A Dress Perfect For The Second Wedding

Mathew Imaging/WireImag

I love this dress by Reem Acra. The twist front and jewel capped sleeves are so beautiful. Wouldn’t it be perfect for a second wedding?

Keeping In Touch

How cute is this Christmas card from one on my past brides. What a good use of those wedding pictures.

I ran into one of my past brides in the grocery store a couple of days ago. (Hi Joy!) It’s always so good to hear from my brides. It is amazing how close you get to the bride and groom and their families when you plan a wedding. It’s always a little sad when the wedding is over, because I know I won’t be hearing from them as often as before.

A lot of my brides do keep me up to date on what is happening in their lives. I get emails and Christmas cards and even baby announcements. It’s so great to be an important part of so many people's lives.

Real Wedding of Jill and Matt

As I promised, here are more pictures from the wedding of Jill and Matt, Saturday at the Hyatt. This was such a fun couple. In fact ,the whole group was fun. Everyone had a really great time. It was one “rocking” reception.

Jill and her Mom, Karen, share a moment before the wedding.

We started out with the ceremony in the ballroom at the Hyatt. Dahlia’s did the flowers. Jill, the bride, wanted everything really simple. There was just the table for the sand ceremony on the stage highlighted with a memorial arrangement. The music was performed by Classic Touch.

Behind the stage, white draping was used as the backdrop. The raised floor of the ceremony was covered in rose petals. Her colors of purple and ivory and a beautiful golden olive were found in the ribbons and hydrangea decorating the aisle chairs. The floor was covered with a white runner and sprinkled with rose petals.

After the ceremony, their guests moved on to the cocktail hour directly outside the ballroom. Entering the area, they were greeted by waiters butlering silver trays of champagne topped off with slices of fruit. An hor d’oeuvre area was set up for the guest to enjoy.




Once the cocktail hour ended, the chimes were rung and dinner was announced upstairs in the Teal Room. The guests were treated to the Hyatt’s top of the line, Personal Preference Dinner. They had a choice of filet mignon, herb crusted chicken breast, pan seared salmon, or vegetable napoleon.


While waiting for dinner to be served, the guests enjoyed a seafood martini of chilled shrimp and scallops appetizer and a classic Caesar salad. After dinner there was a chocolate fountain by The Chocolate Diva, and a coffee station with cookies, brownies and a candy bar. The beautiful cake was made by Jackie at Art Eats Bakery


All night long the guests danced to music provide by Jamie Blair of Life of the Party.


It was a wonderful wedding! Congratulations Jill and Matt.

Wedding at the Hyatt in Downtown Greenville, SC

Willrich Bridal was at the Hyatt this weekend for the beautiful wedding of Jill and Matt. Here are a few pictures to look at for now. More tomorrow.

A Wedding In the Mountains

This past weekend we were part of a beautiful wedding that took place at Pretty Place with the reception at the Westin Poinsett. It was the wedding of Jenni and John, a young couple from New York. Jenni had lived in Greenville before, but for almost all the 116 guests this was a destination wedding.

Jenni grow up going to Pretty Place with camp, so she knew the beauty of the spot and wanted it for the ceremony. And beautiful it was. As the guests arrived in buses from the Westin they were greeted by a clear perfect day with a chill in the air. I think every guest exclaimed over the unsurpassed view from the chapel. Jenni teamed up with Greg Foster to add just enough floral to the ceremony to enhance the view but not take away from it in any way. Music for the ceremony was done by Braidstream. It was beautiful.

Jenni and John’s colors were white and navy. The flowers for the ceremony were white calla lilies, orchids and roses, with just the tiniest touches of blue. The bridesmaid’s wore short navy blue dresses.

Cocktail hour was held on the Mezzanine level of the Westin. There was hors d’oeuvres of crab cakes, shitake mushrooms croustade, herb roasted filet crostini, sesame chicken skewers, Peking duck rolls and pesto shrimp.

