Stanwood Camano News Wedding Guide

This year we had the honor of being chosen for the cover of the Stanwood Camano News Wedding Guide 2009.

Analysis of Wedding Spending Changes from 2007 to 2008

Source: The Wedding Report, Inc.

Areas of spending decline from 2007 to 2008

Wedding dress fell by 31%
Rehearsal dinner fell by 34%
Spending for a DJ fell by 6%
Bridesmaid bouquets fell by 36%
Gifts for attendants fell by 38%
Wedding invitations fell by 34%
Engagement ring fell by 30%
Photographer fell by 26%
Videographer fell by 24%
Wedding cake fell by 33%
Wedding favors fell by 9%
Reception food service fell by 53%
Limo rental fell by 24%

Some reasons for the decline in spending of these items are; Current economic state is the primary reason for decline. Food type services declined due to a decrease in the number of guests attending from 166 to 145. Lower prices offered by various vendor types also contributing.

Areas of spending increase from 2007 to 2008
Tuxedo/suit increased by 47%
Ceremony location increased by 108%
Bride bouquet increased by 1%
Brides wedding band increased by 21%
Grooms wedding band increased by 38%
Reception bar service increased by 12%
Reception location increased by 15%
Reception rentals increased by 84%

Some reasons for the increase in spending of these items are; Desire of unique locations for ceremony and reception. Same place for ceremony and reception locations caused increase in location cost and rentals. Cut back on engagement ring allowed couples to spend more on the bands. Also, increase in demand for wedding bands vs. engagement rings.

Senior Ambassador Program

Senior Ambassador Program

• Be someone special in your school! Become a Hope Haven Photography Ambassador!
  
• Look to your friends and family to help you earn a photography session of a lifetime!
  
• A Referral* is a paid booking for a Family, Child, Senior, Maternity, Engagement, Wedding, Modeling or even Corporate Headshot session.
  

  For each referral*, Ambassadors earn:
  • $100 off their discounted Autograph Portfolio, up to the full price of the album
  • 5% off their photo order, up to 35%
  

All Ambassadors qualify for extraordinary, Ambassador-Only discounts

It is all about getting you and your friends the best possible professional photography for their senior portraits. Every Ambassador qualifies for very special discounts and extra products. Each Ambassador is automatically registered to win a Laptop, Video iPod, iPod nano and even $250 cash! Ambassadors can earn a free "Autograph Portfolio" with your 10 best portraits and room for all of your friends to sign. (Regularly an $800 value!)

All Ambassadors need to have their pictures taken between January 1st, 2009 and May 1st, 2009. As an Ambassador all you need to do is show off your photos from your free session with Hope Haven Photography. All Ambassadors should be representing only Hope Haven Photography during this time, and their Senior year. Remember….you don't have to be a model to be an ambassador, all you have to be is outgoing and spread the word.

BENEFITS OF BEING AN AMBASSADOR

• You get two photos sessions for FREE

• You get to SAVE HUGE on your photos

• You can get free products and/or free gift cards

• Parents can save some serious cash off senior photos

• There is NO cap to the amount of rewards you can receive via referrals

Hope Haven offering 16 Senior Portrait Scholarships this year.

Last year we offered senior portrait scholarships and we were very pleased with reception of the idea at the high school. This year we are very happy to announce we will be offering 16 such scholarships at 8 different area high schools. We have also increased the scholarship amount from $500 to $1500 each.

2009-2010 Hope Haven Mentor Series Scholarship

High Schools Invited

Stanwood High School
Arlington High School
Marysville High School
Mount Vernon High
La Conner High School
Bellingham High School

Each school will receive 2 senior portrait scholarships, valued at almost $1500.00

Hope Haven Photography will provide, completely without any fee, the following:
Session Fee – 3 Hour Session in Studio or location off-site - Value $500
Print Package (all prints are unframed unless otherwise specified)
Proof Portfolio – Value $150
1 – 11x14 – Touched up Image and Framed – Value $400
4 – 8x10’s – Value $100
8 – 5x7’s – Value $145
DVD Slideshow of Images - $100
DVD of low res images for web and email (with permissions for facebook and myspace) – Value $50


Deadline for application – March 15, 2009
Announcement of Recipients – March 31, 2009
Deadline for Portrait Session Completion – May 17, 2009

New Generations Portrait

We have taken 4 generations from my family and 'accidentally' created a phenomenon and are now offering this to the public.

We will digitally enhance up to 8 photographs and create a uniform work of art. Each portrait will be carefully integrated with the other to create a lasting and loving piece that will last generations.

We did all this and created this for our family.

Nice Comments from fellow Vendor

A really nice comment posted on one of our referral sites from a great bakery in Monroe, WA, Tallant House. She says about Hope Haven Photography...

"Really beautiful work, from a hard working photographer. She also works as a partner with other vendors, treating them as well as a customer."

To help the 443 dogs rescued from the Mount Vernon Puppy Mill

For information on the background news story please follow this link:

http://www.kirotv.com/news/18552694/detail.html

For Immediate Release Contact: Denise Lee
Date: January 23, 2000 Phone: 800-801-8211 studio

Local business to generate money for 443 rescued puppies and dogs from Skagit County with Puppy Love event through the end of May 2009.

