Sunday, January 31, 2010

Quality Hill Bridal show @ Grant Humphreys Mansion

WOW! is all I can say, what a wonderful event this was. I have not done to many bridal shows, for the simple reason you have to be careful, as a small business owner you have to be careful where your $$ goes and this was well worth every cent the BIG shows are not for me, I like the smaller ones, this way you can spend more time with the brides coming through.
I wanted to point our a couple key vendors I had the pleasure of meeting:
Blue Bridal Couture beautiful gowns.
Andrea Flanagan photography she does beautiful work and the nicest gal you will ever meet
Intricate icings all I can say about her cakes is WOW, you must taste these they are to die for.
Biscuits and Berries catering, great food, very nice staff
Ampersand- beautiful stationery

You can view all of the other vendors at this event at
Quality Hill Bridal Show

I recently did a tasting at Villa Parker and was inspired by Cori Cook floral design she had a beautiful table setup with yellow, white and damask it was simply beautiful, I told her that was my next project, I made these for today's show.



I also wanted to thank Adrienne of Moving Moments, she came and helped me out today, what a great gal, so glad she came into my life. She did one heck of a selling job for me, you would have thought she worked for the company for years, the way she spoke to the brides about The Papery Willow.

In closing a very good day, now I need to start contacting my future clients had some good hits today. Until next time.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Friday feature with the Pro's

This tip comes from one of our members of The Wedding Connectors

Kristi Crosson
Wedding Photographer
"Redefining the face of Beauty"...one amazing bride at a time


Photography Tips for the Plus-Sized Bride, and The Photographer


As a married woman, who is overweight, I have a unique perspective on how it feels to be in the "Plus-Size" category. I think that our media does a great job at telling overweight women that they are not as beautiful as their skinny counterparts. I do a great job of telling you gorgeous ladies otherwise. I believe (truly) that all women are beautiful, and it is up to me as a photographer to capture the beauty that is already there, and show it to you. I do understand that there are certain angles that are just not as flattering to someone with a little more meat on their bones. So here are 4 tips from me to you about photographing the plus-size (or any) bride, and about choosing a great photographer:

1. Photographers: Don't photograph them if you do not think that they are amazing and radiant and beautiful. Seriously. If you don't think they are truly beautiful and that you can make them shine, don't take their business. refer them to a professional photographer friend.

Brides (of any size): If you talk with a photographer, and they don't make you feel A.M.A.Z.I.N.G., find a different one, even if they cost more money. Trust me, you'll love yourself and your photos if you do!

2. Photographers: Once you know that you are "for" your client, make sure to affirm them (you should be doing this anyways, but I think it is important to note here) on their wedding day.




Brides: if you are uncertain about this, ask the photographer for at least 1 referral, someone you can talk to directly to see how they felt on their wedding day with that photographer. Also, look on their website to see if there are any "plus-sized" brides displayed. Even if there aren't any, and you and this photographer connect really well, you should be able to feel confident in your photographer selection. So book them before your date is taken.

3. Photographers: Angles, angles, angles. Its all about the angles. There is a little more to be aware of when photographing plus-sized brides. Arms for instance. A good way to minimize arm size in any bride is to break it up. Use the veil to help frame her face, while bringing attention away from the arms. In bride and groom shots, you can have the grooms hand on the upper part of the arm. Do not photograph a larger bride straight on. Turn her body slightly, and look for flattering angles. Do not photograph her from below her face, if anything, have the camera angle slightly above where she is standing or sitting. If she tilts her head up toward you, it can minimize a larger face size.

Brides: If you have an area that you are particularly self-conscious of, tell your photographer in advance, and be sure to remind them. Be realistic though. You want pictures of you, not your head pasted on a photo of a super-model (although...)


4. Photographers: I personally am against using photoshop to slim a bride down. I want her to see herself as beautiful whether she is big or not, and I feel that by using photoshop to make them skinny, it perpetuates the idea that plus-sized brides are not beautiful. If you are not against it, and your client wants it, then that is another option for you.

