Parents of the couples, bridal party, friends, distant family members, the list goes on and on for all the people you want to have a photo opportunity with on your wedding day. And who can blame you? You're looking your best and this is the rare occasion that everyone you know is looking their best will be in the same place at the same time! But, with all those guests, orchestrating your formals can become a chaotic mess, which may result in not getting all the photos you hoped for. To avoid the chaos here are some simple tips that will set your formals up for success.

Organizing Your Formal Wedding Photography

1. Make a list.

The first thing you want to do is make a list of all the people attending your wedding that you want photos with. You don't want your photographer left guessing which guests should be included in family formals. Have a list ready for them prior to your wedding day. You'll also want to consider the combinations you would like to have with certain family members. Do you want just a group photo with all your siblings or would you like individual shots as well?

Having a list of names before hand and the combination of shots you want with each person will assist the photographer in devoting enough time to get all the shots you want.

2. Allow enough time.

Once you have your list and all your possible combinations you want to make sure you set aside enough time to get all the shots in. Typically each group shot will take 3-5 minutes but you want to also give a little extra time to gather everyone for the formals. Confirm with your photographer about how much time he or she needs so you don't end up having to forgo some of the important shots on your big day.

3 Let your guests know when they will be needed.

Make sure you keep everyone in the loop for when they can expect to be needed. The last thing you want is to be missing that one sibling when everyone else is posed for a big group shot. Inform the guests you want to have formals taken with prior to the wedding day so they already know to expect it.

4. Get the big groups out of the way.

It is usually best to get the bigger group photos done and out of the way first. Then you can take formals with your older family members and friends since most often standing for too long can be a burden on them. Kids tend to be pretty fidgety so they are also some of the first photos photographers like to get done as quickly as possible. Extended family members tend to go on the later end of the timeline to ensure all your immediate family gets their time with you.

5. Put Someone in Charge of getting everyone in the area.

Ask a bridesmaid, best man or trusted friend to be in charge of rounding up everyone for the formal shots. You don't want to be wasting your time checking the bathrooms or party bus for everyone since this is the time your photographer could be photographing you. Make sure that person has the list of people that are needed and let them handle getting everyone together.

6. Try to limit the family photographers.

You friends and family taking pictures with their camera can be a huge distraction for everyone involved. You don't want your photographer fighting with your aunts and uncles to get everyone to look at their camera. You hired a professional photographer for a reason, so kindly remind your guests of this fact; otherwise, you are going to end up with images where not everyone is going to be looking at the right camera and a lot of time will be taken up if they are posed for everyone else's picture.

7. HAVE FUN!!!

It's your wedding day! No matter what remind yourself to have fun! Don't stress about the screaming flower girl, the weather, or that Uncle Joe is at the bar instead of next to you. You want your beautiful smile to shine in all your formals so focus on just enjoying the moment!

View my Family Formal Flow Here:

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Wedding Day Exit Planning

Why to wear a wedding veil

Why to have a first look

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Wedding day Exit Planning

The grand exit photos can be some of the trickiest images of your wedding day. It's fast paced and filled with various items being thrown or waved in your face. While exit photos can be a challenge,they can also be some of your favorite images. To help you capture the energy and excitement of this mad dash into married life keep in mind these tips:

1. Don't assume your exit has to be at the end of your reception when you are leaving for the night! All of the exit's we capture are actually what we call a faux exit! This is usually done right before the photographer's scheduled hours are completed. After all the main events of the reception are completed, that is usually when nearly half of your reception guests start taking off as well, so this is a perfect last event of the night for them to see and even participate in! The DJ usually helps by announcing to everyone to gather together (in the designated area) for the exit as well as telling them that it's party time when they come back! The ones that do are the ones that your going to have all the fun with for the rest of the dancing and party time!
Another bonus to having your exit early is lighting! We usually get better images when its around sun set or just after, before it gets too dark.

2. Put Someone In Charge. If you don't have a planner then you will want to put someone in charge of getting everyone set up outside for you big exit (even if the DJ announced it). You will also want to make sure they are handing out sparklers, rose petals or any other item your guests will throw to send you off. Make sure this person checks in with the photographer to ensure they are set and ready for you to make your exit before telling you it is time to go.

3. Stop half way through! When you are on your way through the line, stop about half way through and do a kiss, better yet, make it a dip kiss! This allows for some fantastic shots!

