How to Prepare for Your Engagement Shoot: What to Wear and Bring

Your engagement shoot is a special opportunity to capture the love and excitement leading up to your wedding day. But preparing for it can feel overwhelming. What should you wear? What should you bring? Let’s dive into the essential tips to make your engagement photos memorable and stress-free. 

Wedding DJ Trends: Themed Playlists, Live Mixing, and Custom Interactions

Engaged couples and wedding planners seek ways to create unique, memorable experiences beyond the traditional reception. Every aspect of a wedding, from the venue to the décor, is carefully chosen to reflect the couple’s style and story, and music is no exception.

Themed Couple Session or Classic Engagement Photos: Which Fits Your Style?

Engagement photos aren’t just images—they’re a celebration of your journey together, capturing a moment in time as you prepare for your next chapter. By infusing your personality into every shot, you’ll create memories that are as special and unforgettable as your love story.

How to Stand and Where to Look to Get Epic Wedding Photos

Whether you’re preparing for a professional photoshoot or candid snapshots at a casual gathering, a little knowledge goes a long way. Small adjustments in how you stand, position your hands, or smile can transform a stiff photo into one that truly captures your personality and confidence.In this article, we’ll share practical advice for mastering event photography poses, helping you look confident and natural in every shot.

What Are the Best Wedding Flowers for Stunning Photos?

Ashley and Matthew's wedding at Stonecrest showcased how thoughtful floral choices, blue-accented bouquets, and multi-use arrangements create gorgeous, cohesive wedding photography. Every floral detail contributed to a picture-perfect day, from romantic first looks to an elegant ceremony and a fun-filled reception.‍

Shift Toward Documentary-Style Wedding Photography: Capturing Real Moments

Wedding photography is evolving, reflecting a growing desire for authenticity and storytelling.

A Winter Wedding Ceremony at The Springs Alvarado

It’s no secret that Texas has some of the best sunsets that hang over the midwest. A loving couple, a beautiful outdoor ceremony and well thought out outdoor wedding ideas make for stunning photos and videos. When we were offered the opportunity to capture the very first wedding at The Springs Event Venue in Alvarado, Texas in December, we couldn’t resist. We have been shooting weddings at The Spring’s venues throughout Oklahoma and Texas for several years and this particular wedding holds a special place in our heart. Hailee and Andrew are not only an amazing couple, but Hailee is the venue’s coordinator and has been apart of several of our weddings in the past.

An Elegant Evening to Remember at the Adolphus Hotel in Downtown Dallas

At the dawn of the 20th century Aldophus Busch, cofounder of Anheuser-Busch, debuted the first truly luxury hotel in the booming city of Dallas. The building was the tallest building in Dallas, standing at 22 stories, and remained so for over a decade. The Adolphus was built with Germanic castle stylings in mind, only in true Texas fashion, bigger. If you are someone who loves beautiful timeless craftsmanship, classic stylings, and an elegant atmosphere, then you will be in LOVE with The Adolphus, much the same as Elizabeth and Roy were.

Our favorite Canon cameras and lenses at Marcela and Dalton's wedding

We get asked frequently 'what kind of cameras do you use at your shoots'? While different cameras do give slightly different looks out of straight out of the camera, it's really what type of lenses they should be specifically be asking about. Different lenses allow the shooter to get very different looking shots, and different types of shots, based on the situation you are shooting. In general, we tend to lean towards Sony gear for video projects, and Canon gear for photo projects; we love Canon cameras and all of the lenses we will talk about are for Canon EF mount cameras. A few of these lenses are not so expensive and a few of them are what would be considered the best of the best. The best way to help pick a lens is to show off what lenses we use for specific things getting ready photos, group photos, portraits, ceremony, and reception. Most all of the lenses we are going to mention can be interchanged throughout the wedding day and may vary based on the style and look you are going for. We recently shot a small wedding in Downtown Dallas at Four Corners Brewery for a young and hip couple named Marcela and Dalton. This wedding is a great reference to see why we use the lenses we use on a wedding day.

Venue Highlight | The Castle At Rockwall in Rockwall, Texas

Have you ever dreamt of being swept away to a beautiful castle placed within a peaceful countryside to be married? Did you know you could find this as close as Rockwall? The Castle at Rockwall is the place to make all of your fairytale wedding dreams come true because I mean c'mon who does not want to be a princess getting married in a castle?

Sarah & Nicholas | A Traditional Catholic Wedding

Sarah and Nicholas enjoyed a gorgeous, traditional Catholic wedding in downtown Dallas, Texas. This fun and charismatic couple were a joy to capture and it was a pleasure to witness their marriage.