The reception held in the Gold Room, was awash in white orchids and roses. Dinner was a buffet with action stations of a martini mashed potato bar with sweet potatoes, grilled Mahi with mixed vegetables, roast beef, lobster bisque and tomato basil soup. Later in the evening guests were treated to a bananas foster dessert station.

The wedding cake was a beauty done by Susan at Couture Cakes. Entertainment was provided by DJ Roger Barber .

It was truly a beautiful evening.

Wedding Planner - Willrich Bridal
Photographer - Photography by Dennis & Yvette
Ceremony - Pretty Place
Reception - Westin
Ceremony Music - Braidstream>
DJ - Roger Barber
Florist - Greg Foster
Limo & Buses - Elite Limo
Cake - Couture Cakes of Greenville

The Willrich Wedding Planning Team

It’s hard finding good help.

The Willrich team of Richard and his angels (Mary and Sonya), hard at work at a recent wedding. Thanks to a great, hard working team. I couldn't do it without you.

Eye Candy and an Interview From Travis Bell

You may remember several months ago, I posted about a wedding we did in the West End Zone Club at Clemson. I got so many comments from that wedding that I wanted to post a few of the professional pictures that, Travis Bell, the photographer for the wedding sent me.

Travis did such a great job and was so easy to work with, that I thought my readers might want to learn a little more about him. So I asked for an interview and he graciously agreed.

Enjoy!

Tell me what makes your business special:

We are able to offer not only wedding photojournalism but also a sports-photography style coverage of an event. My background is in newspapers and magazines but I've also been covering weddings and college and pro sports since I was in my teens.

I've applied many of the techniques used in sports photography to weddings. My gift is capturing moments as they truly happen. I can't ask a wide receiver to go back and run a touchdown play again. I have to be ready and I use that same philosophy with wedding coverage.

The bride doesn't have to worry about being asked to pretend to do something or repeat anything. The moments are real.

How did you get started in this business?

When I was 14, my father, who was a professional still photographer, asked me if I'd like to start making some extra money shooting the video angle of weddings he was shooting. I worked with him for 10 years and during that time made the transition from video to stills. The second part of my career came while I was in college and the Spartanburg Herald-Journal newspaper gave me a chance to shoot assignments. That's where I picked up photojournalism.

What do you like best about your job?

I have a passion for capturing the real emotion that takes place. There's a lot of satisfaction knowing that couple's grandchildren will one day see these images that show the energy/emotion that took place on their grandparents' day. I also enjoy telling stories with images.

Tell us about your favorite wedding or event:

My favorite weddings have been ones where the bride knew how to relax and enjoy her day. It makes is so easy to photograph. I love weddings in The Lowcounrty on the water. There are so many opportunities for great images. I shoot college and pro sports as well and my favorite event of all time has to be the annual Clemson/Carolina football game. I've photographed NASCAR, the NFL, NBA and nothing comes close the pageantry and action from the Tigers and Gamecocks contest.

What are the questions a bride should ask when choosing a vendor in your field?

How much experience does he/she have? There are a lot of folks out there buying a digital camera/launching a website and calling themselves wedding photographers so experience/background is critical.

It's important to ask a photographer what they believe "wedding photojournalism" means. That's a hot phrase right now and some photographers don't understand the true meaning of it. Wedding photojournalism is quietly documenting real moments that will the story of the day. If it's posed, it's not photojournalism.

Ask to see a complete wedding.

If possible, bring your family with you when you meet your photographer. It's a great time for everyone to meet and you can get help from family members in helping decide on the right photographer.

What’s the hardest thing about your job?

The admin side of everything, paperwork, etc.

Anything else we should know?

I have a passion for being appreciative to those folks who choose me to photograph their wedding. I don't take for granted that someone is intrusting me to document their family history.

Thanks so much Travis !

Sparklers at a Wedding - Don't Do It

If you are a Willrich Bride, you know that I strongly oppose sparklers for your send off. Sometimes, it is so hard to convince a bride that sparklers are just not a good idea.

