I know why I danced the night away with Randy and Todd at the closing night Engage!10 gala: it was the only thing that came close to expressing my pure joy after what we had experienced that week. We danced and laughed and genuinely celebrated life, relationships, the past, failures, hurdles overcome, and
the very bright future. I looked at my roommates, Jasmine Star and Harmony Walton, at one point and whispered, “How lucky are we?”

To say that our time in Cayman was inspiring would be a serious understatement. Yes, it was inspiring, but there aren’t words big enough to describe the feeling I left with and still have after that week. This is the largest post I’ve ever written, and y’all know I tend to write some epic blog posts. So, without further ado… my favorite week of all time. [Image above taken at last year's Engage in Cayman :: Kyle Barnes. Images below :: my iPhone]

I got on the plane, nervous but ripe with anticipation. My first trip to Cayman last year was magical. The air, the sea, the Ritz, the palpable feeling of hope and possibility in being surrounded by the industry’s best was all I could think about. A last-minute first class upgrade upped the excitement a little more. Thank you, Delta! I was still uncomfortable and relished the extra room. I sat down next to a gorgeous woman with long dark hair and great shoes. Who would happen to sit in front of me? My dear friend Simon T. Bailey, whom I met at the very first Engage event I attended in 2008. Simon has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance for me. I was so comforted in seeing him. Halfway through the flight, I started editing a blog post on Southern Weddings, and the lovely lady next to me said, “Are you Lara Casey?” I was delighted to meet Hilary from Alta Moda Bridal in Salt Lake City. She is a gem and we instantly connected. Also on my flight: my friend Kathy Strukel, Karen Tran (who sat right behind me the whole flight and we never noticed!) and Editor-in-Chief of Utah Brides, Tessa Woolf. I was in great company, and my butterflies started to melt. A huge thank you to Matt and Stevi Savage of Avery House who photographed most of the images here (unless otherwise noted).

In Cayman there are no jetways, so when you arrive, you walk straight out into the salty hot sunshine. In the not-so-far-off distance, there’s live music, and smiling faces greet you as you make your way to customs. [images below :: me... taken with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. Thank you Nate at Image is Found for the camera rec! Love it.]

We loaded a bus and were given cold water and iced towels to refresh us from the long flight.

I was delighted to finally meet Cassandra Santor, Dena Brummer, Chriscia Jackson-Nesbitt, Jules Bianchi and many more at check-in.

I got my key and rushed up to see Harmony and Jasmine as fast as I could, as if we were long-lost sisters reunited. [image :: Jasmine Star]

From the moment I walked into that room, I knew the week was going to be far better than I could fathom. I sat on the bed and chatted with Harmony and Jasmine and prayed a silent prayer: God, thank you. Thank you for this opportunity to learn, to grow. Thank you for these brilliant women and the opportunity to get to know them better. Help me to let go and just be me. Thank you, thank you! [below :: Avery House]

This was my fourth Engage and by far the most significant for me. It was a turning point.

Egos were checked at the door as 155 of the best in the luxury wedding market came together to discuss big ideas, market shifts, and the future… which, my friends, is looking really good. You hear the term “game changer” used too often these days. Engage attendees don’t change the game… they create a whole new one. New rules, new players, new paths, new ideas. At the helm: Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce. I liken them to the presidents of Wedding Nation. Although, their oval office is so much more stylish than his.

To me, the location had a large hand in making us all focused. Now, you’re probably thinking, “How could going to a tropical island with fruity drinks make you more focused?” Easy. It was an escape. It wasn’t a familiar stodgy conference room like most conferences we are used to. The locale, the scenery, the sunsets took our breath away and made everything we left back in the US disappear. Being in Cayman is like pushing the reset button. You forget the past and concentrate on the relationships and the beauty right in front of you. I was able to find so much clarity in that. I love these images from Matt and Stevi. They take me right back.

The water in Cayman is the bluest I’ve ever seen. I don’t like getting in large bodies of water. I imagine fish nipping at my toes and stingrays leaping at me. But I could swim in this azure heaven forever.

