THE BARN AT THE WOODS

You want your wedding day to be perfect, and you’ve spared no expense to make it just that way. But as you make your way through the long list of vendors, one question keeps coming up: What kind of pictures should I get? For many couples, the answer lies in hiring an Oklahoma wedding photographer who will capture the full story of your day from beginning to end, from the bridal preparations to the family portraits and the grand exit. Even better, with the help of such a talented team of Oklahoma wedding photographers and videographers, you can experience this event again and again.

The Wedding Day

The day of your wedding will go by quickly and chances are you’ll have little time to sit back and take it all in. As you prepare for the big day, be sure to enjoy yourself. The photos from your wedding day will serve as a memory—not just of how beautiful you looked or how many relatives showed up, but of that feeling—and that’s what we want to capture.

The Venue

While some locations lend themselves better to certain types of weddings than others, ultimately it’s your big day and you should choose a location that is perfect for you. As well as being in a beautiful setting, both inside and out, Woods Edmond was also very reasonably priced compared to other venues we looked at. The barn on site is wonderful – rustic but with all of today’s modern conveniences; plus there are indoor and outdoor space options depending on how much rain you want (or don’t want) to deal with. The owners were so accommodating; they even allowed us to get ready on site after our first look pictures had been taken!

Getting Dressed for the ceremony

We first made our way to Katelyn’s room, where she was getting ready with her bridesmaids. She looked stunning in her simple but elegant wedding dress. When it came time for me to take portraits of her alone, I took full advantage of being in a rustic barn by placing her on top of old wooden crates and hay bales. The soft glow of natural light streaming through large windows created a beautiful ambiance and really brought out every detail on Katelyn’s dress—and skin! One of my favorite images from that set is when she was looking over one shoulder with an absolutely radiant smile on her face... It was certainly one of those moments that only comes once in a lifetime! There were so many beautiful moments during their wedding day, like when Katelyn entered with her father and saw Brett standing at the end of a long aisle; or just before their ceremony started, as they were posing together outside under a tree (also overlooking some gorgeous Oklahoma farmland). You can see how incredibly happy they both were throughout everything! Wedding days are truly amazing events to photograph because you get to capture those unforgettable moments between two people who are committing their lives to each other. My job here was just as much about capturing as many details and emotions of their day as possible, while still finding artistic photos that wouldn't appear posed. I'm extremely happy with how all these shots turned out; knowing how much emotion went into them makes them even more special!

First Look

One of my favorite parts of any wedding is when I’m given a sneak peek into it before the big day. Weddings are always fun to shoot, but getting to see them before everyone else means I can plan where I set up and prepare for all kind
s of shots. It also means that I get to know more about both couples as they begin their marriage journey together. One such couple was Ashley and Jason; they got married outside of Edmond, Oklahoma on April 26th with both families present and friends galore. The two were joined by what seemed like hundreds of people that wanted to help celebrate their union—and boy did they!

Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony took place on a small hill right next to some trees, with an absolutely gorgeous view of flowers. It was a small wedding—I’d say around 50 people attended—but it was one of those perfect spring days where everyone just felt good and got along famously. One of my favorite moments came before I started taking pictures when I saw all their friends and family standing behind them, shaking hands and exchanging hugs.

Family Pictures

When it comes to weddings, most people have preconceived ideas about what they're going to see and how things are going to go. It's always fun to challenge their perceptions by doing something different from what they expect. When we photographed Molly and Ryan's wedding, it was held outside at a barn on her parent's property. On our walk over, we could hear live music playing inside—and as soon as we walked into that space, we knew it was going to be an amazing day. They told us about how much of their family (and friends) would be attending because of where it was being held; but there were still no more than 50 people present when all was said and done.

Reception

A reception was held in the barn, so guests were able to mingle and talk during pictures. I was careful to make sure no one walked into a shot and overall, they were very respectful of us while we worked. Receptions are always fun because of all of our bright backdrops (white chairs, white napkins and tablecloths). Also, we typically play The Shoe Game or some other form of silly wedding game during receptions to make sure that everyone is having fun. Wedding photography doesn't always have to be serious! And lastly, we really like when couples bring props for photos. We had never seen anyone use basketballs as props before -it was an awesome idea!

Sendoff: Fireworks

The finale of any wedding is its sendoff—and what better way to close out your nuptials than with fireworks? Nothing says, It’s a new chapter like loud explosions and showers of sparkly light. Make it a grand finale by hiring professional fireworks companies to create custom displays for you. You can also do an encore—if you want to extend your celebration into another night, or if you just love fireworks (we don’t blame you).