Wow.. I took the red-eye flight from Vegas to Portland, ME and arrived home yesterday late morning. I’m not sure if I don’t do well with red-eye flights, but I slept last night for almost 13 hours and could use 13 more…what an amazing experience to have as a wedding professional. I can’t imagine how beneficial it would have been if I was actually a photographer (I’m a wedding planning and the editor of myKPW for those of you reading this blog for the first time). I thought I would give a quick recap of my experience and show some photos of the fun we had while getting traveling, hanging out with some great friends, and just the sheer size of this convention so here it goes!
So I had the pleasure of flying out to Vegas with the emilie inc. (Maine wedding photographer) studio manager, Erin Whelan, and the ever-so talented Maine wedding photographer, Roxanne Bedard of Roxanne Ashey Photography (both studios happen to be myKPW members). I usually fly out of Manchester, NH or Logan in Boston so Portland International Jetport was a new and very enjoyable experience for me. Imagine to my surprise, arriving at the terminal to wait to board for JFK and I see this; white Adirondack chairs lining the walls for people to rock to relaxation. Now that isn’t something you see at every airport and it is just another example of how New England is full of warmth and welcoming people- right when you step off the plane!
One of the main reasons I went to WPPI this year was to meet up with the many my Kate Parker Wedding photographers that I have either met already, or have spoken to on the phone and via email but have not had the pleasure of spending any face-to-face time with. So Monday morning, I hosted the first annual WPPI myKPW Family Reunion Breakfast in a beautiful Terrace Suite at the MGM Grand. I loved meeting and catching up with close to 40 photographers, some who are already members and some who are interested in joining the myKPW family! Thanks to New Hampshire wedding photographerKendal J. Bush Photography for snapping the above shots- it’s almost comical that I met Kendal for the first time in Vegas when we BOTH live in NH…
I love seeing people for reunions! I was so fortunate to have attended Engage! Encore 09 in Vegas this past fall and had the pleasure of meeting these fantastic vendors- Liene Stevens of Think Splendid, Garrett and Joy Nudd of Garrett Nudd Photography, and Mr. Sticky Rammel of brandy j photography. We met over some delicious ice cream and sorbet from Haagen-Dazs at the MGM food court…what’s better than a friend/ice cream combo!?!
Probably the most educational of all the classes for me personally was from Justin and Mary Marantz of Justin and Mary-Photography (Connecticut wedding photographers). Not only are they fabulous myKPW members, but they are just ridiculously talented and SO well branded- or shall I say love-marked? They spoke about how to create an enviable word-of-mouth brand and believe me when I tell you, the details and care that goes into each and every one of their clients, vendors, and fellow industry photographers is astounding.
If you know anything about WPPI, you know that it isn’t ALL educational seminars and trade show booths…it might even be more known for its insane parties, like the above video demonstrates. There was a fantastic party held at Studio 54 at the MGM Grand on Wednesday night and let me say that I have never had such a great time dancing in my life. I will admit that I left the dance floor because it was TOO crowded for my taste. Great DJ, super great company, and an all around fantastic evening. (Got to LOVE the iPhone video right?)
When you were actually walking the trade show floor, there were two separate convention rooms to explore. I had the pleasure of hanging out with the ladies and man of Snapshot Studio, Jennifer, Laura and Dave! I must admit that I was completely overwhelmed by all of the products offered at WPPI. I know that as a photographer, most people coming to the trade show already had 75% of their equipment so they could filter and sift through the information. As a non-photographer, I don’t know how photographers choose between the dozens of products available- KISS wedding books- amazing sponsor of the Studio 54 party, Queensbury Wedding Albums- they have an amazing new line of albums called Musee that they released at WPPI, Finao, Leather Craftsmen, Cypress, Graphistudio, Canon vs. Nikon, which bag to carry your equipment in- super fan of think TANK photo for bags, ps. Then there are all the printing companies, WHCC, Mpix, Digi-Labs, and the list goes on and on. There was Pictage, Livebooks, ShootQ, The Knot, Get Married Magazine, and the ever-so-famous Samys for all your equipment needs.
