Friday, October 7, 2011
Nashville is home to some of the best photographers in the business. With so many options, it can be hard to stand out. But Myrick Cowart of Myrick Studios has found a way. One look at his photos will help you understand why so many Nashville couples hire him as one of their most trusted vendors for their big day. His laid back but fun personality keeps his couples relaxed, while he turns their wedding day memories into a work of art. (Note - Our readers receive $500 off of your package. Just mention ABG when you first contact Myrick Studios.)
About Myrick Studios:
Company Name: Myrick Studios
Main Contact: Myrick Cowart
Phone Number: 615-586-2642
Email Address: myrick {at} myrickstudios {dot} com
Website: www.myrickstudios.com
Twitter: @myrickstudios
Facebook fan page: facebook.com/myrickstudios
Number of years in the business:
Almost 7 years
How did you get started in weddings?
I started off just shooting friends and family with my Mom’s point-and-shoot camera. I finally went out and bought a real camera, shot my first wedding and fell in love with it.
What do you like most about weddings?
Shooting a wedding is a total adrenaline rush for me. I am a total romantic at heart and I love being a part of someone’s story and getting caught up in the whole thing. Plus, I love going to parties and being around people, so it’s the perfect job for me.
What’s your favorite wedding picture to take and why?
My favorite moment of weddings to shoot is the father/daughter dance. I have a 9-year-old daughter and I always imagine what that is going to be like for me. I also love the first dance between the bride and the groom because I love to dance.
What is your service philosophy?
I really want to make sure that the brides that I work with are happy. I am extremely laid back but I can also take charge when I need to. I offer a standard package to my clients, but if someone says that they have a certain budget, and they want certain things, I will try to work with them to customize it towards their budget. And my goal is to always try to be done with the photos by the time a couple returns from their honeymoon.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
Personality wise, I love to have fun and make people laugh. I put people at ease and help them relax and have fun while I am photographing them. I really enjoy capturing the fun moments along with the tender ones that happen throughout the day.
I also use many different types of lighting, which I really enjoy. The lighting can really make things pop and change the look of a photo. I do not use a camera flash in most of my reception images - I like to use off-camera lighting when I can. I am able to tailor the lighting and style of the photo to the couple and the vibe they are going for.
Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors – helpfulness, professionalism, style?
2Duce2 Videography – Eugene & Heather Brown (2duce2.com)
CJ’s Off The Square (cjsoffthesquare.com)
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens (cheekwood.org)
Schermerhorn Symphony Center (nashvillesymphony.org)
Belle Meade Plantation (bellemeadeplantation.com)
What is your favorite thing about working with brides (and grooms)?
Every bride and groom that I’ve worked with have become my friends. I make new friends every single week - its what I love about my job. I get to be with them on their special day and then continue having a relationship with them after the wedding is over.
Where can we find you when you’re not working with a bride/groom?
At home hanging out with my kids (and editing lots of photos).
Follow his blog at http://blog.mikecowart.com to see more of his incredible portfolio. To book Myrick Studios for your next wedding or event, visit their website at http://www.myrickstudios.com. Remember, our readers receive $500 off of your package. Just mention ABG when you first contact Myrick Studios.
All photos courtesy of Myrick Studios.
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Posted by Newlywed Sara |
Filed under: Our Featured Advertisers!, Photography, Wedding Resources
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Staying within budget is an important part of wedding planning for every couple. No matter what your budget, there are elements that you have dreamed of that you want to find ways to include in your big day. We sat down with Lori from Crumb de la Crumb to find out a few ways to save on your wedding cakes and desserts.
ABG: Can you share with us some ways for brides and grooms to save money on their wedding cake or desserts while still getting what they have always envisioned?
CRUMB DE LA CRUMB: The first thing is to be honest and upfront with your budget. If I know what your budget is, and I know we can’t meet it, I don’t want to waste your time. If a client doesn’t put a budget on our info form, we encourage them to do that so that we can know whether or not we can work with them up front.
If a client still wants to work with us but we can’t do exactly what they originally wanted, there are a couple of options we can offer:
~ We can make a simpler cake with fewer details and embellishments that will bring the cost down a bit.
~ Or, we can make a smaller cake that will feed up to 100 people.
~ If a couple is having more guests than that, they can get our smaller custom cake and then cupcakes or a kitchen cake (a basic sheet cake without design that is pre-cut in the kitchen). That will save about half on the remaining servings.