Last year I attended Engage Cayman as a first-time speaker, but was so nervous about making a good impression that the whole thing flew by in a blur. This year, I saw relationships that I had started many moons ago really begin to take root. There was something magical in the Caymanian air, and I wasn’t the only one who sensed this. Pictured below last year with Jeff Fowler and Kym Bichon who will be hosting us at The Breakers in October for Engage.

[below :: Avery House]

Shortly after we settled into the hotel room, we went to the Engage Welcome Lounge to pick up our conference materials. Seeing everyone for the first time always gets me fired up! [images below :: me]

Love, love, love these folders and enclosures from Envelopments, letterpress cards from Bella Figura and Engage designs from Trisha Hay at We Are Chariot.

Read below carefully. L.O.V.E. this! Bravo, Envelopments.

[below :: Avery House]

How fun are these canvas swag bags from Tulla Belles?! You will see this appear in my travels again. The owner, Cindy, is one of my favorite people to see at Engage. The bags were filled to the brim with goodies! [below :: Avery House]

I was so excited about the gorgeous illustrations from artist Kristy Rice. Kristy always does lovely work and she is genuinely one of the most kind-hearted people in the industry. [below :: Avery House]

We sat in on a welcome session with my roommate Harmony as well as five-time Engage alums Ali Phillips, Liene Stevens, and Donna Von Bruening. The atmosphere from day one was electric. This session really helped us break the ice. We got into small groups toward the end and Harmony asked us three questions:

1. What do you do now?

I am the Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings magazine, CEO of luxury wedding market consulting firm Lara Casey Reps (which I launched at Engage last year), principal designer for Bliss Event Group, founder of MTH2010, wife to Ari, mom to Abby Kitty Pants, and I love the gym, singing hymns and great food. In my spare time I am getting my PhD, enjoy weekly triathlons, and breed Cattle. Kidding. No, really.

2. Where were you 10 years ago?

Probably in ballet class dreaming of the day I wouldn’t have to wear a leotard and tights 24/7.

3. Where do you want to be 10 years from now?

Aaaand this is where I always get stuck. All I could think of was that I want to be teaching Sunday school. !?!? I am not good at future, goal-setting, planning questions, believe it or not. Sean Low (who was sitting right next to me) and I instantly had the same reaction. I have no idea where I’ll be on 10 years or what I want to play out. Everything in my life thus far has exceeded anything I could possibly have dreamed up myself, so it’s hard to think ahead. By the end of the trip, I was able to answer this though. Read on.

[images below :: me]

Then, the ever-fabulous Darcy Miller (I don’t think I’ve ever described someone like that. She really is always stunning, always charming, and pretty much who I want to be when I grow up) gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the Martha Stewart brand.

After Darcy’s lovely presentation, I went straight back to the room with Jasmine and Harmony. All you could hear was the furious clicking of computer keys as we pounded out work between Engage events. [images below :: Jasmine Star]

You want to know what makes successful people… successful? Passion and sacrifice. There were long stretches of time where we could have been at the beach, but the three of us would be clicking away, making things happen. Oh, we definitely got to the beach. Don’t worry. But, I was encouraged to see I’m not the only one who has to focus and sacrifice play time now and then to keep the wheels turning. My greatest take-away from my first Engage conference in 2008 was being surrounded by like-minded passionate people. There is a great comfort in knowing that there are people out there who work harder, smarter, faster. Jasmine and Harmony have me in complete awe. They are the real deal: genuine, humble, brilliant beyond words, and so giving. I never had sisters, but I’d like to dub these two my honorary ones. We laughed, talked till 5am most nights, shared industry news and encouraging words. As Jasmine said, “Epic times.” Epic times, indeed.

Harmony turned the camera on Jasmine at one point. The girl has some skills….

I turned my iPhone on snap-happy Harmony. Love Jasmine’s face here.

