Christmas Mini Overton Park Prep

Hello Christmas Mini-ers!!!!

I’m so excited for this Christmas mini session at Overton Park in Midtown, I can barely see straight!

So, I wanted to write a little post to get you allllllllll prepped for the session so we can make the most out of our time together.

First off, DATE!!!

NOVEMBER 3RD, 2018.

In the event of rain, sessions will be moved to the 4th, same time! Forgot your time??? EMAIL ME. (maddie@maddiemoree.com)

Secondly, location!

Overton Park. Midtown Memphis.  2080 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38104

Directions:

1. Heading west on Poplar, turn right on Veterans Plaza Dr (One street after Cooper heading west). You’ll see the sign here for Brooks Museum and the Levitt shell.

2. Turn right on Old Forest Lane. Just follow the signs for the Bark park! We are meeting at the trail head entrance right across from the dog park and playground!

3. You’ll see a parking lot at the end of Old Forest Lane. Check for parking there. There’s also parking all along the street.

4. I will be waiting for you right at the trail entrance. 😀

Trail entrance. Parking is right behind where I’m standing from the camera’s perspective.

We will be in the trail area to the right.

What to bring:

1. For your babies, bring ANYTHING that makes your life easier for these 15/30 minutes. Whether that’s backup outfits in case they get dirty, a stroller to hold everything, toys, treats for bribing, or snacks in general. I will have someone around watching our stuff, so you can bring your things, and they can watch it while we are shooting!

2. Your fur babies! If you want them in your family photos, I WANT to photograph them in your family photos! If you do bring your pets, bring a leash and doggy bags to clean up after them. I also recommend bringing treats for good behavior. 😀 Like I said earlier, I’m a big fan of bribing.

3. Parents/Grandparents. I will photograph AS MUCH AS I CAN in the 15 or 30 minutes we have booked. I know grandparents love having pics with their grandbabies. I’m totally fine with you bringing as many family members as you want. I will shoot whatever I can in the time slot allotted. You just need to tell me priority. If main priority is your children, I will focus more on just them and just get a few of the rest. If priority is just your little family unit and your parents are there for the end part, that’s totally fine. Just let me know.  I’m here for YOU! 😀

4. Props. These are for you! If you have a cute sign, pumpkins, ornaments, or any Christmas/holiday things you want featured – feel free to bring them! I will have a red and black blanket that can be used to sit on/wrapped around you. I will also have a green and navy plaid picnic blanket to sit on. Otherwise, it’s up to you, my friends.

What to wear!!!!

Look, I feel you here. Picking out the perfect outfits that are your personalities, flattering on you, cohesive yet not matchy-matchy…it’s HARD. Here’s what I recommend.

It’s fall. So, I would go for fall colors: dark greens, reds, browns, maroons, oranges, navy blues, and purples.

When choosing clothes, you just want to make sure you all look like you belong together without looking like you all bought the same shirt. (Because we don’t want to wear the same shirt as our husband or our mother, #amiright…?) So, it helps if you choose a color palette. If you are unsure of some good color palettes, just go to Pinterest and type in “fall color palettes.” Pick one, two, or three main colors (either cool or warm) and then add in neutral colors (cream, grey, navy, brown, black) to fill any gaps.  Cool colors would be considered blues, purples, teals, greens. Warm colors are reds, yellows, oranges. Green and purple are transition colors and depend on how warm or cool the tone is.

If you choose one color, I would do different tones of the same color so it’s not too matchy matchy. I also recommend adding in a bolder color pop somewhere to break it up a bit! Scarves, sweaters, vests, and hats make for great pops of color, and you can always take those off if you want to change it up.

Don’t forget your pup! Bowties, scarves, and leashes can also bring in some color!

Ok, so it would look something like this:

Palette of main colors: Navy and pink maroon. Neutrals: Grey (Remember neutrals fill in gaps. They are great ways to add pieces to your color scheme without taking away from the cohesiveness. **Generally, I recommend grey/blue jeans for cool schemes and brown/tan/cream for warm schemes. You can obviously wear jeans with anything, so that’s up to you!).

