As a wedding photographer in Charleston, I've seen just about every unity ceremony possible. I really like the symbolism in all of them and they are very fun to observe as two lovers come together forever!
So, if you're wondering what to do for a unity ceremony at your wedding, here are four ideas:
1 - Sand Ceremony - You may have seen this one before: the bride and groom each get a different color of sand and pour them together into a bowl or jar. This is a nice one, because you can keep the sand forever and display it in your house.
2 - Literally Tie the Knot - In this ceremony, you each get a decorative cord, with a third cord representing God, and you braid them together. This is another ceremony that leaves you with something that you can keep - but you might want to practice braiding together beforehand!
3 - Rose Ceremony - This ceremony has two options, you each exchange a rose as your first gift to one another, or the groom gives the bride a rose and she gives him a vase of water (which the rose cannot survive without). Of course, either way, the rose will not last forever, but it's a beautiful gesture!
4 - Candle Ceremony - You probably know of this one: the bride and groom each have a candle (usually previously lit by the mothers) and they use them to light the larger candle in the middle. Again, like the rose, candles don't last forever. But, everyone loves candles and, if you put the candles out after the ceremony, you can keep them forever if you don't light them again.
The good thing about all of these... they all offer great moments for wedding photography! The colors in the sand and rose ceremony make great saturated photographs, while the knot tying offers great facial expressions from the happy couple. And, of course, the flames in the candle ceremony offer great points of light, depending on the room lighting, for beautiful black-and-white or color photos.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tips On Your Wedding DJ
As a wedding photographer in Charleston, I know a thing or two about the other areas of wedding planning. After all, I've seen every sort of wedding your could imagine, so I can tell what's good and what's bad, because I've seen everything!
One aspect of wedding planning, and one that you might overlook, is the entertainment for the reception. I've seen a lot of people do different things for this, from professional DJs to DIY playlists. Let me tell you - the DIY is not always the best choice. If you want an exciting reception with good flow, I definitely suggest a DJ or professional emcee with a band, and here's why:
1 - Coordination - DJs and emcees know how to coordinate between events. If you hook up an ipod to a speaker, who's gonna let everyone know what to do and when to do it? Your friend? The best man? Do they know how to get a large group of people to focus attention on anything? Chances are that they don't. DJ's and emcees do!
2 - Guest Involvement - DJs and emcees know how to get people excited! Yes, as the bride and groom, simply being on the dance floor will make everyone else want to dance. But, can you or your friends get all the guests to do the Electric or Cha Cha Slides?
3 - The Right Mix - This involves a lot: from technical sound mix to the right mix of music. A good DJ knows how to switch between songs, putting the slow songs at the right times and the upbeat ones at other times. If you hire an experienced band, they should be able to figure this out as well!
So, keep this in mind as you plan your reception and get the right entertainment for your big day! Then you'll be sure to have plenty of fun wedding photography because everyone will be having a blast!
One aspect of wedding planning, and one that you might overlook, is the entertainment for the reception. I've seen a lot of people do different things for this, from professional DJs to DIY playlists. Let me tell you - the DIY is not always the best choice. If you want an exciting reception with good flow, I definitely suggest a DJ or professional emcee with a band, and here's why:
1 - Coordination - DJs and emcees know how to coordinate between events. If you hook up an ipod to a speaker, who's gonna let everyone know what to do and when to do it? Your friend? The best man? Do they know how to get a large group of people to focus attention on anything? Chances are that they don't. DJ's and emcees do!
2 - Guest Involvement - DJs and emcees know how to get people excited! Yes, as the bride and groom, simply being on the dance floor will make everyone else want to dance. But, can you or your friends get all the guests to do the Electric or Cha Cha Slides?
3 - The Right Mix - This involves a lot: from technical sound mix to the right mix of music. A good DJ knows how to switch between songs, putting the slow songs at the right times and the upbeat ones at other times. If you hire an experienced band, they should be able to figure this out as well!
So, keep this in mind as you plan your reception and get the right entertainment for your big day! Then you'll be sure to have plenty of fun wedding photography because everyone will be having a blast!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Photo Style to Match Personality
Everyone knows that wedding photos come in all styles, color palates, frames, etc. You can have your photos done in vintage, with some grain to the color, straight black and white, highly intensified colors, fun or goofy, serious or classy... the world, as they say, is your oyster.
But what does this mean for you? You have all of these styles to choose from, but how do you choose? Do you pick a style out of a hat? Do you try them all and hope that some photos look nice? Do you hope that your wedding photographer can just figure it out and go with whatever he or she comes up with?