Monday night, we put on our beach best and headed to Seven Mile Beach for the big welcome party. [images below :: Avery House]

When you are catering to the who’s who in weddings, the pressure is on with party planning. The Celebrations Cayman team seriously pulled out all the stops with the flowers and decor all week.

We were greeted by a shoe valet and happy waiters with fruity drinks as we made our walk on the blue carpet. Too fun!

I had to pick my jaw up off the floor with this massive piece below. Wow wow wow. As a floral enthusiast (I used to design for this guy), the sheer volume of yellow dendrobiums (which I have never seen before) took my breath away.

There was one moment in the night when a gust of rain blew in, forcing us all under a few small beach cabanas. Soaked to the brim, it was quite the bonding experience. We all laughed it off and shared beach towels that were rushed out by swarms of Ritz staffers.

Engage never ceases to be wildly exciting. Now that I know so many of the faces, it’s like a big family reunion. A few favorites I encountered: Randy Fenoli and Jennifer, his agent from Abrams (Randy’s other agent Mark at Abrams was the reason I almost moved to LA after college back in my acting days… way, way back when. Such a small world.), Sean Low, Marcy Blum, Millie Martini Bratten, Michelle Rago, Kimberly Fink and Rebecka Nave, Danielle Cococcia, Alexandra Jusino, Aiesha Panton, Amy Rubbins, Carla David, Jennifer Stein (who I totally hit it off with and adore!), Katie Martin, Tim O’Neill, Maya Kalman, Ami Price, Maria Cooke, Rosalind and Siri of Two Bright Lights, Christy from Junebug Weddings, the incomparable and hilarious Calder Clark, Kathryn, Rebecca, and Rebecca’s amazing parents. They always make my heart smile. Mr. Grinnals and I shared some rum raisin ice cream and s’mores at one of the dessert stations that night… to die for! I met too many amazing people to name that night.

We attempted to go to bed early, but failed miserably. After such a brilliant first day in paradise with so many inspiring greats, my heart was racing with anticipation for Day 2.

Day 2:

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism got things started with a bang. Seeing how much they value the wedding industry and our presence there really makes you appreciate the island even more. They take great pride in their land and culture and it’s impossible not to feel their warmth and hospitality. Many thanks to the Cayman Islands crew for making us feel so welcome! [images below :: Avery House]

I’m pretty sure you could count 155 huge smiles from 155 attendees as Rebecca and Kathryn took to the stage. Rebecca’s State of the Luxury Wedding Industry address is always my favorite. I get a very clear picture of where the wedding market stands and what to watch.

A few highlights:

A must-watch. The Social Media Revolution:

78% of people trust peer recommendations. Only 14% trust advertisements.

Listen first, sell second.

Wondering why I think Jasmine Star is one of the most genuine, brilliant, humble women I know? This video says it all:

Jasmine Star 2010 from Anton Lorimer on Vimeo.

Pictured below: Jasmine, Harmony and Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee who was just featured as an expert in Martha Stewart Weddings! Go Maria!!! [image below :: me]

When I first started to conceptualize the magazine, I was living in Ventura, California, where Ari was stationed. Jasmine was one of the first people to reach out to me when we put our test issue out (and I’m pretty sure she’s one of only a handful of people who have seen the test issue!). We tried to meet a few times but never were able to coordinate schedules. It took me moving to North Carolina and going to WPPI years later for us to finally meet. I was really grateful to get to know her more on this trip.

I am wildly impressed by Canada’s WedLuxe video editorial integration. Stunning. This one deserves a whole blog post. Angela Desveaux wrote me a very sweet email this week and noted that she and I have something in common… we’re both in our early thirties and we not only hold the title of Editor-in-Chief, but Publisher. I suppose that is a rarity nowadays, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. OK, back to said gorgeous editorial film… I have to admit that when I watched this, I said out loud, “Oh my goodness, I am so far behind.” Learning that Angela’s husband is the genius behind this film somehow made me feel a little better. There is infinite value in what they’ve created, and I started to imagine myself buying lottery tickets to pay for this kind of gem. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

WedLuxe Summer/Fall 2010 from Cloud Nine Creative on Vimeo.

