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Past Few Months {May to August}

  • Posted on August 30, 2010 at 9:02 pm

May 29th was cloudy here in Jacksonville, but beautiful in St. Mary’s, Georgia where John and Angel tied the knot.
The Ceremony was lovely in the quaint historical church – Our Lady Star of the Sea. The couple did everything online, but with intensive planning and a little faith they had the wedding of their dreams! Congrats John and Angel- I hope the years bring you many smiles!

June brought a fun night of music! I got the distinct pleasure of covering the concert Featuring: The John Brandon Project. They Rocked! It was such a fun experiance and my first visit to Freebird at the beaches. If you ever get the chance to see them in concert don’t miss it! Not only was it fun, but they donated the ticket proceeds to VH1 Save the Music! Nothing like a little heart with your music. Congrats Guys!

July was heartwarming! I got to wittness and capture my 2nd Naval Homecoming. Courtney hired me to get her hubby’s return – As exciting as it was there were tears from many (including myself). Nothing touches your heart more than a military homecoming, or a surprise proposal :) I was lucky that my hubby was deployed before we met, I didnt have to endure those never ending months that many military spouses do. That alone is admirable! Thanks Courtney for sharing your moment! Military wives are tough! Thanks to the men and women in the service and for those who wait for them to return.

August has been the busiest of my summer- don’t get me wrong, I love my photography, but the little break was nice. There is nothing like a beach trip just for relaxation! A little rest and I was more than ready to hop back in.
August started with Jordan and Mark. With a busy month ahead for all and new school year starting, Mark and Jordan, wanted to capture their engagement photos early. We met at Vilano and enjoyed some time taking in the scenery. Jordan and Mark are a wonderful couple who will be celebrating their marriage next May. Congrats on the Engagement guys, can’t wait for the wedding :)

Tyler is a beautiful and bright young lady who is entering her senior year at Wolfson. She also got to visit the beach with me. Such a bright sunshiney morning to complete our shoot! We were even surprised with a few playful dolphins in the background. There is a good way to enjoy your Senior Portraits for years to come :) Good luck Tyler – Senior Year goes by all to quickly!

I am still working on Kelley’s Model session from last week, those should be done in a few days :)
I have some exciting events coming up in the next few months. Stay posted to catch the first news!
Thanks again for reading. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Vanessa

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Planning a Beach Wedding

  • Posted on September 26, 2009 at 2:49 am

Hello,
Alright we are almost there! Here is article 4 of 5. This one is all about the Florida Beach Wedding- what better place to have it than right here in NE Florida? Hopefully these little tips can help you get a grip on your fairytale wedding.

4. Planning a Beach Wedding—
You’ve found the dress and chose the cake. Checked out venues, but the beach still calls to you- Don’t worry you can plan a beach wedding and make it pleasurable for everyone. Here are some tips to help.
First off, decide your time! Search for the sunrise and set times for the date of your wedding. While it is every little girls dream to get married at sunset, you should take into consideration your location and pictures. East coast beaches don’t get as beautiful sunsets as west coast beaches would. Luckily in Florida that shouldn’t be too big of a problem.
Secondly, are you willing to get pictures with your groom prior to the ceremony? You need to decide this if planning a sunset wedding. I personally would recommend setting your ceremony time one and a half hour prior to the ceremony. This gives you time for the complete ceremony and all of the little glitches that happen to all weddings- making you start late. After “sunset” lighting is difficult. Most photographers will not use flash during a ceremony because it is so intrusive. Without enough lighting your pictures can suffer, this can be avoided by taking your posed shots before the ceremony or changing your ceremony time a little.
Finally, check your tide tables! The last thing you want is to be run off the beach because your perfect decorations were ruined by high tide. This is so important, especially if you don’t have a lot of beach to work with anyway. You need to make sure your rental vendor understands you have chosen a beach venue, and will stay for set up and take down. Verify your weather and rain chances. Have a backup location and check the temperature for your timeframe. You don’t want to sweat all over your beautiful gown because you ignored the weather channel.
Beach weddings can be very romantic and priceless, just pay attention to these tips. They will make your day go a whole lot easier.

Happy Planning!
Vanessa

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Wedding Photography Advice

  • Posted on September 26, 2009 at 2:28 am

Hello Again,
In these next couple of posts I will be sharing some pretty valuable information with you– If you are remarrying, getting married, planning a wedding, or hoping for a wedding please read these articles.
These are a few articles I wrote for pictage.com and am finally getting up on my blog. Feel free to leave comments or contact me with any quesitons. Enjoy!

1. Advice from a Photographer—-

Your day has come and gone and while still fresh in your mind little details are starting to slip away, like was the dress Aunt Rita wore leopard print or tiger print? Not to worry though you have your beautiful pictures to fall back on… Right? Trust me this is not something you want to worry about later. Always remember your cake is wonderful, your venue spectacular, your dress is perfect, but without your photographer you won’t capture it all.

