Comment for a Cause: 3rd Quarter Recap

Wow, the 4th quarter snuck up on us so fast, we didn’t even have a chance to post our 3rd quarter recap in time! Less than three months left in the year – crazy! Admittedly, we did not blog as aggressively as we should have in 3rd quarter, so naturally our comment numbers are a little lower than in the first half of the year - only 8 (yikes!).

Since this is mostly our fault, we're going to up the amount to match our lowest donation to date, which was $20.00 in the 1st quarter. This will be donated to the Arbor Day Foundation.

Our featured charity for 4th quarter will be the American Cancer Society.

Boudoir, anyone?

Our friends over at Raw Photo Design are hosting a boudoir marathon in September. This is a fun opportunity to get dressed up, let your hair down, and get some tasteful, intimate images of yourself. Boudoir photos are becoming a popular wedding gift for grooms, but they also make a great anniversary gift for husbands, no matter how long you’ve been married.

If you’re not feeling 100% confident about your body, no worries. Eric and Amber know how to pose you in only the most flattering of ways and can do some amazing things with Photoshop. You’ll look like you walked straight out of the pages of a Victoria’s Secret catalog. Head on over to their blog to check out their boudoir portfolio. Contact information is below.

How to Negotiate with a Wedding Vendor

As a general rule of thumb, we don’t negotiate with wedding vendors on behalf of our clients. Actually, let me rephrase that: we don’t ask vendors to lower their prices simply because their existing pricing structure does not fit within a client’s budget. In the current economic climate, wedding budgets are being tightened like never before and as a result, some couples seem to think that vendors should reduce their prices accordingly. After all, money is money, right? Booking the client at a lower rate is better than losing the business altogether. Not quite. Think of how you would feel if your boss came up to you and said, “Look, funds are a little tight right now, so I’m going to cut your pay by 25% for the next two weeks, but you’ll still have to come in and do the same amount of work.”

You see, wedding professionals are in a service industry. Negotiating the price on a new car, for example, is an entirely different ballgame. In this case, you are simply asking the car dealer to lower their profit margin. They pay a certain amount for the vehicle and sell it for a higher price. The higher the price, the more money they make, and so list prices are typically inflated to leave room for negotiation. A wedding vendor, however, is essentially selling themselves. They provide a service and base their pricing on the time, effort, and resources involved in executing that service. By asking them to lower their price just because you can't afford it, you are devaluing them. Most vendors don’t appreciate this.

Think of negotiation as a compromise: both parties agree to give something up in order to get something in return. If a certain photographer is out of your budget, for instance, you can ask for a lower price in exchange for less hours of coverage at the wedding, fewer photographic prints, or a smaller album. That way, you pay less and the photographer spends less time and/or resources on your event. Everybody wins. Keep this in mind the next time you are negotiating with a wedding professional.

Do you have any negotiating tips to share?

[Image credit: Brides.com]

Happy Anniversary Kelly & Giancarlo!

Kelly and Giancarlo are celebrating their first anniversary today. They were married in the picturesque gardens of Caramoor. Happy anniversary to you both!

[Image credit: Ken Lax]

Bad Bloggers

Okay, we admit it. We’ve been slacking off on the blogging lately. But it’s only because we’ve been busy coordinating weddings and enjoying summer vacations with our families. We’re going to get back on track soon (we promise!) so be sure to keep us on your RSS feed!

Rachel & Mike | April 4, 2009

This blog post is loooooong overdue, but better late than never, right? We kicked off our 2009 season with the wonderful wedding of Rachel and Mike. Rachel came to us just a couple of months before the big day for some help in wrapping up a few last-minute details. She and Mike both have demanding careers which left them with little time to devote to the hectic final months of planning. They were also working with a very unique theme inspired by their professions – she’s a scientist and he races cars (cool!) – and they wanted to make sure their event had a cohesive look and feel. Working with a science/racing theme was a challenge to say the least, but it was a fun challenge and the event came together beautifully.

