The greatest complement

A few months ago we received an Instagram message from a woman named Michelle who was interested in our wedding photography. She had been leaving us likes and sweet comments on our photos for a while and we, in turn, we had been following her. We had enjoyed viewing her adorable pictures with her fiancé John and seeing their travels around the country. They seemed like adventurous and fun people and we were thrilled that they had reached out to us. 

   We moved forward with a phone consultation. Sarah and I sat in the yard by the chicken coop with a cup of tea and coffee on a beautiful morning (Our favorite way to do a consultation.) We were so excited to get to know a little bit more about her and John. We said our friendly hellos and before we could get any further she said

“ Before we start, I have to tell you the story of how we found you.” Sarah and I were intrigued and excited. She explained to us that while traveling the country she and her fiance had stopped at a brewery called Idletyme brewing in Vermont for a drink. While there, they had met a couple on their honeymoon who told them all about their amazing wedding and were over the moon about their photographers aka (us). They shared our information with Michelle and she fell in love with our work. 

  Let's stop for a minute to reflect on that. This meant so much to us for so many reasons. The obvious appreciation of our art and hard work. But moreover, the fact that the honeymooning couple hadn't seen one photo from their wedding sample yet, meant that the glowing review of Sarah and I had been sent hundreds of miles from Cincinnati, Ohio to Stowe, Vermont by little more than the couple's wedding day experience with us! This was the biggest complement of all. Making someone's wedding day as magical as possible is of course the biggest thing on our hearts. Writing this story brings that feeling of love for our couples and pride in our work rushing back. The couple at the bar by the way, are named Ashley and Justin and tomorrow, over a year after their wedding we will be in Yellow Springs, Ohio shooting their maternity photos as they prepare to welcome their new baby into the world! I will link their wedding sample below and you can expect a sample of this soon to be amazing maternity session to be up in the coming weeks!

Justin and Ashley (The couple at the bar in Stowe, Vermont.)

Michelle and John booked us on the spot after our call and we are so thrilled to be working with them. They will be having us travel to Philadelphia, PA for their wedding next year and just last weekend we traveled out to meet them in person and shoot their engagement session at Hunting Hill Mansion. Which was GORGEOUS by the way. What an awesome adventure that was for us! God has blessed us with an amazing life of love and adventure fueled by art and the love of others. We have the privilege of bringing positive energy to such a special time in people's lives and we don’t take that for granted. Not even for a second.

Michelle & John at Hunting Hill Mansion. Outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Michelle & John at Hunting Hill Mansion. Just outside of Philadelphia, PA.

 Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

4 Pros and cons to doing a first look

Hello again! Today I’m excited to talk about a subject that many couples spend months stewing over before finally making up their minds. It seems like it should be simple, but the more it works its way into your head the more it becomes an enormous overblown thing that it really doesn’t need to be. Hopefully this article will help to condense this big knot of mental Christmas lights into a few simple things to consider. After reading this I hope you will be more than a step closer to your decision to have a first look, or to opt for the more traditional route!

So, it's been years now since the idea of the first look hit the wedding scene. It has officially proved itself to be more than a fad and for good reason. It’s romantic, modern and intimate to name a few reasons. Oh, and also the pictures from a first look are precious and beautiful if done right. As photographers, Sarah and I love first looks for a few main reasons.

The Pros.

Goodbye to Nervousness.

First, on a wedding day it can feel like there is a lot of pressure on the bride and groom to keep things running smoothly. Think about this. In a stressful situation who is the one person who makes you feel like you can do anything? I hope you answered your partner! I mean, that’s why you're getting married right? My number one reason I love first looks is that when the bride and groom come together early on a wedding day you can actually feel their tension melt away. Not only the nervousness about seeing each other that was hanging over their heads. But the subconscious feeling of doing this alone vanishes.

Photos done early.

When researching for this article I saw tons of writers saying that couples photos might not be as special to you on the wedding day if you aren’t actually married yet. Well… Fine, that’s fair. However, We aren’t necessarily talking about couples photos. Yes we can do some of those after the first look and we almost always do, but a huge chunk of our couples photos will be done around sunset. Long after the ceremony when the light is right! Now we are talking mainly about family photos and bridal party photos. These photos take a lot of time and when we do them all after the ceremony we often find ourselves trying to squeeze everything in as fast as possible. This is not only stressful for everyone “Stress is the enemy of good wedding vibes” but it cuts into precious couples photos time!

Privacy

If you are anything like me you appreciate your privacy. At my ceremony I felt very on the spot and I was uncomfortable at first. That may sound crazy to you but I bet a ton readers know exactly what I’m talking about. I am glad I had my first look with Sarah because I was able to soak it in in privacy and not during an anxious moment in my life with everyone watching. Social anxiety. Yes, I have it too!

