Will you marry “moi” ?

In a new series of candid interviews with a variety of wedding vendors, we have chosen to kick-off with an up close and personal interview with a professional wedding photographer. Through this interview, you will discover what you should consider when selecting a wedding photographer for your own wedding.

Today’s interview is with Austrian wedding photographer Nina Hintringer. Nina has been a professional photographer for the past 4 years and has developed a genuine passion for documenting the most wonderful day in the lives of her clients. She covers about 15 weddings a year, throughout Europe. Her photographs are emotional, touching and a little different from the rest.

CVW Blog: How did you develop your passion for wedding photography?

Nina Hintringer: After starting out in commercial photography, one day I was asked if I would cover the wedding of an old friend of mine. I agreed, not imagining what I was getting myself into. It was a tough and exhausting day for me as I accompanied the bridal couple during the entire day. That night I literally fell into bed vowing never to do it again. But a few days later, as I started sorting through the photos, the emotional memories of the day came flooding back to me and I realised I had just experienced a magical day in the couple’s lives and captured important memories that they would treasure for the rest of their lives. It was at that moment that I knew I was hooked. Such a special day deserves to be documented in a touching and attentive manner.

CVW Blog: What makes your work and your images special?

Nina Hintringer: I believe rapport is what makes the difference. Getting to know the bridal couple before the wedding, building up trust and reducing inhibitions through conversation, even if you are only able to do this over the phone. This prior contact means that on the day I can make myself almost invisible, and that the couple can relax and be themselves without feeling self-conscious. In this way, we create outstanding and emotional pictures, a true reportage of the wedding from an observers perspective. I go where the bridal couple goes and document everything.

When you consider how much time and effort is invested in planning a wedding – from the big items down to choosing the right bouquet, shoes and jewelry – I believe capturing these details and the reactions and emotions of everyone is a part of creating a complete record of a wedding.

Since my beginnings several years ago, I now photograph every wedding as a two-person team. Two cameras see more than one and with one telephoto lens we are able to take evocative shots from some distance away, completely unnoticed. We also capture every image in RAW format, back home in our studio we squeeze the best out of every image, create black and white and sepia versions and condense the top 400 to 500 images of the wedding for the bridal couple.

CVW Blog: Do you see any new trends developing in wedding photography?

Nina Hintringer: When you look at most European wedding photographer’s portfolios, you will see a big difference compared to those from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and even
Singapore. Covering a wedding is no longer about just taking pictures of two well-dressed people. Its about capturing the moment and the emotions. A movement driven from photographers from the above-mentioned countries, this new wedding photography style is often referred to as wedding reportage. This approach requires a photographer to be more flexible and able to handle his/her equipment in every situation. Different light from bright sunlight to dark rooms and the necessity to capture the emotions of the bridal couple as well as the guests, make this type of photography very challenging. You need to commit yourself to the event and to the couple and get really involved.

CVW Blog: What should couples consider when selecting a wedding photographer?

Nina Hintringer: You know, we have covered so many weddings and, I am proud to say, made a lot of new friends along the way. In my opinion, the two most important things are the photography style and rapport. The style comes down to whether or not you like the type of pictures the photographer takes. Ask to see their portfolio and you will soon find out if this is the case. In terms of rapport, it is vital to ensure that you respect and understand each other and that you feel comfortable with each other. A wedding involves lots of very emotional and private moments so you need to feel at ease sharing these moments with the person behind the camera. If you feel this connection, you will be able to almost fade out the photographer during your private moments, allowing you to live the moment fully and without restraint.

You should also consider how you will be getting the images. Do you prefer to get them on a CD or would you prefer to receive an album or coffee-table book designed for you? Consider that apart from your new husband/wife and your wedding rings, your photographs will be the only physical souvenir of your wedding. That is why it is important not just to go for the cheapest option. Think quality, and as we all know, quality has its price, but also consider that only quality prints will ensure photographs and colors that will last for generations.

CVW Blog: What special requirements are involved for a destination wedding?

Nina Hintringer: That depends on how much time a couple has and how flexible they are. If you would like to meet your photographer in person before your wedding but cannot do so during one of your on-site trips, then it would be a good idea to find a photographer close to your home and fly him/her to your wedding destination. Of course, this is also a matter of budget, but it might make some of the logistical considerations easier before and after the wedding.

If, on the other hand, you feel comfortable getting in contact using phone, email or skype to discuss your wishes, it would be more appropriate to select a photographer from the country where you are planning your destination wedding. In our case, we create a password protected online gallery for all of our couples, so that they can view their pictures and select some for their coffee-table book, thank-you cards and whatever else they have chosen, using their computer at home or even on their honeymoon! This is why its a good idea to discuss how you will receive the images and how you will be able to select your album photos.

Finally, don’t be fooled into thinking that for a wedding reportage it is important for the photographer to know the location beforehand as this is not the case. A qualified reportage photographer will know how to get the best out of any location. The most important thing is to select a photographer who is willing to do exactly that – make the most of any venue and situation – as we all know that every wedding has its share of surprises!

For more information or to view  more of Nina’s beautiful photos, visit her website at:  Nina Hintringer Photography

« Impossible! » we hear you shout!…not if you know exactly what you want, are able to make fast decisions and have a great wedding planner! J

In any case, this was the challenge presented to Elena, CVW’s Italian wedding coordinator, and which she courageously took on…and succeeded as you will see from this article.

