The Wedding Album | San Antonio Wedding Photography

May 19, 2020 • Leave a Comment

Champagne-1001 Aria Signature Wedding AlbumsMetallic Champagne Leather covered album with Cameo photo in deep matte photographic paper.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I know it sounds cliche, but if you are wedding planning, scouring the web for your perfect wedding photographer, pinning images and saving to your Instagram board, you really need to think even farther than the engagement photoshoot or the wedding day. After the wedding, after the honeymoon, after you've bought your first home, had your first baby, your wedding day will be a vague memory. The only thing there will be to look back on, the pictures. Those pictures you loved so much you framed them, you printed them, you had them archived forever in your coffee table book. Those are the ones that live on, beyond the smart phone, tablet or laptop you used at the time. But this beautiful album will be here longer than even you. It's something you will hand down for generations. These are the moments frozen in time of the day to start all of those beautiful days.

Featured SpreadArchival Safe photographic paper, panoramic image with full bleed all the way to the edge. Photographed at The Club at Garden Ridge.

Aria Productions includes a photobook or album in all of our full service wedding packages. We do it because we care about 10 years from now, when you look back, we want you to be able to remember these beautiful moments that gave you your start. We take great care to capture these beautiful images with attention to quality, lighting, posing, and timing to capture those sporatic moments. We love putting these albums together. Once you have received your wedding gallery, you will begin selecting images for your album. You will then send those favorite images to us to design and we will work together to finalize the design of your heirloom album. We love working with our couples to deliver the final keepsake. How do you envision your wedding album?

wedding photography Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions wedding photography Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions Aria Signature AlbumAlbum design and photography by Aria Productions

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Romantic Wedding at The Veranda with Deanna and Brian

April 20, 2020 • Leave a Comment

Deanna and Brian chose the romantic Veranda nestled in the heart of northwest San Antonio for their September wedding. Their close family and friends witnessed the couple offer their vows on a sunny and warm Texas day under the winding oak trees. They incorporated a sand ceremony to symbolize the joining of their lives together.

After family portraits in front of the picturesque entry, the couple joined their guests and wowed them with a choreographed first dance. The reception was fun and light with dancing, taking pictures in the photobooth, and enjoying cocktails under a starlit sky. Congratulations to the beautiful couple. Leave your well-wishes in the comments below!

Venue: The Veranda

Caterer: Spice of Life

Dress: MoriLee

Photography and Videography: Aria Productions

DJ and Photobooth: Four Star Entertainment

Like what you see? Let's talk about your wedding photography:

COVID-19 Update: How we're weathering the storm, staying safe and keeping our clients safe

March 20, 2020 • Leave a Comment

Slow the spread, TexasWhat we're doing during this COVID-19 Crisis 2019 Photo copyright Aria Productions, taken at Beck Vineyards in Fredericksburg, Texas.

So, it's been a little while since I've posted a blog. I have been very busy editing the many wedding films recently shot and working on some additional commercial projects. Then, the situation of COVID-19 changed things dramatically causing us to come up with solutions for my clients, my business, helping my friend's businesses and my family.

If we are scheduled to shoot an event for you within the next eight weeks, we have already reached out to you and assisted in making alternate plans. If you are scheduled for later in the year and have not changed your plans, we are still on track. If we recently shot your event, wedding films are in the editing queue. I am working on them, but please be patient because we now do not have access to child care. Read on.

New clients, we are now only scheduling new events and portrait shoots after April 13th. This is subject to change, as the City of San Antonio allows for business to take place. I am currently only available for on-location shoots where I can maintain a 6 foot distance from my subject. So this means I cannot do newborn or toddler shoots at this time. I am doing on-location portraits, headshots and real-estate shoots. If you would like to schedule a shoot, send me an email or fill out the contact forms in my services pages.

On a personal note, the situation changed significantly last week and it also happened to be Spring Break. The plan for spring break was to have the grandparents spend some time with the kids so I could tackle editing projects. But as the situation became more severe, pretty much on Monday I made the decision to not have my kids go anywhere near their grandparents until I can be sure that we will not get them sick. If you have ever been around young kids, you know it's impossible not to share germs with them. Two-year-olds love to get close, grab your face with their hands, rub their face in yours, touch everything. Older kids like my first-grader can be taught to wash their hands, but they still do touch everything, cough and sneeze unexpectedly, talk very close to your face, all sorts of things that right now are a no-no. So I kept them home, because I was concerned that they may have already been exposed at school, or a playground or the grocery store, who knows? Let them play while I work. I get interrupted a lot, this is hard, but it's what has to be done right now. Late nights, early mornings, this is my life right now.

