I am very busy almost single-handedly planning and organizing Cornwall & Area's 8th Annual Bridal Show! The Show is being held next Sunday, February 28th from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Cornwall Civic Complex and will feature some of Cornwall & Area's finest Wedding professionals. If you're getting married, this is the place to be!
There's a lot to do when planning a Bridal Show as big as this one and not only am I busy planning the Floor Plan and layout of the room, I've had to deal with the advertising, marketing, securing the exhibitors, forms, payments, invoicing and tons of registration emails! Then, to top it all off, I still have Goodie Bags to pack for each bride, a list of Exhibitors to make for each bride and Volunteers to line-up! And to think, only 6 more days to do it all!
Consider this Show your one-stop-shop to help you plan the Wedding of your dreams! Similar to bigger shows held in bigger cities, we feature exhibitors from many fields of service such as photographers, DJ's, invitations, limousines, etc. and we are not exclusive so you will definitely find more than one exhibitor featuring a particular product or service.
Admission is FREE, yes, that's right, FREE but by invitation only so if you're getting married, you definitely need to contact me. Brides can also bring one guest for free. AND, if you're having trouble deciding on only one person, you can bring more if you want - we'll just charge you $3 per person at the Door.
We're excited to be giving away a free limousine ride to the Show courtesy of Royalty Limousine Service. The draw will be held on Tuesday, February 22nd from all brides who have registered by midnight on Monday, February 21st so make sure you register by tomorrow if you want to win that ride! If not, you can still register all week long up until Saturday. If you only find out about this Show at the last minute, well, that's o.k. too - just show up at the door on Feb. 28th and you'll be let in. (however, do expect to wait a little longer in line while we prepare your registration).
A lot of people are asking why we don't have a Fashion Show again this year... Well, first of all, have you ever PLANNED a Fashion Show? It's one thing to sit in the audience but a whole other thing to actually be involved in the planning and let me tell you, it's a LOT of work! You need to involve music, choreography, jewelry, flowers, hair, make-up, models, prep time, a runway, veils, tiaras, shoes, lots of clothing (gowns, lingerie, formal wear, etc., etc.). And then there's the routine, timing, script, etc... So, we only have our Fashion Show every five years. Our next Fashion Show will be held at our 10th Annual Show being held in 2012 - it will be a Grand Extravaganza no doubt since it will commemorate our 10th Annual Show!
If you're interested in our Show, please contact me to register by email (carol@3dc.ca), by phone (613-932-4812) or by website (www.3dc.ca/bridalshow2010.html). Looking forward to seeing you at Cornwall & Area's 8th Annual Bridal Show!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Monday, September 21, 2009
I have the greatest job!
I just wanted to let everyone know what a wonderful job I have being a Photographer. People are normally very happy, in a good mood and of course I get many many smiles!
I am blessed to attend the most special day of many peoples' lives and get to witness hundreds of weddings. In addition, I'm often asked to attend other special events such as Birthday Parties, Baptisms, First Communions or other church events, Dance Recitals, Graduations, and even births at the hospital! Then, if that isn't great enough, I am lucky to photograph families, Maternity photos, pets and my special favourite, children & babies! And wait, it gets better: I get paid to do it!!
My passion is photography and I thank God each day that I am able to live my dream of being a professional photographer....
I am blessed to attend the most special day of many peoples' lives and get to witness hundreds of weddings. In addition, I'm often asked to attend other special events such as Birthday Parties, Baptisms, First Communions or other church events, Dance Recitals, Graduations, and even births at the hospital! Then, if that isn't great enough, I am lucky to photograph families, Maternity photos, pets and my special favourite, children & babies! And wait, it gets better: I get paid to do it!!
My passion is photography and I thank God each day that I am able to live my dream of being a professional photographer....
Martina & Martin ~ August 1, 2009
3D Creations was hired to photograph and videotape Martin & Martina's wedding day and what a great day! Martina & Martin enjoyed a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Stanley's Olde Maple Farm. The weather cooperated and the setting was picture-perfect. Nestled in a sunny corner with the guests seated on white chairs and the wedding party by a small rock staircase, the couple exchanged their vows.
The bridesmaids looked lovely in teal green dresses and Martina was absolutely radiant in a European-style dress.
Stanley's is a beautiful place to take photos featuring a small waterfall, bridge, rock formations, tons of trees and rustic buildings - there's a photo op. at every turn...
The reception was held in the 'tent' which is not literally a tent but a fascinating hall with wooden beams, full roof/ceiling, a beautiful wooden bar, kitchen facilities, washrooms but no walls. The walls are actually tent sides which makes the exterior and walls look exactly like a tent but with the security of shelter if it rains. What a unique and wonderful concept.
The Reception was fun-filled with a slide show, speeches, interactive games featuring "Ten things you should know about Martin", spinning of the Wedding Wheel, and more. A great time was had by all.
Photos will follow...