I tell them about the time sparklers caught the tent on fire, or the time it had been raining earlier and the dampness in the air caused a huge cloud of smoke when the sparklers where lit. You couldn’t even see the bride and groom leaving for all the smoke. Also, don’t forget the added expense of sand buckets to put the sparklers in after they go out.

Still, some brides are not convinced. Now, thanks to photographer Travis Bell, one look at the picture above should do it. Luckily, the groomsman was able to put out the fire and the bride wasn’t hurt.

Wedding Dress Bustles

Two things you should know about wedding dress bustles:

1) You will definitely need one if you have any train at all on your wedding dress. You can hardly walk, much less dance without one.

2) You will need more than one loop and hook to hold that bustle.

I have seen all types of bustles, from the single loop that pulls the train up to a hook at the waist of the dress, to the under bustles with up to twenty ties underneath the skirt. There is one fact I can tell you about a bustle, there is a 99% chance it is going to break, especially the single loop kind.

Insist that your alteration person sew at least two loops and hooks into your dress. Have someone with you at your final fitting (not your mother, she will be to busy on the wedding day) to learn how to correctly bustle your dress.

Make sure on your wedding day, someone (hopefully your planner) has giant safety pins on hand to repair a broken bustle. Carrying your dress’ train over your arm all night is not fun. The last thing you want are guests stepping all over a dragging train and ruining your beautiful dress. Spend a little more on alterations and get your dress bustled correctly.

Mailing Your Wedding Invitation

Wedding Paper Divas

Ok, this is not a tip; it is a flat out warning!! Do not, let me repeat that DO NOT, mail your invitations without first going to the post office to have both your invitation and your RSVP weighed and sized for the correct postage.

Remember to include all your enclosures when you have them weighed. So if you are sending a map, reception card, etc. along with the RSVP in your invitation, make sure they are all in the envelope when weighed. Also, DO NOT forget to put postage on the RSVP envelopes to make it easy for guests to return to you.

After everything is weighed and stamped, mail an invitation to yourself. When it arrives in your mailbox in great shape, you will know it is ok to mail the rest.

Giving Your Ceremony A Special Look

Trying to find a way to make your wedding ceremony look a little different than everyone else’s?

Here’s a cute idea. Instead of having your bridesmaids all carry identical bouquets, have each girl carry a bouquet made entirely of her favorite flower or her favorite color. Then have your bouquet made up of flowers matching each of their bouquets. What a sweet way to show your girls how special and individual they are to you.

Some Bozwell Eye Candy

Gretchen and Ron were kind enough to send over a little eye candy to share with my readers. Check out Bozwell Photography for more.

Bozwell Photography

If you are searching in the Upstate South Carolina area for a really good photography team, you are sure to come across Bozwell Photography. Ron and Gretchen’s work is pretty amazing and they are such a sweet couple to work with.

I recently asked if they would take a few minutes to let me interview them so my readers could get to know a little more about the Bozwells. Below is the interview. Enjoy!

Tell me what makes your company special:
We are a husband and wife team, and we really enjoy working together ... even though some of our clients tell us they could never work with their spouse! It works for us because we each specialize in different areas. Ron brings the photography and technical expertise; I (Gretchen) focus on client relations, marketing and production. On wedding days and portrait sessions, we work together on creativity and unique angles.

How did you get started in the business?
Ron started his work in photography as a high school student, and then moved on to complete his bachelor's and master's degrees. Basically, he hasn't put down his camera since he developed his first roll of film more than 20 years ago. Shortly after we got married, Ron put his photography experience and my career in public relations together and launched Bozwell Photography in 1997.

What do you like best about your job?
Meeting new people ... by the time we finish a couple's wedding, we often feel like we've gained a new set of friends!

Tell us about your favorite wedding or event:
To be a bit generic, our favorite wedding is (1) well organized; (2) outside on a beautiful day; and (3) features a couple who is relaxed and not taking themselves too seriously, but totally enjoying themselves and their guests.

