Our youngest, Finnegan, is almost 18 months old. (Um, WHAT?!) His soft, wispy blonde hair – he gets that from me – is starting to hang down in his eyes. I cannot bring myself to take him in for his first haircut. Husband keeps bringing it up and he is always greeted with a hearty, “no!” from me. I am not ready for that yet. He is still my baby. Once he gets his first haircut, I feel like I somehow lose a little bit more of it, of his baby-ness. Our oldest, William (almost 3 1/2), had his first haircut when he was around 22 months old. I’m trying to hold out for that for Finn.
When we took William to the “old school” barber shop in town, I brought my camera because – duh! – I had planned on documenting this huge occasion. It was important to me. Things like this are incredibly important to me. Instead, I found myself sitting in the barber’s chair, holding a very displeased William. Needless to say, I didn’t have any photos of his first haircut, not in progress, at least. I can still feel the memory though, of him sitting in my lap, underneath the black fabric that protected us from tiny pieces of falling hair. I remember being hugely pregnant with Finn, having to go outside and shake off my sweater as it was now coated with scraps from William’s first haircut. You’d better believe I have locks of his little curls saved. Oh, my heart.
There is a first for everything – and also a last.
Motherhood has broken my heart and increased its capacity exponentially. I never thought I could feel love like this – and then I felt it again. They say the days are long, but the years are short. You know, they are right. Small moments matter to me, so much. They are the tiny pieces to every day that make up our lives.
Savor them. Preserve them.
I have been hard at work on a major overhaul of my business and brand and I have never felt more at home in what I do. I am so excited to present to you the “all new” Kasey Wallace Photo.
Rooted in the small moments, everything I do comes from the heart – for the heart.
All memories deserve to be treasured equally.
Remembering the way your child smiled at you as you played in the grass together is important to you.
You know that the importance of these early days is immeasurable, so you take pleasure in memorizing every line of your newborn’s face at three in the morning.
Messes can be cleaned up in minutes. It’s the memories you made while baking with your children that will be seared onto your heart. Give yourself the gift of seeing those memories in print, years from now.
I am so excited to begin this part of my journey with you all. Along with lifestyle portrait sessions, I am honored to now offer Life-Inspired documentary sessions.
As a FULL-service photography business, I will be with you on every step of this journey, from meeting over coffee to plan together, scouting out the perfect location, and bringing dessert to your home for your big Reveal Night + Ordering Session. I will even hang your canvases and frames in your home. Please take a peek at the new WELCOME GUIDE for more details on what to expect from your lifestyle portrait session or Life-inspired documentary session.
In honor of my new brand reveal, for the entire month of May, all Session Fees are waived! That’s right, there is ZERO session fee. Also during the month of may, Life-Inspired sessions are $150 off. Contact me today to schedule your session.
*Session must be booked by 11:59PM on May 31, 2016 and take place no later than 11:59PM on December 31, 2016. Offer is not transferrable or redeemable for cash.
Thank you to everyone who has accompanied me on this journey. A special thank you to Caty + Erica at Flourish Collaborative for their superb guidance and expertise. You girls rock!
So, let’s get started. Your memories deserve it.
I wanted to find the perfect time to announce this giveaway, but then I quickly realized – what better time than now?
Is there a deserving couple in your life who is engaged to be married this year? Now is your chance to nominate them to win a FREE wedding photography package.
Kindness matters.
I want to hear their story. Are they a military couple? Do they volunteer at homeless shelters? Are they passionate educators? The sky is the limit when it comes to giving back.
Submissions will be accepted beginning now and will end promptly at 11:59PM on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Winning couple will be announced at Noon on Monday, May 2, 2016 on my Facebook Page.
