Each of these finalists is guaranteed to be published either in print or in an exclusive online series after the issue debuts.  Flosites is working hard on Southern Weddings 2.0 and we can’t wait to have these shoots featured on its brand spakin’ new pages!  We expect that many of the images produced from these shoots will be chosen as legacy images- permanent fixtures on the new SW site.  Our deadline for final image selection is fast-approaching, so we expect not everyone will be able to complete this assignment.  We do have a very long alternate list if one of these photographers is unable to produce their shoot.  Details and deadlines will be emailed out this week. Without further ado, congratulations to the following photographers and designers who will be given an all-access pass to our team for help with styling tips and inside info on what we are looking for.

In no particular order:

Christine Farah



Kristen Weaver



Josh Malahy and Christopher Confero



Victor Sizemore



A Bryan Photo and Blue Moon Events



Anna Kim



Melissa Schollaert



Brooke Courtney



Mandy & Me



Gina Zeidler



Marie Labbancz



Joey and Jessica



Paul Johnson



Simply Bloom



Eric Ryan Anderson



Skip Hopkins



Vue Photography



Cameron Powell



Congratulations! We’ll be emailing you all the details you’ll need this week. And to everyone else who submitted proposals: do not let this stop you from doing those shoots. If you produce your shoot, we’ll give your images top consideration for the online exclusive, so get to it!  Remember: you miss 100% of the shots you never take.

xo

Lara (and Emily, Katharine + Whitney)

header :: (left to right) A Bryan Photo, unknown, Dewey Nicks, Aran Goya

Congrats to the last post’s Hawaii giveaway winners (chosen at random): Vari Avilla, Laura Brooks, and the newly-independent-from-cubicles-forever Dana aka The Broke-Ass Bride. Email me to claim your prizes, ladies.

Apparently I really like giveaways.  This one is just because you don’t have to be a pro to have fun with film.  Leave a comment here telling me what motivates you the most in life and win a Fujifilm Instax Mini!  I love mine and am excited to see what the winner cooks up with theirs.

I’m writing this on a plane. What’s new?  And yes, I did say I was leaving the laptop at home.  You caught me.  I won’t use it much, though.  I promise.  I’ll be too distracted by the beach and a very special traveler who, due to his rad schedule, never gets to go anywhere with me: my husband.  This is the first trip we’ve taken together since we went to Vegas last year before WPPI.  The last trip before that?  Hawaii four years ago.  So, it’s about time!  We’re headed to Kona for 6 days for his best friend’s wedding.  His BFF, Mike, was actually my… um… maid/man of honor?  Yes, at our Vegas wedding he was my MOH.  So excited to see all of our friends from LA and actually go to a gorgeous wedding.  Then, I’ll head to Oahu for a few individual MTH/branding intensives and several site tours for a destination weddings feature and a little something I’m cooking up for the blog.  I have one slot left for an individual intensive while I’m in Hawaii, so speak now or forever… wish you had?  OK, forgive my lack o’ witty wedding-reference humor.  4 hours of sleep and 14+ hours on planes today…

I am a firm believer in giving knowledge away freely.  I did two Twitter series’ entitled Get Branded and Get Published.  I plan on doing many more and working hard to use this blog to educate in as many ways as I can.  In my opinion, we’re supposed to build one another up in love and to encourage each other to grow, using all of our talents to do so.  It’s part of my personal mission.  I’ve said it before: I don’t believe in competition.  If we’re all helping each other to be our best selves, we raise the collective level of success in our industry. Yes, there are lots of things I won’t give up unless you pay me for a formal consult and lots of things I can’t give away because of the obvious: consulting is personal, tailored and specific to that brand’s needs.  Speaking of which, I have 4 consulting slots left for the next 6 weeks.  (My calendar would make your head explode.)  If you want one of the four, email me now.  Anyway, I re-posted both the Get Branded and Get Published series’ here on the blog.  Read them.  Tweet me more questions.  I’m happy to answer. pic below :: poser.

I just got back from speaking at Eventology on “Building Your Team,” and it was the most challenging speaking topic I’ve tackled thus far.  Yes, I have a great team. It may seem easy to run a team of people who are already great, but the biggest mistake you can make when leading is to think it’s just common sense and that you can “wing” team leadership. Leading is work. The hardest work I’ve ever done. Yes, harder than putting together a magazine and any combination of items on my plate. Why? It challenges you to be your best self, every day, no matter what.  Let me be very clear: it’s not about trying to be perfect so there is an appearance of strength; it’s about genuinely working to change so that you truly lead and grow by example… failures and all.  There’s no more powerful way to lead than that. If I slack, complain, forget, or, yes, fail, it affects us all.  Granted, there’s a great deal to be learned by a leader failing gracefully as opposed to someone who’s perfect all the time. pic below :: jen lynne.

