The Any Occasion Photography Blog

Wedding Cakes, Cupcakes, Dessert Table or Cake Pops…Which one?

In the past everyone had a wedding cake, but these days there are tons of options available for brides. Which one is acceptable? All of them! Pick the one you like best. But wait! You don’t have to pick just one; you can pick as many as you want.

Wedding Cakes:Wedding Cake

This is the traditional wedding dessert. If you are having a large guest list this may be the way for you to go. Wedding cakes can feed a lot of people. Wedding cakes also allow you the most flexibility with your cake design. You can do pretty much any theme or design you want with a cake. The only limit is money and imagination.

Cupcakes:

If you something a little simpler and still want the taste of a cake, this could be the best choice for you. A lot of brides are going with a cake and cupcakes these days. In these cases most of the time there are two different flavors of cakes and icing.

Dessert Tables:

These are becoming increasingly popular at wedding receptions. Can’t decide on what type of cake/icing to choose, then try a dessert table. You can have as many different types as you want. You can even mix up the desserts with cake bites, brownies, fudge, eclairs…the sky’s the limit!

Cake Pops:

Just in the past two years, cake pops have emerged. A cake pop is a ball of cake (with or without a filling) with a candy coating on the outside. They can be decorated any way you want or left plain.

There’s a lot of choices out there for brides so check them out and see which is best for you!

Posted in Pre Wedding Planning, Real Life Weddings, Wedding Tips, Wedding Trends | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bride’s Wedding Day Emergency Kit

So many times I hear a bride with some sort of a problem on their wedding day – make up on their dress, hair falling down, air conditioning not turned on early enough in the dressing room so it is hot, etc. Over the years I have come up with a list of things brides should bring with them on their wedding day in an emergency kit.

headache and allergy over the counter medicines

bottled water

sewing kit

snacks (for bridal party while getting ready, especially the kids – just be sure it’s not messy or could stain clothes if spilled)

clear nail polish (great for stopping runs in nylons)

bug repellent (especially for outdoor weddings)

bobby pins/safety pins (for last minute hair and dress fixes)

eye drops

spare pen

hair ties

spare lighters (for unity candles)

spare wedding music cd’s (for ceremony & reception)

mints

feminine products

tissues

small door stops (keep from getting locked out of rooms that automatically lock when closed that you don’t have a key for)

tape

tweezers

bandaids

spare pair of shoes (in case you break a heel or shoes are too tight and start to hurt your feet)

Posted in Pre Wedding Planning, Wedding Tips | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Krystal and Jason’s Wedding

This weekend we had the pleasure of photographing Krystal and Jason at the beautiful Historic Dubsdread Ballroom. Maria Roncari, from A Page In Time Personalized Ceremonies, conducted a wonderful ceremony. The weather was just picture perfect!

One of my favorite times during a wedding is taking the bride and groom aside for pictures with just the two of them. Jason and Krystal had some pictures in mind that they wanted and we came up with a few on the spur of the moment.

We are just finishing up the last few images and getting ready to send them off to the happy couple. Congratulations Krystal and Jason!

Wedding at Dubsdread

Posted in Photography Samples, Real Life Weddings, Wedding Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Laura and Jason’s Wedding

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Laura and Jason’s wedding at the beautiful St. James Hotel in Red Wing, Minnesota. The St. James Hotel has a variety of elegant locations where we were able to photograph the happy couple.

Laura and Jason scheduled time before the ceremony where they arranged to meet on the stairs and see each other on their wedding day for the first time. It was so sweet to see the look in Jason’s eye as he saw Laura walking down the stairs. From there I took several photographs of them all around the hotel, some serious, some not so much (like when Laura jumped on the luggage cart and Jason pushed her through the lobby).

After the ceremony we headed over to the train station to photograph Laura, Jason and their wedding party. I started with the more formal shots and then let loose with shots showcasing the personalities of the couple and their friends.

To see more pictures from Jason and Laura’s wedding, click here. Congratulations Laura and Jason!

Wedding Party at Train Station

Posted in Photography Samples, Real Life Weddings, Wedding Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why choose Any Occasion Photography as your Wedding Photographer?

There are many photographers around, so why should you choose Any Bride Before CeremonyOccasion Photography?

1) You can choose between several affordable wedding packages. We know your wedding is special and unique. So if you want something different – we’re ultra flexible. We can customize a package just for you, so it will be as unique and special as your wedding.

2) You get all of your photos on CDs. These CDs contain your full resolution, finished images. We also give you reproduction and duplication rights. This allows you to print them anywhere, you want, and give copies to your friends and family. Your CDs are typically delivered 1 – 2 weeks after your wedding.

3) Your photos are each hand edited to ensure it is the best it can be! We start with a good photo, then edit your photos to make them even better. Take a look at some before and after samples: http://www.anyoccasionphotography.com/photo-enhancement.php.

4) Our photographers are friendly and go the extra mile to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly. You get two experienced, professional photographers, regardless of which wedding package you pick. This allows us to to better photograph your wedding, even faster, so you get to spend more time with your friends and family.