These three images are actually an attempted panoramic from the second story loft of the WHCC booth- so cool to use all that vertical space! This gives you a great idea of just how huge this convention really is, and this is just one of two jam-packed trade show rooms! I was really impressed with how creative some of these companies were with their booth designs- certainly different from a traditional wedding show
I waited almost all week to see this guy. There are two lions who hang out in their 5,400 square foot “habitat” in the middle of the MGM Grand. Apparently there is a farm full of these lions and they don’t live at MGM overnight. They are rotated and are brought in for a few hours a day. It was just before dinner for them and we got to see the trainers feed them raw meat. They totally woke up for that and we were able to see just how large and amazing these animals are. I have not been to a zoo in my life so seeing a lion, even through glass, and mostly sleeping, was still super thrilling for me.
Of course, leaving Las Vegas isn’t always fun but I had myKPW to return to as well as my wonderful husband, Ryan and my adorable son, Zachary. I thought it was hilarious when I saw this sign as I boarded my plane for JFK… it should really apply though- there were plenty of things I witnessed at WPPI that I’m sure people will be keeping to themselves…:)
Zachary at bedtime waiting to hear some books read by me Seriously, how great is it that I come home to him? Thanks for reading! KP
As we were flipping through the newest issue of La Bella Bride, we noticed some of our my Kate Parker Wedding family members were featured! We are very excited when our vendors are featured in magazines, or any other publication whether online or print. We thought we would share these articles on the blog in order to give credit and a congratulations to our wonderful vendors. Our vendors’ success is very exciting and we hope you enjoy the articles as much as we did! Check out some of the features below! – AY
Connecticut wedding attire, The White Dress by the Shore, was featured in La Bella Bride for their beautiful hair accessories. Connecticut wedding photographer, Justin & Mary Marantz, captured the image of the feather and the hair brooch. I love the contrast of dark and light in each photograph. What great accessories to give your wedding look a little romance, elegance, and whimsy.
Connecticut wedding planner, Sixpence For Your Shoe, was featured in a La Bella Bride Real Wedding. Sixpence For Your Shoe seemed to make the day flawless and captured the vision of couples, Marjan and Matthew. The wedding was catered by Connecticut wedding caterer, A Thyme To Cook, who always seems to create amazing meals, in term of both taste and style.
Connecticut wedding attire, The White Dress by the Shore, was featured yet again in La Bella Bride for their hair accessories. This time, they showed off an elegant headband with a detachable veil. Versatile and beautiful!
Connecticut wedding florist, Jessica’s Country Flowers, was featured in a Real Wedding in La Bella Bride. Above, you can see the brides beautiful bouquet with an array of bright, summery colors. All of the colors were pulled in to nicely from the lanterns in the tent, to the flowers, to the ribbons on the cupcakes. I also love the arrangements with the roses sitting on top of the limes and lemons. What a creative design to bring in colors and textures that say summer!
Vermont wedding paper products, Lasso’d Moon Designs, was featured in La Bella Bride for their amazing, detailed designs. Their invitations are creative, unique, and designed with each couples wedding style in mind. Lasso’d Moon Designs features their theme ‘golden lovebirds’ below and their vintage design above. What a beautiful way to invite your guests to your special day.
Connecticut wedding florist, Jessica’s Country Flowers, was featured again in La Bella Bride, but this time for one of their beautiful bouquets. Their featured bouquet included maidenhair fern, lady slipper orchids and white roses. Wrapped in birch bark, this bouquet is unique, elegant, and would be perfect for an outdoor wedding.
Connecticut wedding caterer, A Thyme To Cook, was featured in La Bella Bride in a large article featuring great wedding cuisine. A Thyme To Cook expresses art, style, and flavor with their dishes. Their featured dishes were presented beautifully and look equally beautiful as appetizing. It is amazing how A Thyme To Cook can put beauty and food together on one plate to make a fantastic dish.
