What I've Been Up To

I know posting has been sparse lately but it is because I have been working on creating a photo album for our parents. Whew, I know why photographers charge so much for those puppies... they are A LOT of work! Here is what I came up with:

Parents 1 by Brooke and Ryan | Make Your Own Book

Would you change anything? If so, what, and should I move it, delete it, add it?

Cruisin' in the Fast Lane: Accessorizing the Photobooth

Ryan and I wanted wanted our photobooth to be kickass so we did our best to gather up some fun and playful accessories. We bought a chalkboard, an empty picture frame, some vintage hats, a parasol, and we made some mustaches.

To make these bad boys I bought some crafting fur at Hobby Lobby for $2.99. One piece was enough to create 2 of each design.

[Source: Hobby Lobby]

I then used a mustache template that I found here and traced the mustaches onto the back of the fur and onto brown felt using a sharpie. I then cut out the templates, sandwiched a dowel rod in between the piece of felt and mustache, and secured with hot glue. Finally I touched up the mustaches by trimming them up with facial hair scissors.

Cruisin' in the Fast Lane: Construction Zone

Early on Ryan and I decided we would like to do a "faux"to booth at our wedding. If you never heard of this increasingly popular wedding event, it involves setting up a background, providing some props, and either using a photographer or camera/tripod/remote system to allow guest to take funny snap-shots.

[Source: You Look Nice Today via Ruffled]

[Source: Lena Corwin's Wedding via Green Wedding Shoes]

'FAUX'to Booth Tutorial

To make our own photobooth we modified a DIY Greenscreen Tutorial to fit our needs. First we needed to purchase our materials:

•3/4"x10' Sch. 40 PVC Pipe- 4
•3/4" Sch. 40 PVC 90 Degree Elbow- 2
•3/4" Sch. 40 PVC T-Connector- 2
•3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cap- 8
•3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Coupling- 2
•3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cross Connector- 2

Total cost for all of these materials should be less than $25. You will also need a PVC pipe cutter or hacksaw, which thankfully my dad had.

To assemble:
- Cut  2 pieces of 3/4" PVC pipe into approximately 24" lengths. Put a cap on one end of each section.
- Slide a T-Connector onto each 24" length.
- Cut 8 pieces of 3/4" PVC pipe into approximately 18" lengths putting a cap of one end of each section.
- Stick the open ends of each pipe into a cross connector using 18" lengths for three of the holes and a 24" length with T-Connector into the fourth hole.

[Source: DIY Greenscreens]

[Source: DIY Greenscreens]

- Cut two of the other 3/4" pipe pieces to height of your desired backdrop stand. Be sure to measure the ceiling height if you will be using this indoors.\

- These pieces will be inserted vertically into the top of the T-Connector.

- Cut the length of your crossbar to width of your fabric plus about 5 inches.
- Attach the 90 degree elbow connectors to the ends of the crossbars and to the top of the vertical pipes.
- Secure your fabric to the top of the pipe using clamps, velcro, tape, pins, etc.

ATTENTION: This frame is not meant to be a permanent structure and is wobbly. Be sure to reenforce joints with heavy duty tape, such as duct tape, if you are worried about the durability.

We purchased 10 yards of Premier Prints Kimono fabric in Chartreuse/White from Fabric.com and had WAY TOO MUCH. We joke that we'll be making play clothes for our children, grandchildren, and great children like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.

[Source: Fabric.com]

Here is a sneak peek of how it turned out...

[Groomsmen]

Brooke & Ryan Engagement (51 photos), by Brooke Brehm

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

All photos are courtesy of Brian Lusby Photography. (Thanks Brian!)

Our Photographer

After looking at a TON of photographers online, Mr. Riley and I narrowed it down to about ten that were located in a two hour radius of the wedding location and that we could afford. After that I started calling around, of the ten, three were available for our day. The first appointment I made was to meet Brian Lusby of Brian Lusby Photography.

My mom and I drove two hours to meet him at his studio, which is out of his home. After almost two hours of gabbing about everything I was in love.... not with Brian, although he is pretty handsome, but with his amazing photographs. He got me, got my ideas, and focuses on the format that both Mr. Riley and I enjoy, photojournalistic. I hate looking through a wedding album and seeing tons of the same pictures you saw in the last wedding album you looked at... the bride and groom under the brides veil, the bride seated looking up serenely, the groomsmen all holding the bride up on her side, etc.... I wanted REAL photos. Someone to truly capture the moment. Not someone to pose us all to look like we are having the moments you are "supposed" to have on your wedding day. I wanted to see those things people secretly do when they think no one is looking.... like the ring bearer asleep on the pew because it was past his nap time, the groomsmen goofing off while getting ready, the anticipation and angst and joy in our parents face. All of it.

But I couldn't very well book Brian right then, I hadn't even looked at the others. After a few weeks of procrastination I set up an appointment with one of the other available photographers. I went to their studio and although they were very nice we just didn't click. All of their photography examples were very outdated and pretty posed. Plus their prices were OUTRAGEOUS, like triple everyone else we had looked at.

Once I left that appointment I just knew. Before I even got to my car I was dialing Brian to get a contract and deposit in the mail and I couldn't be happier with our decision (well mine... sorry Mr. Riley) even though I didn't even get to the third photographer.

It did help that Brian shot Chris Cooley's wedding (TE for the Washington Redskins) and Mr. Riley and I are HUGE Redskins fans. So I'm sure there will be a ton of questions for Brian in regards to Chris and probably a rousing rendition of "Hail to the Redskins". So for those of you who don't know the words, start learning...

"Hail to the Redskins!

Hail Victory!

Braves on the Warpath!

Fight for old D.C.!

Run or pass and score -- we want a lot more!

Beat 'em, Swamp 'em,

Touchdown! -- Let the points soar!

Fight on, fight on 'Til you have won

Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!

Hail to the Redskins!

Hail Victory!

Braves on the Warpath!

Fight for old D.C.!