WHAT'S NEXT?

Who are we?

We are husband and wife photography team Mike and Taylor O'Connor. We are both born and raised here in Buffalo, and you'll see our love for all things Western New York throughout our work! Photography had always been a fun hobby of ours, but when friends of ours asked us to shoot their wedding . . . it got real! Seeing their faces when they saw the heartfelt photos we took from their day, and knowing that WE were the ones that captured those moments, let's just say that we were hooked! So staying true to those roots, we have a passion for giving our clients genuine, natural feeling photos that capture the authentic emotions from their day.

PLANNING A WEDDING

STEP 1

Take engagement photos! Whether it is surprise photos to capture the big moment, or after the fact shots to show off that ring, set up a time to capture some shots just the two of you! This shoot serves a couple of great purposes! Number one, it gives you photos to use for "save the date's" that you'll send out once you've set a date for the big day. Number two engagement sessions help you get comfortable in front of the camera. This is why we love doing engagement shoots that are simply you being you. Whether you guys like going for walks, or grabbing a drink at the local coffee shop, we want the engagement shoot to capture your personalities!

Step 2

Pick a season! Unless you are set on a certain date for sentimental reasons, being open to a couple of dates will save you some headaches! Many vendors (photographers included) are booked at least one year out, so if it is 2023, many vendors are already booked for prime dates through the summer and fall of 2024. So by deciding which season you want to have your wedding and having a few dates in mind, you'll have a starting point to begin reaching out to vendors.

Helpful tip: Before you make any decisions about your wedding day make a priority list! We made one on our wedding day and it helped to relieve the stress of where to allocate our time, energy, and budget. And in our case, we knew we had two main priorities. 1. We wanted to have as many of our friends and family there as possible. 2. We wanted quality, timeless photos that we could show our children and grandchildren someday. We were able to have our reception at The Sterling at Arrowhead Golf Club and we had the amazingly talented Jessy Herman shoot our wedding! We then had to cut back on other things that weren't as important to us and it was totally okay with us! So sit down and make a list of the two or three things that are the non-negotiables for your day.

STEP 3

Secure a venue! Once you've got some ideas for dates, it's time to go venue shopping! This is probably the part of wedding planning that we enjoyed the most when we got engaged. It's often the first time you can really envision what your big day will look like. Walking through the space, seeing the centerpieces, maybe checking the dance floor, choosing a venue that fits your vision for your day is key. It's also important to find a venue that matches the style you are going for on your big day. But once you've got that date locked in, it starts to seem so much more real! Check out the link here for a list that we compiled of the best wedding venues in the Buffalo area.

Step 5

Find some vendors! Once you have your date locked in and your rough timeline set, you can start reaching out to vendors to see if they are available for the day! We have put together a quick list of some of our favorite vendors below. You can find a more in depth list of our favorite wedding venues and places to get photos around Buffalo on our blog. All of the vendors names are linked to their websites so if you need more info simply click on the vendor's name!

Florist

 We can recommend none other than Simply Em Productions. She is amazing to work with and the bouquets she puts together are absolutely stunning!

Limo

We recommend Buffalo Limousine. We have used their service personally and have found their drivers to be incredibly professional and timely!

DJ

The DJ is so important for a rocking wedding! Check out Whirlin' Disc Sound. They know how to keep people on the dance floor!

Hair, Makeup, Nails

We have known Dawn, Audra, and the team at Studio 14120 for years and we cannot recommend them enough! They have got you covered when it comes to hair, makeup, or nails for your big day!

STEP 6

Final details! With the vendors all booked, it's time to run through that timeline and double check that everything has been taken care of. Did you get the marriage certificate? Is the hotel booked for the night of the wedding? Did you get the list of shots you wanted to the photographer? This is usually the step when folks are ready to elope and never plan an event ever again! Okay maybe a bit dramatic, but it's definitely a lot of work planning a wedding. But, this is where it helps to have a priority list, so you know that if it is low on the list, it's not worth worrying over.

StEP 7

Cherish every moment! You have probably already heard this piece of advice, but you do all of this planning and then your wedding day is gone in a flash. So cherish each moment of your day. Do your best not to worry. The place settings look great, the meal will be amazing, simply enjoy each moment and celebrate the greatest day of your life!

Happy planning!

That's all we've got for now, check back on our blog to see updated articles and blog posts discussing all things wedding and wedding photography! We hope that you found this article helpful, and if you did, pass it along!

All the best,

Mike and Taylor O'Connor