Denise Lee, owner of Hope Haven Photography (www.hope-haven.net), is working to raise money for the 443 dogs rescued last week in Skagit County. Until May 31, Hope Haven Photography is offering $100 mini-sessions for your pet. The entire session fee will be donated to the SPOT (Saving Pets One at a Time, http://www.savingpetsoneatatime.org/) to benefit the care of the dogs rescued.

The team at Hope Haven Photography works with each pet and their owner to create photographic fine art options to decorate clients’ homes. From digitally painted pet portraits to whimsical, bright colored backgrounds, Denise Lee and her crew have been preparing for to pamper pets during the upcoming event. “We have goodie bags for the pets and puppy chow for the adults. We are looking forward to days filled with fun and fur,” states Denise Lee, owner of Hope Haven Photography. “We hope people bring in other pets too. I am personally a horse lover.” All wall portraits from Hope Haven Photography come with archival framing, so clients go home with ready to hang artwork.

Puppy Love event is happening during now through May 31, 2009. All sessions are by appointment. Please call 800-801-8211.

Wedding Officiants

I am trying to get back to the idea of posting some (hopefully) helpful information for brides and grooms for their weddings.

This topic is about wedding officiants. While there are so many types, the church-based minister, the brother who is 'on-line ordained', the professional officiant who does this as a living, and the justice of the peace, we have actually shot them all....well not literally, just with a canon. :-)

I don't think there is a best type. I can say that your officiant will make or break your ceremony and as such is an important decision. I have stood (yes, the photographers are almost always standing) through 95+ degree weather and heard the longest and most boring stories from some officiants to the most poignant and tearfully ceremonies that make it hard for me to hold my camera still.

So for my best input - here are some things that will help you determine which type of officiant is best for you and somethings to definently ask for.

1) In trying to determine which type of officiant, ask yourself, do you have anyone currently in your life you want to share such a sigificant moment with? This could be your current pastor, minister, priest, family member, doctor, lawyer, ect. If you do not, then you will want to consider a justice of the peace or a professional officiant. The justice of the peace will perform a ceremony only at the courthouse, so if that is not your venue of choice, a professional officiant will be the best way to go.

2) Choosing your officiant can only be done in person. In my opinion, email and even phone calls can show you only a small amount of information about a person. When you meet in person, you will see how they are dressed, how they present themselves, their manners, the care for which they speak. After all, you are hiring them to speak. If your officiant is cracking rude jokes the entire time you are meeting with them, reshuffle, redeal and move on.

So here, in my humble photographers opinion, is what is helpful in an officiant:

1. Ready to take over if needed, but willing to allow you to fully customize the ceremony to your specifications. There are so many neat 'meaning filled' things to do during a ceremony, that will have to be it's own separate blog entry.

2. Great communicator, both before being booked and after. A must-do is a planning meeting, held closer to the wedding to go over all the timing and the details. Some of this can be done over email and phone calls, but there is nothing that can replace that great face-to-face chat.

3. Attending the rehearsal, I cannot believe I have to type this. But yes, we have been to one wedding where the bride and groom didn't want to pay the officiant extra to attend the rehearsal. This is not requested, this should be mandatory. BTW - we as photographers attend rehearsals as well.

4. Make sure your officiant is working from something written down. You don't want your officiant trying to remember the vows (like a Chief Justice we all know) and messing them up on you very important day.

5. Finally make certain that your officiant has a plan for signing the wedding license. This can be a beautiful photo op and if done right can even make beautiful shots for your officiants album as well.

So that's it, the best information I can think of to help you find your best officiant. I can say this, I have two very close officiants, one is my sister and one is a very very good friend.

Engagement Session

We met a fanastic couple getting married in May. They are planning their lovely wedding at Kiana Lodge near Poulsbo, WA.

Imaging USA

I am back from a terrific photography conference in Phoenix, AZ. We were there for 4 days cramming our heads full of awesome information.

I learned quite a bit but here are the highlights:
One thing that sets me apart from alot of other photographers is the fact that we were there. We continually expand our education, our skills and our mentors.

I learned a ton from Julia Woods on how to organize the workspace. Lets face it, people hire me to shoot, not have a perfect workspace, but I have lots of ideas on how to make it better.

Sarah Petty, well...if she was talking...I was there. She brings so much to the industry. I can say definitively I am making some major business changes just due to the things that she taught us.

Kevin Kubota, well what I can I say? ... as a photographer if you ever get the chance to hear this man on stage, he is totally nuts and totally awesome. He is real, he is approachable and honest. The world needs more people like this. Though why he thinks Doug Gordan is a 'rough troll' I am not sure.... :-) Twitter anyone?

We met so many neat people and were able to hook up with our compatriots from Washington....though I was very sad I missed the PPW (Professional Photographers of Washington) group photo. I was touring the huge expo and completely lost track of time.

Overall I am very thankful for all our clients without whom I would have no reaon to attend such an event. This event had made me a better person, better shooter and better business person. Thank you PPA.