No way!
Yeah, sure, your wedding photography will turn out nicely if you choose a style out of a hat and you may find something that you like if you tell your photography to shoot and edit in a plethora of styles, but then you'll lack any continuity whatsoever. And, yes, you could trust your photographer to just happen to choose the style you hoped for, but then what if he doesn't? Or, what if he does and you just feel empty for not having come up with the idea on your own? You'll say, "Oh yes, the vintage eclectic style looks amazing... why didn't I come up with that?"
The truth is... you can come up with it. You know what your style is! You know how you'd like to decorate a house or, for that matter, your wedding reception. So, talk with your photographer and find out which style fits into your personal aesthetic. You want your wedding photography to match your personality and you want to feel involved in the direction of the photos. So, get involved! If you're at a loss, take a look on Pinterest or my Charleston wedding photography site. You'll know it when you see it and you'll say "That's it! That's me!"
But what does this mean for you? You have all of these styles to choose from, but how do you choose? Do you pick a style out of a hat? Do you try them all and hope that some photos look nice? Do you hope that your wedding photographer can just figure it out and go with whatever he or she comes up with?
No way!
Yeah, sure, your wedding photography will turn out nicely if you choose a style out of a hat and you may find something that you like if you tell your photography to shoot and edit in a plethora of styles, but then you'll lack any continuity whatsoever. And, yes, you could trust your photographer to just happen to choose the style you hoped for, but then what if he doesn't? Or, what if he does and you just feel empty for not having come up with the idea on your own? You'll say, "Oh yes, the vintage eclectic style looks amazing... why didn't I come up with that?"
The truth is... you can come up with it. You know what your style is! You know how you'd like to decorate a house or, for that matter, your wedding reception. So, talk with your photographer and find out which style fits into your personal aesthetic. You want your wedding photography to match your personality and you want to feel involved in the direction of the photos. So, get involved! If you're at a loss, take a look on Pinterest or my Charleston wedding photography site. You'll know it when you see it and you'll say "That's it! That's me!"
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Some Recent Charleston Wedding Photography!
You gotta love Spring weddings! With Summer right around the corner, I thought I'd share some of this Spring's wedding photos with you. Not many things bring a
bigger smile to my face than seeing the happiness of newlyweds on their Charleston SC wedding
days!
So, here are some shots from recent Charleston destination wedding photography shoots for you to enjoy!
On March 24th, Lauren and Will were married in
their family church with the reception at the Hiberian Society Hall in downtown
Charleston.
On April 1, Bill and Jennifer were married at Mount
Pleasant, the day after running in the Cooper River Bridge Run. The sunset made for the perfect, idyllic
wedding scene!
On April 14, the Chicago couple, Julia and Tim, headed south
for a destination wedding in Charleston on Seabrook Island! The event was coordinated
around the beautiful beach sunset.
After Tucker proposed to Tracy in Tuscany, these world travelers from Philadelphia came to Seabrook Island for the most magical wedding on April 29!
Tennesee couple, Kourtney and Justin, came to Seabrook Island for a beach wedding and, in spite of the rain and the clouds in the sky, they got there dream, intimate wedding with family and close friends.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Rick Dean - Destination Wedding Photographer in Charleston SC
Welcome to my Charleston wedding photography blog! If you need a destination wedding photographer in Charleston, take a look through my photos to see if we would be the right fit! Or, head to my site: rickdeanphotography.com for some great examples of my Charleston wedding photography work!
Periodically, I will post images from recent shoots to give you an idea of the styles I can work in. As you'll notice on my site, I can be very diverse, in order to fit your aesthetic needs. So, let me know what you're going for, and I'll make sure to make it happen!
And, if your not a bride-to-be or involved in an upcoming wedding, please just browse my work. I also do portraits, so if you need photos of your family, pets, friends, prom photos, etc... I'm your guy! Enjoy the pictures on my blog and please contact me if you have any questions!
Periodically, I will post images from recent shoots to give you an idea of the styles I can work in. As you'll notice on my site, I can be very diverse, in order to fit your aesthetic needs. So, let me know what you're going for, and I'll make sure to make it happen!
And, if your not a bride-to-be or involved in an upcoming wedding, please just browse my work. I also do portraits, so if you need photos of your family, pets, friends, prom photos, etc... I'm your guy! Enjoy the pictures on my blog and please contact me if you have any questions!
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