Let’s work backwards shall we? Julia’s garter became her something blue, but with a twist. The police car, badge and handcuffs represented Josh and his job as Deputy Sheriff. Additionally, Julia carried a few good luck charms with her under her skirt. A pin from her great grandmother and namesake, rings that had been passed down, and a few other sentimental tokens.

Last of all, she added a sixpence coin to her shoe. All of these rituals made me start to think about the meaning  of these somewhat obtuse rituals. So I did my homework. Here’s what I found:

“Something old” is a reminder of the bride’s link to her ancestors.

“Something new” is a wish for good fortune and success in the future. The bride often chooses the wedding gown to fill this category.

“Something borrowed” usually comes from a happily married woman and is thought to give  good luck to the new bride.

“Something blue” is a symbol of love, fidelity.
A sixpence in her shoe is to insure wealth and prosperity for the future. In this instance those shoes will a killer shade of pink!

Julia and Josh also chose to do a “First Look”. This is an emerging and distinctly American tradition that has been brought to popularity by other wedding photographers like myself. Gone are the days when seeing the bride before the ceremony was a thought to be bad luck. Today’s couples instead, enjoy the quiet heartfelt moment together in which they can express their excitement for the impending nuptials and say what is in their heart. Plus, it’s a giant stress relief!

Many of our modern traditions are a twist on older one’s inherited from relatives who could only bring their way of life to this country when they immigrated. As America grows older, I suspect many of the traditions carried by these stalwart progenitors will be preformed along with unique American born rights of passage that are now reaching maturity, just like the couples themselves.

**Update**

As promised, a video of my favorite photos from Josh and Julia’s wedding. If you would like to purchase a copy please use the paypal button below and a DVD will be sent to you!

You wouldn’t know it by looking at them, but Brant and Abby stand as pillars of strength for their families. They both have a quiet unassuming way of caring for each other that is inspiring. Through times of loss, sickness, or just the frustrations of daily life, they stand by each other -  undaunted. They believe in family and most of all, they believe in each other. Thank you both for letting me share in your most joyful day.

The video I’ve created for this post is a collection of some of my favorite images and moments from their wedding. Hopefully it captures the spirit of this wonderful couple.

All of Abby and Brant’s wedding photos will be available for viewing on Aug. 14, 2010 at 9am. Please use the following link to view the images.

Login: Abby & Brant

Password: 21366

http://www.collages.net/ViewAnEvent/irenejonesphotography

Since I started creating these videos for customers I’ve gotten a lot of great feed back about what great keepsakes they can be. If you would like to purchase of copy of this video on DVD for yourself or as a gift  please use the Paypal button below.

So, I feel like I need to say thank you for the glowing praise. Each review on Google Maps goes a long way to helping me gain quality new customers which grows my business. I’ve already had new clients come specifically because of what was said. So anyone that posted a review during the contest (6-8-10 through 7-31-10) watch your mail boxes, because I will be sending you a $50 gift certificate. For some of my oldest customers this is nothing new, I have always rewarded referrals with free photos and discounts on future sessions. So please, keep sending your friends and family my way and earning a little somethin’ for yourself.

There can only be one winner of the 16×20 canvas though, and this was a hard decision.  Here’s the winning review.

By Michele – Jul 9, 2010

We’ve worked with Irene for a long time now, and can attest that every experience with her is convenient and rewarding. She knows what we want before we want it. It’s nice to know that we can ask her to capture a memory and not worry at all that the essence of what we value will be communicated in her work. And whatever creative idea we have, she’s able to make it happen. The quality is superb, the price is great, and the experience is fun. We’ve recommended her to countless people and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again.‎

Thanks Michele for referring people over and over. At last count I have done 5 weddings from your referrals and sold prints to dozens of extend family members and friends across the country.

If you’ve had a positive experience as a wedding I’ve shot, or I’ve done portraits for you, please add your reviews to google maps, and tell your friends. Thanks again to everyone to who wrote a review.

I just made this as a promo for the studio, what do you folks think? I’d love some feed back. I have a feeling this is the first in a long series…

Click on the link above to view!

