Wednesday

Vendor Spotlight: Eve Traetto Photography

Gotta love Christmas Season folks. Lots of shopping, baking, parties and....delayed blog posts...my apologies! However, good things come to those who wait and do I have a GREAT vendor for you to check out: Eve Traetto Photography. I had the best time working with Eve at the wedding of Jennifer and Sheldon Colborne-Lewis earlier this year. Jennifer is a photographer herself (Jen Shoots Weddings) and both her and Eve own and operate Sensational Wedding Vendors. But, this post is 'All about Eve' (couldn't help myself.).

I absolutely love Eve's style and spirit. She blends in so well with the guests that she has the opportunity to really capture the best natural shots of the wedding.

Read on for our interview with Eve:

How did you decide photography was what you wanted to do?


Photography was always a hobby of mine growing up, i was rarely without a camera. Then i was lucky that my school offered it as a course and i had an amazing teacher that really pushed me to follow it as a career, so that's exactly what i did. I couldn't be happier!
How did the company get started?

I moved from the UK to Canada about 4 years ago and started working for an advertising agency. I hated working there, it was boring and not at all creative. I figured the only way i would get to photograph what i wanted would be start my own business and it's been growing ever since.

What equipment do you use?

I use mainly all Canon equipment my primary shooting camera at the moment is my Canon 5D MII but for fun i play around with my Bronicas and Holga cameras.

What sets you apart from other photographers?

I am professional but laid back, i don't have as many restrictions as other photographers seem to. I understand that standard photography packages don't always work for everyone and i work with my clients to see what works for them. I also, like to get a good feel of what my clients are looking for and involve their personalities in the images and not just what happens to be the current trend.

What tips can you give a couple to help them make the best choice in photographers?

The number one tip is to connect with your photographer, especially for a wedding as you will be with them all day. If you choose someone who you don't mesh with it will show in your photographs. You want someone who will put you at ease and you can have fun with. If budget is an issue don't just choose someone who has the best price as you might end up regretting not spending a little bit more. More photographers are offering this now but make sure you get all of your high res images on a disk as always having to print through your photographer can get very expensive when their printing rates are sky high. This way you also have all digital copies of your images and not just a proof book.

What are important questions that a couple should ask a photographer before booking?

If the person you are meeting with will actually be your photographer on the day, some studios just send out whoever is available, so you want to make sure the work you are looking at is the person who will be taking your photographs. Just be smart, make sure everything that you are expecting from the photographer is written down in a contract and signed by all parties.

Are there any misconceptions that couples have, that you'd like to clear up?

I guess that just because a family member or a friend has a good camera that they will be ok to take the pictures at your wedding. Yes they have a good camera but they probably are shooting on auto and even if they are not they don't have the experience that other photographers have or perhaps even the creative eye.
Do you feel it is important for a couple to hire a Wedding Coordinator? Why?

Oh yes very important! There are so many things that could not quite go to plan on a wedding day and if you don't hire a planner then the wedding couple are the ones that have to deal with it which can really stress them out. Coordinators are trained to deal with these issues and are usually prepared for anything!

Are there any special promotions you have going on right now?
Right now we have a special deal for winter weddings (off season now until April) from 25% to 50% off and contact me for more details!

Thank you Eve. I look forward to working together in 2011!

Contact Eve: Eve Traetto Photography
www.traettophotography.com

Saturday

Vendor Spotlight: Studio Sposa

Sorry on the slight delay of this blogpost, but my usually reliable computer was not cooperating this past week...c'est la vie mes amis!


Last week, Thursday, I was invited by my colleagues at the Wedding Planners institute of Canada (WPIC) to go see an amazingly luxurious and elegant Bridal Studio: Studio Sposa.

Studio Sposa sent a Limo to escort us us to their lovely and quaint studio in Kleinburg, Ontario. Owner Mary Daserva and Manager Shannon greeted us with champagne and wonderful delectables from Dolcini by Joseph. We truly felt like VIP's.

We were lucky enough to view (and feel), some amazing wedding gowns by top haute couture designers all the while being briefed by the ladies on everything Studio Sposa does to go above and beyond for their clients. We were also thrilled to get educated on some of the top designers in the world.

What distinguishes Studio Sposa from most salons? Well, aside from the quality gowns, the one-on-one service and attention they give their clients; and the fact that the designers themselves are involved in the process. It's the VIP treatment each bride-to-be receives.

Each lovely soon-to-be bride, gets a private consultation and appointment at the Salon. In other words, during her appointment, there is no other client there. The goal is for her to feel special, comfortable and not rushed.  Each Bridal Consultant is specially selected by Mary and is trained to treat each bride to the utmost perfection in service!

What stood out to me more than anything else is that they are fully available on the day of the wedding in case an emergency arises; as Mary shared with us, she’s been known (on more occasions than one), to pop over to the Brides house on the day of the ceremony, to fit her perfectly in her gown; sometimes she confessed, she will pop in to admire 'her' bride in the luxurious gown.

I absolutely loved the vibe at Studio Sposa and a huge thank you goes out to these wonderful ladies for a great information session and tour of the salon. It truly was fabulous!






Studio Sposa
10449 Islington Avenue
Kleinburg, ON  LOJ 1C0
Tel. 905-893-8100

Wednesday

Toronto Wedding Professionals 2011/12 Wedding Give-Away-Palooza!

We are pleased to announce our participation with a great giveaway for one lucky couple. When Jason Miles of Blue Six Creative and Toronto Wedding Professionals presented the idea of an awesome contest for one lucky couple, we did not hesitate to jump on board!


We are thrilled to award the winner of the contest 3 hours of Wedding Planning consultation as well as a gift certificate worth $250 to be used against any of our planning packages.  In addition, we would also like to offer the winner a 3 hour Travel Planning and Consulting prize for any travel consultation or guest service arrangements the winner may need for their wedding or wedding related festivities, guest arrangements, room blocks, car services etc. 

Click Here for the full contest details and a list of all the incredible prizes worth over $10,000!

Monday

Vendor Spotlight: Alicia & Trent's Classical and Jazz Ensembles


Looking for a Classical Trio or a Jazz Quartet for your wedding? Maybe all you need is a soloist? Look no further than Alicia & Trent’s Classical and Jazz Ensembles.


Alicia and Trent Reschny founded the company; they are extremely versatile and talented, educated and acclaimed musicians.  Trent is a saxophonist that graduated with honours from the best Jazz Performance Program in Canada at UofT.  Alicia is a flutist graduating from the best orchestral training program in the Country, the Glenn Gould Professional School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Collectively they have quite a repertoire of experience. From playing at the Juno's and dozens of theater productions, to playing with top Canadian artists and exclusive events. Alicia and Trent, use only the most talented GTA professional classical and jazz musicians that they screen extensively. 



I was lucky enough to hire them for a last minute wedding planning gig, earlier this year. With only 2 weeks to go, Trent put together a fantastic classical trio for an intimate Paris Garden themed afternoon wedding. They all arrived 30 minutes early, dressed appropriately for the wedding and played a beautiful array of classical favorites requested by the couple, for the duration of the wedding.


Being a GTA Wedding Planner and naturally ‘finicky’, I can assure you that these musicians are some of GTA’s finest. They were very professional and always aiming to please. I look forward to working with them again in the New Year!


If you’d like to hear a sample of their music, check out their availability calendar or get a quote, before you meet with them, you can do it all from their very detailed website.

Alicia & Trent's Classical and Jazz Ensembles
info@aliciaandtrent.ca
416-238-7456 (Toronto)
905-667-3869 (Hamilton)
www.aliciaandtrent.ca