I met Barb and Joe last year, they explained to me that they wanted to have a simple church wedding ceremony.  They would also have a nice elegant reception under a tent in their spacious back yard at their Franklin TN. home in late April…complete with a dance floor, live band, bartender, and catering, but they did not want a cake, but rather cheesecake bites or ice cream to satisfy the sweet tooth! Sounded like a great time to me! They are both affluent business professionals and knew exactly what they wanted, and it would be the second marriage for both of them. They were looking for a wedding photographer who could tell the story of their day and capture their love and fun everyone would have at their wedding. Journalistic wedding photography coverage was their preference because they did want some group formal portraits with the wedding party but didn’t want that to monopolize too much of the time, so they wanted to rely mostly on candid and fun photos of the wedding party, family, and guests. And they made it an unplugged event so they got the best performance from us, it was wonderful. Just good and classy people having a great time, and leaving the work to the vendors Now for the photos! The ceremony was at the Grace Pointe Church in Franklin, TN. As you can see, the road in boasted some beautiful Spring flowers.

Now for the groom party and family portraits and candid photos at the church!

Now for the bride and the bridal party, as they anxiously await the ceremony!

Now time to move on to the ceremony!

Newly married and obviously delighted couple! Now we hightail it to their house, where the tent set up with the food and drinks, and live band await the couple and guests! First, some candid wedding party photos Congratulations Barb and Joe! The pleasure has been ours!

And of course some candid style bride and groom photos, to show their new commitment to one another and love for one another!

Now we go in the tent and capture the festivities….the first thing I better do is capture the elegant food presentation by Two Fat Men Catering, before guests devour it The caterer’s website is here http://www.twofatmencatering.com/

Now to capture some fun between the reception guests and the bride and groom! Mostly done documentary style. Hope you’ve enjoyed!

This time, I am referring to the greatest compliment, as a wedding photographer, I could receive from wedding guests. The couple books me based on my work and my ability to tell their story, as well as how well my personality would be a good fit for their event. The guests aren’t usually familiar with my work when we arrive. But what they do see is how well organized and efficient we are as the wedding photography providers. Also how polite and courteous we are. And fun and entertaining to work with. Most of the wedding guest compliments I get are because we are fun to work with and try our best to keep things together, even if others get frazzled. That’s one reason wedding photography is an art and a psychology. Also, if we are doing portraits, they always appreciate it when we are efficient with lighting setups, and don’t drag the process out. We work efficiently and don’t have to take 3 million photos to get a few good ones and waste the guests and couple’s time, and exhaust everyone….not to mention putting the event behind schedule. And perhaps the best compliment I can have, is when guests say they barely noticed us at times, and we were fun to work with. Great balance between not being invasive, but yet efficiently getting the photos for the client.

These things are also important to the couple……but those are the only things the guest sees, and that’s the impression we wedding photographers leave them with. Once they see organization and efficiency, they are confident the photos will be good. That alone gets me referral business from the guests sometimes, and I have no clue if they saw the couple’s wedding photos or not. That’s one reason it’s important to have good guest relations. I don’t even like to have to ask some guests to allow us to finish photographing the couple or groups before they do it themselves. Some you just do though, sadly. But if that’s what I have to do to preserve the product I provide the client and keep things on my end efficient, then we will do so as politely as possible….and most people understand.

This mainly pertains to my role as a professional wedding photographer, and the conflict that sometimes arises….overzealous guests in every row of the ceremony sticking themselves out in the aisleways recording the action with their phones, cameras, tablets, and video cameras…..and without fail they get in some of the professional photographer’s photos. Or trying to photograph groups I arrange and stages I set, or photobomb at the reception. I have photos like that, but do not wish to make them public, out of respect for the couple. Though usually my events don’t have much problem in that regard, because I do my best to weed this out up front with the couples. My contract clause covers no other photographers working while I am, but no contract can govern guest behavior. This is where I encourage the couple to set that precedent with their family and guests.  Not to make my job easier, but to allow me to do a better job for them, that I am being paid a lot of money to do. And also I can stay the good guy if I’m not the one who has to ask them to refrain from photography until I am done working. (though during ceremonies I can’t say a word, only think to myself how freaking rude and disrespectful can people be) LOL.

Now, the two sided coin. Some might say, well who cares, as long as you are getting paid to photograph the wedding, who cares what they do? As long as your contract covers you against acts of God and disruptive guests, you’re legally covered, and at the end of the day, you got paid. Well, I can understand how some feel that way, but to me it’s short sighted. It works for low priced shooters who probably won’t be around in 2 years anyhow. I’m not super high priced, but am out of that price point bracket, and provide quality journalistic wedding photography, professional post production, and beautifully designed albums and coffee table books….not a here’s a pat on the butt and a CD of photos for you. I believe in providing customer service of a higher caliber, and taking ownership in the end product I provide for my clients. It’s a better representation of my work that way, and a better representation of the couple’s wedding. In turn, I get better quality referrals that I rely on. If the couple would rather let their event turn into a paparazzi circus, let them shoot the wedding, or hire the hobbyist from Craigslist. Sometimes there really is such a thing as bad money.

