The day has come! And what a blessed day it was! Grace Austin Isaacson was born yesterday at 10:24 am EST, weighing 8lbs 9oz and 21 inches long. Lara, Ari and this beautiful new
bundle of joy are doing wonderfully and are so grateful for this amazing blessing! And now… in honor of Grace’s birthday, a very special surprise from Nancy Ray (who is currently in the hospital capturing these precious first days with the new parents!) and Inkspot Crow Films that was just completed moments ago…

Lara Casey : Birth Announcement from Inkspot Crow Films on Vimeo.

Yesterday at 5am, I received a text message from Lara: “I think I’m in labor.” I thought my heart would burst and my eyes filled up with tears knowing what goodness was about to come into the world and join Lara’s little family. We love you so much, Grace, and are so happy you are here. Your mama couldn’t wait to meet you. She’s prayed for you for many, many months. Photographs of baby Grace taken while she was just a few moments old…

We love you so much Grace, Lara and Ari!

Lara is on maternity leave until March 2012 to spend time with her new family. If you need anything till then, feel free to email Marissa! What an exciting time! God is so good! Leave the new parents and this precious babe some love here, as Lara will not be checking her email during her maternity leave and will likely be away from her phone for a long while.

Welcome to the world, baby Grace! You are such a loved little girl. We pray your heart is filled with joy and your days are filled with love, sweet Grace.

With all my heart, Aunt Emily (and your future husband)

I am technically 4 days past my estimated due date, but I am ignoring this fact for now.  50% of babies are born after their estimated due date anyway.  I’m grateful and happy and feeling wonderful today!  And what better way to keep my mind occupied while I wait on baby Grace than to launch two gigantic projects today!?  I’m convinced that God is waiting until these beauties are launched to let me go into labor, so here’s hoping…

I am sad to be missing engage!11 Cayman this week (this would have been my seventh engage!), but so happy to reveal what Emily Ley and I been working on with the incredible Rebecca Grinnals and team.  Congratulations on an exciting week ahead and…. drum roll…. the launch of the new Engaging Concepts!  We had such a wonderful time working with Rebecca and Kathryn, who have long been two of my mentors and dear friends.  It truly was an honor!  I miss you all and, while I wish I had my toes in the Cayman sand with you, I really hope that as I hit publish on this post, Grace decides to get this party started.

I couldn’t be more thrilled about this next reveal! Emily and I are over-the-moon excited to finally show you what we’ve been up to the past 12 months in our new Making Brands Happen site!  This site is packed full of goodness and showcases a year of adventures, joy and work that truly makes our hearts SING!  Read all the details on our launch here.

Enjoy the new sites and – hopefully – the next post you see here will be Grace’s birth announcement from Aunt Marissa!

The last nine months of carrying my first baby have been blessed beyond measure.   They’ve been the most challenging and rewarding months of my life so far and I know it’s just the beginning. From two pink lines to a closet packed full of tiny booties and onesies, this time has been a gift that a blog post could never quite capture fully. God has changed Ari and I in profound ways with every little baby kick, fear we’ve conquered and every “first” we’ve experienced together on this adventure. In honor of our amazing Grace, due sometime in the next 20 days, here is a quick peek into the last nine months.  Photo above by my dear friend Nancy Ray.

February: The “decision” to have a baby wasn’t an easy one.  It wasn’t like we woke up one day and everything was magically in place and the timing was perfect.  Ari started talking about wanting to have a baby and all I can say is that God did a lot of things to warm me up to it very quickly.  For one, my best friend was pregnant at the time and, the first time I felt the little baby kicks in her belly, my heart exploded!  We had always thought it would be a few more years before we’d even think about kids, but God had other plans.  Despite all the logistics ahead of us and possible changes and unknowns (and yes, there were a lot of fearful tears!), we both thought, life is too short. Sometime around Valentine’s Day, our little miracle started to grow.  It was close to my mom’s birthday and, coincidentally, I had written this to her that week.  I was in Las Vegas at the time for WPPI.  Even that early, I just had a feeling I was pregnant. An instinct. I was taking my prenatal vitamins, taking great care of myself and just felt like God was making me ready for this.  Sure enough, during a visit home to Florida on February 28th, a craving for Chiclets led me to the drugstore for a pregnancy test.  I cried tears of joy as those two pink lines appeared!!!

March: We only told my parents and my best friends at first.  There was so much excitement coupled with thoughts of a whole new life ahead of us… translation = suddenly overwhelming.  My body changed quickly and the morning sickness soon set in.  Heavens to Betsy, this was no fun at all.   From week 3 to week 16, I was miserable – in bed, nauseated, no appetite, exhausted.  I actually prayed for those crazy pregnancy cravings you always hear about to happen so I could get my appetite back!  I had to keep at my same work pace and wasn’t able to tell anyone yet why I fell off the radar for a few weeks.   I’m so grateful for my friends who prayed me through that time, Ari for holding my hand through all of it and trying everything under the sun to make me feel better and to my parents for taking care of me for a few weeks and trying to feed me all sorts of goodness. At the height of all of this nausea, we had a trip to Grand Cayman planned to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary.  I spent most of the trip, once again, in bed.  At least it was from a bed with an ocean view, though!  At the end of March, knowing that we would soon need a lot more space for baby, we also started hunting for a bigger house.   Photo below by Nancy Ray.

April: On April 5th, we finally let the cat out of the bag! What an exciting day! And such a relief. I hated keeping our big news a secret for so long! Work-wise, it was an insanely busy month. With all the morning sickness, I had no idea how I was going to get through it, but by the grace of God – and with lots of help – I did.

2011 has been the year of making a lot of things happen, including some brilliant brands.  Photo above (with me covering quite the baby bump at the time) by Gina Zeidler. By the time our little one is born in just a few days, Emily and I will have launched 35 powerful brands this year for some incredible people that we are so blessed to call friends.  What started as one of those crazy ideas (sketched on a paper bag on an airplane somewhere over the Pacific on the way to Maui last November!), turned into my favorite work ever.  It turned into a mission that Emily and I have to help creatives take wing and live life to the full.  Life is too short to play small. In a few days, Emily and I (or just Emily, if I go into labor!) will be launching our new Making Brands Happen site where you can take a peek into all we have been up to.   I am so grateful for the last year of rewarding work – that truly doesn’t feel like “work”  because I love it so much – with the magazine and our inspiring branding clients. What a gift of a journey this has been!   It’s hard to believe that just a year ago none of this existed, nor did I have any idea it would:  a baby, a new blossoming business that sets my heart on fire and a magazine and blog that have had their biggest year yet! Back to April, though.  I digress. Prego brain. In April, I completed my last wedding with my event planning company – a gorgeous Indian wedding in downtown DC. For those of you in weddings, you know this was no small feat.  It turned out beautifully and I am so grateful for over a decade of wedding planning that turned into so much more.  I’m happy to finally put my very first company, Bliss Event Group, to rest after this exciting decade.  It was hard to let go at first, but there’s so much more on the horizon! Saying “no” to one thing in our lives means saying “yes” to something else.

May: A week after our DC wedding adventure, at 13 weeks pregnant, we had a fun Southern Weddings team photo session with Millie (where I delicately tried to cover my baby bump) and then three days after that, we moved! A new house and new office!  This was a whirlwind – as anyone knows who has moved ever – and such a huge blessing for us.  More space made room for all sorts of new growth in our lives, both personally and professionally.   And then… the day I hit 16 weeks pregnant, it was like the morning sickness cloud magically lifted.  Suddenly, the nausea disappeared and I started to feel like a human being again.  Oh my goodness, I was so grateful!   I even got some high-fives from the little one growing in my belly.   Thankfully, I started to feel better just in time to speak at Engage!11 at the end of May.  Just before I headed to California, I did my first maternity shopping and even posted the first baby bump pics for all to see. I got myself on a plane, spent a couple days with my 94 year-old Grandma Bunny (who was so excited!) and then headed to San Diego for Engage!11.  Between moving and maternity clothes and business booming as usual, it was an eventful time making all sorts of things happen.

June: Coming back from Engage!11, I was so fired up.  We had an epic team meeting when I returned that became the springboard for us to have our best year to date.  It’s remarkable to type all of this out and see that all of this happened in such a short time frame.  God is so good.  We saw over 200% company growth since that meeting in early June.  That fire I felt has just gotten stronger since and my team has sprouted some pretty remarkable wings.  Thanks to the return of my appetite, I also started to sprout quite the baby belly.  I gained a good 16 pounds that month!  Go baby, go!  Photo below by Gina Zeidler.

Let’s just say it was a month of growth in more ways than one.   I ran The Challenge again. I worked hard to rid myself of excuses for not being my best.  I knew that, if I was going to have a baby and be 100% committed to this baby when he or she arrived, I wanted to know I worked my hardest up to that day to get things in place.  That meant taking my company, staff, work, life and everything with it to the next level.   Ari and I traveled to DC together for a conference where he was speaking, I had a TON of branding work that month and – after much anticipation – we found out we were having a GIRL!  Yahooo!!!!

The moment we found out that she was a she, the fun really began!   Picking names, registering, decorating, oh my!  Do not – I repeat – do not attempt to be an overachiever and do all of these in one day, though.  I got a little overwhelmed while registering.  Understatement. Registering caused my first real prego meltdown. Despite said meltdown, all became well in registry land thanks to the help of my pregnancy angel, Emily, guiding me through it.  I could write a novel about how she has truly been sent from Heaven above as I’ve navigated pregnancy.  I love you, Emily Ley!  Ari and I finished June at my parent’s home in Florida and celebrated with my sister Kathy and my whole family.  Here is my June maternity session with Ms. Nancy.

July: How did I do July!?  Looking back on it, this month was appropriately packed full of fireworks!  On the heels of that fire that started to burn inside me in June, July was my month of taking big rewarding risks. I was determined to take action and give as much as possible.  We started layout on our fourth annual issue – V4, I did the Making Things Happen July Tour (Pensacola, Atlanta and New York) and then went straight to Charleston for a big V4 shoot. Pictured below during our model fitting at Maddison Row in Charleston.

Amidst all of this travel and hard work, God was really working hard on my heart.  I started to feel a sea change come over me as pregnancy began to settle into my soul.  There is a lot of fear when you first carry a child.  There are endless unknowns and uncertainties and all of these have forced me to truly learn to trust God more than I ever have… and in ways I never thought possible.  My faith started to grow, I started to get more involved in my church, studied the Bible more and I decided to take a scary risk and write to our sweet baby girl. That was a big hurdle for me.  I had so much fear that somehow I would lose her.  Writing to her – and taking Emily, Gina and Natalie’s advice and starting to talk to her – opened my heart to trust.  Ari and I took a tour of the labor and delivery wing at Ari’s hospital where she would be born.  It all started to become very real.  The work I did during the MTH tour in July with Emily and Gina really cracked my heart open.  What a blessing that was and such perfect timing!  I came home from the Tour fired up and so ready to surrender to the changes happening in my heart.  My July maternity session with Nancy.

August: I declared war on the month of August, as I knew it was time to start getting things in place for this little dancing baby in my belly.  I started the month by flying back to Florida to speak at the Stationery Academy.   That was supposed to be my last speaking engagement for the year (I ended up doing another branding presentation here in Chapel Hill in September) since I was about to be barred from traveling.  It taught me so many wonderful things.

On August 15th, I wrote one of my favorite posts ever where we announced our little girl’s name. I’m printing this out for Grace’s baby album because I feel so connected to every single word.  God is so good!  Grace Austin Isaacson. Oh, how I love that name!   My mom threw a wonderful shower for Grace .  August brought so much growth and gratitude in my heart, which – looking back – prepared me for a difficult personal transition in our family that we didn’t expect.  It just made me more and more grateful to God, Ari and my dear friends for so much prayer and support.  I love you Emily, Gina, Natalie and the whole MTH family! At the end of August, my parents came to visit us here in Chapel Hill.  This was a very special visit that I will never forget. My mom brought so many goodies for Grace, including many of my baby clothes, books, photographs and precious family heirlooms.   My August session with Mrs. Ray and my parents.

September: This month was marked by magazine layout, final shoots, long days at my desk and a whole lot of exciting baby kicks!

Grace started growing like a weed and, as I neared 30 weeks pregnant, new things started to consume my thoughts.  New questions.  New fears about labor, delivery and being a mom.  I started reading every book in sight.  For those of you that know me, you know this is not like me.  I readily admit that, besides reading the Bible, I’m not a big reader in general and I don’t like reading instruction manuals.  I’d rather just figure it out myself.  I like being hands-on.  But, it started to dawn on me that a baby wasn’t something I wanted to just figure out. For me, the changes in my heart have come in profound waves.  God really does have perfect timing. At first, you think nine months sounds like forever.  Turns out, it’s just right.  I’m so grateful for this time that God has used to flip my heart inside out.  I felt such deeper clarity and confidence as each day passed. The weather started to grow cooler and, seamlessly with the change in season, I started to see more what was most important in life. For me, it has been – and continues to be – a remarkable season of letting go of what I thought mattered to make room for real love and joy.  A peace that passes all understanding.  What a gift – no matter how challenging – that has been!  Ari and I both experienced this change and started to feel closer than ever. I started to set new boundaries to plan for my maternity leave and we sent V4 off to the printer at the end of the month.  Hallelujah!  My September session with Nancy.

October: October began my official transition into maternity leave. With all the hats I wear around here, I knew it would take me several weeks to get things in order for our company to essentially function without me.  It was not easy at first to think of letting go.  As with every month, new fears and questions surfaced.  From crafting my birth plan to strong realizations about my priorities to unexpected tears to the gift of Sundays and seeing the big picture to more tears and remarkable love from my husband to seeing Grace’s beautiful face for the first time (oh my stars!!!) …

… to realizing this is really happening soon, God has been stretching me to truly TRUST and let go.  I’m getting there.  And I’m so grateful for the women I work with.  Words just can’t express how they have all blessed me during these months and especially now during this transition.  Emily, Emily, Marissa, Whitney, Sierra and Nicole have truly made me – the slightly OCD control-lover – feel like I can genuinely let go soon and turn over the reins to them with confidence and calm.  It’s a gift I know Grace will thank them for someday, too.   This week, V4 is on shelves nationwide (YEEHAW!!!!!) and very soon I will be turning my email over to Marissa and the ladies here as I move into the last days of my pregnancy.   I plan to take three months of leave, so I won’t be taking on new clients, meetings or projects until likely March 2012.  I know I’ll never get this time back, so the months ahead are just for Grace.

So much has happened and I couldn’t possibly include it in one blog post.  Writing all of this out makes me see so clearly how radical change in our lives is so possible.  You just never know what God will have in store for you, but you will only know if you listen, welcome all the “failures” and mistakes along the way as lessons and just. let. go.   There have been tears and so much fear and – all the while – a new joy.  I’ve laughed more in these nine months than I ever have. Pregnancy has genuinely been nothing like what I thought it would be.  When this all began, I was scared that a part of my life that was ending.  Well, it certainly was.  I just had no idea that one chapter had to close in order for a much better chapter to open!

November: yet to be written.  Most likely to be awesome.  God is truly good and I owe all of these blessings to Christ.  From that blessed day in February to now, I have been changed.  I pray for more and more change every day.  Thank you, Jesus, for nine months of your amazing amazing grace.

I can’t believe we have less than 20 or so days before we meet Grace!  The days are flying by now and I’m so excited to be a mom!  A HUGE thank you to so many friends who have cheered me on through these nine months.  Words just can’t begin to express my gratitude.  Ari and I feel so blessed to have such a supportive community of loved ones and can’t wait for this little dancing babe in my belly to meet you all very soon!   You can follow my journey daily, as Grace’s arrival grows closer, here on my Tumblr.

Love,

So, over the last few months, a lot has been happening.  understatement

We spent the first months of this year searching high and low for two wonderful women to add to our family at Southern Weddings.  I’m thrilled to say that after hundreds of resumes and interviews, we found the perfect pair!  You’ll get to meet them very soon and we can’t wait. I’m so grateful for our growth and, most of all, that I get to spend my days with these inspiring women. 

We’re bursting at the seams for more space, so we’re also moving next month! My wonderful mom is here in Chapel Hill visiting and helped us pick out the perfect new house – just a few miles away – for the three of us. Me… Ari… and…

Oh hello, tears. I don’t know how to write this post. Here goes…

I’m pregnant.

Due 11.11.11

You have no idea how good it feels so good to finally say that! Keeping this a secret for what has felt like an eternity has not been easy, friends.  Especially considering the plethora of texts like this over the last months…

The moment those pretty pink two lines appeared I wanted to shout my gratitude to the hills!  Well, I did.  In the privacy of my bathroom.  I’ve never felt such joy!  God is good and Ari and I are very grateful. Baby’s first trip on an airplane: sunny Las Vegas for WPPI (below).

A few FAQ’s and things I’ve learned so far:

We don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl.  We just want a happy baby.  OK, I kindof want a girl.  Only because Emily Ley and my entire staff have already decided Brady is going to marry said girl.

Morning sickness doesn’t exist.  All day sickness does.  The first stretch has been the pits, but thankfully I’ve been feeling better and better over the last couple weeks. Yesterday was my best day so far – almost back to normal! I’m so grateful for my best friends, very kind strangers, McDonald’s ice cream, my parents (who let me retreat to their house for the majority of March to take care of me!) and my amazing husband.  Thanks to aforementioned All Day Sickness, the thought of eating a Luna Bar or getting on a plane has made me ill, but I’m totally OK with that. If sickness is a barometer for a healthy baby, I am totally OK with anything.

For now, you can follow the baby details on my personal Tumblr.

My favorite person to tell I was pregnant (besides my dad who I have never seen happier) was my very Southern 93-year old Grandma Bunny.  I’ll never forget that conversation.  Listen in…

Surprise! from lara casey on Vimeo.

Best phone message after the big news: definitely from dad.  He ended the message with “Take care of yourself, Mama.”  Melt my heart.

People keep saying to me, “do you realize your life is about to change?”  It already has. Drastically.  I know it’s just the beginning and I’m so happy for all of it!  I prayed hard for this.  I am leaning on Him to guide me.   I also have some awesome friends as mommy role models – Em, Natalie and so many MTH women – that I am so grateful for.  My mom is also a pretty cool lady and has been teaching me the ropes since day 1 when I burst out in happy tears and told her I was pregnant in the kitchen while making oatmeal.  I had to tell someone. I love you, mom!  Below with grandpa…

Thank you to my sweet friends Danielle Wolfe and David Kirkaldy in Cayman for blessing us with your hospitality as Ari and I celebrated 5 years of marriage this year, to Emily (and Bryan) for making Bman and letting me feel his frog kicks in your belly and hold him – what a joy!, to my ridiculously awesome staff for being patient with my baby brain and for volunteering to name the baby (oh goodness, that deserves its own post), to Elizabeth Messina who captured my very first pregnancy photographs, to Aunt Gina and Aunt Natalie and Aunt Emily and Aunt Jessie and Aunt Marissa and Aunt Melissa and Aunt Chantal and Aunt Harmony for being the best honorary aunt’s ever, and to my mom and dad who make me excited every day.  I love you.  Special love and hugs to all the Making Things Happen women (and men!) who have encouraged me every step of the way on the journey.   I wouldn’t have had the courage to let go and let God bring this blessing into our lives without you.  My list of gratitude is endless.

My mom got to come to my ultrasound yesterday and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Having her there with me to watch the little heart beat so strongly was a miracle. I had seen it before, but something about having mom there this time… we cried… the nurse cried… my doctor loved on us! My heart feels like it’s the size of Texas, y’all. I’m not one of those people who had a mental plan for when I would get married and have kids.  Ari and I thought babies would come well after he is done with residency (2 more years).  As my heart started to open to this in a big way, I could clearly see God had other plans.  His plans are always way better than mine.  This verse has been on my heart since we found out: If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. – Luke 17:6 Carrying a child is indescribable. It has been impossible for me to not see God working in all of this. This little babe has already blessed us, humbled me and brought me to my knees.  Faith as small as a mustard seed can change everything.

Well, there you have it.  Spring has officially sprung in our little world!  Wonderful women to do this great work with, soon-to-be new bigger digs and a little southern biscuit in my oven.  The Biscuit…

Making Babies Happen,

photos (the pretty ones) by Gina Zeidler

I will admit, having 15 teams of wedding pros vying for our cover was a huge risk.  I am frequently fueled by my gut instinct and there were many moments I thought, I think my gut needs some Tums! We had no idea what these shoots would produce.  A great cover isn’t something that can be forced or perfectly calculated.  It just has a magic about it.  Our V2 cover, shot by genius Jeremy Cowart, was not at all what we had planned and turned out more stunning than we could have dreamed.  Jeremy found that rich warm barn wall and Adair kicked up her skirt… voila!  It’s like finding the perfect wedding dress.  You just know when it’s The One.

So, a major office dance party ensued the moment Joey + Jessica’s images came across my desk.  It was like a high-speed domino effect: I saw the shot, did a happy dance (really, I did), instantly got on the iMac and mocked up the cover, texted it to Emily, Whitney, Marissa, Katharine, my husband and my mom.  This was IT!!!

What we wanted: real, approachable, effortless, authentic and attainable.  You can read all about the inspiration here and grab a copy of V3 on newsstands or online for exclusive behind-the-scenes info.  We want to feature real brides and women who look like your best friend or the girl next door.  We steer clear from anyone too “model-y” or high fashion.  I want brides to genuinely connect with every page and for each image to make them feel more confident.  Paulina, our cover girl, was the perfect fit.  Her natural braid, barely-there make-up and genuine smile made me melt.  To FINALLY get to show this to you makes me nervous, grateful, excited and want to yell a huge YEEEHAAAW in the middle of this conference room!  As we say in the South, she’s a pretty as a red wagon full of speckled pups.

I had to just take a big leap of faith and trust that we were going to find the perfect face for V3.  The results, as you will see in the pages of the magazine, are phenomenal.  Not only did we get a gorgeous cover, but 15 stunning shoots packed to the brim with gorgeous goodness.  Wait till you see them all!  WOW!  Huge thanks to all of the photographers and wedding pros who worked so hard to make this our biggest and best issue yet!  We are so grateful for the gift of the amazing photographs that brides all over the world will drink in.  Thank you!

From Joey + Jessica: Our original inspiration for the Southern Weddings V3 cover shoot was to create a bride that was real and obtainable to viewers. There are so many lovely brides on the covers of numerous wedding magazines, but they don’t seem real or seem to speak to the modern, savvy, unique and often DIY bride. A lot of “real life” brides that we encounter want to be themselves on their wedding day, only a little bit more dressy. If a woman never wears her hair in an up-do, then she more then likely will not want to on her wedding day. We kept all of these things in mind, and created a summer bride that is casual, sexy and unique. For the overall look and feel of the shoot, we wanted to depict the classic Southern Summer, think Fried Green Tomatoes and The Notebook. Romantic summer picnic and sweet, flirty moments.

On the day of the photo shoot, the temperature was about 98 degrees without a cloud in sight. We set up a tent beside the wheat field for shade and styling and began shooting. Everything went smoothly! We had great assistants, models and a fabulous stylist we have worked with several times. We were shooting in a tall wheat field that was full of grasshoppers, beetles and worst of all, wolf spiders! There was no way of getting around seeing them, but they didn’t seem to be attracted to us, so we went about our business. The day was winding down, the sun was setting and we were shooting the last few frames on our lovely bride. After we had finished, we all were heading back through the tall wheat field we had been shooting in the entire day. Joey and I looked down to see that 6 wolf spiders the size of clementines underneath the top layer of organza on the Melissa Sweet gown! If this wasn’t bad enough, one of the spiders had a nasty looking egg sac attached to its back. Yuck….yuck yuck yuck! Thank goodness our lovely bride, Paulina, is a country girl at heart and didn’t freak out as we slowly flicked each spider out of the dress. Needless to say, we checked the dress about a thousand times before sending it back to the boutique. Hey, even wolf spiders can’t deny the allure of a Melissa Sweet gown. Thanks to the lovely ladies at Southern Weddings for giving us this awesome opportunity to create beautiful photographs for one lovely, uniquely Southern magazine!

A peek at the final product:

Tell me a little bit about you, what you shoot, where you are based, how long you have been shooting, etc? We are located in the great state of North Carolina.  We love Southern culture and are proud to be from the South, so we try to bring that to our photography.  We have the pleasure of working with various editorial/commercial clients and unique wedding clients around the country.  We have been working together for about six years now, but have only been in business with each other as Joey + Jessica since the beginning of 2010.

How did you two meet? We actually met each other in high school and shared art classes together.  We were both voted most artistic by our Senior class and began dating shortly after in college.  The rest is history!

Did you ever think you’d be on the cover of a national magazine? It has always been in our goals along with other editorial projects.  When the opportunity to create a cover for Southern Weddings V3 arose, we were more than excited to jump on board.  So, thank you Lara Casey!!

What was your reaction when you found out? We were really excited, and really proud of our team.  Although we were confident we would get the cover ( the power of positive thinking y’all! ), it was still a great, rewarding moment when the Southern Weddings ladies sent over a mock up of the cover. From Lara: We devised a very sneaky plan and did a live Skype call with them.  We had the whole office there to reveal the big news.  Too fun!

What were the models reactions? Our models for the shoot were Paulina and Rocky.  Paulina is new to modeling and was excited that she had already landed the cover of a national magazine.  Rocky was happy because his job was to hang out with a pretty girl all afternoon and now he’s in a national magazine… not a bad job if you ask us.

Who did you tell first? I think the first people we told were our parents. They were really happy for us and proud to see all of the hard work payed off.

Do you shoot all film? Yes, we shoot predominantly on film. For the tech geeks out there, we shoot with Nikon (35mm), Mamiya ( 120/220 ) and Calumet ( 4×5 ).  We shoot with Kodak, Fuji and Ilford films.

How did you feel about the shoot when you saw the images? We were very proud of ourselves and our team.  The photographs were exactly what we had in mind in our initial concept board and it was rewarding to see it all come to life.  Paulina made for the perfect V3 cover girl!

Which image from your shoot, besides the cover, do you love the most? The close up shot of Paulina with the peony in her hair.  Love that image and it was one of the last shots taken that day. It was such a real moment and has such a fresh, romantic quality to it.

How did you celebrate? We celebrated by going out to dinner with our family.  This is one of the many goals we have, so we wanted to acknowledge we obtained it and then use the excitement to tackle the next project.

What is your advice to other photographers when faced with opportunities like this?  Ie take a risk or live in fear? Definitely take the risk.  Anyone who is successful didn’t get there by playing it safe.  This industry is unbelievably competitive.  We are so young in the game, but we are hungry to crush our goals, make new goals and crush those too.  Some of the biggest, most important decisions in your life are often the scariest and most difficult to go after.  If it isn’t a little scary, it probably isn’t that important to you.  : )

Here’s a few questions for you Lara….

What was it like giving up the control of the cover image of Southern Weddings V3?  This is your baby here, and an incredible risk to take by giving this opportunity to photographers you’d never worked with. I am extremely very a lot so much buckets full wildly passionate about helping young artists develop their unique voice and realize their value.  So many people gave me huge opportunities when I just started – I still feel like I’m just starting – that changed me forever.  If I can give that gift to someone through my consulting work, Making Things Happen, publishing them, encouraging them, a simple conversation, or just by giving them the courtesy of an email reply, I am all IN!  I replied to every single cover submission and image submission that came to my desk for V3.  Worth all 1000-something emails.  I may be super busy at times, but if I’m given the chance to help someone harness their innate gifts, I’d work 24/7 and not get tired.  So, yes, it was a risk.  And, yes, 100% worth it!

Did you have a back up plan in the chance you didn’t receive a cover image that suited V3? A back-up plan usually becomes a full-time plan.  Don’t quote me on that in every situation, but when you really want something, you have to have faith that it is already taken care of and focus on making active steps to make it happen.

What’s next for you, what can we expect to see in 2011? I actually have very little confirmed on my calendar for 2011 (partly on purpose after the crazy schedule I’m about to endure till Christmas), which just means there’s something big I’m supposed to fill it with.  I pray to be open to whatever God wants for me and I am just happy right here in this moment.  It has been a crazy year.  If you’ve been reading my Tumblr, you’ve gotten a small peek into my daily life and the creation of this issue. I’m so grateful for every blessing.  Thank you, Joey + Jessica, all of the cover finalists, my radtastic team, all of the incredible friends I am celebrating with at Engage 10 today, and to everyone who has supported this magazine.  We’re small, y’all.  We don’t have a parent company or a high-rise office of a staff of more than I can count on my hand.  We’re just a few young Southern gals with a big dream.  Today, I’m reminded that anything is possible if your heart is in it.  Our hearts are definitely in V3.  There is love between every page.

What’s your favorite thing about V3? Well, besides the cover of course, I just cannot pick one favorite. There really was so much love put into this issue. So, I will share a clipping of one favorite page… our gratitude section. Today, I am very thankful.

xo

LC

P.S. Be sure to follow @LaraCaseyReps on twitter for Engage!10 conference highlights, @LaraCasey for all the Engage!10 fun, and @iloveswmag to watch our big V3 launch unfold!

A BIG day deserves a BIG GIVEAWAY!  I’m giving away 10 copies of V3 (give them to your friends, brides or someone who just needs some pretty on their desk!) with love notes from all of us and $50 iTunes!  To win one of these prizes, tweet a link to this post with the phrase “I love the @iloveswmag cover!” and/or leave a comment here with your twitter name and what makes you happiest in life! Easy!  It’s time to celebrate y’all!!!  So, what do y’all think of the cover?!

Oh, hello pretty blog.  I haven’t forgotten you.  I’ve been blogging almost daily on my Tumblr page instead.  But, I promise to start filling you up with goodness again as soon as we make some technical changes so I can blog from my iPhone.  Mobile blogging seems to work for me.  I can blog while waiting in the Whole Foods line, at the gym, in a boat, with a goat, in the rain, on a train, in a box, with a fox, I do love mobile blogging Sam I am.

OK ok I’m stalling.  I have been nervous to make this announcement because the decision was far from easy.  I even had to recruit the help of Emily, Gina, Marissa and the SW gals to help me choose a scholarship winner for the upcoming Making Things Happen Tour.  The entries were overwhelmingly inspiring and there honestly wasn’t one that was “better” than another.

I sat here with tears in my eyes, as did we all, reading through them.  Just know that no matter what, all of you who entered are destined for great things, regardless of if you attend MTH or not.  Just your words alone, and your ability to share so much of your true selves, shows your passion and your drive.  Thank you all for sharing your hearts!  Amazing!

Before you watch this video, we have a very exciting announcement. Three [amazing, inspiring, generous] MTH2010 Alumni have purchased seats for us to use as additional scholarships.  With all of the incredible entries, have decided to use those towards partial scholarships for several.

MTH2010 started in the spirit of paying it forward and we are just overjoyed to continue on this track!  So, if you are not the main scholarship winner, don’t fear.  You may be getting a phone call from us in the next 48 hours. So, check your email and check that voicemail tomorrow.  We can’t wait to meet you!

Without further ado…

OK ok… some more ado.  I made this montage/video thing really fast.  Busy day here.  I’ve never made a montage/video thing before.  You have full permission to berate my montage/video thing skills.  I’m awesome at jumping moguls on skis and making muffins, so it all evens out.  Watch carefully.  I know it moves fast, so get that espresso brewing! The scholarship announcement is somewhere in here… enjoy!

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN TOUR 2010 from lara casey on Vimeo.

For the record, we chose the winner on an even playing field.  We didn’t look at websites, videos or anything else before choosing a winner.  Seeing her video after she was chosen was just the cherry on top!  Congrats!! Post photos by Millie Holloman from our fun session with her in Wilmington. And the video song is from my favorite MuteMath album, Armistice. Love. That. Song.

P.S. Thank you to all who entered the FujiFilm Instax Mini giveaway from the last post.  If you want to be inspired… oh my goodness!  Read all of these comments.  Wow!  The winner, chosen at random, is Katrina! Email me to claim your prize.

P.S.S. SOOOO MUCH IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW!  I’ll be speaking at WedSmith in Salt Lake City next week, launching a magazine in 19 days and speaking at Engage the week we launch. Follow along with me via Twitter and Tumblr (for now).  I’ll be back to regularly scheduled LaraCasey.com programing very soon.

P.S.S.S. It’s fall.  Unreal.  Where did the time go!?  Tell me your favorite thing about fall and a random winner will get one of the bow ties from my collection.  [photo below left by Brett Arthur]

Many of these – from Southern Proper, Xoelle, The Cordial Churchman and Forage will be featured in V3.  Your choice.  Leave a comment below.

I grew up a very independent child. I never read instruction manuals when putting things together (still don’t). I get great pleasure out of figuring things out for myself. I never got in a lick of trouble outside of an overdue library book, but I didn’t like being told what to do, when to eat, what to wear or how to do things at summer camp. I did like the abundant supply of arts and crafty things, ice cream socials, and singing hymns on Sunday morning in an outdoor “chapel” of trees, but I made a lot of excuses to try to come home.

Naturally, in retrospect, I am thankful that my parents weaned me off home and made me experience life a la bunkbed. I never ever thought I’d relish solitude, travel and adventure, but all my journeys as a young girl helped mold me into the Delta SkyMiles Queen I am now. Image below :: Paul Johnson

Life has felt a lot like summer camp lately. I’ve been going through a time of letting myself get schooled, restructured and stretched. Even in college when summer camp days were long over, I’d still spend all those hot days doing something productive. From structured summer programs to creative endeavors, summer has always been a time of learning and transformation for me. This summer, I am by myself a lot during the week. Ari has had a big board exam to study for and is now in DC for the next month doing a rotation at Walter Reed. Yes… a month. The last time Ari went away for an extended period of time, I started Southern Weddings. I get a little stir crazy when he is gone, so I’ve deemed this time “Camp Lara”. I’m planning activities for myself, getting in some pool time, taking field trips, and tackling the proverbial ropes course or two. There’s a lot going on.

I remember writing letters home to my Mom and Dad, telling them all that was happening during those steamy summer days. So today, my friends, a collection of random highlights from my steamy summer days at Camp Lara:

Cue soundtrack…

Thanks to a great conversation on the beach at Engage10, I collaborated on a little something with Jasmine Star and Calder Clark. Feel free to leave a question for me in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer.

You asked, I delivered. My first-ever live online intensive, Live with Lara, is on Tuesday, August 24 from 1 pm to 2pm EST. At this point, there are only a handful of seats left. If you’re a creative professional in the wedding industry and you want to take your brand to the next level and learn my top keys to getting published, get registered.

Katharine is getting married very soon. She has been detailing her wedding planning on the SW Blog and it is my favorite post every week. A few highlights: we took a trip to Kleinfeld so she could say yes to her dress… and guess who is doing her wedding flowers?!

I am [finally after much prodding and teeth pulling] creating a video that will give you a peek into my life, what goes on around here and some behind-the-scenes fun. I’ll be filming the rest of the summer and releasing it in early September. I won’t lie … I am n-e-r-v-o-u-s. The last clip I made was a little short with Rhys Coiro in college where I was a Bride of Frankenstein-esque robot and he brought me to life. Rhys was hilarious… so kind, and pretty much exactly like his character on Entourage (minus the crazy). He used to call me Lara Croft, and to this day that name makes me laugh. It also makes me feel a little spark of fearlessness when faced with stuff like this. Thanks for that, Rhys. Excited. Nervous. Diving in…

I’ve come to realize that the farther I stretch my creativity and do the things I fear, the happier I get. So, I did a photo shoot. I’m doing another one in 11 days to try to get me out of my comfort zone. Brett is awesome and makes me feel really relaxed. You can see the whole shoot on my Facebook.

Ari and I are spending a week here after the summer. I may never return.

I am honored and excited … and again, nervous… to be on Dane Sanders’ show Ask Dane this afternoon at 4pm PST. I really admire Dane and all he has done to help so many careers blossom. I’ve tuned in and been inspired many times and am pinching myself that he reached out to me about doing the show. Tune in just for the mere purpose of putting me at ease, friends! Seriously, live shows scare the crap out of me. Good thing Dane is such a great interviewer… I’m sure I’ll forget this nervousness as soon as we start. But, still pile on the pom poms. I need cheerleaders!

Thanks to Jeremy Cowart, I downloaded this new album. Music to my soul. Thanks, Jeremy, and thank you, Thad Cockrell.

OK, music change. Personal note time. I’ll be very honest here… I’ve had a challenging couple of months dealing with a lot of anger. Yes, anger. Of the rage variety. This was a new emotion for me and, friends, it broke me down. I’d like to thank the following people and things for keeping me from hurling things at my computer and from smashing my new iPhone4 into a million pieces and punching holes in the walls (yeah, it was that bad): Ari for always giving me sage advice and for bringing me spicy tacos at midnight, my unbelievable friends for praying, my staff for being as good as family in their care and vehement support, the gym for letting me punch and kick the crap out of it instead of other things, whoever created the BigNotes app that has allowed me to journal through these feelings daily, AMEX for happily accepting my retail Target therapy, my church for loving Jesus and helping me see that I should forgive, and most of all… God. I have learned so much from experiencing these new feelings and working hard to get them out and let go. Through all of this anger and hurt, I’ve seen a lot of my own shadows. They aren’t pretty. I don’t like angry me. This experience helped me build better boundaries, and get clear, bold, and develop more understanding. It forced me to my knees and for that, I am grateful. A quote I love: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle. – Plato

I had a major life turning point in this yesterday while listening to Tim Keller’s sermon on Patience. Ari and I listened to it on the way to Mount Vernon. I highly recommend downloading this. Tim’s short lesson made the words above very clear and changed my heart in fully understanding them.

Phew! OK, back to the energetic let’s do this! music…

My new It List of top images is up. Vote on your favorites.

I did an interview last week. And another yesterday.

This is what’s in my pantry. Random, but people ask me that all the time. Technically, I am still a certified personal trainer. I’ve kept it up for my own personal knowledge in the gym. OK, OK … I also like the thought that I could still run any guy into the ground with no weights, no jumping around, no running required. Go ahead, accept the challenge.

My mother and I are now Facebook friends. This was her comment on my wall the other day. There is so much wrong with this!! Love you, Mom. So proud of you. Image above :: Rae Leytham

I’ve fallen in love with this blog from my new friend in Australia. It’s my favorite blog to check every day.

We did a fun shoot with Millie Holloman a couple of weeks ago to create a plethora of promo shots for our new site and the print edition. Millie and team pulled out all the stops for a full day of non-stop action in Wilmington. There were at least a dozen sets, all hands on deck, and some gorgeoustastic details from Jennifer at Salt Harbor Designs. iPhone pics above. Millie’s shots will blow your mind.

Want to know where I am at all times? That sounds creepy. Well, here you go.

Things I say all the time to other people and should be said publicly all the time, too: Emily is 7 years my junior, yet she is 100 x more emotionally mature than most women twice my age. Calm under pressure, driven, and always stepping up our collective company game. From the beginning, she has gone after what she wants with heart and grace. Her integrity blows me away. And she has been doing layout like a boss!

Katharine’s instincts and sense of justice comfort me like no other. When I have an issue, Katharine has an answer. In T-ball, I would have picked her first. OK, she probably would have been the one doing the picking. Among the many things she does to keep us laughing (“that’s what she said” is a staple) she always reminds me that “we know a really good lawyer.” Indeed we do. But, even better is the powerhouse trio we have in the office. I’m a very lucky girl to spend my days with these two.

Okey-dokey… here goes nothin’….

I’d like to have kids soon. [Cue call from my mother/grandmother/Dad/brother/sister/aunt/friends and Mom again.] No really, this shouldn’t be alarming. I’m 30. I think part of this stir crazy feeling I have lately is God telling me it’s time to use that energy for something bigger than me, a magazine and any business venture I can dream of. Only God knows when the time is really right – if ever – so, don’t expect me to be found in Babies-R-Us anytime soon, friends. “I’d like to have kids soon” means I’m ready for whatever God has in store. Preferably in the next 5 years. Ari and I used to be terrified to talk about it. Now we can have an only mildly awkward convo about it. It usually results in me saying I want to adopt first and he says we should have one of our own while I’m still young and my body can bounce back. He knows me too well. Working out keeps me calm, keeps me feeling strong and taking deep breaths. Obviously a baby would be worth time off the Stairmaster, though. OK… getting ahead of myself. I’d like kids someday. There. I said it. Image above of my whole family on Father’s Day :: Paul Johnson

I bought new glasses. Ari and I bought clothes at Macy’s. We ate dinner at 4pm. All in one day. I’m getting old. OK, he is, too. We had a good laugh at our oldness during our early-bird dinner.

This song, found via Jeremy and Ashley Parsons, changed me. Thank you, Andrew Peterson.

As per my last post, the Making Things Happen tour is ON! Most cities are half-full already and the people joining us so far are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I’ve invited Gina Zeidler to join Emily Ley and I for the journey to document our whole experience. Gina and Emily are First Class alums and two of my favorite women. I’m excited to travel the country with them. San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Houston and Maui are about to get fired up in a BIG WAY! Register here. Yes, there is still time to get in on the scholarship opportunity (ends August 16th) and lock in a payment plan (email Marissa).

Speaking of Marissa…. I’d like to formally introduce my sidekick (I cannot stomach “assistant” for some reason), Marissa Kloess. She keeps a lot of things running around here. I love her. She makes my life better.

We’re gearing up for Volume 3, which arrives on newsstands all over the US on October 5. The issue is looking gorgeous and, I will admit, we have too much great content this time. Not a bad problem to have. If I could, I’d make this issue 1000 pages fat. Very exciting: cover images for V3 have all come in and we’ve made a unanimous decision on our pick! Out of 16 stunning shoots done all over the country, we saw some of the best work I’ve ever seen. I cannot wait to share all of it in print and in some very exciting extended online features on our new site! So. Much. Wedding. Goodness. It’s hard to get me really excited about weddings and shoots, but trust me… prepare for your jaw to drop. We won’t be announcing the cover choice till it hits newsstands, so the only way you’ll get a sneak peek is if you steal my iPhone. It’s my wallpaper. OK, don’t steal my iPhone. And if you want to get in on the action, email Katharine Technically, the deadline to be a part of V3 was Sunday night, but I’m the boss, so I’ll give you another day. : ) You will thank me for being a part of our biggest and best issue yet!

I just got done surprising the MTH2010 Nashville class on Skype during their 6 month reunion. It was so fun to see them and I felt so blessed listening to all they’ve accomplished in these 6 months. Much love, my friends! Keep inspiring and encouraging each other! xo

I’ll leave you with this quote that won’t leave me.

That’s right… no post is complete without a fun giveaway! The fine folks at Fuji have given me another FujiFilm Instax Mini to give away! Ready… set… leave a comment telling me what (a favorite phrase or thing) or who (that one person who encourages you the most) inspires you most to get out of your comfort zone. One random commenter gets this fun little camera for more summer fun!

Signing off from Camp Lara.

xo

lc

P.S. Thank you, Christopher Confero, for this.

P.S.S. Camp care package requests: Luna Bars (of course), one of these so I can be in DC every night, and love notes. That was my favorite thing to get from mom and dad. Leave me a love note below and you’ll be entered in the Instax giveaway too.

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



Anna Kim



Melissa Schollaert



Brooke Courtney



Mandy & Me



Gina Zeidler



Marie Labbancz



Joey and Jessica



Paul Johnson



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