Tag: wedding

A Snapshot Look at 2023

The wedding season is slowing down, but we may have a whole new way of looking at wedding photography to push us into the new year. Here now 5 trends people will focusing in on.

1. Wedding Highlights

Gone our the days of watching the whole ceremony. Now we are really seeing a movement towards shorter versions to play on social media and give a glimpse to those who could not make it.

2. Realistic Video Edits

  • Wedding Ceremony at the Oregon Gardens by Photos By Orion
    Wedding ceremony at the Oregon Gardens.

At Photos By Orion creativity and storytelling is one of the best part of our jobs. Now many people turning to using actual clips of sound from the wedding accompanied by music bringing out the true emotions of your big day.

3. Veil Shots

Veil shots remain a classic favorite. They represent the grace and elegance of brides. We are always finding creative ways to showcase these treasured trophies.

4. Black and White Photography

Its timeless, versatile, distraction-free, and subtle. Black and white photography can evoke a mood – from nostalgia to sadness to yearning, black and white pictures somehow convey emotion in a way that color images simply can’t

5. Candid Pictures during the Ceremony

Then there is that magical moment that only comes once, but reveals a split second shot of emotion. From the vows, father and daughter march, and that picture perfect portrait seconds after your “I Do’s.” These are the picture of perfection recaptured in all there glory for everyone to reminisce and rewind in the days after the wedding. We are Photos By Orion, and for over 15 years we have been telling stories with star quality photography, videography, drone, and 360. Feel free to email or call us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or 503-385-1435.

Bloomin’ Bride

Love blooms brightly in this backyard wedding. The vows for Macy and Bret in West Salem went off without a hitch, and see all those bouquets of flowers believe it or not they are all made of wood. That’s right wooden flowers.

Too the naked eye and through are camera lens it’s hard to imagine that they are not real. The vibrant colors and details are incredible. The bride, Marcy, handcrafted all these pieces from scratch.

The flowers are made from Sola wood. Sola is very lightweight and soft and flexible. Marcy used the shavings of the wood, reshaping them, then using 15-20 pieces per flower to capture the elegance of the centerpieces.

Even the boutonnieres were carefully constructed, colored, and then covered with lacquer to keep them stable. Marcy’s time and energy were well worth it. She saved big and the best part like the sign says they last forever. Show us some of the creative ways you save. Send them into us at photosbyorion.com, or feel free to email or call us at contact@photosbyorion.com, or 503-385-1435.

Package Pricing

Wedding Photography Series Episode 2

When you start considering wedding photography, knowing what is included in a package and how to compare wedding photographers can be a super stressful choice! In this episode, Karin and Kathryn discuss why photographers make packages the way they do, how the photography style you choose can affect your package needs, and what can be covered in different amounts of time. Check out this video to get some tips to help you pick your wedding photographer.

Feel free to reach out at any time! We would love to talk to you about your wedding photography. Email contact@photosbyorion.com with any questions.

What does a typical wedding ceremony look like?

You’re engaged, planning your wedding, checking out dresses, and are super excited to start meeting with vendors. They ask you about your ceremony and you suddenly realize you have no idea how to put together a wedding ceremony! You start to freak out as you add yet another thing to your list of to-do’s that is already a mile long, but take a deep breath and relax for a minute.

A wedding ceremony can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Realistically, the list I have compiled below is what happens in a typical American ceremony. Different cultures will change this accordingly. I have tried to keep this list as bare-bones as possible, just the things that are typical and/or necessary, and labeled everything else optional. If you follow this simple formula you can have a ceremony plan in a few short minutes!

Wedding Ceremony Elements

Processionals – where the wedding party and parents of the couple walk in. Typically the parents are seated by ushers or groomsmen/attendants (attendants = the people standing with the couple up front, not the guests) first, then the groom/partner#1 walks in with the officiant, then bridesmaids/groomsmen/attendants walk in, followed by the ring bearer. Finally, the flower girls/grandmas/people walk in just ahead of the bride/partner #2.

žBride/Partner entrance

žOfficiant opening remarks – These are typically short comments welcome, of what makes a marriage work.

žCharge to the couple – This is the remark about the couple coming together seeking a committed relationship and that they are here to take the other person as their husband/wife/partner.

žVows – These are your promises to each other. They can be the same to each other or completely different. They can be repeated after the officiant or read from a paper. However and whatever you choose to promise to your soon to be spouse, this is the important part of the ceremony as it is what will bring you together. Spend time on your vows, be honest and committed to what you say here.

žRing exchanges

žUnity event – (optional) I have included this because about half of all weddings have some sort of unity event. Some examples I have seen are unity candles, hand-fastenings, and sand/bead/candy ceremonies, although this could truly be anything that brings two things together into one.

žPronouncement of marriage – “…By the power vested in me…”

žThe Kiss

žClosing Remarks and presentation of couple – “May I be the first to present…”

žRecessionals – wedding party walks back in reverse order.

There are many ways to make the wedding ceremony all your own, but as long as you start with this framework you will be good to go.

Comment below to let me know if I missed anything. These are the elements I have noticed in my wedding photography career as going into a typical ceremony.