Molly & Andy will look back on their beautiful wedding day and remember the wonderful family and friends that made their day so special…not the HOT temperatures and gale force winds (hopefully.) I have to say that their ceremony was unique in that I have never heard a reference to “Corn Hole” in a homily before. (The pastor is doing corn hole charades in the photo below.) All in all, it was a very heartfelt and genuinely fun day for two people who are obviously deeply in love. Congrats to Molly & Andy!

Two boys, two trains, one lovey and three great “smiles.”

The kids are always very serious for the photoshoots.

There were times when I had to put down the camera because I was laughing so hard.  Thank you for sharing your families with me!

She writes,

Part of making any picture look fabulous is choosing what to wear! Start by looking in magazines or on the internet for inspiration. Do you love the classic look of Ralph Lauren? Or the editorial look of J.Crew?

You don’t have go out and buy all new outfits for your photo. Most times, you can get a great look by building your clothing around one person’s outfit. It’s usually best to start with the person in the group who has the least amount of clothes or who is hardest to pick an outfit for. Look through their closet for a great piece you want them to wear for the photos. You might also consider buying an outfit for that person and going from there.

Once you’ve got one person’s clothing done, you can build the rest of the group’s outfits. You may end up only purchasing a few pieces instead of buying each member an entirely new outfit.

Think about where you are going to have the photo taken.  Are you going to be indoors or outdoors? Is the area paved, muddy, rocky, or grassy? What kind of colors would look best in that setting? If you will be outside, it’s a good idea to wear clothes you would be comfortable sitting on the ground in.

Make sure everyone in the group is wearing one style of clothing such as classy (formal wear, suits, dresses, etc.), casual (shorts, t-shirts, sandals, etc.), or contemporary (a mixture of classy and casual–like a dressy top with jeans and heels).  Avoid loud patterns or huge logos or words on an outfit. Smaller patterns on part of an outfit look fine, but keep it to one or two people in your group. Patterns should compliment each other, not draw attention away from the main subject of the photo, you!

Avoid the Matchy-Matchy syndrome!  Clothing from the same color palette tends to create a cohesive look. Remember, the emphasis of the photos should be on your faces, not your clothing. Also consider using shades of black and white, in case you decided to get some black and white photos. Avoid wearing a lot of accessories, especially ones that will draw attention away from your face. Ladies, make sure the neckline of your shirt is appropriate. A v-neck shirt is most flattering, as it keeps you more open, but be careful of the cleavage! And take care of those hands and feet! Manicure and pedicure anyone?

Betsy and her partner, Susan may be reached via their website: http://www.shop-your-closet.com/ or their facebook page: Shop Your Closet

The Mothers Helping Mothers photo shoot is just around the corner and I thought that I’d share a little history behind the project.  Truth is, I am not all that original.  The polaroid of my Mom, Sister and I from an event held in a Gimbels department store can be viewed below.  As far as I can remember, the photo was part of a store promotion.  The image is priceless (and my Mom and Sister are going to LOVE that I shared it on the internet) because my Mom was always taking photos of us!

For those of you unfamiliar with the project, the MOMS Club of Copley/Fairlawn, Bebe Suite and FML Photo Design sponsor a mini photo shoot marathon to benefit ACCESS Shelter of Akron.  ACCESS is unique in that the facility caters to women and children.  The guests that stay at ACCESS come from all walks of life and utilize the services while they are getting back “on track.”  It is a wonderful organization and all of us who are involved in the event are very excited to be contributing to “Akron’s Best Kept Secret,” aka, ACCESS.

Thus far, we have had a great response from the Akron and Cleveland communities.  Many of you have found me (Felicia Lewis or FML Photo Design) on facebook and expressed interest in being photographed with your children.  Please follow the link provided to be a part of this special event.  The event will take place at the super cute baby boutique,  Bebe Suite, in Fairlawn April 16-18.  Appointment times are limited and will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

REGISTER for WAITING LIST LINK: CLICK HERE