Okay everyone...THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!!! Our sister company (and owner of Dynamite Weddings), The Memory Journalists needs your help! Here's a post from Jennifer...
As some of you know The Memory Journalists are getting into the film (aka video) side of photography. We call it "motion" photography, vs still photography. We recently attended a Canan sponsored workshop in Portland where we each had to come up with a 30 second commercial for a Canon Powershot camera. There were several cities on the workshop tour with a total of 20 submissions. There are BIG things in it for the overall winner, AND we just made the top 5 cut - which were chosen internally by the company who taught the workshop, StillMotion Photo & Cinema.
Now it's open to the public to vote for their favorite commercial out of the top 5! We are asking that you vote for us.
Here's the details...Click on this link -
http://canoncaravan.stillmotionblog.com/submissions/
click on my name (jennifer - Portland)
and click the word "vote"
Ask you friends, spouses, co-workers, etc. to vote too! Vote today. Voting is only open until Sunday and your vote counts. Of course, please watch all 5 entries and vote for your favorite...but we hope it's ours!
Many people have commented to me that our wonderful model looks like a mini-Jennifer. Wearing pink, a hat, painted toe nails with polka dots. I guess I never thought of that as I scouted for our model but now I laugh as she does remind me of me. We were given about 4 hours to pick our script, storyboard our commercial, and then go shoot. We had a team of 4 people: a director (me), Camera A, and Camera B and our lighting person. I hand picked this beautiful little girl, a complete stranger, from a water park in Portland close by where our workshop was held. She was the best model EVER!
Here is our commercial...you can also watch it on the link above.
The Memory Journalists are one of our three amazing wedding photographers. Although the Memory Journalists are primarily wedding photographers they also love photographing engagement sessions, treasured moments including newborns, babies' first steps, and family portraits. They truly have a niche to recreate the moment through a picture for an audience.
The Memory Journalists came about one Christmas when Jen received a camera from her boyfriend (now husband) Cory. She had loved taking photographs her whole life, but for some reason this camera sparked her interest to show others her passion in life. Let's learn a little more about our wonderful Jen!
The person that I most admire and why...My Grandpa because he was the person in my life who encouraged education. He himself had five kids and still managed to go to school and make a career.
My favorite wedding element is...getting ready...the butterflies, the dresses, the shoes...
The biggest lesson I've learned since starting in this industry...Not to apologize for my prices. I'm worth every penny! ;)
I get my inspiration from...Inspiration can come from many sources. I am inspired by everything around me.
If I were a pair of shoes, I would be...I wouldn't be shoes, I would be barefoot with pink nail polish!
The best piece of advice I can share with brides planning their wedding...Take deep breaths and enjoy the planning as well as the big day..it goes by so fast. Also, remember it's about you two and your commitment not what everybody else wants.
One things readers may not know about me...I used to sing for drama club, in plays, at pep rallies and even at weddings. The last time I sang in public was my sister's wedding. However, my admin, Carie and I will be making our Sacramento Karaoke debut very soon!
Celebrations Party Rentals is one of our amazing rental service vendors! They are so accommodating and willing to help make your day stress free. We know this first-hand as Dynamite Weddings threw a Mixer in one of their gorgeous tents in April and the Celebrations team was outstanding and such a pleasure to work with. They made the night run smoothly, made it fun and decorated their tent with amazing taste and style!
Celebrations is a one shop stop! They do anything from set up and tear down of the tent to decorating the reception with their amazing linens and decor. They have a variety of choices and will really bring your vision alive on your big day! Lacey is one of the amazing team members we love to work with over at Celebrations. Lets get to know her a bit better...
What's your favorite TV show? CSI
The biggest professional accomplishment for myself so far has been...becoming a Certified Event Rental Professional.
Kill the spider or let it out? Kill it
Define yourself in 3 words...Funny, frugal, thorough
Are you a cat or dog person? Dog
The person that I most admire and why...Martha Stewart because she has built an empire on crafts, foods and weddings.
Flip flops or tennies? Flip flops
Nothing is more beautiful to me than...nature.
Where do you want to travel next? Greece
I started this business/am in this industry because...It is the family business
My first job was...Babysitting
What do you do on Sundays? Clean house, walk my dogs and have mai tais.
The Citizen Hotel is Sacramento's Luxury Hotel offering a 20th century grace and luxury. This gorgeous hotel is just moments away from the State Capitol and close to many downtown hot spots.
The Citizen Hotel blends old age elegance with new age glamour exceptionally well with their 198 boutique style guestrooms and suites. Make sure to enjoy the breathtaking outdoor terrace with amazing views of downtown and the scrumptious Grange Restaurant.
Harmony Lines is our go-to gal at The Citizen! She is extremely helpful and a pleasure to work with. How about we get to know her a little bit better...