Next, we sat in on a panel discussion with Sylvia Weinstock and Marcy Blum led by one of my industry idols, Millie Martini-Bratten of Brides. Best quote from the very spunky Sylvia: “Make love to the magazines!” [images below :: Avery House]

Carley Roney of The Knot is always so refreshing to listen to. For someone who helps to run such a massive global company, she is surprisingly candid, approachable, and warm. It was great to visit with her again and learn from her. I really admire all that she and David have built from the ground up.

Some takeaways from her presentation:

Luxury weddings are recession resistant. -Carley Roney

A brand is a promise of the value received. -Tom Peters

55% of luxury brides go over budget, 23% on target, 20% don’t have one, 3% under budget.

40k or more weddings spend 9% of budget on photography, 40k or less spend 12%. Luxury brides spend more than $4,500 average.

41% of luxury brides begin planning more than 12 months out. They want to have the best and be educated well in advance.

90% of brides use wedding magazines to plan their weddings as compared to 81% for non-luxury. No surprise to me. I may be biased.

A world without bad reviews is fake. -Carley Roney

Keep your blinders on and focus on what you need to be doing for YOUR customer. -Carley Roney 100% agreed.

Next up, powerhouse Cindy Novotny. To explain what she does in simplest form: she tells big businesses how to do things better, faster, and with a fiercely focused game plan.

Nuggets of wisdom from Cindy:

You are too busy? So what? Get over it! Integrate work and personal time.

The world is changing so fast… big will not beat small – it will be the fast beating the slow. – Rupert Murdoch

Email should never replace real in-person conversation with customers

The luxury consumer will never stop working with luxury vendors. They want custom, personal, over-delivered service.

I was lucky enough to get invited to dinner with her that evening. Jasmine and Harmony threatened to fight me for my dine-around card. No joke. They did. [images below :: my trusty iPhone]

Everyone is upping the ante. It is about who creates more passion and connectivity with the client. Yes, yes, yes!

Never say: It’s too risky, it can’t be done, it won’t work, why can’t we do what we have always done?

Brilliant advice. Take 1 hour a week to just think. No music, no distractions, no writing. Genius comes of that.

10 Keys: observe, think, change, dare, banish, try, question, grow, do, enjoy.

Cindy garnered an instant standing ovation as she closed. Thank you, Cindy, for all of your wisdom! On a high from Novotny knowledge, we were invited to lunch in the ballroom next door. Engage is always full of surprises and we eagerly anticipate each transition. Naturally, the room was decked out and the food was divine! I love love love this teal capiz paillette overlay from Nuage Designs. I wanted to take it home with me, but someone might have noticed if I was stripping tables mid-gazpacho. [images below :: Avery House]

I had a lovely lunch with Randy, Sylvia, Christy and Jennifer. Since meeting him last year, Randy and I have become good friends. I always appreciate his insight and love dishing with him about personal style, love, adventure, family and the future. I’ll be honest… I don’t watch “Say Yes to the Dress”. I’ve seen about 10 minutes of it. I don’t really watch TV and I didn’t really grasp Randy’s celebrity until a swarm of squealing fans come up to him in an elevator in Vegas last year. I gravitate towards him because he truly celebrates life to the fullest. His joy is contagious and he always makes me feel good. I can see why 80 brides flock to him a day to find “the one” at Kleinfeld.

Christy from Junebug Weddings is one of those people that lights up a room. I was so glad to spend more time with her in Cayman. She and Blair were guest speakers at my Seattle Making Things Happen stop and it was an unforgettable day. I’m so grateful for all they do for our industry. [images below :: me]

I’m not a big lunch person, but I devoured this. Every. last. bit.

Below: Randy and Rebecca, who is the accessory queen at Engage. No, really… she literally has three drawers in her room full of color-specific accessories to choose from for her Engage outfits. I loved this yellow jacket! At right: Sean Low, Randy, me. Sean has always been a great support to me and it was fun to catch up with him. I got to sit in on a wildly exciting conversation between Sean and another industry great at the dessert reception the night before. All I can say is it was epic… like a tennis match between two powerhouses, but instead of tennis balls they were firing diamonds. OK, sorry to be cryptic. Just marking this for my own memory.

