Monday, December 31, 2007

On Saturday, I attended the Bridesedge.com bridal show and thought I would recap for those who were unable to attend.

If you are a bride seeking a bargain or looking to plan a million dollar wedding on a $20K or less budget - this show was a must-attend! It offered a great assortment of budget-friendly, Nashville wedding vendors. It was not crowded so it was easy to chat one-on-one with your vendor of interest. The vendors were very nice and welcoming, perhaps because they weren’t exhausted from chatting with thousands of brides:) Everyone was smiling and friendly… how refreshing!

Here’s the best of what you missed:

Cakes by Shara - This was my favorite treat of the day! Simply cute, cute, cute! Loads of talent. Check out this custom cake designer, who’s big on style and taste.

(These cookies and mini cakes are great for bridal showers!)

Amber Leaf Events - What drew me to their booth was the extraordinary table setting pictured below. It was simply breathtaking and would leave your guests speechless. After drooling over the table, the owner told me more about the venue. Amber Leaf is an all-in-one venue that can accomodate up to 250/300 guests for wedding ceremonies and receptions. They can handle everything you need - from decorating to catering to the rehearsal dinner. Love it! I can’t wait to see the venue in person but it sounds like a great option for a bride seeking to minimize her stress. It is located in Gallatin, which isn’t a bad drive.

Myrick Studios - Not quite an option for the budget bride but absolutely stunning work. His images remind me of a fairy tale because they seem to pretty to be real - wow! Mike is a Nashville wedding photographer filled with talent. He looks like a cuter, younger version George Michael and has a laid-back personality. (Your bridesmaids will appreciate him as eye candy:) Visit his site and see for yourself. *Disclaimer - If you are a budget bride looking to splurge - check him out; otherwise, don’t tempt yourself. (Hey - dont want you going in debt for your wedding…but if you have to, this is one splurge item.)

Silver Strings - Linda of Silver Strings had the biggest personality of the day! She welcomed me into her booth and kept me laughing. She is a wedding musician and she seems to love what she does. One thing that really stood out is Linda’s willingness to work with her brides. If she doesn’t know “your favorite” song, she will learn it. That’s rare!

Frozen Moments Photography - Kay is another great photographer with an awesome personality. This guys seems to really “get” photography. And, his wife is really sweet so I am sure they will take great care of your wedding party/parents.

Hampshire Photography - A relatively newcomer but a great value! He offers three packages under $1000. Since he is a newbie, he is willing to work with his brides to ensure they get great pictures without blowing their budgets.

Dream Cakes Bakery - Olivia is the owner of this home-based business. She was the first booth I visited and her cake reminded me of a grandmother’s - simple yet tasty. Her cakes are a great value and she offers a wide range of unique flavors. Her ”Cookies and Cream” and “Elvis” cakes sound yummy. (Schedule a tasting and please invite me!) That’s Olivia with her wonderful cake pictured below. (She wasn’t expecting me to include her in the picture!)

Larrivieres On The Square - This caterer offered the best white chocolate bread pudding ever. I am not a fan of bread pudding but I couldn’t get enough of theirs. While I still can’t pronounce their name, I know it must be French for “yummy”.

Some of the vendors highlighted above are great for budget brides, others are appropriate for all budgets. Check them out and see what you like and what works for you.

Remember, with MyWeddingSecretary.com - you never miss anything going on in Nashville that involves weddings!

Nashville Wedding Photo of the Week:

Monday, December 10, 2007

Today’s guest blogger: Martha of Daniel Howell Photography

Service offered: Nashville wedding photography

Focus: a real Nashville engagement session

Here’s the 60 second scoop:

Featured Couple: Casey & Paul, Nashville, TN

Location: Downtown Nashville

When Casey & Paul came to us they expressed a desire to have engagement and wedding photos that were art. This is thrilling for us as photographers, since we’re always searching for clients who are looking for something more in their photos than just goofy grins.

Their engagement session took place on a chilly night in late October. They love their big city life, so they decided to have their session in downtown Nashville, at night. Since the shots were at night, they had to be very still and pose for shutter speeds of up to 6 seconds. We went to the Pedestrian Bridge, played in fog, danced with Elvis and more. Their 3 hour engagement session flew by! With clients who are willing to experiment, take time, and laugh with us, we were able to capture beautiful e-session images.

FAQ About E-Sessions

What do I do with my engagement pictures?

Casey & Paul chose to have enlargements of their e-session images at their reception. With an e-session that focuses on creating art, these images are great for framing and placing in your new home together. You could also use them on your save-the-date cards or even the invitations themselves.

At Daniel Howell Photography, we use one of your e-session images to create your own personal business cards to pass out at your reception. This is a huge hit at weddings – guests love this gesture.

When should we have our e-session?

Normally, I recommend doing an engagement session at least two months prior to your wedding date, since this allows time for ordering plenty of enlargements for your wedding!

