The photography of a dove release makes for one of the best memories of a wedding day and is a great way to highlight the first kiss, as was certainly the case at this Orange County Wedding event.
The doves were brought to Pelican Hill Resort in containers where they stayed throughout the ceremony. When the doors to their white cages are slid open, they flew out with grace and impact. It’s very impressive and something the guests will always remember. It’s also a great way to transition to the fun celebration that is to follow.
These doves are actually homing pigeons, bred to fly directly to their homes when released. It is quite amazing when you think about it. The birds always arrive back home way before the handlers do! We have known Pamela of White Flite Dove Release for over 10 years and her doves are always perfect. One important point to note is that when we photograph a dove release, we make sure to use a wide angle lens to get as much of the scene as possible. The doves fly very fast, so we have to take many shots in a very short time. We usually shoot about 20 shots in 5 seconds. There is no do-over with dove releases.
Another kind of release we have photographed is a butterfly release. We have photographed at least a dozen of them and they can be a little tricky. The temperature has to be just right for them to fly out of their little boxes. For that reason, we would recommend a dove release like the one seen here, or a release where the bride and groom are each given a dove after their kiss, and then release the doves at the same time.
Pelican Hill is located in Newport Coast, Orange County, CA.