I am so excited to share some gorgeous photos with you from last weekend’s wedding.  Stephanie and Jason came down from Tennessee with their precious families for a very sweet and intimate celebration.  Kate Crafton, photographer extrodannaire and her second shooter (and rockstar in her own right) Anna Bonick of Hullabaloo Design were off the charts amazing.  Ladies, are you listening?  Kate and Anna will travel down to our breathtaking beaches (or anywhere else, I am sure) and shoot your wedding, and then you can have drop-dead-gorgeous photos like this of your very own!

Stephanie wanted a vintage feel with some modern touches to go along with the beach house where the reception was being held.  The house is a 100 year old Victorian home that has been moved from another town to sit and overlook the sugar white sands of Inlet Beach.  The owners have lovingly refurbished the home and added some beautiful modern touches to its otherwise vintage appearance.

With a small ceremony like Stephanie and Jason’s, I like to do something that feels cozy, like place the chairs in a circle.  The guests sat family style at long mahogany tables, decorated with a variety of white flowers and groupings of turquoise vases and containers, along with lots of candlelight, accented by vintage silver pieces.  The Bride contributed a beautiful collection of vintage crocheted doilies that served as the perfect runner for the tables.

While the steel drums played, guests dined under cafe lighting with lots of love, laughter and memories.  Stay tuned for more details.  Until then, enjoy this little slideshow Kate put together! 

Get ready to pass out…. 

Flogos (short for “flying logos”) just might be THE coolest thing I have ever seen.  In fact, I’m gonna go ahead and say it is my Favorite Find on 2009, and I realize it’s only February!  I’d be hard-pressed to find anything cooler this year!

A Flogo is a mysterious combination of bubbles and helium that can be made into any shape, letter or design (and soon, different colors too!).  The image floats into the air and doesn’t pop…it DOESN’T POP!  It will last for up to half an hour and can travel up to 30,000 feet and a distance of 40 miles!  The smaller Flogo machine creates an image every 20 seconds, the larger one goes a little faster.  Before you know it, the sky above is filled with your own custom “clouds”!

Environmentally friendly, you ask?  Check.

Can they make my initials, you wonder?  Check.

Corporations like Apple, Disney and Mercedes are already big fans too.

And just when you thought you couldn’t put your monogram on one more thing!

The video is cool; seeing it up close and personal is amazing.  Super cool fun!  Somebody run get the smelling salts while I watch the video with you again….

Recently I have been reminded of the amazingly talented photographers that I have had the opportunity to work with or would like to in the very near future.  I was thrilled earlier this year when I had the pleasure to work with the famed Becker and Jessica Claire, both of whom have become legendary in the field of Wedding Photography.   They are super talented and very generous people and I have received a lot of inquiries based on my work with them alone. 

Additionally, I want to share (in no particular order) some names and links with you should you be considering getting married along the glorious beaches of the Florida Panhandle.  After visiting their websites, should you LOVE what you see (and you WILL), but you would like them to photograph your wedding in say, Bermuda, Nashville or L.A instead of Florida…well, I don’t want to speak for any of them, but I’d definitely recommend inquiring to see if they are willing to travel! 

Meg Baisden Photography  (850.445.7724) Meg & Charles are just so cool to work with.  They have impeccable style and their talent blows my mind.  As a planner, I personally love working with them. 

Tim Ludvigson (850.982.3183) Tim is kind and patient and has a great sense of humor.  Nothing rattles him and he is always willing to do just about anything to get the perfect shot (including throwing himself on the ground or leaning around a balcony!). 

Rae Leytham  (850.554.2538) Gorgeous photos and a kind person, Rae (and her husband Wesley) are in very high demand…there really is nothing I can say about the quality of their work that does it justice.  OK, I’ll try…Stunning!

Marla Carter  (850.217.9377) Let’s see, how can I say this?  Marla and Shane ROCK!  Marla is laid back and Shane is high energy and together they make a perfect team.  I love working with them and once I start looking at their photos I seriously can’t stop.

MC Photo  (850.231.6715) Manny’s photos are in a word: Fun.  He manages to capture the happiness in a way that actually leaves you smiling, even if you don’t know the people in his photos!  So great!  I haven’t worked with Manny yet but am a fan of his work.

Paul Johnson  (850.832.4309) Paul Johnson is one of those photographers that you probably don’t need me to mention by name here….you most likely have one of his photos on a page you tore out of a wedding magazine and are keeping in your planning folder! 

DeDe Edwards  (850.543.0426) Dede is relatively new on the wedding circuit but is quickly making a name for herself.  People I know who have had their photos taken by her are so happy and really love the end result.

Sheila Goode  (850.267.3844) Sheila is so fun to work with.  She brings out the “REAL” you in her photos and doesn’t settle until she knows she has the perfect shots she is working for.  The end result is rock-star quality.

