Here’s something you don’t see on here very often — FORMALS! Heck, some of you might not even be sure that I DO formals at the weddings I photograph, but I assure you, I do! Of all the weddings I photographed in 2013, only ONE couple opted to not do formals, so it’s an extremely common thing. The only bit that varies is how many formals I do at each wedding, since I leave it 100% up to my couples. Some come to me with a HUGE list, but most only want a small number of them done. The thing that’s most important to me? Keeping them light, happy, fun, and FAST. My couples want to go mingle with their friends and family, grab some food, and relax, so while formals are important for them to have, they don’t want to spend a ton of time doing them. I try to keep the mood relaxed, I encourage people to get comfortable with each other, and I love to talk to people and joke around to keep the natural, candid smiles happening! So here’s some of my favorite family and wedding party formals from 2013!
Such an awesome group shot from Jamie & Jon’s wedding!Awesome shot of Carin & Chris with their wedding party. 🙂Heather & David’s wedding party wanted to be sure they got a shot on their trolley!Keeley made sure to get a shot with each individual bridesmaid — love that!Justin and his Best Man got a little bit silly. 😀Brian and his groomsmen decided they had a little captain in them…We had a stunning backdrop for Sarah & Ben’s formals at the Belknap Mill!I loved that Nick’s groomsmen picked him up for a shot!Cortney got a shot with each of her girls, too.Tracy & Mike’s formals were some of my favorites from 2013 because I LOVED the brick backdrop (and so did they!).Caroline & Silas’s formals were up on the East End — summery and perfect!Jasmine with her dad & stepmom! We found a nice green spot for formals behind their church.Luckily we didn’t need them, but Liz & her girls posed with their umbrellas. 🙂Lovely & Colin had, by far, the most formals of the year, but we ROCKED them!Carin & her girls went ghetto for a shot.Deb & Lisa kept their formals really simple — they just wanted a few shots with Lisa’s two boys!Jon and his friend/officiant — awesome.Christina & Jon’s formals were sweet & simple.I LOVE this shot of Keeley with her little flower girls. 🙂I always love formals with grandparents!Deja & Sam’s formals had Portland Headlight as the backdrop.Sara got silly with her brother. 🙂This is why I keep photorgraphing in between shots — I love candid moments like this one between Rick and his new brother-in-law.Heather & David’s formals had Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse in the background!Emily & Andrew’s formals were short and sweet, and SO happy!I loved this shot from Elizabeth & Bruce’s wedding — the two of them with their kids, sitting in front of the Woodstock Inn, where they had their ceremony!Chris & his groomsmen had fun with this playground set-up. 🙂Liz got shots with each of her girls!Esther & Brian kept their formals SUPER quick, only doing a handful of shots.I loved the little beach by Chelsie & Nick’s ceremony spot, so we used that for their formals!Meagan & Sage’s formals were casual and fun, right outside City Hall in Portland.Ashley & Justin’s formals took place in front of their chapel, Wilde Memorial Chapel in Portland.Lovely requested this shot of them and their wedding party walking off in the distance!Justine & her bridesmaids, vogue-ing for the camera. 🙂I loved the foliage in Carin & Chris’s formals!I absolutely LOVE moments like this — Tracy and her mom, showing their personalities. 🙂We kept Emily & Travis’s formals moving along quickly!Lindsay got shots with each of her new siblings & in-laws!Tom got a shot with all of his best guy friends — awesome!Helen & Sean’s formals took place during golden hour, my faaaavorite time of day to photograph!Classic shot of Bryan and his groomsmen. 😉Lianna & Katy’s formals were quick, but so happy!Kristian & Teddy got silly with their Maid of Honor & Best Man!I love generational shots like this — Althea with her mom, sister, and baby nephew!Jenna with her mom and her sister!The safari gear really makes this shot of Keeley & Matt with their wedding party.Nice classic shot of Colin with his guys!I was able to sneak Adam and his guys out of the hotel for a few quick formals before the ceremony — love that.I adore this shot of Jamie & Jon with Jon’s son — in matching kilts!Liz & Adam had the perfect formals spot outside the Kirkbrae Country Club.Althea & Tom kept their formals casual!Lindsay & John with her two bridesmaids!Matt with his two best men… awesome.Heather couldn’t resist getting a shot with the Portland mural!Meagan & Sage with ALL of their guests — it was an intimate ceremony. 🙂Elizabeth & Bruce lucked out and had a GORGEOUS covered bridge across the street for formals!Scott and his wedding party doing “the metal claw”. 😀I love this shot of Taryn and her wedding party — so relaxed and happy!Joe and his guys pretending they were on a log roll. 😀I always love candid moments like this. 😀How can you not love these shots of Jamie with her mom?Lovely & Colin with their wedding party, taking advantage of some driftwood!Lucy & Chris walked towards the camera with their wedding party (which inevitably made them all crack up). 🙂Chris’s guys HAD to pick him up, of course!Heather & her ladies in their matching sunglasses!Althea with all of her best ladies!Jasmine and her bridesmaids. 😀Kristian & Teddy with her dad and his mom!
