Wedding

Wedding

Forever {Wedding Photography}

I have been holding onto this wedding for a while now, but I think you will agree, worth the wait. This wedding definitely reflects the weather we are feeling here in GA this time of year. This couple was such a sweet couple to work with. Jeff and Catie’s wedding took place at The Grand at Kennesaw, in the cool month of December. The decorations were that of a classic southern Christmas. There were Christmas trees, and elegant decorations of gold and silver. To top it off, classic red roses. It was the perfect mix.

The one part of a wedding day that makes everything around me stop,  is  the wedding vows. There’s just something about those words of commitment between two people.

Vows are a deep and heart felt expression of both the bride and grooms forever promise to each other. It gets me every time.

Jeff and Catie were gracious enough to share their vows with me. Take a minute to reflect back to those sweet moments when you and your love spoke your words of promise to each other.

Here’s Jeff and Catie’s vows…

I, (Jeff/Catie), take you, (Jeff/Catie), to be my (husband/wife), my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. With God working through me, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in joy as well as in sorrow, to share with you in God’s plan for our lives together united in Christ. I take you with all your faults and your strengths as I offer myself to you with all of mine. I promise to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to grow old by your side as your best friend.

If you are interested in having Karen Nickel Photography to photograph your upcoming wedding, please contact us at karen@nickelweddings.com or 678.773.2562. Would love to hear from you!

Bridal Editorial-Part Two

Once the first look (dress, make-up, hair, and props) was finished, it was time to do look number two. So to get started, we pulled over a chair . Gayle York and Lindsey DeHart got to work, doing their magic on Marla Malcomb. Hair and make-up done at the same time,  that’s what I call team work. During the hair and make-up change, Allison Prenger and I were completing the final touches, styling with some new props to get the area we were about to photograph ready.

Last thing needed was the outfit change. We all gathered around with a blanket and created a outside dressing room kind of thing for Marla (yes, in the middle of the field). Within a total of about twenty minutes, Marla was ready to go. The sun was perfect (a soft golden hue), and I was excited to get this shoot going. And, here it is! I would love to hear your feedback.

Model: Marla Malcom of The People Store

Make-up Artist: Gayle York

Hair Stylist: Lindsey DeHart of The Dry Bar

Stylist: Allison Prenger of The Style Pundit

Dress Designer: Brides by Demetrios

Flowers:  Brennen Farlow of Blushing Blooms by Brenen

Antique Props: The Green Bean Exchange

Photographer: Karen Nickel Photography

Sneak Peek- Part Two {Editorial Model Shoot}

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

~Lao Tzu~

Model: Marla Malcom of The People Store

Make-up Artist: Gayle York

Hair Stylist: Lindsey DeHart of The Dry Bar

Stylist: Allison Prenger of The Style Pundit

Dress Designer: Brides by Demetrios

Photographer: Karen Nickel Photography

Bridal Editorial Shoot-Part One

I started dreaming up this session when long time professional make-up artist, Gayle York contacted me mid February to do a shoot with her. Gayle York worked in NYC for over twenty years, and now brings her experience, knowledge and talent to Atlanta. Gayle’s technique translates perfectly for bridal makeup.  Her signature look is youthful, natural, and elegant, which I LOVE.

Gayle and I immediately hit it off, the first time we spoke.  I thought, what better fit.  With Gayle’s signature look focusing on a youthful, natural, and elegant look and me loving the simple and natural.

We both shared our dreams and inspirations for this Bridal Editorial Shoot and came up with a plan.

We wanted the model to be simply beautiful, with a soft elegance, so we chose the stunning Marla Malcom from  the “People Store“.

I contacted a friend of mine, who was one of my brides in 2011, Lindsey DeHart who does magic (seriously) with hair. It was so much fun to reconnect with her. And she rocked both looks!

Gayle did the leg work of finding  two gorgeous wedding dresses from “Brides by Demetrios“.  She chose to go with “Blushing Blooms by Brennen” who put together an amazing, beautifully arranged,  bouquet of flowers.  Both located in Atlanta GA.

I also spoke with the talented stylist, Allison Prenger, from “The Style Pundit” who was thrilled to put together ideas for props and make sure hair, make-up, dress, shoes, and location all worked hand in hand for the shoot.

Once we got all our ideas together for the shoot, I went shopping to find the perfect vintage pieces at “the Green Bean Exchange” antique shop, in Canton. Allison and I text back and forth to make sure we had thought of everything that  would be needed for this shoot…and I believe we did!