What are the questions a bride should ask when choosing a vendor in your field?
1) Can I see samples of your work?
2) Will you be the photographer or will you send an assistant without telling me prior to the wedding?
3) Why should I hire a professional when I can have a friend or relative take the pictures?
4) How much experience do you bring to the event?
5) Tell me about weddings similar to mine that you have photographed.

What’s the hardest thing about your job?
Taking terrific photographs when the wedding is completely unorganized!

Anything else we should know?
Don't skimp on your photography budget ... your photographs are the only tangible memories of your day and the time/money you have invested in all of the other aspects of your wedding.

Thanks so much, Ron and Gretchen, for taking the time to talk with us today.

Helping Guests Find Their Way

Picture from Martha Stewart.com

Here’s a good tip….when designing your program, remember to include directions to your reception site. Even if you have included a map in the invitation, people will still arrive at the wedding having forgotten the directions or having lost them. The easiest way to make sure everyone knows where to go, is to include the directions on the back of the program.

Beautiful Clay Flowers

Wondering what you can do if you are allergic to flowers and hate the thought of silk flowers? Maybe you can’t see spending all that money on fresh flowers and having nothing to show for it? Well check out DK Designs.

I first heard about this site on The Wedding Planning Audiocast (which is another thing I am a huge fan of).

Diane Phillips makes the most amazing wedding flowers out of clay. Besides being interviewed on the Wedding Planning Audiocast, she has also appeared on The Martha Stewart Show. She makes everything from centerpieces to cake toppers. Check out her website or blog (another favorite) to see more of her amazing creations and get the details on ordering.

Project Runway Bridal Dresses

Pictures from Bravo.com

So did you happen to catch Project Runway the other night? The designers had to design a wedding dress and then at the last minute a bridesmaid’s dress to go with it. I was really excited to see what they would come up with. I must admit though, I was not all that impressed with the results. What do you think?

Bride's Men

If you are like me, you probably have as many guy friends as you do girl friends. When I was getting married the idea of having a guy stand up for you with the bridesmaids was practically unheard of. Luckily, this is begining to change and more often you now see bride's men or groom's ladies. As much as I like tradition, I love this new trend.

I see nothing wrong with having a guy in a tux on your side, along with your ladies, or your groom having his best gal pal in a long black dress standing with his groomsmen. If they are your good friend having them stand with you will be a beautiful thing.

An Interview with Getz Creative Photography

A couple of weeks ago, I showed some beautiful pictures from Ashley’s wedding that Getz Creative had sent over to share with my readers. Since Getz Creative does such unusual and beautiful work, I just had to interview them so that you could learn more about them. I contacted TJ and Michelle with a request and they graciously accepted. So take a moment and learn more about one of the most creative photography teams around.

Tell me what makes your business special:
We are not just photographers--we are artists. We gain most of our inspiration from illustrators, cinematographers, painters, and fashion designers.

How did you get started in this business?
With a background in design and advertising, TJ and Michelle decided to shift their focus to photography while still maintaining a creative, advertising flair.

What do you like best about your job?
Showing the connection between two people in love
Tell us about your favorite wedding or event:
We shot a wedding recently in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We spent the day running around capturing a fun couple within the unique characteristics of the town. It was a great opportunity to be creative.

What are the questions a bride should ask when choosing a vendor in your field?
How important is photography to me? What kind of photography do I want? Who can best meet those needs? Am I willing to pay for good photography? Is saving money worth compromising my hopes for wedding photography?

Whats the hardest thing about your job?
Not having enough time to shoot everything! We are constantly coming up with new ideas and it's hard to find time to make them all become reality.

Anything else we should know?
We feel that we not only offer a very unique look for photography in the Southeast, but also some incredibly creative products. In our newest favorite, we create custom artwork by combining 2-Dimensional Illustration with a couple's favorite photo. We call it Fusion, truly unique wall art.

An example of Fusion art by Getz Creative