Vendors Uncorked! Wedding Photographer, Cincinnati, OH

It’s time…. I would have loved to post this earlier today but work and appointments got in the way. So I’m posting now… hoping all of you awesome readers will still click over to the blog tonight!

One of the greatest parts about this Vendor’s Uncorked series is not only that I get to introduce to you great vendors… but… you also get to meet some of the coolest, awesomest people I know! Yes, I just made up the word awesomest!

Today is no exception. Meet Jacalyn… btw… I don’t think there’s a single person that’s met her that doesn’t love her…

She just exudes cool, classy, and dramatic…. you know like if you looked up the definition of jazz hands in the dictionary… you might just find this picture! lol!

Jacalyn is the owner of JMM Photography and one of Cincinnati’s top photographers. She is fantabulous at what she does and honestly…. it’s because she loves what she does so freakin’ much!

Here’s a little of her work… but seriously this is just the tip of the awesomeberg. Yes… I made that word up too.  Check it…

So yeah… here’s what she has to say….

· Hi Kellie!  Here is my snippet on the “Vendors Uncorked”   Love the idea behind this Kell and am so honored you asked me to partake!

o Let's try this.... start here.
* What is your job/business?

o I am Jacalyn Mains- sole owner of JMM Photography.  I am a wedding and boudoir photographer.  What I am not is a photographer that will jump at the chance to photograph absolutely anything.  I’d rather be excellent at one thing than mediocre at many.  I find that I am inspired by the energy surrounding a wedding as well as the essence of a woman celebrating her beauty and thrive on woman power- so I’ve chosen to hone my skills and focus on those two types of photography, wedding and boudoir, because they stimulate my creative juices and keep my job fun!  I have a studio/consult space in Newport, KY that I share with four other wedding vendors (all women and all pure awesome.)

o
* What drives you to do what you do every day?

o When I first got into photography and decided to turn it into a career instead of a side gig, I said one thing to myself that remains true today.  If I am going to be away from my family, my children, and the ones I love most by working, then it will only be at a “job” that I love, plain and simple.  It isn’t worth it to be absent from what matters most to me to do something that I hate.  So, for me, that is photography.  I know not everybody has that luxury and I thank my lucky stars every day that I do.   I am an artist- you know, one of those creative types that marches to the beat of their own drum.  I am proud of that and think that that is what makes me a unique person and unique artist.  The only way to be fulfilled in my life, as a person who positively contributes as a member of society, is to express my creative nature through the lens.  It is what makes sense to me, it is how I see the world, it is how I capture others. 

o
* What is a common misunderstanding from couples in your line of work?

o I think that many potential clients don’t realize that when we are meeting, I am interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me.  I don’t want to work with just anybody.  For the wedding day to be “the perfect storm” our personalities need to mesh and our thoughts on the day need to be in sync.  For example, if you are a super control freak bride who wants to dictate my every move- you are absolutely not the bride for me.  I want to be trusted in the craft that I do.  I need that trust and I work hard to earn it.  I tell my clients that I am with them all day and, in fact, I usually see the bride more so than she’ll see her own fiancé on her wedding day.  It sounds crazy, but it is true!  So, we need to get along and, in my eyes, we need to be friends.  I am looking for clients that I simply click with and know that in the end, our relationship will extend beyond their wedding day.  Some people think this is strictly business, but for me, it isn’t. It’s personal.

o
* What is a common complaint you hear from couples about something that you do… and what is the reason why you do it this way?

o Ok Kell- I really don’t have a response for this one.  I’m not saying I’ve NEVER gotten a complaint, but when I have, it is something specific to the couple and not to my work (not tooting my own horn here, but just stating the facts).  If I had had a reoccurring complaint, then I would have changed the way I did said offense.

o
* What are some of the things you do that contribute to your bottom line?

o Lenses to me are like- I don’t know, say shoes, to the average woman!  You simply can’t have too many!!!  I believe having a variety of lenses to choose from helps keep the way I shoot fresh and ever evolving.  But the list goes on and I’m only going to mention a few things here as I don’t want to bore you but…..I attend a photography conference once a year to keep apprise to new products and to further educate myself.  Not to mention the hard cost of the albums I offer!  I want the best and have expensive taste- what can I say?  I work hard to present my clients with albums that they maybe have never seen before, or that has a unique quality to it.  It is something I am attracted to and feel that my idea client is as well.  Oh, and I gotta give some love to Rachel, my assistant and second photographer.  I have to pay her too!  She works hard!