Giveaway Guidelines
- Couple must be at least 18 years of age to qualify
- Couple must be getting married in 2016
- Couple cannot be under contract by any other photographer
- KWP must be available on their wedding date
- You cannot nominate yourself – this is for friends and family of the deserving couple to nominate them
- Only one nomination / entry per couple
- Current KWP clients are not eligible for this giveaway
- Only one couple will win the grand prize
- Winning couple will be chosen at random
- If the winning couple cannot claim their prize for any reason, they will be disqualified, and the runners-up will be awarded the prize at the discretion of KWP
- This wedding giveaway prize cannot be sold, traded, transferred, or exchanged for cash or any other item or service
- All couples who are nominated and do not win the grand prize will receive a discount of 25% off their total wedding investment if they book their 2016 wedding with KWP
- The person nominating the deserving couple wins, too! If your couple is the grand prize winner, you will receive a free lifestyle session of your choice (see session options HERE). Session must take place in 2016.
G r a n d P r i z e D e t a i l s
The selected couple will win the following: a Lifestyle Engagement Session lasting up to 2 hours (includes all final edited images with printing rights, delivered via online gallery); 8 hours of continuous lifestyle photography coverage on their wedding date; all final edited images with printing rights delivered on custom USB stick; a 12×12 – 40pg leather-bound layflat album highlighting their favorite moments from the big day; rehearsal dinner coverage up to 2 hours; and a 1st Anniversary Session lasting up to 2 hours with all final edited images and printing rights.
This giveaway is valued at $4,650.
Nominate a Deserving Couple
Be sure to follow on Facebook and Instagram.
L o v e m o v e s m o u n t a i n s .
G R E A T T H I N G S A R E H A P P E N I N G A R O U N D H E R E…
& A N A N N O U N C E M E N T I S C O M I N G
Are you driven by emotion? Into lifestyle photography? Want to document these moments authentically and preserve them for years to come?
You’re going to want to see this.
S t a y t u n e d .
Engagement season officially began a couple months ago, but everyone knows that February is the month of looove! /swoon ….Well, at least that’s how it’s made out to be in the movies.
In honor of Valentine’s Day and the newly engaged (or soon-to-be!) couples, I am super excited to announce an awesome special for the month of February. The requirements are simple! All you have to do is book your 2016 or 2017 wedding by February 29, 2016 and you will receive:
a FREE engagement session & FREE album!
Details:
Engagement sessions are between 60 and 90 minutes in length, in up to two locations, with unlimited wardrobe changes. You will receive all final, edited images in an online gallery with printing rights.
The album is a gorgeous, leather-bound 8 x 8 layflat album with 30 (yes, THIRTY!) thick pages featuring highlights from your wedding day. It’s a showstopper!
Requirements:
- Qualifying weddings must book the Basic Collection (six hours) or higher.
- Retainer fee and signed contract must be received by Monday, February 29, 2016 at 11:59PM.
- Any remaining balance must be paid by date in contract before album will be designed.
- If you invest in a Wedding Collection that already includes an engagement session, you will may choose to receive a print credit of $350 OR a 1st Anniversary Session.
- If you invest in a Wedding Collection that already includes an album, you will receive a print credit of $500. This may be used to upgrade your album, order canvases, prints, and other items available in the KWP product line.
- All albums must be ordered within 1 year of your wedding date. Should you order your album after the one year mark, order may be subject to any price changes that are in place at that time.
- Promotion is valued at $850.00 and is not redeemable for cash.
- Promotion is not valid with any other offers or discounts.
It goes without saying that weddings are known for being expensive. We flip through all the bridal catalogues; scour the internet for hours, Pinning and saving our favorite things, deciding our “must-haves” to make our day the Best Wedding Ever.
There are doves and a live band, a seven-tiered cake, and that to-die-for Vera Wang gown, candelabras everywhere, exquisite fresh flowers lining every row, coveted Louboutin heels, and Swarovski crystals dripping from the ceiling.
And then we wake up.
The dream is over and we realize that there is a big, giant elephant in the room: the budget. Don’t be afraid, brides-to-be! The budget is not a Four-Letter-Word. In fact, the budget is your friend, a friend you want to stick with for the rest of your life. Trust me. Once your wedding day is over, you will be glad you created and stuck with your budget and won’t be paying for the Wedding of Your Dreams for the rest of your life.