Connecticut wedding caterer, A Thyme To Cook, presents more of their dishes in La Bella Bride. I especially love the edible spoons with raspberry, kiwi, and cantaloupe. Fancy and Convenient!
Massachusetts wedding paper products, Jan Boyd Calligraphy, was featured in a Real Wedding in La Bella Bride. Jan Boyd Calligraphy always creates an amazing product and the attention to detail and design is flawless. As my Kate Parker Wedding continues to neutralize language and photographs on our website, we are so excited to read about Corey and Andrew’s wedding in La Bella Bride. The wedding seemed to be a night to remember from the decor to the family rock session during the band’s set! What a great way to get the family together and share a unique experience with guests.
Connecticut wedding planner, Sixpence For Your Shoe, was featured in La Bella Bride for their beautiful designs. In this feature, Sixpence For Your Shoe designed a spectacular table top for a newlywed breakfast in bed treat. The fabrics and colors complemented the romantic theme. What a great way to wake up with your loved one for the first time as a new couple!
Connecticut wedding florist, Jessica’s Country Flowers, was featured again in La Bella Bride for their rustic table top design. The contrast of short and small floral arrangements and the oversized centerpiece makes for a gorgeous look. I love the candles hanging from the large centerpiece and the smaller candles strewn among the lower arrangements. The earthy colors and textures look great against the glass wear and the black and white chairs.
All of the vendors featured above are member of my Kate Parker Wedding, your online wedding resource guide launching in January 2010 geared towards directing couples to quality vendors based on their price range and state.
We came across some of our my Kate Parker Wedding vendors in the magazine, Brides Connecticut, and are very excited to see them being featured. We wanted to share our excitement and give some credit to these wonderful vendors! Check them out!
Connecticut wedding planner, Traci Romano, was featured in Brides Connecticut giving advice to couples on their wedding day. We especially enjoyed the advice on using sandpaper to roughen up those soles! What a good idea for a slip-free night. The advice from Traci was a great way to let couples know that it is okay to enjoy your day, have the focus be on you, and take the time to enjoy every moment to its fullest!
Connecticut wedding caterer, A Thyme to Cook, was featured in Brides Connecticut giving ideas for entrees that will satisfy every guests’ palate! In order to keep your budget in line and to keep pre-wedding stress at a minimum, A Thyme to Cook gives tips about using one entree for all. The choices sound delicious!
Above: Leslie Dumke’s Featured Wedding, Brides Connecticut
Connecticut wedding photographer, Leslie Dumke, was featured in a Real Wedding in Brides Connecticut. The photographs featured captured every essence of the day from pre-wedding preparations to the reception. The photograph with the newlyweds, Mia and Craig, on the dance floor is my personal favorite! Leslie seemed to capture each moment flawlessly.
Connecticut wedding attire, The White Dress by the Shore, was featured teaming up with Beneath the Gown in Brides Connecticut. The White Dress by the Shore gave advice on gown styles that are classic for brides, while Beneath the Gown gave advice on undergarments for these gowns. What a great way to team up and make these steps easier on the bride!
Above: Jubilee Events‘ Personal Wedding, Brides Connecticut
Connecticut wedding planner, Jubilee Events, is featured in Brides Connecticut for a personal wedding story. Candice Dowling Coppola of Jubilee Events shares her special day and shares some of the advice she would give to couples during the wedding planning process. I really love how Candice says that a wedding ‘evolves’ and not to be freaked out if you don’t know exactly what you want in the beginning. Have fun with it! Candice’s intimate, unique, and beautiful wedding seemed to come into place perfectly.
Connecticut wedding photographer, Justin & Mary Marantz, were featured in a Real Wedding in Brides Connecticut. We loved how all of the photographs reflected the couples’ vision on an intimate, relaxed wedding. The colors and the black and white are a perfect mixture and captured our eye as we were flipping through the magazine. Justin & Mary’s sense of knowing what couples are looking for, shines through in their photographs.