The bridesmaids looked lovely in teal green dresses and Martina was absolutely radiant in a European-style dress.
Stanley's is a beautiful place to take photos featuring a small waterfall, bridge, rock formations, tons of trees and rustic buildings - there's a photo op. at every turn...
The reception was held in the 'tent' which is not literally a tent but a fascinating hall with wooden beams, full roof/ceiling, a beautiful wooden bar, kitchen facilities, washrooms but no walls. The walls are actually tent sides which makes the exterior and walls look exactly like a tent but with the security of shelter if it rains. What a unique and wonderful concept.
The Reception was fun-filled with a slide show, speeches, interactive games featuring "Ten things you should know about Martin", spinning of the Wedding Wheel, and more. A great time was had by all.
Photos will follow...
Monday, June 8, 2009
DJ Playlists
This blog entry doesn't really have anything to do with SAVING MONEY but it offers some good tips for your DJ Services and, if you choose the right DJ that knows how to entertain the crowd then you WILL be saving money in the long run by hiring a competent DJ who will entertain your guests and ensure they have a good time and NOT wasting money on someone who will just show up to play music... (even a 10 year old can do that!)
If you're going to make a list for your DJ to play from, make sure you don't give him/her too many of your favourites. I say this because I see it all too often where the couple will give you 50 songs to play from. For one, the songs may not be 'danceable' songs and secondly, they may do nothing for your crowd. The DJ you have chosen SHOULD be a professional DJ who knows how to 'play the crowd' and in doing so, he/she will normally make the best decision on what to play, and when. A good DJ will play the crowd and keep them dancing. Their job is NOT to play songs that will put you to sleep or bore you but to play the best songs for the crowd that is at the event he/she is performing at so what might work at one event may not necessarily work at another, depending on your crowd. Here are some general tips and advice on making your next party a success:
* Allow the DJ to play the crowd - he/she will have certain 'party hits' that work well for most crowds (ex: Cotton Eye Joe, Old Time Rock 'N Roll, Pretty Woman, We Like To Party, etc.)
* Do provide the DJ with your favourite songs but limit it to no more than 10 or 15 maximum. You must remember that the DJ will need to fit in those 'must play party hits' as well as any requests from the crowd and the special dedicated dances too.
* Remember that, on average, a DJ can only play about 50 songs in a 4-hour night - yes, only 50 songs, give or take and depending on what else is happening at your event. If you overwhelm him/her with too many songs from a list, that leaves no room for requests and hits to play. Remember, you want your dance floor to be as packed as possible all night so what you like to listen to may not be what your crowd wants to hear!
* Make sure your DJ is licensed. This is important that your DJ belong to either an association or club that allows them to play music. All DJ's generally have AVLA licensing but make sure they are current with either licensing or are playing store-bought CD's. Many DJ's play from their laptops without licensing their collections and you can have your DJ music shut down should you happen to have an inspector show up. Yes, chances of it are slim but it could happen...
Hope this information helps... Have a great event if you're planning to hire a DJ!
If you're going to make a list for your DJ to play from, make sure you don't give him/her too many of your favourites. I say this because I see it all too often where the couple will give you 50 songs to play from. For one, the songs may not be 'danceable' songs and secondly, they may do nothing for your crowd. The DJ you have chosen SHOULD be a professional DJ who knows how to 'play the crowd' and in doing so, he/she will normally make the best decision on what to play, and when. A good DJ will play the crowd and keep them dancing. Their job is NOT to play songs that will put you to sleep or bore you but to play the best songs for the crowd that is at the event he/she is performing at so what might work at one event may not necessarily work at another, depending on your crowd. Here are some general tips and advice on making your next party a success:
* Allow the DJ to play the crowd - he/she will have certain 'party hits' that work well for most crowds (ex: Cotton Eye Joe, Old Time Rock 'N Roll, Pretty Woman, We Like To Party, etc.)
* Do provide the DJ with your favourite songs but limit it to no more than 10 or 15 maximum. You must remember that the DJ will need to fit in those 'must play party hits' as well as any requests from the crowd and the special dedicated dances too.
* Remember that, on average, a DJ can only play about 50 songs in a 4-hour night - yes, only 50 songs, give or take and depending on what else is happening at your event. If you overwhelm him/her with too many songs from a list, that leaves no room for requests and hits to play. Remember, you want your dance floor to be as packed as possible all night so what you like to listen to may not be what your crowd wants to hear!
* Make sure your DJ is licensed. This is important that your DJ belong to either an association or club that allows them to play music. All DJ's generally have AVLA licensing but make sure they are current with either licensing or are playing store-bought CD's. Many DJ's play from their laptops without licensing their collections and you can have your DJ music shut down should you happen to have an inspector show up. Yes, chances of it are slim but it could happen...
Hope this information helps... Have a great event if you're planning to hire a DJ!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Photography Services
Hello.