A budget doesn’t mean you can’t have the best wedding ever. A budget is there to help you decide what is most important to you, to balance the cost with reality, and to keep you out of a mountain of debt. I’ve pulled together some important things to consider when creating your wedding day budget and some easy ways to trim the fat without losing what’s important to you.
- Choose an off-peak wedding date. By having your wedding in an off-peak month, such as November, you will not be competing for prime dates and will have more negotiating power when it comes to price. Ask about rates for a Friday or Sunday. Saturday is the most popular day to get married and that means more money. When my husband and I were married, we chose a Sunday and saved over $1,000 by not having it on a Saturday.
- Elegant wedding venues and reception halls specialize in weddings. Consider having your wedding in a non-traditional location, such as a zoo or park, on the beach or at your family’s home. Not only will you save money, you won’t be competing for the date. Keeping the ceremony and reception in the same location is also beneficial by eliminating the cost of travel as well as conserving time in general. Not only is it easier for you, it is convenient for your guests as well.
Note: Be sure to calculate for catering needs in a non-traditional setting.
- Everyone loves a sale, right? Why not apply the same thought to your wedding dress? Start your hunt by scoping out the annual designer sales where you will pay a fraction of the regular price. Renting and borrowing wedding gowns is becoming a popular alternative. Has your grandmother saved her wedding gown to pass down to you? Not sure? I think it’s time to have a chat! Another option is to purchase your gown at a charity event. Not only are you getting a nice deal, you are contributing to a very worthy cause.
- Catering is one of the most expensive components to the wedding day. Consider having an early event and serving lunch. Dinner is always more expensive. You could skip the food all together and offer cocktails and a dessert bar. Just be sure to indicate that on your invitations. You don’t want starving, grumpy guests at the reception.
I attended a wedding several years ago that took place in the late evening. They provided a dessert bar only with no indication that dinner would not be served. Let’s just say a few of us snuck out for a quick bite to eat. Wedding days are long for everyone. Keep that in mind when making your food choices and be sure to let your guests know if there will not be a traditional dinner.
- Save money by skipping the open bar. Choose a signature drink to be included in a set quantity for your guests.
- Do you really need an upside down, five-tier cake? Gorgeous – absolutely. Cost effective – not at all. Consider having a small, beautifully decorated cake for you to cut and a sheet cake for your guests. Cupcakes are becoming more and more popular, too. If you really, really want a huge cake, consider having faux layers added in to increase the tier size. Yep, that’s a thing and it’s pretty cool. Be sure to add that to your list of questions to ask your bakery if a big cake is on your must-have list.
- I was raised a do-it-yourselfer and as an artist, it was a no-brainer for me to make my own flowers and decorations. You can save hundreds by making your own arrangements. Check your local ads frequently. Stores like Hobby Lobby have big sales on their silk flowers often. Choosing your silks at the right time can help you save even more.
Dead set on fresh flowers? Check out sites like FiftyFlowers and BloomsBytheBox. Ask your local floral shop about seasonal and local flowers to help keep the cost down. Sticking to one or two types of flowers in your arrangement will help keep the cost low.
- Make your own invitations and favors. Just like with the floral arrangements, you can purchase items to make your own invitations. You can skip the favors all together and offer a large bowl of candies instead. Don’t want to mess with printing 125 invitations? Try to choose a design that is on one card to keep the cost lower.
- Create a separate checking account that is strictly for your wedding purchases. Set up an auto-transfer or direct deposit into the account. By keeping your accounts separate, the temptation to spend it on something not related to the wedding will be eliminated. Stay away from charging anything for your wedding. Only charge it if you will pay it off within 30 days. You do not want to walk away from your wedding with a mountain of debt.
