Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC: Blog

A Winter Wedding with the Dog! | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Marena and Evan

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Venue: Marry Me Cottage

A Beautiful, Winter Maternity Session | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Jordan and Tommy Kerns

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Private Location, Troy MO

A Romantic Church Wedding in the Winter | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:45:00 GMT

Savannah and Keith Mcnab

Friday, December 30, 2022

Ceremony at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wentzville, MO

Reception at Trigg Banquet Center

A Fun Winter Wedding in STL | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 16:15:00 GMT

Julie and Dave Siegal

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Ceremony at St. Simon the Apostle Catholic Church

Reception at Orlando's

A Petite Family Session in the Fall | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:30:00 GMT

The Dill Family

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Veteran's Tribute Park

A Dreamy Engagement Session at Cuivre River State Park | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Elizabeth and Brad

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Cuivre River State Park

An Intimate, Romantic Wedding at Main Street Abbey | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Hannah and Kendon

Sunday, November 6, 2022

Main Street Abbey

A Fall Family Session at Broemmelsiek Park | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 16:00:00 GMT

The Oehlers

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Broemmelsiek Park

A Rainy Day Engagement Session at Historic Main Street Saint Charles | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 21:30:00 GMT

Savannah and Keith

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Historic Main Street St. Charles

A Gorgeous Evening Wedding at Marry Me Cottage | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 21:30:00 GMT

Brittany and Cody Grainger

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Marry Me Cottage

A Gorgeous Fall Wedding at Lake St Louis Community Association | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 21:45:00 GMT

Ashley and Victor Whitman

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Lake Saint Louis Community Association

A Unique Couples Session at Missouri Botanical Garden | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 21:45:00 GMT

Taylor and Adam Hoskins

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Missouri Botanical Garden

An Intimate Elopement at Marry Me Cottage | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 21:45:00 GMT

Taylor and Cody

Monday, October 17, 2022

Marry Me Cottage

3 Things to Know BEFORE Your First Phone Call | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 00:08:51 GMT

Wedding planning can be such an exciting time!! One of my favorite parts while I was planning my own wedding was going through all the pretty photos on Pinterest and imagining myself in those images. I remember combing through countless photos of decorations, cakes, dresses, and having my brain flooded with ideas of how to bring elements of these images into my venue. Like many other couples, my husband and I poured countless hours into not only planning our wedding but also making things for our wedding – he built the arbor we were married under and also carved candle sticks out of wood from our yard for our centerpieces while I made all of the bouquets and florals. When it came time to choose our wedding photographer, we wanted to make sure that we chose someone that would capture not only us on our wedding day but all of the love and labor we put into making the day our own.

You may have already read my blog post in 2020 about the one crucial step I believe couples should take BEFORE booking their wedding photographer (click here to take a look but spoiler alert… IT IS TALK TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER!)… but I want to take it a step further because talking to a potential wedding photographer is great but making sure you’re ready for the conversation is a whole other thing!

I’ve put together three important things you’ll want to know and have ready before you talk to potential wedding photographers (and other wedding vendors as well!) because not only will these points lead to a more productive conversation but they will also help you get valuable information from the photographer you’re speaking to so that you can make an educated choice and ensure that you find someone who will work amazingly well with you and your partner for your day!

3. Know How Long Your Wedding Day Will Be… Roughly

Knowing how long you expect your wedding day to be will help you determine upfront how much coverage you will need. This varies a lot from wedding to wedding but as a full time wedding photographer myself with over 50 weddings under my belt in the last four years, I can say that my most common collection by far is an eight hour collection with two photographers. I’ve done a few ten hour wedding days but these are usually the days where there is a large gap between the wedding and reception and the couple has elected for getting ready photos as well as full reception coverage.