Then, I started hearing about New Jersey getting shut down. This set off alarm bells in my mind. I usually do H-E-B curbside pick up and I have a few household products I subscribe to on Grove that get delivered, but I knew there were a few things I still needed to get us through at least a week. I made my last trip to the grocery store on Wednesday 3/11, because I thought, "If that happens here, we need waffles and milk." If you have a toddler you'll know what I'm talking about. H-E-B was a ghost town, hand sanitizer, disinfectants such as Lysol were gone, I got home and was definitely getting scared. Thursday I had a meeting off-site, it was awkward not to shake hands or touch anything, but I think they understood why. I made it a point to stop by a Target on the way home. Got my 2 packages of Wet-ones, paper towels and stocked up on cold and cough medicine and acetamenophen just in case. If we get sick, I thought, I don't want to be finding out we are out of this stuff. My last H-E-B curbside order today was short of all meat and egg products. Beans and tuna it is!

I had shoots all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday just as it started to hit, the recommendations to limit guest counts went from 200 to 50 to 10, and things spiraled. All-in-all I'm proud of what I'm seeing the local events industry do to help their clients, pull together and still deliver great service in these trying times. I'm proud to see us help and encourage each other. The uncertainty is unnerving, but I am doing the best I can with what I have right now, time. I am working on editing projects and planning for when this thing passes. I miss hanging out with my parents, but I love them too much to go around them right now. I'm trying to keep my sons busy, learning and exploring. I'm praying for all of you. In times of uncertainty I feel that the best we can do is pray and do the right thing. So, that is what I am working on right now. Follow me on instagram stories throughout the week, and I will follow you back! For now, stay safe and stay home.

-Sonia

Valentines Engagement Portraits at Landa Library Garden Conservancy | Marisa and Kevin

February 25, 2020 • Leave a Comment

Landa Gardens Engagement PortraitsWe shot Marisa and Kevin's engagement portraits on Valentine's Day at Landa Library and Gardens.

We spent Valentine's Day with the cutest couple, Marisa and Kevin who are engaged to be married this fall! They brought their adorable Daschund, Pretzel for a stroll in the gardens at Landa Library in the Montevista neighborhood of San Antonio. If you love the movie Must Love Dogs, you will love this engagement portrait session. We started with a more elegant look and a pop of red for Marisa which I love. Red is such a romantic and dramatic color for portraits, it photographs beautifully. Marisa brought a few props to add visual interest to her photos, a bouquet of flowers and heart shaped balloons. For February, we were pleasantly surprised to see roses already blooming in the garden. This is one of my favorite locations for an engagement photoshoot. Let me know in the comments what you love about these photos.

Did you like what you saw in these San Antonio Engagement Portraits? How do you want to be photographed?

San Antonio Bridal Portrait Locations to Consider

January 06, 2020 • 7 Comments

I am updating this blog post, because this is always a huge part of my year, planning bridal portrait photoshoots! I have shot countless locations in and around San Antonio, and this year I have a few new locations I hope my brides will consider. Everyone's situation is different, but keep in mind a few things when deciding where you would like to be photographed.

First think about your wedding style, the style of your dress and envision what type of setting you see yourself. Are you in a ballgown, or a sleek satin gown, or ruffles and boots? What time of year do you plan to shoot, and is it necessary to consider a back up indoor location in case of a wintery rainstorm? I recommend shooting at least a month prior to the wedding day to ensure we have enough to edit and have prints made. Keep that in mind when shopping for the dress! All fittings should be complete 2 months to six weeks prior to the wedding day. Now let's talk about some of my favorite locations to shoot:

Cibolo Nature Center | Everyday Dawn until Dusk | $20 donation

For that rustic, Texas bride feeling with wide open skies, grassy fields, and a river. What more could you want. This is a gorgeous location anytime of year, but the only rain plan is to reschedule. The river is lined with tall maple trees, which means absolutely gorgeous color in the fall.

San Antonio Bride San Antonio Bride

Southwest School of Art | M-F 9 AM - 4 PM | Free

So, this is one of my favorite places to take brides, not only because it is versatile, architecturally interesting, and a great setting on a good and bad weather day, but also it's free. As long as you make an appointment during their Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM staffed hours, Southwest School of Art supports artists and allows you to come and shoot. If you are not having your wedding at SWSA, they do ask that you come dressed and do not use the dressing rooms or bathroom to put on your dress. I have shot some lovely portraits there. Here are a few examples.

Southwest School of Art Bridal PortraitBridal Portraits by Aria Productions at Southwest School of Art Southwest School of Art Bridal PortraitBridal Portraits by Aria Productions at Southwest School of Art Southwest School of Art Bridal PortraitBridal Portraits by Aria Productions at Southwest School of Art Southwest School of Art Bridal PortraitBridal Portraits by Aria Productions at Southwest School of Art

2. Landa Library and Conservancy | Always Open daylight hours | Free

This is another beautiful location, however you will need to obtain a permit from the San Antonio Film Commission 6 weeks in advance of the shoot. (Links below to the process for obtaining a permit.) There is also interesting architecture found on this public space, and I would really like to learn more about the origins of the archways overlooking the gardens.