Be sure to contact Crumb de la Crumb for all of your event dessert needs. And remember that being upfront with your vendors is the first step to getting the wedding of your dreams for the budget you have in mind!
All photos courtesy of Crumb de la Crumb.
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Posted by Newlywed Sara |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Cakes & Food, DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Real Nashville Brides, Wedding Resources
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Fall is in the air and if you're newly engaged, you might be inspired to have a Fall wedding. If so, today's post is just for you. While there aren't hard and fast rules when it comes to wedding fare, it's always nice to keep with the seasonal themes.
We turned to Jim Hagy, owner of Chef's Market & Takeaway, for ideas for an autumn wedding reception. Jim has been in the restaurant business all his life and his team at Chef's Market knows how to put together a menu and food presentation that you and your guests are sure to enjoy and remember. Here's great advice for creating your fall Nashville wedding menu, by the folks at Chef's Market.
Image by Jonathon Campbell
Autumn is one of my favorite times of year for a reception; although I find it difficult to define exactly why. It could be that the local vegetable and fruit harvest is at its peak, the warm, rich colors of fall, or (more practically) it could be that the outdoor temperature is 20 degrees cooler on average and I can mark a summer heatstroke off my to-do list. Based on the number of receptions we have booked this year, fall is a favorite time for couples as well. Below are some new and exciting ideas and trends I see for this upcoming fall season.
Tablescaping and Design:
Wanting their guests to feel at home, couples have long been breaking free of the tendency to think that a fall wedding reception has to be formal or traditional. The trick is to make it comfortable and elegant at the same time. A stylish look for table tops and food presentation for the autumn 2011 season is what I call “rustic bohemian”. The look is clean and earthy, incorporating farm house tables, antique baskets, wooden cutting boards and using roughly torn brown butcher paper as under-liner for food. In the past, this style might have been accented with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables on the tables for a farmers’ market look -- no more. Cleaner lines are in. A look of abundance is a must, but it should come from the prepared food, not the props or randomly thrown fodder. Decor should have function (i.e. fresh herbs in rustic pots with silver scissors for guests to snip and add to their food).
Left: Image by Jonathon Campbell. Right: Image by Dixie Pixel Photography
Colors:
I love the warm, comfortable colors of fall -- ivory, taupe, black, eggplant, marigold, browns, and copper. These hues are classics that have long been on autumn wedding inspiration boards and are still popular. The surprising color I am seeing this fall is red, a bright red, and it makes sense. What color is your eye drawn to when seeing a hillside of trees with turning leaves? Vibrant red. In the past, I have played it safe with a rusty red, but this year I’m taking a clue from Mother Nature and throwing in cherry red.
Food:
Because couples really want a comfortable environment that’s not stuffy or pretentious for their guests, comfort food continues to be on trend. But there are new trends in comfort food, such as grits, boneless beef ribs, savory cupcakes, and home-style desserts.
Grits: Shrimp and grits have been around receptions for a while…for so long now that it was just added to Shoney’s menu. In other words: Bye, bye shrimp and grits; it was fun while it lasted. However, we’re not ready to give up on grits just yet. A grits station where guests pick from a smorgasbord of grit features can make the whole concept a fresh idea again. Maybe Lobster and Brie Stone Ground Grits, Smoked Gouda Grits, or Wild Mushroom and Gruyère Grits, with an awesome display of toppings like apple wood bacon, caper berries, and fire roasted corn for guests to garnish however they’d like.
Boneless Beef Ribs: Something we continue to perfect here at Chef’s Market are boneless beef ribs, which are reasonably priced and versatile with an endless number of ways of preparation. The way I describe boneless beef ribs to brides and grooms is to ask them to imagine the best pot roast they have ever eaten then multiple that by ten. Whether they are French Braised with a Mushroom Duxelle, are marinated in Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce, or are one of our many other short rib recipes, reception guests always rave about our ribs. In addition to being affordable, beef ribs travel well from our kitchen to the reception site.
Left: Image by Dixie Pixel Photography. Right: Image by Chef's Market
Dessert:
There will always be a place in a wedding reception for the classic wedding cake with its manicured tiers and beautiful design, however, current trends in desserts are moving away from the fondant and toward an assortment of the bride and groom’s favorite desserts instead. Ideas include a variety of home-style cakes, a collection of tasty pies, or a combination of the two. Many brides are opting for a smaller wedding cake, surrounded by bite sized favorites such as cheesecake lollipops, our famous cake truffles, mini apple and cherry pies, and pecan diamonds. Another great option is to include a family favorite which our pastry chef will make from your recipe.