When I lived in California I did some work for Colin Cowie. I had never met Colin, but I worked on logistics for one of his biggest events. He spent most of his presentation outlining the creation of that event which was really exciting for me to see. [images below :: Avery House]

Colin’s voice alone made pretty much every female in the room swoon… and probably most of the guys. He is the epitome of dashing, debonair, any word you can think of in the incredibly charming family. On top of that, he is a brilliant designer and leader. I was captivated as he spoke.

There’s no reason to do anything ordinary when you can do extraordinary. -Colin Cowie

The ultimate luxury is proactive, personalized, detailed service. -Colin Cowie

Then, the presentation that blew my statistical mind: the survey results from Two Bright Lights. We just received a copy in my office and Katharine and Emily are just as gaga over the results as I am.

A few key points:

Planners and designers who use Twitter for business made 92% more revenue than those who just tweet personal info.

Photographers who blog make an average of 26% more revenue. Planners, only 1%.

Take note: 56% higher revenue for planners who submit real weddings to mags and blogs. 73% for photographers.

Higher revenue wedding businesses do NOT negotiate on pricing.

Publishing your complete price list filters out lucrative customers prematurely.

The biggest takeaway from the survey: print ads give a significantly higher return to photographers than online ads.

There is so much more to share, so watch out for our post coming up on Southern Weddings next week with key findings.

After such a full day of brain goodness overload, it was time to cut loose. We didn’t waste any time and got a little camera happy on stage. [images :: Jasmine Star]

Oh yes… we did…

I love this one. Thanks, J, for not publishing the one of me looking like a giraffe.

We had a quick 45 minutes to get dressed and head to dinner. There are over a dozen hosted dinners all over the island and about 10ish people go to each. We all met in the Ritz lobby to be taken to these various locations. It’s a pretty exciting night and a fun chance to experience the island. [images below :: me]

I am a bit of a foodie (thank you French chef mother) and I have to say… the food in Cayman is better than anywhere I’ve been. From fine dining at Eric Ripert’s Blue to the casual but expertly created island fare we had at Cracked Conch that night, Cayman has it all. Pictured below with (clockwise from my right) Kristy Rice, Rebecca Davidson, Xochitl from Always a Blogsmaid, Donna Von Breuning, Cassandra Santor, Beth Helmstetter, Carolyn Steere from Destination IDo Magazine, Hilary Anderson, Tara Bradley from Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Magazine, and Cindy Novotny to my left. The food was fabulous that evening, but we were so focused on every word that was coming out of Cindy’s mouth that I wasn’t paying too much attention to what was going into mine.

After dinner, we were taken back to the Ritz for a poolside dessert reception. It’s always fun to hear about everyone’s dinner experiences. Pictured below: Rebecca’s parents, Trisha Hay, Cindy of Tulla Belles, Kathryn and friends dip their feet in the pool.

The decor, again, was magical. I rarely want to freeze time. I like moving forward, action, and making things happen. Engage changed that. It all started with a moment…

We were enjoying a decadent spread of made-to-order crepes, home made ice cream and souffle. I looked around to see Carley Roney and Marcy Blum in front of me, Colin Cowie to my left, Michelle Rago to my right, and Millie Martini Bratten behind me. In that moment I felt very small. It was barely 10 years ago that I was in college, obsessed with Preston Bailey, pulling tears from magazines of Colin and Michelle’s work, day-dreaming of meeting them some day. And there I was. I’ve known Michelle as a colleague and friend for several years now and met Millie, Carley and Marcy at past Engage events, but things have moved so fast for me that I’m just now starting to take it all in. In that moment, I remembered the feeling of awe. I was overwhelmed with emotion.

