Our own Beckam

Our own Beckam? Oh yes but a zillion times better!!! Most of Bobbi's clients know that while she loves wedding photography her true love is sports photography, and she is well known in the field. Along those lines her favorite thing in the world is to photograph her nephew Kyle playing the game he so excels at-- soccer. Kyle is a freshman at Missouri State this year and when the Bears came to town last week to play SLU don't you know that Bobbi was on the field! Of course we know that Kyle will become the next big thing in the world of soccer, eclipsing Beckam! Perhaps he will even marry his own Victoria! Ah the 'Spice' of life! We've been hearing from the young ladies for years!

Annie & Jason

The wedding of Annie & Jason was simply spectacular! Their wedding took place last Saturday and as the day opened we had gray and rainy skies. By the time we got to our locations for some pre-ceremony photography the rain held and as we prepared to head back for the ceremony the temperature was just flat hot! When the evening was over the skies were clear and the storms had passed. We could not believe how many brides and grooms were in Forest Park Saturday--- no one could remember a time when we've seen so many groups there waiting for their turn in front of the typical venues. Not being ones to follow the crowd we sought out special (and uncrowded) shots for our bride and groom and the bridal party. Everyone had a great time together! The ceremony and reception was held at the Foundry Arts Center, a wonderful venue. From the first moment of the ceremony (did we say TEARS???) to the end of the reception, everything was absolutely lovely and everyone seemed to enjoy this very special day. The food was outstanding, created by one of our favorite caterers, Russo's. And the cake? DELISH--- and we are cake experts! Chocolate and vanilla layers, wonderful!

We won't talk about the piece of art that was subsequently purchased after being viewed in one of the upstairs artist's galleries that night........................ so it goes!

Rainy Weekend Forecast

Sounds as if it is going to be a rainy weekend in St. Louis----- maybe even some big storms so we will send good intentions for safety and patience. Keep your umbrella's handy by the sound of it! We're sending extra EXTRA special no rain thoughts for Annie and Jason who are getting married tomorrow. We've been looking forward to capturing their wedding for such a long time!Even if it rains you can bet that this really wonderful couple will shine brightly.

Stay dry and be safe----

Katie & Dean

We enjoyed our day with Katie and Dean even down to it's (very) early start! The flowers were gorgeous, from one of our favorite vendors (and of course we name drop if you ask!) and the girls were in such a great mood as we started out. The ceremony was very heartfelt and moving, we heard a few sniffles in the sanctuary! The reception was held at the gorgeous Wildflower Loft in the Central West End, one of our favorite places to lunch-- much less really nice for a celebration such as this!

Have a fabulous Thursday! Fall is making itself known here in St. Louis, the nights are brisk and the days are cool and breezy. Even the leaves are beginning to change color---- soon they will be wearing all their glorious fall foliage!

Emily & Brian

As most of our frequent blog readers know, this is the BUSY time of year for us--- and we're grateful, believe me! We haven't had a chance to show Emily and Brian's wedding off a bit, it was so much fun! They are a great couple, very grounded, very happy and have wonderful families. In over 25 years of wedding photography we've never seen a dance floor with 99.9% of the reception celebrants out on it---- it was fabulous! The song was "Shout".... and shout they did, it really set the tone for an exuberant evening. I think it is a testimony not only to Emily and Brian, their friends and family and the DJ. Regardless, we enjoyed ourselves as did everyone else!

Angels

We normally get a chance to celebrate with families and take photos that capture their joy. Yesterday we had the honor to be with a family that was experiencing deep sorrow. Baby Amanda was born to very sweet and loving parents, and sadly did not live more than a few hours. We were asked to photograph Amanda and her Mom and Dad, to capture the memory of their daughter. We ask you to join us in sending blessings to this family during their very difficult time.

Thoughts on Wedding Makeup

From the latest issue of our wedding newsletter (with some emphasis here where we have a bit more room) come these tips for wedding day makeup--- one of those things we get asked all the time. Brides want to look great on their wedding day and a few tips are always timely...........

If you don't receive the BBP Wedding Newsletter and would like to, send us an email at info@BobbiBrinkmanPhotography.com to request one!

Wedding Day Makeup

• ALWAYS have a trial run (or two) well in advance of your wedding. This is the 'no surprises' very best way to make sure that you will love the way you look. Remember, if you are not happy with the way you look on your wedding day your photos will capture every detail! If you are having a bridal portrait session you will get a chance to see how long it takes to do your makeup, how it feels, how long it lasts and most importantly how it looks in your photos. Without a formal session you can still take some snapshots to see how your look translates.
• Keep it CLEAN & SIMPLE
• Look like YOU, just more polished. If you normally don't wear a lot of makeup, your wedding day is not a great time to start! Take your daily routine and add a bit more polish--- ask a makeup professional for advise if you don't know where to start.
• Longlasting lipcolor, eyeshadow and liner are available and useful. Remember, you will be 'kissed on' a lot during your day, and you might shed a tear or two.
• Waterproof mascara is a must--- don’t forget to purchase remover! You might be surprised to learn that soap and water might not take off your mascara, check the label and pick up a bottle of remover if called for.
• Carry shine absorber sheets & lipcolor with you. They are easily available and inexpensive, your whole wedding party will be happy!
• Expensive is not always best. Oh sure, we love the cosmetics in the shiny black containers with the big white "C"....... or many other of the shishi brands. But they are not always best. If you already use the pricier brands, great, no need to stop now! If you don't, don't feel like you must. Ask friends what cosmetic lines work for them, stop by to see their representative/makeup artists and experiment a bit. If your choice is a drug store brand--- no worries. Many of these brands are produced by the 'big boys' and are great choices. The most important thing is HOW you look with your makeup style, NOT the name of the style itself.
• When you have on your ‘trial wedding face-- ask for opinions...and listen! Everyone has an opinion and they will be more than happy to give you one if you ask (and sometimes if you don't!)

