Perfect Moments XX

No Words Needed. Perfection. Happy Almost Friday.

A special thanks to Meghan Sorel Photography for this inspiration

Perfect Moment XVI

This bride and groom are having a GREAT time and we cant help but love the carefree style.... Not to mention, those fabulous Badgley Mischka shoes :)

Much thanks to Kiss the Groom and the fabulous Elizabeth Messina for sharing it with us.

Perfect Moment XV

Loving this moment! Happy Weekend.

image via Manola Doreste for Infocus Studio

Perfect Moment XIV

I recently featured another perfect moment by Stacy Reeves, but this image also captured my attention. Like the last perfect moment, this moment really goes to show you how important and special it is to take time with those you love.

image via Stacy Reeves

Perfect Moment XIII

Hoping this image starts your week off with a smile


image via Craig Paulson Photography

I know we usually post perfect moments between the bride and the groom, but this image melted my heart a bit.

Perfect Moment XII

I know that I just shared a perfect moment yesterday, but I came across this image today by Dallas Photographer, Stacy Reeves, and couldn't resist sharing it. I love how the photographer caught such a peaceful moment between the couple.

image via Stacy Reeves

This image just goes to show that despite how crazy the day is it's important to take time to be in the moment.

Vendor Spotlight-Anthony Vazquez & The Aftershoot

You all know just how much we adore Anthony Vazquez, not only by the fact that we feature so many of his photos as our perfect moments, but obvious by the fact that both S and I enlisted him on our big days. Anthony has become our friend over the whole wedding process and almost a year later, we still cannot help but be fascinated when looking through his work. It is emotional, raw, trendy yet classic and constantly innovative. So when asked to write a blog post, he of course chose to discuss one of the newest bridal trends, Aftershoots. See below for Anthony's words on Aftershoots and his mindblowing photos taken at his latest aftershoot. An underwater camera for wedding photos? Who would have ever imagined!



And check out his site for our own guest post! We couldn't be more thankful and excited...



"Many people refer to the after shoot as a "Trash the Dress" shoot. We don’t really trash the dress, and if we do, it is not the dress the bride wears on her wedding day. It is usually much less expensive than my bride's original couture gown. Think $99 off the rack.



The idea behind these shoots is to allow my team and myself a large portion of time where we can push the limits of what we do with our art. Recently I had the pleasure to work with my dear friend and future bride, Vanessa. She had always envisioned a particular shoot, and our job was to make her dream a reality. We flew to The Breakers in Palm Beach where her event is taking place next year. The venue is extraordinary.



Another misconception about these shoots is that they always occur after the wedding day. They are often scheduled prior to a wedding, which I really prefer. It really helps us build a great relationship with my bride and groom. I also love having the opportunity to work with my clients in a much more intimate setting without the bright lights and stress of the wedding day I wanted to push the envelope and create something really special for Vanessa, so we started with the idea of shooting her underwater, and then I had my stylist prepare a few stunning wedding gowns for her to wear during her shoot.



Below you will find a selction of images from our shoot with Vanessa. I hope that you enjoy them. You can see more of our work at http://www.anthonyvazquez.com/"

all images courtesy of Anthony Vasquez

perfect moment XI

image via Shira Weinberger

I adore this photo. It looks like they are sharing the best secret, what a great shot!

Perfect Moment X

via Jessica Lorren

Love Love! They look totally and completely in love.

Perfect Moment VI

No words really needed. This photo was taken from Craig Paulson Photography. Even though the bride and groom are physically small in the picture, their love seems as moving as those wonderfully photographed clouds and calm waters. Thank you Craig for allowing us to share!

Engagement Photos

I love good engagement photos. Honestly, I think engagement photos are a great way to get to know your photographer. You will be able to really tell how well your personalities and style match. Although, not important for all vendors it's really important your personality matches with your photographer because you spend so much time with them the day of the wedding.

(Image credit : Divine Light Photography)

(Image Credit: Angela Anderson)

(Image Credit: Kellie Kano)

(Image Credit: Kiss the Groom, Elizabeth Messina)

Some Tips

1. Don't wear white

2. Wear a bit more makeup than you usually do, but look natrual

3. I'm really anti the matchy match outfits, but coordinating is good, i.e if you are wearing a formal dress your fiance should wear something equally as formal

4. Wear something you can move around in, You want to be able to enjoy the shoot not worry if your outfit still looks presentable

5. Have fun. It's odd being the center of attention and if you do the shoot in a busy area it makes it even a little bit more odd, but if you have fun it will show in your photos!