I know I’ve had similar discussions both here, and with clients in person. But I found a great article on a colleague’s Facebook page that I just had to share with everyone! It’s a writer for Huffington Post who shares her experience with viewing her parents’ wedding album from 40 years ago, and the value it holds to all of them today. And beyond that too. Digital technology comes and goes, but photos and albums never go out of style if done correctly and the quality of print is up to par. It’s a much more personal touch and tells the story more effectively. Really, with the different options available today, there’s no excuse not to have your wedding photographer provide you with an album or coffee table book to finish telling your story.

Digital copies only, in my opinion, are not “good enough” especially when I have affordable coffee table books in my packages. I don’t advise careless spending to any of my couples. It is about responsible budgeting though. And how to get the most of your investment. Also, things that are luxuries or less important, to cut, in order to free up money to make a better investment for services being provided. It’s hard to think of later sometimes when budgeting, but think of it like this. If you pay $1000-$1500 and only get digital copies for your wedding photography….or pay even $700-$1000.00 more and get a beautiful album or coffee table book (tangible goods) 20 years down the road, will you be glad you saved that money and really got nothing for it? Or would you actually begrudge spending a little more and actually getting something that future generations can have to look at?

Here is this lady’s take on it, very interesting, and I learned things too….interesting way to think about how printed photos are swapped out over the years, but not the album. Enjoy! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-trenske/the-case-against-good-enough_b_2967170.html

Nope, not an April fools joke Just a few months ago, the print lab who does my wedding albums and coffee table books came out with a brand new product. A continuous bind album. This means there is no gutter in the book….it’s a coffee table book with a hard photographic cover, and the pages are photographic paper instead of press printed, like standard coffee table books offered before were. Which is also an excellent yet affordable product, that’s how I was able to offer them in my wedding photography packages. But the new seamless bind books have seamless pages, which means when the book is open, it lays perfectly flat! A photo spread that spans across 2 pages is known as a double truck in the publishing industry….that means with this album, that scene is uninterrupted by a book gutter or seam! That alone is a HUGE upgrade! Plus the photographic paper surfaces are offered in semi lustre (my favorite) and metallic! Which means better durability and print quality, as well as color accuracy!

When I learned about this new product, I upgraded 2 of my customers this past Fall, to this design. I got to see it and personally deliver it….They LOVED it and I am also well pleased with this product! It is slightly higher cost than the standard or UV coated coffee table book, but well worth it. Therefore being a great representation of my work. For that reason, I am upgrading all wedding photography customers with a coffee table book in their package, to this design at no extra cost to them, at least for the remainder of this year!  It will be money well spent and a way to show my appreciation to my clients! I now have a semi lustre 10×10 continuous bind album ordered for my newest studio sample. In the meantime, here are a couple stock photos of this product, from it’s manufacturer. I’m very excited to bring you this wonderful upgrade, it’s a very high end product for an affordable price! Win win! A slipcase and presentation box will be included to preserve the albums!

This is kindof one of those “how long is a piece of string” questions, but the answer is different for every couple planning their weddings. Lots of variables. Whether the bride knows this because she learned from those knowledgeable about wedding budgeting, or learns from her own mistakes, you don’t skimp on wedding photography because she wanted to over spend in other areas. Well, then you don’t skimp on a videographer either. Since both the photographer and videographer provide a product that remains long after the wedding is over. The two main goals of a wedding are these. The first being that the couple, wedding parties, and guests enjoy themselves. Also, to be left with quality memories of their big day, and time spent with those they love. As I know I have said before, if you look at your wedding photos (or videos) years from now, and remember the good times, and seeing photos of guests and family, some of whom have sadly passed on….you aren’t going to look back and wish you hired the cheaper photographer. I will go over a few key points about choosing wisely.

Photos and video have a very different feel. You can’t compare the importance of them, but they are both very sound investments if you choose wisely. Any couple that has it in their budget to hire a videographer, I definitely recommend it. BUT…..it’s one of those deals, if you are going to bother hiring one at all, hire an experienced and qualified videographer for your wedding. Your friend who has a pretty nice video camera who records his son’s baseball games is not a wedding and event videographer. A good wedding and event videographer knows how to work in low light and any other lighting condition….as wedding photographer need to have that skill too. But perhaps the most important thing a videographer does is knows the placement of their cameras, and how to stay out of the photographer’s shots. Any weddings where there is a videographer I meet them and go over those things with them, and it all works out great. We know the other’s field of view and how to capture the goods, and stay out of each other’s way. That’s when it’s an experienced videographer.

