Reflecting on 2014

2014 was such an incredible year for Kaylina Norton Photography! We shot 14 weddings - meeting and befriending so many amazing couples along the way. At the beginning of the year Blake and I had a conversation about where we'd like to be at the end of the 2014 wedding season. Based on our 5 weddings last year, I said I wanted to do 7 this year and Blake said I should shoot for the stars with 10 weddings. I never imagined that we'd be closing out the year with 14!

In addition to growing our business with the number of happy couples we were lucky enough to meet, Blake and I had a great year personally as well. Blake graduated in May and found the perfect job at a marketing agency in downtown Columbus that interests him and occasionally allows drinking in the office. Pretty sweet deal. We officially started planning our wedding for June 2015, booking our vendors, finding my dress, and asking all of our bridal party to share with us in our special day.

Blake and I could never thank our clients, friends, and families enough for the support, kind words, and faith they have show us in the past year. I am constantly reminded how blessed I am to be able to work so hard at something I love. And seeing people responding to the photos on social media, forming relationships with my brides, and being trusted to capture something as important as a wedding make all the late nights of editing worth it.

I want to wrap up this year by expressing my deepest thanks to anyone and everyone who has believed in me and Kaylina Norton Photography - I could not have done any of this without you!

Bring on 2015!

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

Read More

Mark + Erica: Worthington, Ohio Christmas Engagement Session

When Erica first reached out to me about photographing her wedding and I asked her if there was anything I should know about her special day she wrote back - "Best Day Ever! :o)". A girl who uses adorable smiley faces in emails is my kind of girl and I immediately took to liking her. When planning her engagement shoot Erica mentioned she wanted a snowy, Christmas themed session and I fell in love with her as a bride in that moment. Unfortunately because of the mild winter we've had so far, we couldn't really deliver on the snow, but Worthington, Ohio definitely delivered on the "Christmas" part. 

Erica and Mark met me Sunday afternoon in Worthington to take advantage of the decorated town square and quintessential small town vibe for the perfect Christmas themed engagement shoot. 


(Let's take a quick time out to address Erica's man and his name which have been quite the hot topic on Facebook from the sneak peeks I've been posting- he goes by both the name Mark and Wes, I'm calling him Mark because that's the name Erica called him in her first email to me, but if you're out there going, "his name is Wes!" please do not worry! Erica has not dumped Wes for an eerily similar looking man named Mark. They are one and the same!) 

We started out the shoot beside the gorgeous, huge Christmas tree Worthington decorates every year and then headed over to some nearby park benches to get cozy with a blanket and hot chocolate. 

Excuse me for the pun, but how cute is this coffee thermos? "Let's Merry"? Come on! Too stinking cute! 

After we finished up at the Christmas tree and benches, we headed across the street to commandeer the side of a building that was full of Christmas spirit. 

If it looks like this session was nothing but cuddles, snuggles, and Eskimo kisses it's because these two look so good doing it! And I was in heaven getting to capture it all! 

Erica and Mark, Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so amazing! You two are absolutely adorable together and I could not have asked for a better couple to spend the day with! I am so excited for your wedding in May and cannot wait to capture your big day, A.K.A. the best day ever! =o) 

Keep smiling! 
Kaylina

Read More

Planning Our Wedding: Finding a Venue

There are few things I enjoy less than looking for places on the internet. Apartment hunting, scouting for shoot locations, and wedding venues. I don't like to trust what I see on the internet- I want to go see it and experience it for myself.

It took me several weeks to narrow down a list of over 100 venues to the 6 or 7 I felt were worth visiting. I narrowed our choices down by location (we wanted to get married in Columbus), by function (we wanted to get married and hold our reception in the same place), by price (we're not made of money), and, of course, aesthetics.

Although I listed it last, the way a venue looked- in person and in pictures- was definitely the most important aspect to me. I knew, from weddings I've attended and had the pleasure of shooting, that the location could make or break the feeling and emotions of the day. A great location means less work. Fewer decorations means less money. And that's always a plus.

So after weeks of searching and visiting venues around the city, Blake and I ended up booking Via Vecchia Winery for our wedding. It's gorgeous- large brick arches, exposed wooden ceilings, and filled with natural light. It's unconventional- Blake and I will be married in a brick alley beside the winery. We couldn't be more pleased with our choice. We found a place that met all of our requirements and reflects our personalities.

So here are some tips to keep in mind for any one out there looking for a venue for their big day:

1. The venue effects more than you'd think.
Booking Via Vecchia was actually the first thing Blake and I did when planning a wedding and all of our decisions since then have been centered around it. A venue really dictates the feeling of a wedding day and making other decisions with the venue in mind helps tie the whole day together. Our venue is a little unconventional and so is my dress. The urban setting of the ceremony and the age of the building helped us pick (and rule out) what decorations we'd want to use. Make sure that your venue gives off a vibe that you love and reflects you - you don't want to spend time (or money) trying to morph a venue into something it's naturally not.

2. Write down your deal breakers.
As I mentioned, Blake and I really wanted to have the ceremony and reception in one location to avoid guests having to navigate through Downtown Columbus. I really wanted an outdoor ceremony so we needed a venue that allowed outdoor ceremonies but had acceptable indoor options in case of inclement weather. This might sound silly, but a venue not having flushable toilets was also a deal breaker. If I was looking at a venue that didn't meet those three requirements, I crossed it off the list.

3. Go see it in person!
Like I said, I hate scouting out things online. Pictures can easily exclude aspects of a venue that might not be ideal and, in the same way, unflattering iPhone pictures can make a venue look worse than it really is. Narrow down your choices based on your deal breakers (and what's in your budget) and go visit the rest! 

As the wedding season comes to an end I'll be writing a lot more about my experiences as a bride planning my own wedding. If you have any questions or suggestions for other topics please leave them in the comments below!

Keep smiling,

Kaylina

Read More