I just can't say enough good things about Gulnara Studio.

Photography was always a top priority for us when planning our wedding. Yes, there are the flowers and the cake and the million other details you worry about - but as a bride 4 month after her wedding, I can absolutely assure you that I treasure my photos from Gulnara the most. As in, if there were ever a fire in my building, I am taking my husband and my photos from Gulnara on my way out. And that's because:

1. Gulnara's photos DOCUMENT. With a Pulitzer nomination under her belt, she's arguably the best documentary photographer around. In a sea of activities, among hundreds of people, Gulnara never missed a beat. Looking at the pictures, she must have been able to sense important moments before they actually happened. At the same time, I never once noticed her presence during the ceremony or the reception. She was invisible, yet incredibly focused. And she documented much more than just the events of the day. She documented also the subtlety in the stolen glances my husband and I exchanged amidst the crowd, the quiet tears of joy on our parents' eyes, a couple in the guests squeezing each other's hands during our ceremony, my grandmother with her usual happy smirk, my bridesmaids trying to touch up my makeup. And when I look at my pictures now, I am reminded not only of one of the most significant events of my life, but also of all the overwhelming emotions I felt that day, and the unmistakable joy and affection shone in my husband's eyes.

2. Gulnara's photos TRANSFORM. Face it, not every aspect of your wedding is going to look picture-perfect, no matter how hard you plan. My hundreds of cupcakes, for instance, were lovingly made by many of my friends, none of which were professional baker. They will always be the best cupcakes I have ever had, because of the memories I shared with my friends. But they all had different color, different sizes, and slightly different frosting :-). I didn't expect them to actually look good. Gulnara's photos of my cupcakes look better than professional bakery websites. And that's not the only example. Everything at my wedding looked better through her lenses. That's the power of photography - in Gulnara's experienced hands, it selects, and transforms.

3. Gulnara's photos are BEAUTIFUL. If I wanted photos that looked like they were shot in Auto-Mode all the time, I would have just handed a friend a digital camera. Gulnara's photos, however, showed an in-depth understanding of light, composition, color, etc. I have regularly read her blog for years, mesmerized by her photos of complete strangers. I look at her website for the same reason I go to Gallery and Exhibit - the experience of human emotions expressed in an art form. And to have her work now, of my wedding, is something I would always treasure.

4. Gulnara's photos are CREATIVE. Like all other brides obsessed with photography, I have spent countless days, months, years, looking at wedding photos on blogs, websites, magazines, etc. Because of that, very little surprises me anymore - I have most likely seen a similar shot elsewhere. But one of the things I respect most about Gulnara as an artist is that she continually experiments and she continually changes and she continually creates. You might have thought you saw her entire port-folio (which I probably did :-)), and yet when you receive your photos, you will still squeal with delight at something you hadn't expected.

I could talk forever about her photos, but there are photographers far more qualified than me who have discussed her work in details. What I will say is that she has given me and my husband a memory we will forever cherish, and a treasure we now share with our family and friends.

And as awesome of a photographer as Gulnara is, she's an even better person. She's as kind and beautiful as anybody you will ever meet. It is an honor to have been photographed by her. It's an even greater pleasure to have gotten to know her.