simple wedding style

Even though I’m the one who needs botox, it’s our blog that got the facelift. We’ve got pretty colors, more legible text and bigger pictures at our new address. And we’ve updated our masthead to “Aisle Style” to better reflect that we are interested in all the creative aspects of putting together a wonderful wedding.

And since things are so much groovier over there, this is my last post here. I’ll keep this version up for a while, but you can still find all the old posts, galleries and slideshows at our new location.

Here’s the new web address: www.vallsphotographic.com/blog

We’ve never photographed a Valentines Day wedding before. What a terrific idea! For years to come, when everyone else is celebrating some silly, supposedly romantic holiday, you and your spouse can be celebrating the anniversary of the most romantic day of all time.

Kenny and Melissa married at 5pm, in the perfectly teeny Old Church in Sellwood. I’d been nervous about rain all day, but clear winter light appeared at just the right moment. Lots of friends and family gathered with the couple, and I think I saw more than a few happy tears from my position in the side of the church.

Congrats to you both. Here’s your sneek peek today. (And your gallery, too!) Also, here’s a little slide show of our favorites from the day. We’ll have your proofs for you shortly. Stay tuned!

One of our upcoming brides called to ask my opinion on whether she should hire a make-up stylist for her wedding day or instead do her own. I thought I would take a minute to answer her here, since perhaps others of you are wondering the same thing. The answer is “yes” and here’s why:

Even if you’re a no-makeup kind of girl, or even a not-too-much-makeup kind of girl, you’ll probabaly feel better about your photos if you have your make up done by a pro.  Flash or bright sunlight can sort of wash a girl out. A good makeup person knows EXACTLY how to make you look defined and distintive but not over-the-top.

The most important thing is to book a trial with someone you are considering. My advice is to do this WELL before the last few weeks. I think two to three months prior is perfect. That way, if you don’t jive, you’ll have enough time to consider other options, then reasonably get on that person’s calendar.

Before your trial appointment, scan magazines and tear out photos for looks that appeal to you. If you can, bring of photo of your dress.  A good makeup person can help you design a whole look around the theme or idea that you’ve got in your head.

In the previous post, I wrote about Anna Webber’s make up.  There are two other stylists I can strongly recommend. I love, love, love Darby Bacchus Budd. Besides being an immensely talented stylist, he’s a hoot to hang with. Besides making you gorgeous, Darby will probably make you laugh a lot. The image above is Darby hanging with one of our brides at the beach last summer.

Another team we’ve worked with a bunch is Event Cosmetics. Katherine Sealy, the company founder, is a walking testimony to their brilliant style. Besides being stylish, stunning and perfectly put-together, she’s relaxed, easy and knows everything about making you look good. She and her company would be a good choice if you need a couple of stylists to do you and your girls simultaneously.

I saw Anna Webber’s makeup at a recent wedding event where we both exhibited. She did the makeup on the models for a bridal fashion show. I was immediately struck by how fresh and pretty her work looked, while still having drama and impact. That’s a hard balance to strike. Striving for pretty, sometimes a girl can look too safe. But striving for drama, sometimes a girl can look scarey. That’s why I want to point you to Anna. If you’re looking for makeup services, take a look at her portfolio, maybe she’ll be just right for you. (this photo: Kevin Focht)

Anna Webber h:503.292.3446 c: 619.788.3192

What could be better than a December wedding? Twinkle lights and cozy fires. Evergreens and rich colors. Jessica and Stefan’s ceremony at the beach was the classic winter wedding. Jessica and her bridesmaids carried gorgeous roses, red for the bride and white for her attendants. The scent of evergreen filled the packed church, which was decked out in traditional Christmas decor. And because Stefan’s dad is the Pastor of the Community Church where they married, their circle of friends reaches out to nearly everyone in town. Afterwards, the couple danced and celebrated with all their friends at the ballroom of the Surfand Resort.

Congrats to you both. Here’s a link to a slideshow of our favorites. And another to all the photos from the day. To see our ideas for an album for Jessica and Stefan, click here.

The fact that it was cold and foggy outside made John and Larissa’s wedding celebration in Cannon Beach feel especially cozy. The small, wood-paneled church made a lovely setting for the ceremony, which was officiated by a family friend. Larissa was a beautiful & glowing bride and John the mellowest groom ever.

After the ceremony, our plan was to spend some time on the beach for photos with just John and Larissa. I feared the crazy wind and icy temps would throw a wrench in the plan. But no, these two were totally game. The tides had changed the beach access making John and Larissa wade across a little stream to get to the sand. I’m so glad they had the spirit to do this because the photos from this time are just wonderful.

Congrats to you both on your wedding. Thanks for having us along on such a sweet, fun and loving day. And thanks to you, Rob, for being the awesome photographer you are. Well done!

Go here to see a little slideshow. And check back in late December for a link to all the photos from the day.

UPDATE: here is the link to see all the photos from the day.

If you’re planning your 2009 wedding, you might check out “The Art of Weddings” Boutique Bridal Event. It’s billed as “a swankier kind of bridal show”, which certainly makes sense to me. I expect this to be a fun, stylish event where you can check out a bundle of wedding oriented vendors all at once. Here’s the 411:

Date: Thursday, January 8th
Location: LUXE Autohaus
410 NE 17th Avenue (corner of 17th and Glisan)
Time: 5:00pm-9:00pm
Admission:2 guests for $20 advance online, $25 at the door.
Parking: Complimentary parking at lot on NE 18th and Hoyt Street

• Bridal SWAG bags with goodies from participating vendors
• Chocolate tasting with Missionary Chocolates
• Food by Culinary Artistry
• Bridal fashion show featuring hand-made gowns
• Try new bridal makeup and hair by Madi
• Mini bridal photo shoot with Jasmine Photography

You can learn more about the event or register for tickets at their website. Hope to see you there!

We met Allison Kelleher on Sunday at event attended by some wedding industry folks. I tell you, there are two words I’m mesmerized by. One is “shoes” and the other is “cupcakes”. She introduced herself as “Cupcake Mama” and with that, she had my full attention.

I’ve had her yummies at a wedding and feel fully qualified to rave. If I was having a wedding or a party, I can see the advantage of having cupcakes instead of the big cake. Everyone can have the flavor (or color) they want, it’s a decent serving size (if you hold only one at a time, no-one can tell that you’ve already eaten 4 others….) and easier to serve and clean up.

Check out her website, or give her a ring at 503.287.7792

What a sweet and charming wedding this was. Alison and John married at dusk in the teeny tiny Old Church in Sellwood and then after celebrated with friends and family upstairs at Kell’s. Since Alison is an event planner herself, when it came time to consider her own wedding, she aimed for something small, simple and sweet. When they talked with us about what they were imagining photo-wise, the phrase “low key” came up a couple of times. What a refreshing change it was for us to be around such a relaxed and happy couple on wedding day.

My favorite photos from this day are the photos of Alison and John together alone, before their friends and family arrived. Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, Alison had the added beauty of being totally relaxed and completely in the moment with John.

UPDATE: The gallery is ready! Go here to see all the photos from the day. And here’s a slideshow of our favorites.

On Sunday we participated in lil’ event where folks came by for a photo. Here’s the images from our photo booth. Thanks to all who stopped by. Your high res files is free for two weeks. (The cart says $25 but there is a 100% discount for two weeks.) We enjoyed making new friends and seeing some old ones. Go here to see the pics.