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Getting to meet you!

May 9, 2013

Recently, I had a SUPER sweet out-of-state couple contact me about their wedding next summer. You’re probably thinking, what’s so special about that? She mentioned that the two of them will be in town in a few weeks and said it was probably quite old-fashioned of them, but that they would love to meet me in person if I was available. Well, you can call me old-fashioned too because I love love LOVE to meet couples in person if at all possible!!! I cannot emphasize enough how much this helps both of us to determine if we are the right fit!

Although I am naturally a more reserved and quiet girl, when weddings are the topic I can’t get enough! Seriously, I’m quite the wallflower, but when I’m comfortable {a.k.a. getting to talk to you about your wedding!} I could listen alllll day about you two, and also offer a little insight and experience of my own!

I wasn’t always very confident about my meeting clients. To be quite honest, when I began my business it was one of my worst fears. What if I got to a meeting and just completely blanked on what I should say? What if the couple thought I wasn’t dressed “professionally” enough? OR worst of all… What if they just plain didn’t like me?! I found it to be quite a lot of pressure, until I heard TONS of helpful advice from Jasmine Star and other wedding photographer mentors about how to conduct meetings – having fun while also being professional. Then it was like a lightbulb went off in my head! I’m not trying to sell myself to people, not really, at the heart of it it’s about meeting people who have commonalities, being a great listener, and building trust the same way as you begin a friendship!!! WHEW, talk about a load off of my shoulders!

So now when I am fortunate enough to meet my potential clients in person, I feel WAY more comfortable because we are just getting to know each other in a no-pressure situation. Many of the same principles apply to video chat/FaceTime meetings as well, obviously, but let’s be real – there’s just something about sharing stories over a cup of coffee {at least in my opinion ;)}.

Ultimately, I have to thank each of my couples that take the time to meet with me and share their love story – whether it’s in person or online, it’s ALWAYS nice to see your smiling face as you tell me your engagement story, how you’re head over heels for each other, and your plans and dreams for the first day of your marriage. Cheers to you guys for your support and trust :) I’m off to meet one my lovely June couples that will be getting married in just under a month at Sugarland!

Comments { 1 }

Wedding Season Preparation

April 17, 2013

I’m a checker, a double-checker, and a triple-checker. I’m also a list maker, but we’ll get into that another day ;)

Wedding season begins at different times for different photographers, but I’m very blessed to be able to dive into the season in less than 2 weeks!! How did spring sneak up so fast?! I love it! Now I’m just waiting for some buds on the trees and spring flowers.

Along with some nice weather comes prepping for weddings, engagements, and my fun photography adventures, and this is what I like to do to start off on the right note:

Inspiration. I love gathering inspiration in a number of ways, but mostly this happens by getting to know my couples! I also keep my eye out for anything interesting during my daily life and routine, whether it be a J.Crew catalog, an interesting pattern in the window at Anthro, or the neighbor kids playing outside across the street. That’s the beauty of inspiration – it’s everywhere!
Gear. Winter and early spring is the perfect time to evaluate, take stock of, and clean gear as I ease back into spring weddings and engagements!
Prioritize. This is around the time of year where I can start to judge what my summer wedding schedule will look like, so I need to make sure to get my priorities straight and make sure to plan some time for what’s important to me {and also some down time} into my schedule to keep myself fresh! No one likes to be running on fumes by the end of summer, and my family and friends are way too important to me to neglect during the busy season. I’d encourage any business owner to do the same because family time and {insert your personal priority list here} is priceless and irreplaceable.
Order. Not only am I making sure to order supplies, packaging and other office necessities, but I’m trying to be better about getting my accounting portion of my business in order instead of procrastinating. Which I seem to be the queen of in this department ;)
Breathe. It’s like the calm before the storm, so now is the perfect time to squeeze in a date night or two with my fiance, see a live band {last night Jon and I saw this band and this band perform and LOVED it}, and get in on some spin and yoga classes at the gym!

