Congratulations, Emily & Glen! Wedding in Houston, Texas
June 16, 2008 | Filed Under Wedding Photography, Weddings | 2 Comments
Emily & Glen were married on Saturday, June 14, 2008 in a beautiful, intimate ceremony at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston in the Museum District of Houston, Texas. The reception followed at the church.
Years ago, Emily moved to Missouri for a job. As her step-dad said in his toast yesterday, she came back to Houston … with Glen. They are such a wonderful couple together, and such fantastic people. I love to see how they make each other laugh. Another thing I love? Glen’s waffles. They are quite delicious! I was treated to them during our pre-wedding consultation, when they invited me over for breakfast to go over the wedding day plans. Emily works overnight at a local TV station, so early morning meetings worked best for her schedule.
Being a journalist, Emily wanted the pure moments photographed. This worked well for me, because I don’t like staging photos unless they are absolutely critical. The above shot was the reaction of Emily being handed her incredibly beautiful bouquet. She just could not stop smelling it - it was incredible!
And before we knew it, it was time to get ready to head downstairs for the ceremony. Emily stopped to look outside, and was happy to see that it wasn’t raining as the forecast had predicted. Matter of fact, it was a beautiful, sunny day! Hmm… maybe Emily should talk with those weather men she works with about that. Then again, we always say that if you don’t like the weather in Houston, wait a few minutes - it will change.
Photograph on the left taken by Elaine Mesker-Garcia.
Photograph taken by Elaine Mesker-Garcia.
Emily’s mother, Diane, wrote an amazing song for Emily & Glen for their wedding and sang it. It was so beautiful, and so very moving. I always say that I’ll start to worry the day that I don’t get all misty-eyed during the wedding ceremony that I am photographing. This was that misty-eyed moment for me. Glen’s mother did a reading during the ceremony, and Emily’s father played an amazing piece on the piano.
At the reception, Emily & Glen share a moment after the toasts.
The Spiffingtons performed at the reception, and they were fantastic! This is the second wedding that we have been to this year where they have performed, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. They kept the party moving and everyone having a great time!
Elaine totally gets credit for the portrait of Emily above - she suggested it, and I executed it. How is that for teamwork?
When Cooper sang “What a Wonderful World it Would Be” along with The Spiffingtons for Emily & Glen, even Louis Armstrong himself would have been proud. I love that song - I had goosebumps from his rendition of it, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one!
And then they were off! We wish you both nothing but the very best in the years ahead. It was such an honor being a part of your beautiful day! I’m testing a new proofing system, and their proofs are online already; select the “Clients” link above, register for the online gallery using your own unique username & password, and after selecting their gallery use the access code which is Glen’s last name to view the photographs. Enjoy!
Wedding Vendors — all highly recommended!
Caterer: Jami’s Fine Foods - Jami & Steve 6600 S Rice Suite C Bellaire, TX 77401 713-661-5264 (Vegetarian options offered at the reception.)
Florist: River Oaks Plant House - 3401 Westheimer Houston, TX 77027 713-622-5350 Ask for Gary
Linens: Party Cloths - 1102 Autrey Houston, TX 77006 - 713-523-0853
Wedding Musicians: Ruth & David Zeger - Zeger Entertainment - 3928 Byron Houston, TX - 713-666-4153
DJ: Adam Zeger - Zeger Entertainment
Band: The Spiffingtons, booked by Zeger Entertainment
Cakes: 3 Brother’s Bakery - 4036 S Braeswood Houston, TX 77025 - 713-666-2551
Dresses: Maison de Mode - 2431 Rice Blvd Houston 77005 - 713-527-8285
Alterations: Maison de Mode
Hair & Makeup: Teri at Cutloose - 1711 Westheimer Houston, TX 77098 - 713.520.7401
Busy Days!
June 13, 2008 | Filed Under Wedding Photography | Leave a Comment
It has been a fabulously productive week around here, but blogging is being postponed for a few more days. Instead, I have:
– Returned from Florida and caught up on almost everything.
– Had my first bridal shoot at the new studio, which was awesome! Photos under wraps until the wedding at the end of the month. Thank you, Brandi!
– Had my first official boudoir session with Tish at Hotel ZaZa - I posted a “teaser” from her session below, but let me just say it was fabulous.
– Had my first official client meetings at the new studio - thanks Sophia & Staci!
– Have made a nice long list of things I need to add to the studio / office before my next meetings there. Including framing and hanging prints on the walls.
– Have proofed and uploaded the following weddings:
The Carson - Robson wedding in New Braunfels, Texas on May 3, 2008
The Banks - Wall wedding at Shirley Acres in Houston, Texas on May 10, 2008
The Harper - Pope wedding in Houston, Texas on May 24, 2008 (partial)
I’m almost done proofing several other sessions too, along with Kara & Bryan’s wedding, so keep an eye out for emails of updates on them!
Blogging to resume next week, when the new “after wedding process” goes into action. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!
Pretty in Pink!
June 5, 2008 | Filed Under Fun Stuff! | 2 Comments
I’m about to unplug the computer, pack my bags, and head out for the Orlando airport so that I can return home. It has been such a fabulous trip to Florida, and I had a wonderful time meeting everyone and learning so many fantastic things. There is change in the air, and it is wonderful! I feel like my head is just exploding with ideas - so now I just need to polish them up!
I’ve had such fantastic interest in the Boudoir sessions that I will be offering starting this month, I thought I would post an update on them. If you have any feedback you would like to share, I would *love* to hear it — I know what I would want out of a session, and it seems to fit what most people want too, but if you have ideas please share away!
Boudoir sessions will be available on location (your house or a hotel room that you rent), or at my studio space in the Heights (starting in mid-June). If you have friends that would like to do sessions too and you want to get an awesome hotel suite and have a mini-marathon, that is fantastic! Feel free to contact me to see what dates are available for that. I am also coordinating a mini-marathon within the next few weeks and will post about it here.
