This next week I will be in Las Vegas for the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Conference and Trade Show playing –err, WORKING hard as always. This will be my second year going and I can’t wait!
Some tips if you are going:
1. Wear comfy shoes! (And there is no shame in bringing more than 5 pairs of shoes with you–or more. No judging!
2. Bring a nice big bag for all the swag from the tradeshow floor.
3. Food is expensive! Think Disneyland prices. I would pack snacks.
4. Make sure you are checking Twitter on your phone. Lots of updates to where people are gonna be and when. Also lots of contests, giveaways and scavenger hunts going on too!
5. Bank some extra sleep NOW! You won’t be getting much sleep in VEGAS!
6. The Starbucks line is always REALLY long, so if you need your morning caffeine fix, you’d better allow yourself extra time.
7. Don;t be scared. Swallow those butterflies and introduce yourself to people. Bring LOTS of business cards!
8. You won’t be able to do everything, so don;t stree yourself out trying! Just have a list of MUST SEE’s and have fun!
Here’s where I’ll be hanging out. I’m trying to keep things relatively unscheduled–a few classes here, a GTG there, a girl’s gotta keep her options open! Of course, I’ll be Twittering and Facebooking, so you can find me that way. Come say hi!
Sunday, March 7th
3:00pm Arrive in Las Vegas
6:00 PhotoLovecat Happy Hour
7:00 SoCal Photogshootout Dinner at Wolfgang Pucks at the MGM Grand (most likely)
Everyone is invited to come hang out and have dinner with me and some other Shootout leaders!
9:00 GoBee Party
10:00 Airhorns and Lasers Party
Monday, March 8
10:00 Trade Show Floor
2:00-2:20 Lawrence Chan (@Tofurious) at the SmugMug Booth
6:30 Private Meeting
9:00 PhotogShootout Party
Tuesday, March 9
11:00-12:30 booth 1240- Live Q&A with Grace Ormonde
6pm Dinner GTG
10:00pm [b] School Party
11:00 Pictage Party
1:00 SmugMug Slumber Party
Wednesday, March 10 (My Dad’s Birthday!!!)
12:00 Thirst Relief Booth
1:00 WPPI Shootout – only VIP tixs left! Get tickets HERE!
5:00 Drinks with PhotogShootout
9:00 Scott Robert Lim’s Party
Thursday, March 11th
9:00am Photographer’s Ignite
Hanging out the rest of the day to sleep, eat, shop!
Before I begin a REALLY long post, I’m adding more to the evidence pile that I have the BEST.CLIENTS.EVER! To see Proof #635 from one of my fabulous 2010 brides, Joan,click HERE. I LOVE my client friends!
Nine years ago, I planned my wedding. I had a year or so to do it and the toughest part was trying to please everyone. Looking back, I cringe at the hairstyle I chose, the flowers I picked, the dress I wore…you get the idea. One day I’ll post a really long post with pictures from my wedding day. (My pictures were awesome though, cause I splurged and got a good photographer –and I’m not just saying that…seriously).
February’s SoCal Photog Shootout had been months in the making, but we only had about 3 weeks to plan. 3 weeks to plan a wedding (even if it’s a “faux” wedding) is ridiculous and I do not recommend it –even with an amazing event planner on your side. It was one of our biggest events yet. Tickets sold out in 2 minutes.
So many vendors helped us with this event and instead of listing them, I’m going to tell you if I had to plan my own wedding again, why I would use these people. So, brides, hope this is a helpful resource. And as always, organizing these shootouts leaves me no time to really shoot, so these were the few pictures I was able to get as an “11th shooter.” (Everyone was in groups of ten)
It was Sunday, two and a half weeks before the event and I was panicking since the wedding planner I thought we had lined up was unable to help us. Monday, Amanda posted on her facebook that she wanted to do some styling for photo shoots. I contacted her. Tuesday, she said yes and I forwarded her the very few details I had. By Wednesday, she had emailed me a complete timeline and had 90% of the vendors lined up.