My best takeaway from years of learning everything the hard way and finally coming out on top? Lead by example. Lead well. Fail well. Thank you so much to Katasha, the whole Eventology crew, my fellow speakers Sasha Souza, Terrica Skaggs, Saundra Hadley, Harmony Walton, and all of the amazing professionals we met.  Behind the scenes tidbit: my Eventology presentation was the very first PowerPoint I ever made.  Yes, I’ve laid out three magazines and never made a PowerPoint.  They didn’t exactly teach us that at Carnegie Mellon.  #educationfail  I spent a good 30 hours on it.  Note to self: next time just make a PowerPoint, not a mini magazine.

I also had the pleasure of speaking at the Indy ISES meeting on branding while I was there.  Such a great group!  There were some minor internet issues, so I used my new-found PowerPoint skills and created a 48 page presentation in 9 minutes.  No joke. Thanks to Melissa from Royal Events for hosting us and to all the attendees for a great afternoon.  It was a fun few days in Indy!

I’m honored to be speaking at Engage 10 :: Breakers this year.  I’ll be attending on the media panel for Engage Cayman, too, so come say hello! I’ve been to three Engage conferences so far and I don’t plan on missing a single one in the future.

Past recaps: Engage08 :: Celebration, Engage09 :: Cayman MegaPost!, Engage09 :: Encore Las Vegas.  Rebecca and Kathryn always raise the bar with these luxury wedding business summits and this year is just beyond incredible.

Cayman’s lineup:



In October at the Breaker’s I’ll be joined by:



Hello!  Someone pinch me!!!! If you have any questions about my past experiences at Engage, please email me.  I’d be happy to share and answer any questions.

We’re hard at work on the next issue. I finally opened the massive (and I mean massive) folder of cover submissions in my inbox.   Oh my goodness, we received some very creative creatives.  Thank you, thank you!

Lots of people have asked for critiques, so I will be writing a post on how to put together creatives and how to best market yourself to editors. I’ll be choosing the top cover submissions this week and will announce them when I get back.  That is why I brought my computer.  Time to get these killer cover shoots rolling!  P.S. We have a brand new media kit.  Want a copy?  Email Katharine. She won’t bite.  Unless, of course, you withhold her daily dose of Smarties.

I got a very encouraging letter in the mail yesterday from our magazine distributor. Our sales are 40% above the national average. In today’s magazine economy, you may not think that that is saying much, but it’s a pretty significant statistic. I also got word today that Barnes and Noble wants to push more copies through of our current issue to Southeastern stores.  OK, first of all, that does not happen.  Our issue dropped in November.  Needless to say, we’re thrilled.  I have 3 tons of magazines in my garage.  I’m so glad they’re about to get new homes!  We’ve been featuring a lot of behind-the-scenes images on the blog lately, so be sure to check these never-before-seen images out and get yourself a copy.

Some favorites: Watercolor with Fred Egan (as shown above), Watercolor with Jory Cordy, Watercolor with Kyle Barnes, Watercolor with Jeff Holt, our Serenbe Cover Shoot with Jeremy Cowart.  Sidenote:  I readily admit that I have asked a lot of dumb questions since I started publishing Southern Weddings.  Adriel, my distribution agent, has been so patient and kind explaining things in layman’s terms and walking me through the perils of publishing.  I’ve had to make a lot of hard choices, holding firm to our core values in content: real, personal, relatable. More often than I’d like, that means making choices that err on the side of long-term vision and brand integrity vs. short-term cash.  We turn down advertisers who just don’t fit us, weddings that are too luxurious for our brides to relate to and sponsors that want to run the show.  I’m not complaining.  From someone who has no formal background in publishing or marketing (or business, for that matter!), I’m very happy with where this path has taken us.

Little-known fact: I plan and design weddings.  I know I know… you’re thinking, how in the world do you have time?  How do you do it? Please refer to said amazing team in point number 3.  I have, however, progressively limited the amount I take as my schedule intensifies each year.  This year I took 3 weddings and I have two left: both gorgeous; both incredible brides (hi Sara and Nameeta!).

Why do it still?  I love it.  It’s in my blood and it’s how I got started in this industry almost seven years ago.  Here’s a recent favorite that we did last May with Our Labor of Love.  Weddings are the ultimate creative challenge.

I went to school for music, theatre, dance and design.  Production is what I know and what fuels me. pics above :: my iphone.

Weddings are essentially a production – lighting, sound, a script, design, music, and surprises all wrapped into one big beautiful day.   It also serves to keep me grounded and aware of the challenges that planners and photographers face.  I’m not an editor who went to school for journalism and just happens to like weddings because they’re pretty.  I’m in the trenches too.  “The trenches” are hard work, but fun.  Sometimes I kick myself and wonder why I take on so much.  Then, I send a bride down the aisle and see the look on her face when she walks into her reception.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to create and I love the brides I get the honor of working with.  They’ve all become dear life-long friends.  Pic above :: Kyle Barnes

OK, fast forward to sitting in our room at the gorgeous Mauna Lani, looking out at the volcano in the distance.  Minus the 6 hour time difference that had me up at 4am, it’s so good to be here with Ari.

