A little something from yesterday...

1 from the wedding I did yesterday. I can't say I'd ever think of processing a photo such as this the way I have here, but I kinda like it. Anyone with an opinion: would it be good or bad to attempt to process all (the formals, I mean) in this sort of way? Too over the top? Maybe tone it down? I don't know, like I said, kind of an experimental thing but whatever.

I like it, but that doesn't really count as an opinion.

Not knowing what the original looked like, I find it hard to say. I definitely wouldn't say the feel(color/contrast) is over the top, especially considering the content. A playful image like this, in my opinion needs an embellished look. Otherwise it just looks cheesy.
The pop from the contrast and lighting definitely validate the pose, but that's where I get confused about how much processing has been done. (other than sharpening and vignetting) From this shot I can't really tell how much of the contrast comes from the light and how much was from post production.
I always feel that there is a minimum amount of contrast that is mandatory depending on the lighting conditions of the shot. No big revelation for you I'm sure but, at least making your blacks black and your whites white. The processing that is then left to the photographers choice is what to do with the mid tones.
I guess all in all, I think whatever was done to this could be followed thru to the rest.
On a side note, I think the pop that the flash gives the image is definitely grabbing to the eye. My criticism is one that a mentor gave me a while ago. Hot custom lighting can really grab the eye and give an image appeal, but the photographer really has to ask "is the lighting is flattering to the subject or just the photographer?". The guy on the left looks great. Nice highlights to the front of his face with nice transition towards the ears. No one else really seems to get the benefits of that lighting. I'm not sure how flattering this light is on the woman's face. The shadow on her neck is somewhat distracting, as is the little patch of shadow on the other guy's(right) chin and hand.
The reason for flashy(ha ha, punny) lighting is to help embellish the subject's features, to complement the subject, control the eye and to add mood. It almost feels like the lighting choice was more to accent the image not the subjects.

As I read this post over, I realize that this may come off as harsh. Please understand that I've said this with the greatest respect and intention. You obviously have an eye and a great technical understanding of light, now it's just the aesthetics (just to get everything else to the level of your skate shots.
This was exactly the same advice I received, and it was the best thing I could have ever heard.

Ditto on the shadow - you could dodge it a bit. The person on the left also has a hallow following his pant-legs. It is a bit too small of a photograph to really judge anything. I like the tree in the background and the V-shape it makes complements the subjects and their poses. Whether or not it is an appropriate way of processing the photograph rests mainly with the recipient of the photo