Image courtesy of Chef's Market
Image courtesy of Chef's Market
Savory Cupcakes:
A new idea we’re hoping will soon catch on in Nashville is the savory cupcake. We are doing a lot research and development on Lasagna Cupcakes in our kitchen this summer. Expect to see Benton Farms Prosciutto and Butternut Squash and Classic Bolognaise Cupcakes among others on our fall menus. (ABG Adds: I asked Chef's Market to describe these to me and they say these savory lasagna cupcakes are just small baked pieces of lasagna that are easy to eat with your hands. They look like mini cupcakes but are savory. Sounds great to me!)
Image by McLellan Style
Mini pecan tartlettes. Image by McLellan Style.
Thanks Jim! These are all great ideas and the idea of lasagna (or even Mac n Cheese!) in the form of cupcakes sounds delicious to me. For more ideas and to see what Chef's Market has been up to visit their Chef's Dish Blog. You can also visit their website and contact them for more information on how they can bring their amazing catering to your wedding.
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Posted by Tabitha |
Filed under: Cakes & Food, Inspiration & Trends, Wedding Resources
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Friday, August 26, 2011
Tabitha, Horace (our guest groom) and I are back with our final recap of the Perfect Wedding Guide bridal show. Overall, we loved the show! Loews Vanderbilt made a great location; the vendors were super nice; the show was well operated and there was lots of creativity. We had a great day and met lots of great new wedding vendors and were happy to see many of our wonderful website sponsors.
While we could'nt cover all of the show's wedding service providers, we'll cover a few of our remaining favorites today - from photography and photo booths to music and unique services.
First up, the photo booths...
Ace Photo Booth's video photo booth
A Video Photo Booth - Ace Photobooths
acephotobooth.com
Tabitha: It was almost more fun watching the people in the photo booths as it can be to get in one. Everyone seemed really pleased with their pictures. My favorite was when the two girls (pictured above) both showed their ring fingers to the camera. Alas, my amateur photography skills didn't capture it properly!
Ashley: Yeah, I'd agree. I think photo booths are a great addition to a wedding reception and this one takes video! So, not only are you entertained taking pics but you share the fun by watching your friends inside! As the bride and groom, you get to watch everyone's shenigans over and over and enjoy their personal messages, recorded especially for you.
Horace: I enjoyed all of the photo booths; they varied to give you a better plan to pick the best one. The jury is still out.
A Mini Photo Booth - Nashville Photo Booths by Snyder Entertainment
nashvillephotobooths.com
Tabitha: Snyder Entertainment's photo booth was a little less bulky which makes it easier to fit larger groups of people in the picture. It seemed to appeal to lots of brides who stopped and chatted with them.
Ashley: Brian of Snyder is such a great guy and I love that his booths offer couples a scaled down version of some of the larger booths. As you can see, it could fit just about anywhere.
Wedding Photography - The Collection
thephotographycollection.com
Tabitha: Always a pleasure to see these ladies. You can't miss their booth, it's set up like a cozy living room in which you can view their good work and chat with them. Very inviting, very personable, just like their photographers.
Ashley: The booth was like a mini-studio that spoke well for the company - vibrant colors, great eye for details, and super cool team of approachable, customer-service focused, fun photographers. You can tell a lot about a company based on their presentation; always trust the initial impression. The Collection was inviting and warm - just like their team of photographers. And, their wedding photography is outstanding.
L - R: Jessica, Erin & Sarah of The Collection (Thanks for the picture ladies!)
Wedding Photography - Roland's Photography
weddingsbyroland.com
Ashley: I really like this couple! They love what they do and it shows.
Horace (groom's perspective): They were quite helpful and had a great collection of their work. They really know how to capture the moment.
Tabitha: Roland and his wife were super friendly, I really liked the tile photo frame (pictured) and thought that was a cool way to have your picture on your wall. I wonder if you could make that part of your backsplash in your kitchen?
Roland's debuted the above framed work where images are printed on tile rather than paper.