However, there is nothing more aggravating than dealing with an inexperienced or student videographer at weddings. They are just out to get everything, everywhere, and not be mindful of the fact that they are a disturbance while capturing the event….and getting the way of the photographer. The worst is when they follow me or make it a race to see who gets what first. No clue about the protocol or how to be stealth….and not work against the other vendors. Not to mention making it feel like a paparazzi circus. It’s a private event people pay good money for. Misbehavior of any film or camera crew can ruin the couples’ and guests’ overall experience….not to mention costing the client extra money when the photographer has to take the dork video person out of the background of many shots. All those are signs of amateurs. Being an amateur is fine, but you don’t do weddings without experience, under an established service provider. Having an unqualified video person do a wedding really is asking for trouble, and the couple has to be left accountable for that decision. I have examples of a low budget videographer getting in my way when I’m working, but out of respect for those clients, I am not posting photos of it. Those I have worked with and had video and hired me for photography, have always been happy with the end product and the story told. Not more footage, but better footage.

There comes a point for every business where you have to decide what is best for your business and how it relates to your personal or spiritual beliefs. Also, welcoming new challenges and embracing controversy. I live in a somewhat conservative region that is part of the bible belt, so not everyone here supports same sex marriage. Same would be true anywhere I guess, and some wedding vendors may not be comfortable servicing same sex / gay / LGBT weddings. I was presented with an opportunity several months ago to photograph a same sex wedding, they approached me because my journalistic style was just what they wanted. I was excited for the opportunity, and I love a wedding or event that is creative and different. I got to know the two gentlemen, I thought they were salt of the earth and they knew exactly what they wanted, we all decided we were a perfect fit and I would be honored to capture their story and showcase their love.

I knew that I would get support from many people in favor of gay rights, but also could lose some people for having done a same sex wedding if it’s not what they believe in. It was still an easy choice. I am proud of what I do, and don’t keep secrets. And if someone chooses not to work with me because I support the equal rights of another human being with a different sexual orientation, then chances are we aren’t a good fit anyhow. We are talking about fellow human beings, who have families, jobs, own businesses, pay taxes, help people, everything I can do as a heterosexual. So, I see no reason why they shouldn’t have the same rights I have. I feel even more passionately about this since I have worked this event for them. I know some people aren’t comfortable with it, but denying others rights doesn’t make their beliefs or rights any more secure. And legalizing gay marriage or wedding vendors embracing same sex couples doesn’t effect the rights of heterosexual couples.

Each individual vendor has the right to serve or deny service to anyone. I think in this day and age especially, it’s not good for business to deny service because of sexual orientation, but we can’t be hypocrites either. They are entitled to their belief just like I am. In fact I submitted a blog article featuring this wedding to a LGBT wedding blog, and they turned it down because they only wanted lesbian weddings, when their tagline on the blog was ” Real wedding inspiration for queers, lesbians, and everyone else” PFFT! Fascist if I do say so. So unfortunately hypocrisy is alive and well in all walks of life. None of us are perfect. But I am proud to serve the LGBT community and honestly, it was love that I captured in their event. And support of the families. Nothing except the genders were different, love is love. I’m proud to call them my clients, and friends. I talked with my assistant after the wedding, as we always discuss each event afterwards, and learn from the turn of events, etc. I still remember what he said, we’re both better because of it. I agree. We look forward to doing more.

I’ve seen a couple discussions lately in bridal forums online I occasionally visit about finding cheap wedding photography albums, made from the digital photos provided by the photographer. There are some good options more cost effective than others, but cheap, consumer grade albums from online print houses can be very risky. One bride mentioned getting a hundred dollar album from www.blurb.com or other comparable budget print house online and how they have design templates, etc. And how you could never get that kind of deal from a photographer. Let me clarify. You won’t find a price that cheap buying an album through a photographer, but the overall value, I would beg to differ.

I don’t have a huge markup for my albums, because I want people to have a great product for a price they can afford, but let’s be reasonable. It represents my work better and gives my customers something of value, so it is in my interest to put more out there. But I am a business and have to make a profit. I’m not interested in doing cheap wedding photography, or putting out cheap product or cheap albums. I’m good at what I do, and although I’m fairly priced, I’m not out to give it away. Many of these cheap albums do not hold together well over the long haul, the print quality and paper surfaces, gutter and binding of the book, as well as color and exposure accuracy are not up to par.

