How to Look Your Best in Photos

Houston Wedding Photography – Portrait Photography Tips:
Obviously, you want to look your best during your portraits and at EVOKE we know how to pose you accordingly. It doesn’t hurt to educate yourself on how to position your body. We can tell you what to do but if you understand what we are talking about it will just make it that much better! We have created an acronym E.V.O.K.E to help you remember. Check it out!!

E  Extend one foot forward (this distributes your weight to your back foot)

V V-shape your elbows (slims your waistline)

O  Open your eyes (focusing on this can help you to have a more natural smile as well as show off those beautiful eyes)

K  Keep your back straight (conveys confidence and just looks better)

E  Exhale and relax

We highly recommend practicing this before your session.

The Fiance

So, he got down on one knee and asked you to be his soul mate. How sweet and dreamy. Suddenly, you are faced with planning one of the biggest nights of your life.  Now, you maybe the captain of the wedding plans, but having a support crew is helpful and needed.  Your fiance should be your co-captain, after all it’s his night too.

I know all fiances are not created equal.  Some will be better at planning and others will be better at listening.  And you may not need as much help as the next bride either.  So, both of you have to find your zone that you are both making progress in the wedding planning.

You may need to schedule times with him to discuss the planning, so you are not pulling him away from the basketball game he was looking forward to all week.  Perhaps, make it a dinner date.  Be prepared and organized with the things you want his opinion on and tasks you need help with.  So, maybe color swatches, ribbons, and flowers are not his thing, but consider some of the following:

The Big and Fun Stuff:

• Touring the Venues
• Cake Tasting
• Food Tasting
• Bridal Shows
• Choosing the Photographer
• Choosing the Videographer

Suggested Fiance Tasks:

• Gather his boys for Tux fitting
• Finding the DJ or Band
• Getting the Getaway Car
• The Rehearsal Dinner (if you are brave)
• Out of Town Hotel Reservations
• Honeymoon Research

Every couple is different on how or who will handle the planning, but dividing and conquering is not a bad idea to keep in mind.  After all, you can always follow-up with his tasks and see how it’s going.  So, take some of the stress off you and let him be involved with the plans too.

Houston Marriage License – get the low down on the legal paperwork.

So, put down the color swatches and favor samples for a moment.  There is some paper work you need to take care of before the wedding.  Just making it legal, that’s all. In Houston it’s easy, but does require a trip down to the Harris County Clerks Office.

When to get the License? (This is muy importante!)
You need to purchase your marriage license at least 72 hours, but no more than one month, before the date of your ceremony. The license expires 30 days after the date on which it was issued, if the ceremony has not been conducted in that time. The 72-hour waiting period is automatically waived for military personnel, who can get married as soon as they have their license (you will need to show military ID at time of license purchase).

Where do you get the License?
A marriage license may be purchased at the Harris County Clerk’s Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are 10 locations in greater Houston area.
Link: http://www.cclerk.hctx.net/Personal_Rec/Marriage_License_Information.aspx
Link: http://www.cclerk.hctx.net/Branch_Locations.aspx

Don’t forget to bring the following:
A valid ID like a driver license, DPS ID card, passport, resident alien card or other government-issued identification
$71 for the license fee
Oh, and you and your fiance (of course)

Here’s a tip: We all know how the lines can be in these offices, so take your wedding organizer and do some talking with your fiance on wedding planning you have left while you wait.

Once, you have your license, you are ready to get hitched by someone who has authority to perform marriages ceremonies in Houston.  Make your trip to get your license fun have a date with him for a nice lunch or trip for ice cream.  Enjoy.

Trying to find the perfect photographer?

Okay, so some of you ladies may have seen the recent Google Ad during the past Super Bowl in between beer and potatoes chip bites. I was touched by it and couldn’t resist doing one ourselves. And we thought, we would have a little fun at EVOKE too.

Planning your wedding is definitely exciting and fun. Finding the perfect dress that makes you look stunning, the perfect cake that is not only delicious but a work of art, and the ring that blings is full of thrills. Certainty, it can be daunting at times too. Invitations, favors, bridal showers, what color to make the ribbon. The tasks and the bills do seem to mount up fast.

Where do you start the research? Just Google it (so everyone says). It seems to be the answer to so much now a days. Who doesn’t love it and the power of the internet? It’s brought everything right to our fingertips in our own home in our PJs with your cup of coffee next to you.

At the same time, we have all been victim to the Goggle too. Searching for hours and hours and hours on end… Google happily suggests an endless number of results. Really 38,200,000 wedding photographer results???? Who can pick from that? And sometimes it feels like it’s not giving you any practical suggestions. Neither is that fiance of yours on the couch.

And the distractions Google offers. You start with great intentions, to find the perfect bridesmaid dress and you end up at the Cinnabon website. Right? Who knows how you got there, but now you are craving that cream cheese icing.

At the end, searching the internet, Google, or whatever you may use. It is helpful you can get ideas, good information, and visit vendors virtual shops. It can help narrow down and do some filtering for your mind. It is just one of the great tools that are available to help with your quest of wedding planning. So, Google away, just have a goal in mind when you start or you could end up at the day spa faster than you think.

I’ve been involved in the wedding industry in the Greater Houston area for almost 10 years now, planned my own wedding, been to 30+ Bridal Shows, 300+ Open Houses and seen somewhere in the ball park of oh a zillion wedding photos (give or take ten). And I know the details and finding the right vendors are important. So, if the EVOKE Team can be of assistance to you during your wedding planning adventure, don’t hesitate to give a call or visit, we are happy to share our wealth of wedding knowledge not just on photos and video, but on veils and bouquets too.

So, tell me what you think? Is this how you feel at the end of the day searching online for hours, hopping from website to website? Has Google been your friend or foe in your wedding planning?