I’ve decided that instead of packages, I will be going with sessions + a la carte items initially. I am planning to have 3 or 4 different levels of albums available, from press-printed coffee table types of books to art books and then complete flushmount albums like the ones I offer to wedding clients. That way, you can choose what fits your needs best! This is where I would love feedback though - I think most people want albums, but does an album + prints package fit your needs better? Or the whole thing rolled into one with the session fee?
Now for the special offer!!! For anyone that books a session in the month of June - it doesn’t have to do the session in June, just book it - the session fee will be waived! (Weekend appointments are very limited due to my schedule.) There is a $100 date reservation fee, and you will get a $100 credit for products that you can use towards albums and prints. To book a session, please contact me through the “Contact” link on all the pages which will take you to an email form - this helps me follow up with you. Sessions must be booked by June 30th, 2008 and the reservation fee must be received within 5 days of scheduling your session to hold the date.
(PS - I’m about to get on a plane so I’ll be offline for about 5 hours between the airport and the flight and the drive home - if you email me today I might not respond until tomorrow. I will respond though, I promise!)
As for the “Pretty in Pink!” title of this post — I have ideas for a new website, new branding, and so much more for this! I told you I was just buzzing with ideas!
(Update: I added a photo from my most recent boudoir session to this post — so now it is extra pretty in pink!)
We Can Constantly Be In Contact!
June 3, 2008 | Filed Under Fun Stuff! | Leave a Comment
I’ve wanted to set up an email newsletter for some time, but just didn’t have a solution for managing it that I felt was a perfect fit. Recently, I’ve started to receive emails sent via Constant Contact, and after getting a few of them in my own inbox, I knew it was exactly what I had been looking for!
I’ll be sending out emails once or twice a month regarding various things happening around here. I’ve even set it up so you can choose what topics of emails you would like to receive (General, Wedding, Family or Boudoir Photography related) so you can filter it down to the type of information you’re interested in. I’ll be announcing specials from time to time via the email list too!
I’ve added a link up top to sign up called “Newsletter” or you can register right here! I hope you’ll consider signing up!
Engage!08 in Celebration, Florida
June 2, 2008 | Filed Under Wedding Photography, Workshops | 1 Comment
I’ll be out of the office and have only limited access to the phone and email for the next 48 hours or so. I’m in Celebration, Florida for the Engage!08 Wedding Business Symposium. Such an awesome concept, I’m really excited to be a part of it! As Rebecca Grinnals pointed out in an email to me a few months ago when I contacted her about it, wedding photographers are great about networking … with other wedding photographers. The same goes for many of the other vendors in the wedding industry. The goal of Engage!08 is to bring vendors from all different areas together so that we can work together, helping one another grow, exchanging ideas, and making weddings as a whole fabulous! Personally, I’m especially excited about having the chance to meet Liene of Blue Orchid Designs, a luxury wedding and event planning firm based in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, in person at last! I’ve been reading her blog for some time now, and it is always full of great tips and information!
As industry leader Preston Bailey pointed out, “I believe it is the first of its kind, a business to business consulting for the wedding industry on a global scale. They say it best so I am going to steal their quote: “Quite simply – no one understands the “ins and outs” of this lucrative but constantly changing and super competitive market better than we do.” Which is absolutely the truth; just take a look at who the founder is! Rebecca Grinnals! That woman is a genius!”
From their own email a few weeks ago (I was already signed up by then!):
This is the final opportunity to sign up for engage!08: the wedding industry’s most exclusive and intimate networking, educational and inspirational event. Join some of the most respected names in the luxury wedding business for a jam-packed day on June 3rd, 2008 at the Celebration Hotel in Celebration Florida!
Speakers include Preston Bailey, Marcy Blum, Susan Moynihan, Simon T. Bailey, Harmony Walton, Christine Boulton, Liene Stevens and host Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts!
Connect with over 60 attendees coming from 8 countries and 13 states including:
Five-star Resorts and Hotels in Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Antigua and throughout Florida.
High-end wedding planners and designers from New York, LA, Chicago, Grand Cayman, St Kitts, Seattle, Arizona, Savannah, Tennessee, Virginia, the Bahamas and throughout Florida.
Award-winning Video and Photojournalists from Texas, Maine, Savannah and throughout Florida.
(That is me! I’m the one from Texas! *grin*)Expert wedding PR, Marketing, Advertising and Travel executives and more! See all the information on the website and the blog!
It all kicks off with a mix & mingle happy hour in the lobby in about 2 hours, and then a jam-packed full day tomorrow. On Wednesday, I’ll be getting together with some of my local photographer friends, including Robyn of Buttons and Bows Photography, and Jen of Soltren Photography. It is going to be an action packed week - and I’m so excited about it all!
Top That!
May 29, 2008 | Filed Under Fun Stuff! | 9 Comments
Planning a wedding isn’t always easy, and there are a zillion wedding related blogs out there. You can add them all to your Google Feed Reader, but what about finding that perfect wedding related blog that you might not otherwise know about?
That is where Weddings.Alltop.com comes in!
Alltop.com is a really cool site that has the goal of providing you with blog summaries from a variety of sites under different topics. When Guy Kawasaki, the owner of the site, visited Houston a few weeks ago to talk about marketing, he asked for feedback on the site. I pointed out that weddings were not listed. Such a huge thing - and it wasn’t represented on the site. I offered to make a list of some of my favorite blogs for them to use on the list, and sent it along.
I’ve been anxiously waiting for them to launch it ever since - and today, it is finally live!
So check out Weddings.alltop.com - where you can find all the top wedding blogs out there, in one place!