The albums and coffee table books I put out as well as any professional photographer, have custom professional design which takes time, a quality color managed lab and the best choice of photographic paper surface, a great quality book with seamless pages as an option. Compare the difference and it’s obvious. It’s better to have something you can show to your friends and family, and it remains intact and timeless in style throughout the different stages of your life, and beyond that too. I understand saving money where you can. But a photographic wedding album or coffee table book is a one time investment. When you think about it this way, WHY would you invest good money in a wedding photographer, and then get a cheap, generic wedding album? Seems penny wise and dollar foolish to me. It’s always a better product when you let the photographer finish telling the story. The caterer does their job, start to finish. The florist as well. The officiant. Who pays a cake maker to make them a wedding cake and decorates it themselves? No one I know. Same deal here. For best results, leave the pro’s job to the pro and the money will be worth it.

That’s right! I made a post recently contemplating the idea of delivering wedding photos to clients on branded USB flash drives. For the sake of better presentation value, download speed, and convenience, not to mention newer technology as disc drives not being standard equipment on some newer computers. I approached several previous clients and asked them what they thought, as well as received feedback from my last article when I was tossing the idea around. It was unanimous. Everyone loved the idea for the sake of convenience, portability, and speed. I run an interactive photography business so that helps me know what people want, and how I can evolve to stay ahead of the curve.

For now, these will be used only for wedding photography delivery, and for larger commercial shoots, because I went with a mixture of 8 GB and 16 GB drives. Headshot or portrait photoshoots, I will continue using Dropbox, CD, or other file sharing method. At least until I can get a more cost effective option on smaller capacity drives, like 2 GB’s. But from this point on, these will be available to wedding clients! Here is the mockup photo. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions, that is what makes our business relationship a great one!

This will not be battle of the sexes, honest. LOL. But I think it’s human nature for brides and couples to think about this as a possible part of the equation. But my take on it, it doesn’t matter and makes no difference. Inherently, women are generally more consumed with the wedding process than men are, especially when planning their own weddings. And I hand it to the brides, many are so creative and dedicated to planning their day down to every detail. It’s an entirely different thing to capture it on camera, being a wedding photographer. Like any field, there are some wonderful wedding photographers, both male and female, and some horrendously bad, both male and female.

It’s amazing how people use anything they can for the sake of marketing, and really you have to do some market comparison and research the work of other in the area to know what proves to be relevant and what is snake oil. Really the most important thing is choosing the right style of photographer for your wedding…..journalistic, portraiture, traditional, whatever suits your needs. Their ability to capture moods and details, attention to detail, and personality. I’m a guy, a total guy. LOL. But I’m an artist. I know people. I know hearts. I know what it takes to make a photo. And I notice, pay attention to, and capture moods and details. And my main focus is the people, the details, and combining it all to tell a story for the couple. I don’t have to know the difference between different styles of bridal veils to have this ability, LOL. My 2 cents, if you have those criteria in place, gender is irrelevant. It’s about loving their work and style, and being comfortable with them as a person and with how they do business.

This is something I never really thought about until a recent meeting with a prospective client about photographing their wedding. I showed them sample albums and the future bride noticed that the groom party’s vests matched the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses in one of the albums. She asked me if that was the norm. I had to be honest with her and make my response something like this. Honestly, I never noticed that before, and never paid much attention. The first thing we do when we arrive is notice the surroundings and scout other areas in the vicinity to photograph or bring the parties. From there on, my first goal is to capture the details and the work the couple, and other vendors put in to decorate the event. Also the architectural features and furnishings of the venue. Then my whole focus is on capturing the love between the couple and their families, and just capturing real moments between people.

My style of wedding photography is journalistic / documentary, so a good deal of my time is spent waiting for those real moments to happen. Or making them happen. It’s about the story and the love between the couple, the love that surrounds them, and the mingling between guests I feel that tells the richest story. That’s what I do know. Me being able to do that effectively and get referral business from satisfied customers makes me a wedding professional. Even if I can’t tell you the difference between different tux and dress styles, centerpieces, linens, etc. It’s my job to capture those details as part of the event, not to be the authority on other areas of the wedding and what other vendors do. My attention is on what I’m hired to do, that’s what I know, and I enjoy doing it, I hope it shows

For years, since digital photography became the standard, the standard for image / digital file delivery has been on photo CD or DVD’s. The discs have a pretty good archival quality, if taken care of. Most wedding photographers these days have to deliver digital files to their customers, and the disc is still the standard for many, and what most customers expect. I have always encouraged my clients to load the contents onto their computer and any backup hard drives and then store the disc in a safe place as an added form of backup. Some shlep it around and risk scratching it, which can render it useless. I have learned that some desktop and laptop computers are now being manufactured without disc drives. Even so, there are external drives. But that tells me the discs are being gradually phased out. Like the old floppy disc was in the late 90′s. Which really got me thinking that by me considering USB flash drives as a file delivery option, I am staying ahead of the curve.

