ask jeff cooper: How to get great wedding pictures

We’re avid fans of weddings and great photography, and wedding photography is one of the most important, but mysterious parts of planning a wedding.

We attended a wedding this weekend where the photographer looked down on shooting a still life of the bride’s dress and shoes! So it pays to discuss these things in advance, and to have a list of shots that you have your heart set on.

That said, be open and spontaneous. When you find a photographer you love, trust them to cover all the candid moments that make your day special.

One of our favorite shoots is this series by Sean Taylor Photography, where the couple is clearly playful and comfortable. Trust your gut. If you don’t feel uninhibited when you interview your photographer, you won’t feel that way on the day of the wedding.

A great photographer listens, inspires trust, and is a consummate professional. Spend what you can to hire someone really special!

For more ideas, we like this guide from The Knot, with 85 great wedding photo suggestions.

And this one from Celebrity Bride Guide, How to get great wedding photos.

Featured photo by: Joel Chapman, a Bath, UK wedding photographer, via Moment Junkie.

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US Hikes, Cupcake Sparklers & A Deployment Return

This Independence Day long weekend, we’re feeling emotions like Mariah Carey.

The 4th of July always gets us thinking about our homeland, and brings up all sorts of feelingssentimental, celebratory, and sometimes they run deep.

We proudly make all our rings here in America. Sure, we could do it cheaper, but we couldn’t do it better or more ethically.

Here’s how you do stars & stripes. Marc Jacobs stars. And here we have stripes, courtesy of Real Simple. Oh, and here’s how you do Fireworks.

Take a walk. From Apartment Therapy, some resources for U.S. hikes you can take.

We now declare cupcake sparklers mandatory for all parties, great or small.

We’ve mentioned Moment Junkie before, but they did it again. Our featured image above is this Deployment Return, aka your instant cry of the day.

The bride’s brother was deployed and surprised her by returning for her wedding.

Photo by: Kat Mervyn, a wedding photographer in Northern Ireland.

Have a sparkling weekend, everyone! ‘Like’ us on Facebook.