 minutes. Seriously, don’t be afraid. Everyone is invested in the shoot and invested in making it a success. Work together and share in the glory together.

❤

Wednesday Wedding Do: Become A Green Bride!

Green is the new black.
Not green from sickness or green with envy. I mean green as in Mother nature’s friend, of course!

It’s no secret there has been a resurgence of the green eco trend in everyday life and a lot of future technology and innovation is focusing on being environmentally friendly. Restaurants are focusing on serving more sustainable foods and cities are implementing more green practices such as recycling (or recycling AND composting as we do here in Portland). So, it’s only natural for that to slowly start to leak its way into the wedding world.

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and is a huge, beautiful event. It’s also an event that can leave a lot of trash, waste, and things you just have no idea what to do with. So, here’s some of my top tips on making your wedding more tree hugger friendly:

>>1. Paper Goods: Let’s start with the invitations! Consider sending invites on recyclable or compostable paper. It’s one of the easiest and more straightforward ways of reducing waste on your wedding day and won’t sacrifice quality at all.

>>2. Wedding Dress: Consider an eco-friendly wedding gown or buying a used gown. You can almost rent fancy schmancy dresses from Rent The Runway for a fraction of the price and go for a look that’s different and unique from the average wedding. Here’s one of my favorites. I know that wedding dresses are an important decision in the wedding making process, an important investment in the wedding planning process, and a lot of girls spend years dreaming about what they will look like in their perfect dress. So, I understand if this is not the perfect tip for every bride. So, that brings us to an easy tip every bride can implement on number 3!

>>3. Bridesmaids: Rent your bridesmaid dresses or let them pick their own dress. Mismatched bridesmaids have been in style for a while and it also has the added benefit that each lovely lady can pick their own dress that they will probably wear again in your color scheme. At the very least renting bridesmaid dresses is an easy solution!

>>4. Flowers: Work with a florist who works with local growers. A lot of florist are starting to get their flowers from local floral markets or local growers and it’s a wonderful trend! A lot of flowers are imported and often sprayed with harmful insecticides and pesticides. It’s not only gross, but really bad for the planet. Work with a florist who will use locally grown flowers that cut down on fuel costs, harmful chemicals, and can often be less costly than using exotic flowers for your wedding. Using in season, locally grown flowers is not only an easy way to lower your wedding footprint, it’s a beautiful way!

>>5. RENTALS!: One of the easiest, cheapest, and smartest way you can lower your wedding budget and environmental impact is by using rentals instead of buying things. Not only the common rentals for table cloths, tableware, chairs, etc. But decor rental is becoming increasingly popular. It’s more affordable than buying all the decorations and there is no waste leftover that either goes in the trash or sits in the your attic/garage. One of my favorite decor rental companies is right here in Portland! Something Borrowed

>>6. Sustainable food: Hiring a caterer who features local, sustainable food is an easy way to green up your wedding. Not only are you providing healthy food that inevitable tastes better I’m sure you are also cutting down on fuel consumption and supporting your local economy.

>>7. Shuttling: Consider hiring a shuttle to carry your guests around on your big day. Have everyone meet at the reception location, load up on the bus and go to the ceremony together. You’re cutting down massively on fuel consumption, emissions, etc, but also pending more quality time with your friends and loved ones. Or, better yet, have the ceremony and reception in the same place!

Well, those are my top tips for you brides to be out there, but it’s nowhere near a complete list. There are literally hundreds of things you can do to cut down your wedding footprint. Luckily there’s a whole website dedicated to being a green bride that you can check out for all kinds of tips, tricks, and resources!
Green Bride Guide

WWD: Drool Worthy Bouquets

It’s really another week already?!
Okay, okay, on my behalf my birthday is tomorrow and I’ve been CRAZY busy this past week (all good news, of course)!
Plus, you know how people say the older you get the quicker time goes? Well, I use to think they were crazy, but it turns out…they’re right. Completely and utterly right!

So, this week’s Wednesday Wedding Do is all about drool worthy bouquets. Spring is in the air here in Portland and the flowers are booming all around us, so I figured it was only fitting!

What makes a bouquet drool worthy, you ask?

It’s the right amount of color, texture, and style. Really it all comes down to your personal aesthetic. Overall you want a bouquet to compliment your dress and wedding. Here’s some of my favorite bouquets from the past:

OKAY! Looking for some tips when choosing your bouquet?
Of course there’s no one better to answer those questions than Mrs. Martha Stewart herself. So, this is what the geniuses behind Martha Stewart Weddings had to say:
1. Choose if you want your bouquet to be formal vs. casual
2. Think about the shape you want your bouquet to be
3. Think about the details – stems, colors, etc
4. If at all possible, go with flowers in season!
I’ll also add to think about how you want it to smell and how heavy you want it to be. You are carrying it around for most of the day after all!

To read the tips more in-depth go here.

Wednesday Wedding Do: Should You Have An Engagement Session?

Spring is in full swing and that means most engaged couples have already booked their photographer and are well on the way to finalizing the last details of their wedding (If you’re not that’s cool…I still have a couple dates open!) [;

It also means the weather is getting nicer and it’s time to get out and shoot your engagement session! A lot of brides I meet with ask me if an engagement session is really necessary. To which I always reply, “YES!!!!!!!!” (Always that enthusiastically) Engagement sessions give you a chance to:
A. Get to know your photographer more
B. Get comfortable with the posing and style of your photographer
C. Spend some time just you and your significant other before the craziness of the wedding day
D. Get some beautiful photos of you looking normal and not so formal.
E. If taken early enough your engagement photos can be used on save the dates, guest books, etc.