All of the below images were captured by photographer Bob Fairweather, who is a friend of the couple.

Rachel and Mike opted to host both their ceremony and reception at the stately Lounsbury House in Ridgefield, CT. Walking down the aisle in a wedding gown and heels is always a little tricky, but Rachel decided to up the ante by making her bridal procession down a flight of stairs in the foyer of the Lounsbury House. Luckily, her dad was by her side to escort her and keep her steady.


After the couple exchanged vows, they made their way down the aisle as guests waved miniature checkered flags.


When selecting the color scheme for their event, Rachel and Mike drew inspiration from Mike's racecar, settling on a vibrant palette of yellow, blue, and green. The car also served as the inspiration for Mike's groom's cake, which was created in its likeness.


Other racing-themed touches were evident throughout the event decor, including this pegboard displaying keychain favors that doubled as place cards.


Ann from Dirt Floral provided all of the flowers, including these beautiful floral centerpieces nestled in silver trophy vases. Rachel and Mike chose to distinguish their guest tables with numbers that represented their favorite racecar drivers.

Mike's parents had these very cool antique wooden toys that added a whimsical touch to the fireplace mantels, while continuing the racing theme.


The racing elements definitely outnumbered the science elements at this wedding, but subtle touches including Erlenmeyer flask vases decorating the cocktail tables and test tube shots at the bar ensured that both themes blended seamlessly.

And now for an action shot: I love this photo of the happy couple enjoying their first dance.


Rachel and Mike, it was such a pleasure to share in your special day and we wish you all the best in your new life together!

Couture Cookies

When it comes to wedding favors, you can never go wrong with something edible. Check out Gumdrop Cookie Shop, which creates beautiful sugar cookies featuring your photo, monogram, or custom design for weddings and other special occasions. Have them create a unique cookie to match your wedding invitation or even your gown. You can also choose one of their couture designs. If you don't want to use them as favors, these sweet treats would also be a welcome addition to any candy buffet or dessert bar. Visit www.gumdropcookieshop.com to place an order.

Happy Anniversary Alessandra & David!

Alessandra and David were married one year ago today at the beautiful Saint Clements Castle. Happy Anniversary, you two!

[Image credit: Dreamscape Studio]

Comment for a Cause: 2nd Quarter Recap

Here we are at the beginning of yet another quarter. I cannot believe that 2009 is half over already. With second quarter behind us, I’m pleased to report that we will be donating $35.00 to the Alzheimer’s Association, thanks to the comments from our readers. That’s $15.00 more than we “raised” last quarter, and we’re hoping the number of comments will continue to increase. Our featured charity for third quarter will be the Arbor Day Foundation, so please keep the Comments for a Cause coming!

It's like raaaaaain on your wedding day

So, I like to have things planned out in advance - weekend plans, vacation plans, life plans, everything. I can't help it. I like knowing what's coming next. I also like having some degree of control over what's coming next. Unfortunately, as we all know, that isn't always possible. There's a funny little saying that goes, "If you want to see God laugh, make a plan."

Well, God was apparently feeling comedic on my wedding day because I had planned for it to be 80 degrees, sunny, and breezy. Not too much to ask, I didn't think, considering that it was June. What I got instead was 95 degrees, overcast, and humid, with a thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. Luckily, most of the rain held off until we were on our way to the reception. We did get our outdoor photos as planned, but not with the blue sky backdrop I had envisioned, and not without complaints from our bridal party about the unrelenting heat.

Fast-forward four years. I decided it would be fun to get all dressed up and do a trash-the-dress-type photo shoot for our anniversary, so after convincing Greg to go along with the idea, I started making plans. I hired a photographer, shopped for outfits, booked hair and makeup appointments, and once again willed the weather to cooperate. And once again, God had a good laugh at my expense.

