Video Montage { Diana & Jay }

Diana and Jay had their wedding at one of my favorite venues - the beautiful Oscar Event Center in Fairfield, OH!  This gorgeous venue is located at one of my favorite grocery stores - Jungle Jim's!

When I first spoke to Diana, she told me about the Oscar Center.  Before we even booked her, I drove up and did a site visit (and a little shopping at JJ's).  We got lucky and the Oscar was open.  So, we went in, looked around and fell in love!

There are so many very cool details at this place - from the large chandelier that looks like a bunch of grapes to the wall sconces that are bottles of wine/Champagne.  Even the bathrooms have multiple photo opportunities.

We started with photos at Diana's salon in Fairfield and then returned to her house, so everyone could get dressed - and I could do make-up!  Then, the limo arrived, and we headed for Sharon Woods.  The ceremony was held at the Sharonville United Methodist Church with the reception at the fabulous Oscar Event Center.

Enjoy!



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Are you planning your reception at the Oscar Event Center at Jungle Jim's?  We would love to talk to you!  It's a fabulous venue with so many opportunities for great photos - and we'd love to be the photographers taking those photos.  Contact us today, and let us craft a custom package perfect for you.

Bridal Session { Diana O } - The Movie

Okay, so it isn't really a major motion picture or anything....just an awesome video montage!  I am loving my new Photodex styles - and creating some custom ones of my own.  Making video montages is becoming one of my favorite things!!

With my next eSession, I hope to capture some actual video snippets of the couple.  My Canon 5D Mark II and 7D both have video capabilities, but I'm so busy taking photos that I rarely pause to capture video.  I am hoping to have one camera (the 7D) doing some video work while I snap away with the 5D - and then merge the stills and video into a future montage.

Anyway, I digress!  As I said in my last post, we did Diana's bridal session at the Loveland Castle.  It's was perfect all around - beautiful bride, beautiful location, beautiful spring day!  Who could ask for more?

Check out Diana's bridal montage...




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Are you a Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky bride looking for a fabulous wedding photographer?  We hope you will consider Gardner Photography for your 2011, 2012 and beyond wedding!  We can customize any package - and offer engagement, bridal and other sessions.  Just ask about our "Try Before You Buy" engagement session today.

Bridal Session { Diana O }

One of my favorite places to shoot is Loveland Castle - look for my write-up coming soon!  I was fortunate enough to do a bridal shoot there with Diana O in April 2009.  Her wedding was in May 2009, and she wanted to do bridal photos beforehand.  I was also doing her make-up, so it was a great opportunity to try make-up and hair (which I didn't do) and take some photos!

Diana got her hair done first and then met me at my house with her dress and veil.  I did her make-up, and then she got dressed.  I had actually done her and her bridesmaid's make-up a few weeks prior to that, so we had already done our "dry run."  I got Diana started on a skin care regime at that time, and her skin was just glowing by the bridal shoot!

So, why was her photographer doing her make-up, you ask???  In college, I worked for Clinique and did make-overs all the time.  I was the top producer in Ohio at one point - at 19 years of age.  Not bad!  I learned a lot about make-up and skin care during that time.  I told Diana about my background and offered to do her make-up.  Heck, I was there, so why not?

We got Diana all ready, carefully eased her into my SUV and headed for the Loveland Castle.  It was a beautiful day - although, a little windy.  There are some hysterical photos of Diana's veil being blown straight up! 

When we arrived, the awesome guys at the Loveland Castle were there to welcome us.  They really took care of us while we were there doing photos and even let us do some photos with their motorcycles and swords!

 

This bridal shoot was a fabulous time, and we got some many great photos!  I would highly recommend the Loveland Castle for engagement or bridal shoots - look for more information coming about the experience, their pricing, the castle, etc.

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Are you a 2011 or 2012 bride looking to have photos done?  Please contact Gardner Photography & Design.  We would love to talk about your upcoming wedding and schedule a session at the Loveland Castle or another great location in the Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky area!

Wedding Makeup - Beauty Tips for Brides

For years, I sold Clinique and did many make-overs. I was the top producer in both Ohio and North Carolina (when I lived in each state). I continue to do make-up, as needed, for photo shoots and weddings. Most recently, I did the make-up of my gorgeous bride, Diana, for her bridal shoot and wedding:

• Bridal Shoot Slideshow
• Wedding Slideshow
  

However, not everyone wants to or can hire someone else to do their make-up. Here are some tips for everyone. Taken from an Associated Content article:

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Every bride wants to be picture-perfect for their big day. You want to look like yourself - but different, more dramatic, fresh... it can feel like a big task. Many brides think that because a wedding is such a big day, they have to go big on the makeup. Well, you've got the perfect groom, the perfect dress, and the perfect flowers - don't overshadow that by making your face as grand as the day itself.

Here are some top tips for helping you create a beautiful look that you will treasure in your wedding photographs for years to come...

Read the full article by clicking here.

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I'll be posting more tips about skin care in the future! I got Diana started on a serious skin care routine months before the wedding, and the results were very evident! Her skin glowed, and her make-up looked more natural. If nothing else, I suggest you exfoliate. Otherwise, make-up can "sit" on your skin and look caked on. But more about this later!