Molly & Kris | One Fun Couple’s Outdoor Ceremony

One firecracker of a couple who enjoyed a stunning wedding at The Springs in Weatherford, Texas. Molly and Kris are the perfect couple, full of charisma and they shared the most special day saying 'I do.' They brought a different element of energy to the day. We took their engagement photos too, so it was wonderful to work with them on two different occasions and build a wonderful trust and relationship with the couple.

Alissa & John | A Little Rain didn’t Stop this Rustic Outdoor Wedding

Alyssa and John celebrated their stunning wedding at The Nest at Ruth Farms, Ponder, Texas. This beautiful, rustic, outdoor wedding was the perfect day, and it was a pleasure to take these photographs. Alyssa was the perfect bride. She wore her hair in a stunning updo, accompanied with flowers. Her dress looked like something from the 20s, which was covered in stunning pearl embroidery and finished with beautiful lace sleeves. Her lovely bridesmaids helped with her garter and they shared laughter as they prepared for the wonderful day ahead. Her bridesmaids wore stunning, floor-length black dresses. Just before Alyssa was about to head out for the magical day ahead, a weather warning for a rainstorm came in. They decided to go ahead with the outdoor wedding which made for the most beautiful photos.

Abigail & Jake | A Rainy but Beautiful Day at Lake Tyler Petroleum Club

Abigail and Jake celebrated their gorgeous wedding at the Lake Tyler Petroleum Club, Texas. It was an honor to capture this magical day and hang out with this super cool couple. It was a truly magical day and although it was raining, nothing could stop the sheer joy and happiness of the day.

Yue & Long | A Multicultural Wedding at the Botanical Gardens in Dallas

This stunning, multicultural wedding took place at the Botanical Gardens in Dallas, Texas. Yue and Long were so wonderful to spend the day with. They were the sweetest couple and we felt very welcomed by them. It was a truly wonderful, colorful and traditional wedding and it was an honor to capture this day.

Venue Highlight | The Orchard

Parker County, Texas has been known for its peaches, but now should be making a name for itself with great wedding venues. One such wedding venue is The Orchard, located 20-30 minutes northwest of Fort Worth near Azle. If you are looking for green scenery, flexible choices, and a beautiful setting, The Orchard might be the perfect venue for you.

Brittany & Brandon | A Beautiful Wedding at a Historic Church

Fun, sweet and very welcoming, Brittany and Brandon were a wonderful couple to photograph. It was an honor to attend their very special wedding day. They married at St Peter's Catholic Church in Lindsay, Texas, just north of Dallas and celebrated with close friends and family.

Emily & Hunter | A sweet couple married in Colony, Texas

At the Chapel at Ana Villa in Colony, Texas, Emily and Hunter became husband and wife. It was a very special day celebrating the marriage of a sweet, kind hearted and beautiful couple who you could see were head over heels in love.

Bethany & Jamie | A Beautiful Wedding In Weatherford, Texas

The Springs in Weatherford, Texas, was the beautiful location where Bethany and Jamie tied the knot. It was amazing to work with this gorgeous couple and get to know them. The whole day was full of love, laughter and emotion and we were so happy to photograph this very special wedding.

Noell and Jake | A Traditional Wedding at the Hampton Estates

Noell and Jake celebrated their gorgeous wedding at the Hampton Estates in Weatherford, Texas. These two love birds are massive Harry Potter fans and handed me wands to take photos with when I arrived. The lovely couple who both work in medicine was a pleasure to get to know and we were honored to capture the video of photographs of this special day.

Venue Highlight | Stone Crest in McKinney, Texas

Different wedding venues have different vibes, but the rustic, elegant feel has been very popular. There is good reason for it - it still has a Texas feel to it, but matches the upscale nature of the moment of a classy wedding. If you are looking for something that feels both rustic and modern, and features the rolling hills of Texas without having to really leave the city too far behind, you should definitely check out Stone Crest, located in McKinney, just 30ish minutes north of Dallas. We have had the extreme honor of shooting quite a few events at this award winning venue (theknot.com's Best Of winner for wedding venues in Texas), including the wedding photography and wedding videography of Kayla & Evan.

Claire & Liam | A Rustic-chic Wedding at a Gorgeous Barn Venue

Claire and Liam were a lovable, fun and beautiful couple who enjoyed their stunning wedding day at The White Sparrow Barn in Quinlan, Texas. They really let their personalities shine through on their perfect day and married in their own home away from home, which made their day extra special.

