What is a Styled Shoot?

If you've been following us for awhile (or any wedding professional for that matter) you'll notice that I/they will sometimes talk or post about a styled shoot I/they are participating in. I've gotten a lot of blank stares and question mark faces 🤔 (like the ones you see in magnas or animes) whenever we discuss it with non-wedding/event folk. So, I thought it would be a great idea to give you a crash course into what makes a styled shoot and it's purpose for us wedding/event creatives. 

If you haven't notice by now, there are a lot of creative entrepreneurs out there in the wedding and events industry. You have planners, florists, photographers, stationers (like me 🤗 ), and many more specialists that can contribute to a wedding day. Like I tell all my brides, the wedding industry is like the aquarium from the movie Finding Dory 🐟 . You usually operate in one portion of an exhibit and when you find yourself wandering off, there are so many more fish in the sea....I mean creatives to work with. 🐙 🦐  🐠  🐡 🦈  🐋

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So when a creative begins putting together a styled shoot, they first think of a theme or style they really want to bring to life. Recently, I got the opportunity to work on a 70's styled shoot that allowed me to get my groove on with my watercolors 🎨 🖌 and play with colors brides normally aren't keen on working with. Needless to say, some of the other creatives involved got to do something out of the ordinary: Like Jaime from Champagne and Grit who made a wedding veil out of macrame (guys, it's a dream to look at and oh...the dipped something blue feature...). 💙😍

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Anywho, not only do we get to try out new things, but it also adds items or services to our repetuar that we otherwise might not have had the chance to create yet. For example, I have been dying to produce a backless wedding sign using my calligraphy for a wedding but haven't had the chance to do so. So one of the things I brought with me (and made sure to have it approved with the planner in charge) was a backless frame as an extra detail for that day.  

And for us non-photogs or videographers, it also allows us to open up our portfolio and add great new images to gush over (pretty pictures for the Insta too). Sometimes when a vendor doesn't have enough work in their online portfolio, some people think that they are inexperienced or too new to the game where they aren't the right person to trust for your special day. That's not always the case. To be fair, it's hard to share images aka proof of your work while it's in the event when you're not there (another story for another blog post). A styled shoot can be the perfect opportunity for creatives to prove they have the skill set you want to hire. 

I hope I've given you a bit more info on what a styled shoot is and how wonderful it is for us creatives to participate in as many of them as we can. Have you seen a styled shoot you absolutely loved? What theme or color scheme did it incorporate? Let me know in the comments below.

We Are Live!! 🎉 Our Rebrand 2017

After countless days planning and dreaming, the day is finally here. 😁  I am finally unveiling our new branding and website, today, August 1, 2017. To think that over two months ago, all of this was a thought and now it's a reality. Well, I guess you've waited long enough, no?

Here's our new logo!! 🎉

I am totally in love with this new look. For starters, the fluid flow of the text is exactly what we were looking for when trying to represent this new stage in our business. Keeping it clean, but hit with a hint of "magic" this logo is giving me all the feels.✨  "With great power, comes great responsibility"...no no no. Wrong quote. LoL. Actually, there are two quotes from one of my favorites that would be appropriate to share today. 

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

— Walt Disney

...and lest I forget..

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

— Walt Disney

Funny enough amongst all of the encouraging, sweet quotes and prints I have in my office, I actually have a similar photo to the one above. The only difference is that Uncle Walt (most Disney fans do this....calling Walt Disney "Uncle Walt". It's totally ok...) is standing beside a plot of land that at that time was known as the secretive "Florida Project". And although in a slightly faded, colored shadow, an image of Cinderella's Castle from Walt Disney World can be seen hovering on the immense plot of land. Why do I bring this up? 

Because we don't know the great work we are capable of and sometimes it takes a village (literally) to make you see the great potential there is in change. Change is scary, but if we don't change, we won't grow. We will stay stagnant in our pot of dirt and won't grow to our fullest potential.

One more thing, a little bit of scripture that been on my heart and I've shared before on the blog. 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

— Joshua 1:9 (NIV), Bible

+

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

— Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), Bible

There is this funny saying that goes, "We make plans, God laughs". Most will take it in a sarcastic sense making it seem God thinks of us as stupid humans. I think of it differently. For anyone who has small kiddos in their life, there are moments in a learning experience where they are stubbornly trying to fit a square peg into where a circle peg should go. The adult will chuckle to themselves in a loving manner and try to show them the right way to do it. A lot of times, we aren't paying attention to the path God has thoughtfully carved out for us. Instead, we try to make our own way and wonder why "NO" appears at every dead end.