Wow! What a team!  I could not have done it without each of you and your talents. Thank you.

Since I am huge on having enough time, we ended up having an extra hour together (so unusual). This gave us more time to get to know each other . I feel so blessed to have had that opportunity.

You are beautiful people :)

On that note, here is part one of this glorious bridal editorial shoot. I would love to hear your feedback. Enjoy!

Please contact me if you are interested in setting up a shoot at karen@nickelweddings.com or 678.773.2562

Model: Marla Malcom of The People Store

Make-up Artist: Gayle York

Hair Stylist: Lindsey DeHart of The Dry Bar

Stylist: Allison Prenger of The Style Pundit

Dress Designer: Brides by Demetrios

Flowers:  Brennen Farlow of Blushing Blooms by Brenen

Photographer: Karen Nickel Photography

 

Sneak Peek {Editorial Model Session}

 There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.

~George Sands~

 Model: Marla Malcom of The People Store

Make-up Artist: Gayle York

Hair Stylist: Lindsey DeHart of The Dry Bar

Stylist: Allison Prenger of The Style Pundit

Dress Designer: Brides by Demetrios

Flowers:  Brenen Farlow of Blushing Blooms by Brenen

Photographer: Karen Nickel Photography


 

Simply Bloom Photography Workshop in Alabama

Wanting to be a part of a creative community of artists is something that Karen talked about in this blog after her trip to California and her visit with Jesh De Rox. This kind of artistic alliance can provide fertile ground for inspiration as well as access to new perspectives.

The wedding photographers at Simply Bloom Photography made a great step in that direction when they offered a photography workshop in Huntsville Alabama and invited many different professional photographers, including Karen, to attend. Their intent was to stage a “Not Wedding” and give wedding and portrait photographers a chance to see how Simply Bloom does what they do and also provide an opportunity for these artists to play around with set-ups, accessories and locations while trading tips and advice. “Not Weddings” are a popular photography training tool, you can see pictures of a different one here.

When she arrived in Huntsville Alabama, Karen got to photograph a simple yet romantic “Not Wedding” staged by Stephanie Drake of Proper Measures in Birmingham Alabama. Samantha Francis, a season eight contestant on America’s Top Model, and handsome professional model Steven James Stanek who acted as bride and groom. Perhaps these two took away a couple of wedding ideas since they’re actually dating each other in real life. :)

Samantha’s grace and swan-like beauty were showcased in two sublime lace wedding gowns contributed by Ivory and White Bridal Boutique, also of Birmingham Alabama. Karen especially loved the little 1960’s inspired mini dress that showed off Samantha’s legs and the fern hair accessory that hair and makeup artist Erin Smith chose to finish the look. As with so many things in life, the loveliness is in the details.

The heavy rain clouds and intermittent sprinkles didn’t slow anyone down and Samantha and Steven were good-natured troopers through all of it. Karen felt she got a great opportunity to mingle with other professional photographers and contribute her own photographic experience to a unique workshop.

As an added bonus, Stephanie Drake provided cupcakes to sweeten the day and we all know how Karen feels about cupcakes!

If you are interested in a beloved couples session, please contact me at karen@karennickelphotography.com or call me at 678.773.2562. I’d love to hear from you!

 

Sneak Peek at a Beautiful “Not Wedding”

A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.
-John Keats

Model: Samantha Francis

A ‘Not Wedding’

This summer I am teaching my son, North, how to photograph and edit images.

My friend and fellow photographer, Marisa Rodriguez, owner of Zuri Images, set up a ‘Not’ wedding with some friends because she is training two guys (Sean and Jake) to photograph weddings. We wanted to show these kids different sides of photography. Marisa is a more traditional photographer and me, well, I am not traditional at all, so we thought it would be perfect.

Marisa set up traditional posed group shots, I did my thing and then Sean, Jake, and North would be able to see what they liked best. And then they’d have the chance to set up their owns shots.

We gave then guidance when needed and encouraged them for a job well done. We did the same with a couples session, which was hands down, my favorite.

North did an amazing job! He paid close attention, took charge, joked with the group, and really did an awesome job. So proud :)

Oh yes, Sean and Jake did well too.  I am going to share with you a few of North’s best shots. Thank you Seth and Ashley. You were great!

