Wedding | Engagement | Newborn Portraits in Delaware

An Archmere Academy Patio Wedding

December 4, 2018 by Katie Sica Leave a Comment

This November wedding at Archmere Academy’s Patio was full of love, laughter and wind! Literally enough wind to blow you away. You can’t tell from the images, though! John, Paige and their bridal party did an amazing job. The problem with this post was not deciding what to put it, it was deciding what I had to leave out! I had to delete at least 20 images, haha. Take the time to go through these – it is worth it. Even Griffy makes an appearance! CONGRATULATIONS, John and Paige! From engagement on it has been a joy working with you.

A Fall Engagement Session – Valley Garden Park

October 5, 2018 by creativeimageassociates Leave a Comment

In a little over two months, Phill and Sarah will be man and wife. Looking ahead to that day, we had a great time prepping for wedding photos during their engagement session this week. As a wedding photographer, I look forward to engagement sessions for 3 main reasons. First, (and likely most important!) it is a great time to get to know my clients. It is always easier on the clients and the photographer to have spent fun, low-key time together before the wedding day. Among other things, Phill, Sarah and I chatted about our dogs (always a favorite subject of mine!) what their individual jobs look like (and Phill jokingly asked what I do for a living, bahaha), what different things are still coming together for the wedding day, etc. Getting to know each of my clients is really important to me – it allows me to serve them better (and with greater ease) on their wedding day. Secondly, I use the engagement session for teaching. During the session this week, we went over a few simple poses that I’ll use as a base on the wedding day. Being in front of a camera makes people nervous. My goal is to build the comfort level for clients. Take a look – Phill and Sarah did a really amazing job!

And oh! The light and trees in the background of this one! Love it!

Ok, third reason! A couple is only engaged once and for a short period of time! What a great time for a session – during the anticipation of a wedding. I love having the opportunity to capture this time so that couples can treasure and remember it for years to come. If you are looking for an engagement session, check out our portfolio and download our free Engagement Session Guide on this page.

Venue Spotlight: A Worsell Manor Wedding

September 11, 2018 by Katie Sica Leave a Comment

Over the next year, we will be writing a series of special blog posts featuring some of our favorite wedding venues in Delaware and Maryland. We are really excited to share what makes these places so unique.

As we enter into Fall, I am reminded of a Fall wedding reception I photographed at Worsell Manor in Maryland, last year. The property is gorgeous. A bride’s dream. A beautiful old Manor (built around 1690!!!) lays on a beautifully landscaped lawn in Warwick, MD (only a few miles from the Delaware border). Amanda and Joshua’s wedding was in early November and by that point, the colors on the trees were just perfect. The Manor is surrounded by fields and trees and boasts a big, white historic barn for receptions.

Scott and Barbara Millar bought the property in 2012. At that point, Worsell Manor had been abandoned for 15 years. The property was so overgrown you could not see the house from the road. The Millar’s were able to see past what WAS there – to what could be. They began the hard work of restoring the Manor, restoring the barn, and cleaning up the grounds. By 2014, Worsell Manor was home to its first wedding under the Millar’s management.

Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Scott (former Software Engineer for Air Traffic Control) about what it is like to host weddings on his property.

KATIE: Tell me a few things that make Worsell Manor a unique venue for weddings.

SCOTT: It’s really a combination of the house, grounds and barn. We like to say the property has an upscale rustic feel to it.

(Let me interrupt – I’ve already told you how beautiful the grounds are. I also loved, LOVED shooting prep shots of the ladies in the Manor. Every room is different. You really have so many options. We used one room to shoot the dress and some other details. A couple other rooms were used for hair and makeup by the ladies. We used a sitting room so that the bridesmaids could have a ‘first look’ at Amanda once she was in her gown, and of course, the staircase for a ‘first look’ with dad.)

SCOTT (continuing): We also only book ONE wedding PER WEEKEND at Worsell Manor. That way, our clients have the whole property to themselves. We can house 23 people between the Manor and Cottage next door. The family and bridal party can stay in one place which makes things so much easier.

There’s also a unique historic presence to our venue. George Washington stayed at Worsell Manor on multiple occasions! George Washington documented his visits in his diary which is now kept in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

KATIE: What do you love most about hosting weddings on your property?

SCOTT: One weekend a childhood friend of mine was visiting. I toured him through Worsell Manor. He looked around while I made sure that everything was running smoothly during a wedding reception. He watched the faces of guests – smiling, laughing, having the time of their lives. He said to me, “you know, your wedding is one of the most important days of your life – you provide a magical space for this most important day!” Having that opportunity and privilege – that’s pretty cool.

