So, after talking with Justin about our wedding and all the planning, I left the convo with a sore belly from laughing so hard.  Since Justin plans parties for a living you would THINK he would be a little more opinionated about details, turns out he wasn’t! I thought it would be an entertaining blog post if anything.  Here is our wedding planning through Justin’s eyes. If you’re a “Groom To Be” reading this, you’re in good company. If you’re a “Bride To Be” reading this, feel free to share with your man… let him know he’s not alone xo – AprilK

Hey everyone! Quick intro – my name is Justin and I recently (last Saturday, 1/28) married the most amazing, beautiful, and talented woman on the planet aka April K. Over the past 3 months we’ve been planning our wedding, there were many interesting things that I learned and I’ve been asked to share my newly acquired knowledge with you all.

Before I get into the details of what I’ve learned and observed, I will have you know that many other guys I’ve spoken too, also going through their wedding planning process agree with me on these points and shared similar stories. Guys, I welcome you to chime in.

1) Do you really want my opinion?

This was the first thing I began asking myself during the planning process. April would ask me a question about certain details about the wedding.

April: Do you think we should have up lighting throughout the venue?
Justin: Sure, I think up lighting would be great for the venue. It might add a nice touch people will appreciate.
April: Hmm…ok…no, I think we’ll go without the up-lighting.

I think you could substitute anything for the word “up-lighting” in this example to apply to your own situation. Your fiancé really doesn’t care what you think. Chances are that she already made up her mind and is simply pretending you have a say in the matter.

2) It’s all about the little details – just go with it.

Trust me on this. Your life will be much better if you simply go along with every little detail your fiancé brings up.

Your future wife: I think we’re going to get lilies instead of daisies.
Your response should be: Sounds fantastic, honey! Good call.

Your future wife: I know we were thinking of booking this DJ, but for some reason I really like this other DJ.
Your response should be: (assuming both DJ’s are great) Sounds fantastic, honey! Good call!

Your future wife: I want the groomsmen wearing red ties instead of black ties.
Your response: (You should know this by now…) Red sounds good to me!

It’s not the time to make a big deal over flowers or an equally good DJ. Pick and choose your battles wisely. (Ie. If you fiancés says, “Honey, I think we’re going to get a polka band for our wedding.” This (unless you both LOVE polka) may be the time to pick your battle and fight the good fight against polka and compromise by getting a great DJ who can play one polka song.

3) If you’re asked to help out with anything, try to get a deadline that you need to complete said task by.

I’m a guy. I also tend to prioritize my tasks. (Some call this procrastination.) I asked April for a few things to do because I wanted to help out. Because we didn’t set deadlines for my tasks I was suddenly met with, “Have you done that yet?” I had no idea that I was supposed to book the tickets to the honeymoon right away that day! I’m passing this lesson along to you. IF YOU’RE HELPING – set clear expectations of what you need to get done and when you need to get it done by.

Overall, I was really glad that April took the reigns on the planning process. It was because April is so detail oriented and plans well in advance that we had an absolutely incredible wedding with some of the best wedding vendors around. She got everything right down to the little tiny details I never would’ve even thought about. That brings me to my last point.

4) Trust.

Trust each other in the planning process. There will be points where you’ll have to go along with one of your viewpoints. Don’t worry so much. Trust your fiancé and it most likely will be fine.

I taught myself how to snowboard (after years of skiing) when I was 23 years old. I was out of college and living in the Adirondack’s (of Upstate NY) so I learned on the steepest in the East, Whiteface aka Iceface Mtn.  It is hands down the most courageous thing I have done besides bowing out of Corporate America. Learning how to snowboard took many seasons of getting the $h!t kicked out of me…and learning.

In My First Season:

All I could do was fall… if you’re not falling you’re not learning…fall fall fall…. Fall 15 times get up 16 times was my motto for life at that point. I really didn’t mind because I was determined and focused to achieve my goal.

Before I sent myself plummeting down the mountain I wore thick volleyball kneepads on my knees (under my snow pants), wrist guards (def. still wear those) and tons of padding on my butt.  Helmets were too expensive so I did without (bad idea). One night I had one of those funky dreams where you actually feel what you’re going through physically. I had a dream about snowboarding and felt what it was like in my dream, which was really odd. Anyway, it worked and after that point I could link my turns and stay up for almost the entire run. Every little achievement was all I needed to keep me going (and to suck it up when I got the wind knocked out of me for the 5th time). Ouch!