o
* What are some little known facts about your particular industry that brides really should know?

o Despite what you may think, a lot of the photographers in this industry (especially the woman) are friends!  I meet with 3 other female photographers once a month for breakfast or lunch and we talk shop (and about our personal lives too).   We might be in direct competition with each other, but that totally doesn’t matter.  All four of us realize that there are enough brides to go around and that not every bride is for me!  I love knowing other ladies in the industry well enough on a personal and professional level to be able to confidently refer them to brides that have contacted me and their date is already booked.

o
* If you lived in a perfect world… engaged couples would…. __________________________?

o Absolutely, completely, and blindly trust and have faith in me.  Simply put- just let me do my job.  I know that seems like a lot to ask when there are people out there who aren’t trustworthy.  However, know that there are good people out there, good vendors who have a lot invested in their integrity and in the relationships they build with their clients.  My very favorite thing to hear from my clients is, “Jacalyn, just do what you do!”  Then I am like, “Hell yeah!  It is on!”

So there you have it. Here’s a few more shots to wet your picture palette before we go… I always tease her that she can make cheese look good!

Thanks so much Jac! Love ya girl!

Go check her out at www.jmmphotography.us

Or just call her up here….

Jacalyn M. Mains

Photographic Artist & Owner

JMM PHOTOGRAPHY

www.jmmphotography.us

(859) 803-8902

Au Revoir for now!

Sharing is Caring! Wedding Planner, Dayton, Ohio

I remember one of the very first weddings I assisted with another local wedding planner.

The tables were filled with tons of beautiful produce, greens, and flowers. It was stunning to say the least.

The night ended and the florist returned to take down the glass and clear off the tables. He came around the corner with a gigantic trash bag and just started tossing it all in the TRASH! I remember being totally shocked! All of that beauty and cash in the trash. That might we hauled out 4 large bags of centerpiece parts etc… all to the dumpster.

I have to admit, since then I have occasionally been known to trash a centerpiece or two. With the c0uples approval we tend to set them out on a table for guest to grab on their way out. Sometimes this works… sometimes we have to preserve the vessel so we can’t do this.

I ran across this website today and it made me so excited! Check this out! Reduce, reuse, recycle… even your wedding flowers.

ReBloom is a Cincinnati based charity organization that takes floral arrangements left over from lifetime celebrations and re-designs and distributes them to patients in local hospitals.

Here’s the info right from their site.

Repurpose

ReBloom is a new volunteer organization that creates repurposed floral arrangements from donated flowers in the Cincinnati Ohio area

Revitalize

Rather than your flowers being disposed after the event, let them revitalize someone's day. Deliveries of these free arrangements to patients in local hospitals and charities send a message of care and compassion

Recycle

ReBloom provides an eco-friendly way to share the joy and beauty of your flowers

Donations are tax deductible; consult your tax advisor

 

Look at what the patients are saying. Just such a simple way to touch someone’s heart.

I wanted to send you a great big Thank YOU! I was the recipient of one of your repurposed flowers yesterday! I was in the hospital to receive a chemo treatment and in comes one of the nurses with a vase of flowers! I really can not tell you how much it lifted my spirits. They were just so unexpected since I'm only in the hospital for 2 days each time. Most of my friends and family lose track of my treatments and hospital visits. What made me even happier was that I am all about recyling and repurposing! I Love the entire concept! I plan to spread the word to everyone I know. Keep up the good work ... I really appreciate what you are doing! Thanks again.

I am so excited about this great new organization. I’ll definitely be talking with my brides about donating their flowers to this wonderful organization!

Au Revoir for now!

Vendors Uncorked, Wedding Invitations, Covington, KY

Today we’re hearing from another super fab lady and  business owner. She’s the owner of Five Dot Design. You might have heard us talk about her and her awesomeness in several previous posts when she worked with us on our Prime Time Party Rental tabletop and the A Night With The Pros Event. She always goes above and beyond for our clients… even with our crazy requests!