Check out these welcome bags that greeted us!  So, this update is rather random because I have a backlog of info to share.  I want to start blogging at least 3x a week, shorter posts, more on the fly.  Emily always gets on me about my epic posts.  But, I censor myself, I craft, I perfect, and I tend to get really nervous before putting a post out.  I have several people read it.  I nitpick.  I’m afraid that if I write like I think, it will come out too vulnerable, emotional, real.  That’s me.  So, what do y’all want me to write about?  I want to hear from you.  Leave me a comment with any thoughts on what you want more of on the blog.

Life in general has been a turn from burnout to a serious search for clarity and balance to finding quite a bit of it lately.  I got to go home a couple weeks ago and discovered some pictures that made me think about child-like unabashed joy. I want that in my life. I love this picture of a childhood friend and I having a picnic. I’m not sure who made who laugh first, but this makes my heart smile. I posted a bunch more on facebook.

In all the craziness of my life – the schedule, the travel, the team to manage, the busy businesses, and the constant surprises, I need God.  I am fallible, I make selfish mistakes, and I have so much to learn and mature into.  I talk about my relationship with God here on the blog because my whole point in starting this thing was to take you on this authentic journey with me.  It’s a journey to find joy and discover my best self.  My goal has been to be as honest as possible about how I really make things happen.  As a rather emotional, sensitive INFP, my relationship with God is what keeps me together.  It’s a daily challenge and a practice.  I have recently made the choice to not work on Sundays… at all.  It has taken me far too long to get to this point.  I love my work.  I get really easily bored when I’m not working.  Hello, I mean I’m writing this in Hawaii when I could be on the beach, but doing this right now satisfies me more.  I’ve come to look forward to Sunday all week long.  I get up early, workout, go to church and sing my heart out, then come home to do Bible study for a few hours.  It’s been life-changing to make that time.  I’ve also been reading The 4 Hour Workweek in my travels and it is seriously blowing my mind.  Tim Ferriss is my soul mate.  I’m taking my time to read it and digest, but I’ve already applied so much of the book successfully to my life and our work days.  Key points: work smarter, less hours, more efficiently.  I will be writing an extended post on balance soon with a full post on how I’ve tackled what my studies are teaching me.

Since I couldn’t fit all of you in my suitcase, I want to bring a little Aloha spirit to you!

Leave a comment telling me about your dream vacation and enter to win either a strand of Hawaiian freshwater pearls, Kona coffee, or a collection of macadamia nut and coconut goodies.

Three winners, your choice on the prize!  You have till the day I leave here (next Thursday, the 6th of May) to enter.

Mahalo, y’all!

xo

lc

Hello from beautiful Las Vegas!  Due to my tendency to wake up early to go to the gym and the three hour time difference, I got about 4 hours of sleep last night.  I’m in our hotel room, looking out at The Strip as the sun peeks over the mountains.  Despite all the hustle and bustle below, this city is pretty spectacular at sunrise.  Vegas is very special for me.  A certain someone got married here almost four years ago.   The full story is coming soon to the Southern Weddings blog (with pictures) on my anniversary, March 18th.  I’m here for WPPI, the largest wedding and portrait photography convention.  Last year was my first year here and it was a big turning point.  I met the people I now call my best friends and made connections that have blossomed into significant business leaps.  I have no idea what will transpire this year, but I can tell you that it will be nothing short of epic with this line-up:

Last night I enjoyed dinner and some Vegas exploring with great friends: Sandi, Jory, boy Jesse, girl Jesse, Whitney and a good friend from home, Ben.  We took a private tour of the secret venue for Sunday’s party and it is unreal.  I’ll be honest and say it was a little more than humbling to see.  I never imagined when I got married here that I’d be back four years later to throw a massive party in [secret venue] for my closest friends (and new friends that I can’t wait to meet)!

Today, despite my lack of sleep and bags under my eyes, I’m very excited to do a shoot with Jory Cordy.  I need new pics for the next issue and some promotional stuff… and we’re going to play a little and have some fun!  The last time I shot with Jory was on Venice beach last April and it was such a great experience for me.  He is so warm, kind, easy to be around and a brilliant photographer.  We just updated his images in his rep gallery- take a look.  Whitney, Sandi and I will also be doing lots of party prep, waiting for Jefferson Starship to arrive, and getting prepped for…

Sunday: MTH2010 Las Vegas!  It’s going to be a really great group.  I’m very excited to announce the scholarship winners later today.  Stay posted to twitter for the announcement. Oh, and then right after MTH we’ll be getting gussied up for this little shindig.  Be there.  I’m about to have to close down ticket sales.

Monday: So excited to be a part of this with two of my favorite people…

Tuesday: I’ll be perusing the tradeshow, taking some meetings and speaking at Garrett Nudd’s sold out masterclass on getting published with my good friends Stacie Francombe of Get Married, Rebecca from The Knot, Blair and Christy from Junebug Weddings and several others. I’m so grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to meet everyone who is attending.