Where should we have our e-session?

Many photographers choose to do e-sessions in their studio. This choice is great for traditional standard images. However, we love to go on location with our couples. We urge them to choose places that represent who they are. For example, we’ve had some choose to go the river, farms, downtown settings, playgrounds, and more.

The bottom line is - choose locations where you will be comfortable. And think outside of the box. While you may be used to seeing traditional poses in front of a black background, imagine how wonderful your image would be if your were sitting on top of a bail of hay or dangling your feet into a stream. Anything is possible!
Why have an E-Session? How much do e-sessions cost?

Some people think that having a private session with a photographer to do a portrait shoot like an e-session must be terribly expensive. Well, we don’t think it should be!

An e-session is vital for both the photographer and the clients to get to know each other. Simply put, it’s much easier for the photographer to work with the clients on their wedding day if they’ve had an opportunity to shoot a session with them prior. And it’s a lot easier for the clients to be comfortable with the photographer if they’ve had a chance to work with them as well.

Photographers can charge anywhere from $50-$350+ for e-session sitting fees. They are also sometimes included in your wedding package. Be sure you know what is included in this fee. Do you get prints? How long does the shoot last? Will the shoot be in studio or on location?

When we meet clients who are unsure about their need for professional photography, we like to offer engagement sessions for free (in fact, right now we are waiving sitting fees for engagement sessions for everyone interested).

This way, we can make up our clients mind for them. We have met several clients who were unsure if they actually needed professional photography, and after they saw their e-sessions images they were sure that professional photographers would be a vital part of their wedding day!

Remember that your wedding photography is an investment, and an e-session is not only a great way to get great images of you and your soon-to-be spouse, but also to ensure that your time with your photographer on your wedding day goes as smooth as possible!

-Martha Howell from Daniel Howell Photography (http://www.danielhowellphoto.com/)

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Aloha Nashville brides!

Still in Hawaii enjoying 80 degree weather and yummy frozen drinks. While away, I asked some Nashville wedding pros to keep you inspired and informed. (Am I giving away my job?:)

Today’s guest blogger: Whitney Carlson of Dove Photography

Service offered: Nashville wedding photography

Focus: a real Nashville wedding

Here’s the 60 second scoop:

Amber and Brandon were married at Two River’s Mansion here in Nashville, and it is such a beautiful place! I loved all the textures throughout the old Mansion, and the wallpaper was so much fun to photograph.

What really made Amber’s wedding special was all of the detail that she put into it. Amber is super creative and designed everything from her invitations to her programs. She has a company called Sweet Life Designs where she does everything from wedding invitations to place cards. Amber’s flower’s were beautiful shades of pink and red that were put together by Fresh by Carry Ann. Mary Alice Sublett was the coordinator for Amber’s wedding, and she did a spectacular job. I was excited and not surprised at all to hear that Amber is now working with Mary Alice’s company, A Delightful Day.

If there is one thing that I regret my own wedding is not having a coordinator- so if you are on a limb about whether or not to hire one, I HIGHLY recommend it. Here is a little collage I put together of all her details.

And now for the rest of the day! Here are a few of everyone getting ready…

The pink shoes…

Amber’s flower’s were beautiful, and were made by Fresh by Carry Ann

The beautiful inside of Two Rivers


I love this sweet image of Amber and Brandon after they saw each other for the first time.

The bridal party

The guy’s Playboy Bunny socks…

Amber just before the ceremony (isn’t the wall paper awesome!)

The Ceremony!



And the night ended with a fabulous party…
-Whitney

Thanks Whitney!!! Love the pics, especially the pink shoes. Looks like Amber and Brandon hired some awesome Nashville wedding vendors. I love Mary Alice’s work. Looks like I need to reach out to Amber to see more of her work. She certainly has great taste.To contact Whitney Carlson, call 615-945-3147, email [email protected], visit www.doveweddingphotography.blogspot.com

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

In my search for the best blogs by Nashville wedding vendors, I stumbled across this must-visit Nashville photography blog by McLellan Studio. Aside from being updated regularly, which is always a plus, it has the most awesome pictures! I love bride eye candy and this site is filled with goodies. I love photographers who are able to take interesting, crisp and full of life images. Each pic makes me want to know more about the subject - what’s his name? how’s her life? what did she eat for breakfast:) Mel and Sean - the blogging photographers - are awesome photographers. Did I already say awesome?

Ashley’s Disclaimer - I haven’t worked with them. In fact, I’ve never even met them. So, if you have, I would love to hear more about their customer service. But, if pictures are a worth a thousand words, theirs are worth bizillions.

If only I were getting married again! I bet they could do wonders with the circus I called my wedding party.

Above is just one of my fave pics of theirs. Find more candy on their site or give them a call to see more pics in person. (Invite me too!)