I had a very happy dilemma when putting this post together: There were so many amazing photos from Nichole and Jordan’s wedding thanks to Ashlee Rene Photography that it felt like too much for one post. So I divided it into two. The photo gallery above is fun photos of the bride, groom, family and wedding party. Be on the lookout for their ceremony and reception photos in an upcoming post, and expect those to be just as stylish as the photos above.
One Pinner (yes, yes, I love me some Pinterest) wrote this caption under their pin of Nichole and Jordan’s photo: “You have to have fun when you are in love.” I think that perfectly sums up what a wedding day should be and the spirit of Nichole and Jordan’s wedding.
That said, feeling and looking relaxed on your wedding day isn’t the easiest thing in the world. So, below, Nichole tells us what she feels was key to the fun, playful photos above.
On selecting a photographer:
One of the most important things for me was that I was really comfortable with my photographer. We spent a little bit more than we had planned. It was worth it to find someone who was not just amazing behind the lens, but also a personality fit. Not something everyone considers, but listen, she’s there all day and in your grill with a camera — you better like her. I really felt like [Ashlee] became a lovely part of our day. She managed to hang with us without seeming intrusive, and it put everyone at ease. Because we welcomed her as part of our day, she got to know us, and I think it framed her approach – she managed to capture our personalities so well that the pics truly feel like us.
On the tub photos:
The bridal suite was at the Culver Hotel and they had a great old-style bathtub. One of my girlfriends suggested that I get in there and horse around, and it produced some fun shots. If you don’t take yourself so seriously and stay open to ideas, you’ll be pleasantly surprised about the outcome. Looking back, the black and white leg shot in particular makes me feel like a million bucks!
On a sudden photo op:
On our way to the car from the hotel, we passed by a classic car show! We had no idea it was happening on that day, but my photographer and her assistant asked a few car owners if they wouldn’t mind letting me sit in their rides for a few shots. They were happy to oblige. So the advice there is to stay open to unscheduled surprises. It created a bit of a traffic nuisance for us in the morning but worked out to our advantage in the picture department!
On “first look” photos:
Jordan and I chose to see each other before the wedding and staged the first look. I recommend it. We got to take our time enjoying each other and got any nerves out of the way, so that we could be present for the experience down the aisle. It’s a matter of preference, but I think the camera captured more in those 15 minutes than it would have captured in the 30 seconds down the aisle.
On family photos:
My mom and I are super-close, so it was important to capture some pre-ceremony moments with her. A number of friends told me before the wedding that the obligatory “staged” family photos seem like a necessity — we obviously did some — but that they rarely make it into albums or frames, so we didn’t spend a lot of time on those. Instead, we went for the casual moments. There’s one of me hugging my dad from behind his back and it’s one of his favorites.
On having fun:
The subsequent pictures of us dancing in the parking lot came from the time we spent together before the ceremony. We walked around the block and just started moving around. We saw a sign at the end of the street that said “END” and thought it was cheeky for us to stand in front of it American Gothic style. I’m sure some people would have been superstitious about it, but we thought it was a blast. We used that pic for the last page of the wedding albums we made for our parents.
Thanks, Nichole, for the insights, and thanks to Ashlee for the amazing photos!
(Part II featuring Nichole & Jordan’s ceremony is now up!)
If you want more traditional wedding shots as well, here’s a checklist of those and some shots that have become more common in recent years. Be sure to talk to your photographer about what types of shots are important to you. You can find your wedding photographer here.
Photos by Ashlee Rene Photography
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