Less wedding day pressure

After your first look you tackle those family, and bridal party shots and then you find that your wedding day schedule is suddenly less full, less rushed and more relaxed. That is a key ingredient to a special, fun and romantic wedding day that you remember fondly. Unfortunately over the past 10+ years we have been wedding photographers, we've seen our share of brides and grooms not enjoying their wedding day. Sweating, sour faced, snippy or even arguing… Of course we can’t stand seeing this on someone's special day. When this happens we do everything we possibly can to help. Especially Sarah. She is a master when it comes to wedding planning and positive vibes. There is one commonality between every one of these weddings. The bride and groom had planned too much into a day to not have a first look. Please don’t take that the wrong way. That does not mean that a first look is something you need to do to have an amazing wedding day. Not at all, what it means is if your not doing a first look make sure you're not planning too much after the ceremony. You will most likely find that you didn’t have time to actually enjoy your wedding and the time with the people you love the most on this special day.

Cocktail hour

Speaking of enjoying time with your loved ones. Soon after the ceremony they will all head to your cocktail hour to mingle, laugh, drink and celebrate together. Tradition dictates that the bride and groom aren’t there. But why not? We love when brides and grooms are present for cocktail hour. They have so much fun. Shake off the remaining wedding day jitters and we get to capture some candid photos of them with the guests. The ceremony is still so fresh in everyone’s minds and they are so ready to hug, squeeze and congratulate you!

There is so much more to say but I could literally be here all day and I told you I would make this simple and condensed! Some people prefer the traditional route. I have huge respect for this. Tradition is deep, meaningful and extremely charming. Especially at a formal event like a wedding day. Here are the cons. The reasons you might not want to have a first look.

The cons

Loss of tradition.

Maybe you are a traditionalist, or maybe you highly respect your Mother or Grandmother's opinion and want to take their advice. When you have a first look you are breaking a cultural tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. I won’t harp on that for too long because I know that you knew that before clicking on this blog!

Ceremony photos less expressive

There is a theory amongst photographers that if you do a first look, the emotions might be less present at the ceremony. This is both true and not untrue. I’ll elaborate. If you opt not to do a first look, you might find yourself very emotional at the ceremony in the way of joyful tears and a deeply romantic vibe. If you go for the first look you will likely have a different experience. With most of the tension gone you will find yourself more relaxed and likely be more outwardly happy and excited. You will have less tears in the audience and more smiles and joyful laughs and an excited energy from your partner. It will be just as emotional but it will be a different flavor of energy, which leads to a different experience. Whichever you prefer is the correct choice for you!

You’re having an early Mass

A common thought is that you're having an early Mass and so you will have a jump start on your wedding day events. Awesome, In these scenarios we agree. A first look doesn’t yield much in the way of wedding schedule efficiency. It does still offer the relief of ceremony pressure. However, I’m betting that if you are having a Mass you are a person who respects tradition and are willing to deal with that to uphold in what you believe in. That is awesome and I love and respect that, but what are you doing reading this! You already know what you want. Stop second guessing yourself and go confidently into your dream wedding!

In closing

All things considered, it’s up to you to choose. I know that probably not what you want to hear but what I offer is advice.

If you are not having a first look, please consider not overcrowding your wedding plans. Leave time in the schedule between each event to get something to drink, a snack, or just take a breather. Leave time to have fun and not be stressed!

If you are having a first look, make sure that you leave some time to have couples photos done later in that golden hour light! Have a great time but please remember, you’re getting photos done later. Don’t party too hard, you have to keep that hair and makeup on point!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this article helped you on your wedding planning journey.

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

A Venue Recommendation: Timeless Charm

Hello again dear reader! This morning as I sit with my cup of coffee and think over all of the great things I have to say about this unique venue, I’m reminded of why I started this blog in the first place. I’m here twice a week doing what I was born to do. Help people make cherished memories and have great experiences. That sounds cheesy I know, but in one way or another it’s what I have done since I was a child. It’s My calling and I love it!

Today I am continuing my series of wedding venues that Sarah and I love. We have been lucky enough to have had brides and grooms call us to this venue a dozen times over the past few years and I truly can’t say enough kind words about this place!

Timeless Charm in Camden, Ohio is a place that truly earns its name. The grounds are not only gorgeous, but are unique in a way that I haven’t seen before. This venue has so many great photo backdrops that when planning your photography you really have to narrow down your favorites because there simply isn’t time to visit them all! It doesn’t matter what your tastes lean toward. Classic, rustic, romantic or even boho, This venue is perfect for you.