Wednesday we head out for MTH2010 Denver and a weekend in the snow.

Get the most out of WPPI. There are lots of events, parties, and classes, but be sure to focus on building relationships and meeting new people.  I can’t even begin to tell you how the friendships I formed last year have affected me.  I feel so blessed to be here again and can’t wait to meet new faces!  I also have a very big assignment while I’m here- choosing our next cover photographer.   So, please come say hi to me.  Or tweet at me so I can come say hi to you!  This is what Sandi and I look like, so there’s no excuse not to come say hi….

AIRHORNS!!!

xo

lc

WPPI, the largest wedding and portrait photography convention, is coming up in about 3 short weeks. Going to WPPI last year changed my life. I met the people who are now my best friends, including Jeff and Jory, plus so many others.  The dinner above was a huge turning point.  It was the first time I felt I was surrounded by creative people who just got me.   They were as passionate and driven as I was.  If you are on the fence about coming to WPPI, I have three things that I hope will entice you to join us…

1. I met a young man through twitter last week named Spencer Brodsky.  Spencer is a remarkable high school senior who has started a movement called Tents in Haiti. It’s raining in Haiti today which means further devastation for the some one million homeless Haitians.  They need shelter and, until homes are rebuilt, they need tents…. strong, sturdy tents that can withstand the Haitian downpour.

All proceeds from his efforts go straight to CF International who is providing the tents for displaced Haitians.  I’m so floored by the philanthropic work this young man has done and I instantly reached out to him.  I thought I did a lot in high school, but I can’t say I started charities for Darfur and Haiti and interviewed dozens of celebrities and world leaders by the time I was 18.  Thank you, Spencer, for all you are doing to inspire change!

Inspired by what Spencer is doing with Tents in Haiti, Katharine decided to auction me off. All proceeds will go to Tents in Haiti.

2. I’m not doing the mentor session on Sunday the 7th because we’ll be knee-deep in MTH2010 Las Vegas from 10-4 and…

3. AIRHORNS!!! You may have heard of this little party that’s sweeping the WPPI world like wildfire. Airhorns and Lasers, created by myself and Whitney and Jesse from OLOL, is going to be off the chain.  Yes, off the chain!!!   It sold out in a matter of a week, so we officially decided to change venues to accommodate the some 400 emails we got in the last 24 hours.   It’s nuts!  So, ticket sales are back open as of just now, the venue is still secret, and you are not going to believe what we have planned for this shindig. “Epic” doesn’t even cut it.

Want to WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS to Airhorns and Lasers? Leave a comment here telling me your favorite dance move that you plan to do at the party.  Contest ends next Friday the 26th.  If you win, we’ll expect to see a live demonstration on Sunday March 7th : )

Don’t forget to bid on the Tents in Haiti Mentor Auction which is now LIVE.  Please help me spread the word, friends.

See you at WPPI!

xo

lc

PS Thanks to everyone who joined us today for our live Valentine’s Day party in the Southern Weddings office.  Missed the fun?  You can watch all the action here. Thanks to my mom and dad who apparently tuned in.  Too fun! Happy Valentine’s weekend!

I’m a little embarrassed at my apparent addiction to the Smilebooth.  After a dozen encounters with said Smilebooth, I’ve come to realize playing in that thing makes me laugh more than anything. 

After a long day of deep reflection, it was great to just let loose and have some silly fun!  Whitney and I really want one for the office just so we can spend 10 minutes every day laughing our faces off.

Whitney (from OLOL… aka raddest guy in ATL), Jesse (raddest gal in ATL) and Ashley (she’s rad too. She’s been so helpful with this little party we are throwing in Vegas.) sure know how to make me have a good time!   Thank you Atlanta and Nashville for making this week so life-changing for Jeff and I.

OK ok, so we attempted to record this video a couple weeks ago in Chicago and got so busy we never posted it.  Goodness!  You’d think we were traveling the country or something??  So, break out the DeLorean and take a little trip back to the future with us… (and you’ve been warned: this is what happens when you travel to 6 cities in 10 days and do 80 hours of deep soul-searching work)

There are just a small handful of cities on the books left for the Making Things Happen Intensive Tour, so we want your input on where we should go next.  Leave a comment here with the city you want us to visit. Keep in mind that we really will pick the next stops based on your comments.   If there are votes from at least ten people in one city, we’re there!

PS Klienfeld was AMAZING and Katharine’s dress is to die for! Pics from our NY adventure coming soon.

PSS I have a very exciting auction I’m announcing tomorrow.  Get your auction paddles ready, y’all!

PSSS I’m headed back to Hotlanta in 10 days to speak at this little shindig.  You should come.

PSSSS I’ll have a little time in ATL for individual mentoring sessions.  Want one?  Email me.

PSSSSS We’re having a Valentine’s Day party tomorrow and you’re invited.

PSSSSSS AIRHORNS!!!