Between discs facing eventual obsolescence, the neat presentation value, compact size, speed, and durability, I am considering using USB flash drives for image delivery for my clients. I can even get them customized with my logo, would be a rich presentation! No form of digital media is forever. But periodically transferring contents to newer backup forms, and multiple backup forms is definitely a wise idea. For portrait photography or headshot clients who have smaller amounts of images in comparison to wedding clients, I have the option of using Dropbox or another file sharing provider, or keep some smaller 2 GB drives for those types of shoots. And for wedding photo delivery, use an 8 or 16 GB, whichever is needed. That way I’m not paying for more expensive drives wastefully. Just thinking it’s a trendy, practical, and convenient option and it’s something I may implement soon. Stay tuned

Yup, I finally made it there! www.pinterest.com  is an inspiration board for brides and arts and crafts enthusiasts, where they can pin / bookmark anything they see that inspires them….and in turn share it with people they know. Working now on putting a Pinterest follow me button on my website, and I’m still building the content of my work on my Pinterest page. How it’s structured, is the user creates boards, which are basically categorized folders with a specific theme in it. Makes it easy to separate different types of contents. I set mine up so my photo content is a lot different from what makes sense to put on my website. I have separate categories for wedding venue details and decorations, favorite bride and groom moments, engagement photos, cakes and food, and one dedicated to fine art / female beauty. There will be more to come. But this gives their users to use any of my photos for inspiration for their wedding, craft, whatever they are there to get ideas for. And it gives me an opportunity to put a more diverse selection of my work out there and gives people a feel for how I tell a story with my work, when all the pieces are put together.

So the nice thing is I can help inspire others with my work, I benefit from them sharing / re-pinning my work, and possibly even connecting with brides or other prospective clients in my area. All in all a good thing. I will show up when people search for Nashville wedding photographers on Pinterest, so I am trying my best to put my most creative foot forward. Please feel free to follow me on www.pinterest.com/jayfarrell I hope you see something that inspires you!

Nashville, TN – January 18, 2013 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading online wedding marketplace, is thrilled to announce that {Enter Your Business Name} has been selected as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards® 2013 for photographer in Nashville, TN.

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Jay Farrell Photography’s selection as a Bride’s Choice Award 2013 winner was selected based on the positive experiences expressed by past clients on WeddingWire, the world’s largest wedding review site with over one million reviews. While many industry awards are given by the host organization, the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards® winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with Jay Farrell Photography.

The WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards® 2013 are given to the top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on professional achievements from the previous year. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients. As a Bride’s Choice Awards winner, Jay Farrell Photography is highlighted within the WeddingWire Network, which is comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.

“Each year, WeddingWire looks forward to celebrating the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Network,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Now in its fifth year, the Bride’s Choice Awards® program continues to recognize the elite wedding professionals who exemplify a commitment to quality, service and professionalism. These businesses were chosen by our bridal community for their responsiveness and dedication to their clients over the past year. We are honored to recognize Jay Farrell Photography for their impressive achievements within the wedding industry.”

Jay Farrell Photography is thrilled to be one of the top photographers in Nashville, TN. in the WeddingWire Network of sites, which include leading wedding sites such as WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. We value all of our clients and truly appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards® for 2013.

For more information about Jay Farrell Photography, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/jay-farrell-photography-nashville/3b43a184c110e54b.html.

To learn more about the Bride’s Choice Awards®, please visit www.WeddingWire.com/brides-choice-awards.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire®, the nation’s leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com, Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.

It’s a very important thing for wedding professionals to work together and refer one another, network, etc. If I work with a planner, a DJ, florist, caterer at a wedding and I feel they did a great job, I always try my best to get their business card and network with them after the event. Them having photos of the event, that they helped make possible with their services, is very helpful to them. A florist or caterer etc doesn’t usually have access to professional photos of their product or involvement in the wedding unless provided to them by the photographer. I’ve seen some with point and shoot digital cameras shoot a few of their own. But I do my best to offer them photos that they can use to help their business. It’s just the right thing to do in my opinion. In turn they will remember me when they are asked for a photographer referral etc.

There’s a right way and a wrong way for a vendor to get these photos, if not first offered by the photographer. In my wedding photography contract, it states that my studio is the owner of these photos, and we may use them for our advertising and marketing. But further commercial usage like a major bridal publication would require a signed model release from the client. Usage rights are shared with the client, but they do not have permission to distribute the images to others for their usage. This is why a vendor going to the bride for photos is wrong, and they should know better than to go behind the photographer’s back. Going to the photographer is the right way to handle it. Any photo that pictures the clients and not just a product or setup, that vendor will need a release as part of their contract or have the clients sign a model release to use their likeness for their own marketing. Legally and covering the butt, that’s the best way. We’re small businesses, this helps us, and it showcases a great wedding. The better we can work together and make life as easy as possible for our clients, the better everything is

Another great guest blog article provided by Diana, of DV Couture. Thank you Diana!!

