5 Tips for an Epic Engagement Shoot

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Photography: Limelight Photography | Location: Craig Park

Engagement photographs are the perfect way to get comfortable in front of the camera as well as allow your photographer to learn more about you and your significant other’s personalities before the wedding day. The days leading up to these photographs may seem a little stressful, but our friends at Limelight Photography have given us some tips and tricks to get the best engagement shots

Personalize It!

Pick a location or setting that involves something that you and your significant other like to do together. Some examples of this could be going to the beach, cooking in your house, or even walks in the park! If you pick an atmosphere that is meaningful to you and your fiancé you’re more likely to be comfortable in front of the camera so your photographer can capture genuine happiness!

Use Props

Having items that are important to the ambiance that you are trying to recreate is vital! Imagine having a picnic blanket laid out on the beach to make the setting appear more like a date or bikes to ride on for shots in the park. Even smaller elements like champagne and glasses to use for a toast can take your pictures up to a whole new level.

Hire a Hair & Makeup Artist

Having someone else in charge of doing your hair and makeup will give you one less thing to stress out about. Doing this is also a great time for you to test out your wedding day hair and makeup stylist to see what you do and don’t like – that way there aren’t any surprises later on down the line!

Hire a Professional to Assist Pets

What’s better for an engagement shoot than to include your animals! Taking photographs with the entire family is an awesome way to have all of your loved ones in a single image. Keep in mind that pets most likely won’t be in every single image taken so make sure you hire a professional (or have someone in charge) of holding and entertaining your pet when they aren’t in photographs.

Avoid The Sun

It is recommended to avoid the sun at least one week prior to your engagement shots. You are spending good money for these images and the last thing you would want seen is a bad sunburn or unwanted tan lines!

Of course, the number one tip is to relax and have fun! You should never feel forced to do anything and if there’s something that you aren’t comfortable with let your photographer know!

Kapok Special Events Wedding – Dior & Bobby

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Dior and Bobby approached Event Design in the summer with a dream of a Beauty and the Beast styled wedding for the following year. Since they were already planning on having their ceremony at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, they decided to hold their reception somewhere close to the Tarpon Springs area which led them straight to the Kapok Special Events Center. If you’re new to the Clearwater area, this venue has a pretty long history (being once considered a top restaurant in the Tampa Bay area as well as an Inn), but in present day is commonly known for having a Kapok Tree located directly in front of the building. Having floor to ceiling windows exposing a lush and well maintained garden, the couple decided that this would be a great place to hold an outdoorsy themed wedding which is commonly seen in the Beauty and the Beast movie.

With both a ceremony and a reception venue decided on, Dior and Bobby were ready to bring their theme to life. Similar to the famous film, the wedding colors were going to be navy blue, gold, red, and touches of greenery (ivy in particular). With family members, including the band itself, flying in from Greece, the couple’s original 350 guest count wedding grew to 422 in a matter of months. With that being said, the two felt the pressure of making an even bigger impression on their attendees and did not want to skimp on the details to make the wedding even more memorable. Including their already contracted decor elements of gold chiavari chairs, navy and red linen, chargers, and lush centerpieces, Dior and Bobby immediately decided to include a monogrammed GOBO of their initials to be projected onto the dance floor.

Of everything that Dior and Bobby wanted included in their wedding day, the two most significant things were the sweetheart table and the bridal bouquet. To achieve a classic Beauty and the Beast styled wedding, Event Design used candelabras on their table, as well as the iconic single rose inside a dome vase. For the bridal bouquet, we decided on an all rose arrangement and accented each stem with diamond pins to bring out the red hue even more.

The day of the wedding Event Design received a call from Bobby’s mother saying that as a surprise to the couple she wanted to extend the wedding an additional hour and a half. The wedding that was once supposed to end at 1:30 AM had now been extended to 3:00 AM (at the earliest) and from the pictures that we received from their photographer the wedding extension did not go unappreciated!

Ceremony Venue: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral | Reception Venue: Kapok Special Events Center | Photography: K&K Photography | Decor & Floral: Event Design | Cake: Hands on Sweets

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Wedding Dress Shopping

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Photography: Benjamin Hewitt Photography

You just got engaged! Now what? Many brides immediate answer is to go dress shopping, of course! While having the perfect dress is obviously a BIG deal, there are many things that newly engaged couples don’t consider when picking out the gown for their big day!

Not Having a Set Wedding Date or Location

Having a wedding date and location is a necessity before you can even consider finding a dress! Even though you may have a style in mind, there are so many elements that can change the actual design. For example, if you were to get married in the summer in Florida (preferably in the Tampa Bay area ?) you may be too hot to be wearing a long sleeved dress. If you were to decide on a beach wedding, you would likely find sand underneath your fabric if you were to choose a train. Once a date and venue is set you will have a better idea of what is the most practical during the time of year and location of your wedding.

Getting Overwhelmed by the Different Styles

Did you know there are over a hundred different styles of wedding dresses? With trends constantly changing new designs come into the market every single day. Just like deciding on your hair and makeup, it is strongly encouraged to browse different designs online to see which ones appeal to you the most. This will prevent you feeling bombarded when you do go to a salon and give you a more set idea of what you’re envisioning!

Not Bringing the Proper Undergarments to Any Fitting

Getting closer to deciding on the perfect dress? Make sure to bring the undergarments that you plan on wearing to your wedding that way you know what works and what doesn’t. This will prevent you from scrambling day of trying to figure out how to hide a bra strap or panty lines.

Not Having a Set Budget in Mind for Your Dress

One of the most devastating stories that we hear from time to time is that someone found their dream dress just to see that it is completely out of their budget. To avoid the heartbreak, many salons recommend having a set budget prior to going in store to shop. This also allows the bride to be focused on exactly what is within her means as opposed to getting attached to styles that she isn’t able to afford.

Lastly, remember to have fun! Wedding dress shopping is something that can be done with friends and family members to make the experience even more enjoyable. So sit down, pop a bottle of champagne, and remember that this is leading up to one of the most memorable days!