[Smilebooth hair thrash action above with my bff Sandi and dear friend Annette Thurmon of Chaviano Couture. Annette was also a model in our Watercolor shoot for Southern Weddings V2 shot by Fred Egan]

I did a Twitter poll asking people which cities they most want the Making Things Happen™ Intensive tour to visit. Here’s what you told me, starting with cities that got the most votes. (I only included places that got more than one vote)

Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Las Vegas, Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh, Hawaii, Raleigh, San Francisco, Austin, Charlotte, Orlando, Cayman, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Portland, Orange County, Monterey Bay, San Diego, Tampa, Saratoga, Santa Cruz, Seattle, Charleston, Richmond, Australia, Costa Rica, Wilmington, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Baltimore, Traverse City, Telluride, Little Rock, Philadelphia, Miami, Memphis, Indianapolis, Berkley, Oakland, Puerto Rico, Jacksonville, Savannah, Eugene, Napa, and Jackson Hole.

I listened.  The top cities have been confirmed!  Until January 1st, I’m giving early bird registration pricing for the following cities.  After January 1st, pricing will increase.  Each city has a different size limit and some cities may be broken up into two days depending on demand (highly possible for LA and Atlanta).

Dallas :: January 14th *the entire Southern Weddings team will be there for this one!

Seattle :: January 16th *guest speakers: Blair and Christy from Junebug Weddings

Los Angeles :: January 18th *guest speaker: Jose Villa

Minneapolis :: January 20th

Chicago :: January 22nd

Atlanta :: February 8th *guest speaker: Stacie Francombe of Get Married

Nashville :: February 10th *guest speaker: Jeremy Cowart

Las Vegas :: March 7th during WPPI

Denver :: March 11th

New York City :: March 22nd *guest speaker: Nick Onken

Washington DC :: March 24th

Raleigh :: March 29th

Hawaii :: TBD

Pittsburgh (Go CMU!) :: TBD

This is your year and my goal is to make sure you harness it to its fullest potential.  Why am I doing this?  Because I’ve come to realize that life is just too short.  Every moment should be lived with a sense of adventure, excitement, and knowing that you are on the right path in your life’s work.  It’s time, ya’ll.  It’s time to make big things happen in your business.  You know where you want to go.  Let’s do this.

Want the inside scoop from someone who has experienced #MTH2010? Watch this and check out what people are saying.

I can’t wait to start this journey and meet everyone on the way!  Who’s coming with me?

xo lc

image credit :: kyle barnes shot at the Winter Shoot last week in Breckenridge, Colorado

If you’ve been following me on Twitter since Wednesday, you know I’ve been deep in the cold of Breckenridge, Colorado.  I’ve had the pure joy of working on an dreamy winter shoot with my clients Jeff Holt and Kyle Barnes as well as the one-of-a-kind incredible Shannon Sewell and up-and-coming hot shot Jesse Ryan. I’m sitting here on the plane back to North Carolina with Jeff and am so overwhelmed with what transpired in the last 5 days.

This shoot started out as a tiny crazy idea that Jeff Holt brought to me one day.  I like crazy ideas because they are fueled with passion and –when harnessed correctly– a clear vision.  I was headed out to visit my brother in Denver for the weekend, Jeff had overflowing passion about this shoot vision and so we decided to run with it.  In less than 3 weeks we pulled together one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with: Jennifer from I Do Weddings Vail, Emily from Events by Emily, Andrea Haydon and so many more that I will share soon.  My iPhone pics shown here don’t even do an ounce of justice to the awesome you will experience in the professional shots.  Full feature posts with details coming on Southern Weddings shortly.

Jeff and Kyle completely rocked it out.  Seriously, some of the best stuff I’ve ever seen them shoot.  This was a significant trip for both of them professionally for a very simple key reason that I think is vital to growth:  they produced images they genuinely feel proud of.  It didn’t happen by accident.  They had a clear vision and went full-force with it.  I feel so blessed to have witnessed them doing what they love, gaining confidence and a portfolio to match.   Such an inspiring week in the snow!

Amidst all this shoot fun and spending time with my brother, heavy on my heart was choosing a winner for the Making Things Happen™ Scholarship spot.  I had hoped to announce the scholarship winner on Wednesday night and, after reading the 60 phenomenal entries, I just couldn’t make a decision.  Note to self: do not hold another contest where I have to choose between 60 equally amazing stories.  I simply couldn’t make a choice that felt right… every entry pulled at my heart-strings.  So, I did this….

Honestly, I wanted to be Oprah and just say “OK, everyone wins!”  But, the only way to make this workshop work in the way I want it to is to keep it small. I did a lot of praying and enlisted the help of the people I trust to pick the winners- Emily, Katharine and others.  Trust me, I hated to announce just twelve winners even though it’s a lot and totally unexpected.  I want to spend time with each and every person who shared their story.  So, if you entered and didn’t win, please email me if you are still able to come.  I have a little surprise for you too.  If you are one of the twelve, congrats and I’ll see you on the 21st!  I will email you your workshop pass asap.  If you need help with travel plans, let me know.  Thank you again to everyone who took the time to share their story with me this week and for all of the very very kind words.  Doing these workshops will be the fulfillment of so many dreams I’ve had.  I can’t wait to meet everyone and get to know more about your dreams and passions, too.  Counting the days till Watercolor!

Because I’m taking the twelve scholarship spots, I’ve opened the workshop up to 30. There are still a few slots left, but I imagine shortly after I post this, they will be gone.  Click here to register. I will be announcing other cities after the new year, so if you have a suggestion, please leave a comment here and let me know!  My first confirmed next stops are Austin and Dallas in January.  Details to come.

OK, a few more winners to announce! The winners of the Outliers and Tribes giveaway (randomly selected from the 78 amazing comments left on this post) are Catie Ronquillo, Josh Ulmer, Jessica Lynn and Kari Crowe. Email me your mailing address and I’ll get you your books asap! Congrats and thanks to everyone who commented for the encouragement and support. I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude!

Making things happen,

lc

I’ve been dreaming of this for a year now and am thrilled to announce the first-ever Making Things Happen™ workshop :: an intensive designed to fire you up for the coming year.  I invite you to spend an afternoon with me making a clear, active, successful plan for 2010.

I’ve been blessed to be overwhelmed with new consulting clients since I started Lara Casey Reps in June and have had the honor of working with some incredible artists and professionals.  In order to accommodate the influx of new requests and my ever-growing schedule, I’ll be cutting back on individual consults in 2010 and traveling the country with my amazing team to give these workshops.

From branding to bold moves and everything in between, I’m inviting 30 people to join me December 21st (two weeks from yesterday!) in Watercolor, FL, for an intensive like no other.  I’m fired up and intend to make sure you leave feeling the same way.  I’ll be asking attendees vital (i.e., hard) questions and require that this intimate group be ready to lay it all out on the table.  This workshop is not for the faint of heart, but for wedding professionals (photographers, planners and entrepreneurs) who really want to change, grow, and harness their full potential in the new year.

I am offering this first workshop at half the cost of future workshops as a thank-you to the people in my hometown who have supported me in my personal and professional growth. But, I’ve already had several people inquire about flying in for this first one, so this isn’t just limited to locals. Future dates and locations will be announced soon.  Because this is a small group, I also will be taking the time to evaluate each attendee’s individual brand, from websites to blogs and social media presence, and everything in between.  In some ways, I believe I give my best advice in the first 5 minutes of a regular consult, and that’s the same sort of gut reaction and individual attention I’ll offer in my workshops.

December 21st, 2009 at the Watercolor Resort in Watercolor, Florida.  1-4pm.  I invite you to join me for dinner afterward at my favorite restaurant in the world, Fish Out of Water.  :: details + reservations ::

If you are planning to travel from out of town, this is an ideal location to spend a winter weekend.  Be sure to call Carla to reserve your room or house rental.

[UPDATED: SCHOLARSHIP CLOSED. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WINNERS] I also am offering one scholarship spot.  The Making Things Happen™ scholarship winner will be announced via my WeddingRep twitter tomorrow night at midnight.  Simply leave a comment here telling me what you want to make happen in 2010 and why you need — not want, but need, yearn, and have – to attend the Making Things Happen™ Intensive.

I’m so excited about the upcoming year and can’t wait to kick it off with you!

images :: rae leytham photography

The SW girls are beyond thrilled for our upcoming print edition, due out on newsstands nationwide on November 3!  To share some of our excitement, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 reasons why Southern Weddings is the most dynamic and valuable magazine for today’s Southern bride.  image above :: Jose Villa

10. National and international following, complete with a passion for all things Southern! Though our roots are here in the South, Southern Weddings Magazine boasts a devoted readership that spans not only across the United States but around the world.  There’s just something about the charm of the South that readers, regardless of their location, just can’t get enough of!

image above :: Paul Johnson

9.  Printed and published by the very best in the industry. To help make this next issue bigger and better than ever, we’ve hired a fabulous new printer based right here in the South (Atlanta, to be specific) that prints some truly fabulous national magazines, including Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Architectural Digest and Wired.  Also, we’re still proudly distributed by Curtis Circulation, the leader in magazine circulation nationwide and responsible for knockout publications like Elle, Newsweek, Forbes and Maxim.

image above :: A Bryan Photo

8.  Our claim to fame: the daily Southern Weddings Blog. For readers who just can’t get enough Southern Weddings, we offer the ever-popular extension of our print edition with the Southern Weddings Blog.  Updated at least three times daily, the SW blog features stunning real weddings and inspiration from the top wedding pros around the world.  We love to feature our advertising partners on the blog, especially in the weeks leading up to our launch.  Keep your eyes peeled for a massive makeover by Flosites that is sure to have you clicking back even more than you already do!

image above :: Jessica Claire

7. Personal attention. That goes for both our vendors and our readers.  We send many copies of the magazine to our readers directly from the office, and not a single copy leaves without a personal note from one of the editors.  This kind of personal attention inspires loyalty, and the loyalty our brides feel for us is a feeling they extend to our vendors, as well.

image above :: courtesy of Preston Bailey

6. Authority. Through our blog and our first issue, we’ve built a reputation for ourselves as the Southern wedding experts.  Our readers trust our taste, and they trust the vendors we select to advertise with us.

image above :: Fred Egan

5. One-of-a-kind grooms’ section: Our upcoming issue will have an exciting and exclusive “Grooms’ Section.”  Even better than our brand new, never-before-seen feature?  Our super-secret, super-fabulous groom fashion experts: you’ll never guess who we’ve got up our sleeve…

image above :: left to right – Marcy Blum, Sylvia Weinstock, Amy Atlas, Jung Lee, Preston Bailey, Mindy Weiss, Tara Guerard, Michelle Rago, Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce of Engaging Concepts

4.  Exclusive interviews with celebrity planners. Southern Weddings is happy to be in the company and have the support of many of the best in the business, several of whom will be featured in our November issue.  Look for Jung Lee, Sylvia Weinstock, Lisa Vorce, Mindy Rice, Michelle Rago, Tara Guerard and Marcy Blum weighing in on what they love best about Southern weddings, as well as new columns by Randy Fenoli of Kleinfeld Bridal Salon and Simon T. Bailey.

image above :: Meg Baisden

3.  New, never-before-seen content: Unlike our premier Spring/Summer 2009 issue, our newest edition will feature ten real weddings never before seen in the blogosphere.  What does this mean for you? Tons and tons of surprises you will be dying to see!

image above :: courtesy of Mindy Weiss

2.  Sold in (the best) stores nationwide: Southern Weddings will be sold in Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and Borders stores across the country, as well as regional grocery stores and bridal boutiques.  We’re honored to have been picked up by these amazing retailers.  Imagine how much more fun the checkout lines will be once we hit stores!

images above :: left to right – Michael Norwood, Jasmine Star, Melissa Jill, Cameron Ingalls, Agnes Lopez, Becker, Michael Norwood

1.  Two Words: SOLD OUT! Our last issue completely sold out and we still receive regular requests to purchase this hot editorial commodity.  With so many new and exciting features, we can only imagine how fast our next edition will fly off the shelves!

Cover image above :: Jose Villa

Vendors, you can’t afford not to be a part of this next issue!  Email me at katharine {at} iloveswmag {dot} com for a media kit.  And to our beautiful brides from all across the country: thank you from all of us here at SW for being such loyal readers and avid fans!  This blog is for you, about you and all thanks to YOU!

Get. Excited.  We sure are!  (Surely there’s no one’s more excited than Emily, though!)

Have a great week y’all!

Katharine

ps – note from Lara: “Since we sold out, we’re working on getting the first edition online in the next couple weeks for all to see!”

In my travels I did a lot of thinking (I had about 24 hours in the car by myself) and spent some time with great friends and my family.  There are a very small handful of people in my life who can just look at me and see right through me.  I had a long convo with my good friend Jeff Holt this past weekend that really got me thinking.   We talked about #TruthDay… a concept brought up by my other amazing client, Jeremy Cowart.  Jeremy’s idea: “I think there should be [Truth Day/Truth Thursday] where we all tweet our insecurities, imperfections and mistakes. How amazing would that be?” I think we all have a deep need for confession in our lives.  We want someone to see us as we are and say “you’re OK.  I love you just as you are.  I understand you.”  I won’t get preachy on you, but the only one who can really do that fully is God.  However, there are some people who do that for us in our lives as a reminder of that.  Sometimes it’s not what the people closest to us say; it’s what they don’t say.

So, here’s my #TruthDay, a little early:

I’ve been really sick since I got home Friday and confined to my bed (dream bed above). My mom thinks I have Swine Flu.  I think I just have a fever and a cold.  I miss my mom when I’m sick.

I’m a really positive happy person. But, when I don’t work out every day and sleep enough, I am 100% not myself.  The couple weeks before I left for WaterColor, I finally started to feel like “me” again after a month of no travel. I started training for a marathon, sleeping a lot, and focusing on my relationship with myself and God. It felt good. After I get over this Swine Flu, I’ll hit the gym again. A great quote from Deepak Chopra: “Affluence, abundance, unboundedness are our natural state. We simply have to remember who we are.”

I rarely cry, but I cried for a good solid hour yesterday morning.

I’m turning 30 two days after Christmas. I’m not sure how to feel about that yet.

I could spend several days completely alone in my office and be happy. Many times I do.

I fully exhaust myself before I realize I should slow down. I like taking on a lot at once because I get bored really easily. But, when I cross that fine line, I probably should have stopped 10 steps before that.

I know I have the power to make big things happen for people. I forget that when I let myself listen to other people’s negativity.

I know I’m not using even 10% of my potential.  I haven’t always felt this way.  This is new and I want it to change now.

I can own a conference room, but I’m not good at being vulnerable.  It sometimes takes me a long conversation to finally say what’s really on my mind.  I wish I didn’t have so much fear and could just say it.

I recently wrote my will. Should have done it a while ago. [I was supposed to do it when Ari did his before he left for Iraq. We got in a silly fight and I ended up going shopping instead of to the lawyer's office on base.] It was hard to do, but very revealing. I’m embarrassed to say, it’s locked up on my iPhone of all places. I know, I know.

I like driving fast and speeding into turns.

If I had three wishes: 1. to be closer to God. 2. to be closer to me. 3. to be closer to my brother.

I’m taking a Twitter/Facebook sabbatical.  I’m on day 3. I feel the need to pull back, reevaluate and come out fresh. I’ve also turned my phone on vibrate, turned up the music, deleted a bunch of useless apps on my iPhone, cleaned out my computer, and installed LeechBlock for Firefox on my Mac which gives me only 12 minutes a day on Google Reader and several other sites that make my mind wander. Getting focused is not my problem. Getting re-focused and looking at my work and my life with fresh eyes is my new goal.

image credit

Chapel Hill doesn’t have an ocean or mountains.  Ari has 4 more years of rad residency.  Till the end of my residency widow days, I’ll keep looking for a second office in WaterColor.  I know Kath, Em, and Whit would like that too ; )

I’m not good at asking for what I want or saying what’s really on my heart.  I’m a people pleaser.  My friend Fred Egan said this weekend “we often don’t get what we want because we seldom ask.” That struck a chord in me.  The first step is knowing what you want… clarifying and defining.  After that, asking is easy.  Admitting what we really want (not just what we’re supposed to want) is tough.  And freeing. (by the way, be sure to visit Fred’s new style blog, Unabashedly Prep, which launched today.)

I don’t fear failure in my business anymore.  I’ve been through a heck of a lot.  I fear not being perfect.  I’d rather fear failure.

I like to ignore red flags.

I added up some numbers today and I’ve spent over $49,000 on something this year.  Kinda shocked me.

Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve to pray and ask for God’s help.  Typing that out sounds really silly.

I love surprising people.  I’d like to be surprised one day.  I feel like that sounds selfish.

I’ve been looking into taking a solo vacation, a retreat, some sort of escape.  I know that’s not the answer.  I need to “feel the fear and do it anyway”.  Although, a week at Miraval sounds mighty good right now.

What’s that phrase about shrinking so others feel better about themselves?  I do that.  A lot.  I shouldn’t.

I’ve been lied to several times lately and I’ve let it slide without saying anything.

I am somewhat scared to publish this post. (please refer back to “I am not good at being vulnerable.”)

Some positive truths:

image :: our labor of love

I’m really proud of my husband.  I don’t tell him that nearly enough.  I could never do what he does.

I made a financial commitment this week that should scare me, but it doesn’t.  It’s growing pains.  It’s a big leap and I’m taking it.

I love my consulting work.  I am helping people a lot.

I have just scratched the surface with my rep clients.  I have a huge list of plans for them and am finally finding the time to put them in motion.  I’m so thankful for their patience.  They will soar.  Nothing excites me more.

I think I’ll be a really great mom one day and I’ll love it.

I celebrated my dad’s 70-somethingth birthday last week with my parents.  They are so loving and cute together.  I feel so thankful to have celebrated with them and seen my dad so happy and proud of me.  I’m proud of you, Dad. I love my family more than words.  I’m so blessed to have parents who believe in me.

I’m a great singer.  I never really sing except on long car rides.  And you wonder why I drove to WaterColor.

I’m a “doer” AND a “closer”. Whatever that means.

My favorite place is anywhere I’m working out. My favorite time of day is right before I go to sleep. My favorite thing to do is sing old hymns. My favorite gift to get is music and little love notes.

I feel most alive on skis and encouraging people.

I get a lot of really nice emails every week. I’m grateful and humbled.

Things that make me swoon recently: thunder and lightning, hot showers, film photography, seeing people do what they love to do and Architectural Digest.

I have the greatest team in the world. Emily, Katharine and Whitney are such a blessing in my life. They say and do things that still make me pinch myself and say “wow, how did I get so lucky to know these women?” They’re so sharp and brilliant that sometimes I don’t know what to do with them. Being back in the office feels ridiculously good. They make me so happy and excited about the future.

I’m honestly proud of my businesses.  I haven’t always felt that way.  Even though we have a lot to do and big hurtles to climb, I finally feel proud.

I have the ability to make choices every day that lead me down the right path.

Our next issue is going to be off the chain.  Yes, I just said off the chain.

I know I have the power to make things happen for people.

We’re currently listening to “Jump for Your Love” in the office and all singing along. These are the moments I relish.

Well, there are all the things I am allowed to say in a public blog post.  I encourage you to give #TruthDay a try on Twitter this week or make your own list.  I made a private one too.  Don’t censor yourself or judge your thoughts.  Just write freely and burn it afterward if you have to.  But take a moment and let those truths sink in before you light the fire.  Most of the time, the truth isn’t as scary once it’s out of your head and on paper. 

xo lc