Gretchen and Dave's Engagement Party

Two close friends of ours, Gretchen and Dave, are getting married next month, and we brought our cameras along to their engagement party a few weeks ago. Everyone was laughing, goofing around, and playing games to embarrass the soon-to-be bride and groom — conditions we thrive under as photographers!

Party photography is a really fun niche service that we offer. In addition to engagement parties and bridal showers, occasions for great photos include rehearsal dinners, birthday parties (kids and adults alike), family reunions, baby showers, bar/bat mitzvahs, graduation parties, and other celebrations.

Party photography falls under what we call lifestyle photojournalism. We approach these shoots much like we do wedding receptions: by minimizing our presence and focusing on capturing candids of people socializing and having fun. Unlike portrait sessions, lifestyle photojournalism sessions are usually event-based, and can range from you and yours bowling in a league, to running a marathon, to hanging out at the park.

Incidentally, the most excellent hosts of this engagement party, Hannah and Mike, are Wallflower wedding clients as well as two of our oldest and dearest friends. Their beautiful Point Defiance Japanese Garden wedding will be featured in the upcoming issue of South Sound Wedding & Event magazine!

Tamara and Jason in Olympia

I realized we've been so caught up lately in talking about our personal projects and business news that it's been a while since we've posted any wedding shots! So we're now taking the opportunity to get back on track by sharing some of our favorites from Jason and Tamara's ceremony at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia.

Because of the Capitol's high domed ceiling and marble everywhere, it's actually a pretty tough place to shoot! Fortunately, with our top-of-the-line Canon 1D Mark IIIs, we were able to deal with the low light without having to rely on a lot of flash, which causes glare off the marble and can seriously mess up your exposure. If you're getting married at the Capitol, I definitely recommend that you make sure your photographer has good equipment and knows how to overcome these challenges! Ask to see samples of wedding photos he or she took inside the Capitol before you hand over your deposit.

Tamara and Jason ended the night at one of our favorite Olympia venues, The Heritage Room, which is operated by the very excellent caterers and staff at Occasions Catering. To Jason and Tamara and all your lively friends, thanks for making it so much fun to photograph your wedding!

Private Events at Tacoma Art Museum

A couple of weeks back, the Tacoma Art Museum held an open house to show-off the museum as a venue for private events. We were honored that they invited us to be the event's official photographers. Let me tell you, they know how to throw a party! The main lobby was beautifully decked out and their excellent food was plentiful.

We had a great time and were really impressed with the space, and how well everything flowed from one room to the next. We got tons of great candids of guests laughing, so it seems everyone had a good time. Click the photo collage below to see it larger. If you're looking for a classy and fun location for your wedding, this is definitely one of our top recommendations!