susan sabo photography

please do not feed the photographer

Q: Do wedding photographers eat?

A: Okay, that's a fair question. Short answer, yes. Long answer, it depends.

Wedding planning sites are full of information on whether or not you should feed your photographer (and other vendors). Some say, "hell, yes!" (well, only my blog says that, the others say that in so many words) Others say yes, but not a full meal. Still others say only on days ending with a "Y," so yeah, it can get confusing.

Bummer to worry about the etiquette of feeding your vendors when you're planning your day. I mean, it is your day, not the photographer's (it's okay, I acknowledge this going in). On the day of your wedding, your head is in a million places, and I hope the least of them is what your photographer is eating.

But surprisingly, a lot of brides stress over this. Many of my brides have worried about me like mama birds: "have you eaten anything?" "make sure you eat something!"

Like absolutely everything else about your wedding, this is a personal choice. Strictly speaking, it's pretty standard to allow for something to feed your photographers and vendors. If for no other reason, because you don't want them fainting over from low blood sugar. That does not mean you have to sit them down at a table with your guests.

For me, meal time is break time. I don't take pictures of people eating because no matter how pretty the people are, and no matter how pretty the food is, the pictures are most likely not going to be pretty. Meal time is when Mr. Susan (my assistant/husband) and I go off and take a break; get something to drink, grab some bread from the caterers, etc. We don't go far because you never know when that special uncle of yours is going to feel verkelmpt by all the love in the room and grab the mic to make his toast. And yeah, um...that's something I definitely want to shoot. 

Boils down to this: Just ask. I can't speak for other vendors, but I usually tell the bride if she needs to feed me, and I tell her I'm vegetarian. But this is something we talk about in person, at our meeting, when we're getting to know one another and feel comfortable with one another.

That's how I like to keep my weddings: personal, simple and friendly.

I've been given boxed lunches, seats at guest tables and have sneaked food from the caterer (don't hate, they always make more than they're going to use). But I always have some energy bars in my bag so I don't worry about it too much. If I get really hungry, I'll send Mr. Susan out to get us something to nibble on (and yes, he in fact does like to be called Mr. Susan). 

I never sit with the guests because it just feels weird. These are your friends, and I don't know them and I'm being paid to be there. There have been a few  exceptions: notably at Mai and Rich's wedding, they made sure to sit me with some people who had the same interests (read: obsessions) as I do: horror films, and most recently, Michelle & John's wedding, where Robyn pretty much dragged me by the hair to our seats.

I'm glad she did, we had some great conversation with people who had lived in Berkeley and we talked about Hi-Tech Burrito and other restaurants. And I, of course, shot the food. 

straight talk about cupcakes

A friend of mine told me yesterday that cupckaes have "jumped the shark"! Obviously, she is trying to break up with me.

Last year, I shot so many wedding in which brides opted for cupcakes in lieu of wedding cake. This, I think, is a brilliant idea. It's must easier to pilfer two cupcakes than two pieces of cake, and it's much easier to stealthily smuggle one home in your camera bag.

Personally, I think the idea of cupcakes moving over to the "not hott" list is propaganda, perpetuated by the wedding cake bakers union or some other insidious group. Cupcakes will never go out of style in this house, especially as long as Jenna is making them.

Though I admit I've moved on from the Charmed cupcakes (while good, are huge heaping lumps of sugar and fat) and exclusively enjoy the vegan variety. I know, I can hear your naysaying from here; but if you've never tasted a vegan cupcake, on that is made correctly, you are missing out on one of the most awesome advantages of being a human.

So if you're handy with a whisk and spatula, or know somebody who is, I strongly advise you to ignore the whole "death of the cupcake" rumors and buy this book, "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World." Because they are, you know.

And when they do, in the words of our former Commander-in-Chief, you're either with them, or you're against them.

Personally, I'll be holding their banner. 

(cupcakes above were baked by the amazingly-talented J, who made these for gbaby's birthday)

to hurry up and wait

I've always loved bridal window displays. I'm not a gown type of girl, so it's not just the dresses, although some of the dresses are pretty cool. I love the way that people choose to display the dresses; the faceless, bald-headed mannequins, their elegant, blank fingers poised for that ring to slide right on. And the lights; the spotlights that shine down on them.

Bridal window displays are always best when the shop is closed. The stillness and the pockets of dark lend themselves perfectly to the delicate but rigid posture of the girls inside, the girls wearing the dresses. There's always a rack of dresses there in the back; the ones that are hanging motionless, their spacing on the rod as perfect as the most skillful kerning of type.

Everything is placed perfectly, waiting for the doors to come unlocked, waiting for the swoosh of that one giddy bride-to-be to come wafting through the room, circling the mannequins with her hand outstretched, touching the fabric of each dress and letting her fingers trickle over the lace as she maneuvers the room like the most skilled of ballroom dancers.

I never see the shops open; I'm usually on a shoot or holed up in my studio. But I like it that way. I like using my imagination when I'm shooting a bridal window display. I like the anticipation of what goes on in there.

I like the potential.

the view from the altar

I had a chance to shoot a wedding this weekend in a church I've always loved, but have never shot in: St. Anthony's on Olive St. in Long Beach.

More pictures to come, but I wanted to show off this amazing church with a quick one. All the dark wood gives photographers a bit of a challenge, but the ambient light that does seep in is so serene and peaceful. A beautiful setting for an old-fashioned church wedding with Mass.

'night, Briana...'night, Chuck...'night, John-boy...

Gotta love the Waltons reference, especially when it fits so well. When Briana & Chuck were married a couple of weeks ago, the extended family was enormous! Parents, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews and 3 sets of grandparents (and more!) made for a really emotional event.

Although I do love shooting small, intimate events, seeing a large family come together like theirs did is really something to see. All welcoming arms, laughing, crying, kissing and holding on tight; it's wonderful to see two people starting out with such a vast support network and so many people to call "family." :)

So here's to Briana and Chuck and all of the Marks and all of the Bergers; I'm certain this couple will be at their grandchildrens' weddings one day, doing it all over again. Sweet dreams, and long and happy life.