Showing posts with label General Update. Show all posts

The larger tables had the hydrangeas and succulents and candles (all of which I love) in these gorgeous wooden boxes.  I loved the rustic of the wooden boxes and the simplicity of the clear glass.  I have aways remembered those wooden boxes because I remember thinking that I needed to make some planters like that for my house (this wedding was about 4 years ago and I still haven't made any planters, but I swear I have good intentions about making them)!





Until next time, friends...have a fabulous day!

Jannie and Lourdes

Stephanie and Brysen and Family

Sheila and Chelsey and Family

I really cannot believe that Christmas is just around the corner!  My how time flies!  I have been very busy this fall with weddings and family photo sessions which has left me little time to keep up my blog.  I would much rather be shooting or editing than blogging about shooting or editing.  Still, I hope to share some of what I have been up to over the next couple of months (typically pretty slow months for weddings and family photography). 

But in the meantime, my mind has been on Christmas.  I got to spend some nice time with my family at my house over Thanksgiving, but for Christmas this year my husband and I are headed out west to visit his family.  I do love Christmas, but for the last few years I haven't done much in terms of decorating for it or getting too into the Christmas spirit.  I think I have gotten a little burnt out on the commercialism of Christmas (as a lot of us have, I am sure).  This year, though, I have been busy decorating (even though we won't be here for Christmas day specifically). 

A quote to think about:
"Carry out random acts of kindness with no expectation if reward safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." -- Princess Diana

I usually have the most fun around Christmas doing a couple of simple random acts of kindness...like paying for the car behind me at the drive-thru, surprising someone behind me at Target by buying and giving them a small gift card and just saying "Merry Christmas" (especially love this if they appear to be someone in need of a little extra), buying toys for Toys for Tots, participating in an Angel Tree, baking a lot and sharing with friends and family, etc.  To me these things are fun (partially because they are unexpected).  I love the idea of Random Acts of Kindness all year round but they especially seem to mean a lot around Christmas.  I was discussing these RAoK with some friends a week of so ago and they also thought RAoK were a great idea...that got me thinking that maybe I should try to perform at least 1 Random Act of Christmas Kindness each day between December 1st and 25th.  The bad news is that I am just now getting started so I will have to make up a couple of days.  :) 

Now those of you who know me well, know about my fetish for pretty stationary, cards, etc. so of course I had to sit down and whip up a RACK (Random Act of Christmas Kindness) card to give to people so they know what it is all about.  :)  Here it is:

By the way if anyone wants a copy of my RACK card (can be printed pretty inexpensively as a 4x6 or 5x7 card)...just shoot me an e-mail at info@byheartandhand.com and I will reply with the jpg file which you are welcome to use if you like.   :) I would love it if my family, friends, and clients decided to participate in the RACK, too...consider that a challenge to do so!  I am definitely someone who believes you reap what you sow and there are some very inexpensive and easy things you can do this month that may make someone's day!  Just think if each of us did one kind thing for someone else each day of December and then if just half of those people affected decided to do one kind deed and pass it on.  I believe that would lead to a change we really need in our world...if we tried to focus less on what we want or need and more on what we could do to positively affect each other! 

I have also tried to come up with (some on my own, some by scouring pinterest and other blogs) some simple ideas for your and my Random Acts of Christmas Kindess.  Be sure to leave a RACK card or note for everyone you do something for so that they understand that they didn't just get lucky, but this was a deliberate act of kindness from someone else (maybe that way they will be touched enough to pass it on).  This is just a starter list but here are some ideas I saw or came up with:

1. If it is raining, purchase a few cheap umbrellas to leave in shop entrances with a notes saying to take it if you need it to stay dry.
2. Leave RACK cards with a dollar or two in an unexpected spot like a bathroom stall or other places.
3. Leave a big tip to an especially hardworking waiter or waitress with a nice note about how you appreciate the job they did. 
4. As mentioned, buy the order for the person behind you at the drive thru.
5. Make and distribute care packs to the homeless (I got some of these ready on Saturday so I will try to do a more specific blog on this later).
6. Load extra change in a vending maching for the next person or put extra change taped to a RACK card or in a ziploc bag for the next person to use.
7. Send dessert to another table at a restaurant.
8. Delivery baked treats or donuts to a nearby police station, fire station, or children's home.  If the people there don't know you, I would make these store bought so you can assure they won't get tossed.
9. Arrange to pay for a soldier's meal if you see one while out dining during the month.  Write a quick thank you for your service message on the back of your RACK card and have the wait staff deliver it to them.
10. Deliver a bouquet to nurses at a hospital so they can give it to a patient who needs it and may not have many visitors.
11. Take flowers or poinsettas to work for your coworkers.
12. Bake something for your coworkers to enjoy.
13. Slip a RACK card under the windshield wiper of a car while out shopping and include a couple bucks or even a $5 gift card to a fast food restaurant.
14. Feed someone else's parking meter (although I got in trouble for this one time in downtown Nashville).
15. Pay for someone behind you at the movie theatre.
16. If you know of someone who is having trouble financially, pop some cash in an envelope with a RACK card and a note.  It doesn't have to be much ($5, $10, $20, or whatever you can afford).  It is  more about showing someone notices and cares than solving their financial woes completely.
17. Tape some change to a payphone (assuming you can find a working one nowadays) with a note saying it is for whoever needs it.
18. Send a card to someone in the military overseas or check out "Adopt a Soldier" Programs.
19. Put something you no longer need on Craigslist for FREE.
20. Leave a couple of $1 bills with a RACK card in the toy section at the Dollar Tree. 
21. Pass out candy to people waiting in line at the Post Office. 
22. Tape candy to an ATM machine.
23. On Christmas Eve:  Take a Christmas treat to an all night drug store worker (or anyone else you know who has to work on Christmas).
24. Buy hot cocoa for a Salvation Army bell ringer.
25. And my favorite if you are able:  Find out about a family in need (ask your priest, preacher, or friends if they know of a family in need) and secretly and anonymously "adopt them".  You could buy them Christmas dinner and fixings or get them a grocery store gift card and maybe buy a little something for each family member as well.  Deliver on their doorstep anonymously.  Ring the bell and RUN! 

I am sure there are more and would love to hear of anyone else's ideas...this is just a list to get you (and I) started.  It really is true that it is a better to give than to receive.  I am not without worries or cares in my life and am certainly not rich, but my life is blessed in so many ways that I get a true sense of joy in giving something back to others. 

Now a few quotes to inspire you:

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."  -- John Wooden

"Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see."  -- Mark Twain

"A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money." --John Ruskin

Happy Day after Thanksgiving and Black Friday!  I hope everyone is still happy and thankful today and if you were brave enough to go shopping today (which I was not!), I hope that you found some fabulous deals for you and yours! 

This Saturday, November 26, is a big day for everyone at By Heart and Hand Photography!  It's the second annual Small Business Saturday®, when people across the country come out and shop to support their favorite local businesses.  When you are out and about patronizing the big box retailers, try to remember to also support a local small business in your area to help your local economy and neighbors!

In honor of Small Business Saturday, we are jumpiingon the bandwagon and have come up with a couple of special offers for you.  Please feel free to pass this deal on to anyone whom you think may be interested!

Use these to save on your wedding photography...


DEAL #1:  Save  $600 on your CDs of your wedding packages!
Details:  All of our packages normally come with a low resolution disc of your images (great for social networking or prints up to 4x6 in size).  Discs of high resolution images are available for purchase for $300.  Mention this e-mail offer when contacting us to receive a disc of high resolution images (with copyright release) for BOTH your wedding and engagement or bridal session (Either an engagement OR bridal session is included with each package...your choice)...$600 Total Value! Offer is pending availability of the date.  See our website for package details at www.byheartandhandphotography.com under Information - Investment. 
Offer Expires: All dates must be booked by 12/31/2011and this ad must be mentioned.  Cannot be combined with other offers.  Call or e-mail us today (615-260-3093 or info@byheartandhand.com).