If you find yourself questioning how much wedding coverage you’ll need, a good place to start is thinking about how long your ceremony will be and then determining how much time will be between your ceremony and reception. After that, you can decide whether or not you’d like to have getting ready photos at a different location before the ceremony and finally decide between full reception coverage vs. just the main events. Once you have these things figured out, you’ll have a good idea of how long you’ll be needing coverage. This will help immensely when getting a quote for your wedding day photography coverage.

2. Know Your Budget

Knowing your budget for your wedding photography services before your first consultation is must. It saves you (and your photographer!) time and frustration when you know your budget because the last thing either of you wants to do is bond over the excitement of working together only to find out that you’ll have to find someone else to work with after the quote is delivered.

Luckily, there are photographers of all price ranges and skill levels in abundance these days so there is absolutely someone out there waiting to shoot your dream wedding collection! Knowing your budget sets you up to finding them as soon as possible (and before someone else with your wedding date!

If you’re unsure how to determine the average cost of wedding photography in your area, a good place to start is one of the many free, online wedding planning tools available (popular ones include The Knot, Zola, and Wedding Wire). On these types of sites, you can find a variety of local vendors listed with their price points, websites, and even client reviews – all in one spot! This can help you determine not only how much you should be budgeting for photography, but for your other wedding vendors as well! Oftentimes, you can connect with the vendors right there on the site which makes things even easier!

1. Have an Idea of Which Wedding Photos are Most Important to You

Of course ALL OF THEM, right!?

But in all seriousness, just as every wedding day is different, every couple’s idea of the perfect wedding collection is different as well. Not every couple wants photos of their guests at the tables during the reception (really, it seems like no one wants that anymore!). Some couples want a variety of photos of just the two of them together and plan for a few hours of portraits while others set aside thirty minutes so they can have more photos together with their friends in the wedding party. Everyone’s vision for their wedding day is different and knowing what your priorities are can help you know what to look for in a potential wedding photographer’s portfolio.

It also helps to have an idea of the style you’re going for in your photos. For example, if you’re hoping for some traditional, posed portraits in your collection, then Brittany Lynn Imagery may not be the best photographer for you (sad face!!!) because my work tends to be more photojournalistic with flowy poses that showcase my couples engaging and laughing together rather than rigidly smiling at the camera. If you want a more candid feeling to your wedding collection, however, I would love to chat! 😉

BONUS. Know Your Wedding Date!

You need to know your wedding date before booking your photographer! Afterall, it’s impossible for your photographer to know if they’re available to shoot your wedding if you don’t know your wedding date yet!

If you’re still narrowing down your wedding date or waiting on your venue for confirmation, now is a good time to do the homework listed above! By searching through local wedding photographers and narrowing your list down to 3-5 of your favorites you can then start to look in to each one of them and learn about their photography style, their pricing model, and read some reviews.

Now it’s time for the fun part – setting up your first call with a potential photographer!

You’ve got your wedding date set, you know roughly how long your wedding day will be, you know your budget, and you’ve decided on what parts of the wedding day mean the most to you – YOU’RE READY!!

The first meeting, whether it’s in-person, on a video call, or on a phone call, is a great opportunity for you to determine whether or not you “vibe” with your potential wedding photographer! Trust me – you want to make sure you find someone you get along with and feel comfortable around because your photographer will be there with you for the whole day - and for some pretty intimate moments - so make sure you find someone you can trust to capture your wedding day well and also to be a great support if/when you need it!

If you’d like to check my availability for your upcoming wedding, please send me an email at Brittany@BrittanyLynnImagery.com or fill out my contact form here.

Lastly, I’d love to know if you think I missed anything! What is something you think is super important to know before your pre-booking consultation with a potential wedding photographer? Even better, what is something you thought was important but turned out to be a bit less important than you expected and could have waited? (Let’s save some wedding-planning couples a bit of anxiety, shall we!?)

If you’re not already, be sure to connect with Brittany Lynn Imagery on Instagram at @brittanylynnimagery and also on Facebook at Facebook.com/brittanylynnimagerymo!