So, now that you know WHY you should have an engagement session. Let’s plow through some tips:

1. Try to think out of the box for your engagement session, but keep it simple.
Go to places that are important to the both of you. A place you had your first date, a park you frequent, a farm on Sauvie Island you visit once a week to pick your own berries, the beach you go to once a year for a week to get away, anything, but make it a place you are comfortable with and will help tell your story as a couple.

2. Have a drink before the session. (Or at the session!)
It will help you loosen up, seriously. Also, it’s nice to sit together and kind of relax prior to being photographed. There’s nothing worse than feeling super rushed and crazy right before you are supposed to look casual and normal in pictures.

3. Bring a change of clothes.
It’s nice to have some variety in your outfits and take photos in two locations with two looks. At the very least bring some accessories to change it up and revamp your look!

4. Don’t worry about being silly
Actually, you should be silly. One of the first things I tell my couples is to let go of any ideas they have of what the shoot is going to be like and don’t worry about if you don’t have your Tyra Banks fierce look on all the time. Be natural, talk, do something funny. If the photo doesn’t work out or you look like poor Beyoncé during the super bowl rest assured that photo will NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY. But, more times than not it makes for some really great “in between” photos of genuine smiles and laughs or genuine looks of love.<3

WWD: Are You Ready For Your Closeup?

Nothing ruins your day more than waking up to a dreaded zit.
Now, imagine waking up to one the morning of your wedding. HORROR! I know.

Right about now I’m sure you’re wanting to slap me silly for even putting that idea in your head, but hear me out first! I have searched high and low for the best advice to make sure you’re camera ready. So, consider these tips to look great from your first glance to your last dance and hopefully when you see me next it’ll be to give me a big hug! [;

1. Drink A LOT of Water
This is obvious. Everyone knows the key to good skin, good feelings, and a rockin’ body is lots and lots of h20. However much you think you’re suppose to drink, drink more! If you have a problem drinking tons and tons of water every day, supplement it with foods with high water content: like watermelon! 

2. Don’t Pick At Your Face!
In fact, don’t touch your face at all. Oily fingers, oily hair, and gross zits clog pores.

3. Brighten Skin With Microdermabrasion
About a month before your wedding you should go get a microdermabrasion or at least use an exfoliation scrub if you suffer from dull skin.

4. Test New Products Early
If you have new products, make up, or self tanner you are going to be using for your wedding make sure to test them early. There is always a chance of having a break out, allergic reaction, or some sort of super power inducing radiation effect when using new products for the first time. Combat this risk by making sure you test them all with plenty of time to spare!

5. Get Plenty Of Sleep
This is a no-brainer and should go without saying, but you have no idea how many brides stay up into the wee hours of the night the last days before their wedding stressing about final details and making sure everything is perfect. There are things you can sacrifice throughout the day and throughout your wedding. Sacrificing your sleep however is not only bad for your skin, it’s bad for your health!

6. Break a Sweat!
Exercise not only gets your blood circulating and helps you look “fresh”, it makes you feel better all around. It pumps endorphins throughout your system and releases “feel good” hormones.

7. Clean, Moisturize, and Keep Clear!
Having clear skin on your wedding day means a daily, faithful date with a quality cleanser, moisturizer, and as mentioned above: exfoliation! It also means taking the last week or so before your wedding easy with make up. It’s hard to walk out of the house bare-faced, I know. I almost never do it, but it really does help clear up your skin. It’s true that often the people with the best skin barely wear make up. Now, whether they don’t wear make up because they have nice skin or they have nice skin because they don’t wear make up, I’m not sure. All I know is they’re not my friends (just kidding!…kind of)

8. Wear Sunscreen
Whether you are planning a wedding or not YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE WEARING SOME KIND OF SUNSCREEN! Lobster skin isn’t cute on anyone and neither is walking around looking like a leather hand bag. It’s a good look for Marc Jacobs, not so much for you. Wearing sunscreen every day is an important part of skin health. Using a nice moisturizer with SPF is an easy way to make sure you’re protected.

9. Eat Good Foods
If you want your skin to look good on the outside, you have to nourish your insides. Be sure to eat foods high in omega-3, that contain a high water content, and most importantly are clean. Lots of greens, fruits, and veggies!

10. RELAX!
One of the biggest causes of breakouts is stress and unfortunately wedding planning is not a vacation in Hawaii. So, try to remember why you’re getting married in the first place, remember that as important as your wedding day is and as long as you spend planning it that really it’s about committing yourself to the person you love. As long as that part goes right, the entire day is a success.

sources: 1//2//3//4

Wednesday Wedding “Do’s”

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my new hopefully every Wednesday feature titled “Wedding Do’s”. It will basically be an idea I come across in all my weekly wedding research that I think is absolutely beautiful and you should do at your wedding!! So…since it is my Birthday today. (Yay for getting old!) I’m going to keep this one short and cut straight to the point. So I find it only fitting that for my first Wedding Do’s post I pay tribute to the man who helped me start my Portland wedding career last summer, Ryan of You Look Nice Today Photography. This wedding was actually recently featured on Style Me Pretty and includes such gorgeous details it’s almost sickening. However, what I especially loved about it was the cute pink pom’s that filled the reception tent. OH. MAH. GAWD. (Yes, that totally just happened) They’re soooo wonderful. AND she made them herself!! (I’m super jealous of people who have the skill and patience to do those sorts of things).