These people are and always will be celebrities to me. Not because of their names, but because they have consistently taught me. They inspired me many years ago to dream in flowers, fabric, light and expertly-crafted space. I’m grateful to them for guiding me, without knowing it, into an industry I truly love. I couldn’t ask for a better job to wake up and do every day. OK, maybe if our office was in Cayman…

So, I literally stopped and –not caring if anyone saw me– pinched myself. Was this really happening? Anthony Luscia, special projects editor for Martha Stewart Weddings, was talking to me? Me?! I met him at Engage09 :: Something Blue the previous year too, but this year somehow felt different. My nerves were calm and my eyes were finally open. I took a deep breath and everything around me seemed to slow down. This is real. It’s not just a one-time occurrence. You’re in this, Lara. I can’t really put into words the feeling of gratitude and responsibility that overtook me in that moment. All I can do is say thank you. Thank you Rebecca and Kathryn for believing in me and for opening doors for me that I never knew were possible to open. It’s not about what those relationships will do for me. It’s just the relationships themselves. I wholeheartedly believe this: “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” Truly successful people are who they are because of drive, humility, kindness, innovation, and honesty. Spend a week with inspiring creatives who have in many ways mastered those traits and it starts to sink in… it’s time to grow up.

Day 3

We started at 8am with a series of breakout sessions. There were 6 one-hour sessions and we got to choose 4. My schedule: “The Business of Being Creative” with Sean Low, “Style Sells” with Randy Fenoli and Todd-Avery Lenahan, “Shift” with Simon T Bailey, and “How To Do Everything Well” with Todd Fiscus. [images below :: me]

Sean has a great blog called The Business of Being Creative. Definitely a must-read.

Something I learned the very first time I heard Sean speak at Engage08 is to add value to your services (your art) first in order to command a higher price, not the other way around. Art has exponential value that no one can replicate. Read his blog for more. I am paraphrasing.

Simon T. Bailey’s new book, Simon Says Shift, comes out later this year. [images below :: Avery House]

It’s impossible to drive into the future looking in the rear view mirror. -Simon T. Bailey

Randy and Todd-Avery’s presentation was very powerful for me. Personal branding is something I am fascinated by. I truly believe you are your brand.

The bottom line: If you’re going to sell luxury, you better look luxury. -Randy Fenoli and Todd-Avery Lenahan

The always fashionable, Sylvia, gave her thoughts on personal branding and style as well. Her famous glasses have defined her image from the moment she started her business at age 50. Yes, 50! How’s that for inspiring!? We all laughed as Randy recounted the story of Sylvia and her husband Ben coming down for breakfast in Cayman last year in just their bathrobes. I will never forget that moment. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Sylvia.

Todd Fiscus was a conference favorite for several reasons.   1. The guy is brilliant. He runs multiple extremely successful businesses… very well.   2. He is an innovator, always pushing the envelope with style and design. [images below :: Avery House]

3. It blows my mind that he only started his company 5 years ago. Unreal.   4. Just look at his website. It’s hands-down the best site in the industry. [images below :: me]

5. He’s a warm, funny, genius true Texan. I love his big personality and big Texas accent!

We wrapped up Day 3 and finally headed to the beach! [images below :: Avery House]

How lovely is this!?

Thanks to these two crazy cats for most of the images in this post.

We watched a storm off in the distance. The sky against the pure aqua water was incredible. [images below :: me]

I have such fond memories with the next set of images. Some of my favorite times ever.

It’s not easy to find true friends in the industry that you can really let your guard down with and talk about anything… fears, insecurities, hopes and dreams.

I found that in Harmony and Jasmine. Such a blessing to know these two.

Great to see Ami from Elizabeth Anne Designs who also writes a fantastic blog called Edit and Post.

I had some soulful convo with my cabana neighbor Christy. Love this lady.

Can we please go back now? Pretty please!?

I. Love. This. Picture. Fresh sliced green apples delivered straight to our beach chairs. Whaaat!?!

This looks like a terrible green drink mess, but it was divine. It’s just a lot of mint, not some healthy weird wheatgrass thing. I promise.