Above: Jubilee Events Editorial and Carla Ten Eyck, Brides Connecticut
Connecticut wedding planner, Jubilee Events, is featured twice in Brides Connecticut. In this article, Jubilee Events shares a reception table design that pops with color. The design is a mismatched place setting on a clean, crisp, white table. Although no place setting is the same, they go together because of the colors and the hot pink that ties everything together. What a cool idea for couples that are looking to make their table top stand out!
Connecticut wedding photographer, Carla Ten Eyck, was also featured in the article above in Brides Connecticut. Her photographs helped capture the elements of the table design that stand out. The photograph of the eclectic plates is my favorite. The composition lets you see the beautiful gold silver contrasting the white table and, of course, that awesome hot pink plate that pops on the table!
Connecticut wedding paper products, Ceci New York, was featured in Brides Connecticut for their personal wedding and their beautiful invitations. Lisa Johnson of Ceci New York, shared her wedding day as well as some insight into her own wedding invitations. I love how Lisa incorporated aspects of her husband’s style and her own style into the invitations. Lisa said that the personal touch gives guests a sneak peak into your wedding and most importantly, make sure you represent yourself!
Congratulations to our vendors featured in Brides Connecticut!
Check out more from Brides Connecticut at their website, www.brides.com
my Kate Parker Wedding is your online wedding resource guide launching in January 2010 geared towards directing couples to quality vendors based on their price range and state.
Number of years in business: 2010 will be our 5th year of planning fabulous fetes.
Preferred wedding locations: We love Southern New England, specifically private estates, mansions, art galleries and historic properties.
Pricing information: Our base package starts at $1,750 with additional pricing and packages available based on respective planning needs.
What makes me stand out in my industry: We came into the business with a dual perspective as we are team in every sense of the word. With backgrounds in both finance and the fine arts, we are the ideal mix of business savvy and creative design. We find this combination to be well suited for our clients planning needs. In addition to offering planning, design and coordination services, we are also a full custom stationery shop!
What’s the favorite part of my profession: Meeting so many wonderful people . . . clients, their families and other industry professionals. We love being such an integral part of the beginning our clients new lives together. This is a privilege in and of itself.
What do I like to do in my spare time: Lindsay loves spending time with her husband and son, as well as cultivating her obsession with interior design. Talia cherishes her time with her husband and family; and outdoor activities such as hiking and boating. Together we share a love of shopping . . . shoes, clothes, really anything at all.
What charity am I supporting and why: We support the American Cancer Society because so many loved ones have been affected by cancer. As huge animal lovers, we also support the ASPCA
This Image is Beautiful, look how happy the Bride is!
Image by Adrien Boom
Image by Carla Ten Eyck
Adding some feathers to your bouquet can be a great way to make your bouquet completely unique.
Bouquet by Datura.
Image by Sam Chinigo
Dark and light blue is a always a wonderful combination!
Image by Troy Photography
This is a great alternative to a traditional place card table, love the innovation!
Pictage Partner Con is a 2 ½ day conference of engaging speaker sessions, knowledge sharing, hands-on shooting workshops, and leading exhibitor demonstrations for professional photographers.
We wanted to recognize one of our wonderful my KPW family members, Justin and Mary Marantz for not only attending this event but speaking there as well! Click here to learn more about the conference and what Justin and Mary had to say about “How to be a Rainmaker”. KM
The rainy New England weather is always perfect for reading a good book sipping cocoa, though not as perfect for a wedding. Well it didn’t bother Justin & Mary’s bride as the pouring rain had no effect on her wedding day. Check out the photo that Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont wedding photographer, Justin & Mary featured in their blog this weekend!
Justin & Mary Photographers: Justin and Mary Marantz Website:www.justinmarantz.com myKPW State and Budget:
Are you a wedding professional interested in joining the growing the my Kate Parker Wedding family? We would love to hear from you! Please email us and we'll be in touch with you soon!
Meet Kate Parker