4. If your exit is sparklers, run through again! So many times when sparklers are used, especially the long ones, they still have a lot of spark left to go when you get to the end of the line. So why not take advantage and do it again?! This is especially helpful for the photographers to have extra chances to get some great shots, especially when using flash and there is so much movement. So our couples run back through and do it all again! And a lot of times they outdo their first stop and kiss too!

Ideas for Exits:

Sparklers

Bubbles

Rose petals

ribbon strips (to wave, not throw)

glow sticks

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Why to wear a wedding veil

Prepping for getting ready photos

Why to have a first look

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When thinking about the wedding dress, the thought to follow is usually the veil. You may question whether to have one or not, or if you do want one, what length it should be, if it should have beads or lace, and how long you will wear it on your wedding day.
There is no doubt that they add beauty and elegance to your wedding attire!

When Brides ask me my personal opinion on if they should have a veil, I ALWAYS say YES! And here's why:
 

1. They enhance your bridal look.

After you put on a wedding dress, you are most likely feeling like a beautiful princess, as you would in so many other kinds of beautiful dresses right? But as soon as the veil is added, there is no doubt you definitely feel like a bride! It's the one and only time of your life to ever wear a veil, even though it may not be the one time you wear a stunning dress!

2. Creates SEVERAL more beautiful photos then going without!

There are so many kinds of poses and tricks we have with using the veils to really get several more beautiful images! Whether the bride is detail shots, getting ready, having photos by herself, with bridesmaids, family, bride and groom together, and even during the ceremony, there are added shots to each of these when having a veil then without because we want to make sure to capture all the really dreamy flows, glows, and frames that we can while you have it on! Since it's typically not worn all day, we take full advantage of what we can get while we have it!

3. There are so many options!

With all the gorgeous veil options out there, it's another way to customize your look and wedding to your look and style. You may love to have bling, so there can be another touch by getting a veil with beading, or you love lace so much that you get a veil with lace, maybe your dress is super simple so your veil adds the flare with some lace, or adding length to your dress to get an ultimate cathedral bridal look! There are short options, medium and of course several long options. I personally love the ones that go a little longer than the dress. They create the most dreamy flowing veil shots and have such an wow factor!

The number one question I get after they have decided on wearing a veil, is how long will it be worn?
Usually, it is put on after your wedding dress, and will be worn until after some photos after the ceremony are done with wedding party and just bride and groom. There may be more photos with the group and just bride and groom even after it's out too!
Sometimes it can be taken out earlier if bride and groom have a first look before the ceremony, where we will do their veil portraits then. So it can be taken out right after ceremony or pretty quickly after.  It is usually off though a little while before the reception, and before dress bustling. Some brides choose to put them back in if we go back out for sunset portraits, and some like to keep it off to have some photos without the veil as well.

Please enjoy viewing some of my favorite images using the veils to create such romantic and dreamy images!

Other Blog posts to check out:

Prepping for your wedding day getting ready photos

Why to have a first look

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Every bride wants to remember the exciting moments leading up to her walk down the aisle, the moments spent with her bridesmaids, getting her hair done, and putting her dress on. Some of the most beautiful getting ready shots happen spontaneously but there is an element of planning that goes into them too.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare and make it as easy as possible for your wedding photographer to capture the best possible shots of you getting ready:

1. Keep it tidy.
A cluttered background can change a photo completely. To prevent this from happening, try and keep the room as tidy as possible. This means keeping any surfaces as clean as possible, putting extra clothes in the closet or another room and hiding suitcases under beds. It also helps if there aren’t too many people in the room while you’re getting ready besides bridesmaids and immediate family so that your photographer has enough space to work.

2. Choose the right room.
You’ll be spending a good few hours getting ready in one particular room and it will also form the backdrop of all your getting ready photos so choose wisely. If possible, choose a room that has a little extra space so that everyone has room to breathe and relax. A room with lots of natural light also makes for much better photos so open up the windows and curtains. If the room you will be getting ready in isn’t ideal, speak to your photographer about other spaces that can be used for photos leading up to the ceremony.
Below is a wedding in an older church, where the actual getting ready was done in a room full of distractions and odd colors. However we found another room close by with a perfect corner where we moved a couple of minor things to have the optimal location for perfect getting ready portraits!