After shooting this image I couldn’t help but show it to Lindsay. Her smile when she saw the image was fantastic. It was a perfect way to start off the day. For those photographers out there reading this post. I shot this in the middle of the day with strobe. The goal? Over power the harsh overhead light to create dimension and shape. Using strobe allows me to mold the light into what I want it to be instead of muddling through with only natural light as a source.  It’s techniques like this one that are taught during the Indoor and Outdoor Event classes I teach as part of my Momtography School: Photo Workshops for Moms. These classes are coming soon, and space is still open. Please check them out!

Lord Hill Farms has recently finished a number of renovations to their facility. It looks amazing. If you’re looking for a venue for your wedding, this should be on the top of your list!

This shot shows the reception area on the main floor. They also have an indoor and outdoor ceremony site, a must have for any venue in Western WA. Here’s another angle of the table decorations. I love their choice of flowers on the tables. I think it complemented the elegant, yet rustic look that this beautifully converted farm embodies.

While Terice, Jesse, and the groomsmen (Matt and Ryan) were photographing outside, I was with Lindsay as she put on the her final touches prior to the ceremony. For this wedding Lindsay and Jesse opted for “split formals.” Splitting the portrait session into before and after the ceremony is a good way to keep the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other prior to the ceremony, while still allowing for us to take a bulk of the portraits before hand. This keeps the guests happy, and gives us ample time to get creative shots.  Other couples choose to do a “first look” where we have the bride and groom meet up a private little moment before the ceremony. With this option we get all of the photos out of the way prior to the ceremony. Some photographers want all their clients to do a first look, others always do split formals. Personally, I do whatever make the bride happy.

Once Lindsay was ready for her turn in front of the camera, I couldn’t resist a few shots on the dock. The Snohomish Valley is just amazing, and the sky, looks like something from a childhood memory.

The 5pm ceremony was perfect. Set on the hillside overlooking the river, Lindsay, Jesse, and their families participated in a heartfelt expression of love and unity. Both the bride and groom incorporated traditions from their individual heritage and then sealed their vows with passionate kiss.

And it’s that very idea of passion that I think best encapsulates these two. Their love is infectious and a joy to witness!

As a part of the ceremony, Ryan, the best man read a traditional Irish wedding blessing, which says:

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

The rains fall soft upon the fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together.

May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.

May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, A twinkle from your eye.

And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love, May the good Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.

May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands. And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts.

Amen.

May I add my agreement to these beautiful words and my wish for a long and happy marriage for Lindsay and Jesse!

To view more of Lindsay and Jesse’s photos please visit our online ordering page. All of the images will be online July 24, 2010.  Please use the following username and password to view the images.

Username: Lindsay & Jesse

Password: 21366

And finally, if you attended Lindsay and Jesse’s wedding and love what we did, please write a review for us! Follow the link below to learn how to win an 16×20 canvas just for telling us what you thought!

http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/06/08/write-a-review-and-win-our-contest/

The photo was a series of fortunate happenings all at once. Right after the ceremony the wedding party and a bunch of friends were standing outside the reception hall. I grabbed my gear, some flower petals the florist had stashed for me earlier that day, and a strobe. We passed out flower petals and told our bride and groom to kiss. I had one shot, luckily it turned out great!

Lindsay and Jessie were so fun to photograph! One of my favorite things is seeing the way a groom looks at his bride. The love, passion, and commitment to each other is beyond words.

Check back in later this week for a sneak peek from their gorgeous wedding day!

]]> http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/07/19/head-over-heals/feed/ 3 http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/21/heather-and-ricardos-wedding-sneak-peek/ http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/21/heather-and-ricardos-wedding-sneak-peek/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 22:45:14 +0000 Irene Jones http://blog.ijphoto.net/?p=207 Congratulations to Heather and Ricardo, married May 1, 2010! Below are a selection of photos from their wedding that I have added some of my favorite borders to.  When creating wedding albums for my clients I often use these and other filters to create the custom designed look of each book. If you are interested in seeing samples of albums I’ve created please call 425.367.4781 to schedule a consultation and to learn more about pricing.