Here at Any Occasion Photography, we say “We love what we do – and it shows!“, but don’t just take our word for it. Here what some of our happy brides say:

“Any Occasion Photography was an excellent choice for our wedding photography. Their prices were very affordable. They had packages to accommodate our needs. Tracy was very professional. She worked with me and sent me checklist to help me decide on what pictures I wanted which was a big relief. It was one less thing for me to worry about. The quality of our photos was excellent! We were very pleased with all of them. Tracy had an excellent turn around time as well. I would recommend Any Occasion Photography to any one that wants hassle free, high quality, professional photography.”
- Alicia (see Alicia’s online gallery)

“Thanks to Tracy for doing a wonderful job on our wedding photos and making a beautiful photo album for us to show off our special day. Tracy was very professional, she helped us feel comfortable with our pictures and not worry at all about the photography. I would definitely recommend Any Occasion Photography to others.”
- Samantha

We love talking to brides! So feel free to contact me if you have questions, would like to schedule an appointment, or would like to book our services. We would love to photograph your wedding!

Posted in Wedding Photography | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Photographers Want To Be The Only One Taking Formal Pictures

Bride Outside Formal Portrait Spot ColorYou’ve all seen the contracts where the photographer specifies that they are to be the ONLY photographer taking pictures at the wedding. While I don’t mind during the reception, there are times when other photographers can really hinder a professional photographer’s work.

I don’t have a problem with others taking pictures during the ceremony so long as they don’t jump in front of me or push me. Yes, I have been pushed down a flight of stairs by a guest wanting a picture on her cell phone of the first kiss. As a result, I was unable to photograph the first kiss and luckily was able to re-stage the photograph (sometimes this is not possible due to venue time constraints).

But other people taking pictures during the formal photo session really creates many problems for professional wedding photographers. First, it slows things down and cuts into the amount of time scheduled. Second, you have people being photographed looking in multiple directions so no one gets a good photograph. Third, and most importantly, multiple flashes can overexpose the professional photographer’s image. We had this situation at the last wedding we photographed. I suggested a picture with the bride getting kissed on the cheek by the ring bearer. His mother wanted this picture as well and stepped in front of my second photographer and her flash went off at the same time as mine, resulting in an overexposed picture. Unfortunately the ring bearer was ready to leave and ran off before a second shot could be taken. As a result the bride will not have this photograph.

I am not trying to be egotistical when I put into my contracts that I want to be the only photographer, I am trying to protect the bride and groom. They invest good money purchasing the services of a professional wedding photographer and I am simply protecting their investment.

Posted in Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Tips | Tagged | Leave a comment

Brownell/Ray Wedding

Congratulations Lindsay and Tom! We had so much fun photographing their wedding yesterday at Heathrow Country Club! Today we finished editing the before the ceremony and cake pictures. We’ve started editing the ceremony pictures and came across this adorable picture of three of the flowergirls in a wagon that was pulled down the aisle by two older flowergirls and just had to share. Brides – This worked fantastic for a wedding that had many flowergirls and only one ringbearer!

Check out other ceremony pictures photographed by Any Occasion Photography at: http://www.anyoccasionphotography.com/Photo-Gallery/Wedding/wedding-ceremony.php.

Flowergirls pulled down the aisle in a wagon during the wedding ceremony.

Posted in Photography Samples, Real Life Weddings, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Now Offering Photography, Videography and DJ Packages!!

Minister holds up wedding ring during ceremony.Why call three different companies when you can get your DJ, Photography, and Video needs met with one simple phone call?

Any Occasion Photography has teamed up with Elegant Entertainment to help you speed up your wedding planning. We have been providing Central Florida brides with superior DJ, Photography, and Video service for close to 22 years combined.

We are pleased to offer photography, videography and DJ combination packages starting at $1850! Check out our packages at: http://www.anyoccasionphotography.com/Package-Special-Deals/wedding-photography-videography-dj-packages.php.

Call us today to discuss your wedding needs!

Posted in Wedding Photography, Wedding Tips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Josh’s Senior Portraits

Gone are the days of senior portraits taken in the studio. Today we went on location with Josh for his senior portraits at Langford Park. The park has lots of great spots for a variety of portraits. Josh brought two changes of clothes, one more casual for him and one a little dressier for his mom.

Our session lasted just under an hour and we got some amazing shots. At first Josh was a little uncomfortable getting his picture taken, but within ten minutes he was having a blast and so was I. It is so much fun getting to know my subjects and seeing their personality shine. Outdoor photo sessions are so much fun. You never know what you might find. We had fun finding lots of interesting backgrounds for Josh’s images.

I’ve included a few of my favorites here. To see more click here.

They came out great Josh! Thanks for being such a great subject!

Posted in Photography Samples, Senior Photography, Senior Pictures, Senior Portraits | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Want An Outdoor Wedding?

Outdoor weddings have been some of the most beautiful and romantic weddings I have Bride and Groom Outdoor Formal Spot Color with Swansever seen. And each year I see more and more brides and grooms decide on outdoor weddings.

Here are a few tips to consider before you book an outdoor venue.

  1. Book your wedding date at the end of May through October, if you want your nighttime wedding and reception outside and still want good light for your photographs. The sun sets later in the day so you get light as late as 8 pm.
  2. Try to find a shaded area for your ceremony site. Your guests will arrive and be outside at your ceremony site usually 30 minutes before your ceremony starts. In order to prevent hot and cranky guests try finding a shaded area that way they and you stay cooler.
  3. Make sure the location is big enough to hold the number of chairs you will need for the number of guests you are expecting.
  4. Make sure you have an alternate location on site in case it rains.
  5. Make sure your venue has running water. Some locations are so remote that there is no running water or well water which cannot support large numbers of people.
  6. Bring tissues if it is a hot day so you can blot sweat away.

Following these simple tips will ensure you have a wonderful outdoor wedding, and the photos to show it.

Posted in Pre Wedding Planning, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Photography, Wedding Tips | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment