While I was working on compiling my list for my Top 100 photos for 2013, I realized I just can't wait to share (or reshare, I suppose!) some of my favorite images from this year. There are certain moments you get of just about every wedding, so I made a list and figured out what my favorites were from each wedding. Just about everyone is covered at least once, so that's awesome... see what "awards" your images won this year, or just check out all the fun photos from this year's wedding season. Stay tuned for that Top 100 early next year.
Favorite Engagement Photo
Tim and Crista put their love on display in a big way for their engagement session. Even though it's not REALLY wedding, I thought they deserved the credit for it. That's a great Save the Date, no?
Favorite Hair/Make-up Photo
Michelle was practically falling asleep while getting all her beautiful hair curled at the salon. But when her stylist started adding her tiara and veil, did her eyes light up. She's a little more reserved in this image but I absolutely love it anyway!
Favorite Dress Photo
Sam got to get ready in her honeymoon suite before her wedding. The bed was awesome and we knew we wanted to shoot her dress right there. I only wish I had used my "bride" hanger instead of the one the dress came on.
Favorite Shoe Photo
We usually take photos of the shoes before they are on the bride, but of all the ones we did this year, I really liked this one best. Stephanie pulls her lacey train up just enough for me to see her shoes, and it's so much more candid and personable that all the other shoe shots I took this year.
Favorite Getting Ready Image
This one almost slipped past me. I absolutely love the huge smiles on both Carrie and her mom's face as mom put on her necklace. Carrie's whole ensemble was perfect for her big day, but this image has so much personality and love in it, I couldn't resist including it!
Favorite Ring Photo
I had a few favorite ring images but this one ended up being my favorite. First of all, I love the colored stone (both this image and Devin's ring sported something other than a diamond this year), and Ashley's bright blue sapphire is really beautiful. Second, it looks perfect here on the wagon wheel just outside the Silo, where she and Chris had their reception. It's the prefect mix of rustic and stylish.
Favorite Boutonniere
I think I liked this boutonniere (designed by Shelly's Designs Florist of Grand Rapids) the best of all because of the eclectic assortment of fun shapes and textures. And all the bright color looked great on Ben's suit as well, so it all came together perfectly, and thus is my favorite!
Favorite Groomsman Shot
I had lots of favorites for this shot as well. There were a few that will probably be higher on the Top 100 than this one, but I absolutely love the personality in this one. I told the guys (who are sitting with groom, Justin, in the State Theater in Kalamazoo before the wedding) to pretend they were talking and laughing and having a good time. Some expressions are a little dramatic, others are perfectly natural, and all are awesome. Either way, the made it work :)
Favorite Groom Portrait
I'm giving the best groom portrait award to Wes. He was a great groom to work with and he was pretty relaxed and dapper looking as well before his wedding to Carrie. I really like how he's framed in this image (and this filter I put on the image was probably my favorite this year so... yeah).
Favorite Bouquet
This beauty, by Tracy Park of Park Place Design, won my top bouquet in a blog post earlier this year, and it has yet to be topped (though it had a few close contenders!). Nicole had a great bouquet to walk down the aisle with! The perfect mix of flowers and colors and textures, so yeah, still my favorite.
Favorite Bridesmaid Image
Nicole also wins the best bridesmaid photo. Love the hair styles, bouquets, dresses, and especially their happy expressions. This is another shot where I told them to pretend they were having a fun time talking and laughing together and it turned out exactly how I wanted it to, if not better.
Favorite Bridal Portrait
I still can't quite figure out what it is about this simple portrait of Ashley that I like so much but man, I just love it! I'm pretty sure I've got to give some credit to her make-up artist, because this girl is just glowing. Although she is about to marry the love of her life, so maybe that's got something to do with it too ;) Also, LOVE her veil and flowers!
Favorite Ceremony Image
The sanctuary of Alyssa and Skylar's church was so gorgeous! I love this shot I got of Alyssa and her dad walking toward Skylar. You can see them all and even though the image shows mostly the awesome ceiling and the aisle, your eye still goes right where it's supposed to, right down the middle to the people at start of the ceremony.
Favorite Family Photo Backdrop
Most of my clients have heard me say that family photos are my least favorite part of any wedding. I know you have to do them, and I'm pretty good at getting them done speedy quick nowadays, but sometimes I just love the place we pick to do the images. Usually we use the alter of the ceremony, but other times it's not practical. At Ben and Tina's wedding, this was the case, and we did them outside against the stone wall at the Bissell Tree House, with all the pretty assortment of fall colors in the back. Great lighting too, so it was amazing!
Favorite Adult Bridal Party Photo
The backdrop at the Eesley Place in Plainwell was super cute, with the train tracks, caboose, and station behind the group. Even though this photo is a little busy, Nicole, Zach and their friends looked great, so I still think this is my favorite of all the bridal party photos we took this year.
Favorite Junior Bridal Party Photo
This shot is just too adorable not to include. There were lots of great images from Kara and Matt's wedding, but this one with all their little nieces and nephew (and friend) who took part in the wedding was very personable and adorable. Plus it's hard to get that many little kids to look and smile and not act too crazy at once, so that's another win for this one!
Favorite Couple Portrait
If you've seen my facebook profile photo for JRPhoto, this one is definitely familiar. I love the background, foreground, color, and the gorgeous couple, Marcus and Sam, right there in the middle. Hands down, my favorite couple image of the whole year!
Best Kiss Portrait
Though the wedding was in January, Roberto and Jill didn't get much in the way of snow for their big day. However we made the most of it! This shot of the two of them smooching really does it for me with the sun sneaking through the trees.
Favorite Centerpiece
This one was a hard choice. I saw a lot of very cute centerpieces, some of my favorites including Kara and Matt's assorted floral arrangements, Zach and Nicole's book/key/etc ones, but Ben and Tina's win's because they were so simple and so varied without much work. The worked perfectly for the venue and the colors were so bright and cheerful. Great work to Shelly at Shelly's Designs again.
Favorite Reception Detail
Sam and Marcus had a candy buffet for their reception, prepared by Marcus's mom and baker extraordinaire, Tammy Carlstrom. It was so cute and you all know how much I love colors. The orange and blue color combo is one of my particular favorites lately as well. I just loved this angle and shot.
Favorite Entrance Shot
Here's another shot that I can't quite explain my love for. I think it's the look on Dustin and Stephanie's faces, absolutely thrilled to be married and ready to have some fun at their reception with each other and all their friends and family in attendance. I am so glad I caught this moment.
Favorite First Dance Photo
Usually I have more favorite first dance images than I did this year. Last year, one of my top ten was just this. Though it wasn't quite as good in 2013, I really love this one of Janae and Isaac. They had a great day and they are just getting started, you can totally see it in their expressions here.
Favorite Party Shot
This is still my hands-down favorite image of reception party fun. A more entertaining reception I've yet to attend. Tom and Michelle and all their friends were having so much fun, and so did we. In this shot, Tom is acting out the role of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, along with tons of others. It was hilarious and fun and flipping amazing!
Thanks for checking out all the images! Gotta keep the blog going while we're slow! Stay tuned for more images from the year, coming soon.