Landa Library Bridal PortraitSan Antonio Bride photographed at Landa Library by Aria Productions

3. San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden | Always Open daylight hours | $20 Photo Permit

This space has recently undergone some rebuilding and it is such an inspiring location for a bridal portrait. You feel like you're not in San Antonio, but maybe an island somewhere in the Pacific with a majestic waterfall. I definitely prefer to shoot here early in the morning to avoid harsh light and crowds. However, I can make it work any time of day. Go onto their website to obtain a permit for individual portrait sessions.

San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden BrideSan Antonio bride photographed at San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden by Aria Productions.

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4. The Dominion Country Club | By appointment only | $250 Photo Permit

So, if you would like privacy, a beautiful location, with green rolling hills a pond and a glorious water feature, this may be your space. I love shooting here because the catering staff takes such great care of you and your guests, they allow you to dress on the property, you have up to 2 hours to shoot, so no rush and there are so many options for creating a unique bridal portrait. I have shot here in the summer and the winter, and it is always a great location.

Dominion Country Club Bridal PortraitSan Antonio Bride photographed at The Dominion Country Club by Aria Productions Dominion Country Club Bridal PortraitSan Antonio Bride photographed at The Dominion Country Club by Aria Productions

San Antonio Missions | By Appointment, Permit Required | $172 after hours, $136 during park hours
I love shooting at the Missions, but there are a few things to know. You must apply for a permit through the National Park Service and schedule your shoot in advance. The cost for this permit is generally $172.00 which includes the non-refundable Special Use Permit application fee of $50.00, the $50.00 location fee and $72.00 for NPS staff overtime (2 hours X $36.00/hour) as all permits outside of normal park operating hours (9AM – 5PM) require NPS staff monitoring. I have shot in the middle of the day here, but you never know if a busload of school children will be visiting during that time, plus the light is better in the evening or early morning at Mission San Jose.

San Antonio Bride at Mission San JoseThis was shot mid day, at The San Antonio Missions.

Mission San Jose Bridal Portrait

Mission Concepcion Bridal PortraitClick to see more!

Éilan Residences and Shops | Always Open daylight or evening hours | $Free (as of this post)

I love a big dramatic, architectural bridal portrait, and Éilan is just perfect for that. So, in order to shoot inside this gorgeous luxury hotel, you must be a hotel guest or having your wedding at this hotel or pay the hotel fee which I believe was $560 only on certain dates by appointment last time I checked. That is totally fair, but for those of us who are looking for interesting architecture in the backdrop of a portrait, we can certainly do the work in the exterior of the hotel, residences and shops for free and get some really amazing portraits. Again, this is a public space, so not a lot of privacy, but it is so dreamy and mediterranean. My only worry is that at some point they will decide to enforce a fee just to keep all the photographers from overrunning the place on those beautiful spring days.

Éilan Bridal PortraitSan Antonio Bridal Portrait at Éilan Resort and Residences and Shops by Aria Productions Éilan Bridal PortraitSan Antonio Bridal Portrait at Éilan Resort and Residences and Shops by Aria Productions

Red Berry Estate| By Appointment | $500 + tax

A hidden gem north of downtown San Antonio, this luxurious estate is a bride's dream! I recommend a weekday morning or evening to capture golden light sparkling over the lake or through the gorgeous fountains. See a glorious bridal shoot here.

Here are a few more:

Location	Fees (charged by the venue)
Cibolo Nature Center, Boerne	$20
Roszell Gardens	$75
Japanese Tea Garden (best early morning or weeknight)	$20
The Orchard Studio (Castroville Area, appointment required)	$25
San Antonio Botanical Garden	$195
McNay Art Museum	$30
McNay Art Museum Courtyard and Interior Foyer (appointment required)	$125
The Gardens at Old Town Helotes by appointment	Free when available
Landa Library (photo permit required, 6 weeks notice)	Free, (permit required)
The Pearl (best on a weeknight or early morning 8 AM)	Free
Southtown	Free
San Antonio Riverwalk by	Free
-Museum Reach	Free
-Southtown/King William/Johnson Street Bridge	Free
Local Public Parks -	Free
Brackenridge Park	Free
-OP Schnaebel Park	Free
-Friedrich Wilderness Park (Awesome Fall Color Dec-Jan)	Free
For Christmas Lights: Riverwalk, Travis Park, Under Navarro Street Bridge	Free

These are just a few suggestions for you. Search my blogs for other bridal portrait locations, and if you have any suggestions, definitely leave a comment down below. My prayers go out to all the federal furloughed workers, that this shutdown will end soon and get our country back to work. In the meantime, please reach out to me if you have any questions or would like suggestions for your dream bridal portrait.