GwyneMark Photography (850.259.2179)Gwyne has one of the sweetest personalities.  She has a gentleness about her that is so calming.  She takes her time to capture the mood and it completely shines through when you see her work. 

Salter Photography  (850.934.4200) Mick, Rita and their son Bernie….awesome.  They are so good at staying behind the scenes and yet managing to capture the perfect photo.  They are unobtrusive and so professional.  Oh, and their pictures?  A-mazing.

Deb Hauserman  (850.897.1066)  Deb’s photojournalistic style is so great.  Her work is beautiful and what I really love about her is how tickled and excited she looks when she knows she got “The Shot”.  It just shows on her face and her quiet excitement is contagious.

East Hill Photography  (850.438.4797) Rick’s work is so sought after and seriously magazine cover worthy.  Breathtaking.  Can’t wait to work with him!

One last parting shot…..I cannot stress enough to brides-to-be and their families, if there is ONE thing you should consider an “investment” it is the photographs you pay for on your wedding day.  Years from now, no one will remember the color of the bouquets, the favors will be long gone, and the dress will be stored away.  The ONE thing that will truly preserve the memories of your wedding day are the photos.  They are what you will share with your children and friends for years to come.  I was recently asked to rank in order of importance, the elements of a wedding.  Photography definitely ranks #1.  It is the one area you will never regret spending on and always wish you spent a little more on!

The Bride wanted a real Deep Southern feel to this wedding…rocking chairs, photos of the couple hanging from clotheslines, greenery climbing the tent and a major N’awlins band (can’t tell you who, but they rocked the house!).   The groomsmen gifts were beautiful harmonicas signed by the band.  After a gorgeous beach ceremony complete with a full gospel choir singing old hymns during the processional (the bridesmaids walked down the aisle to “This Little Light of Mine” and there wasn’t a dry eye on the beach!), everyone walked to the reception on a big grassy lawn across the street.  The choir, by the way, was a tricky detail, since the Bride and Groom wanted to keep them a complete surprise to everyone – including the wedding party- until the very last second!  This was one of those weddings where everything that could go wrong nearly did, and yet, it came together beautifully and without the Bride or Groom being aware of anything short of perfection!  

(major props to fabulous Marla Carter for the pix)

Guest books have gone from the boring old “sign your name on the line in the little white book”, never to be opened or looked at again to such creative ideas as writing names on stones or shells to be placed in a vase for later, envelope enclosed “wedding wishes” and Polaroid photo albums.

We have used antique typewriters for guests to use to type a message, complete with the random off kilter letter “r”.  So cool placed in a great leather bound coffee table book.

Here is my favorite new idea for a “guestbook”:  Hire an artist (or ask a very artistic friend) to sketch a work of art on canvas for you.  Something that reflects your personal taste; maybe shelves of books, a sailboat regatta, a NYC sidewalk cafe, your dog, whatever.  (By the way, inquire at your local college, art school or even at the artist supply store in town to find an artist.)  When the pencil sketch is done to your liking, have them draw a light grid over the picture.  Then set up an “art station” at your reception for guests to paint during cocktail hour, with the appropriate materials as well as a sheet of detailed instructions.  Having the artist there as your “art director” is key.  He or she can encourage reluctant guests, address any problems, answer questions, etc. 

My advice is to keep the available paint choices limited to the palette you like (don’t offer orange if you hate it because it may end up a dominate color in the finished piece!). 

When it’s all done, the artist takes the canvas, “cleans it up a bit” by smoothing out the lines, adding some dimension, and creating a finished product.  The end result is not only a lovely piece of art to enjoy for years to come, but a sweet, lasting memory created for you by your friends and loved ones.

This idea is by no means limited to Weddings.  I plan to use it at an upcoming party, and think the applications are endless.  Even children could make this an amazing memento!  Plan On!!!

via One Love Photo

One of the best things about my job is the people I get to know.  I mean really get to know.  During the wedding planning process, I meet family members, hear the “how we met” stories, learn why Aunt Sally is the black sheep of the family, diplomatically find a way to seat Mom next to Dad and his new girlfriend without loss of life.  I am entrusted with cherished family items like the solid silver wedding goblets that have been passed down since the Civil War and Grandma’s diamond encrusted cake knife and server set.  In the last minutes before the Bride walks down the aisle, I am privy to the sweetest moment of all time; a father’s last words to his little girl before he delivers her to her husband.  I cry every single time.

Recently I planned a wedding for a bride and groom who were so great.  They both came from such strong families that all still lived in the same town they grew up in.  The church where they got married was the same one the Bride had been baptized in and rarely missed a Sunday since.   The wedding was HUGE; 400 guests.  But they are known and loved by everyone in town so really, 400 was cutting way back!

I love this family.  They have history and roots.  They are proud of who they are and where they come from.  It made me proud to be a part of their ongoing legacy.

 via Cook Images