If “The Bachelor” can tell us that he’s a virgin and one of his bachelorettes can ’fess up she’s never been kissed, than surely the time has come where we can talk about how Ariane Sloan and Lawrence Lovell give credit to going celibate in the midst of their relationship … and how that ultimately led to these utterly fantastic photographs on their Big Day. A little confused? Hang in there.
The two New Yorkers (who met at a party, hit it off, faltered, then hit it off again later for keeps) decided midway through their courtship that each was ready to recommit to their religion, and that part of that milestone meant pulling back on being physical. “Since making that decision,” says Ariane, “our relationship has grown and, as strange as it may sound, we each became much more affectionate towards each other.” In turn, the couple got to know each other even better than before and, they say, became utterly comfortable and trusting of their partner. Those vibes make for the kind of at-ease chemistry you can’t fake, which, in turn, leads to awesome, authentic photos. While that might not be the path to stellar snapshots for you and yours, it’s great food for thought. And you can’t beat the other tips that the couple shared ...
TIP ONE: Get fancy long before the Big Day.
The couple have dressy date nights, so seeing one another in formal wear (and wearing it) wasn’t out of the norm, which meant they photographed in a relaxed way.
TIP TWO: Break the posing ice with an engagement session.
Sirena White-Singleton of Aneris Photography flew to New York for a starter shoot with the couple. It was then they learned her affinity for telling couples to “canoodle.” When she broke out with the direction on their wedding day, they knew exactly what to do.
TIP THREE: If you’re the bride, be last in the hair and makeup chair.
The boon is twofold: You get quality time with your girls to de-stress and your look is the freshest.
TIP FOUR: Get makeup to-go.
Ariane’s makeup artist gave her lip gloss for touch ups. With all the kisses flying around, it’s the one beauty item all brides can benefit from.
TIP FIVE: Grooms, wear a bow tie.
“If you need people to come together,” says Lawrence, “just get everybody bow ties. There would be times somebody would walk up to me and, without saying anything, fix my bow tie. It happened with the other guys, too. We had to rely on each other and it made us closer.”
TIP SIX: Let it (“it” being anything not going according to your vision or plan) go.
“I definitely didn’t want it to appear like I was upset and I didn’t want to let my guests or my husband down,” says Ariane of Big Day bumps in the road. “So I was like, ‘OK, that didn’t go as planned but I’m married to the love of my life and this is amazing!’ When I see the photos, I can tell that really came through—that I was genuinely full of joy.”
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