Nontraditional, Offbeat and Alternative Wedding Photographers » Lara Swanson Photographer in VA, MD, and Washington DC

We asked, and you answered! Enjoy blog posts from the top three best nontraditional, offbeat and alternative weddings of 2008.

What are your top 3 favorite photos from the day and why?

Our favorite photo is the one with the rays of sunshine behind us.

There’s so many to choose from though. If I had to pic another two, I would have to say the one of all the girls walking…

and the one of all the guys standing at the temple.

What have you done with your photos since your wedding?

We had Lara design our KISS album, which looks great by the way.

What piece of advice can you give to people currently planning their wedding?

Try not to stress too much. Try to enjoy the process of planning. This is suppose to be a fun and happy time for you. Let your man give his two cents. Ladies, you’ll just override his choice anyway if you don’t really agree. As my now husband said throughout the whole planning process, “It’s all about you…!” He honestly meant that and wasn’t being sarcastic, but just hearing it you wouldn’t know.

What advice can you give to people looking for a wedding photographer?

GO WITH LARA! That’s an order! You will never regret your decision. She isn’t just a photographer. She has heart and puts 120% into her work and that means capturing the emotion of your day. She is the BEST in my opinion and all my guests agree. If you hire her you not only get a great photographer, you get a great friend!

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

I would have to say my favorite moment walking into the ceremony with both of my fathers at my side (holding me up of course, lol). My husbands favorite part was saying our vows. He was a nervous wreck for days on end, but he nailed it and didn’t miss a beat. I’m so proud of him. And apparently he’s proud of himself. Ha Ha!

Now readers, enjoy the photos!

Brit and Mac’s:
Slideshow teaser
Album pages
Monogram
Engagement photos and retouching for their save the dates
Wedding details and reception details

And a few more photos!

We asked, and you answered! Get ready for blog posts from the top three best nontraditional, offbeat and alternative weddings of 2008.

Another pair of close friends, Jenn and Ben had an incredibly classy wedding in New Jersey. I’ve known Jenn since high school (even saved her life in gym class - literally!) and was THRILLED to be invited to photograph their wedding. It makes me so happy to give to my friends this way.

What are your top 3 favorite photos from the day and why?

Just 3??? Nearly impossible!!
The first is only a few minutes after being declared husband and wife. It was the best feeling ever! We didn’t think anyone would see us sneak a kiss ;-)

The second is when we were changing locations for pictures. We were so happy and excited we couldn’t resist another kiss - even if it was in the middle of the road :-)

The third is the picture of my godson and I sharing a smooch. We both agree that he’s too adorable for words!

What have you done with your photos since your wedding?

We’re in the process of finalizing our album right now which is really exciting. We’ve also printed and framed several of them for our home. Now that the holidays are here, we have printed some for gifts to our family as well, which I anticipate they will love!

What piece of advice can you give to people currently planning their wedding?

Well, we found that we did a lot of the “big” planning (church, reception site, pastor, DJ, photographer) immediately and then there was about a 4 month lull before we started taking care of the “details” in the 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Had I picked one task per weekend - say, favors or invitations or guest list or music, I would have saved myself a few frantic weekends towards the end. Plus it would have been far less daunting doing one thing per weekend.

What advice can you give to people looking for a wedding photographer?

PICK LARA!

What was your favorite moment from your wedding day?

Ben: It sounds really corny but the second I saw her coming down the aisle. It was the most incredible feeling in the whole world.
Jenn: Right before they opened the doors to the church so I could walk down the aisle. I had huge (but wonderful) butterflies and was so excited about what was about to happen. It made me want to sprint down the aisle :-)

Is there anything else you want included in your featured blog post?

Our wedding day was the best day of our lives. We were SO lucky to share the day with so many people (including the lovely Lara and her fabulous second shooters Jamie and Brad) whom we love dearly. It was the perfect way to start our lives together.