Wedding Advice Archives - Deb Lindsey Photography

Wedding rehearsal dinner ideas – Fun new restaurants in DC

March 6, 2017/in Food, Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding Advice, Weddings /by lindseydeb

Finding a restaurant to have your wedding rehearsal dinner in Washington, DC can a tough decision. So many factors weigh in: how many people are you hosting, what type of food, casual or formal, easily accessible and close to where wedding guests are staying. In my other career as a food photographer, primarily for the Washington Post, I get around town quite a bit to photograph the food and atmosphere at many of the new and interesting restaurants opening around the city. And some I’ve been to recently are fun and funky locations to have your wedding rehearsal dinner!

Sfoglina

The newest restaurant from Fabio and Maria Trabocchi is a fine dining pasta restaurant in the Van Ness neighborhood. It’s homey atmosphere and extraordinary beautiful dishes make it a perfect spot for hosting a party. The newly enclosed outdoor patio could easily accommodate a rehearsal crowd. In the main restaurant there are elegant touches of red and padded booths keep the decibel levels way down. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing there twice for the Washington Post and have been back for dinner so it’s a new DC restaurant I highly recommend!

Ruta del Vino

This is another restaurant near and dear to my heart for a couple reasons. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Petworth recently for the Washington Post reviews I’ve done and Ruta del Vino was my first time in the neighborhood. Justin and Jessica, the owners of the restaurant are new to the DC dining scene and their comfortable neighborhood venue feels like a great place to hang out. The centerpiece of the restaurant is the large bar and there is a more secluded back room that would give a party group some privacy. The food is fabulous, there’s a great wine selection and I am completely addicted to the churros dipped in chocolate!! Their website is a work in progress that (I hope) will be live soon with lots of my photos.

Himitsu

The other fabulous Petworth restaurant that could be a perfect foodie rehearsal dinner spot is Himitsu. The Washington Post review is out this weekend and the food is adventurous and delicious. The chef Kevin Tien and the co-owner and beverage director Carlie Steiner are totally focused on providing an amazing dining experience for each patron at their tiny restaurant. You’d have to take over the entire restaurant for a rehearsal dinner but boy, would it be memorable if you did!! And get the duck platter with buttermilk biscuits. You can thank me later.

The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse

For the more adventurous and edgy couple, the Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse could be a perfect wedding rehearsal restaurant. They’re located a part of DC that is rapidly changing with the renovation of the old Hecht’s Warehouse building and the influx of new restaurants. A couple things stand out at the Tavern. First is a large open performance space attached to the restaurant that would even be perfect for a wedding. Second is the fish. As a Maryland girl I am a total crab cake snob and these are some of the best I’ve had. The smoked fish platter is another must get–if not for dinner than definitely for brunch!

Johnny’s Half Shell

Keeping with the seafood theme, Johnny’s Half Shell in Adam’s Morgan has some of the best in town. The 80-seat restaurant in the heart of the city, has just the right mix of casual and homey touches–an aquarium on display and an abundance of blue in the color scheme. And the original Johnny’s Half Shell sign from the first restaurant hangs high overheard. And most importantly, chef Ann Cashion’s cooking would definitely delight your guests!

Mezcalero Cocina Mexicana

One last place on my list is a restaurant I was at just last week for the Post’s $20 Diner column. The new restaurant is run by the owners of El Sol Restaurante & Tequileria, has colorful murals painted on the exposed brick and a rustic charm. Located on 14th St. in Columbia Heights it’s big enough for a good size crowd even if you didn’t take over the whole restaurant. The food from the carne asada (my favorite) to the tacos is exceptional. And with more than 65 Mezcals, it might just be the perfect spot in DC for a party.

There are so many options for wedding rehearsal spots in the DC area. These are just a few of my favorites and I expect as I continue to photograph food around town that I’ll have more to add to this list. Maybe even some in the suburbs!!

Wedding Engagement Photos – What do we need to know?

February 21, 2017/in Wedding Advice, Wedding Engagements /by lindseydeb

This unseasonably warm winter weather has me thinking about my upcoming spring wedding engagement photo sessions. It is tempting to take advantage of 70 degree days in February, but most people prefer to wait for some green on the trees and even a few flowers. So now’s a good time to pull together some tips for planning your session and answering a few common questions.

When should we do the photos?

I recommend that you try to do your wedding engagement photos in a different season and location than where you’re getting married. It’s not always possible, but it’s nice to be able to mix the look of things up a bit. If you’re getting married at a vineyard in the fall, maybe the engagement session could be in an urban setting in the spring. For the actual timing on the day of the photography session, I prefer to schedule late in the day for the best light (starting 1 ½ to 2 hours before sunset depending on the where we’ll be) and to photograph on a sunny day. On your wedding day I work with whatever the weather brings–for the engagement session, a sunny day makes for the best photos!