Brides: Ask your photographer if they have "slimmed" down any of the brides in their portfolio. And if you are larger, ask them if they feel confident they can capture you and your beauty on that day. Ask them how they will minimize your size. I am plus-sized right now, and I love it when my photographer friends capture me at just the right angle that I can see how beautiful I am. I am not distracted by all of my imperfections, but instead, I see someone amazing, lovely, and beautiful. That's what your photographer should help you see.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Why you should hire a professional photographer for your wedding

I got this article from a photographer friend Tricia Turpenoff photography , that is why it is so important to have the bride and groom educated about the decisions they make for their special day. Those are photos you do not get a second chance on, if you do not pick a professional photographer you pay the price.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Friday feature with the Pro's

These tips brought to you from our Charter member: Jessica Campbell




So, the long awaited engagement has finally come, and now you’re finding yourself in that state of planning limbo where you’re not yet married, you’re not really dating any longer, and yet the only thing you can do is plan for one big day. While there certainly are endless duties to perform, appointments to set and details to finalize, the last thing you want is for something to pop up at the last minute and ruin your big day. Along with a good pedicure and a glass of wine, the following ten tips will help you to face your big day without worrying about what might go wrong.

10 Steps to a Stress-Free Wedding Day



1. Delegate duties & tasks

You’ve planned all the tiny details leading up to today, including the placement of the rose petals as you process down the aisle, and it’s going to be gorgeous. Remember that this day is all about you and your spouse-to-be, but it doesn’t have to all be done by you. Enlist the help of those eager relatives or friends you just couldn’t find a place for as attendants, and make sure that the guest book, programs, and maps & directions for the reception each have a person willing and ready to take the appropriate action. Have someone call around for pricing on transportation, music, etc. and allow others to take ownership of your wedding by giving them a task to perform. Ask people whom you trust will be responsible, and in the end, you’ll have peace of mind that someone else is accountable for it.

2. Make a budget and stick to it

This is paramount to having a fantastic wedding day. At the beginning of the process, think through things very realistically and determine exactly how much you want to spend on your wedding. Then, during the planning process, try to come in under budget so that you won’t have to worry about those last-minute expenses that always seem to pop up. If you need to, ask someone else who recently got married what expenses occurred that they didn’t foresee, and then try to plan for them. If you go over budget, you’ll start seeing your beautiful decorations as wads of wasted cash. It’s much better to spend what you know you can afford, and then truly enjoy the day you’ve worked on and planned out for so long.

3. Settle the terms in writing

This step is easy, but often forgotten. You’ve found the DJ/florist/caterer, etc. of your dreams, but don’t start daydreaming about how wonderful it’s going to be without first signing a contract. A contract will need to state the final cost to you, payment terms and schedules, and exactly what’s expected of the service provider. Do they need to be at the venue early to set up? Put it in writing. Anything you just assume they’ll do needs to go in the contract because otherwise, what you expect and what you get may be two very different things.

4. Pay for a rehearsal – plan it with the officiant

Some venues and officiants don’t include a rehearsal with their packages, but offer the rehearsal time as a separate expense. Make sure you pay for the rehearsal! It will make your wedding day less stressful for everyone if they know where to stand, when to process, when to recess, and what the service will be like. You wouldn’t take a test without studying, neither should you have a wedding without the rehearsal.

5.Give the wedding party a timeline

About two or three weeks prior to the wedding day, make sure that you send your wedding party a schedule of events. This will not only make your life easier, but it will also make your attendants much happier if they know exactly what is expected of them. Make sure you have extras to hand out to important people as needed.

6. Have someone do a walkthrough of the venue

Here’s where Step #1 comes in again, so delegate a responsible person to walk through your venue the day before or morning of the wedding. This person will check to make sure that all decorations are in place, and that everything is perfect. She will also need to be able to have the ability to fix things that aren’t right, and get them ready for the ceremony/reception. If you are having your ceremony and reception in two different places, consider having one person for each venue. That way, they won’t be overwhelmed, and you’ll rest assured that they were as thorough as they needed to be.

7. Be comfortable with your transportation

A ride with your new spouse in a horse-drawn carriage makes for a spectacular photo op, but if you’re allergic to animals, this is one of the worst choices for you. If you’ve considered renting a car, make sure that you know how to drive it (some antique cars only come in standard 5 speed) or that you’ve appointed a responsible driver. Definitely avoid letting your Uncle Eddie drive you from the church to the reception if he’s been known to consider stop signs as “optional.” Make sure that whatever transportation you use, you’ve set the terms with the company regarding returns, time covered for use of the vehicle, and number of riders.

8. Make sure your professional is professional

When hiring a professional, whether it be a photographer, caterer, florist, or the like, make sure that you meet in person whomever will be at the venue on your wedding day. Maybe the price is great, the flowers look amazing, and the photographs look divine, but there are other factors to consider. Make sure that you and your professional can get along; they should make you feel at ease, not stressed out when you meet. Also, listen for any cues of unprofessionalism, such as complaining about prior events, gossiping about other brides, or comparing themselves to competitors in a tasteless way. All of these clues should tell you that the professional, although talented in their area, may not be right for you. Remember, it’s your big day, and negative people like this simply aren’t needed.

