H&M Photography & Design: The Blog

Morgan & Sean's Photo Booth

I figured it was about time to post something wedding-related since that's what's been taking up most of our time lately. It's just that weddings take a looong time to blog...especially if we're creating a video to go with it. Lots more weddings coming soon -  promise!

In the meantime, here are some fun photo booth shots from Morgan and Sean's wedding. Can you say hi-larious?!

If you're in these photos, head on over to our Facebook page, where we've posted most of these. Feel free to use these as your profile picture and please tag yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second one here is my fave - that's Andrew, Morgan's (the bride) brother. So funny!

 

 

 

It's always fun to see how many people can cram into our photo booth - I think this may be the most yet! (Note to other clients: that's not necessarily a challenge!)

 
- Heather Maynard, Dahlonega, Georgia wedding photographer

Boys Will Be Boys

Guys always act like they HATE having their photo taken. Always. It must be a rule of being male or something - must hate being photographed, no matter if you're five or fifty! 

But then comes the part of the wedding when the guys have to be photographed. And you know what? They always have more fun than the girls. Always. So I can only assume that guys secretly love having their photos taken (at least the ones at the weddings we shoot).

I had to share these from a wedding I just finished editing. I don't usually show a lot of the "formal" photos of the wedding party, but these demonstrate perfectly what I mean. And, yes, I could show many, many more from other weddings with goofy groomsmen.

Thanks for making the formal portraits more fun, guys!

 

 

 

 

Don't let the groom's dad fool you - he wasn't so innocent:

 

 

 

And I had to include a picture of my favorite guy at the wedding (who claims to hate being on the other side of the camera). How cute is he in his bowtie??

- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding photographer 

Morgan + Sean {5.22.10}

There are some weddings where everything goes perfectly. Then there are weddings where shoes that are supposed to be brown are purple, the bride's hair has to be done twice (because the first style somehow gives her the appearance of having 1980s sideburns) and a picture falls on the photographer's head. 

Yes, that all happened at Morgan and Sean's wedding.

But what amazes me is that these weddings - the ones where nothing seems to go quite right - always, ALWAYS end up perfectly. They're some of the best, really. Because it's a reminder that, while the rings, the flowers, the food and the music are all important, the wedding day is about SO much more. It is, after all, the beginning of a marriage that will be full of memories from so many days - not just one.

After a couple of bumps in the road, the day really did turn out beautifully. Morgan and Sean got married at Forest Hills Resort in Dahlonega in amazing weather. They had a super fun wedding party and, once we started the formal shots, everything was so relaxed. There was lots of laughing, lots of smiling and a few nerves that quickly turned around after the shortest ceremony of all time. Seriously. It was nine minutes (we timed it!).

Congrats, Morgan and Sean!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch this video for more images (may take a second to load) and look for a post from Morgan and Sean's photo booth soon!

- Heather Maynard, Dahlonega, Georgia wedding photographer

Just a few images...

from some of the weddings we've shot recently. We're mid-wedding season, knee deep in editing and I have lots of weddings (and portrait sessions) that need to be blogged. But for now, here are a few from the gorgeous, gorgeous weddings we've shot lately. 

 

 

 

 

 
Actual posts from these weddings coming soon!

- Heather Maynard, Georgia wedding photographer

Carli & Brent {5.1.10}

Being photographed isn't always as glamourous as it sounds. It often requires standing in the heat and humidity in hot, heavy clothes. And navigating fields of tall grass in wedding attire. Sometimes the behind the scenes isn't as pretty as the finished product. Sometimes someone says, "Watch out for ticks," and then, what do you know, there's a tick. On the wedding gown.

But when you have really great clients, they go with it anyway. And they don't even tell you if they think you're crazy. (We appreciate that.)

Carli and Brent had such a fun wedding and equally fun wedding party. And yes, that really happened. Can I just tell you - bugs LOVE a wedding dress. :)

The ceremony was beautiful, but the reception - oh, the reception - was amazing. Timeless and beautiful - candlelight everywhere, soft creams and champagnes, great light and lots of dancing. 

Don't you love the feathers in Carli's bouquet?

 

 

 

 

The ring bearer did great for photos, but wasn't too thrilled when it came to walking down the aisle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the video for more images:

- Heather Maynard, Monroe, Georgia wedding photographer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chenoa + Wes {4.17.10}

I feel like I spend every blog post talking about how much I love my clients, but seriously, they're the best. 