Wedding Photography - Scoobie Photographic Images
scoobiephoto.com
Tabitha: I was impressed by their guarantee that couples get online viewing of their finished wedding images in just 7 days. They also make discs to give to parents of the couples so no more annoying "Can you email me that picture with you standing here with your dad again?" from either parent!
Ashley: Ditto. I think what Scoobie Photographic offers is truly rare. His turnaround time is unheard of. He also offers a traditional style of photography which parents and classic brides love!
Pretty Stationery - Designs In Paper
designsinpaper.com
Tabitha: It was so simple, but I really liked the "mom" tealight holder. That'd be a great place holder at the head table. You could even have one that says "Just Married" or "Mr" and "Mrs" for the bride and groom. Possibilities = Endless!
Ashley: This booth was so popular that I could barely get in it! But, I've worked with Designs in Paper for years and know that they can do ANYTHING with paper - from paper bouquets to buttons to one of a kind wedding invitations.
Funkalicious - Party Patrol
partypatrolonline.com
Tabitha: I wish DJ Kelly was able to break out some funky tunes to get the party started but it just wasn't that kind of show I guess. One thing's for sure, he was really cool and friendly, two things I'd like from my DJ.
Ashley: I was shocked to see Kelly so laid back. Normally, he is in party mode, as you can see on my funny video from a previous show here. If you need a wedding DJ, he brings the party!
Definitely Dapper - Street Tuxedo
streettuxedo.com
Tabitha: It seems like each time I see Street Tuxedo's booth at a bridal show, they've added more colors to their rainbow of swatches. The guys who modeled their tuxes were certainly very sharp-dressed men! Hopefully that encouraged the brides at the show to use Street Tuxedo for their grooms.
Ashley: Street Tuxedo gives Nashville grooms swag! Their team keeps a pulse on the latest in grooms fashion. I believe in supporting local businesses and love that Street Tuxedo is a Nashville-based, family-owned and operated business. When you go into the store, you will meet someone from the Street family. As such, they value each customer. Their inventory is also local so they can quickly get what you need.
Horace ( groom's perspective): They had a nice selection of tuxes with the wide variety of tie designs.
Great Idea - Music City Sitters
nashvilleweddingsitters.com
Tabitha: Why didn't I think of this? What a great idea. They provide games, toys and entertain your guests' children so everyone has a wonderful time at your wedding and no one has to leave because of a cranky child. Brilliant.
The Groom's Perspective
Horace's take on other wedding vendors at the bridal show:
Olia Zavozina: The wedding dresses were eye catching and definitely got a response out of the attendees.
Catch Light Cinema: I was really impessed with how the company makes you the star of your wedding day.
Tuxedo Avenue: Tuxedo options for the groom were limited but they seemed eager to accommadate.
(Message for wedding pros + show producers: Horace would have liked to have seen more vendors in these categories: spa, transportation, favor vendors, fitness, lighting vendors.)
Be sure to read our recap of our favorite of the show's wedding planners, designers and florists and wedding cakes and catering.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Bridal Shows & Events, Grooms, Groomsmen & Tuxedos , Music, Lighting + Transportation, Unique Wedding Ideas, Wedding Resources
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Many of the wedding planners and designers created reception tablescapes to demonstrate the level of customization they offer for your wedding day. Here are some of our favorite wedding table designs from the Perfect Wedding Guide bridal show.
Hot Air Balloon - Decadent Details Events (Wedding Planning)
decadentdetailsevents.com
Ashley: This was my favorite! I think the idea is memorable and a concept that I've never seen. I gravitate to contemporary wedding designs so the tablescape appeals to that clean line, modern aesthetic that I like. The table design has great detail - from the grass to mini-suitcases that serve as wedding favor boxes. It's clean and simple yet eye-grabbing and unforgettable. It's inspiring.
Country Chic - Regalo Design (Wedding Planner / Floral Designer)
www.regalodesign.com
Ashley: Pretty, airy, feminine. I always love chalk boards at weddings - wherever they are used!
Dreamy Evening - A Magical Affair (Wedding Planner)
www.amagicalaffair.com
Tabitha: This was my favorite. I have a soft spot for birdcages and this one was used to house the prettiest flowers and leaves. The pastel roses went so well with the crinkly fabric which I would never have thought to use for this but it all worked so well.
Ashley: This table was rich and elegant. I loved the linens, the details, the warmth. This was a great table design that grabbed my attention and kept me looking.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Bridal Shows & Events, Details, Design & Florals, Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources
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