Before we let her chat with you… let’s take a look at some of the gorgeousness that comes out of her paper genius!

 

But don’t just take my word… here’s hers!

* What is your job/business?

I'm the paper girl- I create custom wedding invitations. We'll sit down in my studio in Newport and work together to design your wedding stationery- it's a very hands-on process for you.

* What drives you to do what you do every day?

I'll never get tired of hearing the little gasp that a client lets out when they see their invitations for the first time. Invitations are the first visual introduction to your wedding your guests receive and I don't believe that introduction should look like another bride's across town or even across the state. You put a lot of hard work into planning your wedding and adding so many personal touches and for me, those personal touches shouldn't stop with paper.

* What is a common misunderstanding from couples in your line of work?

Many think I'm a girl with a computer that happens to like paper. This isn't something I just dabble in- it's extremely fun work for me, but I take it very seriously. I realize my service is an investment and I would never be able to justify that investment if I didn't feel like I couldn't speak to my trade confidently and intelligently. I've put a lot of time and effort into finding the best resources and materials I can find, so that when we meet, you have options that work best with your budget.

Many girls think they'll save money creating their invitations or other wedding stationery on their own. It doesn't always end up costing less, however. For some, creating them on their own works out and for others, they aren't so lucky. What you mostly end up saving money on is in time.

When you hire me to create your wedding invitations, you're not just hiring me- you're hiring my experience in both graphic design and in wedding stationery. I invest multiple hours beyond that initial hour consult with you. You're also hiring me to attend to the details and communication that go into producing your stationery: sourcing paper compatible with your printing choice, working with the printer to ensure your files are ready to go and making sure the sizes of your printed pieces will go thru the mail without any problems.

* What is a common complaint you hear from couples about something that you do… and what is the reason why you do it this way?

The most common complaint I get is that I'm more expensive than what the budget allows. And honestly, that's okay. Every bride has different priorities when it comes to hiring her wedding vendors and paper isn't always towards the top of the list. There's a trade off to every choice a bride has to make. If you choose me, you might pay more, but you're also given the opportunity to create something that's just for you and the design is dictated by what you want. If you choose to order out of a catalog or online, you might not pay as much, but you may not have as the opportunity to get exactly what you want. In most cases, I might not be able to work with a client on her wedding invitations, but I can help her with her ceremony and reception pieces like programs, menus, escort cards and table numbers.

* What are some of the things you do that contribute to your bottom line?

I'm a one person operation right now, but I use freelancers from time to time which allows me to give my clients more style options. I make sure to attend design conferences to keep visually inspired and I browse wedding magazines and blogs to keep up with new trends and styles. I share an awesome studio space in Newport with four other wedding professionals, so if we're itching to work together and haven't done so in awhile, we'll come up with a fun concept and create a photoshoot or window display around that idea. It keeps us thinking creatively and keeps us trying new things without making our clients guinea pigs.

* What are some little known facts about your particular industry that brides really should know?

I can really only speak to me, but I'm a visual thinker so the more images you can provide to me, the better- of both what you do like and what you don't. What you don't like is sometimes more important than what you do like. I use sites like pinterest.com (http://pinterest.com/fivedotdesign/pins/) to share concept visuals with my clients and that allows us to be in constant contact with the vision of the event without sending countless emails or having multiple meetings. Any of your vendors can see the images you pin and add their own images to boards, making sure everyone involved in your wedding is on the same page visually. I also like to be in contact with a client's florist and/or event designer when I can to make sure what I provide paper-wise on the table will be cohesive with the other floral pieces and linens on the table.

* If you lived in a perfect world… engaged couples would….

Stay true to YOUR vision for YOUR wedding. Some of my most successful pieces design-wise are with clients where her vision and my vision were practically identical because I understood what she wanted. This allowed us to truly work together to create her wedding stationery. It's going to feel like you have to please everyone, and there might be a few things you have to compromise on when it comes to family, but in the end, it's YOUR wedding and be sure to hire wedding professionals that understand your vision, needs, wants and wishes.

