Getting engaged is one of the most exciting days of your life! But for many of us it is quickly followed by lots of questions. When is the wedding? What kind of dress will you get? Do you know what colors you'll use?

This can cause some serious anxiety. Yes, most of us have dreamed of our wedding our entire lives, but when it is staring at you head on we might not know where to start. 

As a wedding photographer I have had more experience than most when it comes to wedding. However, when I got engaged in July I felt like I had no idea where to start. Now that I am nose deep in the planning process I want to take a moment to share some tips on how to get started!

1. Take a Breath

My biggest piece of advise is to not jump right in the day after you get engaged. You're entire engagement will be filled with planning and meetings so take a week or two and just enjoy the newly engaged bliss!

This could also be a great time to start talking with your fiancé about some surface level planning. Like the season you would both prefer or the color scheme. Nothing too in detail though just yet!

2. Create a Guest List

This is the perfect place to start the actual planning process! Before you can really start planning anything it is important to know how many guests you want to have. It is important to note that the more people you invite the more expensive your venue and catering tend to be.

Personally, I started by creating a shared Google Sheets document that both myself and my fiancé had access to. In this document we began a list of the people we would absolutely want at our wedding. We also used color coding to group couples and families in this list. To expand on the list we added a column for their address, their relationship to us and whether or not we had already given them a save the date. 

This excel sheet has quickly become the backbone of all of our wedding planning. We went on to create a budget per vendor table and later wrote our actual costs and how much we had paid so far. It is super helpful to have a central place to go and look at where you are in the planning and spending process!

3. Choose a Venue

The next step is to secure a date, in order to do that you need a venue! Find 5 venues you absolutely love and ask for their availability (especially if you have a certain month in mind) and then schedule tours!

Once you have a venue you will be able to start inquiring with other vendors and let them know what your date is so they can make sure they are available. One thing to note, if you have a vendor you ABSOLUTELY want, let's say a photographer, you can reach out to them first and ask what dates they have available before locking in on a venue. This is a great option if you aren't totally sold on having a certain venue but would rather prioritize something else. 

From this point the real fun is about to start! All the little details. Don't be afraid to ask for help and lean on your bridal party because I guarantee they want to help in any way they can. 

Helping my brides plan their weddings beyond just photography has become something I really enjoy. If you ever have any questions about the planning process feel free to reach out. I also recommend heading over to the Bride Tools section of this site and checking out the Vendor Catalog for some other suggestions on vendors to book after the venue!

I was so honored to be a part of this styled shoot! A team of amazing Ohio wedding vendors gathered to put this together and it was more amazing than I could've hoped.

​Check out my full gallery here!

PLANNING/PRIVATE LOCATION: @pinktomatocreative
CAKES: @thefaithfullittlecupcake
COOKIE PIE CHIPS: @acupcakeaday
FLORA: @leaf_homeandblooms 
TEAM HAIR: @locks.by.libbybrenner @rachelmassary @btmua
TEAM MAKEUP: @rachelgabrielleandco @rachelgabrielleandco_melissa @btmua @the_emma_kat
BRIDAL GOWNS: @ivoryandashbridal
MAIDS GOWNS: @thedressmaids
BLACK BRIDAL GOWN: @thedressMedina 
​MENSWEAR: @libertyStudiosWoo
MODELS: @missiebratcher @kBricker14 @c_cyrus514 @annazerrer @mia_blacktiebeauty @joey.ariemma
@mzamy.fitfashion @riviera.young @rashaunfain
PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM: @drzazgaphoto @rusticlightphotography @ashleyescola.photo @thomkphoto
@breweltyphotography
RENTALS: @lavenderandlacerentals
STATIONERY/CAMPERBAR: @pinktomatocreative

This beautiful Amish Country Wedding in Sugar Creek, Ohio was the perfect way to restart the 2020 wedding season!

I am thrilled to share some of this amazing gallery with you.

These two had the perfect summer evening for their engagement session in Wooster, Ohio. 

I love getting to know my couples during these shoots and my oh my were these two just the cutest! I cannot wait for their fall wedding this year. Enjoy a sneak peak of their engagement session below...

Sage & Kib had a beautiful and intimate wedding despite COVID-19. Surrounded by their immediate family and friends they were able to tie the knot at this gorgeous venue. 

We will celebrate their wedding again next May when they can have their full guest list in attendance!

If you weren't able to celebrate with them this time take a look at some of the photos from their day here...

Dress: Kuhn's Bridal
Venue: Willow Haven (Wooster)
​Florals: Four Seasons Flowers and Gifts

Watching your best buddy get married to the love of his life can be bitter sweet. As the best man you are responsible for a few key factors when it comes to the wedding day. Making sure the groom is ready to stand at the altar, keeping track of the rings and also making sure he is having fun are among the top few. But the most stressful duty for most of the guys appointed to this title is the dreaded Best Man Speech. 