The Best Time for Summer Portrait Sessions (Don't Hate Me!) | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 22:09:25 GMT

Summer is here and it is in full swing! The kids are off school, the days are long, and it’s about that time again for the yearly family portrait!

I love Summer and am definitely a person that loves a hot, sunny day rather over a cold one any day but when it comes to photos, the Summer heat can be a blessing or a curse.

When I think of summer portrait sessions, I envision backdrops of ponds and lakes, lush green foliage, bright sunflowers, and sunny photos. It’s a gorgeous, beautiful image in my head every year and I look forward to my first Summer sessions all throughout Spring and then, every single year, the first one comes and goes and I remember why this is the time of year I, as the photographer, settle for a ponytail and refuse to wear makeup so I don’t sweat it into my eye while I am shooting!

This year, it was in late May – I had a family session in a neighborhood park at 11:30am on a weekday and it was a toasty morning. So toasty, in fact, that I had to arrive at least 15 minutes early just to let my camera get used to the heat because when I turned my car off and got out, my lens fogged up! As I was running around with the children taking their portraits, I started sweating through my clothes and even my camera was slowing down so I decided in that moment that I had to figure out a better way to go about this!

As a photographer that specializes in outdoor portraiture, having a plan for all seasons is a must. I have a good idea of what to expect from myself, my cameras and lenses, and how to navigate some of the speedbumps that clients can expect for all times of year and it’s about high time I start sharing what I’ve learned over the years about planning and executing summer portrait sessions in the Missouri Summer heat!

I have a whole other post coming with a list of things to bring to your summer portrait session but for now, let’s talk about timing!

If you’ve planned a portrait session either as a photographer or as a client, then you probably know all about “golden hour lighting” and all the benefits of it. You may even find yourself planning entire sessions around it – I know I certainly do! Golden Hour lighting is gorgeous, soft light that flatters all subjects and is often what natural-light photographers seek out for optimal results. While I personally can and will shoot at just about any time of day, when it comes to Summer, I do have a preference!

In the Summer, Golden Hour is king.

Nothing screams “Summer Portrait” louder than rich, golden light dancing across a field of waving grass but how, in the dead of Summer, can we get in front of the camera, look and feel amazing, not sweat through our carefully planned outfit, and all while still getting that dreamy lighting!?

The answer is simple…

Sunrise Portrait Sessions!

I know, I know, Summer is for sleeping in but hear me out:

First of all, who doesn’t love a summer sunrise!? Is it just me or do summer sunrises just hit different?

I am a naturally early riser so I spend a lot of time sipping my coffee as the sun comes up, oftentimes from the comfort of my back patio. The air is so much nicer, the birds are chirping, and it just feels so refreshingly calm. There aren’t nearly as many bugs (all my evening portrait session people know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!) and the humidity hasn’t quite set in yet for the day, making for a much more tolerable experience enjoying the morning sun versus the afternoon or even the evening sun.

The most common complaint I hear from people during summer sessions is all of the bugs… they are INTENSE during the summer evening hours and not only are they annoying because they fly in your face and into your hair, but they also show up as large, dust-like bokeh dots in your photos which can be a visually fun addition for some but for most, it’s an irritating distraction.

Also… the sweat. Everyone sweats and the more makeup you have on, the more of a problem it’s going to be. A lot of my sessions are an hour long at the very least – think about being outside for an hour, moving around, snuggling your partner, holding hands, touching noses… it’s not a great time. As the photographer, this one specifically is for YOU – I’m just over here taking the photos and don’t have to worry about touching anyone or being close to someone – but YOU want nice portraits to display on your wall and you may have a harder time getting that photo if you’re sweaty and uncomfortable!

Lastly, even the most patient people who don’t mind the heat can be affected by changes in skin tone when exposed to extreme temperatures. This one happens when people get too hot or too cold – sometimes our cheeks get splotchy, our noses can turn a totally different color than the rest of our face, and I’ve even broken out in hives from heat exhaustion.

