Archive for May 15th, 2010
Say Goodbye To Gutter Balls And Prepare To Hear The Sweet Sound Of Falling Pins! It’s Time To Start Bowling The Right Way.
The Lost Art Of Bowling.
Jake Gyllenhaal – Gyllenhaal Wants To Play Football Legend Namath
JAKE GYLLENHAAL is hoping to score a touchdown with studio bosses and receive the green light to play American football legend JOE NAMATH in a big screen biopic.The…
Read more on ContactMusic
If You Want To Save Months Of Web Research Drudgery And Save Hundreds Upon Hundreds Of Dollars In Web Tool Resources – All At The Same Time… This Guide Is A Must Have Resource That Zooms Up Your Productivity!
Web Tools Guide Featuring Free Products That Will Save You Thousands!
Dresses! Cakes! Photography! One of my brides calls it “live wedding porn” and it can be just as educational as the other kind. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, this is your chance to see what’s out there that will work for you. If you don’t know exactly what you want, here’s where you can get some ideas, which also works for you DIY-ers out there, too. Checking out rows and rows of examples of how it’s done is the first step for you to figure out how to do it yourself.
The Prep
Most of the big bridal shows take place on Sundays, starting at 10 or 11 in the morning, with a fashion show around noon, and closes at 4 or 5pm. Wedding websites like weddingwire.com or theknot.com will list all local shows that are coming up – your pick. CLICK THROUGH TO THE SHOW WEBSITES!! Many offer a discount if you register and purchase your tickets online, and even though you’ll only save a buck or two, it’s worth it to not have to stand in line to pay when you get there. Also, if you have some handy, print out a sheet of return-address-sized labels with your name, email address and wedding date on them, so you avoid carpel tunnel syndrome when you want to sign up for more info at a booth.
The Plan
The last two to three hours of the show are going to be the most crowded, so go early. Vendors will have more time to talk one on one with you, and vice versa. Give yourself at least a couple of hours to walk through the floor. The bridal fashion show (pretty dresses!) will around be noon, so if you show up an hour earlier, you can do the rounds, talk to the vendors you’ll really interested in, grab a seat at the show, do another quick round to make sure you didn’t miss anything and get another piece of cake, and get out.
The Process
Before you go in, you’ll be given a bag with of wedding-related swag, but the important part is that you have a bag to put vendor info in. Things can get pretty overwhelming, so do yourself a favor and don’t just randomly pick up every brochure/flyer from every booth. Focus only on the vendors you still need, or are really interested in. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – “Are you available on my date?” “Can you work with my budget ?” “I really want to do x, y, or z, have you done that before and/or can you tell me/show me pictures of how you would/did?” Think about chemistry, as well – you’ll be working with this person from now until your wedding, and probably all day AT your wedding, so it’s important that you feel comfortable with them. Don’t feel pressured to book them right there, even if there’s a discount (you will be asked at one or more booths), but don’t hesitate to schedule a follow-up appointment if you like what you see – ask nicely if you can still have the discount if you decide to hire them. Yes, they can always say no, but you can always say no, too – as I tell my brides, the last vendor you meet is not the last option you have. And bridal shows are all about options.
Have Fun!
Taste the cakes, take a turn in the photo booth, squee at the flower arrangements, jockey for that front row seat at the fashion show. It’s all there for you. Enjoy!
See you at the end of the aisle,
Liz Coopersmith
Liz Coopersmith is the owner of Silver Charm Events, the best wedding coordination service in Los Angeles (she promises!). Find out more at on www.silvercharmevents.com, or at her blog at http://silvercharmevents.blogspot.com
This February, Momentus Foto had the pleasure of being a part of Actelion Pharmaceuticals’ Awards giving night at Sydney’s Hilton Hotel.
The night of stars started with much anticipation as people started arriving and catching up over pre-dinner drinks. People started to investigate the photobooth and gathered up the courage to have some pictures taken in the photobooth.
Various awards were awarded by the company executives, and graciously accepted by members of staff who excelled in their work, the top performers and contributors to the companies successes, and those who exemplified the hard work, dedication and teamwork that the company stood for.