This is my first-ever Blog entry so please be patient. I will attempt to be brief and to the point and pass on my advice for saving money on your wedding services. I'm hoping to cover different topics at different times of the year and will start with my own area of expertise - Photography.
I'm a professional photographer and have been to MANY weddings over the years so I've seen some great ideas, some bad ideas and some ideas not worth mentioning... Hopefully you'll find some of the greater ideas here.
Photography
One of the most common mistakes I see is with disposable cameras. If you're going to pay a photographer, you might as well use him/her to get your candid photos and save some money. You're already paying a professional photographer so make sure he/she goes around to each table to get table shots of all guests if that's what you want. Get him/her to take candids of the guests being themselves, your decorations, etc. Tell him/her to be creative and not just shoot posed shots. There's nothing worst than paying all that money for disposable cameras (even if you get them on sale!) to have to pay for the developing, and double prints in case there's a good one and then find out you have 80 photos of someone's nostrils, breasts, feet or ceiling... I'm not totally against disposable cameras but if you ARE going to spend the money, make sure it's money well-spent by following these tips:
1) Give the cameras to RESPONSIBLE people - you can still go out and buy those cameras but perhaps you can pre-designate who will have them ahead of time to make sure they'll capture 'good' things...
2) Try to give them out to different 'types' of people - ex: give a camera to someone in the bride's family, another to someone in the groom's family, another to a good friend from school, another to a co-worker, another to a sporting colleague, etc. This way, you'll still get some GREAT shots but they won't all be of the same people and you'll have many memories of all the important people in your life from all the areas of your life.
3) Do get doubles - don't waste your money only getting 1 set of prints and then have to spend on a per-print basis afterwards. You'll spend a lot less getting doubles in the beginning (as low as $2 for 24 prints) then to have to spend 20 or 30 cents per print afterwards...
4) Consider buying inexpensive DIGITAL cameras for the above-mentioned people. You can get reasonably priced digital cameras as low as $20-$30 and then have them to keep afterward. If the shots are duds, you can just delete them afterward. As a bonus, you can take one or two of them on your honeymoon and not have to worry if they are stolen, lost or damaged by water or sand. You may spend $100 for 4 or 5 cameras but they can be used again, given to your children when/if they come along or taken to outings when you don't want to bring your 'expensive' camera. (think beach, circus, sporting events or anywhere else you may damage your camera).
Hope this advice helps! Please do leave a comment if you're reading this - I like to know if my advice has helped anyone...
Carol Grant
3D Creations
This is my first-ever Blog entry so please be patient. I will attempt to be brief and to the point and pass on my advice for saving money on your wedding services. I'm hoping to cover different topics at different times of the year and will start with my own area of expertise - Photography.
I'm a professional photographer and have been to MANY weddings over the years so I've seen some great ideas, some bad ideas and some ideas not worth mentioning... Hopefully you'll find some of the greater ideas here.
Photography
One of the most common mistakes I see is with disposable cameras. If you're going to pay a photographer, you might as well use him/her to get your candid photos and save some money. You're already paying a professional photographer so make sure he/she goes around to each table to get table shots of all guests if that's what you want. Get him/her to take candids of the guests being themselves, your decorations, etc. Tell him/her to be creative and not just shoot posed shots. There's nothing worst than paying all that money for disposable cameras (even if you get them on sale!) to have to pay for the developing, and double prints in case there's a good one and then find out you have 80 photos of someone's nostrils, breasts, feet or ceiling... I'm not totally against disposable cameras but if you ARE going to spend the money, make sure it's money well-spent by following these tips:
1) Give the cameras to RESPONSIBLE people - you can still go out and buy those cameras but perhaps you can pre-designate who will have them ahead of time to make sure they'll capture 'good' things...
2) Try to give them out to different 'types' of people - ex: give a camera to someone in the bride's family, another to someone in the groom's family, another to a good friend from school, another to a co-worker, another to a sporting colleague, etc. This way, you'll still get some GREAT shots but they won't all be of the same people and you'll have many memories of all the important people in your life from all the areas of your life.
3) Do get doubles - don't waste your money only getting 1 set of prints and then have to spend on a per-print basis afterwards. You'll spend a lot less getting doubles in the beginning (as low as $2 for 24 prints) then to have to spend 20 or 30 cents per print afterwards...
4) Consider buying inexpensive DIGITAL cameras for the above-mentioned people. You can get reasonably priced digital cameras as low as $20-$30 and then have them to keep afterward. If the shots are duds, you can just delete them afterward. As a bonus, you can take one or two of them on your honeymoon and not have to worry if they are stolen, lost or damaged by water or sand. You may spend $100 for 4 or 5 cameras but they can be used again, given to your children when/if they come along or taken to outings when you don't want to bring your 'expensive' camera. (think beach, circus, sporting events or anywhere else you may damage your camera).
Hope this advice helps! Please do leave a comment if you're reading this - I like to know if my advice has helped anyone...
Carol Grant
3D Creations
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