As a wedding photographer I have witnessed quite a few of these speeches, some great and some... not so great. If you're not sure how to proceed there are a few key steps you can use to outline a speech that is sure to come out as thoughtful and enjoyable for those listening. 

The first step to starting any speech is introducing who you are. We don't just end it there though. You should also introduce to everyone who you are in relation to the groom. Maybe even throw in there how long you've known him or why he means so much to you. (I know, we are getting sappy already)

This is an easy way to get the ball rolling with your speech. You're likely pretty nervous standing up their in front of everyone so start the speech off easy!

Now this one is really up to you on whether you want to add it in. Usually if you're related to the groom and know a majority of the guests it is nice to thank everyone for coming. You could also thank the bride and groom for putting such a great event together or their parents if they had a heavy hand in the planning. 

This part usually goes a long way with the older crowd and sets you up nicely for a formal and well-rounded speech. 

We are now making our way into the body of the speech. This is a good opportunity for a light joke, right after you did your best at being "formal". As the best man you probably have some pretty embarrassing stories about the groom. Try to think of one that talks about who the groom was before he met the bride, we will make a connection to this later.

If you choose to make a jab at the groom make sure it is light and that he and the bride will think it is funny. Refrain from cursing (unless you know for a fact the audience will not have a problem with it) or from talking about any ex-girlfriends or awkward topics. 

This is a good spot to talk about your relationship with the groom and give everyone an inside taste of who he is to you. 

After you've successfully got everyone's attention it's time to talk about the bride. The most popular topic is talking about the first time the groom told you about her or maybe the first time you got to meet her. You could also talk about how you could tell by the way he talked that she was the one for him. As the best friend it is likely that you were one of the first people he told about this "special girl".

You will get extra bonus points if you tell the bride how you saw a change in him after he met her. This is where you might reference that goofy story from "the roast" and talk about how she has helped him grow and mature from the boy you knew. 

This is another take it or leave it section of the speech. If you are married and have some funny bits of advice for the newlyweds this is a great spot to get some laughs. You could also take the route of giving the bride some advice on how to keep her new groom laughing and happy (since you've taken on that responsibility thus far). Or you can give the bride some advice on how to deal with her new husbands "quirks". This is a section that could go a lot of different ways! Make this speech your own in as many ways as you can.

Now we are beginning to wrap up the speech. You always want to be sure to put all jokes aside for a moment and genuinely wish the couple a long and happy marriage. 

​This is also where the tears might start arriving. Keep it together, you're almost done!

Its time to raise a glass. If you have any final thank you's or closing remarks now is the time. You'll want to speak directly to the bride and groom and ask everyone to join you in toasting their love and long marriage. 

As the best man it is also one of your duties to get the party going. So as you sign off it is a great time to throw in a "now let's get the party started!". 

So you just got engaged. Yay! Now you want to tell everyone and anyone who will listen that this ring on your hand is like the coolest thing that has ever happened. Right?

The perfect way to celebrate your new engagement is through a photo session. (in my opinion anyway lol) 

I've put together a list of helpful tips so that you are totally prepared to nail that engagement session and show off your love to the world, or all of your Facebook followers. 

If you haven't already, start looking for a photographer to shoot your upcoming wedding. Most of us love getting to know you as soon as possible. So even if it feels like you are jumping the gun, start making inquiries with the photographers you really like. Once you have a wedding date set go back and make sure that they are not already booked for that day.
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Most photographers, like me, offer discounts or a free engagement session when you purchase a wedding package with them. So waiting until you have a set date is key to landing the right photographer for you before booking an engagement session. 

Now, this one may seem obvious. But I feel it still needs to be said.

​You should definitely go shopping and pick out some new clothes for your session. Be mindful of the colors you choose and the location you are going to. You can even ask your photographer for advice on what to wear or look to my favorite... PINTEREST! 
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Another important and sometimes overlooked detail is getting your nails done. This session will have a focus on your hands and you will want them to look nice and manicured to accent that new ring. 

For the guys, go get a fresh haircut. If you feel stylish and like you've got it together it will totally show in your photos. Confidence is key my friends!

The most important part of the whole engagement and wedding experience is to HAVE FUN. Lot's of it. Don't get too stressed out or think everything has to be perfect all of the time. It doesn't and it won't be. 

Hopefully your photographer encourages you to have fun and focus on each other during your engagement shoot. The best photos are the ones where we can see the love shared between the two of you, not where you feel awkward because you aren't sure if your arm is in the right spot.

I would even encourage you to make a date out of it. Get all dressed up for your photoshoot and then go out to a nice dinner and spend some quality time together. I mean, you've only got the rest of your lives to do that right?