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.

Working with DJ's and MC's

My new year’s resolution is to be more active with my lovely blog and to create a source of information for brides and grooms as an insider’s point of view on all things wedding. Some issues I have a huge opinion on and others…not so much. But for what it is worth, I am going to put my two cents in. In the next few posts we will review what I know of other types of wedding vendors, the pros, cons, and the “to-do” lists.

As wedding photographers, we have worked with all types of DJ’s. We have seen DJ’s with IPods and DJ’s with such incredible systems with lights and microphones and the works. I am sure they charge the full range of fees, so this blog is NOT about what they charge, but more what they do and how they can be important to your wedding.

You will want to choose a DJ who is also your MC, because let’s face it; nobody wants Uncle Tom at the microphone all night long, right? An MC is your master of ceremonies. This is the critical person that keeps things flowing and on time. Your optimal DJ/MC will be invisible when not needed, but swiftly taking over when required. Someone who intuitively plays just the right music, really reads the crowd, participates to the right level, encouraging the revelry but finely controlling the pitch.

You should always work out a timeline (schedule of events) with your DJ/MC way ahead of time and review it several times the weeks leading up to your wedding. BTW, send a copy of this schedule to all your vendors, but don’t worry, we will have already gotten it from your DJ, or be hanging up his shorts when we arrive. J The DJ/MC can make the job of photographer and videographer a living hell or be a god send. After shooting formals, and the ceremony and the reception arrival and everyone greeting the bride and groom and the foods, ect. We are soon looking for a place to #1 check our gear, keep our gear secure and #2 rest. If we are doing either of these two things and all of sudden the caterer appears out of nowhere and wants to cut the cake so that they can wrap up and leave. Where is your photographer and videographer? The excellent DJ/MC will verify it is the right time for this event and intercede with the caterer if required to correct the timeline, if it is the right timeline your excellent DJ/MC will notify the photography crew if nothing else than by an announcement over their speakers, which we always listen for. The average DJ/MC will look around for the bride and groom and play the right music. The poor DJ/MC will not even get the music right because this event has caught him/her off guard. As important as we photographers feel we are, it is the DJ/MC that will set the tone, prevent disasters and help guide yours guests and other vendors as you enjoy your wonderful lovely special day.

We have been asked if the lights that some entertainment professionals bring will interfere with the photographs. All I can say is that if ANYTHING is interfering with my photographs I will professional ask the DJ/MC or the interfering party to remove/desist the interference. I have never been bothered by the lights provided. I work diligently to include this lighting and to show it to its finest, as it is capturing the overall ambiance of the party.

We have several vendors that we love to work with and they have never let us down. Please feel free to browse our recommended vendor’s page on our website for more information.

So our Hope Haven Top 5 things to do with a DJ:

1. Interview your DJ in person and spend a bit of time with them. Get to see their personality. Ask him/her to play your special song. How long does it take him/her to find it? Does he have it? Where is his music stored and how can he access it? Is he organized? What will he wear at your wedding? Is he/her the actual one going to DJ/MC your wedding? Does he have microphones, are they wireless? Can he record the audio of the ceremony?

2. Check references. At least talk to other wedding vendors and see what they know of the vendor in question. Professionally we don’t say things bad about other vendors, so if your referral person cannot comment that is not a good sign. If they go on and on about how great a vendor is, that’s your green light. Venues almost always know the good DJ’s they are usually a great source of information.

3. Work out your timeline way ahead of time, copy your other vendors and review this timeline in the weeks prior to the wedding.

4. Verify that your DJ does in fact have insurance. If someone invited to your wedding trips on his cords, are they suing you?

5. Let your DJ/MC know exactly what type of facility you have selected, how many tables, how much space, dance floor, power sources, ect. Most DJ’s will find this out for themselves, but it will help build the relationship and understanding if you already have some information.

6. Give your DJ/MC a list of the names and contact information for all your other vendors.

7. Negotiate with a DJ/MC as you would for anything in your wedding, but keep in mind the good ones have good equipment and a higher price. Remember, you get what you pay for. I would so much rather see a bride and groom skimp on flowers and hire an amazing DJ/MC who will know exactly how to build this amazing memory for you.

8. Include the DJ/MC in your meal count for your caterer. These events usually take place during dinner hours and can be very difficult on the constitution. A happy DJ is a well fed DJ.

9. Talk with your DJ/MC about any guidelines or special circumstances. They need to be aware if any of your guest might have a seizure disorder if using lights. Situations like this can be controlled and problems averted with communication.

10. The Biggest and the Best – be sure you have someone from your wedding party assigned to greet the DJ at the venue and help out with any parking situations, tables, outlets, ect. This should not be your worry and you don’t need to have the DJ/MC tracking you down.