3. Have your details ready.
Keeping all of your details together in one place will make things easier for your photographer on the day and will help you feel more relaxed too. Your details include all of the smaller things such as your perfume, shoes, garter and the special hanger you’ll be hanging your dress on. It’s also a good idea to take your dress out of the bag and hang it up a few hours before you start getting ready so that your dress can breathe and any wrinkles can be steamed out.

4. Help your groom out.
Even though the groom’s getting ready process isn’t nearly as detailed as the bride’s, there are a few things that he can focus on while getting ready. Before the photographer arrives, ensure that the groomsmen are fully dressed and that the groom is dressed in his pants and shirt. His shirt shouldn’t be buttoned so that the photographer can capture him buttoning his shirt, straightening his tie and putting on his cufflinks. After that, your photographer will shoot some portraits of the groom and his party. It’s best for your husband-to-be to not keep anything in his pockets as this can affect the photos.

 
The key to getting the best getting ready shots is just to relax, have fun, and focus on the wonderful day ahead.

First looks have become more and more popular with Brides and Grooms, so much so that the majority of weddings we do now are doing them!
A first look is when the Bride and Groom have a beautifully planned and captured first view of each other before the ceremony even begins.

Here is why so many couples are choosing first look instead of the traditional first view of coming down the isle:

~ It helps you both feel calmer.
Once you see each other for the first time in your wedding attire, you’ll automatically start feeling calmer and can truly enjoy the ceremony. By having a first look, your photographer can also get better shots of the bride walking down the aisle because she won’t look as nervous.

~ It frees up more time.
Having a first look means you can get most of your couple and wedding party shots, and possibly even family formals, completed early on and can have more time to spend with your guests during cocktail hour, alleviating some of the pressure on the day.

~ You get amazing reaction photos.
When there's nobody around but the two of you (and us capturing the moment), your groom has the freedom to really express his true emotions. A first look also makes it easier to capture your grooms reaction as the photographer is usually more focused on the bride when she first walks down the isle and only can get minimal shots of the groom.

~ You get to share a truly magical moment together.
A first look will be one of the first moments that you get to share together on your wedding day and the fact that its alone makes it even more special. Every moment during your wedding day will be special and unique but there is something about sharing that first look alone that makes it simply magical. After we capture the moment, we leave the two of you to talk and admire one another, undisturbed, until you are ready to begin portraits.

~ The truth behind the tradition:
We understand that some like to keep it traditional, and that's okay! We are happy to work with your preferred requests! Some people like to stay in tradition though without even knowing how the tradition started. So I am here to help!
The reason for not seeing your spouse before the ceremony is because of back when marriages were arranged, the bride and groom weren't allowed to  see or meet each other until they were at the altar. This way, the groom would not have met her before knowing what she looked like, in case he would call off the wedding, which would lead to serious shame of the family who arranged the marriage. So to avoid risking the family's reputation, the tradition that the couple didn't see each other until the ceremony was born.

They actually managed to stay apart after Jenna was all done up and looking extra gorgeous to do a sweet first look!




Credits:
Makeup: Makeup by Ashley (Ashley Saunders)
Hair: Katie Schultz
Flowers: The Flower Loft (Lima)
 

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Rachel's Stunning Senior Portraits in June

Chloe & Jared had such a perfect day for the day they said I Do! For this July wedding at the lovely Crimson Lane Wedding Venue, it was full of beauty everywhere! The bride was absolutely stunning and the pops of blue in the wedding colors really brought out the blue in her eyes!! It was amazing to watch this day unfold so smoothly and an honor to be a part of it!

Before Chloe got into her own dress, she put on her grandmother's wedding dress for a few portraits before getting into her own. It fit her so well and she looked stunning in it!

Credits:

Venue: Crimson Lane Wedding Venue, Ada, Ohio

Hair: Amanda King

Makeup: Makeup By Ashley ( Ashley Saunders)

Dress purchased from: Twirl

Invitations: Zola

Cake: Jeanette Hager

Florist: Kill's Flower's in Spencerville

DJ: David Louth

Photography/Videography: Jessica Lynea Photography (Jessica & Jenna)


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Ally & Tony's Crimson Lane Wedding

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Haley is such an amazing lady! We had such an amazing session and perfect day for this session! We started in the studio and went to some local parks which included a beautiful sunflower field and wildflower fields!!!
She is just such a beautiful 2021 Senior and was so great in front of the camera! We got so much variety in her session with these locations and her beautiful outfits!