Chenoa and Wes are such great people! And let me tell you, they really know how to have fun! That always shows in photos, too, and I love that they were up for anything. They even had some ideas for some funny shots that really showed off their personalities. And they weren't afraid to make goofy faces, either. (But they know how to work it and be serious, too.) Pretty much exactly what you want when it comes to clients. If you follow me on twitter, Wes is the groom I tweeted about who said he didn't know taking photos could be so much fun.

Wes' son, Myles, was funny like his dad and kept me smiling and laughing all day. He said some of the funniest and most grown-up things, but he's so kind-hearted. I loved seeing him and Chenoa interact - so sweet!

The had a small ceremony at Ashford Memorial Methodist Church in Watkinsville (amazing church!) and a reception at the Georgian in downtown Athens. I love smaller weddings because I feel like I really get to know everyone through the course of the day. Chenoa and Wes made us feel like guests, which, as vendors, always makes us feel special.

The sky that evening was amazing and the balcony at the Georgian gave us a great view of downtown Athens. It was an amazing day for a wedding!

Chenoa and Wes - you guys are awesome! Thanks for being so cool!

Here are some of my favorite shots. To see LOTS more shots and some video, watch the videos below. Let us know what you think!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 The wedding:

The reception:

See lots more stills over on my Facebook page. Feel free to tag yourself!

- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding photographer

Lauren & Brandon's Photo Booth

We mixed it up a little bit for Lauren and Brandon's reception and offered a photo booth for their guests to have a little fun. We'll be offering the photo booth as an addition to 2010 weddings, so if you're interested just let us know! 

Here are several favorites from their photo booth:

 

 

Our assistant for the day, Chad had a go at it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're in the photo booth, feel free to save the images from the blog to use on Facebook - just right click and save (Mac: control + click and save), then upload to Facebook. Please do not make any adjustments or crop the photos.

Reception shots up next!

- Heather Maynard, Athens wedding photographer

A Few More Favorites

Here are a few more of my favorites from Brandon & Lauren's wedding day:

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren wore her grandmother's necklace. So pretty!

 

 

Lauren's parents surprised her by stitching a little something inside her dress. Her dad hand stitched it - so sweet:

 

And this was Lauren's reaction when she saw it:

 

Let's just say there were tears...and not just from Lauren.

 

 

 

I know the guys thought I was crazy - I made them go outside in drizzly 30 degree weather AND I was laying on the ground taking photos. Matthew shot this one - I was laying on the ground just out of view. That explains the funny faces.

 

 

 

 

 

I love shots just after the ceremony - all the stress is gone and they're ready to have fun:

 

 
 Reception shots still to come!

- Heather Maynard, Watkinsville wedding photographer

Lauren & Brandon's First Look

Lauren and Brandon opted for a first look at their wedding which I have to say I was SO happy about. To be honest, seeing one another before the ceremony makes photography much, much easier and less stressful and rushed. But it also gives the bride and groom a private moment to see each other for the first time on their wedding day without a crowd of people watching. It's not for everybody, but I think it's such a great option. Even though Brandon and Lauren were undecided about a first look until a few weeks before the ceremony, I think they'd agree.

They wanted to have their first look outdoors, but freezing temperatures and a light drizzle changed their plans. Instead, they met up in the sanctuary of the church a couple of hours before the ceremony was set to begin - just the two of them (and us, there to capture it all). They smiled a lot, shed a few tears and exchanged gifts. It's a sweet moment that they'll remember between the two of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After their first look we took several photos of the two of them. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

 

 

I still have a few more posts from the wedding to go, so check back soon!

- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding photographer  

Lauren's Bridal Portraits

I have so much to tell about Lauren and Brandon's wedding this weekend, but I'm going to start by showing a little peek at Lauren's bridal portraits and sharing the many, many stories from that day.

Lauren (and her mom) chose to have her bridal portraits taken at a bank in Athens. Not just any bank, though - it's a beautiful historic home that now serves as a bank. But for Lauren and her mom, it holds more meaning. It's also the bank where her mom used to work and where they each played as a child - Lauren, when she went with her mom to work, and her mom as a child before it was a bank (back when it was a home). I think it was a treat for her mom to see Lauren in her wedding dress on the same steps where she once played (okay, getting a little teary talking about it...moving on).

So let's talk about the dress. Lauren's beautiful, beautiful dress. You see, it's very long and very intricate. In fact, it required an entourage and several props during the bridals to keep it clean and looking like it had never been worn for the wedding. The funny thing to me about her dress is that it's the exact opposite of what she thought she wanted going into the dress hunt. She explained the dress she had pictured in her mind - no lace, no beading and very simple. When you look at the photos, you'll probably laugh because it not only has lace and beading, but it's covered in it. But it was absolutely beautiful, it fit her perfectly and it was well worth the entourage. (Her entourage was her super sweet and totally helpful mom, dad and aunt - added bonus!)