My encouragement to you today is to know that we all have our struggle figuring out what we are supposed to do in life. Let God light the path. He has the best lit path anyone could dream of.

And before I finish this post up, there are a few thank you's that need to be said.

Charisma - You helped make this happen!! Thank you for doing what I could not do for myself. Your insight and  really pushed me to think outside the box and be okay with doing away with some of the fluff that didn't belong.

Family + Friends - The ones that saw and encouraged this change and step in the right direction. Whether it was with your words or through your actions. You guys are my biggest cheerleaders and I'm so lucky to have a supportive tribe like ours.

Friendors - There is a small group of folks I want to thank that encouraged me before and through this process. Some of you told me the truth, without bumpers or any cushion for me to fall back on. You provided honest feedback and steps to better this sweet babe of mine. You know who you are. I've probably already told you "Thank you" more than anyone should...but again I say thank you. 🥑 🦄 

...and last but not least...

Gus - Kid, this is a big step for the both of us. As I sit here and type this...I am literally struck with emotion. Kid, we are no longer "Almost There". WE ARE THERE!! I love you more than words and am so excited to see what is over than next horizon.

So without anymore mushy feels and sweet words, I say with my best Arnold Schwarzenegger accent, "What are you waiting for? GO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE NOW!! DO IT NOW!!!"

Countdown to Carles - A Longan's Place Wedding

We met Victoria and Andrew at the Rusty Pelican Bridal Show in October of last year. They were enthralled with the idea of having a custom invitation created for their big day. After all, they are also entrepreneurs, have their own printing company, and, yes, designed their own save the date. Although Victoria was very excited to work with us, it was Andrew who I remember was really passionate about how he invisioned the invitation design for his big day. I'm always excited to see grooms take interest in details for the wedding as much as the brides do. I am so happy with how their suite turned out and even more excited with the photos our dear blushing bride, Victoria, shot of our design. 

I am so excited for the both of you as you start this new chapter in life and am honored to have helped with an important detail of that moment.

Venue - Longan's Place

Stationery - Only One Mark, Inc. (US!)

Wedding Photography - Nili Photographics

Photos of Invitation Suite - Victoria Carles (Blushing Bride)

Bridal Gown - Brides of Florida

Hair & Makeup - Beauty by Jaxy

Preparing Your Garden

Most of you are reading the title of this post as if it were a surprise line drive to right field. Yes. You heard me use a baseball reference. Softball in my case...but I keep moving onto the point. The last thing I think any of you would expect from me would be to write a post relating to gardening. But it might actually surprise you to see where this leads...

You may have noticed a bit of a buzz on social media regarding a certain book coming out. One I can say I've been waiting for since reading Make It Happen. Just in case you need an introduction, Make It Happen is a book written by the ever thoughtful Lara Casey. Her highly anticipated follow up to her first book, Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life, is kinda picks up from where Make It Happen left off, but not in the way you think it would. 

The book is divided into three parts, this post being about the first part titled Prepare Your Garden. Like Lara's first book, Cultivate is written to not only give you great content, but also constructed to make you think and reflect on your own story amongst the one written on the pages in front of you. This is especially true with some of the topics Lara touches upon. In this particular portion, she refers a lot (as in most of the theming of this book) to actions that revolve around gardening. Weirdly enough, it was until I really started sinking into this book that I realized how accurate the correlation gardening had to how we build our lives.

Throughout each chapter, Lara disperses the lies we believe into actionable truths. From Embracing Your Season to Nourishing Your Soil, I was constantly reminded that it takes time to get your foundation in order. Something that in this microwave, instant gratification moment of time we live in, it can be difficult to really cultivate a life that is rich in love and truth. 

To some of you, this sound like I'm talking to you from the deep end of reality, one you would rather stay away from. But the deep end is a part of the pool you need to visit from time to time. Because goodness knows playing in the shallow end of the pool is limiting.  

Cultivate is available today on Amazon. There is also an audible version available. 

I'll be updating the blog with my progress in the book for those of you who may be interested in reading it. So far, I say get your copy. Whatever "season" you may find yourself, it will definitely give you a faith based, batch of helpful real talk verses some of the fluff that is out there.