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Vendor Spotlight: A. Blake Photography
Finding the right wedding and event photographer is no easy task, but it is arguably one of the most important vendors to lock in in order to make the big day perfect. Soultones recently performed at a gorgeous Heritage Estates wedding and had the pleasure of working with Ashley and her the dream photography team, A. Blake Photography.
This premier San Luis Obispo wedding photographer captured nothing but magic, from the intimate ceremony to the nonstop dance party at the reception, and her portfolio is full of beautiful wedding, engagement and lifestyle shoots we love!
Check out Ashley's work below and see why we chose to spotlight this talented vendor:
To learn more about A. Blake Photography, visit their website at www.ablakephotography.com.
Must-Capture Wedding Moments
Experts agree you should secure your wedding day photographer at least nine months in advance, or more if they are an in-demand vendor. Finding a trusted team will ensure your special wedding moments will be captured and preserved for you and your family to cherish forever.
Any professional photographer/videographer team should have a checklist of important events and moments that occur over the course of your wedding day timeline, but we recommend the following must-capture moments be included in the final shot list:
- BRIDE AND GROOM GETTING READY BEFORE THE CEREMONY: Plan on having time for the photographer to be with both sides of the bridal party. Solo portraits of the bride and groom once they are ready are just as important and candid moments between the bride and her bridesmaids as well as the groom and his groomsman.
- EXCITEMENT OF YOUNGER BRIDAL PARTY MEMBERS: There's nothing more precious than capturing moments of excitement among the younger guests, especially the flower girl and ring bearer.
- FIRST LOOK: Ideally this happens before the ceremony in a private location away from guests and other bridal party members.
- INVITATION SUITE AND DETAIL SHOTS: A lot of money goes into the finer details when it comes to planning a wedding, so make sure these are packed up and brought along for the big day and have your photographer design a shot to include invitations, wedding rings, bouquets and other mementos you want to remember.
- BRIDE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE: Whoever walks the bride down the aisle is an important person, so capturing this moment is a must.
- GROOM WAITING AT THE ALTAR: His expression will say it all!
- VOW AND RING EXCHANGE: These separate moments deserve separate shots.
- FIRST KISS: One of the most romantic must-capture moments on this list!
- RECESSIONAL: After the pronouncement of marriage, capturing the facial expressions walking down the aisle is priceless.
- BRIDAL PARTY PORTRAITS: These can be taken before or after the ceremony, depending on what your timeline allows. Group shots are important, but make sure you take the time to get one-on-one shots with the members in your bridal party as well.
- FORMAL FAMILY PORTRAITS: Make sure you communicate the important groupings of family members in advance, and don't leave out extended family.
- GUEST GROUP PHOTO: A great time for this is during cocktail hour before or after formal family portraits OR during the reception when the dance floor opens after dinner. Have your photographer find a vantage point where they can get everyone in one shot.
- OVERALL CEREMONY AND RECEPTION SITE SHOTS: One before guests arrive, and one when everyone is seated.
- THE FIRST DANCE: This is usually a very emotional and beautiful moment that deserves both close-up and wide shots.
- PARTY PICTURES: On your wedding day, it's impossible to be everywhere at once. Make sure your first and second photographers are covering all the bases at the reception, including the dance floor, photo booth, bar, outdoor areas, etc. You will love looking back and seeing all the experiences your guests had and how much fun your wedding was!
Villa Visuals - Wedding Photography
Dance band Soultones rang in the New Year at a stunning Downtown LA wedding and had the pleasure of working alongside the dream photography team at Villa Visuals. These Southern California-based photographers clearly love what they do, as we witnessed first hand how incredibly they captured the evening and all of the bride and groom's special moments.
"For us, wedding photography has always been about telling the whole story - honoring where people have come from and celebrating where they’re going. More than a wedding day, it’s the start of a marriage. Because love is the best thing we do." - Villa Visuals
If you're looking for a photographer to capture your special day or event, visit Villa Visuals at their website to learn more: www.villavisuals.com
Marianne Wilson Photography
Gold Standard had a blast performing at the recent wedding between Jessica and Brandon Price at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. What made the night even more special was getting to work with the rockstar team at Marianne Wilson Photography. From the absolutely stunning portraits to the candid moments on the dance floor that were captured, we couldn't recommend these photographers more!
This Southern California-based husband and wife photography team provides "awesome photos for rad people," and their end products are simply stunning! Not only were they great to work with, but they certainly know how to capture the magic of a wedding!
For more information about Marianne Wilson Photography, visit them at their website here.
Splashes of Time
Today's vendor spotlight goes to one of our favorite photography companies to work with, Orange County-based Splashes of Time Photography. They offer services for occasions including weddings and engagements, with video packages and specialties included as well!
Our bands have performed at weddings where Eric and his team effortlessly and professionally navigate both the wedding ceremony and reception, capturing every detail while making sure guests' celebrations aren't interrupted. It's also extremely apparent how passionate the company is about what they do:
"I know the images I capture today will not only be viewed by my clients and their loved ones but by their future children, grandchildren and generations to come. I take great pride in every photograph I take." - Eric Andrew, Founder of Splashes of Time Photography
For more information on Splashes of Time, visit their website, www.splashesoftime.com.
Snapmotive
Our Vendor Spotlight for today goes out to a very talented artist, Snapmotive aka Daniel Han! Snapmotive produces amazing photos by keeping it simple and effortlessly capturing a love story between couples. Check out some of his work!
Take a look at the details!
It's been a pleasure for us to witness Snapmotive in action and we couldn't be more showcase their work. For more info please head to their site at www.snapmotive.com
DPARK Photo & Video
Having recently worked with California-based photo and film team DPARK at Mirei and Ben’s Monoarch Beach Resort wedding, we couldn’t recommend them more after seeing the quality of work they produced as well as witnessing the professionalism they exhibited.
Junebug Weddings impressively named the DPARK team one of the “World’s Best Wedding Photographers.” And if that isn’t enough, EventDV Magazine lists them amongst the “Top 25 Hottest and Most Influential Event Flimmakers in the World.”
We consider ourselves lucky to get to work with DPARK on weddings and events in California. See how gorgeous their work is for yourself:
Same Day Edit
Westlund Photography
We recently crossed paths with this awesome team from Westlund Photography and after seeing their work and how they work, we definitely had to give them a shout out!
If you're looking for an awesome team to capture your special moments on your special day, we highly recommend you to head to www.westlundphotography.com
Jillian Rose Photography
When you book a wedding photographer, you are entrusting them to capture all of the important and memorable moments of your celebration! We can say, without a doubt, that we’ve witnessed nothing but professionalism and a tremendously skilled and talented eye with Jillian Rose Photography. Her portfolio speaks for itself.
Chard Photos
Photographers play an important role in capturing moments and memories to last a lifetime. Rich of Chard Photos, based in Southern California, has an impressive portfolio of stunning wedding and portrait photography and we’re always thrilled to work with him.
#sundayspotlight #downbeatlaapproved #weddingphotography #eventphotography
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