]]> http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/21/heather-and-ricardos-wedding-sneak-peek/feed/ 0 http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/18/stoping-to-smell-the-flowers/ http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/18/stoping-to-smell-the-flowers/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 18:53:12 +0000 Irene Jones http://blog.ijphoto.net/?p=189 I’m Terice Lehman and I’m guest blogging for Irene today. We saw the photo challenge for I heart faces this week and we both thought back to this wedding we shoot together late last season. This is Brittany and she really wanted to stop and smell these flowers because they were her wedding colors Irene and I both looked at each other and thought “ok, it’s a little cliché’”,  but we will do anything to make our client happy and I took the shot anyway. It turned out super cute. So I’m grateful our bride Brittany wanted to stop and smell the flowers and I hope you are too.

]]> http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/05/18/stoping-to-smell-the-flowers/feed/ 4 http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/03/15/card/ http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/03/15/card/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:32:03 +0000 Irene Jones http://blog.ijphoto.net/?p=63 This week many of my sessions from the past year are receiving updates to their online ordering site.  A selection of custom cards are being posted as well as photo collages.  Cards are available in flat and folded options and all text can be customized with your personal message.

These cards are perfect for Graduation Announcements, Thank You cards after a wedding, Save the Date postcards if you’ve recently had an engagement session, Birth announcements, or Birthday invitations!

Plus I am happy to make changes to any of the designs posted upon request. Ordering is simple, just add the size and quantity (groups of 25 cards) to your cart when ordering prints.

The photo collages are a terrific way to present a variety of different images. Each collage is formatted and ready for printing on canvas.  All of our canvas prints are “gallery wrapped”. This means that the image area extends around the sides of the wooden frame making it ready to hang the moment it arrives. These collages can also be used as photo cards but they are limited to cards with square dimensions.

If you have any questions about ordering these products please email irene@ijphoto.net or call 425.367.4781.

]]> http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/03/15/card/feed/ 0 http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/02/23/megan-and-steven-feb-20-2010/ http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/02/23/megan-and-steven-feb-20-2010/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:50:10 +0000 Irene Jones http://blog.ijphoto.net/?p=27 I meet a lot of people from all kinds of backgrounds, cultures and walks of life.  I say this in all honestly, never in 10 years of photographing weddings  (and I have literally done hundreds of weddings) have I had the privileged of working with such wonderful people.

Their attention to detail, love of one another, and kind demeanor was very refreshing.  I hate to admit it, but I sometimes feel like I’m living in a reality television series.  Some of  the stories I could tell about the strange and sometimes frightening things I’ve observed would fill volumes, but I’d rather focus on the good times.

The wedding day started around noon for me, but the team of make up artists and hair stylists had been at work for several hours before I arrived.  Once boutonnieres were pinned in place and every last lock of hair curled, the entire bridal party, myself, and Terice (my assistant), went to the SAM Sculpture Gardens for some photos.

It took several trips to get us all there and back.

One shot of Megan was done in the parking garage while we were waiting for a ride. She exclaimed, “I love Cement!” Which is not something I’m used to hearing from a bride. Normally my clients don’t share my love for industrial design, but since Megan is an Architect we found out quickly that our tastes ran parallel.

Next came the ceremony. The vows were heartfelt and even printed lovingly on card-stock and bound. Steven is a Lawyer and obviously gifted when it comes to the written word. I normally tear up in weddings, but in addition to tears during this ceremony I applauded most approvingly with the crowd.

The reception was perfect. Friends and family shared laughs and tears during the toasting and the dancing that followed. I went home, feeling a renewed faith in love and the power it has to ennoble all of us. Thank you Megan and Steven and may God bless your union always.

If you wish to view more photos from Megan and Steven’s wedding please visit our client log in page for Irene Jones Photography. Search for Megan and Steven and use password 21366 to log in. Print, photographic cards, wedding albums and other products can be purchased directly from the client log in site. Photos will be posted 2 weeks after the wedding date.

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