I smartened up and got a helmet after a severe concussion that put me in the hospital not once, but twice.

In My Second Season:

*Bonus Season* – I was pretty good by now, I kept up with seasoned skiers and killed it in the Glades. *I upgraded my equipment and that made a huge difference because I was finally on a woman’s board and it was *almost my size, bonus!

*This season was when I shot my very first solo wedding, which happened to be a snowboarding wedding (coincidence? I think not) at Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville, NY. The bride and groom got married in the lodge and afterwards, still dressed in wedding gear, took it to the mountain! Thus plummeting me into booking my own weddings (and not just working as a second shooter).

In My Third Season:

I was introduced to the man of my dreams on the slopes at Jay Peak Vermont! Because of learning how to snowboard and having 2 seasons under my belt, I was in a position where I could impress the boys, haha. But seriously, if I wasn’t comfortable snowboarding and loving it, I definitely wouldn’t have paid all that money to drive from Albany, NY to Jay, VT and thus wouldn’t have had the pleasure of getting to know Justin.

Naturally, an aggressive progression took place while I was trying to show off and I signed up for as many ski trips as I could. I also got promoted at work and was moved to Boston, booya!

Last Season Quattro:

My first time shredding out West and holy cats batman!!! They were right, if you can ski the East you can pretty much ski anything. I learned that all of my hard work on the icy slopes of the East Coast paid off. I was flying past most of the other riders on the mountains, which naturally felt incredible! I had never experienced powder that weightless and deep. The feeling was really that of surfing across air.

This Season (5):

Here we are! I have 2 beautiful new/used v-rocker decks that are funky and fresh. Although I haven’t skiid fresh powder all season, I did get to ski out west on the ice (during pre-season). It’s probably a good thing because before my wedding all I could think about was me walking down the aisle in an upper body cast (think rookie of the year).

Now a MARRIED (!!!) full time photographer, I find great similarities in building and running a successful brand on my own & my experience of learning how to shred. Like any new business owner I know I’m going to fall, but there is no doubt I’m going to get right back up… I’m comfortable knowing that it’s ok to make mistakes because I’ve discovered that making mistakes leads me to new ideas which sets me apart from most of the world… and your traditional wedding photographer!

It was so icy and I didn’t want to break any bones before my honeymoon, so I started my Apres Ski early!  Justin happened to have his camera so naturally a photoshoot broke out in the tiki hut.

Since this has turned out to be a “Who is AprilK” post, here is a little home video I made on my waterproof point and shoot. (Sidenote: don’t purchase the Olympus waterproof camera… it’s horrible and takes awful dark photos and video).

Peace, Love & Shreddin’,

April K

HAPPY FRI-DIZZLE PEEPS!

As I type this my finger tips are still tingling! Talk about a killer arm workout, rock climbing is something that I’ve recently discovered and am loving it. I have a huge spot in my heart for adventure sports and am admittedly a tad of an adrenaline junkie! So this sport is the perfect fit for me.

One of my life long goals is quite the opposite of wedding photography. I’ve always dreamt of shooting for outdoor magazines and outdoor apparel companies like Patagonia, The North Face, Marmot, etc. Though the Rock Spot gym in Boston is a far cry from the Rocky Mtn’s, a girl can dream! Red Bull adventure photographer, Christian Pondella, has been an idol of mine for years now. I wonder who will take over when he retires, haha.

This little guy has a magical talent for climbing. His dad takes him to the rock gym every day for the past 3 months and he can climb up and down every wall in the gym with no harness or support. Incredible, he’s about 7 years old.

He makes it to the top AND his phalanges are still in tact! Bonus round


Have you ever been slacklining? It’s sooooo tricky (I can only make it a few steps before I fall)

I challenge you to go try something new that you’ve always wanted to try, do it this weekend!

Have fun, be young & go wild!

April K

Now that I’m an experienced Bride (wink wink) I want to share with you all of the things about my wedding day that made me say “thank god I did that”. The “First Look” was definitely at the top of that list.

