Few things bring me more joy than capturing life events like this Church of the Incarnation wedding for Rod and Marian. It’s important to me to create timeless photos that won’t look dated as years pass and trends shift. To do this I developed a checklist for what makes a good portrait. By committing to those fundamental my goal is to capture images you’ll still love when you look back on them decades from now.
Getting Ready Photos & Solo Portraits
As a portrait photographer, I selfishly love the bride and groom formal portraits the most. Weddings are one of the few times people get professional portraits, so I always make it a priority. In my experience, it’s often the last time someone thinks to have a solo portrait taken. That’s why I focus on capturing each person individually, along with moments of them getting ready.
Groom Formal Portraits
Bride Formal Portraits
Bride and Groom First Look
Rod and Marian have a timeless, classic style. Their suit and dress gave off a strong ’50s vibe, perfectly matching Rod’s 1948 Packard—meticulously restored by his own hands.
Originally, they planned to drive the Packard to their ceremony, but the car was having overheating issues. So instead, we pivoted and staged their first look photos in front of their house, using them to create the illusion that they drove to the ceremony in Rod’s Packard, just like he originally wanted.
I paid close attention to angles and camera settings to avoid modern distractions. The goal was to blur the line between the decades and make the photos feel like they could’ve come from another era.
Church of the Incarnation Wedding Ceremony
This church of the incarnation wedding ceremony was super small and consisted of only my uncle, his bride and their kids. To put this in perspective, if you include the reverend and myself, there was only nine of us in the whole church. Call me crazy, but as a Sonoma County wedding photographer I much prefer small intimate weddings like this over the expensive mega ceremonies at the local wineries.
Group Formals
Group formals for this Church of the Incarnation wedding were quick and easy—just them and their kids. With such a small group, we knocked out the entire list in a few minutes right after the ceremony—but that doesn’t make the photos any less important. Weddings like this are often one of the few times families are photographed together, so I treat these shots like they matter. Because they do.
Formal Couples Portraits
For Rod and Marian’s couples portraits, I took some extra time to set up a 48″ gridded octobox to get some really beautiful, contained light on them. Paired with the setting of their Church of the Incarnation wedding, it gave me a series of images that I think define the essence of timeless portraits.
Rod & Marian’s Wedding Reception
The following day Rod and Marian hosted a very small reception at their home with close friends and family. It’s always humbling for me to photograph my own family’s weddings. The experience always has a tendency to re-ground me in the importance of what I’m doing for clients who aren’t my family.
These candid wedding photos might feel like unimportant snap shots to those who don’t know these people, but often I find that these photos are among the most important of the day for the couple. To illustrate this point, shortly after these photos were taken, Marian’s father died. These are some of the last photos she has of him.
To end the album Rod and Marian requested a casual portrait at one of their favorite spots sipping on their favorite beverage. This was the first time I had heard the slogan “Champaign of beers” which quite literally had me doubled over in laughter. Marian, you are absolutely perfect for Rod and bring out a better side of him than I’ve seen in many years. I’m heartened that you’ve found each other. Welcome to the family and I wish both of you a lifetime of happiness together!
Santa Rosa Wedding Photographer Jason Guy
I hope you enjoyed this Church of the Incarnation wedding I captured for Rod & Marian! If you’re looking for a Santa Rosa Wedding Photographer for your upcoming ceremony, you can get in touch with me here and I’d be happy to discuss your upcoming event with you both!