Behind the Scenes Fun

We kicked off 2020 not knowing what was in store for the rest of the year. The first three weddings on my calendar went off without any concerns of a pandemic entering our minds. Those were the good ‘ole days, right?! Seriously, they were carefree times.

The world changed the week after Resi and Jacob’s wedding. It’s so crazy to look back on those photos now that we’ve made it to the end of 2020. I know I wasn’t anticipating things going the way they did for the rest of the year on that day. Fast forward to post-lockdown weddings – I added a mask to my wedding day packing checklist. My number one goal was to keep myself healthy so that I didn’t have to miss a wedding due to getting Covid.

With a summer-fall schedule that was stacked with back-to-back weekends of weddings, plus a double header weekend, I knew that if I caught the virus it would likely mean missing at least two weddings and possibly more. Yes, I still could have gotten sick even by taking these measures, but I could only have peace of mind knowing I’d taken all precautions possible.

I am so incredibly thankful to my friends who work as part of my team on wedding days! They helped me make it through this year without a panic attack by shifting their schedules to work on new dates. They put up with my OCD nature, my constant need for a cold Perrier, and my lack of selfie skills. I love that they serve my clients joyfully and with a smile…even when that smile is covered with a mask!

Enjoy this behind the scenes look at this year’s weddings! Cheers to 2021!

We started out the year carefree and excited for an awesome 2020…

Then this became our new normal…

But we carried on doing what we love…

Fluffing dresses…

Photographing pretty details…

Testing locations for good light is so important and my assistants are pros at this…

They are also the secret to a killer veil toss photo…

We are trained to make the most of a location, even when space is tight…

Even concerns about snakes won’t stop me from finding that perfect angle for a shot…

Don’t mind me, I’m just creeping in the bushes for the best shot of the bride and groom during toasts…

Sometimes my lack of height is a challenge…thank goodness for live view on my camera!

We loved working with so many videographers this year!

Storylive Productions filmed weddings for two of my 2020 couples!

This year was my first year to work with RL Films and Mondaini Films.

It was also my first time working with JD Cobb Productions and Milestones Studios.

And I was so EXCITED to work with my sweet friends Cheree and Bryan with The Wild Soul Films at Jill and Cooper’s wedding!

Seriously, I love these two!

We also worked with so many wonderful wedding planners! I wish I had photos of all of them, but they are always working so hard that we don’t always get them in a photo! Thank you to Events Detailed, Jenna Laine Weddings, Wed With Style, Bella Victoria Events, Ginny McElhaney- Simmons, Kendra Lee Events and All Affairs by Kayla for all you do to make wedding days run smoothly!

2020 was a bit stressful at times, but we still had a lot of fun…

Alexis and Regina worked more weddings with me than anyone else…they are a dynamic duo! I love wedding days with them!

They go the extra mile, including wiping humidity off windows so I could safely hang the dress for a detail photo…

They always know when I’m in need of an ice-cold Perrier…

And they are always so positive!

My dear friend Debby traveled down from Birmingham a few times to shoot with me this year! She definitely brings the humor to a wedding day…

She and Regina are also an awesome team! And, yes, with our masks on we are all often mistaken for each other!

She is one of the most dedicated and dependable people I know, even shooting with me on a weekend when her pup Elliot was in his final days of life. Thankfully, she made it home in time to be with him when he passed.

Like all of us, Debby is ready to say “peace out” to 2020!

My sweet friend Toni also helped me with several weddings this year! I couldn’t have survived my double header weekend without her and Alexis!

Toni is a ray of sunshine and so good at reading my mind! She knows what I’m going to say before the words leave my mouth most of the time!

Evan shot with me on a few weddings this year as well. She always brings so much energy to a wedding day!

That’s a wrap on the year here at Elizabeth Gelineau Photography! If you made it to the end of this crazy long post, thank you! Most importantly, thank you to my clients, my friends who worked all these weddings with me, and to the amazing vendors who brought these beautiful weddings to life! We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful community of wedding vendors here in the Mobile Bay Area. I can’t wait to see what 2021 has in store for us all! Here’s lookin’ at you 2020.