Ashley & Ryan

Wedding Bells will be ringing at one of the most GORGEOUS locations in St. Louis, the Basilica in the Central West End. We're fortunate to drive by this imposing structure everyday on the way in to the studio, it is stunning. Although it seems a bit far away, you know how time flies when you are planning a wedding--- Ashley and Ryan's very special day will be here in the blink of an eye!

So, changing the subject--- now that we're past 9.11 and looking forward again, the country is abuzz with Rosie on the View and Meredith on Today. Isn't it funny that our clients all want to weigh in on what is happening on the small screen? For the record---- we love 'em both!

Danielle (who makes us laugh daily) sends Happy Hump Day greetings! :)

Remember

Remember. Reflect. Renew.

Formal Bridal Portraits

Think June Cleaver, Carol Brady or (possibly) Your Mom----- did they have a formal bridal portrait taken? Has formal bridal portraiture gone the way of rick-rack trimmed aprons and highballs with the evening paper? Not at all! Bridal Portraits are making a very real resurgence and many the savvy bride is choosing to include a formal session in their wedding planning. Why would they? Isn’t it a bother? In today’s faster paced world isn’t this just a poor use of both time and budget? Not at all, in many ways it is a valuable tool to insure that your day goes exactly as you planned. Ideally, a bridal portrait session should be scheduled pproximately 4-6 weeks before the wedding. As many of our brides say it forces them to stay on task and insure that they have several key components in place before the session-which then makes the last weeks prior to the wedding far smoother. A bridal session not only creates a stunning portrait of the bride but it does so when she is relaxed, calm & prepared to create a portrait of herself as The Bride. There is not a bride we talk to that doesn’t want a remembrance in all her bridal glory! The dress has had its final fitting, the bride has chosen her hairstyle and her makeup as well as her accessories, and it is an excellent time to give those a trial run before the final crunch as well as giving another layer of excitement to the wedding planning. Our brides come to the studio or location with their gown in hand, their makeup and hair is done. We’ve discussed how they want their portrait to look-what would they like the background to be? Studio? Home? A location uniquely special to the bride and groom? Are there any special props to be included? Our style on wedding day is creative and candid--- and many brides and grooms appreciate a portrait of the bride that is exactly “her”, we can all take the timein the world to create the image desired. The wedding day can then be documented as it unfolds, and the bride and her family know that her portrait has been taken ahead of time. During the portrait session the bride discovers how the dress fits, how the veil looks, how the hairstyle will work, if the makeup is what she is looking for, if the accessories are perfect, are the shoes comfortable and perhaps most importantly, just how much time did all of this perfection take anyway? We suggest you make a day of it, make it fun and special--- and ENJOY!

We urge all of our brides to consider the merits of having a formal bridal portrait taken in their choice of locations. We may not listen to June, Carol or Mom much anymore; but we do know that Martha says “It’s a Good Thing”!

John & Colleen

We love referrals from friends and clients, it is always an honor and a privilege! One of our newest wedding couples came to us this way, but it goes without saying that they will become members of the family at BBP. Welcome to John and Colleen, we are very much looking forward to capturing your special day as you enter into marriage, it is going to be a really beautiful day!

The fall weather is promising to move in a bit, the temperature lows are in the 5o's and 6o's this week! What a delight to move past the terribly hot and humid temps that have plagued us for the past month. Doesn't it seem like it has just been hotter than usual this summer? Our wedding clients Fawn and Brian who are returning from a Hawaiian cruise will be in shock! It was one of the hottest days of the year when they married, and in just a couple of short weeks here we are----- can the crisp breath seeing days be far behind??

Enjoy your day and share a smile with someone!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Another weekend spent capturing the extraordinarily special day of a wedding couple in St. Louis, a blessing indeed! Today we have the honor of spending the day with Emily and Brian and it will be a spectacular day. The weather promises to be just about perfect and the venue is one of St. Louis's finest--- we can't wait!

Danielle is back at school to her delight-- and sorrow! Most of the long standing studio family/clients can't believe that she is a senior in college this year. She is such an amazingly talented young woman! Her contributions to the Studio over the years have been tremendous and we all just love her to pieces. If everyone in the world worked as hard as she did there is no telling where we would all be by now!

Have a fabulous Saturday!

Melody & Jared

Melody & Jared are new members of the wedding family at Bobbi Brinkman Photography, and we are so looking forward to working with them and their families! Although their date seems far away as we sit here looking at the first of September---- we all know how quickly time zooms by. Without a doubt it will be a really beautiful day and we're honored to be part of it!

Have a wonderful day, and happy September!