If you haven’t been to Worsell Manor – check it out! Consider it as a spot for your wedding day or other big event – you won’t be sorry! This venue has so much to offer – and Scott and Barbara are there to serve! Contact our wedding photography studio to capture your day – see images below for the magic captured there last Fall! (Photos by Aaron Hamrick and Katie Sica – copyright Creative Image Weddings)

Clients Once and Again

July 31, 2018 by Katie Sica Leave a Comment

You may be surprised to hear that a favorite aspect of my job comes well after the day our couples say ‘I do.’ As much as I love and am honored over and over again to be a part of our clients’ wedding days, I equally enjoy when they come back to the studio again. Maternity sessions, newborn sessions, and even pet sessions! Personally, it’s fun to connect with clients apart from the hustle, bustle and excitement of the wedding day. How has married life been? What has been exciting lately (new job? new house?) Is their family growing? It’s such a joy for us to continue to capture important memories for couples that we already have a relationship with.

We love re-connecting so much that we’ve structured our wedding packages in such a way that our brides and grooms always receive lifetime free in-studio sessions and discounts for on-location sessions. Recently I had the opportunity to do a newborn session and an infant/family session for two prior wedding couples in the same weekend. Ahhh! I loved it. One couple even lives hours and hours away now, but took the time to schedule a session when they were back in the area. Scroll through some of the highlights below. Both chose packaging from our newborn package list and both got special discounts (because once you are a client of ours, you always get those special benefits).

If Creative Image Weddings did your wedding day photography, have you forgotten that these privileges are yours? Contact us today to schedule your session!

Ask about our Fall Mini sessions! (now booking for October13th and October 20th) Prior wedding clients get $25 off!

If you are planning an upcoming wedding and love the idea of being clients for life, let’s talk!

The Photographer’s Wedding Day

July 27, 2018 by Katie Sica Leave a Comment

July 27th, 2002. 16 years ago, my guy and I got married (how has that much time passed?!?!) Because this was ‘all the way’ back in the archaic days of film, I had to scan some photos to share with you. (check them out below!) Look at these babies! I also thought I’d take the opportunity today to share a little ‘wedding wisdom’ having been there before and having recently gone through some of the planning ups and downs with both my sister and brother in planning their weddings.

Be Present

Man, this is hard. So hard! But as much as possible, soak up all the joy you can on your day. Enjoy the moment (easier said than done I know). Have your maid of honor or best man literally plan to ask you at some point if you are soaking it all in and enjoying it because it flies by!

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Again, easier said than done. Weddings are all about the details (mostly found on Pinterest) these days. Though I think its worthy (and fun!) to be creative and decorate in a way that reflects you as a couple, at the end of the day, these details are not the most important thing. You may say, “Katie, I’ve looked through your wedding photos below and I’m not sure I can take this advice from someone who had a ‘Precious Moments’ cake topper.” Ok, that’s fair. But in all seriousness, no matter how much you plan for your wedding to look identical to the best that Instagram and Pinterest have to offer, something that day may not go or look exactly as planned. Life isn’t 100% perfect every day and neither are wedding days. Don’t let little-unexpected things or ‘glitches’ ruin your day. Remember that first tip about being present? Own the fact that on this day your life changes completely! You become ‘one’ with the person who completes you. A table decoration that is not exactly what you wanted, a flower that’s not the exact shade of purple that you hoped for, and a cranky flower girl is not going to change that!

Work on the Marriage

So much goes into the planning of a wedding. SO MUCH. Quite often, I do not believe that as much effort goes into the marriage itself. Marriage is tough! Eventually, the honeymoon phase is over. What’s your plan to invest in your marriage? Can you get pre-marital counseling from a pastor or trusted counselor? Do it! Relationships take work. Marriage takes work. It’s an awesome gift from God – cultivate it. Sixteen years later I can tell you – it’s worth all the effort!

Wedding Photography

How can I share wedding wisdom and not touch on photography? Besides the marriage itself, your photos (and video if you have it) are really all that you have to preserve memories from your day. Go with a professional photographer who has wedding experience. Someone who knows the ins and outs of BOTH natural light and flash photography. Some may boast of being ‘natural light’ photographers but stick them in a dark reception hall and they are lost! Meet with photographers from a few different studios and make sure you connect well with the individual you are hiring (What is their personality like? Are they a ‘people person’? Are they going to be kind to your guests?) Lastly, wedding photography is an investment. If you want quality work and quality images, you can’t shop based solely on cost. I did that and I regret it. I’ve shared with you the best of our 149 images from our day. Evaluate what your budget is and do your research. You may find you are on target for the photographers you like and connect with, or you may find that you need to adjust some to properly invest in your memories.

If you are reading this and you are already married, am I right? Share your own advice in the comments.

If you are planning a wedding, contact our Delaware photography studio if we can help and/or answer any questions. Having worked as a wedding photographer in Delaware myself for over 10 years for a studio that has served brides and grooms for over 40 years (!!!), we’re also here to connect you with other local vendors. Congrats and ENJOY this time!