Where should we go?

Washington DC is full of iconic spots to take portraits. If you’re looking for something that immediately says the “Nation’s Capital,” the Mall is a logical spot. The Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial or the Capitol grounds are all great backdrops.

But, my favorite locations are the ones that have meaning to you and your partner. Where you had your first date or how you like to spend your time together. Is it hiking on the C&O Canal or shopping in Georgetown? Playing with your pooch or maybe it’s a restaurant where you like to hang out? Sometimes it’s just fun to wander your neighborhood getting a sense of where you live and what feels familiar.

And if nothing comes to mind and you need some help deciding where to go, I can help! There are several interesting spots and parks around town that I can recommend. Sometimes it’s just nice to have some pretty flowers in the photo and leave the focus on the two of you.

What should we wear?

This is the most frequently asked question by far! First, wear something you think you look great in. When you feel good about how you look, that confidence shows in the photographs. Look at the color combos between the two of you. If you’re wearing purple your partner shouldn’t be wearing orange! The same goes for mixing prints and patterns. Keep your styles at a similar level. If you’re wearing a suit and your fiancé is in shorts it’s probably a mismatch in photos. The feedback I’ve gotten from couples is that if they’re a little more dressed up than they’d usually be on a weekend that’s about the right level. It’s not necessary to have hair and makeup professionally done but it doesn’t hurt! I love a pop of color, especially against green trees or those white pillars all over DC. If you’re wearing heels, bring a pair of comfortable shoes for walking. Photographing around DC will almost always involve some walking. Bringing a change of clothes is fine and can add to the variety of the photos. Changing shirts or putting a sweater over a shirt is easy but a full outfit change might be trickier on the Mall or somewhere without a restroom.

How much time will it take?

Generally I plan for about an hour and a half to two hours for an engagement session. That includes the time we’re actually shooting and the walking to get there. I’m not opposed to a couple locations as long as they’re not too far away from each other.

I’m not that comfortable in front of the camera. Can you help??

Of course! I’m not a fan of overly posed photos, but I completely understand that it’s hard to be in front of the camera (and it’s one of the reasons I prefer to stay behind it). I will put you in the prettiest light, give you a few tips if you need them and let you interact naturally. To me the best wedding engagement photos capture your relationship and are about having fun. I tend to shoot with a longer lens so that gives me a little distance and makes it feel less intrusive.

Having your wedding engagement photos done should be fun and easy and I work hard to make it that way. It’s also a great way for us to get to know each other a bit before the wedding day and the other bonus is you get to spend a some quality time with your sweetheart hugging, kissing and holding hands in a public setting!

Should we do a first look for our wedding?

January 27, 2017/in Wedding Advice, Weddings /by lindseydeb

Wedding Day First Look In recent years the first look (or reveal) has become almost as traditional as not seeing each other before walking down the aisle! At least half of our couples opt to see each other before the wedding for several reasons:

Flow The day often will flow better if you see each other before the wedding ceremony. Once you see each other you can take all the family and wedding party photos earlier in the day then everyone is free for cocktails as soon as the ceremony is over.

Logistics If you’re getting ready in one place, getting married in another and having your reception at a third, it can work to your advantage to see each other first than travel together for the rest of the day. It saves on transportation costs and you get to spend more time with your soon to be spouse and what’s better than that?!

A moment alone The first look is arranged so that it’s just the two of you. No family or others allowed! OK occasionally we spy bridal party members or family peeking around a corner or from a higher vantage point, but really we want it to be a genuine moment between the two of you. We’ll put you in pretty light, a nice location and let you have a moment. Sometimes getting ready on the wedding day can be a little stressful and seeing each other is a wonderful relief.

Pretty pictures Even though the first look is not something that would happen organically on your wedding day, we do our best to make it feel like it is. There is no much better than the pure emotion of seeing each other for the first time and it can make for some very sweet photos and some lovely moments! Sometimes they’re among the best emotional photos of the day.

And here are a couple of reasons not to:

Timing Sometimes there just isn’t time in the day. Early ceremonies or church services often don’t allow for the time for a first look.

Tradition You may just not want to see each other before the walk down the aisle! That’s great too. We never try to talk anyone who feels strongly about keeping with tradition into a first look. Just remember to factor in time for your portraits, family photos and wedding party after the ceremony and into the cocktail hour.

Wedding Day First Look