My name is Diana Villarreal and I am the owner and designer of DV Couture. After working as a bridal consultant in a high-end boutique in West Hartford, CT I fell in love with the bridal fashion industry. DV Couture was opened with the intention of helping brides find exactly what they want by being able to fully customize or personalize their hair accessories or veils for their wedding day. We also offer bridal styling consulting and are always open to helping brides, call us at 860-985-3755 or visit out online boutique www.dvcouture.com . Here are some tips on choosing the best places to shop for your accessories and what to keep in mind when selecting your accessories.

It’s all about accessorizing
When thinking of bridal shopping the first thing that comes to mind is the wedding dress, but what is a dress without the accessories? Accessorizing for your wedding day is just as important. In fact not only important but personal, this is the one way you can truly personalize and complete your bridal look! Here are a few tips on choosing the best places to shop and what accessories to buy.

Finding the right place to shop

1. The boutique where you purchased your gown.
One of the best places to go shop for jewelry and hair accessories is the same boutique where your wedding dress was purchased. Most boutiques offer a wide selection of veils and accessories in stock and being able to try on your dress while choosing accessories is the best option. This way you can see your look coming together completely. Just like bridal trunk shows, bridal accessory designers also offer veil and accessory trunk shows. This means more accessories to choose from and sometimes even a discount offered! Consult with your boutique regarding the possible trunk shows and schedule your appointment!

2. Other bridal boutiques.
If you didn’t find what you were looking for where you purchased your gown, call other bridal boutiques. Like with your dress set a budget for your veil and accessories before hand. Call ahead of time and ask regarding their selection and price range of accessories, like dress shopping it is always better to schedule an appointment to fully focus on choosing accessories. If your dress is not available in that store make sure you bring pictures of your gown and details of it. This will help you and the consultant find accessories that will compliment your dress the best. Sometimes trying on a similar dress to your gown can also help you; so don’t feel shy to ask.

3.Online!
Hello! Now in days you can’t forget the Internet. With so many ecommerce sites out there you can find just anything and everything. However when shopping online you have to be careful, quality and service can vary drastically. Look for sites that are reliable and possibly offer styling help or guidance. If you are using a credit card make sure that the site is secured and that contact information is provided. When purchasing a veil always try to request a swatch before you purchase the veil, you want to ensure that your veil will match your dress. Best part of this option is that you can find stores and designers that could fully customize your accessories! You will also find great things in sites like Etsy! (please link Etsy to http://www.etsy.com/shop/DVCouture)

Keep in mind:
When shopping for jewelry and accessories it’s important to keep in mind your dress and yourself. The goal is to feel and look like yourself only more glam. When you are choosing accessories choose something that compliments your gown but most important fits your personality. When it comes to the headpiece or veil most brides feel like they have to wear a veil, I mean is tradition right? Good news, now in days there are some any more options if you don’t love the idea of a traditional veil. Go for a stunning headpiece full of crystals or pearls, soft organza flower combs or a fun birdcage veil.

Some last tips:
-  Shop early. Most bridal accessories and veils are considered Custom Orders, these take anywhere form 4 to 8 weeks of delivery.
- You don’t have to exactly match your dress with the same embellishments but you do need to compliment it.
- IF you have a heavy beaded dress, go for a simple, clean cut veil, you want to balance things out and keep the focus on you and not just the accessories or dress!
- If you are going for sparkle, AB color crystals and beads will sparkle more than clear color crystals.
- If you are choosing peals, make sure you match them to your dress and the rest of your accessories.
- HAVE fun and let your personality shine through your choice of accessories!

This guest blog article is kindly provided by Soraya at Pretty Fancy Invites. They are colleagues that I know from the pro networking forums on www.weddingwire.com . She will address different points and tips about selecting the right invitation style for your wedding, party, or other event. As well as finding the right invitation designer and printer. Their website is www.prettyfancyinvites.ca . I would encourage you to stop by and check out more of their work and discuss your stationary needs for your event! Let’s get to it.

Tips for selecting the right invitation for your wedding really comes down to style and budget. There are plenty of items that are splurge worthy in a wedding, but where does the invitation rank on that list for you. Sometimes it makes more sense to splurge on one or two items that will really give your wedding that “WOW” factor, rather than trying to do it all and going way over budget. Your invitation gives guests the first glimpse of what to expect from your wedding, so of course you want it special; and it can be without breaking the bank.