Our shoot was scheduled for Thursday, so that Monday, I started stalking the upcoming forecast . . . RAIN. All. Week. Long. Now, rain on your anniversary isn't quite as disappointing as rain on your wedding day, but the fact that things weren't working out the way I had planned (again) was frustrating nonetheless.

Short of rescheduling the photo shoot, which wasn't really an option in my mind since I wanted the pictures to be taken on our actual anniversary, there wasn't much I could do. So I watched my plan go down the drain (literally), dusted off my umbrella, and hoped for the best. And this is what I got:


Those little white specks you see in the photo are individual rain droplets. Pretty cool, huh?

The moral of this story is: go with the flow on your wedding day. The weather is about the only aspect of the event that you can't control. If you're planning an outdoor ceremony, have a backup plan just in case. And if it does rain, get cozy with your new hubby or wifey under an umbrella and have fun with it.

Huge thanks to Eric and Amber at Raw Photo Design for their photographic skills. Here are a few more of the amazing shots they captured for us:

Speaking of anniversaries . . .

Mine is today! Greg and I have been married 4 years today and I can't quite believe that much time has passed. In some ways, it feels like we've been married forever, and in others, it seems like just yesterday. Weddings are wonderful, but the best part is what comes afterward - sharing every day with the person you love.

Below are a few of my favorite images from our day, taken by Ed Rogers of Rogers Photography.

Cooking Classes with Ciao! Catering and Events

Last night, Elizabeth and I, along with two friends, had the pleasure of attending one of the cooking classes led by Tom Devine of Ciao! Catering and Events. Classes are held on select Wednesday evenings throughout the summer from 7pm to 9pm at Two Steps Downtown Grille in Danbury, CT.

Each themed class is taught by either Tom or his business partner, Keith O'Marra, and features four different dishes. Tom or Keith demonstrates how to prepare each dish, offering cooking tips and advice along the way. Then, following each demonstration, the class attendees are able to sample the prepared dishes. Complimentary wine is also served.

The theme of last night's class was A Slice of Sicily and featured the following dishes:

• Cauliflower with Penne Rigati with tomato, fresh basil, and ricotta cheese
• Linguini with Artichokes and Proscuitto with fresh garlic, lemon, wine vinegar, and shaved romano
• Risotto with Fresh Sea Scallops and balsamic drizzle
• Grilled Chicken with black olives, roasted peppers, and crumbled feta

Everything was absolutely delicious and we can't wait to try all of the recipes out at home. It was a fun evening and we would highly recommend attending one (or more) of the classes if you are in the Danbury area. The cost is just $33.00 per person.

Check out the Ciao!/Two Steps Summer Newsletter to see the schedule of upcoming classes and events. They also offer private cooking classes for groups of 25 or more - bachelorette party, anyone?

A Stellar Anniversary Gift

I know, I know. This is a blog about weddings, not anniversaries. But where there’s a wedding, an anniversary is soon to follow. Perhaps you’d like to keep this gift idea in mind for when the time comes:


It’s a custom art print showing the position of the stars on a specified date and location. The traditional first anniversary gift is paper, so this would be a perfect way to commemorate your first year of marriage. I’d suggest hanging it above your bed so you can fall asleep beneath your wedding night sky every evening.

Visit www.indigonight.com to place an order. They have a variety of horizon scenes to choose from and you can add a personalized message to your print. Prices range from $39 to $119, depending on the size and framing options you choose.

Five Items to Eliminate from your Wedding Budget

In today’s tight economic times, little expenses can add up and make a big impact. If you’re on a strict wedding budget, here are a few items you can comfortably eliminate without sacrificing the integrity of your event.

1. Save-the-Dates
Save-the-dates are a nice-to-have and are most definitely not necessary for every wedding. They are really only useful if you are getting married on a holiday weekend and need to give your guests ample time to make travel plans. Even if this is the case, you can do without save-the-dates. Have your friends and family spread the word about your wedding date. You don’t need to spend a couple hundred dollars on fancy stationery or custom magnets.