I'm so glad Lauren elected to have bridal portraits taken, since she wanted lots of outdoor photos and her wedding day ended up being cold and drizzly. It was still cold on the day of the bridals, but I don't even think you can tell in the photos. Here are my favorites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't normally include photos like this on the blog, but I had to include a pic of Lauren's entourage - and show that it takes a lot of work to go from this:

 

To the second shot here (which they chose as a canvas to display at the wedding):

 

Photos from the wedding ceremony and reception coming soon!

- Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding photographer

Many More Coming...

Such a sweet, sweet wedding this weekend. Lots more coming, but I wanted to go ahead and put up one for Brandon and Lauren. Check back soon for more!

- Heather Maynard, Watkinsville, Georgia wedding photographer 

Terry & Connie {9.13.09}

Being a photographer has lots of perks. I'm not gonna lie - it's an awesome job!

One of those perks is that you can give a very personal gift - photography - to family and friends. Last weekend, I was able to give that gift to my father-in-law and his new wife, Connie. 

They had a sweet and intimate family ceremony on Sunday - complete with Cecilia cake! I'm so glad that they asked me to capture some of the moments of the day. Here's a little peek at some of my favorites:

-Heather Maynard, Winder, Georgia wedding photographer

Rachel & Shawn {9.6.09} Part 2

Part 1 here.

When Rachel and Shawn told me they'd be having their wedding in their backyard, I expected a sweet, intimate and personal celebration. 

Their wedding was definitely all of those things, but never did I expect a backyard as beautiful as theirs! I would have thought that they held weddings there every weekend. It was perfectly manicured with lots of little details - a perfect place for a wedding!

Even though they have a great yard and plenty of places for photos, we all headed to a historic home nearby for some formal shots. I'm so glad Rachel and Shawn knew about this little location, because it was a perfect backdrop for a few quick shots.

Here are some of my favorites:

Their colors - deep reds and oranges - really got me ready for fall!

A few sweet moments after the ceremony:

-Heather Maynard, Dacula, Georgia wedding photographer

Katy + Chris: Part 1 {9.5.09}

Katy and Chris are one of the sweetest couples I've met as a photographer - they are so obviously in love, but not in that mushy PDA kind of way. They are just so cute around each other in the way that makes everyone around them smile, so I knew that their big day would be lots of fun - a celebration of love, family and faith.

I'm so glad that they gave us an opportunity to be part of their day. Typically, as photographers we try to make clients feel comfortable, particularly on their wedding day. But Katy and Chris were so wonderful to work with, they made us feel right at home with them all day long, like we were hanging out with friends.

They had an absolutely beautiful wedding (and wedding party, I might add) at Antioch Christian Church in Watkinsville. I have so many images I'd like to share from their wedding, so here's a sneak peek at some of them. Photos from the reception coming in another post!

Katy carried a family Bible that had been passed through several generations:

Katy helping her sweet little sister get ready:

A quick pep talk before the ceremony, trying to help Katy think funny thoughts in case she felt like she might cry:

Chris' face when he caught the first sight of Katy walking down the aisle:

Katy's brother sang at the ceremony - how sweet is that?

Katy's dad and Chris:

Roomies (holding up their apartment numbers) - I totally forced the guys to do this after the girls did it:

 

See Chris & Katy's engagement photos here, and Katy's bridal portraits here.

 -Heather Maynard, Watkinsville, Georgia wedding photographer

Katy's Bridal Portraits

Many brides forgo bridal shots now, but I'm SO glad that Katy decided to do them. Even though it's a little weird getting all dolled up and putting on your wedding dress before the big day, it often makes things a little less stressful on the wedding day, since most of the individual bridal shots are out of the way and we can focus on other shots (and get to the fun stuff - the party!).

You may remember Katy from her engagement session. She was beautiful in those (remember that to-die-for purple dress?), but she made THE MOST gorgeous bride (both times!). She and Chris had an incredible wedding, but I won't talk about it too much here, as I have a few more wedding posts coming later this week. (Yes, a few - there are that many photos I want to show.)

We did the portraits at the church where she and Chris were married - Antioch Christian Church in Watkinsville, and at her family's farm, where they held the reception (and also where we took some of their engagement photos).

For now, here are a few of my faves from the bridal session:

-Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia bridal and wedding photographer

Sarah & Randy {8.29.09}

Sarah and Randy are such an awesome couple. They did what most couples dream of doing in the months leading up to or after their wedding - they went to Costa Rica and tied the knot! And then they came back home and threw a HUGE party at Tucker Plantation to celebrate. See what I mean? Awesome.