Thanks so much Kristen. I just heart her! Not only is she a fantastic designer but she’s a darn fun person too!

Before we go I just had to share this photo shoot Kristen took part in. I ADORE ADORE ADORE this tree hanging… gasp!

 

Check her and Five Dot Design out! You won’t regret it!

Au Revoir!

Shoe Appeal Wednesday, Wedding Planner, Dayton, Ohio

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

This is Sarah writing to you today. I have been so excited to share these two pairs of Charlotte Olympia’s with you! I was immediately drawn to the detail on this first pair. BEAUFITUL! These are listed at 935€, which is about $1290! Take a look:

These are named "Orient Express."

While I love shoes that make a statement because of the intricate details, I also love a stunning shoe in which the simplicity speaks just as loud. Take a look at this second pair by Charlotte Olympia, named "Paloma":

Which ones do you like?

A Revoir!
~Sarah

Vendors Uncorked- Makeup Artist, Cincinnati, Ohio

Meet Nancy….

She’s the super cool one on the right. You may or may not have heard of her…. but I know you’ve all heard about her super fab company Brideface. Nancy is an awesome lady both professionally and personally. Her brides RAVE about their services. She’s a can’t go wrong pick for your wedding day makeup.

I mean who wouldn’t DIE to have a face made up like this on your wedding day:

Just wow!! So Nancy took some time to Uncork herself and talk a little about all of the fun stuff brides need to know about her and about what it means to own, operate, hire, and work with a top notch makeup designer. Here’s her take….

* What is your job/business? 

I am the owner of BRIDEface makeup housecalls, which provides professional onsite makeup artistry for special events. We have been in business for six years and have a team of nine makeup artists. We specialize in airbrush makeup and individual lash enhancements, and several of our crew have trained under celebrity makeup artist Laura Mercier. Our studio is located in the Mainstrasse district of Covington Kentucky.

* What drives you to do what you do every day? 

I truly love making people feel beautiful. It is the most photographed day of your life and knowing you look like the very best version of yourself really puts you at ease! It's an honor to be able to spend that rather intimate portion of their day with them, and it's something we take very seriously. Nothing makes my day more than pleas for foundation recommendations on Facebook or texts from Sephora regarding which mascara a client should choose. I'm on call!

* What is a common misunderstanding from couples in your line of work? 

Most brides do not understand the difference between makeup for photography and "everyday" makeup. They say to me. "I know my makeup is supposed to be heavier." It's more about pigmentation and definition than it is about "heavy". You want to still look like you only more amazing!

The type of products you use,for example, can make or break the longevity of your look. Photos can "flatten" your features, and you need a skilled artist to highlight and contour your face to bring out your best features (and diminish others) Most of your wedding day you are viewed at a distance and your eyes need to "pop" from across a room.

* What are some of the things you do that contribute to your bottom line? 

Must to my husband's chagrin,I constantly buy makeup! I always want to stay on top of what is new and fresh, whether it be product launches, learning new techniques in makeup classes out of town, and devouring fashion magazines. The members of my staff also work on commercial shoots, which keeps us up to speed creatively.  

* If you lived in a perfect world… engaged couples would…

only hire true wedding pros. I cannot tell you how many emails I get from panicked brides who were planning to use the Mary Kay lady up the street, or their cousin Sue, only to find out the results at the practice session were not quite what they expected, or they have canceled on them last minute so they can go out of town that weekend. A true professional signs a contract, stays in communication, shows up when they say they will, gets your party done on a timely basis, uses proper hygienic practices, and has professional grade products. Their equipment is insured against loss. They also have the level of experience required to get through unexpected mishaps that could possibly occur. (I was once asked to cover two groomsmen's' black eyes at the last second. Never did get the real story on that one.)

Thanks so much for sharing with us Nancy! It’s so great hear your insight.

* On a side note Nancy not only does makeup for weddings, she does print ad shoots, media appearances, classes, etc. She has a team of super awesome and totally talented gals that carry around Nancy approved makeup and skills!  Gotta check out all of her ongoing events at her website here and check in with her to see if she’s available on your wedding day… good things go fast!

Hope you’re loving hearing from the vendors as much as I am!

Au Revoir for now!!