DEAL #2:  Save $20 on $100 print purchase or gift card
Details:  SHORT TERM SALE FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY!  Are you booking us for your wedding or portrait session or do you know someone who is?  If so, take advantage of this Black Friday/Small Business Saturday sale!  You can purchase $100 print credit for only $80.  Even if you haven't yet booked your event, all you have to do is go to our website (www.byheartandhandphotography.com) and then click on "Client Services."  You can either order prints if you have a current gallery or purchase a gift card.  Just apply a coupon code "LOCAL11" upon checkout and you will receive a code for a $100 gift card after only paying $80.  The gift card does not expire and there is no limit so you can buy multiples!  These would make great Christmas gifts!
Offer Expires:  Gift card does NOT expire but this offer does: Code is good Black Friday through Cyber Monday (11/28/2011).  Call or e-mail us today if you have any questions (615-260-3093 or info@byheartandhand.com) or just visit our website!


Don't forget to visit us on Facebook and "Like" us at www.facebook.com/byheartandhandphotographyandevents

I love hearing how people got engaged.  It is always nice to hear a funny or romantic story, but I REALLY love it when you hear about a proposal that took some thought, planning, and originality.  I found this posted online today (well actually a friend of mine sent me a link to it so I won't take the credit for finding it)...I thought it was great and I think it definitely qualifies for having taken some thought, planning, and originality :)

Enjoy:

http://youtu.be/hya9xxn7CA0

And again I will leave you with a little bit of eye candy now...did I mention that I have a thing for shoes?

I am just getting ready to go photograph a wedding at Cragfont Mansion.  I am so excited for Lindsay and Sean.  I met them the first time back in March and they are so completely adorable, I cannot wait to see her dress and share some fab-u-lous photos with you!  I am especially excited because I have never done an event at Cragfont Mansion so this will be a new experience for me and I cannot wait to see the place looking great!

Until I can share details of Lindsay and Sean's wedding with you, I am starting a series of 3 posts today that hold 15 Questions to ask when interviewing a Photographer: PART 1 (1st 5 Questions)...


Of course we all know that you will peruse about a MILLION different websites looking for a photographer with a style you like, but what should you really ask a photographer once you meet them in person or chat by phone to help you make a decision? There are lots of great photographers around the area, so make sure you ask the right questions to help you choose... here is a list that I think you should consider before booking someone (and also how we would answer). 

1. Do you have my date available?

If not and you are not interested in changing your date, you can cut your conversation short right here. Remember a lot of wedding dates fill up quickly so try not to wait until the last minute to book your photographer.

2. Are you the photographer who will shoot my wedding?

Brides are often surprised to find out that the photographer that they spent so much time picking out and screening is often not the photograher who shows up to their wedding. Many photographers get booked quickly and farm out some of their weddings to other trusted photographers while taking a cut of the fee. While these other photographers may still do a great job, I personally feel that this practice is one of "bait and switch" and we do not do this at By Heart and Hand. I think it is fine as long as everyone is up front about who will be shooting the wedding and obviously if it is not the person you are talking to, you really should (in my opinon) speak to the photographer who will be assigned to shoot your wedding.

3. How would you describe your photography style?

It helps here if the bride actually has an idea about the different styles of photography, what they mean, and what she likes. I suggest a little research to decide what you like and look for someone who utilizes your style. You want to know whether you would like a Traditional or Classic style of mostly portraits for display in albums, a Photojournalistic style (less formal and posed with little direction from the photographer and a more natural look - more of a documentation of the events that occur), or a blend of the two. Additionally, some photographers have more a of a High Fashion look to their photography (artsy and glamourous) while some favor a more natural look or even call themselves completely Natural Light Photographers. It is important to know what look you like and will feel comfortable with as well as what style the photographer you are considering is capable of executing to. At By Heart and Hand for example, we consider ourselves to be a blend between traditional and photojournalistic styles. We mostly cover events at the wedding in a photojournalistic style...trying to document all the highlights of the events. However, we almost always have some more traditional, posed photos of your bridal party and families thrown in for good measure. Additionally, we will use "down time" at the wedding to try to capture portraits of some of your guests and, of course, the bride and groom! We do a lot of wedding outside where we like to utilize "natural light" for the flattering and ...well...natural look it gives, but we also have a set up of studio lights can bring along for select pictures or engagment or bridal portraits.