Libby & Robb | Country Club Wedding in Irving, Texas

Libby and Robb shared a gorgeous wedding day at the Las Colinas Country Club, Texas. This fun couple were wonderful to be around and we had a great time capturing their special day. They had a stunning outdoor ceremony and the whole day went perfectly.

Jordan & Ari | A Traditional Jewish Wedding at Paradise Cove in South Lake, Texas

Jordan and Ari enjoyed their stunning wedding day at Paradise Cove, South Lake, Texas. The gorgeous venue is set next to a beautiful lake (as suggested by the name), that had expanded somewhat, which changed the whole set, but in the most gorgeous way. Both Ari's sisters had married at this location too, which was very special, but the change of setting meant Ari and Jordan enjoyed the venue in a whole new way than what they already knew. It was an honor to capture this stunning day, uniting a sweet, funny and very kind-hearted couple.

Erica & Ryan | A Gorgeous Wedding in Downtown Dallas at The Carlisle Room

Erica and Ryan had the most beautiful wedding day at The Carlisle Room, Downtown Dallas, Texas. This fun and very sweet couple were so happy to be getting married. They were really laid back and had a wonderful time throughout the whole day. It was an honor to be there.

Venue Highlight | The Laurel in Grapevine, Texas

As far as hidden gems of Grapevine go, the Laurel may very well take the cake in the wedding venue category. Nestled just off some main streets but back far enough that you don't deal with any of the traffic or city hustle and bustle, the Laurel has everything you need to pull off a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception without eating up all of your wedding budget. The Laurel is located at the heart of the Texas Hill Country in Grapevine and covers more than 6 acres of land.

Maria & Trent | A Smokey Reception Entrance at The Brik

A wildly passionate and gorgeous couple who married at The Brik in Fort Worth Texas. It was wonderful to learn about this couple and how they met. In fact, when they first met they didn't like each other! They worked together and she wasn't really looking for anything at the time. But they met in an elevator, while they were working as traveling nurses and the rest, as they say, is history. This beautiful couple currently live in Seattle but wanted their wedding back home in Texas.

Emily & Reece | A Traditional Wedding at The Piazza in the Village

Emily and Reece enjoyed a gorgeous wedding at The Piazza in the Village, Colleyville Texas. This stunning couple met through friends and currently reside in the UK where Reece is from. They met after he visited the states for work and the rest, as they say, was history. It was an honor to capture this gorgeous day of two families joining together.

Venue Highlight | Firefly Gardens in Midlothian, Texas

Nestled right between the hustling Metroplex and vast Texas countryside sits the elegant Firefly Gardens. That location was intentionally chosen by the Smith family preceding their venue's launch; how great would it be to offer a luxurious white venue that is family owned and operated so close to the expansive Dallas/Fort Worth area? When those dreams came to fruition in 2014, hopeful couples flooded to reserve their spot at this beautiful venue, even two years in advance. One such lucky couple was Kaitlin and Troy.

Teresa & David | A Fall Wedding at the River Road Chateau

Venue Highlight | Chapel at Ana Villa in The Colony, Texas

As wedding photographers and wedding videographers, we love when we can walk around and find countless spots for different events throughout a wedding day. We love when there is outdoor soft light for when the father sees his daughter in her dress for the first time, big open windows for when the bride and groom are crying through their vows, and luscious green scenery for candid couples portraits. One of those venues that hits all of that criteria is the Chapel at Ana Villa in the Dallas area.

Venue Highlight | The Orion Ballroom in Downtown Dallas

If you are looking for a wedding venue that is, near downtown Dallas, with great views that don't break the bank, you will want to check out the Orion Ballroom! Located just south of downtown in the Bishop Arts district and on the 15th floor, the 360-degree views of the skyline and everything else in the area is worth the elevator ride. Whether you are looking to have just your reception hosted somewhere, or perhaps both the ceremony and reception, the Orion ballroom can help with both setups. Lots of space at this venue too - with over 8,000 square feet of space, the historic venue with classic vibes can comfortably accommodate up to 300 guests. We were honored to shoot Matt and Monique's big day here, and from that experience, it made it on our list of favorite places to shoot in the DFW metroplex!

Venue Highlight | The Big White Barn in Decatur, Texas

While many people love the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities like Dallas or Fort Worth, there are just as many people that love the other side of Texas. Replace the skyline with open sky, replace concrete skyscrapers with wide open skies, replace the "typical" decorations with a barn made of rustic-looking wood - now we are talking about Texas. If you prefer the countryside of Texas over the city side of Texas, you need to check out The Big White Barn in Decatur, Texas.