Photographing their party was almost like taking photos of a good friend. When I met with Sarah for our pre-party consult, we instantly clicked and I felt like we could be friends because:

a) We both love blogs (in fact, she found me through this blog), b) They went to Costa Rica and Matthew and I honeymooned in Costa Rica, c) We share a mutual love of JCrew and d) She suggested we meet at Ike & Jane, one of my favorite little places to grab a bite to eat in Athens.

I guess it was destiny. And once I met Randy, he was just as easy to get along with - he seems so genuine and easygoing.

Sarah and Randy - thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day. I had a blast! Here are some of my favorite shots from the evening. Click each photo to enlarge.

The sweet couple (is it just me, or do they look like they could be JCrew models?):

Seriously, Sarah was rocking some JCrew:

I love this one. It cracks me up because Sarah's totally rolling her eyes:

They had the perfect recipe for a great evening: Beautiful, vintage decor on all the tables:

An amazing sunset peeking past the fence (that I may have walked all the way to the end of to get a shot of the sun, only to realize it had gone down too far to see it at all):

An awesome venue:

A great band:

And lots of partying:

I think the kids had fun, too:

-Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding and event photographer

Rachel & Shawn {9.6.09} Part 1

So, I know you're thinking, "9.6.09? Must be a typo."

But actually, it's not. Rachel and Shawn are a super sweet couple who actually got married about a year ago. However, since their families couldn't be at the ceremony, they're having a wedding next month to celebrate with all of them. They're having a small backyard ceremony that I know is going to be so pretty, intimate and memorable - I can't wait to be there to capture the big day.

I was so excited when they said that they wanted to have a session in their wedding attire a few weeks before the big day. They wanted to be able to have some photos printed to share with their families, who are coming in from out of town. This meant we could take our time and get some fun shots that we might not have time to get on the wedding day - almost like a "day after" session, but a "day before" session, instead! They were troopers, braving the August heat in their hot clothes, but I think it paid off with lots of pretty photos. You really can't tell how hot it was from the pictures!

Here are a few of my faves - don't worry I asked them if it was okay to share before the wedding day!

-Heather Maynard, Athens, Georgia wedding photographer

Carolyn & Phil {5.2.09}

This weekend Carolyn and Phil were married at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church and held their reception at Anthony's - both beautiful venues! Their wedding was equally beautiful and so much fun. They had a great group of guests who were more than willing to add to the fun, too, and there were so many special moments that I'm so glad I got to capture.

A few tears when the bride put on her veil:

A sweet prayer just before the ceremony:

All the pretty ladies:

Campbell's dress matched her American Girl doll's!

The beautiful bride:

And the handsome groom:

The toast:

The emcee for the evening - funny guy!

The groom was so attentive to the bride, and he gave the sweetest toast.

And they cut the cake with his sword - so cool.

Thanks so much for letting me be part of your big day! Hope you have a blast in Savannah!

-Heather Maynard, Atlanta, Georgia wedding photographer

A Wedding Bonus: Gallery Cards

In just a few weeks, I'll be shooting Phil and Carolyn's wedding, and it's going to be beautiful! Typically, when I shoot weddings, I include gallery cards - cards that guests can pick up with instructions on how to view and purchase photos from the wedding straight from the website.

Each gallery card is custom-made for each bride and groom to match their wedding colors and style. If we do an engagement session or bridal portraits, those can be incorporated into the gallery cards, too. 

Phil and Carolyn's cards arrived a few days ago and I'm so excited with how they turned out. Their wedding will be a formal church wedding, so I went with a simple, classic design. But I chose a funky bookmark shape to make them stand out. (And it's kind of like an additional favor for guests - they're getting a bookmark, too. Okay, so maybe that part's a stretch.)

There are so many advantages to having gallery cards at your wedding, but here are just a few:

• It gives guests quick access to all the photos without having to ask the bride and groom about them after the wedding.
• Out of town guests can view photos, too - no album necessary! 
• Payment and delivery are arranged with whomever buys the photos, so the bride and groom don't have to foot the bill or deliver lots of photos - they can focus on their own photos.  
• No one feels obligated to buy prints, but the website makes it easy to do so if they would like to. 
• All questions related to photos can be directed straight to us - we'll handle it! 

If you're booking a wedding with H&M, be sure to ask about custom gallery cards as part of your package. 

-Heather Maynard, Atlanta, Georgia wedding photographer