Palette one color: Navy blue, light blue, midnight navy blue Pop of color: Maroon

This shot and the first shot are similar, but still different!

Palette: Brown, cream, white, navy jeans Pop of color: Red (in scarf and bowtie)

Palette: Navy, Tan, Green Neutrals: Brown

Palette: Navy, cream, brown, grey

Here they did a mirrored color sitch. She’s light up top and dark on the bottom. He’s dark up top and light on the bottom. And check out the cute bowties for the pups!

All this to say, there’s a bajillion different combos and no wrong answer. It’s also helpful to lay out everyone’s outfit and see what looks like it fits and what needs help. Feel free to send me photos if you want my opinion. I’m happy to throw it out there! 🙂

Helpful tips:

1. Get there 5-10 minutes early! Look, I am the QUEEN of being late, so I totally feel your pain. BUT we only have 15 minutes, so make sure you do not lose any time in your session looking for parking spots or getting lost.

2. Bathrooms are scarce. We are at a public park, so I highly recommend taking care of alllllllllllllll business beforehand. 🙂

3. Be open. Be goofy. Be ready to have fun! Pictures should NOT be painful. Your family has grown a lot this year. Things have changed, and we should celebrate that in photos. So let’s have fun with it! (Read: Don’t be so serious!) My goal is to photograph your family the way y’all are. Of course there will be happy photos where everyone’s smiling and looking at the camera, but I also love taking  real photos of y’all laughing together and being yourselves. Don’t worry about the posing. That’s what I’m here for! 😉

What should I expect?

So, we only have 15 or 30 minutes for these sessions! If you have any poses/shots in particular that you want to try out, just show me before the session on your phone, and I’ll make it happen! These photos are for you, and I’m here for you!

As far as posing, do NOT worry! I got your back! We’ll walk around; I’ll set you up. You’ll look at me. You’ll look at each other. Y’all will be goofy. Y’all will snuggle. And the photos will be cute.

After the session is finished, I will go home and edit these as fast as my eyeballs can take. One week to be exact! If you have questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to call/text/email me.

I hope this post helped you prep for the mini session! Christmas Minis 2018, HERE WE COME!!!

Till next time!

xoxo

maddie

Y’all it’s not even Halloween yet. So you know what time of the year it is?????

TIME FOR CHRISTMAS MINIS, OF COURSE!

I know a lot of people have been waiting for final details, so let me give you the scoop for Christmas Minis this year! Woo woo!

There will be sessions on Nov. 3rd,  Nov. 10th, & Nov. 17th.

First Session! Overton Park on Nov 3rd: Fall themed!

Just pretty outdoors-y photos in a park. These will be super solid family portraits with a forest, nature look. Here are a few shots I have taken at the park in the past. These were taken in the winter and spring, so there will be a lot more greenery this time of year. I’m hoping the trees will be changing by this time! If you’re looking for some nature-y portraits and not wanting to travel outside the 240 loop, THIS is the session for you. Bring your pups and dress for fall! This session is $160 for 15 minutes and $220 for 30 min. Past brides and Christmas mini-ers receive a 10% off discount! Hurrah!!

The Second Session! Merry Christmas Tree Farm on Nov 10th: Christmas themed!

This session will be with PJs and Cookies at the Merry Christmas Tree Farm in Nesbit, MS (right outside of Southaven). This session is pretty Christmas-y, and is ideal for little ones in their Christmas PJs! I will have a blanket for them to hang out on and enjoy some Christmas cookies and milk. If you are not wanting to do Christmas PJs, have no fear, we can ALWAYS do gorgeous shots around the tree farm. I do not have actual photos of what this setup will look like, but here’s an inspiration photo from pinterest. And the rest are photos that I’ve taken at the tree farm so you can get a feel for the space! I will provide: milk, chocolate milk, egg nog, and Christmas/holiday cookies! Woohoo! 15 minute sessions are $175 and 30 minute sessions are $235. Past brides and Christmas mini-ers receive a 10% off discount! Hurrah!! Remember, you don’t have to wear PJs….you can dress your kids up. You can all have matching PJs, OR you can all be wearing normal clothes! We can use the scene or not! This session is what YOU want it to be! I’m here for you!!