After dinner everybody was ready for more fun, and the night came alive with music, dancing.. and of course, more photos. Actelion staff sure do know how to have fun. It was a great night for all.
Hundreds of photos were taken during the night capturing all the fun and merriment of the Actelion team. Photostrips were kept as keepsakes and mementos of the special night. The classic black photobooth looked elegant and truly blended in with the ocassion. By the end of the night no one was shy and every member had had one or two or ten turns to take their photos with their colleagues and friends.
Well done and congratulations team members of Actelion. From the team at MomentUS Foto, we hope you enjoyed the awards night as much as we did. We wish you all the best in the future. From what we’ve seen, the future is bright.
Engager is a writer for small to medium businesses wanting to promote their events, products and websites.
Contact Details for Momentus Foto are as follows:
Email: info@momentusfoto.com.au
UEFA Champions Festival is back
The UEFA Champions Festival opens on Saturday 15 May at the Parque del Retiro in Madrid, promising an exciting build-up to next weekend’s big match at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Read more on UEFA News
Golden Retriever Dog Book On Choosing, Caring For And Training Your Golden Retriever. Golden Retriever Puppy Training And Obedience Training As Well As Grooming And Health Care. Owners Manual. Ebooks / Audio / Visual Package.
Golden Retriever Care And Training.
Jump Higher, Run Faster, Get Stronger, Be The Best!
The Funk Roberts 6 Week Jump Training Program.
Those who live in San Francisco know how expensive things in the city can be, and a San Francisco wedding photographer is no exception. In a city brimming with creative talent, most brides can expect to pay anywhere from $3000 to $7000 to have their wedding day photographed.
If you want to find a quality San Francisco photographer for your wedding day but are on a budget, keep reading for three great tips that will save you money without sacrificing the photo memories of your big day.
Ask Photographers to Match Competitor’s Prices
When requesting quotes from multiple wedding photographers, don’t be afraid to ask a favorite to match a competitor’s price. Most photographers are willing to negotiate, especially if it means they may lose a valuable booking. Obviously, the provided packages should be comparable before you request a price match.
The best way to request a price match is to respond to a photography quote with examples of prices from other local photographers. Explain that you’re on a budget but would love to work with your particular photographer. You’ll find that many are willing to do a little negotiation.
Book Last Minute
Booking at the last minute is risky, and you may not get the specific photographer whom you want. But because there is so much competition in the San Francisco area, there are going to be a lot of providers who will be available on your wedding day. Waiting is especially effective during the slow season.
Last minute booking also means you have a lot more negotiation room. So, if a San Francisco wedding photographer is advertising $3000 for 5 hours on their website, ask them if they’d accept $2500. Most photographers would rather make the $2500 than stay home that day and earn nothing.
Go Out of Town
You may have to pay for travel time or gas expenses, but you can often still save money by booking a photographer outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Check rates of photographers in Concord or San Jose and you’ll see discounts as steep as 50%, meaning that extra $100 to $200 for travel is worth the added savings.
Shop the Bridal Expos
A bridal show or exhibition is a great way to meet lots of wedding photographers in one, easy location. You’ll also find most providers offering unique specials or discounts as a way of luring prospective brides to their booths or tables. Many also provide discounts for booking at the actual Bridal Fair.
Try the San Francisco Bridal Show or the Bay Area Bridal Expo, both of which are big wedding shows with numerous vendors. Take the opportunity to meet and greet photographers, interview them and get a feel for their personality and style.
You can find an affordable San Francisco wedding photographer, but you just have to be willing to negotiate, take the risk of last minute booking or invest the time into hitting the pavement at a bridal show. For your once-in-a-lifetime wedding, it will be well worth the time investment.
For great information on wedding preparation tips, see weddingpreptips.com, a popular site providing helpful pre-wedding insights, such as wedding video professionals in NJ, Target bridal registries, and many more!