Happy Wednesday everyone! This photo makes me excited for spring and new leaves on the trees :)

engagement-photo

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A new beginning, not just a new site

April 10, 2013

Today is the day I happily get to unveil the results of much hard work, long hours, and countless cups of coffee! If you’ve visited before, you might notice a change in the appearance of my website, blog, and logo – the whole deal!! I have some amazingly talented designers and artists to thank for my new look, including my logo designer Jeremy Treuden, my website designers/experts Morgan and Jayne of October Ink, and my letterpress printer Krista of KVS Letterpress! Words cannot express my gratitude for their patience with me throughout the entire process and their meticulous attention to detail. Thank you again to each and every one of you!! Also a special thanks to my talented friends The McCartneys for squeezing in a photo session with me this winter :)

new website photo 3

However, the biggest accomplishment for me, the part that I am truly the most excited about is this new beginning. Not just a new logo, a new look, or a custom website. While these are important pieces of my brand, the biggest change is that I’ve carefully thought out and restructured my entire business around my core values with one main goal in mind – happy clients! This means happy clients from their first contact with me (often via my website/blog) all the way beyond their wedding day!!

So instead of talking about the new features or pages of my site, I’ll let you explore those on your own and tell you the story behind it instead; some things you can’t know by just browsing the site. As I thought about how I wanted my web presence to look and feel, I started to realize how much it is an extension of myself and my personality (not in some deep philosophical way) and how large of an opportunity this is. What better way to put myself out there and reach out to get to know clients! Whether its your first or your fiftieth time visiting my page, I want you feel as if we’re already acquainted :) I want couples, and readers in general, to get a sense of who I am, what I’m about, and what we have in common just by visiting my website. Below are some of the inspiration images I gathered (mostly from Pinterest) while working with my designers.

Insp board website

Along with a new website, I decided that another big change would be the experience that clients have throughout the time we’re working together! I tweaked each part of that experience to be something that I personally would enjoy as a bride, from timely and friendly verbal/email communication to each piece of my printed correspondence that was carefully chosen to exude my love for simplicity, organic and natural elements, lovely paper goods, and warm, inviting colors.

new website photo 1

new website photo 2

My hope is that when you look through these pages you’ll see LOVE. Not just weddings and pretty dresses and dreamy details, but true, honest, lasting love. I have a passion for my job and my couples because I get to glimpse the deep love that they share with each other and their families and their friends. Not only on their wedding day, but in their daily life. It’s that type of love that gets me out of bed each day and allows me to meet more wonderful people like you!

Thank you for your love and support by reading this post and following me on my journey. It means the world to me :)

Comments { 8 }

Fave Find {March}

March 5, 2013

Are you an Instagram addict like I am? {If so, you should follow me!} Always snapping photos on your phone? Well now you can make a beautiful book or printed keepsake from all those smart phone images!! Whether they’re vacation memories, pets, or just snapshots of your everyday life, you can preserve them in a tangible way :)

There are likely several different companies that make these products, but here are two of my faves!

Artifact Uprising

and StickyGram

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

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In search of a rustic, outdoor, or barn venue in WI? {Northern WI}

February 27, 2013

This mini-series has been both fulfilling and fun to write, and I just want to reiterate why I am sharing these lovely wedding venues with you all. I am a huge believer in love and doing what you love! If it just so happens that you’re as much a fan of the outdoors, relaxed celebrations, and the gathering of family and friends to celebrate a special occasion such as the exchanging of vows, then I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed my little tidbits of input.

Over the past month, my goal has been to give brides some alternatives to traditional venues, in order to help them find a location that reflects their personality, meets their needs, and most of all allows them to have the perfect day with the person they love the most!! My couples {and myself also} tend to be a little non-traditional, so that was my mindset as I spent several hours gathering these venues. I firmly believe that you don’t need to spend a boatload of money to have a beautiful, memorable, and love-filled wedding day; in the end it all comes down to the fact that you get to bind yourself heart and soul to your spouse. That’s it! It doesn’t matter if it’s in a simple backyard or a lavish ballroom – a lasting marriage is what makes a beautiful marriage {and wedding}, regardless of where you choose to tie the knot.

So hopefully this is helpful for all of you lovely brides & grooms on the hunt for a place to seal your marriage and begin a new life together :) Disclaimer: this is by no means a complete list, this is just a list of unique, lesser known venues that I was able to locate! Be sure to check out the other posts about Southeast/Southcentral WI, Southwest WI, and Central/Door Peninsula venues as well!

Last but not least, I’d love to share my favorite venues in… Northern WI!

Stout’s Island Lodge, Birchwood

Lake Superior Barn, Maple

Blue Vista Farm, Bayfield

The Inn on Madeline Island, Bayfield