Where do you want to travel next? New Zealand
I started this business/am in this industry because...waitressing was a great way to make money during college, which led to a concierge position, which led to a wedding assistant position...and well, that's when I was hooked!
My first job was...Burger King drive-thru girl at 17. Guess I was destined for hospitality!
What do you do on Sundays? Sleep in, drink bloody marys, clean, watch movies...basic goal is to not leave the house.
Three blogs I stalk, besides Dynamite Weddings, are...gotta be honest here - the only blog (besides Dynamite Weddings of course!) that I ever look at is my own, because I have to. Not much into the social media yet...sorry!
Right now I'm listening to...streaming radio...John Legend
My favorite wedding element is...I can't pick just one. I love it all!!
My biggest pet peeve is...Bad DJs
The song I sing in the car every time is...Dreams by Fleetwood Mac
The biggest lesson I've learned since starting in this industry...don't sweat the small stuff, and don't let them see you sweat even if you are!
The one item of clothing I can't live without...a fabulous pair of heels
If I were a pair of shoes, I would be...a pair of strappy heels...flirty, sexy, versatile and ready for summer.
The best piece of advice I can share with brides planning their wedding...Nothing is perfect except for the love you and your fiancé have for each other so that is what you should focus on. Food gets eaten, flowers die, pictures fade...but memories last a lifetime so make sure you don't miss a joyous moment!
Beer or wine? Tea or coffee? Red wine at night and coffee in the morning. Sometimes I'll kick it up with a Carb Free Rockstar in the afternoon.
Flourish Designs is one of our fabulous floral vendors here at Dynamite Weddings. There work is amazing and well reputable. Recently Project Wedding gave Flourish a Five Star rating and said "Congratulations! You have received a perfect 5-star rating on Project Wedding! Your clients love the impeccable quality and service that you provide, and we are excited to award you with this elite distinction."
Nothing is more beautiful to me than...my family happy, safe and cuddled up together watching movies. My son calls it the cozies
Where do you want to travel next? Sicily to visit family and then a quick little jaunt over to Greece. I have wanted to visit Greece ever since I was a kid and I watched the Love Boat episode were they cruise the Greek islands.
I started this business/am in this industry because...I love being part of the wedding day. I am such a sappy romantic!
My first job was...I was a Soda Jerk at a 50s style diner. I went home after every shift sticky and smelling of ice cream.
Nothing is more beautiful to me than...my family happy, safe and cuddled up together watching movies. My son calls it the cozies
Where do you want to travel next? Sicily to visit family and then a quick little jaunt over to Greece. I have wanted to visit Greece ever since I was a kid and I watched the Love Boat episode were they cruise the Greek islands.
I started this business/am in this industry because...I love being part of the wedding day. I am such a sappy romantic!
Make sure to check out Flourish Designs and their wonderful floral creations.
Sheffield Multimedia is a local videographer and Dynamite Wedding vendor specializing in cinematic wedding films. They understand how much your big day means to you and capture it perfectly. Sheffield Multimedia professionally come in and plan every step, but also capture those unplanned moments. They have a great team that will make you feel very comfortable on your big day. Sheffield Multimedia is led by Phill Sheffield, who will go the extra length to make sure your day is perfectly documented!
Phill and the team go beyond documenting your wedding day. They tell your story in a fun, cinematic and emotional way. They capture the finest details with the highest quality and are very discrete about it! They treat every wedding as a cinematic work of art, and always film in High Definition.
They work closely with you before the wedding, learning about your desires for a perfect wedding film. Your personal style and tastes will make this movie not only a reflection of your wedding day, but say a little something about who you are at this time in your lives.
Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts was created by Carissa Jones who specializes in anything and everything dealing with mouth watering desserts...This lovely lady believes that "You CAN have your cake and eat it too, but you can also have mousse, pies, creme brulee, eclairs or whatever else tickles your fancy!" Talk about words of wisdom!!! If you have never tried these goodies, you sure are in for a treat...Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wander what heaven is like'? Take a bite of her sugar cookies and find out!
In 2004 Carissa graduated from the California Culinary Academy's pastry program determined to follow her dream. She worked in restaurants in San Francisco, Hawaii, and Sacramento to get some hands on experience under her belt before she decided to make this pastry dream a scrumptious reality! Once she had all the fundamentals in place all she needed was an extra push from friends and family....and voilà Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts had arrived!
Let's learn a little bit more about our wonderful Carissa...
What is your favorite TV show? I have to pick one? ... Mad Men
The biggest professional accomplishment for myself so far has been... navigating the world of associations, advertising and networking.
Kill the spider or let it out? Kill that sucker!
Define yourself in 3 words...friendly, strong, fair
Are you a cat or dog person? Dog
The person that I most admire and why? my Dad. He has owned his own business since the dawn of time. Good, bad and worse, he has stuck with it, always provided for his family and been a great source of encouragement. He pushed me for years to do what I love, he had faith in me before I had faith in me.