**If you decide on this session, please note in the signup form how many kids and if they are doing PJs or not so I have a good estimate for cookiessssssss!**

Photo by Lana Sky Photography.

Third session! Nonconnah Greenbelt in Collierville on Nov 17th: Christmas themed!

This session will be at a park in Collierville. The park is actually more like an open field of taller brown grass, and I will have a Christmas tree set up with some ornaments. I do not have a photo of what this setup will look like, so you’re just going to have to trust me! This session will only be an evening sunset session, and I’m only doing 15 minute sessions here. AKA, very limited space. Here are a few shots of the area, and then imagine a cute tree in there. I will also be bringing a blanket! 🙂

15 minute sessions are $175. Past brides and Christmas mini-ers receive a 10% off discount! Hurrah!!

Ok, so there you have the sessions. I’m super excited for this year! Let’s get into our FAQs!

1. What all is included?

— All of your high resolution images for print. Images will be color corrected and edited, and I do not limit the files I deliver. I take what I can in the amount of time we have, and I deliver all of the images that are acceptable!

2. Can I bring my pets?

–Yes!! Please bring them! All of the places I have chosen are cool with pets. Just bring a leash, treats, and baggies to clean up after them! If you want them in your holiday cards, then I want to photograph them for your holiday cards! 😀

3. I did the Christmas sessions last year. Can I get a discount??

5. Payment?

–Payment is due at the time of booking. After you sign up for the session location and time slot, I will send an online invoice for you to pay by check, card, or transfer. Payment is non-refundable and must be paid in full before the session. If for some reason you cannot make your time slot, you can apply this amount to a different photography session or schedule a spot during my Spring Mini Sessions.

6. Do you sell cards too??

–Yes!! I do have Christmas cards for sale. I will have samples to show you at the session and you can order through me or on your own. If on your own, I have discount codes for Mint. Inquire at the session. 🙂

7. What should I bring??

–Just bring yourselves! If you have babies/kiddos, I’m a huge fan of bribing! The sessions are only 15 minutes, so keep that in mind for good behavior. If you are bringing pets, bring: treats, leash, and baggies. Also, bring ANY props you’d like in the photos (ie. blankets, signs, scarves, ornaments, etc.). I will have a cute red and black blanket that can be used as a prop!

8. Turnaround time??

–I know y’all are most likely sending these out for holiday cards. Soooooo, I will be editing as fast as my fingers can take it to deliver these in ONE WEEK, booya. Merry Christmas! <3

9. Delivery??

–I will be sending the photos out in a password protected online gallery. You can download your images from there!

10. Wait, where are all of the places?

–Midtown, Nesbit (right outside of Southaven), and Collierville. Don’t worry, I will be doing another blog post to explain locations, meet up points, and what to wear. Sooooo, hang tight!! Just decide on the theme and date that works for you! 🙂

11. Can I bring my parents? Or can I pair up with my bro/sis and their families?

–YES! Bring anyone you want in photos! I’m super flexible here! If you decide to go in on a session with your siblings and their families, I recommend booking a 30 minute session so y’all each have 15 minutes. I’ll take a big group shot, and then divide y’all up by family units!

Phew! That’s a lot of info! Hopefully, I covered most of the info with this post! Just email me with questions; I’m happy to answer any additional questions! maddie@maddiemoree.com.

Here’s  the link for signup. I’m trying to update this page as much as possible, so times *should* be up to date.

Remember to tell your friends! I love the Christmas Mini sessions, and I cannot wait to make this the BEST year eva!! Christmas Minis 2018, I’m a comin’ for ya!!

Till next time!

xoxo

maddie

Memphis Wedding Photographer: Bryan and Jordan’s Children’s Museum Wedding!