Tradition would have it that the Bride & Groom do not see each other until the Bride makes her way down the aisle to her man. The First Look is for (badass) couples who don’t care about meaningless tradition! I know I know, that is a bit harsh, but in reality, quite true. After talking with fellow First Look’er, friend and kickass photog, JP Elario, he adds a great point

Lets face it. We’re living in modern times here! Most couples already live together and have a house before they walk down the aisle. They probably even sleep in the same bed! At that point the jig is up and you can throw that old wedding superstition out the window.

Amen brother.

I think if people were more educated on having a “first look” then they would understand why it’s very necessary to enjoying your day to the fullest.

So, what is a First Look?!

- It’s when the B&G get to share an intimate moment together before the chaos and commotion of your day begins.

- It’s a tender & quiet piece of the day traditionally shared with your entire guest list, but is now only between just the 2 of you.

- It’s a time before the ceremony for the photographer & videographer to capture each of your individual reactions, which would not be the same reaction you would have standing up at the altar seeing your bride/groom for the first time. He now has a chance to lay one on you, twirl you around and bask in the glory of how HOT his new wife is! Hey girl, you’ve been working on perfecting this look, let yourself soak it all in and shine!

Check out my first look captured by the very talented Wedding Stories RI

What are the benefits of a First Look?

OMG, where do I start?

1. Your wedding party will THANK YOU! My wedding party was all primped and looking fresh to death for all of the photos. They weren’t sweaty and their hair and make up was still on point. Let’s face it, all they want to do is party, when they’re dragged away from cocktail hour they’ll do it, but they aren’t thrilled. They (and I) were also thankful that after pictures there was just the Ceremony and partying left to do!

2. Your guests will Appreciate it! Justin and I got to join in on our cocktail hour. This was clutch for me, I’ve seen so many weddings go down and I decided long ago that a First Look was for me because of this very reason. I got to mingle and chit chat with every single person who travelled near and far to share this day with us.  Your guests really really appreciate it, I even received a message from a cousin saying:

Normally, a wedding is about the bride and sometimes the groom. You managed to make EVERY guest feel special and appreciated. From gift bags @ our hotel, to the best bathroom basket ever, to the time you spent with each person. I cannot understand how you did it, but after your wedding I want to do mine over again! The little things really mean the world.

3. Your Husband to be will Thank You! Oh yes he will, he’s going to be a nervous nelly waiting for you to walk down that aisle. The fact that he gets to see you before hand puts him at ease (start your marriage off on a good note).

Justin had this to say about our First Look:

It made getting married less nerve-racking. Seeing you before the ceremony made me feel calm and great about everything. It was a really nice and fun experience… the anticipation of not being able to look at you until they let me turn around drove me crazy but I loved it. Even though it was un-traditional it was really fun and worth doing. Highly recommend, guys!

JP Elario also adds from his experience:

I was a groom once and I was nervous. All that buildup to seeing your bride walk down the aisle and ceremony nerves are gone! I’ve had so many grooms tell me they were nervous up until the time they saw their bride at the first look then it all settled. By the time the ceremony begins you’re totally relaxed because you’ve spent the whole afternoon together taking beautiful photos!

4. Your Photog (me!) will Love it! My final thought and reason is Lighting… This is probably the last thing you are going to think about as a Bride so let me drop a little photog knowledge. We had a 3:00pm Ceremony start time on a January day, the sun would have set by the time the ceremony was over and our pictures would have had to be held indoors with flash. That’s not the end of the world but it’s not what I wanted (ask yourself what kind of photos you want). I wanted all of those beautiful outdoor shots with the sun shining down. Even if you get a rainy day, outdoor pictures are still awesome (think umbrellas, rain boots and splashing!). With more and more weddings happening in late spring and early fall you come against the same situation if you have a ceremony later in the day. JP adds:

It’s October 19th, its a Friday which means late ceremony. The sun sets at 6:00pm but its a 6:00pm ceremony and when the bride and groom walk out of that church or ceremony location its pitch black outside. What does that mean? Well, for us photogs we can’t take those pretty outdoor couples photos you see because its too dark out!

It’s so true. These are things to think about, let these thoughts marinate, talk it over with your Fiance. I am not pushing anyone to do this who doesn’t want to, but simply sharing my experience and why I (and others who’ve had the experience) think it’s the best way to enjoy your day to the fullest.

Take some time to think about how you want your wedding photos to look. Do your homework and share that knowledge with your photographer so they can get you exactly what you want!

Peace, Love & GETTING MARRIED ROCKS!

April K