- Revise, revise, revise…. and then revise again. I lost count of the number of times my husband and I revised our invite list. Of course you want to include your Kindergarten teacher and your neighbor’s best friend, Peggy. It is the most important day of your life. You want to include everyone who has ever had an impact on you and that is totally understandable; however, it is not feasible. It may be difficult at first, but once you start trimming the invite list, it will become easier.
How do you start trimming? Ask yourself a few questions. When was the last time you spoke to this person? When was the last time you saw him/her in person? Would you attend their wedding? Do you hang out on a regular basis? If you are just work buds and don’t hang out outside of the workplace, it might be time to consider removing them from the list.
All of this may seem overwhelming at first, but I assure you, you will be fine. Start small. Make lists. Make lists for your lists and then make another list. The biggest thing to remember is to find out what is most important to you. Make a 3-tiered list. Top tier = mandatory and most important. Middle tier = desired but willing to negotiate. Bottom tier = not mandatory. By making a divided list and revising multiple times, you will stay organized and on track. It will help you know how much you want to allocate to what you feel is most important.
Often times wedding photography is overlooked. Your best friend’s cousin has a digital camera – he can just take some photos, right? Sure, why not. This might not be the best way to save money on your wedding budget. At the end of the day, when everyone has left and the cake has been devoured, your wedding photographs are all that will remain. They will always be there, one week later, ten years later, fifty years later. Your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will delight in pouring over your wedding album. Decide what level of coverage is important to you, but I urge you, do not cut yourself short in this category. You only have one wedding day. Invest in your memories. That being said, find the right photographer for you. Your budget is important but it’s imperative to have a connection with your photographer. Joe Foreal Photography may be the cheapest, but if Mr. Foreal is rude and his image quality is lacking, is it really worth it? Are you really saving in the long run?
There are hundreds of ways to save money on your wedding day and these are just the tip of the iceberg. The most important thing is to remember what is most important to you and your partner. Discussing your wants and needs, financial situation, and ways to compromise are essential. You don’t want to wake up the day after your wedding and realize you will be paying for it for the next 5 years. You will be so glad you stuck to your budget, I promise.
Be happy. Be married!
Ready to chat about your dream day? Take a peek at my Wedding Guide and let’s meet for coffee!
SOURCES
REAL SIMPLE: Wedding Planning & Budget Basics
Credit Card Insider: Financial Advice for Wedding Planning
The Knot: Budgeting for the Wedding – 30 Ways to save Money on Your Wedding
Martha Stewart Weddings: Wedding Budget Planner
Bridal Guide: 75 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding
Engagement season is upon us! Congratulations to all of you engaged love birds out there! <3
Now is the time to start looking for a photographer. Don’t know where to start? I didn’t either, all those years ago. Okay, it was only six years, but still.
So, how do you choose the best wedding photographer for you? It isn’t about who has the best portfolio or the cheapest price. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you and your photographer are a good match. What does that mean? You do not have to be besties with your photographer but you certainly do not want to feel like you are in a cold and sterile environment. There NEEDS to be a connection.
In this digital age, meeting in person is falling by the wayside. I will be the first to admit, e-mail correspondence and text messaging are my faves, but it is so, SO important to meet in person. I highly recommend that you meet with your wedding photographer more than once. Heck, more than twice. The initial consult and the final consult before your big day are standard, of course, but it is also very important to meet at least one more time in between.
What should you talk about at your initial consultation? Let’s go over some important questions you should ask.
1. Ask about her photographic style. Does she shoot posed portraits only? Does she shoot in a photojournalistic style? Also be sure to ask about her working style. Does she prefer to be a fly on the wall and let things happen naturally or does she prefer posed scenes? What do YOU prefer? It is important that you have an interest in the way your photographer shoots and works.
2. How much post-processing and Photoshop editing does your photographer do? Is she heavy on the editing? Does she heal every blemish and make you lose 20lbs? Be sure you know your photographer’s editing style and what she will and will not do. As an example, I do not do heavy Photoshopping. Generally speaking, I will not make you thinner or reduce aging. (If you are troubled by certain scars or blemishes, please confide in me about whether or not you would like them retouched.) I shoot with honesty and value authenticity. I want you to feel comfortable in your own skin. You are beautiful as you are.