Can we blame it all on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16, like writers like to do? Not really, but the truth is that this formerly modest party has morphed into something bigger. Maybe you’re like me and can hardly remember your 16th — mine sure wasn’t a big deal — but look around today and it’s not out of the question to spend thousands on this event, not even counting the Mary-Kate & Ashley ideal of the car in a big, bright bow.
You may think the pricey event I’m describing is over-the-top, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Many parents are amping up their daughter’s sweet 16 with an event rental, a DJ, and a couture-style cake. Once you splash out for all these, you need a photographer to capture them. And you can’t have a ballroom party without linens … or florals. And on and on.
If this $10,000 specter doesn’t match up with your current economic reality, but your daughter wants a memorable Candyland Sweet 16, not to worry — you can still have a cute one at home, for much, much less. Here’s how to get in scads of sugary sweetness for very little cash.
The Personalized Invitations.
Pricey: A high-style Candyland invite starts with something sweet — and personalized — in a box. Have these made, and you’re looking at $5 or $6 minimum each, mailed.
Cheap: If you do it yourself, you can order personalized wrappers off eBay, wrap chocolate bars yourself, and package in cute little boxes or bags from Papermart. (Have the wrappers pre-printed with all the party info.) Or, hand out Whirlypops personalized with handsome card stock rounds. Make these yourself on a printer, and cut into perfect discs with a $12 craft-store circle cutter. Save even more by handing these out to friends, skipping the post office. Savings: $4 an invite.
The Super-Sweet Decor.
Pricey: Hire a venue and a four-hour DJ. Rent linens with candy-colored sashes and overlays. The tables need a focal point, so hire a florist to dye roses in bright candy colors and arrange in high-flying trumpet vases (no, I am not making this up).
Cheap: Turn your home and entryway into a virtual Candyland with clever decorations that play with scale. Your secret weapons: foam board, cellophane, balloons and paper lanterns. Even the craft-impaired, like me, can make great garlands out of giant “candies”: two paper plates glued together and covered with a cellophane wrapper. Check the web for more inflatable candy, and eBay for candy-themed balloons (they’re legion). With foam board and dowels, you can easily pull together a great lollipop forest to spiff up the lawn. Amazing “cotton candy” centerpieces are simple to craft. Savings: $6000 and up.
The Main Meal.
Pricey: Catered. It’s not like you can serve your guests veggie trays in a ballroom — you’ve got to at least give them passed hors d’oeuvres.
Cheap: Pizza. Believe it or not, your guests will eventually get a little sugared-out. Recharge their taste buds with lots of salty, fatty, tomato-y pizza. Savings: $20 per person and up, plus, get it delivered and save yourself the hassle.
The Dazzling Dessert.
Pricey: A three-tier Candyland dream cake with brightly fondant icing.
Cheap: Cupcakes are hot! And they don’t call for a degree in structural engineering, unlike the cakes. Make them yourself with super-bright frosting in different colors (use gel coloring). For that high-end look, just pipe on the frosting with a large star tip. Then prop a pretty piece of stick candy (lollipop, swizzle stick, rock candy) into each completed creation. Done? Now place all your lovely cuppies on a tiered pastry stand. If you don’t have a stand, make one with thrifted plates you’ve glued together with sturdy wine glasses or candleholders in between (use Plumber’s Goop to cement). Savings: $300 and up.
The Proof of the Great Time Had by All.
Pricey: A professional photographer to capture the Queen of the Day, and a photo booth to amuse her minions.
Cheap: Maybe you really do want a photographer to memorialize your lovely daughter. Scan Craig’s List for talented snappers who want to pad their portfolio, and who’ll shoot some pics ahead of time for cheap. As for your guests, create a simple backdrop (sheets), provide some props (boas, pink wigs and giant lollis), get out your digital camera and go to town. A photo printer and some gift frames to display the goods will thrill your girls. Savings: $1000 and up.
Want more? Check out our super-useful guide for pulling off a Candyland Theme Sweet 16 that’ll leave you financially whole. And for a hot selection of Sweet 16 party favors, please visit us at FavorIdeas.