We had a cold engagement session late last fall, so I am hoping for a HOT wedding for Melissa and Shawn coming up in just a few weeks!

Sarah and Mike got married last weekend! I had been looking forward to their celebration since first meeting them last year, and then photographing their engagement. They are a wonderful couple and I knew their wedding would be a blast. So, even though it rained allllll day, we were in high spirits and had tons of fun! Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Morgante

Thanks to my fabulous 2nd, Amanda, for spending some time with the guys while the girls were doing their thing.

The bridesmaids decided to do tequila shots, but there was no salt and no lime… Strawberries to the rescue! Ick, not very good!

The ceremony under the Ravenwood tent was very emotional, very funny, very loving, and very wet.

Yes, I am that photographer who will take couples out in the rain and show no mercy! Ravenwood recently remodeled their beautiful lawn garden, so the newlyweds and their families and bridal party braved the cold wet rain in order to get some amazing photos out on the lawn. Thank you thank you thank you for going along with my crazy requests!

Some gorgeous details…

First dance as husband and wife – “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele.

Coolest cake ever!

Party time!

Thanks for having me photograph your amazing wedding! Hope you guys are enjoying your honeymoon in Hawaii!!!
With love,
Kristina

Holy cow! One of my labs is having a HUGE sale on 16×20 prints this week – how awesome is that?! I love passing on the savings to my customers.
To take advantage of this amazing offer, find your gallery by clicking the EVENTS tab above, and order the “SPECIAL 16×20″ print (heck, why not – order two or three!) It’s a limited time offer until April 30th. Unlike my regular prints, this one will not be mounted – but you can’t beat the price at a huge $60 discount! I’m ordering a few for myself

Sarah and Mike are tying the knot tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited. They are so super sweet together!Aren’t they just the cutest?!

I know I have at least one blog stalker… Hi Emily!

Emily and James were married at Steamboat Landing in Canandaigua this past September. Emily is a PhotoKisses VIP -  I photographed her lovely face 4 different times last year, including her mom’s wedding earlier in the season!

Thanks to my lovely 2nd shooter Amanda for gathering up the guys for some fun pre-ceremony photos while I was with the bridal party.

Meanwhile, back at Inn on the Lake…

Steamboat Landing: the wedding ceremony

With such a fun loving bridal party, it was easy to take snazzy, fun photos of the group.

We had a few minutes to spare before reception introductions, so we snuck off into the grove of trees nearby and captured romantic newlywed photos.

A few details (purple is such a great wedding color – rich and warm and goes with everything!) And YAY! Engagement photos taken by moi on their wine bottle wedding favors.

There was some formal dancing…

…and not so formal dancing

Random picture of the day: Amanda snapped a photo of me sporting a wedding program on my 70-200 lens, supported by a hair tie she lent me. Us professionals, we have great tools to block out the setting sun at a wedding ceremony!

A HUGE thanks goes to the newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Giunta for having us at their wedding, I truly felt like I was a part of their family and I hope they will enjoy their photos for years to come.  And as always, I will finish with a ring shot (or three).

Pee-ess: still no feedback on the new collage-style photo posting, is this something you enjoy/like/hate? Reply in the comments below!

Here it is, the first wedding of the year! Dorothy and John came all the way from London to have their winter wedding celebration here in Rochester. Interestingly, their ceremony was at the same church where I ended my wedding season last year – St. Lawrence in Greece. The blushing bride wasn’t the only one who went to a hairdresser that day… Ooh la la! John sported a handsome do with gold thread weaved into his impressive locks.

The gorgeous dark red roses had to be special ordered for this time of year. Great choice!

The newly minted Garners booked the conservatory at Highland Park for some awesome in-between pictures. We were extremely glad to be out of the cold, slushy snow.

Then we made our way over to the reception, which was held at the Plantation Party House in Spencerport.

First dance as husband and wife

You can’t blame the guy for trying!

Thank you Dorothy and John for having me as your wedding photographer, I hope you have another fabulous and memorable celebration back in London UK!

Winter is almost over, but it’s not scooter weather yet. I just finished reading a wonderful book. I took a nap. I watched a few shows. What else is a bored photographer to do? Post pictures of course! I have so many sessions and weddings that I haven’t blogged yet, but I’ve been wanting to try and find new ways to display them here. How about this format? I’d love to hear your opinion!

Theresa and Adam are getting married in Tampa, FL at the end of May, and I. CAN’T. WAIT!!! However, the two lovebirds returned to New York state late last fall, and we were able to shoot their engagement session in a very special, beautiful location – at Holley Falls, in Holley NY.

