Picking Your Perfect Vendor Team

Booking vendors can be an absolutely stressful process. There is just WAY too much to compare. I try my absolute hardest to continually update and add more information on my events site in a effort to make the process even a tiny bit easier! But still, it is such a process.

Photography by: Carlie Statsky

Photography by: Carlie Statsky

Here are a few tips that will hopefully make the process a bit easier.

1. WORK WORK WORK
Of course you must fall in love with their work. Don't just look at one wedding, look at their whole body of work. Google them and find any features, and check out their blog. Their "portfolio" is going to have their best work, so dig a little deeper. 

2. INSTAGRAM STALKING
No seriously. Stalk their Instagram. Get to know them. It totally works. You'll get a glimpse into their person life, it is updated practically daily, and you really will get a great sense of who they are. 

3. TRUST YOUR GUT
A lot of pressure is put on picking the right vendor team. But guess what. Often times this is one of those things that is best decided in a gut instinct kind of way. The more pressure you put on yourself to "see what else is out there" and "compare all options" doesn't actually work very well. When you know you know, so go with that.

Working with vendors is a process. You are in for a long term relationship. You have to find vendors that you feel comfortable with, love talking to, and really absolutely positively can trust. 

Jewel-Toned Boho Inspiration

The last few months have been an utter whirlwind. I haven't had barely a moment to take a breath since returning from Italy. In October alone I had 11 weddings from intimate 20 person affairs to 270 person parties! 

And now, as November nears an end, and the holidays are upon us, I'll have a few moments to work on my plans and goals for 2014, finish all of the non-pressing work I have to get done eventually, and set up a few photo shoots! 

The below inspiration board is what I'm cooking up for a very awesome brand new venue in Carmel Valley! This place is a stunner and I can't wait to bring a little jewel-toned boho to the rustic Carmel Valley. 

boho-jewel.jpg

Vintage Modern Engagement Shoot by V.A. Photography

Jessica and Belladean have a beautiful love story! They both met in less than perfect circumstances, but quickly found out it was meant to be. They leaned on each other through tough times and developed a strong friendship which soon turned into love! 

The two wanted a "modage" (modern vintage)/travel engagement session because it matches the theme of their wedding. Belladean is from Africa and so the travel theme ties in perfectly to their unique relationship. The setting started at a train station and ended at a downtown canal walk. I hope you enjoy their beautiful session and even more beautiful love story!

Thanks to V.A. Photography for sending over these images!

Sarah Seven Sample Sale + Trunk Show!

Pretty sure my love for Sarah Seven is well documented at this point. So different, so beautiful and perfectly different.  

Sarah Seven announced that she is hosting her first ever SAMPLE SALE! Ekks. How wonderful right?! In addition to their San Francisco trunk show on November 15 + 16, they will also have a sample sale which you better believe will be incredibly worth it! 

Grab an appointment before they are all filled up!  You can schedule an appointment online and select "Room 2". 

Lake Engagement Shoot by Jennifer Fujikawa Photography

How absolutely beautiful is this engagement shoot that took place at a gorgeous lake in California? This couple loves to fish, so they decided to theme their engagement photos around one of their favorite activities. They are really making fishing look chic, don't you think?

Jennifer Fujikawa Photography did such a beautiful job capturing these two in such beautiful light. 

 

Putting Together Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

I'm so in love with the idea of mismatched dresses. I've always been a huge fan and luckily every wedding I've been a part of has been about picking a style and color that fits me best! 

This most recent wedding is a perfect example of putting together a look without many restraints! 

Photography By: Jason & Anna Photography

Photography By: Jason & Anna Photography

We went through many different color palettes and finally landed on neutral colors. One of the things you need to look at when pulling together the bridesmaid look is what colors are on the market and how easy it will be for your girls to find something they love. 

You'll notice is that none of these dresses are the exact same color, but as a collection they work well together. Don't put too much pressure on the exact color. Give them a general color palette (blush, mint, nude, etc) and let them see what they can find. Once you have a few options, compare them all to make sure they collectively fit together. Sometimes you'll end up with something better than you imagined when you allow the colors to come together organically!

LEFT | MIDDLE | RIGHT 

LEFT | MIDDLE | RIGHT 

The process to achieve this look is a non-conventional one. I put together a Pinterest board so we could save everything we found in one spot. I sent this to the other girls and this gave a sounding board for them to get an idea of the look, find something similar, or just go ahead and buy one of the ones on this board! We also set up a Facebook Messenger group where links and opinions were flying back and forth. 

It is definitely much more challenging to give up the control and allow everyone to input their opinions and ideas. Sometimes it throws things off, but in the end, it makes for happy bridesmaids, amazing photos and a beautiful outcome.

Rustic Chic Table Runners

The table runner is an important piece of your overall design. The runner dresses up the table just enough to create a perfectly complete overall look. I know that a lot of you rustic chic brides love the look of burlap, but before you make a firm decision on the ever popular burlap, check out some of the other options you have! 

There are a ton of different fabric choices that are a little softer and much more interesting. Paper, wood and garland are all other options that offer a different dynamic and most of the time are the same price as a burlap runner. 

And guess what?! I have all of these and many more up for rent! And yes, I'll ship. :)

Modern Color Engagement Shoot

Wow, these two found the perfect backdrops for their engagement shoot. So much color which I'm absolutely loving!

Modern engagement session at the Miami Wynwood Art District. Elizabeth and Matt are a very stylish couple. Elizabeth has been a visual merchandiser for many retail stores so she was looking for a setting that would fit her personality. We felt Wynwood Walls would be the perfect place.

 

Photographer:  Starfish Studios//Reception Venue:Miamia's Wynwood Art District//

Newlywed Holiday Cards by Minted

I got a jumpstart on ordering my holiday cards this year, and while I was looking through all the awesome designs, guess what I found?! Turns out they have a category just for newlyweds! I'm sure this is old news, but for those of you who got married this year, here is your chance to send out your very first holiday card as a married couple! And you don't need to stress about getting photos taken, just use one from your wedding.

Minted features crowd-sourced designs from a community of talented designers. This means every card is designed with a different personality, different color palette and different creative process. There are so many awesome ones to choose from. I have attempted to group a few of my favorites for you below. 

Brilliant Minted. As always.  Shop newlywed cards.

These are just a small few of my favorite, but there are a lot more where that came from! I love getting and sending out holiday cards, and I bet you will too!