HAPPY Monday, y’all! Can y’all believe we are HALF way through October right now? It’s a little sad. Time just needs to slow down for a minute so we can stop and catch our breath before we hit the holidays….eeek. Am I the only one NOT ready for Christmas to get here?! That all being said, I have some great news! I have a gorgeous, brand spanking new wedding to show ya. And I just want to scream it from the rooftops!! Do y’all remember Jordan and Bryan??

I don’t know if you read my last post, but in a nutshell, I came clean about where I’ve been the last couple of years. Why I have been slowing down on weddings, and what’s been going on behind the scenes. It was this past wedding where I realized that I was so stinking happy through the entire day. I laughed. I laughed so hard I cried. And then I cried even more because I got to see true love unfold before my camera. I danced and sang. And I cheered. It was the day I realized, “Hey, this job IS for me. And I’m ready to get back in there.”

And I have Jordan and Bryan to thank for that!

This couple…so laid back, happy, goofy, and sweet to each other. They’re families were awesome! They’re wedding parties were the bomb! They made my job easy!

Anyways, this post is not about me! This post is about Jordan and Bryan’s GORGEOUS wedding day. The weather could not have been more perfect! The flowers, ahhhhh-ma-zing. The shoes! Swoon. The dress. My Lord, that dress. Girls would probably kill people for that dress, Jordan (I may or may not be in that category………).

So, let’s chat a bit about the location and logistics for this one. They decided on a traditional look over a first look. Traditional looks definitely have their pros and cons. One pro being that you can start wedding coverage later and end later, so more time at the reception. Another is obviously the true reaction when you walk down the aisle, something that is so pure and emotional. It’s almost a non-negotiable for a lot of couples, which I totally understand. For more of a discussion on the first look vs the traditional look, check out this link.

That all being said, if you decide on a traditional look, I DEFINITELY recommend hiring on a second shooter. It adds way more angles and options for your bride/groom portraits, and I think it’s WAY worth it.

Their ceremony was at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which was really pretty, but veryyyy dark with strict photo rules during the ceremony. (I recommend having the ceremony as early as you can get away with so you can have the most natural light possible during the ceremony.) Also for this type of ceremony, I recommend keeping note that the ceremony will be about 30-45 minutes depending on the sermon style you go with. Just make sure that ceremony time is factored into sunset for bride/groom portrait time with the traditional look since those photos are taken after the ceremony. I was really happy with our Golden Hour light that we managed to snag right after the ceremony! It was purrrrrrrrrfect. Had it been ten minutes later, we would have missed out on it completely.

The reception was at the Children’s Museum of Memphis at the Carousel. This is a relatively new venue in town, and I loved shooting there! The lighting, oh my goodness. It’s been a while since I’ve shot a wedding with amber up-lights. Oh. My. Gosh. Everyone, drop the blue/green/red/pink lights now. JUST DO AMBER. I am in LOVE WITH IT. So good choice, you two! (Purple is still good, too though….) The  actual carousel was a huge hit. Jordan and Bryan made their entrance on the carousel and that was awesome!! My only wish was that I had more time to play around with photographing kids and couples on it, but it was still fun!!

Lastly, for the exit, they decided to do a champagne toast, and that was a blast. It’s a great alternative to the typical sparkler exit, especially if you can get the crowd going!

Anyhooooo, enough chat, let’s get to the photos! I present to you: Jordan and Bryan’s wedding day through my lens!

Jordan presented to Bryan a signed pair of PENNY HARDAWAY Nikes at the reception!! It was an awesome surprise! Cough cough, GO TIGERS!

Congratulations you two! I wish y’all a lifetime of laughs and love! <3

I want to send out a special thanks to my second shooter, Emily! You rocked the whole day. I loved your angles, and I’m sooooo glad I had you!

For all my brides-to-be, here’s Bryan and Jordan’s Memphis Wedding Vendor List!

