The benefit of both of us…

We often get asked how we handle having both of us on a wedding day. It’s a question that almost every client asks.  We love being a husband and wife photography team, because we get to be a part of a couple’s biggest day, from the first moment, to the last, and this starts at getting ready.

Laura and I always start together, greeting the bride, and grabbing her details at the same time. We both shoot these details, but I am often found running between to grab something extra, or finding a place to hang the wedding gown. Laura takes lead on these, and styles everything, while I help speed the process along by grabbing everything and finding good location to shoot.  We provide a list of details to our couples so they can have all these items laid out and ready for us on the wedding day.  We don’t want to take any time away from hair, makeup, or mimosas to have you help gather things!

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If possible, we try to shoot the groom’s details at the same time (watch, cologne, belt, tie, cuff links, etc).  But this depends on where the boys are getting ready.  After we finish with those fun and quirky items, we split up, so Laura can get you getting ready with your girls, and putting your dress on, while I hang with the guys for a bit before they themselves get ready. I will often also use this time to scout good first look locations, because your groom probably won’t take as long putting his tux on… This is the same reason I help out with bridal details.  At that point the boys might still be asleep, playing video games, or not even in the same room.  Boys just don’t take as long to get ready.

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Then the First Look and bride & groom portraits… We are obviously both here for this one. We absolutely looooove first looks, and if you don’t know what that is, we wrote a blog post all about it!  I find a good location, and let Laura know we are ready.  Laura helps escort the bride out, gives a little direction on what to do, and then we step aside.  We want this to be a moment with just the two of you, so we stay out of the way and quiet.  During this time we both are shooting, swapping between each other. We feel like we never get enough time to photograph our stunning couples, so we take as much as we can during this time. And this continues straight into our bridal party.

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Laura will take the lead here with the full bridal party portraits, and I will hover around to get some different angles. Then we split the bridal party and I’ll take the guys, with Laura staying with the girls. We get shots of them each, and then take individual photos of just the groom with each groomsmen, and the same with the bride and her bridesmaids. This is one that can get forgotten about, because your bridal party is literally with you all day, but we make sure to get it.

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At this point, it’s time for the ceremony! We both are there to get every moment of your ceremony, and this comes in very helpful when certain venues restrict our movement during. Because there is two of us, we can still provide you with everything you would hope for in even the most restricted of ceremony spaces.

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With your family next, we mix it up again. Laura turns to corral the right combinations, and I do the photography. This keeps your family photos short and sweet so everyone can get to the party quickly, and grandma & grandpa aren’t being dragged along.

From this point on, we are both around for the rest of the evening. We always plan on having one of us roaming around the reception so whenever you want a shot, or when your uncle starts to breakdance in the middle of the dance floor, we are there to get it. One of us will move around a little more to make sure we get other guests that may be around different parts of the reception, also making sure that we get all those details you so meticulously planned out. Of course we are both there to see you two off at your grand exit.

Have any other questions, let us know, we’d love to talk about it!

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we're Michael & Laura

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a husband and wife photography team based in Richmond, Virginia (though we LOVE to travel!). We hope you enjoy browsing some of our most recent work, reading our tips and tricks for brides, and taking a little peek into our life.  

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