Summer portrait sessions are so much easier in the morning as the sun is coming up. This part is important – early morning sun is the best lighting! As the sun comes up for the day, the lighting gets harsh very quickly which will take the session from soft, dreamy light to harsh sunlight that leaves everyone squinting throughout all of the portraits – and that is probably not what you want enlarged and displayed on your wall!

To sum things up, here are a few reasons you should plan your summer portrait session for the early morning hours instead of afternoon or evening:

Less humidity (your hair and makeup will thank you!)
Less bugs
Less sweat (no one loves posing for the snuggly photos while they’re covered in sweat!)
No more splotchy skin

All in all, summer sessions are one of my favorite types of sessions for all the nostalgia that they bring but there’s a way to plan them where they don’t have to be draining and exhausting!

If you’re ready to book your summer portrait session with Brittany Lynn Imagery, feel free to reach out today and I can help you prep yourself and your family for an amazing portrait experience that I’m confident you’ll love and have lots of fun in the process!

Happy session planning and one last thing: don’t forget the bug spray!!

An Adventurous Family Session at Cuivre River State Park | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 22:15:00 GMT

The Schraiers

Cuivre River State Park

Saturday, June 11, 2022

A Summer Golden Hour Engagement Session in New Town St. Charles | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Ryan + Michaella

Engagement Collection Highlight Reel

New Town St. Charles

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

An Enchanting Micro Wedding at Marry Me Cottage | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 22:15:00 GMT

Chrissy and Jeff

Saturday, June 4, 2022

Marry Me Cottage

A Whimsical Peter Pan Themed Cake Smash and Family Session | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 23:00:00 GMT

The Oehler Family

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

A Gorgeous Spring Engagement (and Animal Rescue!) in Forest Park | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Thu, 05 May 2022 22:45:00 GMT

Hannah and Mitchell

Forest Park STL MO

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

A Romantic Springtime Engagement Session at Bee Tree Park in STL | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 22:00:00 GMT

Julie + Dave

Bee Tree Park

Sunday, April 3, 2022

A Haunted Apothecary Wedding in the Woods | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Sam + George Millhart

Wedding Day Highlight Reel

Saturday, April 2, 2022

O'Day Park + Quail Ridge Park

A Classy, Timeless Wedding in the Heart of St. Louis | Brittany Lynn Imagery

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 23:00:00 GMT

Emily + Benjamin

Marriott Grand St. Louis Hotel

Forest Park | Grand Basin + World's Fair Pavilion

Saturday, March 19, 2022

3 Things YOU (The Client) Can Do for Beautiful Wedding Detail Photos! | Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC

(Brittany Lynn Imagery LLC) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 09:00:00 GMT

3 Things You The Client Can Do For

Beautiful Wedding Detail Shots

If you’re planning a wedding, chances are you’ve probably been working hard on gathering beautiful images for your Pinterest board and getting inspiration from all of the beautifully styled photos that are filling your feed! While I was in the midst of wedding planning myself, I spent countless hours perusing all things “garden wedding” and found myself absolutely in love with all of the beautiful photos of rings, invitations, and flowers and I was so excited to see what my detail photos were going to look like! I learned quickly, though, that getting those magazine-worthy shots of my carefully selected details relied heavily on how well I prepared them for my photographer so I made a list of everything needed for the day and then had it all gathered and sorted by the time they arrived! Not only did it result in some gorgeous images for my wedding album, but it also took a lot of stress off of me and my photographer the morning of the wedding – win/win!

As a wedding photographer, I provide my clients with mini guides and checklists that I have put together over the years so that they can be ready for me to shoot their details efficiently and today, I’m sharing three of my favorite tips with you here because at the end of the day, I want everyone to get the best photos possible for their wedding day!

Tip #1: Don’t Forget Your Invitation Suite!