2. Aisle Runner
Trust me when I say these are more trouble than they’re worth. I had one at my own wedding. They bunch up and trip your wedding guests when they’re walking back down the aisle after the ceremony. If you feel strongly about having one, then by all means go for it, but please don’t feel the least bit obligated.

3. Toasting Flutes
Nearly every wedding reception begins with a champagne toast, but the toasting flutes provided by your venue or caterer will get the job done just as effectively as the $150 Waterford ones. You will probably never, ever use them again.

4. Cake Server
The same goes for a fancy silver cake serving set. It’s just not a necessary expense. Unless you’re planning to cut your children’s birthday cakes with it every year, you’ll never get your money’s worth. There are plenty of other wedding accoutrements you can monogram or engrave.

5. Bathroom Baskets
Bathroom baskets are a bonus, plain and simple. Your guests aren’t expecting them and won’t miss them. (Besides, if you’ve hired us as your day-of coordinators, we’ll have a fully stocked emergency kit on hand with everything your bathroom baskets would contain and more.)

What have you eliminated from your wedding budget?

[Image source: Piggy Bank Wedding]

Ooey-Gooey Chewy Goodness

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a rare breed of human - as in, the non-coffee-drinking kind. Now, I like Starbucks as much as the next person. What keeps me coming back, though, are not the Caramel Macchiatos, but the rice crispy treats! I LOVE them. Starbucks has somehow perfected the recipe so that it contains the ideal proportion of cereal, marshmallow, butter, and some other top-secret, super-addictive ingredient. They also possess some magical cutting device that yields these perfectly square, thick bricks of marshmallowy delight.

Anyhow, the point of that unnecessarily long introductory paragraph was to say that I love rice crispy treats. So imagine my excitement to stumble upon The Crispery – an online bake shop devoted entirely to rice crispy treats! And these are not your run-of-the-mill “crispy bars,” as they affectionately call them. The Crispery marries them with chocolate, and caramel, and peanut butter, and coconut; it embellishes them with candy, and sprinkles, and cookies, and graham crackers. As my favorite interior designer Candice Olson always says, “How divine.”

I haven’t sampled these babies yet, but I only discovered the website yesterday. What a delectable way to add a little something unexpected to your candy buffet or dessert bar. (Heck, why not create a rice crispy wedding cake?) Visit The Crispery to order individual crispy bars or gift boxes of up to 16.

Vendors Unveiled: Creative Image Collections

This week’s Vendors Unveiled features photographer Megan LaBarbera of Creative Image Collections. We met up with Megan for lunch a few weeks ago and had a wonderful time getting to know her. She is such a sweet person who truly loves what she does, and it shows in her beautiful and timeless images.


Name: Megan (Baker) LaBarbera

Website: www.creativeimagecollections.com

Blog: www.creativeimagecollections.com/blog

Where are you located, and what geographical area(s) do you service?
Danbury, Connecticut and I service CT, NY, NJ, MA, RI and I love to travel and will hop on plane to any destination worldwide!

How long have you been in business?
I have been shooting weddings for nearly 8 years this summer, but "technically" opened my business in June of 2004.

What drew you to photography as a profession?
One of my favorite childhood memories was having popcorn and sitting with my family to watch the old slide-shows of our family's pictures. My Dad was the artist in the family, photography being one of his hobbies. If it weren't for him, we would not have much to look back on now to remember growing up as a family. When he past away, we hunted for photographs of him and found very few. That was sad to me. We had very few moments to remember him by. Photographs help people relive moments and emotions. The fact that through a camera and lens you have the ability to capture a single moment in life and transfer it to paper to share with others for generations fascinates me. Photographs help us not only to remember, but to connect with others. My photography/work helps me to connect with people and with life in general. I find it extremely fulfilling. I can't imagine doing anything but this. It makes me happy! Being paid to do it is just a bonus!