Perfect Moments IV

We just had to share this image from Brian Dorsey Studios, one of our favorite NYC photographers, because it perfectly captures the joy that the couple is sharing on this big day. The expressions and emotions are ones that are found few and far between in our lives. Put a real smile on my face thats for sure.

Vendor Spotlight-Austin Wedding Photographer Eric Hegwer

As you know, here at Sane Brides we adore perfect moments which are composed of a mix of amazing love and a sharp eye via excellent photography skills. So when we got a chance to speak with Eric from Eric Hegwer Photography we were excited to be able to share with our readers. Eric is a photographer based out of Austin, Texas who has a great eye for perfect moments and much more. He was able to offer us some great tips when it comes to choosing a photographer for the big day, a very important vendor selection. Check out his site to see more of his work and read below for some of the great advice and inspirations Eric has to offer...

SB: How would you describe your style?

E.H: At Eric Hegwer Photography we love all parts of a wedding - there are always tons of great candid shots, opportunities to make incredible portraits, and even a bit of commercial style photography when I take pictures of all the details. Overall I consider myself an accurate wedding photographer - I can shift between the photojournalistic "fly on the wall" style that is so popular with the brides, to a more traditional wedding photographer when the Mother of the Groom wants some of the standard family portraits. Depending on what the couple wants, I bring in 2nd (and even 3rd) photographers with additional skills to get the shots they want.

SB: In the south bridal sessions are a must for every bride, can you tell us northerners a little about them?

E.H.:Bridal Portraits are so much fun! A few weeks before the wedding, once the gown is ready, it is traditional for the bride to have a bridal session. This is when the bride gets all dressed up, and we head out to do a combination of fun, relaxed pictures, and a few traditional shots showing off the gown. The sessions are a great trial run for hair and makeup, and usually her mom, sisters, and maid of honor come to participate. We do all kinds of poses, and I love teaching them how to stand, and look great in photos. Then, a large framed print is prepared and displayed at the wedding. I've heard multiple reasons for doing this, but for me, it saves time on the wedding day. I know we have some great shots of the bride, so we can forget about those on the day of the wedding, and get her to the party faster.

SB: How long have you been a photographer?

E.H: For the last 5 years I have been a full time wedding photographer. Earlier this year, when my business began to really take off, I opened a studio and began to take on associates who share my style and philosophy. Starting a team has been a great bonus to the brides, because they get more pictures, faster. Oh yeah, In a previous life, I was a biochemist.

SB: Best question for a bride/groom to ask a potential photographer?

E.H:"How long will I have to wait to get my photos?" I've heard so many stories of couples waiting months or years to get their wedding pictures. In todays digital age, a great photographer should be able to get 99% perfect picture in the camera, and have to do little post processing after. I guarantee that my couples will get their photos within 3 weeks of their wedding. Even when I shoot a wedding with real film (I'm one of the few in the world who still uses film) I can get the shots developed and scanned in a few short weeks.

SB: What inspires you as a wedding photographer?

E.H. I find inspiration all over! From my dog, to my garden, to my yearly trips to Europe with my wife. I love going to museums, art shows, and street fares. There is so much beauty everywhere!

SB: On the day of the event, how do you typically work with your clients? What style/approach do you use?

E.H. To me, it's super important to learn as much as I can about the bride and the groom. How did they meet? What are their favorite foods, and movies. Do they like to travel, or see live music, or garden. The more I can understand about them, the better the pictures are. At the same time, I share bits about who I am. It's all about building trust, so when the time comes for photos, they can relax in front of the camera. Of course I have the experience to direct them when necessary, but if I see something amazing happening, I also know when to just be quiet and shoot.

SB:Do you ask clients to give you a list of photographs prior to an event?

E.H. Not usually. I generally attend the rehearsal, and get to know the immediate family, and bridal party the day before, so when it's time for formals they go quickly and effortlessly. I recommend every couple set aside a minimum of 20 minutes so I can take some creative portraits of the two of them. Sometimes they come to me with a particular shot they love, and ask me if I can re-create it. I tell them that this is a different couple's wedding picture, and I'll do my best to make a new one just for them.

SB:. How are you keeping up w the ever changing field of wedding photography?

E.H.Wedding photography hasn't really changed much in the last 5 years. Wedding trends change, but photography is still the same. I like to give clean, crisp, vibrant photos. It is very important for me to correctly frame and expose my pictures, and after that it's just keeping on top of what brides want. It's also very important that the couple have actual pictures to display around the house. Of course, they all get a Disc of the digital negatives, but I also encourage them to get prints made to show off their big day.