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Lauren | Senior 2020 Spring session

Allie & Louis found a perfect location for their engagement portraits! This place had so much to offer and we did our best to get around to as much of it as we could! We even ended up with a wonderful day, even if it was a bit hot. She brought a gorgeous bouquet to add even more color to their portraits too! We had such a great time visiting this location and capturing precious romantic moments!

And because I love romance and believe all my brides are princesses, I just had to create a fine art portrait with this amazing couple in such a beautiful location!

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Jennifer & Brady Summer Engagement Session

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Rachel's Stunning Senior Portraits in June

It's hard to believe Rachel isn't a model because she totally rocked her session like a pro!!! Not only was she awesome at being in front of the camera, but this 2021 Senior had a couple of beautiful outfits! And tied together with her makeup and hair, and those stunning eyes, it was just perfection!! Her hat for an added accessory was so much fun for some of the shots too!
We only did half of her session so far and I am just so excited to work with her again on the other half! We may have overdone it some but we just couldn't help it!
Our first location was actually at my own parents property. I love it there with the woods, trails, fence and color pops! Then we headed downtown to some of my favorite spots!

How cute are these masks?!!!



Lauren is just stunning!!!



Congratulations Lauren & Kyle!!!

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Ally & Tony's engagement portraits in downtown Lima

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Kaitlynn & Thomas's June Wedding

She's so excited to start college!

So in love with these red pumps!!!

These two below may be my favorites!!! She's so beautiful!

A true 2020 Senior, who ended her school year with stay at home orders. Using the mask to mark the memory was a perfect idea!

Congratulations Lauren!

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Senior Session Details and Portfolio

This wedding was one I had looked forward to so much since the day they booked! Not only was I excited about working at this gorgeous venue, but to see these two amazing people get married! They are such a fun and sweet couple! They have two adorable dogs that were even a part of their wedding day! We had such an amazing day, the weather was fantastic, the details were beautiful, and the love and laughter was everywhere!
I am so honored they chose me to capture their precious memories of this day!




Venue: Crimson Lane, Ada Ohio
Hair Stylist: Kristi Kohl & Jill Bakies
Makeup Artist: Paige Peterson
Wedding dress from: White of Dublin
Men's Attire: Men's Warehouse
Caterer: Western Sizzling
Cake: Judy Gillette
DJ: Motteriffic
Photographer: Jessica Lynea Photography

Honeymoon Location: Jamaica

I am so happy to share this amazing couples special day! It couldn't have been more perfect! The weather was amazing, the family and friends were the best! And they had so many amazing vendors! It was such a fun day!
I have to share these short stories of how they met and how he proposed! These are always my favorite things to learn about a couple.

How they met in Samantha's words: 

We met online.  My girlfriend (Emilee) was helping me get ready for our first date and we figured out that she knew him and graduated high school with him. After talking, we discovered that we frequented the same places in Toledo and probably crossed paths more than once without ever knowing.  It was like us meeting was fate.

How he propsed:
We were on vacation in June 2018 in OBX and he and his mom convinced me he hadn't bought the ring yet.  He took me to Roanoke and then Elizabethan Garden.  He knew he wanted to propose near the ocean, while we were at the garden, he found the cutest little gazebo and said he wanted to sit and take in the view.  He told me how much he loved me and asked me to marry him.  It was perfect!

We're so excited to share our special day with all of our friends and family.


Vendors:

Venue: So Serene - Wapakenta Ohio
Hair Salon & Stylist: Katie McDonald & Team
Makeup Artist: Makeup By Ashley - Ashley Saunders - Wilkins
Dress Designer & Place of Purchase: Maggie Sottero @ Consider the Dress
Cateror: Mrs. B's Catering
Cake & Cupcakes: Sara's Sweets
Florist: Bride
DJ: Ary Entertainment
Photography: Jessica Lynea Photography
 

Megan is such a beautiful and sweet girl inside and out!!! We had a great time at the park and downtown capturing such gorgeous and timeless photos of her! I am so happy we got to work together and I cant wait for the next half of her Senior session!

Venue: Crimson Lane
Makeup and Hair: Glamour To Go Mobile Salon
Flowers/Decorations: Bride!
Cake: Sara's Sweets
Caterer: City BBQ - Findlay
DJ: C-Rob
Videographer: Fordham Footage
Photography: Jessica Lynea Photography