Photography: Meeeeeeeee, Maddie Moree

Ceremony: St. John’s Episcopal Church

Reception: Carousel at the Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM)

Caterer: Me and My Tearoom

Makeup: Matt Gosset

Still waiting on the rest, but I’ll update it as soon as I get it! 😀

Till next time, y’all!

xoxo

maddie

Memphis Wedding Photographer: Thoughts by Maddie 10-2-18

Hey hey! Maddie here.

It’s been a loooooooooong time since I’ve posted really anything on my wedding blog other than wedding photos (and even those have been at a minimum). So, I thought it was time to discuss something a little closer to home because we’re all friends here, right??

I’ve been bad about weddings lately. I haven’t posted on facebook, emailed, tweeted, or instagrammed much at all. In fact, I have been doing the absolute bare minimum the last year and a half.

Yeah, we noticed Maddie…why??

Well, some old news…my dad, my business partner and my best friend in the entire world, died in 2015. Maybe you knew that, maybe you didn’t. But 2015, for my business was the hardest both technically and emotionally to have to go through losing him. But it was do-able because I still had my husband and family to help support me, and because weddings still made sense.

Until a year and a half later when my husband and I got divorced. And between the double Ds of death and divorce, it made shooting weddings too much for me. People told me to “just separate the work from my personal life.” “Just do your job.” “Get ‘er done.”

And well, I kinda suck at that.

When I take photos, especially wedding photos, I cannot take my emotion out of the session. I have to get personally invested in the client and their life, and I have to have some sort of emotional connection to them in order to create images that show their emotions to each other.

It’s a lot. And I’ve been bitter.

Which is what I have struggled with this last year and a half – feeling like I got the short end of the stick. So, how can I photograph people getting married when I feel this way? It just seemed fake.

Ahhh, you didn’t expect a wedding photographer to discuss divorce, did you? Seems ironic doesn’t it?

Not to say I haven’t shot any weddings the last two years. Of course I have. I’ve laughed, cried, screamed, danced, and loved my way through weddings. I’ve made some amazing new friends, and I’ve met the most wonderful couples and families that I couldn’t have even dreamed of having as clients.

It was this semi-break from weddings and my amazing couples who have allowed me to heal.

To fall back in love with weddings again.

Weddings are stressful. I’m dead the next day. There’s a ton of work before, during and after the wedding day, and there’s the extra stress of a wedding being a one-time event that you don’t want to mess up. BUT, it’s also an amazing day to experience the behind the scenes…like a fly on the wall during one of the most intimate, happy, and just all around emotional days of someone’s life. Through my camera, I can see the world clear as day. I can see true love exist. True happiness, emotion, and familial support…all captured through photos. Moments that I have the privilege to witness over and over again.

And finally, after taking some time to grieve the loss of my dad and this divorce, I can breathe again.

I can go to a wedding and cry, not because I miss my dad or I’m sad because my marriage didn’t work, but I can go to a wedding and truly cry tears of joy because this is something that I love. Because my couples are the best part of my job and my business. And because I’m genuinely happy for them and this life that they get to live.

So what now you ask?

I guess now, I just want you to love in your most honest and best possible way. Love the gorgeous day you’re putting together, and just remember what it’s for in the first place. Appreciate your parents, your family, and your future spouse. Because life is short and because extra love and gratitude never hurt anyone.

And when you hire your photographer (and any other wedding vendors, for that matter), give them some grace. It’s not an easy job. It’s exhausting, difficult, and emotional.

But I dare say…

It’s worth it.

Till next time.

xoxo

maddie

Y’all, I’ve got a BAD case of the Mondays. It’s like we had this awesome week of goofing around with 4th of July. And nowwwwww, we are back to work. Boo.

But to cheer EVERYONE up from the Monday Blues, I have super sweet new wedding photos to show you from 409 South Main.

Meet Matt and Lauren!

OMG, aren’t they super cute??

I loved Matt’s white suit. And then during the ceremony and some portraits, he wore this awesome lei, which was great contrast. I loved how they incorporated fun Hawaiian touches since that is where Matt is from. They had cute little favors and the flowers were gorgeous!!