By the end of the following week, I hadn’t heard from her and started feeling my ulcer kicking in, when my intern emailed me and said, Amanda is sewing tutus for the flower girl. Can I get their sizes? All the little details you are about to see in the following pictures is the handiwork of the amazing Amanda.
If you don’t have an event coordinator for you wedding day, you should save yourself some stress and get one!
The venue was completely appropriate for our “Romeo and Juliet” themed wedding. The high arched ceilings are unique and really beautiful. Thanks to Ron for allowing us to use your venue.
I walk in the bride’s room and it is a flurry of activity. Michelle (yes, she is a photographer, but she is great at styling models) had strips of fabric and she is tying lots of them around the minuscule waists of our “Bridesmaids.” Kacee is doing makeup for a model and also getting herself ready as she is pulling double duty and modeling as well. Alisha not only is doing the models’ hair, she stops and per my request, makes my hair “bigger.” And they laughed and had fun and there was no stress or high maintenance egos in that room.
We needed a videographer two days before the event and sent out a desperate plea on Twitter for anyone. Nick responded and one look at his work I knew we HAD TO have him. Not only does he do amazing work but h was so positive and easy to work with. I love vendors like that. He was happy and excited to be there and we were soooo excited to have him. The video will be posted on this blog as soon as it’s ready and I KNOW it’s gonna be awesome!
The Engagement Rotation: Special thanks to models, Sarah and Derek, who are actually photographers. They just happen to look hot, so I recruited them! And thanks to the Lead Photographers: Gavin and Erin Wade
The Details Rotation: Special thanks to Brian Khang for being the Lead Photographer.
I never think much about decor and so when I saw the entire venue transformed into my vision but BETTER, using fabric and furniture, I was floored. There was a PINK chaise lounge (which should be a requirement for all weddings, in my opinion) and gold chairs and table. Fabric strips of lace, pinks and purples accented everything.
The Paper Details : Alli Wells Studios. An Amazingly talented girl. She even tea dyed these faux programs for the “ceremony.”
The Getting Ready Rotation: With our fabulous model Ashley and makeup artist Becca, lead by Matthew Saville. Dresses from Mariposa Bridal Boutique in Anaheim
The Bridal Portraits Rotation: Thanks to Jenn King, a model and a photographer and Wai Reyes for leading this group.
There was confusion and one of the models who was suppose to have a wrap took a bouquet instead, so we were short one bouquet. Megan of Honey and Poppies, said, “Oh no problem, I’ll just make another from the scraps of flowers and created an incredible bouquet.
The Ceremony: Thanks to models – Kacee, Erik,Joanna, Shane, Mike, Tim, Sam and Mackenzie. Lead Photographer: Garrett Davis
The Romantics: Models: Ashley and Sean, Lead Photographer: Cean One
Ashley and Sean never had wedding photos, now they have hundreds!
The Reception:
The Caterer: Not only is their food deliciously yummy, but Jay’s Catering has reasonable prices and a venue concierge service that places events in the perfect venues.Thanks to Mary Lallande, for finding the perfect venue for us.
The Cake: Fancy That! Cupcakes (909)524-1864 are so good that for the second time I found myself snatching the last half of one out of Garrett Davis’ hand –for the second shootout in a row!
I hurriedly told DJ Marcel what I wanted, kind of. I really just told him “First dance, father daughter dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss and dancing –take care of it.” And he did. He took over hosting the show while I led my discussion and he even made me cry for the father daughter dance–as I always do.
After dinner, we had lighting workshops surrounding the traditional wedding reception events–first dance, cake cutting, etc. and also Round Table Discussions about branding and posing and even a critiquing station where photographers receieved feedback on their images of the day. (I led the branding discussion so I had to borrow a few images from people who were there. Thanks: Adrienne Fox, Steve Chua, Michael Boardman).
Thanks to my intern Kristin and her boyfriend for modeling.
From the Advanced Lighting Workshop led by Stephen Knuth
