Thanks in part to my phenomenal clients and my commitment to producing exceptional family and wedding photography, I am honored to announce that I have been selected as a winner of a 2016 Two Bright Lights Editors’ Choice Award!

This award is a celebration of Two Bright Lights members whose number of published features in 2015 put them among the top 5% of the community. Editors’ Choice winners were published across many of the most respected lifestyle, wedding and other print and digital publications in the United States and worldwide.

It is a great distinction to be recognized alongside this group of talented photographers and creative professionals. Over the past year, my features have given me the opportunity to increase exposure of my work and it is exciting to receive this award in recognition of my effort.

In 2015, I had the privilege of being published in the following publications:

Thanks again to all of the other creative professionals who made these features possible!

So what IS a "First Look", anyway?

It is a time set aside before the ceremony with just the bride, groom and photographer. It is a private moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time. It allows an intimate moment to see each other, talk to each other, and get out a lot of nervous energy out! It allows the photographer to capture what is often the most honest and raw emotion between a couple while staying unobtrusive.

It also allows a time to get the bride and groom photos out of the way- 1 less thing to squeeze in between the ceremony and reception and more time to spend with your guests!

I asked a few former brides and groom their perspective on the first look!

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"The "first look" experience allowed for me to be more relaxed and less nervous during the ceremony. I am a private person and if I'm going to get emotional would rather not have an audience. You don't feel rushed to move on with pictures you really get to enjoy some private time together and it may also be the only time you are alone together till the wedding ends. It doesn't take away from aisle experience I believe I was more able to enjoy that moment, and concentrate on not falling down the stairs!"

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"We loved the first look. I think having that first look was a good connection point for shifting the focus off all the details of the day (getting ready, family arriving, last minute details) to one another. I think it steadied me for the ceremony and got it me excited for the day!

I would recommend it because, with so much else going on that day, and with guests to greet and mingle with, it was nice to have a moment together alone.

What surprised me about our first look was that I didn't cry! I thought for sure I would lose it. But, having the little bit of time before the ceremony with Jason calmed by nerves. I don't think it took away from walking down the aisle."

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"I definitely loved to see her, and spend time together before the ceremony. I was able to tell her how beautiful she looked, and stare at her during pics, and then pay better attention during the ceremony. She was in such a great mood, because she felt beautiful, so it was great to be able to hang around together without everyone else around to distract us."

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"The entire day of your wedding is an emotional high surrounded by the people you love most but I decided it was important for us to be intentional about the moments we shared that day. Looking back, I am grateful we took the few moments we did to set time aside for just us. I felt that once the marriage pronouncement was made, the celebration would commence and we wanted to spend as much time as possible with our friends and family so I was so glad that we were able to have a sweet intimate morning preceding the ceremony. I felt like we could really let loose and just celebrate after the ceremony because of the affection and closeness we were able to share that morning."

"As a bride, you spend a lot of time thinking about what dress you will wear, what veil you will use, and what shoes you will be dancing into your future with. But really only one person's opinion matters and that is your soon-to-be husband. I loved the sweet intimate moments we had together seeing each other for the first time as the Bride and Groom. This intimate exchange calmed my nerves and gave us a chance to be our playful selves. He twirled me and told me how beautiful I was and the emotion in his eyes confirmed everything that I hoped he would feel upon seeing me. That same look in his eyes was replicated when I reached him at the end of the aisle as well. Even after the "first look", it was still an incredible experience walking down the aisle toward my soon to be husband and I did not feel one bit that our first look had degraded that moment in the slightest. I feel as though I was able to live that moment twice in one day rather than just once."

"As a groom you know your soon to be wife will be absolutely stunning when you see her, so what made the first look wonderful was that I got to express to her how beautiful, stunning and amazing she looked in a private moment- just us. It was so peaceful and I felt like we were the only ones on earth just living in that moment. The day soon kicks into high gear and your intimate moments are hard to come by until after everything is done. At the ceremony you could miss that first look of both bride and groom or something could distract from the moment. There are more variables for distraction and not as much intimacy."

Whether you decide on a first look or not, it is YOUR day and I am there to photograph every moment exactly as you imagined it. Consider what is best for you and your soon-to-be spouse and I am there to help capture those amazing moments!