Karen Nickel Photography…Would love to hear from you! 678.773.2562

 

 

 

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress

You heard correctly, a toilet paper wedding dress!

Meet designer Cynthia Richards, ‘Re Sike Killed’ design line who came up with this amazing wedding dress. Good willed and skilled is what she is all about.

Cynthia started designing when she was eight years old, in her Grandma’s NY attic. She knew then that, that was what she wanted to do when she got older. This rococo-era inspired design (Cynthia’s favorite) was thought up by her partner Molly Hopkins of Livi Rae Lingerie shop in Kennesaw, GA.

This wedding dress is made up of 20 rolls of Charmin toilet paper, two bottles of glue (fabric glue and Mod podge glue) and a roll of duck tape, and was entered into the annual Cheap Chic Weddings’ Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest. It came in third place and will be displayed in Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

I had the pleasure of photographing Cynthia Richards in her very own design, along with my son North. Molly Hopkin’s cousin was gracious enough to allow us the use of his land at Fleu De Coop, as well as the vintage pieces we needed. Thank you.

If you are interested in reading more about this dress, you can follow any of these links:

www.Cheap-Chic-Weddings.comshine.yahoo.com
www.perfectweddingguide.com
www.bocamag.com
fashionetc.com
www.genogenogeno.com
wildfire.gigya.com
abcnews.go.com
www.wxii12.com
www.refinery29.com
www.wpbf.com

http://marietta.11alive.com/news/style/woman-places-third-toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest/70493

http://www.stillthelovely.com/2011/07/toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest-winners/

http://browngirlnextdoor.com/2011/07/11/7th-annual-toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest/

http://www.odditycentral.com/art/cheap-chic-wedding-dresses-made-of-toilet-paper.html

http://www.stylesegment.com/featured/toilet-paper-wedding-gown-contest/

http://www.bocamag.com/blog/designer-wedding-gowns-and-toilet-paper/

http://www.styleite.com/media/toilet-paper-dress/?pid=7056#image

http://fashionetc.com/news/fashion/2398-toilet-paper-wedding-dresses-winners-2011

http://www.cheap-chic-weddings.com/wedding-contest-2011.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20077909-1/here-comes-the-bride-all-dressed-in-toilet-paper/#ixzz1RtpS867k

http://www.bridalguide.com/blogs/bridal-buzz/toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest

http://www.lifestylesfashion.com/toilet-paper-wedding-grown/

http://www.stylelist.com/2011/07/08/toilet-paper-wedding-gown-photos/

http://marietta.11alive.com/news/style/woman-places-third-toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest/70493?utm_source=fbp

***Contact me if you are looking for your photos to stand out! Karen@nickelweddings.com or 678.773.2562

An Extraordinary Wedding Story

There is nothing ordinary about this couple. I know it from the first time I spoke with Les over the phone.   What he and Cindy (his fiancee) were looking for,  was going to be right up my alley :)

We set a date to meet and met early one morning not too long ago (this wedding was booked about 3 weeks before their wedding date) and talked about how Les and Cindy met. They proceeded to tell me (smiling from ear to ear) that they had gone to elementary school together and were pretty much neighbors much of their lives.

Funny thing is, they both went out a couple times, but ended up going their separate ways. 30 years or so later, they bumped into each other (now single) and were getting their children ready for college. An old friend of both of theirs encouraged Les and Cindy to go out sometime. He was a very persistent man and continued bringing it up over the next several months (maybe even longer), and finally they agreed.

Well, the rest of the story is history as you probably already figured out, since I am about to share their wedding day with you, but before I do, let me tell you about their day.

It had been raining for three days here in GA and the weather had been very unpredictable, however, the morning of Les and Cindy’s wedding, at 9am, the sun peeked out. And, it did not leave us the whole day :)

Though it was sunny, the winds were strong and the air was frigid. That week I had scouted out where I wanted to do the pictures because they were not having a traditional wedding. They wanted something fun, laid back, and different, so that is what I gave them!

The location we decided on was an old abandoned house, that was surrounded by huge trees, and a beautiful pasture. When I first saw it, I knew this was the place. I couldn’t stop talking about it (no, seriously, ask my Honey-Guy) and you will see why. We had two full hours to spend with Les and Cindy and a very small(10 people) ceremony to follow at the Marina in Cumming GA.

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story with me and allowing me to see your true selves. You have a remarkable connection and a wonderful family….blessings.

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