4. What type of equipment do you use?

You will get a sense of the photographer's knowledge and experience by what equipment they choose to use. We shoot digital at By Heart and Hand but the one bad thing about the advent of digital equipment and accessibility of it is the fact that there are several consumer lines of pretty good quality digital equipment available. With that, there has been an explosion of "moms with cameras" who are now calling themselves photographers. While your Aunt Sue may do a really great job taking pictures, you have to ask yourself whether you trust someone with little or no formal training and a consumer grade camera with a kit lens to capture your wedding. Professional cameras and lenses are heavy and expensive which is why they are only purchased and toted around by professionals who need to capture extremely high quality, high resolution images...the ones you will want to blow up in to canvases and other pieces of art for your new home together! They also require knowledge on how to operate them correctly. You can easily screen out the not so professional photographers many times by asking them what equipment they use. If the person you are interviewing has not made the investment in professional equipment for use their business, you may very well end up with a less than professional finished result.

5. Do you use an assistant if you are the only photographer I hire? Does this cost me any extra (especially important if you have a tight timeframe)?

We at By Heart and Hand will sometimes use an assistant so even if you don't book a second photographer, someone else will often be along to help tote equipment, coordinate people for formal photos, etc. As I said, this is especially important if you have a tight time schedule in which to complete your formal photos before other events take place. Partially whether or not an assistant comes along is dependent on the size, scope, and budget of your wedding. If you are having a large wedding (more than 80 or 100 people) and you do not get a 2nd shooter, I believe an assistant can be very valuable. You can discuss this with the photographer you are interviewing for yourself and decide whether it is something you really need, but either way, it is something you should definitely consider.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the next 5 questions coming very soon.  In the meantime if you need any additional information, you can e-mail us at info@byheartandhand.com  or find us on facebook to keep in touch!

Now because I wouldn't dare want to post without posting some eye candy for you, enjoy:

Are you engaged? Do you think you can't afford to hire a wedding planner?

By Heart and Hand is excited to announce that we are teaming up with Williamson County Parks and Recreation to offer an affordable Wedding Planning 101 class at the Longview Recreation Center in Spring Hill! There is a month long class starting THIS THURSDAY which will cover all the basics of wedding planning. It will meet Thursday nights in October and will cover an array of topics from design and decor to budgeting and scheduling. See Details below and call Longview Rec Center of Williamson County Parks and Recreation to register TODAY!

WEDDING PLANNING 101

Will you marry me? YES! .Now what.? No worries! Join our Wedding Planning 101 class to learn the basics of wedding planning-designed specifically for your unique wedding day. Whether the big day is in a month or in a year, wedding planner Meropi Falkenburg will assist you in your planning! During this 4-week class, you will learn how to make your wedding special for you and your guests, while staying on budget and learning something along the way. During the last class period, you will do an activity based on what you have been learning all month, whether it be favors, invitations or just making decisions! Feel free to bring your significant other, or whomever is helping with the wedding!

Days: Thursdays

Dates: October 7-28

Session Length: 4 weeks

Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Ages: Adults

Class Fee: $15.00

Supply Fee: $10.00

For more information or to register, please call Williamson County Parks and Recreation directly at

(615)302-0971, ext. 10. You can also check out their website at:

www.wcparksandrec.com/facilities-parks/longview-rec-center

As I sit today and reflect on what has been going on for the last 5 or 6 days in the Middle Tennessee area, my thoughts wander.  I cannot really get motivated to discuss weddings, invitations, and cute ideas for using the latest color scheme at your event. 

On the one hand, the devastation of the recent floods is overwhelming.  We suffered damage to our property but thankfully our house and our lives were spared.  I ache for those not so fortunate who have lost their homes and belongings and even more for those who lost their lives so suddenly and unexpectedly.  The rain was fierce when it started on Saturday.  I left home around 7:30 am for a wedding that day and something about the ferocity and rate of the rainfall made me very nervous.  As is typical in Tennessee, my primary concern was a tornado...I never could have, in my wildest imagination, had an inkling of what was to come.  By Sunday evening, we had received 20 inches of rain at our house in rural Santa Fe, Tennessee.  I couldn't get back in until Monday and even then the journey was a precarious one.  Our little farm is a mess and we will no doubt be cleaning up and paying for the damage for months to come, but we are some of the lucky ones.  Our home is still standing, our family intact.