What do you feel sets you apart as a photographer?
I feel it is extremely hard to set yourself apart from others in the wedding photography industry for the simple reason that there are so many photographers out there. If I had to say it came down to one thing that sets me apart from others I would say that it is that I always remain myself. There won't be another "Megan" showing up at my client's weddings or portrait sessions! As long as I remain grounded and true to myself, I will always be setting myself apart.

What do you love most about your job?
Oh, there is a loooooooong list for this one! I don't think I can list them in their entirety here so I will list whatever comes to my mind. I love all aspects of my job really. I love meeting new people and learning about them, their histories, their relationships, etc. I love photographing them and being able to provide them with a collection of memories to enjoy for generations. I love creating custom designed albums from scratch, starting with a blank canvas and then having it turn into this beautifully crafted book of memories to cherish. I get a real fulfilling sense of completion and I get a real high from that. Sounds crazy but true. I have even grown to love the business end of things, from marketing to networking to figuring out how to structure my business financially. I guess if I had to put it in a nutshell I would have to say I love the constant challenges this business throws your way. It can be quite challenging and I LOVE a good challenge! ;o)

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
I am passionate. I am passionate about everything I do in life. I don't do something if I am not going to be putting 100% into it and doing it from the heart. From photographing to being a parent. Everything I do requires me in full. I do it all from the heart! I wouldn't want to live life any other way!

Bridal Registry Best Practices

My husband Greg works in retail management for Bed Bath & Beyond. As a manager, part of his job involves overseeing the store’s bridal registry program. The irony of this situation is that when we were planning our wedding a few years ago, Greg was a classic example of a disinterested groom. He would roll his eyes whenever I’d talk about the wedding (which was pretty much non-stop, so I can’t really blame him). Needless to say, I find it rather amusing that his days are now often spent explaining the benefits of fine china versus everyday china to engaged couples.

I recently sat Greg down and picked his brain about bridal registry do’s and don’ts. Below are his words of wisdom, along with a few tips of my own.

Don’t be afraid to splurge.
This is your chance to “shop” for items you wouldn’t normally buy for yourself, such as high quality cookware and cutlery, so go ahead and register for pricier items. Groups of guests will often go in on a gift together and split the cost.

Don’t do all of your registering online.
Nothing beats registering in your pajamas from the comfort of home, but keep in mind that some stores carry merchandise on their website that is not necessarily sold in stores. Guests who prefer to shop the old fashioned way may become frustrated when they arrive at the store, only to find out that the majority of items on your registry have to be purchased online.

Do fill your registry.
Couples who hope to receive cash gifts are often hesitant to add a lot of items to their registry in hopes of discouraging guests from making a purchase at the store. However, keeping your registry lean doesn’t necessarily mean that guests will opt to give cash. Instead, they may take the liberty of selecting a gift item on their own, which may not suit your taste.

Do keep your registry up to date.
If you’re planning to have an engagement party, you may decide to register shortly after you get engaged so that guests have some gift ideas. However, don’t do the bulk of your registering until a few months before the wedding. Stores rotate their inventory throughout the year, and items you may have registered for a year ago when you first got engaged may very well be discontinued by the time your shower invitations go out.

Do consider seasonality.
If you register in June for your October wedding, resist the urge to add a patio set or outdoor grill to your registry. Chances are, these items will no longer be available in the store when your guests are shopping for a gift in the late summer/early fall.

Do take advantage of the bridal registry associate.
I realized that didn’t sound quite right after I wrote it, but what I mean is, take advantage of the associate’s knowledge. They have been specially trained in the registry program and know exactly how many bath towels, hand towels, and wash cloths you should include.

Don’t do all of your registering in one place.
Give your guests some options. This is especially important if you have guests traveling from out of town. Make sure the geographical locations of the stores you’ve chosen to register at are convenient for everyone to get to. (This one obviously came from me, as a Bed Bath & Beyond employee would never advocate registering somewhere else.)

Don’t rush the process.
Registering is not a quick errand you can run on your way home from work one night. Plan to spend a good two to three hours getting your registry set up initially. And don’t think that you have to complete the whole thing in one day. Couples often make a few trips back to the store to finish the job.

