You guys! I have been having TOO much fun these past couple weeks getting acquainted with St. Augustine and all it's beautiful people. I've been meeting lots of kind people, like sweet Mrs. Smith at the coffee shop who let me go first in line because she could tell I was there for a meeting and she "didn't have anywhere important to be." How sweet is that?!? I feel like I'm back in Boone all over again!

Well, one of my favorite new people, Heidi, was gracious enough to give me the run down of the wedding industry down here and we had a blast this afternoon as I took a few quick head shots for her in the parking lot of her new office space at Endless Possibilities!

When I was checking out her website the other day I discovered this blog she wrote recently and knew immediately I HAD to have it! I realized immediately I didn't know the answer to the question of why we wear white wedding dresses and her discovery fascinated me. It's not been around for thousands of years like I'd supposed, the answer might surprise you too! Check it out below!

I just had the opportunity to experience the grand adventure of trying on wedding gowns.

It sparked my curiosity on "when did the wedding dress fad even start?" "Have brides always wanted to wear white, or was that even an option for most?"

So I brewed some coffee and stat down to read any information I could find on the subject.

I wasn't surprised to read that there is little to no information on the subject. What you can find out, is wedding dress colors and styles pertaining to what culture you were raised in.

Like how most Eastern cultures wore red, a symbol of favored fortune.

Wedding dresses have changed drastically throughout history, but the earliest information on Western culture, dates back to the Middle ages. Brides were expected to dress in the manner that befitted their social status.

Wealthy families wore rich colors, exclusive fabrics, furs, velvet and silks. The poorest brides wore their best church dress they had. But when did the white wedding dress become the fashion?

The first documented white wedding gown was worn by Philippa of England, in 1406. She sported a white silk tunic with a cloak trimmed in grey squirrel fur. Defiantly not PETA approved.

Then the next bride we find out about is Mary Queen of Scots. She wore white in 1559, at the time the French style, was to wear white if you were in mourning. It just so happened that Mary Queen of Scots was marrying Francis II of France. Kinda makes you think is was a subtle way of stating how she felt about the union.

The white wedding gown didn't come into fashion till the Victorian era when Queen Victoria wore white in 1840. Wearing white had a rough start. White was a very hard color to come by and to keep clean. White was a sign of social status and still only used by the wealthy from 1840's through the 1920's. Due to the depression, WWI and WWII, wedding dresses again became what the bride had on hand, such as church clothes or borrowed dresses from a family member or friend. After WWII the white wedding gown's, like we see today, made its smashing hit and come back with Grace Kelly in 1956.

Wedding dresses truly reflect a bride's personality as well as the theme of the wedding. More and more you will see brides are incorporating color back into the wedding dress. However, I feel that the white/Ivory gown will stand the test of time and remain the most sought after gown color for years to come.

Thank you so much Heidi for sharing your findings!! Cannot wait to work with you on our first wedding this spring!!

If you liked this post, you will probably also like: The Vendor Series or How to Choose Bridesmaids Dresses

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.”

— Robert Fulghum

I lit up like a summer lightening bug when I saw that Safy had made a blog post about our photo session together! They were simply one of the best couples I've ever worked with and quickly became friends I know we'll hang out with again soon. We all have similar adventuring passions and love to try new things. We've even been texting back and forth ever since checking to see if the other has tried each new place we love (Like Sir Walter Coffee!)

When I saw that she had posted the blog to help other couples know how to prep for their own sessions I immediately asked if I could use it as a guest blog post, she has such great advice! So without further ado, here's Burly and Puff's 6 tips for Rocking Your First Couple's Photoshoot:

You and bae have signed up for a couple’s photoshoot. Now what? You’ve got the outfit and the posing to worry about. Need some help? Look no further! Here are 6 tips to help you rock your first couple’s photoshoot.

In the month of March, I had this crazy streak of luck. I won $2 in the North Carolina Lottery. Chickfila gave me three extra nuggets during lunch one time. I also won a free couple’s photoshoot through an Instagram giveaway for a local photographer!

This was a huge deal for Randy and me. When we got engaged, no photoshoot. We didn’t have a wedding so we didn’t think a wedding photoshoot was necessary. Winning this photoshoot was amazing! We were so happy to have our own set of super cute photos. With this being our very first photoshoot as a couple (and Randy’s first photoshoot ever) we were a little nervous about the process. What do we wear? Will we be hella awkward? You know… normal fears.

The day came and we ended up rocking our shoot! The weather was beautiful. Our photographer was the bomb. Our outfits photographed well. Everything just seemed to fall into place. After going through this experience, I want to share 6 tips for rocking your first couple’s photoshoot.

1. Build a Relationship with your Photographer

This is really key in shaking away the jitters of your first couple’s photoshoot. Our photographer was Cynthia Viola and she was AH-MAY-ZING. After we won our photoshoot she reached out to us, gave us her contact information, her helpful tips, etc. Leading up to our shoot she sent us friendly reminders and was always there if we had questions. When we met her on the day of our photoshoot, it felt like we already knew her and that she knew us. That in itself made us feel more comfortable.

2. Research Couple’s Photoshoot Poses, Don’t Practice

Google and Instagram are great resources! The key to looking natural is to let the poses flow. If you practice the poses before your couple’s photoshoot, you may just go through the poses and your photos will look too posed and stiff. By researching your poses you can at least get some ideas of what to do. A lot of my favorite photos were captured in between the poses we tried out.

3. Mind the Weather

This goes for those of you doing outside shoots. When we scheduled our shoot it was supposed to be a warm and sunny Saturday morning. When we checked the forecast a day or two before, turns out the weather changed drastically. FREEZING AND FOGGY. That was where #1 came in. Cynthia messaged me and asked if we wanted to reschedule. If your photographer doesn’t ask you, don’t hesitate to ask them. Being too cold or too hot will show on your face and in your body language.

There is nothing cute about chapped lips, chattering teeth, watery eyes, and red noses in cold weather. Same thing goes for melting makeup and sweating through a shirt in extremely hot conditions. Hey, you’re paying for these bad boys! It’s all about your comfort.

4. Avoid Coffee

You’ll want your smile to shine in your photos. Avoid coffee and foods/drinks with a lot of dyes. Drinking coffee right before your shoot could leave you with coffee teeth. Coffee breath could also make the kissing shots a little less enjoyable. Just saying… However, we did shoot a few snaps at a coffeeshop. If you’re doing any food or coffee scenes, save them for last.

5. Wear Outfits you LOVE

Just because a photoshoot seems fancy, you don’t have to go out and buy a new wardrobe. The outfits we’re wearing came out of our closet. If you do opt for a new outfit, wear it before the shoot. Make sure you love the color and the fit. You’ll want to be comfortable. There’s nothing worse than putting on a new top the day of your shoot and it’s itchy, ill-fitting, or too sheer. Your photoshoot is the perfect time to show off YOUR style.

6. Be Yourselves and Have Fun

Seriously. If you’re not enjoying yourself IT WILL SHOW IN YOUR PHOTOS! Whether you’re a quirky couple or a reserved one, do what makes you feel comfortable. This photoshoot is all about showcasing you two as a couple. Enjoy your little moments together and pretend the camera isn’t even there.