9. Prepare FAQ sheets for guests

A frequent complaint of wedding-goers is that they had no idea what was going on. Help your guests out by providing simple printouts after the ceremony that address some of those more frequent queries. Make sure to have the address and directions to the ceremony site, but then also include your wedding announcement, where you will honeymoon, and any other information you’d like to share with them. This way, even if they don’t get to chat with you for as long as you’d like, they’ll feel more included in your special day.

10. Know that it will be perfect without being perfect

It’s important to remember that nothing will be perfect. However, this is good for two reasons: 1. It will give you something special to remember about your ceremony that you and your spouse can reminisce about fondly over the years to come. 2. It is great practice for dealing with those minor things that happen during a marriage and will make it richer and more interesting.

Remember, it’s your wedding day, and it’s going to be perfect…even if it’s not perfect!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Bride's choice awards 2010 winner

I was surprised to see this in my inbox.

 The Papery Willow was chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2010. This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism.
The Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through extensive surveys and reviews, which means your past clients have spoken on our behalf and selected you to receive this honor.

With that being said it has been a very busy year already, I am embracing my new found role of being self-employeed and have been working very hard. I have been booking shows, networking and putting myself out there.
I also started a group The Wedding Connectors who has partnered with 5280 Weddings and we have been very successful, we have gotten such great feedback, we are setting new standards for the wedding industry.
Our vision is to connect, build and grow relationships with other professionals in the wedding industry. The Wedding Connectors takes pride in the philosophy of "paying it forward" we believe if you create your business in the mindset of helping others grow theirs, yours will only thrive more.

I have many great things planned, you will not want to miss it, so keep coming back...

until next time.

Snow Mountain Ranch Bridal Retreat

Are you tired of the big bridal shows? Being pushed along so the next bride can come through? Or maybe you want to talk to a particular wedding professional but you can’t because there is such a huge crowd.


Do you want:

• Quality time

• Intimate settings

• Great information

• Relaxed atmosphere



If you answered yes then you will want to come to our 2010 Bridal Retreat. Our sponsor venue is Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park. With over 5,000 acres of beauty how can you go wrong? You will be able to build relationships with the best of the best in the industry, participate in several activities, and set one on one time. This is your chance for a weekend get-away with your future husband, Snow Mountain Ranch has put together a special package for this event for our Brides. $100.00 this includes 2 nights and food. You may wish to just come up for the day as well.

Visit www.theweddingconnectors.com to register for the show, the cost is $10.00



photo credit: realphotography.com


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Five Leaves Coffee House

I ventured out to a quaint little coffee shop today, it is located in Englewood called Five Leaves.  This is a family owned business which makes it even better, I try as much as I can to support our locals. I wish I lived closer I would probably be there a couple times a week if not more. I met with the owners Rebekah and Todd, what a great couple. I went there in hopes of finding another networking place and of course so I could support them as well, they were very happy to help in any way. I hope to be having some networking groups there.

If you are in the neighborhood or if you just want to take a drive this is a must see.



Five Leaves is a family owned small business located in the Historic Huron House in Englewood, Colorado. We pride ourselves on quality, local products and a family atmosphere.



Thursday, January 7, 2010

Clock Tower Events

I had a meeting today at Clock Tower Events for a possible Bridal luncheon, I really did not know what to expect, and then as I entered the 17th floor I was already in amazement, and then there was more...

I have added a clip that 9 news did. I do not have to say much more, this is an amazing space.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Villa Parker Tasting with The Food Guy

What a wonderful evening, I just experienced at the Villa Parker I had the opportunity to be a vendor at this tasting that was catered by The Food Guy what a great experience for the bride and groom and the vendors involved. This experience is intimate and you have the opportunity to really get to know the couples. I will take this any day over a BIG wedding show that you have to pay 500.00 for a spot. This kind of event is relaxed, the couples do not feel pressured and pushed so you can get on to the next person. What people do not understand is, it is about building a relationships with the couples, it is not the number of people you get but the quality you spend with them.
I can't wait for the next tasting, this was a treat as we got to sit with the couples to a wonderful meal and get to know them, it was not about the $$$$ we just talked about different stuff, nice change.

On another note; if you are planning on getting married, reunion, graduation, business meeting Villa Parker is the place to be, it is amazing.


This was after things got set up


the setting was great!


my setup


everyone loved this invitation.

Again thank you Villa Parker and The Food Guy for a wonderful evening.

 

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