Venue Highlight | Willow Creek in Waxahachie, Texas

When it comes to planning your wedding, the wedding venue plays a huge part in setting the vibe for the day. The music, flower arrangements, and food all need to be set to your vision, but the wedding venue plays the most important role. Not only does the look have to be right, but the location will be the setting for turning some of the biggest moments of your life into the feelings that produce the photos and videos you will cherish forever. If you are looking for that "straight out of a wedding magazine" feel, or you want to get away from the normal locations that you have attended weddings at before, you will want to check out Willow Creek, in Waxahachie.

Rebeccah & Rob | The Brik

Rebeccah and Rob truly glowed despite the rain that adorned their wedding day. I first met the couple on a blustery Saturday morning in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. Even then, and even more so on their wedding day, you could see the happiness in Rob’s eyes as he looked at his bride to be. As they joked lightheartedly with each other throughout that gusty morning photo shoot, you knew that these two belonged together.

Venue Highlight | Event 1013 in Plano, Texas

Alternative. Urban. Upscale. These words perfectly describe the vibe of Event 1013 in Plano. Yet even with those descriptions, this venue has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s. From being a department store to a photography studio to the event venue it is today, 1013 is one of the most historic buildings in Plano. For the couple wanting that rich history and stylish aesthetic, this venue is the perfect fit.

Getting the Right Vendors on Your Team with Everlasting Events

Planning a wedding is a massive undertaking! There are so many things to organize. Tables and chairs need to be rented, flowers need to be ordered, suits and dresses that your bridal party will need, and countless other things. For many people, this can be an overwhelming task. Getting someone on your team, that has done it hundreds of times, to help you is one of the wisest decisions that you can make. They have seen other people try and fail, they have had the opportunity to learn what needs to be done at each and every wedding. This will allow you to really relax and know that everything is being taken care of.

Venue Highlight | River Road Chateau in Anna, Texas

The River Road Chateau is located in the heart of Collin County, just 20 minutes north of McKinney Texas. For you brides to be that are reading this blog, this place is beautiful. According to their website, their aim was to blend rustic Texas chic with class and traditional Southern charm, and they nailed it.

Five Oaks Farm | Texas Wedding Venue

There are so many venues to choose from in the Dallas area, especially if you are looking for a hillside country-style venue. Jessica and Brandon were searching for just that when they stumbled upon Five Oaks Farm. The venue offers a farmhouse barn and vintage furnishing that adds just the right type of contrast for your wedding photos. The oak trees and wildflowers on the property serve for beautiful photos during the day and for sunset at night. It's safe to say the couple fell in love with Five Oaks Farm as soon as they toured it.

Every Princess Needs a Castle | Photographers Venue Review - The Castle at Rockwall

There are several amazing wedding venues scattered throughout north Texas that all have unique feathers that brides desire. A fair amount of these venues do have similar things in common such as a rustic or barn vibe. For those who are looking for a little more elegant style and something completely different, The Castle at Rockwall is a great choice. Not only do they offer one of the most unique buildings in North Texas, they also have all of the accommodations to go along with it. Planning weddings can be a huge task and working with the right wedding venue can truly make that task all the more easy. The Castle at Rockwall offers options for your ceremony location, in house food and beverage service, overnight lodging, and decorations!

Venue Highlight | Brik Special Events Venue in Fort Worth, Texas

Ask anyone who has been married, it is no walk in a park to try and find that perfect spot to say "I do". From a photographers point of view there are a few things to keep in mind, how's the lighting, how is the decór and is it spacious? One of our favorite venues in the Fort Worth area is the BRIK venue, and it has all three of these in spades, not to mention a gorgeous mix of turn of the century industrial architecture, mixed with modern sophistication and design.

How do you prepare for a wedding? Sarah and Griffin nail it at The Brik Venue

Planning a wedding seems like a simple task, right? Once the question is popped and a date has been set everything seems to fall into place. That’s probably the most unrealistic expectation ever had by any bride or groom, in fact, after the event when we survey our brides, that is the number one thing they didn't expect - how much it took to get all of the details in order. Let's dive into a few things that can help you answer the question of, ‘how to prepare for my wedding?’ It seems like a daunting task but is over all easy to knock out by focusing on the big things first. Things like where to have the wedding, who will capture the ‘big day,’ and whether or not you want a band or a DJ.