Yall know we love to Create and Inspire

and as seasoned wedding photographers, one of the best way for us to show stunning, nontraditional weddings with couples who are not regularly seen in the wedding industry spotlight is with a Styled Shoot. We typically do several a year with other wedding professionals and even open it up for other photographers to come and build their portfolio but 2020 was different.

We had sooo much in the works before the virus shut everything down. We weren’t able to have our first styled shoot until Summer time and here are some things that we definitely had to take into consideration to keep everyone safe.

Find a Time-oriented Planner

an all-inclusive timeline is so important to keep everyone on the same page and to ensure that we’re not crowding or bumping into each other during the event. We used Creative Motion Events to pull everything together and we had a great time.

Find a Spacious Venue

Everyone at the shoot is going to appreciate the extra breathing room. Haven Street Ballroom has plenty of space to work with, not to mention the art that you can create in this space is literally limitless!
PRO TIP: We also recommend using a venue that your target audience would be likely to have their wedding. Just so they can see what you can really do with the space during the pandemic.

Be Realistic

Take into consideration what weddings are looking like now. Intimate weddings and Microweddings are the norm now so use that knowledge when creating your theme and timeline for the day. We loved the petite cake by Save Room Desserts LLC , the individual macaroons created by Mrs. Mac Artisan Macarons and the Africa shaped cookies Tiny Tudor Cookies for this shoot. It really took into consideration what this couples guest could actually have for dessert and it tied together effortlessly with their destination wedding theme.

You can see their Shoot HERE.

Real Couple Models

This one is important. Because of COVID if your planning on having a bride and groom model also keep in mind that they should be socially distanced making it difficult to create intimate wedding photos BUT when you have a couple who already together and who are used to be snuggled up under each other it’s much easier to pose (guilt-free!)

We are currently looking for real couples to shoot, if you’re interested send us a message HERE.

Be Safe

This should go without saying but just to make sure everyone is on the same page. Send an email to everyone the day before to remind them to wear a mask at all times (unless they’re modeling). Bring extra hand sanitizer and Sani wipes for the day. You can also do temp-checks throughout the day.

Hydrate!

Tell your models to drink plenty of water the week leading up to your session! If you drink at least 2 liters of water every day, your skin will be well hydrated and you may even feel a little bit perkier throughout your session.
PRO TIP: Bring extra bottles of water for you and your vendors. Small bottles work best.
Super PRO TIP: Also bring snacks in individual bags Because everyone loves a good snack

Don’t Lose Your Creative Spark

We know how easy it is to get discouraged during this time. Where almost all couples are rescheduling, your peers are quitting or pivoting and COVID mandates changing every other week it’s quite understandable to feel discouraged. Re-examine your purpose and if it’s worth it, work for it!

We made a vow to shine a spotlight on couples who are not usually recognized in the mainstream wedding industry. This usually includes brides and grooms of color along with those of different ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs and sexual orientation. We work hard to get these couples published by bigger media outlets so that more couples can see themselves when planning their wedding.

This is important to us because when we were engaged and looking for inspiration for couples who look like us it was far and in between (still is) and it effects the way you plan. You can read more about that here but Bottom Line is this shoot went viral and was published 6 times by some BIG Publications like POPSUGAR, Bespoke Bride and Here Comes the Guide.

We are incredibly grateful that we were able to do this not only for wedding pro family but for all of the future bride and grooms looking for representation in the wedding industry. We’re going to keep pushing for you guys!

Wedding Ceremony and Reception Venue: Haven Street Ballroom
Wedding Linens: Hey It's Oh So Pretty
Wedding Planner: Creative Motion Events
Wedding Photographer: Megapixels Media
Wedding Invitations: Amore Boutique OC
Wedding Flowers: Rose and Bel Floral
Wedding Cake: Save Room Desserts LLC
Wedding Desserts: Mrs. Mac Artisan Macarons and Tiny Tudor Cookies
Wedding Calligrapher: Copper Stone Co.
Wedding Handmade + DIY: Jess Albins Balloons
Wedding Party Rentals: Something Vintage Rentals

If you would like to join us for an upcoming styled shoot as a vendor, a photographer or a model, please send us an e-mail at Hello@megapixelsmedia.com. See you soon!

Megan + Garrett
MegapixelsMedia.com