Bride and Groom: Adebusola & Babatunde – better known as Busola & Tunde Nationalities: Naturalized British (both originally from Nigeria)
Resident country: London, UK
Wedding date: Sunday, August 1, 2010
Wedding venue: Majestic Villa in Old Celtic Village. Located in the Italian town of Friuli, north-east of Venice…just 10 minutes drive from Elena – the wedding coordinator’s – home!
Number of guests: 38
Number of weeks of preparation: 6

Busola & Tunde wanted a dream wedding in a beautiful Italian villa, surrounded by their closest family and friends. So far so good. The only hitch (no pun intended) is that they wanted to make it happen in only 6 weeks…including a civil ceremony! Yikes!

With no time to waste, they got to work with Elena and 6 weeks later were happily married. Read on to discover their choice of venue, catering, music, color theme, ceremony and celebrant, wedding attire and other details…

Venue and catering

The 17^th century Majestic Villa in Old Celtic Village, built on the gentle hills of Friuli near Venice, is a splendid wedding venue. The grandeur of its park and the discreet elegance of its interiors have made it one of the most suited sites for Italian destination weddings and receptions.

Not only was it chosen for its majesty but also for the practicality of it being able to accommodate the entire wedding party overnight. Another major advantage of this venue is that it comes with a beautiful private horse and carriage with 2 white horses to transport the bride and groom through the park and down a beautiful wooded passageway to and from the church. A romantic detail that clinched the deal for our bride and groom!

Moreover, the Villa offers many alternatives for an elegant, exclusive, old fashioned, yet modern wedding. The setting of the wedding reception is extremely flexible and at the same Villa your reception can be held in many different styles such as in the “Loggia” outside for al fresco weddings, the cellars (rustic), the Main salon (very elegant) or by the swimming pool (young and fresh).

The catering at the Villa is also first class! Our bride and groom chose to have a long, 2-hour, welcome cocktail outside with a lively Brazilian trio on hand to entertain guests. The entrance of the wedding party for dinner lasted almost 1 hour as each couple danced their way to their table! The ensuing seated dinner consisted of 3 courses with a beautiful wedding cake to finish.

Music

Busola & Tunde wanted to create a fun and festive atmosphere at their wedding, they succeeded in doing so by choosing a Brazilian Trio followed by Nigerian music and finally an Italian DJ with a vast selection of music for dancing at the end of the evening. Fun was certainly had by all!

Color theme

Our couple chose deep purple for their wedding color theme. Simple, elegant and pretty are adjectives we would use to describe the flower decorations. To create this effect, purple and white hydrangeas, orchids and champagne roses were used. The center pieces consisted of floral decorations with one central candle in the middle of each table.

 Ceremony and celebrant

A legally binding, catholic church ceremony was performed by the local priest. At the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom and guests sung thank you hymns to the Lord for over 30 minutes!

The bride arrived at the ceremony riding the beautiful horse and carriage pulled by 2 white horses with two drivers. Guests were already seated in the church awaiting her arrival.
During the ceremony a harpist and violinist played background music.

At the exit of the church at the end of the ceremony, the bride & groom were greeted by a shower of rose petals and a glass of sparkling wine with the local specialty “frico” (fried cheese) served just outside the church. The bride and groom were then transported back to the Villa on the horse and carriage.

Wedding attire

The bride and groom’s closest family members wore traditional Nigerian gowns brought over from Nigeria. The gowns were a beautiful purple color, re-calling the wedding theme. The bride and groom opted to wear traditional European wedding attire for the civil, catholic ceremony then got changed halfway through dinner to more typical Nigerian outfits. This made for a very colorful and elegant wedding.

Tips on how to organize your destination wedding in just 6 weeks

To be able to accomplish the organization of a wedding in this super short time span, the bride and groom must have a very clear idea of what they would like and both families must be in agreement. It is, of course, easier to choose an off-season date but as you can see from above, its also possible to choose a high season date, so long as you are flexible on the day of the week. In this instance, the couple chose a Sunday, a typically quiet day for Italian wedding vendors who are used to weddings taking place from Thursday through Saturday.

The most important criteria for a wedding planner when considering whether to accept such a short planning phase is the reactivity of the couple. They must be able to make quick decisions as soon as information is presented to them as any options set with providers in Italy can ony be kept for 3 days maximum before a decision must be made. 

An added complication is of course the choice to have a civilly binding marriage ceremony. The main concern for this civil destination wedding was indeed the short time span concerning the documents that had to be provided. As soon as the decision has been made to have a civil wedding in Italy, your first consideration should be the preparation of the legal documents! This can make or break the whole event! Good luck with your planning!

Our warmest regards and best wishes go to Busola & Tunde for a long, healthy, happy and loving married life together!

We all know that the very nature of a wedding (invitations, travel, food, drink, etc.) could never, under normal circumstances, be tipped as being an environmentally-friendly event, this is even more prevalent for destination weddings.

This is why creative design companies never cease to invent new ways to seduce the eco-conscious client. But would you dare go to these lengths to make your wedding eco-friendly?

Yes! is the answer…if you are an open-minded couple looking to surprise your guests! So, are you ready to consider purchasing recyclable cardboard tables and chairs for your wedding banquet? This may sound completely wacky but a company called Orika proposes a whole range of furniture made out of recyclable cardboard (which is 100% recyclable) for use in your home or for events such as weddings. No glue is used, only ingenious folding techniques and environmentally-friendly paint. Not only is the furniture extremely strong and solid but also esthetically pleasing. You don’t believe us? Check out some of their designs…

Why not choose this as an economic and eco-responsible alternative to the traditional tables and chairs one sees at all weddings? They can be painted to match any wedding theme!

This should only be considered, of course, at venues where furniture hire is necessary. Needless to say that it’s an idea guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of each and every one of your guests and provide a real talking point long beyond the wedding day!

For more information and to request a price quote, visit their website at Orika!