Wedding photography is one of the most important and under budgeted parts of your wedding. General rule of thumb you should allot 10-15% of your wedding budget to your photography- after all your memories shouldn’t be trusted to just anyone. It is not uncommon to book your wedding venue 12-18 months prior to your wedding date, and once that is done one of the next items should be the photographer. The internet has become very bride friendly- USE IT! Craigslist to Wedding Bee- you can find hundreds of photographers in your area. All pro-photographers know the importance of websites, so feel free to narrow your search down based on the results of their sites. Check out their photos, prices, qualifications, blogs- anything and everything to get a feel for them. Narrow your list down to 10 or so and call to set up meetings.

It is very important to meet your photographer! When you do meet with them take a list of important topics to be discussed that way you don’t forget in all the excitement. Pay attention to your comfort level, how you get along, and how willing they are to answer your questions. A good photographer will have a list of questions for you as well. Take notes on each photographer that way when you make your decision you can reference them – you will find out after the third or fourth everything starts to run together. Look at the albums and portfolio’s, talk about styles, discuss your wants and needs, and then talk pricing. SET YOUR BUDGET IN ADVANCE! Know what you have and where you will be willing to bend. If you love #2 but their price is $300 higher than your budget, but #5 is great too and more affordable- you then need to decide save the money and settle or tighten your belt and find the money. Follow your gut, but be willing to negotiate. A lot of times independent photographers will be willing to negotiate to get your business, where a big studio doesn’t need to. Always ask if who you meet will be the one to take your pictures…
Most photogs are willing to include or quote engagement sessions in your packages. Do this about 2-4 months prior to the wedding. It is always nice to have and you can use these pictures for customizable save the date or thank you cards!

Ask your photographers about other vendors they work with or know, you may be able to find someone you never even heard of like this and you have a pro telling you their opinion. Don’t be afraid to ask- whether it’s pricing, vendors, tips, or shots. It is your day and we will work with you. If you have a special request list bring it with you too, photogs will be able to say if they can capture everything upfront.

Do your homework and listen around. You can find anything on the internet, don’t be afraid to Google your photog or other vendors. The more planning time the less stressful you feel, never settle because you just want to be done! Set up your budget and be willing to negotiate with your photographers, and all vendors. Just keep in mind these are your memories- Good Luck!

Thanks,
Vanessa

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A note to brides…

  • Posted on June 3, 2009 at 6:51 pm

Hello Everyone,
This is a special note to all brides— I know you will find it useful.

First off, Congratulations on your engagement! I understand how exciting this is for you and how stressful it will become. Regardless of how far away your date is or how small your budget, proper planning must begin immediatley for your dream wedding. To better help you I have created a links page on my website that connects you to hundreds of local vendors like Dj’s, Videographers, Caterers, etc. You can also call my friends at Alpha Omega Events and they will help you make your wedding dreams come true. Remember to shop around!

Now that you’ve gotten started let me tell you about my goals for your wedding (should you use me):

~I want your pictures to be breathtaking, to capture every embrace, every emotion possible.

~I want these pictures to tell YOUR story – one glance and you remember that special moment
in time.

~I want you to look at these (often) in the years to come* to share, to cry, to laugh.

~Should you come across any hard times and rough patches, I want you to look at your pictures and be flooded with emotion. You should be reminded that getting married was the best decision you ever made- NO regrets!

~When you see the tears in your eyes, the nervousness on your face during your ceremony
washed away by the bliss of that first kiss as man and wife, your memories live and my job
is done.

~Your wedding should not just be another day, it should be THE day! The first day of the rest
of your life together. Your pictures should embody that sentiment.

Let me be the one you trust. It’s your day and you deserve that! Reliable, devoted, romantic
at heart- I am your photographer! Set up a meeting to view my portfolio, browse my
website , shop around- but remember it’s not about the money for me it’s about the LOVE.

I offer customizable packages and many special options to give you what you want.

~~~You will never worry with me behind the lens!~~~
Wedding to portaits- your memories shouldn’t cost a fortune

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Wedding planning made easy…

  • Posted on June 3, 2009 at 6:32 pm

Hello Everyone,
Today I had a meeting with Alpha Omega Event Coordinators, and I must say I am most pleased with the experiance!
I often get brides looking for more help, and unfortunately I am only a photographer. However I have found the silver lining you are all looking for. I have joined teams with Alpha Omega Events (offering my photography services) they provide everything and anything you can dream of. Linens, centerpieces, catering, even hall rental. Do not miss your chance to meet with them, they can answer any question, and work with any budget. I know how stressful planning is – its nice to see smiling faces on your side. That is what you will get with them. They all have wonderful personalities and a lot of knowledge about the wedding industry here in Florida. Not only will they connect you with me, but they have many other vendors (photographers included) you will most definitely find the means to make your wedding day a dream come true.
Thank you Zandra and Walter, I enjoyed meeting you and I look forward to a wonderful business relationship.
Thanks to all my readers— I hope to work with you soon and think twice about planning your wedding or next event all by yourself.

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