Wedding Venue : The Madison

On March 5, 2010, we shot our first event at The Madison in Covington, Kentucky. I've heard a lot about this venue and was excited to check it out!

The reception was actually at The Madison South, located at 740 Madison Avenue Covington KY 41011. It's a cool, little place - with lots of exposed brick walls, HUGE mirrors, leather chairs, curtains, etc. Many opportunities for some great photos!

Unfortunately, we didn't get a lot of time to do some of those cool photos.  The Bride and Groom decided to ride around in the limo with the wedding party for an hour after the wedding - hey, it's cool.  It was their day, after all, so they can do whatever they want, right?  Gave me lots of time to photograph the cake and other details....

We did get all the reception photos with barely a minute to spare - the DJ and I definitely worked together to make sure nothing was missed!

So, speaking of those huge mirrors - I did use one to get some interesting lighting on the rings/flower shots.  I bounced my light off the mirror and got some back lights - which gave the diamonds a different look.  Check it out.

We certainly hope we'll be back at The Madison soon!  I had so many ideas for photos!  Hopefully, I get the opportunity to try some of them out soon!

Are you considering your wedding at The Madison or The Madison South?  We'd love to talk to you!  (And hey - I'd even be willing to offer you a special discount, so I can get back there and try out some of my photo ideas.)  Contact us at contact@gardner-photo.com or 513.207.6738.

New Lens, New Love

At every wedding, we take photos of the rings.  As soon as our Bride and Groom are seated and enjoying their meal, we quietly borrow their rings and the Bride's beautiful bouquet.  Next, we find a spot with decent lighting or a good setting, away from the wedding guests, and get set up to shoot. 

We always start out with the rings in the flowers - but I try to do something different and creative every time, too.  I've used black pianos to get gorgeous reflections.  I've tried the wedding favors.  Christmas ornaments.  Pillows.  Martini and Champagne glasses (one still had Champagne in it!  I did ask the Bride and Groom first, too).  Hmmm....what else?  Oh, part of a lamp!  (It was a cool lamp!)  And ribbons.  You never know until you try, right?

My favorite lens to use when I photograph rings is my Canon 100mm Macro lens.  It's a fabulous lens - and I love being able to fill the image with the rings and flowers.  You can capture amazing detail - sometimes too much!  (Note - I've learned to bring a cloth napkin and polish up the rings before photos and look for little pieces of lint.)

Recently, Canon upgraded this great lens - so, we upgraded, too.  That's one thing about me - I want the best and have invested heavily in my equipment.  My husband/second shooter, Andy, is in total agreement. 

In 2010, we have plans to pick up another top-of-the-line lens or two (can we say FISHEYE?) and really expand our lighting options.  It just means better and better photos!

But I digress.  All I can say is - this lens ROCKS!  I can't wait to use it for all of our upcoming weddings.  Gorgeous photos, here we come!

How to Pin on and Wear Boutonniere

I have a wedding on Saturday, and sometimes I get asked about pinning on the boutonnieres.  Honestly, I don't know!  I know they go on the left side, and that's about it.  Usually, the boutonnieres are on the guys before I start taking photos, but it does happen sometimes.  I often carry extra pins, just in case, but I thought it was time I learned a little about pinning on the boutonniere.  A quick Google search resulted in this handy information

1.  With one hand behind holding the stem of the boutonniere, flowers facing away from the wearer and toward you, place the boutonniere at a slight angle on the dress or lapel. This is an average of about 4 inches in from the tip of the left shoulder.

2.  Make sure that the boutonniere is evenly placed on the lapel before attempting to pin it.

3.  Use a Boutonniere Pin to pin into the fabric at the bottom left corner of the stem.

4.  Weave the pin back out from under the fabric. Push it through about 1 inch, laying it at an angle over the top of the boutonniere stem.

5.  Stick the tip of the pin back into the fabric on the other side of the stem. Insure that the stem is tightly in place with the length of the pin pushing it down.

6.  Weave the pin back out of the fabric once more. Be sure that the very tip of the pin does not stick out, nor does it poke under the fabric and touch the skin. 

Helpful Tip: A boutonniere is always worn on the left side of the body. For a clean polished look try weaving the Boutonniere Pin through the underside of the lapel. This keeps the head of the pin from showing, for a smart look. Another alternative to Boutonniere Pins, try using a strong adhesive magnet made especially for corsages and boutonnieres. One part of the magnet sticks to the underside of the boutonniere, while the other side is slid under the lapel, attracting itself to the magnet and clamping the boutonniere in place.

Hope this information helps others who are trying to figure out how and where to pin the boutonniere!