3. So, you thought you would only need 5 hours of coverage but as the day progresses on, you realize you need 8…EIGHT! OMG, what now?! Be sure to ask your photographer if she will provide extra coverage and what the cost is per hour. This is very important. Do not assume that your photographer will just stay because there’s more going on. Do you have a special closing event, like a lantern lighting? Are your guests seeing you off? Be sure to allot the proper amount of coverage time for this if you want it photographed. Tip: It’s best to allow the most amount of time possible, rather than cutting yourself short. Timelines are usually rarely acknowledged as the day progresses. Things happen. People arrive late. Things get left behind. Please allow yourself enough time to compensate for that to alleviate any unnecessary stressors for you!
4. Does your photographer have liability insurance? This is very, very important. If your photographer does NOT have insurance, YOU can be held liable if there are any injuries due to tripping over equipment, for example, because you hired the photographer. This goes for all of your vendors as well. Everyone should be properly insured. Some venues will insist a photographer has insurance, and will require proof, or they will not be allowed to photograph on the property.
5. How many pictures will the photographer take? How many will you receive? Every photographer is different. If there is a ballpark amount of images you want, be sure to go with someone who offers that as a standard. If you want 800 final images, you probably do not want to hire the photographer who gives you 375 in the final gallery.
6. Is an engagement session offered? Do you want an engagement session? Most wedding photographers offer or include engagement sessions. It only makes sense and I highly recommend you have an engagement session with the photographer you are hiring to shoot your wedding. This is the best possible way to see how the photographer works and what to expect. You will get to know each other in the field rather than via e-mail or at meetings. This is also the perfect way to become comfortable in front of the camera. You are going to have a lens in your face for hours on your wedding day. It’s a good idea to become comfortable with that before the day. Plus, engagement sessions are FUN! It’s all about you as a couple and how awesome your love is. Do it. You won’t regret it, I promise.
7. Is your photographer willing to work with any ideas you have? This is very important as well. If the photographer is not willing to hear any of your suggestions or collaborate on ideas, hit the road. You want to work with someone who wants to work with you. This is your day. You deserve that. That being said, most photographers want to hear your ideas and important shots. Please keep in mind that if you give your photographer a giant list of desired shots, she is under no obligation to photograph every single one. In fact, having her nose in a list all day is going to detract from the real magic that she would capture naturally.
What about the extra meeting I recommended?
Get together over coffee at your favorite café. Chat with him or her about how your wedding plans are coming along. Ask how things are going on his/her end, too! This is really an informal visit to spend some more time together and chat about things that haven’t already been covered. You may want a boudoir session so you can present your love with a gorgeous album as a wedding gift. This is the perfect time to chat about it.
The last time you meet with your photographer before your wedding should take place at least two weeks prior to the big day. This meeting can be brief, but it is very important. Here is when you should have your wedding day itinerary finalized. It is very important to make sure it’s ready to go so your photographer can put the finishing touches on his/her photography timeline and provide you with any last minute tips to help the day go smoothly. Wedding days are hectic and over in a flash and have the notoriety of having mishaps. Don’t fret. As professionals, we have experience with smoothing over the bumps when things veer off course. And if this happens, it will be okay!
There are dozens and dozens of websites telling you the 5,000 most important questions to ask your potential wedding photographer. Most are standard and are almost always covered during your initial consultation. It is best to make a list of questions that YOU feel are important and be sure to ask them right away.
We want to be a good match for you, too. That’s what we’re here for!
Are you ready to schedule your consultation? I would love to hear all about your beautiful plans. Let’s chat over coffee and get to know each other. 🙂
I am already booking into fall 2017; there are limited dates left available in 2016. Send me a note to secure your date today!
Catch up with me on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re really bored, you can take a peek at my nerdy mom life on my personal Instagram. 😉
Happy wedding planning! <3