Bocca Catering is Dynamite Weddings exceptional catering service. They have catering for our last Mixer, and boy were they a hit!! Bocca Catering is a full-service catering company committed to delivering unique-quality event experiences. Their mission is to provide their client with amazing customer service, but also include the highest quality of fresh food with a gorgeous presentation.
Bocca Catering was established in 2000 by Francie Santiago and has been responsible for creating some very memorable weddings, engagement parties, corporate functions and other formal events. Francie believes that menus should be perfectly suited for each occasion and designed to compliment each clients' specific tastes. Francie's passion is to create and present all types of ethnic foods ranging from Asian infused to Mediterranean. When Francie fixes your final menu, it will be a rare catering experience... enthusiastically prepared, beautifully presented and graciously served.
Let's get to know Francie a little bit better...
What's your favorite TV show? Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.
The biggest professional accomplishment for myself so far has been...Being able to multi, multi task and to wear many hats and seeing my business grow with continued happy clients.
Kill the spider or let it out? I would let it out or ignore it. They are innocent little creatures.
Define yourself in 3 words...upbeat, reliable and trustworthy
Are you a cat or dog person? Dogs are my other passion. I have four.. two yorkies, Lulu and Mo, Sampson my beautiful rescued greyhound and our 80lb English Bulldog named Kirby.
The person that I most admire and why...My Father Scotty, who is 84 years old and who worked very hard to provide a good life for his family. He ran a successful general contracting business and is enjoying retirement. His commitment to what he loves is an inspiration.
A Day to Remember is our local wedding planning vendor that has been around for 25 established years planning events in the Northern California area, including the Napa Valley, Sierra Foothills/Gold Country and Lake Tahoe. They believe " planning the wedding of your dreams should be just like falling in love...joyful and effortless! "They are amazing at planning and coordinating a unique worry-free wedding that will embody romance and the significance of your event to your guests.
With their assistance your wedding will have a myriad of details that only professionals with this much experience and knowledge can deal with efficiently. A Day to Remember listens to your wishes and concerns, offering guidance, providing peace of mind, and probably some good laughs along the way!
Lora Ward started A Day to Remember Wedding Consultants. Twenty five years later with hundreds of weddings, anniversary parties, renewal of vows, baby showers and other social events successfully completed, she continues to be excited, enthused, motivated and creative with her passion.
Learn more about Lora Ward of A Day to Remember.
What's your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy (ahhh McDreamy)
The biggest professional accomplishment for myself so far has been...juggling multiple weddings and loving each of my clients and the creation process and I'm never overwhelmed (I don't let myself get into that situation)
Kill the spider or let it out? Let it out - only because I don't want to hear the squish, or clean up the bottom of my shoe!
Define yourself in 3 words...a former boyfriend said I had bravado and panache and my husband appreciates that I am on an even keel.
Are you a cat or dog person? Cat, but now I have to be a dog person as my daughters have dogs...my granddogs.
The person that I most admire and why...golly, I feel like Miss America with this question. I admire any person who has made great achievements, whether it is financially or simply succeeded with their accomplishments, and they continue to be thoughtful, pleasant, considerate, level-headed kind and share their story with others. If I were to pick one famous person, I might say Michelle Obama.
We proudly want to introduce Gino Creglia, our newest photographer on board at Dynamite Weddings!!! We are extremely happy to have a photographer that believes that it is a lifestyle and not just a job. He has an amazing artistic eye and can really capture that special moment.
"Every wedding day starts as a blank canvas," Gino insists. "The fun begins when the bride and groom paint the day in their own unique way. I discover little moments in time that tell their story - the story of their wedding and the love that brought them to it."
Here is a Q & A to get to know Gino a little bit better...
What is your favorite TV show? Anderson Cooper 360
The biggest professional accomplishment for myself so far has been? Opening my studio in Folsom, California
Kill the spider or let it out? Let the spider out
Define yourself in 3 words? Passionate, driven, and motivated
Are you a cat or dog person? Dog :0)
The person that I most admire and why? My mother-in-law. She is an amazing person. She takes care of her elderly aunt, grandmother to five kids, wife, mother, friend, and businesswoman. Always has a positive attitude. Love Her!
Flip flops or tennies? Tennies.
Nothing is more beautiful to me than ...My Wife
Where do you want to travel next? Greece
I started this business/am in this industry because ...Of my passion for wedding photography
My first job was ...Newspaper delivery in Hoboken, NJ
What do you do on Sundays? Relax at home or shoot weddings.
Gino has an amazing eye in photography and can show you through the intricate details he catches on your special day. Check out Gino's amazing photography at Photosbyg.com
1.jpg)
