Sun Valley Winter Engagement: Kelli George and Vijay Sagar

Kelli George and her fiancé Vijay Sagar of San Francisco will be marrying in Sun Valley, Idaho on May 30, 2009.  In preparation for the wedding we (Steve Smith Weddings) shot their engagement session during a snowstorm on January 2.

Jeane and I met Kelli, Vijay, and Kelli’s mom Liz George, in the lobby of the Sun Valley Lodge.
Kelli’s mom was the designated Dog Wrangler for Lucy, an eight month old  Tibetan Terrier.  Liz filled us in on how she and her husband had been bringing Kelli and the family for winter visits to Sun Valley since the 1980’s, when the Lodge offered “kids stay free and ski free.”

We started at the ice-sculpture of the Sun Valley Sun at the Lodge entrance.

Then a walking foray through the Sun Valley Village visiting locations of promise that
were sufficiently protected from the driving snow.

Two miles north of the Lodge is Trail Creek Cabin, on the grounds of which Kelli’s wedding will take place in May.  The Cabin offers a beautiful, rustic dining setting with great views of Bald Mountain, Sun Valley’s ski hill.

Vijay’s feet were soaked and numb by being knee-deep in snow but he remained good-humored and never complained

the classic Sun Valley Powerhouse on Sun Valley Road

Then into downtown Ketchum for coffee and fun

Thanks to Kelli and Vijay for a great session in challenging conditions.  We can’t wait for the wedding!!

To view the entire engagement session please click here:

Eloping to Sun Valley, Idaho: Amanda and John Morgan’s story

On a recent Tuesday evening I received a call from a young woman who inquired in a tremulous voice if we were available on Saturday.

“Which Saturday?”

“Saturday,   3 days from now….”

“Wow, that’s soon.  Tell me about it!”

“My fiancé John and I are eloping to Sun Valley to get married.  We found your Steve Smith Weddings listing in the Sun Valley Resort Wedding Guide.  It struck me as being really personal, so we’re hoping that you can photograph our ceremony.  If you can, if will be just my fiancé John and me, you and your wife, and our minister, Wendy Collins.”

I checked schedules with my wife Jeane, then responded:  “We’d love to!”

Amanda and I finalized details for the brief session:  ceremony at 1:00 p.m. in front of the fireplace in their Knob Hill Inn room.  Following the ceremony we would photograph the couple in various locations around Sun Valley.

Jeane and I arrived at 12:30 to find Amanda awaiting us in the hotel lobby.  Jeane touched up her makeup as I began shooting.

Minister Wendy Collins arrived and we all headed up to the room.  Once inside, Jeane and I rearranged furniture to clear the area near the fireplace for the ceremony.  Wendy, Amanda, and John spent 30 minutes sequestered in privacy for pre-wedding consultation, then the ceremony began!

Mr. and Mrs. John Morgan!

(l-r) Minister Wendy Collins, Amanda and John Morgan AND, The Rings!

Then we went outside to continue the fun…

Amanda, John, and the view of Sun Valley’s ski mountain “Baldy” from the balcony of the Knob Hill Inn in Ketchum, Idaho

the Sun Valley Powerhouse on Sun Valley Road is a classic picture spot

along with the sun ice sculpture outside the Sun Valley Lodge

and the Sun Valley Resort Village….

Bald Mountain serves as backdrop for a portrait before a little snow chase

The Chase…..

and happy Capture!

a little romance and fun in downtown Ketchum

and then a final scenic spot by the Big Wood River

Amanda and John, we wish you our heartfelt best for a wonderful life together.   Thank you for including us in your celebration!

Wedding Portraits – Scripting & Organizing Group Family Photos

Posed family group shots are timeless moments included in most wedding albums. While memorable, shooting these scenes can be time consuming and stressful to both the photographer and the families if not well planned out in advance. We at Steve Smith Weddings have compiled our tricks of the trade and would like to pass them along to you. Whether you’re a wedding planner, meticulous bride/groom, or a photographer, we feel that these tips will help make executing your family wedding photos much smoother, faster, and more enjoyable for all.

Basic Scripting

1. Obtain a list of all the family member’s names and their relationship to the bride or groom well before the wedding.
2. With the bride and groom’s help, prepare a list of all the family combinations they would like to have captured, i.e., bride with mother and father, bride and groom with mother and father, etc.
3. Prepare a script noting who will be coming into and exiting each group shot.
4. Keep in mind that children and elderly people tend to have limited patience. We recommend that you script photos with these particular family members early in the session so that they can be excused as quickly as possible.
5. Order your shots so that moving the subject’s in/out can be accomplished smoothly and efficiently. The fewer people to move between shots, the easier the shoot will flow.

Sample Script:

Family Members

• Bride: Julia
• Groom: Cliff
• Bride’s Mother: Carolyn
• Bride’s Father: Charles
• Bride’s Sister: Joanne
• Brides Brother: John

In/Out Staging

• Bride with her Mother: Julia and Carolyn In
• Bride with her Mother & Father: Charles In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Mother & Father: Cliff In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Mother, Father & Siblings: Joanne and John In
• Bride & Groom with Bride’s Siblings: Carolyn and Charles Out
• Bride with her Siblings: Cliff Out

Additional Tips

• Use an assistant–either one you bring, or a volunteer wedding attendee who knows the family. Have the assistant use the script to gather and stage the people needed to come in and out of the shots. The assistant should also track which shots have been done. This enables the photographer to focus on the technical and creative side of things while pleasantly and efficiently moving the subjects in and out. The majority of them would much rather be at the reception festivities than taking pictures.
• Do your best to stick to your script. There is a strong tendency to skip over people that may be absent for one reason or another. Not waiting can throw off the subsequent scripting and leave you and your assistant to adjust on the fly. In the end, the judgment call is yours. If you think that your wedding party can be patient enough for uncle Charlie to come back from the restroom then by all means wait for him.
• Kind gestures tend to go a long way. Say please and thank you. Smile. Offer your arm to anyone who may need and/or appreciate assistance in getting to/from where the photo is being taken. Thank everyone for their patience and cooperation. You’re more likely to get friendly smiles from your subjects if project positive energy towards them.

Summary

Family group scenes are almost always a necessary part of “telling the story of the wedding day” and an important facet of the collection of photos. Your organization and timely execution will be much appreciated. Not to mention, a bit of weight will be lifted from your shoulders.