This new design for 2013, picks up on one of the newest trends of lace and burlap, that will coordinate well with the country, barn, rustic or fall wedding. The illustrated lace on the burlap colored background of this invitation, works well with the weight and texture of linen paper.

Style- The style of the invitation should reflect the style of the wedding and your personal style. Is your wedding formal, semi formal or casual? Is it a garden, country, barn, city or beach setting? Is there a new wedding trend or color you are incorporating into your wedding? Fortunately, there are many unique invitations in a variety of paper choices and colors, that can tie in with the theme of your wedding. These are all available at a variety of price points, so you will definitely find the perfect invitation to suit your needs. Keep in mind, any embellishments on the invitation, such as crystals, lace, glitter or ribbons, will increase the price substantially. Of course you can add your own embellishments before mailing, keeping it more personal and cost efficient. Sprinkle a little of your own glitter on the edges of the invitation, glue on your own crystal or two, tuck a peacock feather into the invitation before mailing, or add a little beach sand.

Beautifully illustrated wedding bands are under the spotlight on this invitation. A clean and classic, black and white color scheme keeps this invitation traditional with a modern touch for today’s bride. It is available on a variety of different papers, including recycled paper for the environmentally conscious.

The white feathers and tulle accents on this next invitation, have a definite Hollywood Glam feel. It would work equally well with today’s vintage or art deco themed weddings, as well as any wedding that incorporates white feathers in the decor, hair or dress accents.

Budget- Of course, budget will play a role in your options and choices. So, setting a budget early, and determining the number of guests to be invited, will keep you on track. Keep in mind, couples and families ( with children under the age of sixteen) only need one invitation and RSVP. Definitely order a few extras and a keepsake for yourself. Plain envelopes may be included with your invitations. Ask if unsure, since that can increase your overall price. You may want to order optional coordinating envelopes, stamps, thank you cards, rehearsal dinner invitations, menus, table numbers, place cards, wedding programs, save the date cards or magnets, and wedding website cards. Personalized stamps are an easy cost effective option for decorating a basic white envelope in comparison to the price of coordinating envelopes, and save the date postcards are definitely more affordable than the magnets. Not all of the guests will make the ceremony, and couples don’t mind sharing, so a few less wedding programs can be ordered. If your venue has basic white plates, a pretty napkin and menu can dress the table up beautifully, coordinating with your theme, and may be well worth the extra expense.

Multiple strands of twinkle lights accent this invitation, making it perfect for any wedding using twinkle lights in the decor. It is shown on the basic paper, but is also available on a shimmery iridescent metallic ice paper.

Finally, it is very important, whether you purchase online or from a custom boutique, that there is a retailer to answer any of your concerns. Host information, reception information, directions and maps, can sometimes become quite complicated, and your retailer should be able to help with the proper wording and guidance along the way. Don’t forget to have fun, be creative and enjoy this very exciting time in your life.

Best Wishes,
Pretty Fancy Invites
www.prettyfancyinvites.ca

It’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know Emily and Brandon for the past 6 months or so and being a part of their wedding day! They found me by looking for an artistic wedding photographer with a journalistic eye, but they also needed formal group portraits as well. They planned and organized the wedding themselves with the help of family, so this was all an overwhelming process for them….it’s times like this when I am glad I can make their experience a little easier, and for them to know that I have the photography handled. When you hire the right people for the job, it’s easier to put your mind at rest and know it will get done to their satisfaction

Emily and Brandon have been together for over 6 years, in face they met in middle school! They have gone through different phases of their lives together and survived the awkward and transitional stages. They know each others’ personalities, how the other deals with any situation, and each others’ quirks. The time came when they wanted to solidify their commitment by getting married! They are a fabulous couple and I know they will do fantastic together, and will no doubt be able to weather the storms and sunshine life has! Congratulations Emily and Brandon!

They got married at the Highland Chapel Union Church, in Ridgetop, TN. about 30 minutes from downtown Nashville. Small town / country setting. This church has significant to Emily’s family, as her parents, and grandparents got married at this historic church that was built over 100 years ago! I really enjoyed learning the history of the church and seeing some of the character it has. Including the steeple and bell! Let’s begin with some photos of the church and architecture.

Look what pulled up! I had no idea this was coming, Emily’s father’s classic 1955 Chevrolet! It would be used as the couple’s getaway car….very pleasant surprise, I had plans for this car already!

Next door at the house owned by the church, the bridal party was getting ready for their bridal party portraits, my goal was to capture some fun and details.

My assistant and I spotted an old abandoned church a block away that we thought would be an interesting canvas for the bridal party group portraits, so off we went!

Now, it’s time to photograph the groom and the groom’s party……..what better canvas to use than the antique Chevy?

Time for the ceremony!!

Now time to greet their loved ones and capture some candid moments, which are some of my favorites!

