2014 Year-end Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2014 was a big, big year for Arden Photography; so many exciting things, beautiful weddings, the Equus collection. It was filled over with such gorgeous imagery, smiling couples, close friends, and new chapters that we are beyond excited for the new beginnings in 2015. We are so very lucky to have such a wonderful and embracing community and many friendships. We hope you are as ecstatic about 2015 as we are! We cannot wait to take you along for the ride next to us, and to allow us to capture all of your beautiful memories and stories for 2015! In the meantime, here is a look-back at a few of our personal favorite images from 2014.

Real Wedding: Claire and John

Weddings are celebrations, parties filled with laughter, dancing, and love. Each couple is different though, and they all celebrate in different ways. Claire and John? They were party animals! And wow - was this one fun wedding and reception! There was never any doubt about that though as this couple was one for the books: sweet, kind, and a whole lot of good time! Claire had incorporated many beautiful details from the rich red bouquet, the garland wreath above their nuptials, the deer antlers on the groom's cake, and of course, the glow stick accessories at the reception! DJ CoCo played house music, they inflated a giant whale pool toy, brought out the broomsticks turned make-shift guitars - add it all up, and it makes for one unforgettable wedding! 

Favorite Wedding Favors

Providing gifts to guests at a wedding has been tradition for centuries and has varied across cultures and populations. Originally related to European wealth and extravagance, the gifts were fashioned of small boxes made of precious metals and gemstones. Other cultures believed the bridegroom to be a coming of good luck, and the gifts were thought to be lucky as they were presented by the couple. 

Today, the wedding favors often extend on the theme of the weddings and vary greatly in what they might be as they are considered a portrayal of the couple's personality. Koozies are common due to their useful nature both at the wedding and afterwards. Take-home sweets and recipes in jars are also gaining in popularity. Personally, I have to say, those succulents are a favorite! 

Let Them Eat Cake

As a wedding guest, I cannot wait to try the cake - more so than free alcohol, good catering, and cute groomsmen. Cheesecakes, cupcakes, red velvet, or traditional - I want a piece of each! As a photographer, I cannot wait to see the cake. It gives great insight into the couple and their style. A beautiful wedding cake often imitates a beautiful wedding.

The cake is such an important part of the ceremony and generally draws attention like a prince on a throne. It is part of many different wedding customs, and has been tradition for hundreds of years, dating back to Medieval times. Different from the sugary confections today, fruit cakes or a stack of warm bread buns were favored instead. 

The cake cutting has a long history itself. First, it was an activity the bride herself did to symbolize the loss of her innocence. Now, it is a ritual performed by both bride and groom to represent the first activity as a married couple. It also symbolizes the couple's agreement to provide for one another. 

Cake charms, though not largely popular anymore, have a long history. Charms were once baked into the wedding cake to embody different meanings as well. For example, a horseshoe signifies good luck, an anchor means adventure, a heart is true love, and a wish bone means a wish come true. If you opt to bake charms into your cake be sure to warn your guests before they dive right in!

Another tradition that has really taken hold is that of saving the top tier of the cake in order to eat on the one-year anniversary. If you want to go all out and truly relive the blissful memories of your wedding day, play dress up! Pull out your wedding dress, have your hubby don his suit, and go to town on those last few pieces of wedding cake - be sure to whisper sweet nothings to each other ;) 

We've seen so many variations on wedding cakes. Everything from the "less is more" to the downright extravagant. No matter what the design, as long as the cake is delicious then it is a total wedding win! 

Wedding Rings: Getting the Shot

Some of our favorite wedding photos to shoot are the ring images. Probably has something to do with all the sparkly bling, right? There are so many interesting and unique details personal to each wedding, and we love to incorporate those into the shot. While the rings speak for themselves in beauty and value, it is often those small details that really make the image! Often times, the ring photo says everything about the wedding ceremony - classic, elegant, whimsical, rustic, charming - you can see that in the details! 

Tell us what you think! Do you like the simplicity of the rings by themselves, with the bouquet or flowers, or showing off one of your favorite (and often overlooked) features of the day - like the shoes? Got any ideas for beautiful ring detail shots? Let us know! 

Austin & Jake: Arden Photography

The fall wedding season is in full swing here at Arden Photography! But who could complain when you've got such beautiful people to photograph?! We often say that a happy bride makes all the difference when it comes to the wedding photos. Austin was more than happy - she was absolutely beaming! She smiled and laughed all day - we don't have a single photo of her where she isn't. Their wedding was full of elegant charm, pops of vibrant color, and handmade tokens that made it all the more intimate. Thank you Austin and Jake for letting us be part of your big day!