Do you have any other registry tips to share? Let us know by leaving a comment and we’ll donate a dollar to the Alzheimer’s Association as part of our Comment for a Cause initiative.

[Image source: www.ksfy.com]

Fun Find: Wine Cork Candles

Planning a vineyard wedding? These Wine Cork Candles from Wisteria would be a lovely addition to your event décor. Made of paraffin wax, they’re the same size and shape as real corks, so they fit perfectly in the top of a wine bottle. You can pick up three sets of four different cork designs for just $18.00. Wine bottles are not included, so be sure to save your empty bottles and set them aside during the months leading up to your wedding.

Don't Make the "Must-Take" Mistake

When I was planning my wedding a few years back, "must-take" photo lists were all the rage. Brides would scour The Knot message boards for wedding photos posted by recently married knotties and dedicate a section of their Knot bio to images they hoped to re-create on their own wedding day. Certain photos became infamous and made it onto almost everyone's must-take list. I can recall one of a couple dancing in the middle of their guests where the bride and groom were in color and everyone else was in black and white.

The whole must-take concept never made much sense to me. What made the infamous wedding photos beautiful and interesting was the fact that they captured a candid, unscripted moment in time. Imitating someone else's moment in order to achieve the same image would defeat the purpose entirely. Not only that, but I imagine the re-enactment, so to speak, would feel completely staged and awkward: "Okay, you stand there and I'll stand here. Now, rest your head on my shoulder . . ."

That being said, must-take photo lists do have their place a wedding if you have specific group shots you want taken that day. Just don't get too carried away. Posing for photos with every combination of family members imaginable will take up valuable time that you could be spending interacting with your bridal party and guests. That's when the genuine, candid moments happen.

Trust your photographer. You hired them because you loved the images you saw in their portfolio, so give them the creative freedom to capture your unique wedding day through their own eyes.

If you created a must-take photo list for your wedding, what was the end result? Did you get the images you wanted? Any photographers out there care to weigh in on must-take lists?

[Image source: www.weddingfavorselite.com]

Vendors Unveiled: Raw Photo Design

In this week’s edition of Vendor’s Unveiled, we learn more about Eric Langlois of Raw Photo Design. I first met Eric a couple years ago through his wife Amber. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to work with him on a few different photo shoots and he’s become a good friend of Bliss. We are huge fans of Eric’s work. He has a very unique artistic style and has a talent for making all of his subjects look like professional models. Honestly. Take a look at his blog and see for yourself. Eric is also lots of fun to work with. You can tell that he loves his job and it comes through in the way he puts everyone at ease when they get in front of his camera.

Name: Eric Langlois

Website: www.rawphotodesign.com

Blog: Same

How long have you been in business?
4 years

Where are you located and what geographical area(s) do you service?
Based in Danbury, CT and service clients worldwide.

What drew you to photography as a profession?
I really loved the idea of having the ability to make people feel really good about themselves and creating a piece of art that would signify them as a couple.

What do you feel sets you apart as a photographer?
I'm constantly trying to evolve my style and avoid the usual wedding photography cliches that are a part of so many photographers' work. My team brings something fresh and new to each and every single wedding we cover. Whether it's a different lighting technique, pose, or camera angle, we're always striving to create a new and different piece of art for each one of our clients. Another aspect that I think really sets me apart is the amount of time and effort I spend really getting to know each and every one of my couples. I include an engagement session in each wedding package which gives my clients and me a day to hang out and get to know each other before their actual wedding.

What do you love most about your job?
Creating artwork that blows my clients away and makes them feel awesome about themselves. I love the moment during a session or wedding in which my client really opens up, lets their guard down, and allows me to capture the essence of them as a person. Creating an environment and atmosphere in which a person can fully open up and be completely comfortable in front of the camera is about 95% of my job and the part I love the most.

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
Entertaining