We must finish the formal portraits now that the bride and groom have seen one another

Now how about some of this fantastic couple, bride and groom photos!!

Off to the reception!

And now the great getaway, and off to their Mexico / Central America cruise! Congratulations Emily and Brandon, it’s my pleasure to tell your story, and capture the great love you have for one another!!

I had to wrap it up with a long exposure of the church….4 second exposure with camera and tripod. Might as well take advantage of the night and historic site to make a little creepy art

Recently I learned a fancy term for this very question. Unique value proposition. This is how a business or service provider stands out amongst it’s competitors and gets the attention of it’s potential clients. This goes beyond the generic obvious terms, like great customer care and un paralled product, professional staff, etc. Those are all things that are necessary for any business to provide! LOL! I booked a Spring wedding a couple months ago, this particular client really opened my eyes to this very question. She owns a marketing firm and really did her homework as I would expect. This meaning she looked at my website and made sure the information she needed was there….looked for reviews online as found on my Facebook page and Wedding Wire page, and looked at what vendors I have worked with. When I met with them, she asked me directly, so why you? As you know, there are tons of Nashville and Franklin area wedding photographers, why do we go with you? I’m used to being asked questions during consultations, and in fact I encourage them! It’s a GREAT question, but I’ve never been asked exactly that way, LOL!

I just told her that I genuinely love what I do, and I have a unique personality that makes the event fun for people, before and after. You want a journalistic style of wedding photography, which you have seen how I capture them and how your story will be told. And you get tangible goods to showcase your event. No dog and pony show with 4 student photographers making it a paparazzi circus, but no nonsense service, with a proven track record of the best customer service you will find anywhere. As a result I have formed many great relationships and get called back for family portrait photography or business headshots later. That was what she was looking for, excellent! Most of these questions I could have answered in the past, but now I say it with greater confidence because of the weddings I have to showcase my work in more recent years, and now I have a much better idea what my unique value proposition is than I did even a year or two ago. I guess the cliffs notes would be my shooting style, storytelling ability, personality and interaction with the customer, the books and products I put out, and perhaps most of all….what customers are saying about me in their reviews. That speaks louder than anything I can say.

It’s no secret after reading some of my articles I’m a huge advocate of an unplugged wedding. This meaning there aren’t cell phones going off and guests aren’t interfering with my work or photo bombing the wedding photos by appearing in the corner holding their camera phone, point and shoot, or even worse, SLR camera. But I’m here to add some humor to it, I think some slightly off the wall humor is needed during the holiday season. I know most wedding guests and family mean well and are trying to help the bride and groom….that or race for the prestige of being the first to share photos on facebook, whatever. Thoughtful of them, but there are other vendors besides the photographer who need help too! LOL

The caterer- Granny or Aunt Judy can make a mean pie, so maybe if they brought their cookware and give the caterer a hand, it might just save the couple money and make the caterer’s job easy Nope, that doesn’t happen. Those caterers are pretty good at aiming hot food pans at people, or throwing knives, so no one really goes there. D’oh!

The DJ- Cousin K dogg can always bring his turntable and microphone, or iPod and help the DJ. Nope, that’s too much like work. Besides, the DJ could start a game of music trivia and make a fool out of K dogg, maybe then he could learn to enjoy the party the couple paid for

The planner- by adding suggestions about how you think things could flow better or look better. Have you ever seen a movie director, or a wedding planner smack people with a clipboard for unwanted intervention? I’m sure it happens, but hopefully they politely shoot them down so they can continue on

The bartender-Help them, sure. They whack you over the head with an empty bottle and let the bouncer toss you out

The florist- Sure, please start with standing up straight, and we will attach the rosebush vines and thorns on you and put lights on you, make like a tree. That way we can do our job and you look pretty while we do it

Venue staff- Sure, this will be an unpaid internship…setup starts 4 hours before, and cleanup can go until 4 hours after the event, you are allowed one pee break

That’s all I can think of now, at least I got a good chuckle out of this, hope you did as well. I know people taking photos mean well, but in reality they are not helping anyone except for their own bragging rights. The couple hires us to photograph their wedding, and paid us good money to do so. If a camera holding, photo bombing guest appears in some of the best photos, it ruins them, you are not helping at that point. If Photoshop removal is an option, you are only costing the client money. Being in the way when the photographer is working only slows down production. I’ve never had a bride say Cousin Joe’s photos were better than ours. This is what we do. The best approach is take a few here and there if you must, but not to the point of making a spectacle of yourself or interrupting the photographer’s job. Guests walking around with phones and cameras is just bad manners. If I were invited to a wedding as a guest, I would be the guest I was asked to be and would not even bring a camera. In the end, that’s what the couple invited me for, not to play vendor. At the end of the day, this is someone else’s event, not a circus or photo op.