Welcome to the MEGA post which is all about hair and beauty and skin care for your wedding day! My special guest today is the super talented Sara Lovell, Rochester MUA/Hair Stylist for fabulous brides – thank you Sara for such informative answers to all our questions. Hopefully this will help our brides get some good ideas and better prepare to look fabulous on the big day!

First, meet Sara:
.

HAIR

Braided updo (photo by Photo Impressions)

How should I take care of my hair in preparation for my wedding? It’s a good idea to have your color touched up about a week before the big day. Early on the day before the wedding, wash and style your hair as you normally would.  Day-old hair holds a style much better than fresh, clean hair does. The morning of the wedding, shower but DO NOT wash or even wet your hair.  Even if you are on the oily side, I have special products that will soak up any greasiness.
What are some updo styles that are popular and how do you make each request unique? Bridal styles are usually very timeless and classic, but I’d say that the last few seasons I have had more brides wearing their hair half-up with loose, romantic waves or curls. Other than that, soft updos with lots of texture are still popular.  I like to take a few things into consideraton, like the neckline of the dress, type of jewlery, and personal preferences while working with the bride to achieve the look she is dreaming of.

flower hair piece and curls (photo by PhotoKisses)

What are some of your favorite accessories for bridal hair? Last season, fascinators were very popular, along with birdcage style veils.  I personally love the vintage inspiration with those, but it’s not a look for everyone. There are classic accessories like fresh flowers that will always look appropriate and tasteful for a bride.
Any specific brands or types of hair products you like? I use a lot of Kenra, Rusk, and Surface styling products for my bridal parties and studio work.  I have tried many, many products that don’t deliver what the bottle says it will, and I need reliable products that are priced well… Kenra seems to have cornered the market for that.
Any no nos?  Two major tips: 1.   Look like yourself.   I am all for changing up your look and doing something different, but your wedding day is not the day to do it.  You should look like a really awesome version of yourself for the day, and you want your new husband to recognize you as your walking down the aisle.  2.  Stay away from glitter!  Glitter will get all over everything and everyone. When lit up by flash lighting, it looks like dandruff in photos.  Soft,suble shimmer is great, but glitter is best left for little girls.
Priscilla asks – My hair is very fine and brittle, what kind of products should I get and are there any tips you can give me to avoid flyaways in an updo? For fine and brittle hair I highly recommend a strengthening regimen to bring back some integrity to the hair so that it can hold up to styling better.  Surface Trinity Shampoo, conditoner and leave in tonic will protect color treated hair, strengthen your strands, and has built in styling protection so that you don’t have to worry about as many hair products that may weigh your hair down.  I like to finish dry, styled hair with Surface Push powder which adds texture and makes your hair feel thicker, followed my a good finishing spray like Kenra Volume Spray.  Spray it on your hair brush before teasing to help build volume and mist over your finished style and smooth any flyways down with your hands before it dries.

MAKE UP

What kind of preparation can a bride do a week or two before the wedding to get ready for make up? A facial is great to have done, usually you’d want to have of series of these done over the course of a few months, with the last one being no sooner than a week before the wedding.  The night before, I recommend using your normal skin care routine, with a rich and hydrating eye cream.
How about the morning of?  Use your normal skin care routine, including a moisturizer, even if you have oily skin. Use a light eye cream to reduce puffiness and smooth fine lines.  Make sure you eat something for breakfast, no matter how nervous or excited you may be! Any specific brands or types of makeup you like? Among my favorites in my kit, I like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Makeup Forever Professional, Mehron, and Smashbox.  I use a little bit of everything; many lines have great products for different needs and I haven’t yet found one single line that meets all of my needs as an artist.
Most unusual request? I had a bride that had a tattoo on the back of her neck that her mom didn’t like!  I have a special tattoo concealer that did the trick, it was gone for the day until she washed the makeup off.
I heard about airbrush make up, is that something I should consider? It is the lightest, most natural-lookng coverage you can get possible that offers a feather-light feel with full coverage and lasts ALL DAY, making it my favorite for brides.  The water-based formula and fine spray-dot pattern it lays blends with your skin’s tone and texture seamlessly which is why it is my favorite choice. I  really love the airbrush makeup system by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics.  There is no brush, sponge or any other tool that can duplicate the “spray dot” pattern that the airbrush creates, which is why it’s the preferred modality for artists like me, working with photographers shooting hi-def digital images and videos.  It makes a huge difference and offer durability unlike anything else.