The Ceremony

There are a couple of different spots at timeless charm to host your ceremony but I want to talk about the amphitheater. This space is simply awesome. The seating flows downhill giving every friend and family member a perfect view of the ceremony. The center stage sits in the foreground of a beautiful forest backdrop. Unfortunately, in Ohio there are so many similar venues and ceremony sites that it's almost impossible to tell them apart in a photograph, but here there is an iconic look that stands out. When I see a photo taken here pop up on google I instantly recognize it without even having to think. It may just be me but something about the amphitheater space has always reminded me of wedding photography from the mountains out west. It just gives off such a natural deep woods vibe. We love it!

The Bridal Suite & Onsite Lodging

Timeless Charm has so much to offer. A beautiful reception space, lakefront views and fresh food with their own private chef. But one thing that we adore over all else is the ability for your bridal party to stay on site in their B & B style honeymoon suite. Not having to wake your entire family up at 5am to get to the venue and start setting up is an enormous convenience! Not to mention not having to worry about driving home after a lengthy reception.

The Waterfront Veranda

The waterfront Veranda is gorgeous. Who isn’t interested in an outdoor lakeside space with its own stereo system for you to hook up to and a LAKESIDE BAR. Seriously. This area is of course surrounded by a beautiful forest and is just a minutes walk from the bridal suite.

Bride and Groom Reactions

We do so many weddings and have spent hundreds of hours with different bridal and grooms. It’s rare that we have a wedding day without hearing the at least a small complaint from the Bride, Groom or even a family member. Out of all the weddings we have done at Timeless Charm I can honestly say that I have not heard a single complaint. I have however heard brides go on about how lucky they feel to have found such a perfect venue!

A happy bride and a beautiful wedding dress at Timeless Charm

The Wrap up

To wrap this up I’ll simply say that timeless Charm is the perfect spot for an outdoor wedding. It’s overflowing with charm and has all the makings for amazing wedding photography and an experience you can look back on with nothing but smiles and love.

You can check out Timeless Charm for yourself on their website at the link below or follow them on Instagram at @timelesscharm.

A sparkler exit at Timeless Charm

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Venue recommendation

THE MARMALADE LILY. PHOTO BY EVERY ATOM PHOTOGRAPHY

This is by far the most important article written as of yet. What could be more important on your wedding day than having the right venue? Think about it. The catering could be incredible, the DJ is fantastic and the photographer is everything you dreamed they would be. But None of that matters really if your guests and most importantly you and your spouse have to spend your special day somewhere you hate! A bad environment can easily sour the entire experience. This is a series of articles I have been wanting to write for a long time, and well… here it goes!

The Marmalade Lily in Loveland, OH is the first venue I want to recommend on my list. In fact when thinking about what I wanted to say in this post I realized I just had to jump over to their google business page and leave a glowing review. Over the past few years Sarah and I have enjoyed photographing many weddings here. Seeing how happy the couples and guests were and how beautiful the grounds are kept always makes for a great day at work for us and an amazing wedding day for the Bride and Groom.

The Marmalade Lily sits on 9 acres of beautiful grounds and flower gardens. The owner Laura, Like my own beautiful wife Sarah has a deep passion for gardening and flowers in particular. Season to season the grounds grow and change, Setting a wonderful vibe that really tells the story of your wedding day in its time and place. Along with Laura their clients get the pleasure of working with their awesome staff who come off more like a family than a group of co-workers. They have great wedding coordinators and multiple floral designers! Being a flower farm they offer floral arrangements included with their wedding packages which is so convenient.

Flower bouquet by The Marmalade lily. Photo Every Atom Photography.

Why do we love The Marmalade Lily?

Over the past 10 plus years Sarah I have shot hundreds of weddings at dozens of venues. We remember and look forward to going back to the ones with a personal touch and a positive vibe. They inspire us as artists because negativity stifles creativity and these people are always positive. When a bad customer service experience impacts the bride and groom, well… It can be hard for them to shake that off and get on with a happy day. Much less fun, playful and romantic photos. The Marmalade Lily has always offered us everything we could ask for and more importantly given the bride and grooms we have worked with a more than positive experience and a beautiful place to celebrate the beginning of an amazing journey together.

The Marmalade Lily is a place with a great outdoorsy energy, tons of scenes to pick from for photos. The staff are helpful and not high tense and all of this is fueled by a true passion for beautiful flowers and love. What more could you ask for? If you want to visit the grounds and see this beautiful venue for yourself you can schedule a visit or stop by when they host one of their pick your flower days! You can check them out on Instagram at @themarmaladelily or on their website by clicking the button below.

Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson