Many brides wonder what to get their parents to thank them for all their help leading up their wedding day. Choices for parent gifts are often wedding albums (photographers can make a smaller version of your album), engraved frames, a weekend trip away…
Erinn’s mom Helene wanted something to remember her daughter’s wedding flowers by - and chose to have a painting from CurlyArt done for herself (above) as well as for Erinn (top). Included in the paintings is lace from Helene’s wedding dress - a wonderful touch to personalize the painting just a bit more!
Flowers used in the paintings include delphinium, roses, hydrangea, lilies, gerbera daisies and lisianthus.
Molly and David were married back in May of last year, and somehow I missed their video preview on Castle Video Productions’ website! Congrats you two!
Katie and Jared were married on January 27th, 2008 and celebrated their reception at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth. It was a beautiful wedding with so much emotion, and they were a wonderful couple to work with. Congratulations on 2 years of marriage Katie and Jared - we wish you many, many more!
RECEPTION|The Inn at St. John’s|PHOTOGRAPHY|Dionne of The Shooting Gallery|HAIR & MAKEUP|Kari of Posh Brides|EVENT PLANNER|Ana of TwoFoot Creative|MUSIC|Kevin of Rent-A-DJ|INVITATIONS|Tifany of Gourmet Invitations
1. How long has Mike Greer Photography been around, and where are you located? We have been in business since 1998 and are located in Farmington Hills.
2. How did the company get started? I actually got started experimenting with digital imaging in 1987. In the mid 90s when the internet started to take off, I was recognized in the world wide internet community as a digital imaging expert. I started teaching imaging and photography a few years later, then went into commercial work from there.
3. What is the most important question that couples you meet with forget to ask - and how would you answer it? “Why are wedding photography prices all over the map?”
Answer: In a nut shell, experience and creativity. With modern day digital cameras, almost anybody can produce a technically good photograph under the right circumstances. It’s the “under the right circumstances” that is the key. With weddings, unless shooting outside under good daylight conditions all day, rarely are the circumstances right for good results for a photographer with little to no experience. On the wedding day, the photographer is constantly challenged with varying lighting conditions. So he/she has to be constantly be making adjustments as the day progress. It requires experience and attention for consistently great results. In addition, creativity must be applied while this is happening. Mastering these disciplines takes lots and lots of experience. With an experienced wedding photographer, the couple is making sure that their images will not disappoint. But photographers with this level of experience are usually running full time businesses. Therefore, the compensation must be such that the business can be viable.
4. Do you work alone at weddings, or do you bring a second shooter? My wife and I work as a team.
5. How far in advance do you typically book a wedding? Typically 2 to 18 months out.
6. What other types of photography do you offer that might be of interest? We also photograph high school seniors and infant babies (up to 1 year old).
7. What are some of your favorite locations to shoot? We like downtown areas. Downtown Detroit, downtown Plymouth, and downtown Birmingham are three of my favorite spots.
8. What makes a location less desirable for a photographer? For this photographer, I don’t get very excited by parks and flowers. Why? Because everybody likes parks and flowers! On the wedding day, I LOVE the contrast between the formal bridal wear and the bricks and mortar of a downtown area.
9. What makes Mike Greer Photography different from other companies out there? Part of it is answered in the previous question. But also, I have an eye for the unusual. Places that others would ignore, I take our clients and produce great and unique imagery. We also know that a couple’s wedding day is their wedding day. It’s not a day for us to get them to do what we want. We go with the flow, are totally laid back, yet still are able to produce images that our clients love with that approach.
10. What is something that people would be surprised to know about you? They are surprised that we are older than we look. I like to think we have a youthful approach to photography that keeps our work imaginative and creative, but the wisdom and responsibility that comes with age such that our clients know they can trust us.
I am absolutely in love with Susana’s painting from CurlyArt! As you might be able to guess from the above picture, her bouquet did not actually consist of flowers. However, she wanted something for her parents to remember the wedding by, and asked Betty from CurlyArt if she would be willing to paint her bouquet as a way to preserve it as a gift for them! The detail at the bottom of the painting was taken from a photo of Susanna’s veil.
TwoFoot Creative served as the Day of Coordinator for Susana and Josh’s wedding at the Ann Arbor City Club. For more pictures of their wedding, visit here!
Corey and Danny had their gorgeous engagement pictures taken by Wendy Martin Photography - who will also be shooting their June wedding at Villa Penna!
The first part of the session took place at Cranbrook.
Then they headed off to downtown Royal Oak where Corey and Danny first met!
Planning their wedding has been so much fun - we are looking forward to June!
Make sure to visit Wendy Martin’s blog for more pictures, she is wonderful!
Do you love the idea of a grand exit, but don’t have a limo to escape in after the ceremony?
Would you rather do your exit at night, but worry about candles blowing out or catching something on fire?
Sparklers might be a wonderful way to be sent off at the end of your reception - as long as you do your research! The photos in this post were all taken from the website Sparkle, an online sparkler shop that ships throughout the Continental USA. They offer many tips for how to safely use sparklers at your wedding.
One thing to check into prior to purchasing - your venue! Many venues are worried about the legal issues involved in allowing sparklers, so make sure to check with your banquet manager about whether or not they will allow them to be used outside their building. If they do not have rules in place but don’t seem keen on the idea, you might want to show them the Sparkle website for more information, and assure them that your wedding coordinator will be there to make sure everyone’s sparklers are put out immediately after the exit! The above photo was taken by Melanie Mauer.
Another website to check out for sparklers (they also have heart-shaped varieties!) is Buy Sparklers. Happy Planning!
1. When did you decide that you wanted to become a videographer?
I started producing highlight videos for my high school during my senior year. I liked doing that, and as a computer science major took the intro film production class during my freshman year at Lansing Community College. Before I knew it I had a degree in Motion Picture Production. For me, becoming a videographer just happened. I found something I loved and kept doing it.
2. Did you always want to shoot weddings?
Not really. I started shooting weddings to fund personal film projects. Shooting my first wedding, I was 19, and could count on one hand how many weddings I had been to. I had no experience, and when it comes to wedding videography, experience is everything. I wound up being one of the lucky few who didn’t completely botch their first shoot. I made it through the day and the video turned out alright. More important, when I met with the couple to show them their DVD, they were thrilled!
Being around all of the fun and excitement of a weddings day, and the appreciation of the couples when they watch their video is what sold me on shooting weddings. Through online forums, conferences, and associations I have become involved in an amazing international community of wedding videographers. It is a great industry to be a part of. I have made many friends, and learned a lot since shooting that first wedding.
3. What is the price range for a TruVision wedding video?
It all depends on the number of shooters, and the time expected to be put into both shooting and editing the video. I think every wedding day is unique and many times will custom design a couples package based on their needs. My packages start at $1700.
4. Why do you think it’s so important to have a videographer at my wedding?
Because its the closest thing to time travel.
5. What are some of your favorite locations to shoot?
I think I’d probably like tropical locations! I enjoy shooting East Lansing, Downtown Grand Rapids and the West Michigan lake shore. I also like Metro Detroit including Birmingham, Troy, Royal Oak, and Rochester. I guess that just about covers everywhere.
6. How long after the wedding does it take to get the finished video?
My official delivery timeline is 6 months but I always try to deliver videos as soon as possible.
7. Do you shoot in high definition?
Of course. I can also DELIVER in High Definition on Blu-Ray disc. Why? Are there studios that don’t shoot HD?
8. How do you make sure that you and the photographer are on the same page?
If I haven’t worked with a photographer I will try to touch base with them before the wedding. This way I can find out a little bit about how they work, and let them know a bit about how I work. I have partnered with a photographer that I have worked with several times in the past. His work is awesome, and we know exactly what the other needs to shoot. This allows us to push the creative possibilities for each wedding and work both mediums toward a unified artistic goal.
9. Do you do all the editing for the videos?
Yes.
10. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I’m getting married too. I just proposed to my girlfriend in December. We are high school sweethearts and have been together for 8 years. We are planning our wedding for October 2, 2010. I need to find our videographer.
Lindsay and David were married on August 29th, 2009 at Ingall’s Mall at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Their strolling reception followed at the Michigan Union Pendleton room with a gorgeous green and gray color scheme. Lindsay’s bouquet was sent to CurlyArt after the wedding to be pressed and transformed into the gorgeous painting you see here!
The painting was done on an 11×14 inch canvas, using fuji mums, lisianthus, kale, and other greenery. To see more from Lindsay and David’s wedding, here you go!
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