In contemplating the events of the past few days, I feel very small in the grand scheme of things.  I guess Mother Nature has a way of showing you how fragile life is.  The media can also make you realize how insignificant our little city of Nashville (and its outlying areas) is when considered on a worldwide scale.  At least initially our 500 year flood, which for many will be the biggest story of their lifetime, was overshadowed by more significant news stories in the rest of the world.  When I review the destruction that can be thrown upon us in a matter of a day or two, it can be disheartening and quite honestly, frightening.  But no sooner than you start to feel sorry for this town, this place, you hear of a story of a miraculous rescue or an unselfish act of heroism. 

I have friends and even family that reside all over the world.  I will admit now that there have been times when I wished that I lived somewhere more glamorous than Music City, USA.  I was not born in Tennessee but have lived here since I was very young so Nashville is truly my home.  There were times when Nashville's "simple country folk" stigma has followed me in my travels to other places around the world and I am sad to say that I have been almost ashamed of other people's thoughts, in my travels, on where I live.  The people of Tennessee that I know are simple, but in a good way that others not native to this area may not always understand and sometimes mock.  We may value time with family and friends over fancy cars or designer clothes, we may rather spend our evenings on a porch swing than to go out to a snooty restaurant for a fancy meal, and when our neighbor needs help, we would rather reach out to them than to turn our backs.  If that is simple, I am happy to trade a big city, glamorous life for a simple, country one. 

Today I am proud to be living in Tennessee.  They say that stress and tragedy reveal the true nature of people.  In the midst of the drama of the last week, seldom have there been news stories about looting, stealing, or corrupt people preying on those who were affected by the flooding, although I am not so naive as to believe those may not come.  The stories I have heard have been stories of bravery, heroism, and unspeakable courage.  Even people who themselves have suffered losses have turned to their fellow citizen to find out how they can help someone worse off than them.  The volunteer spirit is alive and well in Tennessee and I am proud of the way we have banded together and responded to this crisis. 

We get so busy in our day to day lives that sometimes we muddle through without really paying any attention to the person next to us at the traffic light or behind us at the grocery store.  While it is sad to me that it seems to take a tragedy of epic proportions to cause us pause, I am proud of the reaction of my fellow Tennesseeans.  I am uplifted by the generosity and kindness that people seem to be showing one another and while I am happy to see the flood waters receding, this renewed compassion for our fellow citizen is one side effect of the Great Flood of 2010 that I hope lingers.

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced By Heart and Hand has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for both Invitations and Wedding Planning!


The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

By Heart and Hand is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”



We are happy to announce that By Heart and Hand is among the very best Wedding Planners and Invitation providers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards.



For more information on the services offered by By Heart and Hand, please visit our webistte directly at www.byheartandhand.com or go to our WeddingWire Storefront (www.weddingwire.com/byheartandhand).



About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 reviewed wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com

Invitation inspirations...flat panel and pocket folds. Sometimes a picture is worth more than words...

This is Part 3 of our series on Modern Couture Bouquets and Accessories. If you have missed the last couple of posts, you have missed some pictures of some beautiful and unique feathered items so check them out if you missed them!

I am going to post a few more photos today of other hair accessories and feathered items. These are so fun so enjoy!

Hair Accessories/Fascinators:


Boutonnieres:

Today's post is a continuation of our last post on finding something different for your wedding. We are continuing with additional photos of modern, couture bouquets and other feathered items.



This particular style of bouquet was created for a bride who contacted me and wanted very much to use natural (bright and colorful) peacock feathers in her bouquet. At first I was hesitant to even create this bouquet since I was worried that it would be too dark and the bride would not like it in the end. I must admit, that this bouquet is by far my FAVORITE one now. If you have a chance, you should run by Wedding 101 (get directions at www.wedding101.net) to see it in person in our display. The pictures truly do not do it justice and the feathers are so soft that it is really a nice bouquet to hold. The perimeter of the bouquet is made up of big, beautiful peacock feathers while the center is mostly made up of black goose biots with accents of purple and green goose biots to bring out the vibrant colors of the peacock feathers. There are also some peacock swords thrown in for good measure. The base of the bouquet inside the peacock eyes has some black maribou feathers thrown in and the base of the bouquet outside of the peacock eyes has some black ostrich feathers along with some black maribou feathers. It is so chic and modern!