And then there was Lauren. Like, no words. Her dress was amazinggggggggg! The criss cross back was gorgeous. The train with the buttons going all the way down. Ahhhhhhhh! It was literally a dream dress…

Before I gush about the photos, I wanted to mention a few things. Matt and Lauren did do a traditional look. This worked out well because they had a nice little cocktail hour in the downstairs area of the venue, so we had some time upstairs alone that was very warehouse-y industrial. I loved the distressed brick and the gorgeous windows!

They did have a second shooter for their wedding, which comes in super handy when you do a traditional look. They help to get some different angles of portraits since we are usually on a pretty tight timeframe for those.

And lastly, instead of a sparkler exit, we did a ribbon exit. I think these are good alternatives to sparklers, so maybe something to keep in mind if you’ve chosen a venue that is not ok with sparklers. Also, they are a lot safer if people have been drinking… 🙂

Enough chit chat. Let’s get down to business.

Here was Matt and Lauren’s wedding day through my eyes!

Again, I want to send a big ol’ CONGRATULATIONS to Matt and Lauren! Your day was perfect, and I’m SO glad I could be a part of it! <3

I want to give a shout out to Emily, my amazing second shooter. Every wedding, you keep me on track and capture amazing shots! Thanks for all that you do! 🙂

And for ALL of my BRIDES-TO-BE, here is Matt and Lauren’s Memphis Vendor List!

Venue: 409 South Main

Photographer: Maddie Moree

Caterer: Donnelson’s

Cake: Muddy’s Bake Shop (Sooooo tasty!)

Florist: Lynn Doyle

DJ: DeepBlu 

Wedding planner: Michael Doyle with Lynn Doyle

Makeup/Hair: Brittany Cobb from Estelle’s in Cordova

Dress: Paloma Blanca from the Gown Shop in Ann Arbor

Till next time, y’all!

xoxo

maddie 🙂

Helllllllllllo WORLD!! What a crazy week it’s been! I’ve been working on some new projects, but I just had to get this Tyin’ the KNOT Thursday post out there because it’s been foreva since I posted!! And I’m not even going to lie. I’ve been sitting on this engagement session for a minute (Ok, ok. Longer than a minute). But, nevertheless…

I’m SO EXCITED to show you Bryan and Jordan’s awesome at home engagement session!

First off, meet Jordan and Bryan! These two, omg! Not only are they completely adorable (just look at them!!), they are super nice and ridiculously funny! I thought I was going to pee my pants a couple of times throughout this session because I was laughing so hard. TMI? Maybe, but what’d you expect from me anyways?? Lol!

They decided to do their engagement session at their house because they have this huge back yard with gorgeous trees and this cute little fence! And just look at the sun peeking through the trees. This was definitely one of those Golden Hour shoots, and I was LOVING the light. That paired with their cuteness made this a dream engagement session.

So, just a few short notes on “at home engagements:” You can opt for a 1 hour engagement over the 2 hour engagement probably because there’s not nearly as much walking and exploring…assuming you don’t have a huge ass property for us to explore. Hey, remember Derin and Bryan’s engagement?? That was their family farm, and we had enough spots to shoot to keep us occupied for hoursssssss.

I love at home engagements, though, because you really get a chance to shoot at a place that’s important and familiar to you (your home…). It’s super easy to incorporate animals for home engagements because you can just put them back in the house when you’re done, which is what we did with Jordan and Bryan’s pups! AND, you can probably even fit in an outfit change because you’re so close to a changing area. All great pros when trying to figure out locations.

That all being said, you really need to have a pretty yard or an interesting house (preferably with great light) so we actually have places to shoot. Just keep that in mind. Jordan and Bryan’s house and property was amazing, so that made it amazing!

These two are tyin’ the knot in September and I CANNOT wait for their day! But, enough talk. Let’s get to the photos! <3

OMG OMG OMG. Like, how STINKING CUTE?!?!

Alrighty y’all! That’s all I have for you today!!

Till next time.

xoxo

maddie