Brooke asks – I am not sure how I should do my makeup for the big day. I do a pretty good job with my day-to-day makeup… would you recommend a more natural look? It’s always a good idea to take your everyday look into consideration when planning your bridal look.  If glam is your usual look, you don’t want to stray too far away from that, same as if you are more of a fan of the natural look.  With that said, I do find that the most timeless makeup look is a natural, “glowing” one… just make it yours!
What brand of lipstick do you recommend? How do I find the perfect shade that works for me? I HATE buying lipstick only to find it looks HORRIBLE and I can’t return it! Whether you prefer lipstick, gloss, stain or pencil, I highly recommend shopping for your lip color at a shop like Sephora or Ulta, where there are hygenic ways to sample the products before you buy them.  My favorites for brides are stains or long-wearing liquid colors that won’t “kiss off” like NYX semi-permanent lip color or ColorStay Overtime by Revlon.

daytime wedding make up

How do I know my makeup will last through tears, oil, and sweat? Prepping the skin with appropriate skin care products and primers is crucial before any makeup goes on.  High quality & highly pigmented makeup expertly applied to suit your skin type followed by appropriate setting powders and/or fixers.  It may seem like a lot, but it makes a difference in the durability of your makeup!

EYES

Christine asks – hi Sara! i have almond shaped eyes… how do i make them appear bigger and still pop? Almond-shaped eyes are beautiful and exotic and you can easily make them pop by lining the inner lower lid and tear duct area with white or very light shimmer, then smudging darker brown or black eyeliner into the outer corners of the lower and upper lash line. smudge out the liner from the middle of each eye out towards the corner and blend well.  Curling your lashes and adding lots of black mascara will also make your eyes pop.

airbrush make up and strip eye lashes (photo by Photo Impressions)

My natural lashes suck!  Is there a natural-looking lash option? Yes!  False eyelash inserts are very natural-looking and comfortable.  The extra strong adhesive holds up to water and tears very well, when latex-based adhesives may fail when exposed to moisture.

lash inserts

Should I do a hair and makeup trial?  There are many schools of thought on this one, this just happens to be mine. it’s not always practical for every bride to have done before she chooses to book with me if they live out of town, but they have seen my portfolio and reviews and that makes them feel comfortable in my ability.  I think many brides-to-be think that this is their deciding factor when booking a beauty artist, when I think trials are most appropriate when used as a planning tool closer to the day of your wedding.  Its a great way to plan your look for the day, and even better when done before an engagement session, (to see how your look reads on camera) or before a dress fitting, (to see if your entire look is cohesive and what you want it to be) Ultimately, you should do what makes the most sense for you.    What I consider more important is the consultation, which is always free, whether its done in person , over the phone or using video chat.

And most importantly… get as much rest as possible, avoid drinking too much alcohol so you will feel great and look well rested in the morning!

Thanks so much Sara!

If you are not yet a fan of PhotoKisses on Facebook, you need to be. Why? Well, because otherwise you’re missing out on special updates such as this!

That’s right! I’m holding a one day contest (exclusively on Facebook) for all engaged couples (not just PK clients) – I want to see the best, juiciest, most romantic proposal stories! So, get your booty over to Facebook and add yours! You may just win that lil’ somethin’ special

*contest is for one day only, Valentine’s Day 2/14.
* comment and “like” cut off is midnight.
* you don’t have to be a PhotoKisses client to comment, like, or otherwise participate in the contest.
* you do, however, have to be engaged

Oh and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Sara’s make up and hair style interview!

…soon you will have answers!

As a wedding photographer, I am keenly aware of how people look. Especially how brides and grooms look (and feel) on their wedding day. A long time ago it became apparent to me that the more put-together the couple looks (the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, the perfect hair, etc) the more confident and beautiful they will feel, and with that, they will have the perfect day! So with that in mind -

Sara Lovell, a Rochester MUA/hair stylist has agreed to an interview with me in an effort to educate and help brides prepare and look gorgeous on their wedding day. Sara has a huge list of tips already, but we are still interested in getting more questions so that the interview can be more productive and more informative for you! So, ask away – and in two weeks, your questions will be answered! Use the Facebook comments tab, or the native blog comments, and please please please also share this with your friends/girlfriends/family/coworkers – we want A LOT of questions, so we can have a GREAT interview, so it can ultimately help you have the wedding day you always dreamed of!