SB Here at sane brides, we adore the details of the big day. What are your favorite type of details to capture?

E.H:My absolutely favorite time of a wedding is immediately after the ceremony. The couple is now married, and doesn't know exactly what to do! I step back and just let events unfold. Sometimes they break down and start crying in joy, or family and friends rush over to congratulate them. Each time it's different, and incredible

A special thanks to Eric for sharing these great tips and his wonderful work. Be sure to visit his site for some more inspiration.

Foot Phenomenon

Flat or heel? Comfort or style? Wedge or stilleto? Sparkles or Satin? These are questions brides have been asking for decades when it comes to choosing their perfect "glass slipper"....White or Color? This is quite the new phenomenon.

So long to the days when brides are thinking/being told that "you can't even see the shoe under the dress anyway" and hello to the days of wedding photographers everywhere itching to get a few shots of those shoes . Whether it be before they even slip them on, when someone else is helping put them on or just simply peeking out of the bottom of the all white gowns, those shoe shots are a definate at some moment throughout the day. And with wedding dress hemlines getting shorter and shorter, a girl has got be wise when choosing the right shoe.

It just makes sense..for decades, women have been particular about fashion including the shoe. Imagine life without flipping through Vogue gawking over the latest Jimmy Choo's or watching Sex and the City without wondering what Manolo Carrie was going to slip on to complete her look. This obsession has now crossed the border into wedding planning, so add it to the long list you have already compiled, ladies.

And as a traditional, yet fashionable, bride I was quite torn. I went the easy route..used both. I was gifted a beautiful pair of Satin, White Stuart Weitzmans from my maid/matron of honors, aka, best friends aka 2 sisters that I adored, but I was itching for a pop of yellow in my very traditional lace gown. So when my husband bought me these fabulous pair of yellow Louboutins as a wedding gift, how could a girl resist. My mom was adamantly opposed to me "ruining" my dress with these bright fashion statements, but I was resistant to giving them up. So, in order to stay SANE AND HAPPY (not always easy in the wedding world) I practiced what all marriages are comprised of and compromised. I wore my beautiful white heels while getting ready at my parent's house and during our mass and then switched to my yellow fashion statements when hitting up the after photos and reception.

One of my very best friends also opted for the color tradition introducing her traditional "something blue" in a very non traditional way. She rocked a pair of navy blue heels under her gorgeous lace gown and not only checked her "something blue" off her list, but also fashionably coordinated with her classic navy blue and white color scheme to really tie together her whole day.

And when it comes to outside the box shoes, we can't forget to include our groom in the mix. This picture is from S & W's big day. The checkered socks that the W and his groomsmen wore really got quite the hype, not to mention made for an awesome photo op

So, Are you traditional or modern when it comes to wedding day shoes? Thoughts on Color? Favorite shoe shots? Share them with us!

Perfect Moment III

Calm, serene & at ease-A definate perfect moment. It is one that is few and far between during the excitement and whirlwind of our wedding days. Capturing a moment like this takes such an eye as this bride and groom look as though they are having their own moment, not even noticing the photographer.

Photojournalism is the newest wedding photography phenomenon and that is what most of our "perfect moments" exemplify. It forgoes the traditional wedding poses and allows the photographer to become creative, and the bride and groom(and wedding party & guests) to remain natural. I find that these candid shots make for much better frame worthy images, but that is my own opinion. Its always nice to have a few of the traditional ones as well, but the emotions that are exuded from these are indeed, "perfect moments."

It is important when meeting with your potentional photographers you specifiy the types of pictures and photography you are both looking for from the get-go. That will allow you to figure out if your wants match up with the photographer's style. Be sure to go through some of their sample albums to get a better idea of how he/she shoots. Nothing is better than actual past material.

Photo contribution taken from Anthony Vazquez, http://www.anthonyvazquez.com/

Perfect Moments II

I had to add on to S perfect moment post. What a stunning photo that is... Here are two other perfect moments taken courtesy of the photographer that both of us chose. More to come on him & why chosing the perfect photographer is key in showing the unreal love that is shared on the big day. No one would have ever guessed the photo on the right was taken during the pouring rain!...Photos courtesy of Anthony Vazquez, Thanks AV xoxo

Perfect Moments

How perfect is this shot from kiss the groom.

Time alone is so difficult to come by the day of your wedding. I would really suggest that you and your fiance schedule a few moments to just take it all in. Whether you decide to see each other before hand, or just carve out some time during the night, it will really make the night feel even more special.