Jerome and Kieu found me on The Knot (see my reviews there, BTW) and we met in a Panera. I was hired the second I opened my mouth and didn’t say something stupid. They were really excited to meet with me and we signed the contract that night which doesn’t happen as often as I’d like ;0).

The wedding was at the beautiful Ravello in East Hanover:
http://www.ravellobanquets.com/

I was at Ravello early, and though they had a nice garden it really wasn’t “my style” for the portraits of Bide, Groom and Bridal party. There was a wooded area behind the building and I headed there after letting the bride know I had arrived.

It was perfect…small trees filtering the light and allowing the sporadic sunbeam through. Perfect! I showed the bride and convinced her that this was where we NEEDED to shoot. She trusted me, and if she could walk on the dirt, here brides maids would follow!

Getting a bride to trust your instincts and vision is essential. Showing her a couple of photos after you begin shooting in a novel setting is always a good idea. If your bride is nervous she won’t be able to hide it and every photo will make if increasingly clear.