The invitations and RSVPs are often such a great way to tie in all of your detail photos so I always make it a point to photograph them if they are there! They not only include all of the important information about the day itself like the date, location, and times, but they also tend to be the first glimpse into the feel and theme of the event for the guests which makes the invitation suite an ideal item for detail photos.

If you have special envelopes, be sure to include those as well! For an extra dose of flair, you could have a calligrapher address an envelope to a fake guest using your home address or the venue address to be photographed with the cards (or you could make this a fun DIY project with your wedding party!).

PRO TIP: If you are worried about forgetting your invitation suite, mail one to your photographer ahead of time to bring with them the day of the wedding so that it’s one less thing on your plate! Of course, if you are not using Brittany Lynn Imagery for your wedding photography, be sure to check with your photographer first to make sure they are okay with being responsible for this. If they aren’t, you can delegate this to a member of the wedding party if needed!

Tip #2: Keep the Accessories with the Flowers

Not every wedding couple wishes to have their invitations photographed but most couples do want photos of their rings, accessories, and flowers! I like to recommend placing the flowers in an area where they are out of the way and then gathering all of the accessories and other detail items together with the flowers so that they are easy to find when the photographer is ready to begin. You'd be surprised how much time can go into gathering everything needed for detail shots so by having everything in one place and ready to go, you are able to get the most out of your photographer’s time which can often be limited for details on the wedding day.

When gathering items for your detail photos, you may want to include things such as your rings, ring boxes, necklaces, earrings, ties/bowties, watches, shoes, hairpieces, photos, invitations, gifts, socks, garters, bouquets, vows, heirloom items, or anything else that is important to you!

PRO TIP: Make a running list of your details that you want photographed! You can start the list today and add to it as you think of things so that you don’t miss anything! Just be mindful that the longer your list is, the longer your photographer will need to capture these photos for you!

Tip #3: Bring Special Hangers for Your Wedding Attire!

Chances are, you and your partner put a lot of time and energy (and money!) into choosing your wedding attire so photographing it is important! If you are having your attire such as your wedding dress, suit, or tuxedo photographed before you put it on, I strongly recommend finding a special hanger for these photos! While I try to remember to pack a wooden hanger in my camera bag for wedding days, you may want to pick out your own so that they fit the aesthetic of your wedding day.

PRO TIP: This does not have to be expensive! You could start by asking close friends or family if they have a special hanger you can use (hello, ‘something borrowed’, is that you!?) or you can make your own by simply painting a wire hanger one of your wedding colors or writing your name on a wooden coat hanger in fancy lettering, to name a few ideas!

BONUS TIP: SCHEDULE IN THE TIME!

I couldn’t write about preparing for wedding detail photos without mentioning TIME! Wedding detail shots can be some of the most beautiful photos in your gallery (aside from YOU, of course!) but setting them up and executing them takes time. If your photographer is rushed, chances are they won’t be able to do their best work on these photos and YOU DESERVE AMAZING DETAIL SHOTS! If you are going to put energy into listing your details, gathering your items, and setting them together, do not forget to schedule time for these photos into your timeline. Your photographer can help you decide when the best time to capture these photos would be and can also give you an idea of how much time they will need to get photos of all of your items!

I know that planning out your wedding detail photos can feel daunting and overwhelming but hopefully these three tips will help you feel more prepared for your wedding day and ready to work with your photographer to get the best detail shots for your wedding collection! Couples often put a lot of thought into the details of the day so capturing them is just as important as the formal photos and I promise you, seeing these images in your wedding collection will make all of the fuss and work 100% worth it!

If you’re looking for a detail-oriented photographer to capture your wedding day, you can reach out to me at brittany@brittanylynnimagery.com to set up a free consultation to discuss your wedding day and to see if we would be a good fit! If you’re already a BLI Couple and you’re ready to start planning out your detail shots, I’m excited to help when you’re ready!

To be the first to find out about new posts like this one, get early booking access for mini session marathons, and more photography tips and tricks, be sure to join my email list to stay in touch!