Boxed lunch, Ritz-style.

Mmmmmmm….

After a long afternoon of fun in the sun, it was time to get gussied up for the big closing night gala! [image below :: Rebecca Davidson]

This beats any red carpet event any day. This is the same big conference room you saw on Day 2. Unbelievable transformation. Thank you, Celebrations Cayman, for making us feel like such VIP’s! [images below :: Avery House]

The linens, the lighting, the flowers, oh my!

A highlight at the past three Engage conferences has been Randy and Sylvia’s spin around the dance floor. Epic!

No one… I repeat… NO ONE has ever gotten me out on an empty dance floor in a room full of people. It’s easy to feel a sense of total abandon and comfort with Mr. Fenoli. [Image by David Wolfe]

Cue Randy and Lara dance party. [image below :: Rebecca Davidson]

There isn’t a single person on earth I have more fun dancing with. Randy is joy personified!

I think the world of Marcy Blum (below left). Her witty writing is top notch, she is an eventiste extraordinaire, she’s gorgeous and … she’s a red head. I feel lucky to know her and learn from her. Below right, Randy joked that he was Hugh with his two red head bunnies. I think Marcy needed to be in this pic too! [below :: me]

And to think just a few hours earlier we were a mess with salt water and sand. We clean up pretty well, no?

Nothing makes me happier at an event than great lighting. Sending a collective thank you hug out to all the lighting designers of the world. Yes all of you. Bear hug.

Randy’s agent, Jennifer, had never been to a wedding conference of any kind before. I think we spoiled her. She was so kind and down to earth. So glad to start a great new friendship with her.

How beautiful are Rebecca’s parents? Get to know them and you will see where Rebecca’s charm comes from.

With event planner Beth Helmstetter and calligrapher Laura Hooper. I always love seeing these two. Laura always created gorgeous maps and illustrations for Engage.

Joined by the Belle of the Ball, Ms Harmony Walton. OK, she did not want to wear that dress that night but J and I twisted her arm. Harmony, you look stunning!

There was no shortage of dancing. The last half of this video from IDo Films is proof.

I was so busy dancing and chatting it up all night that I forgot to eat. I never forget to eat. Harmony came up to me and said cryptically, “go to the curtain in the back. Trust me.” I gave her a funny look thinking it was just the mojitos talking and she quickly escorted me to “the curtain”… aka the kitchen door in the back.   A gentleman came right up and asked me what I wanted.  I felt so bad asking for something after the food was already gone so I tried to just say thank you and leave.  He would not let me leave until I ordered something.  I told them to just bring whatever and 5 minutes later a waiter came out with a full dinner on a silver platter… all my favorite foods that I had previously ordered from room service over my stay. Three people came out afterward just to make sure I loved it.  I am pretty sure I high-fived waiter number 3.   I’m not sure if he’s supposed to high-five people, but I just couldn’t help it.  Customer service WIN!  Like Colin Cowie said, “there’s no reason to do anything ordinary when you can do extraordinary.”

On a hospitality high, I finished my decadent meal and did a little blue carpet walking with (from left to right) Stevi Savage, Matt Savage, Kathy Strukel, Belle of the Ball, me, and Maria Cooke.

Pictured below with Desiree Patterson, Jasmine and Paige Levy. [below :: Harmony]

And now for some photo booth fun. [below :: Jennifer Domenick of Love Images]

Don’t ask. I laughed so hard my sides hurt.

Try to caption these. Just try.

After going to sleep at the ripe hour of 5am, we woke up late… OK, correction… I woke up late and headed straight down to the beach with my roomies to enjoy one last day in paradise. [images below :: me]

Another storm brewed off the coast, making for towering clouds and distant flashes of lightning. I love fierce storms. I don’t know why, but they always calm me down and make me want to curl up on the couch. Or beach lounger.

A big black pirate ship passed in the distance as I began to reflect on such our magical week.

When I think about my favorite parts of the week or the things that changed me the most, the first thing that comes to mind, besides the speakers, is the long walk Jasmine and I took down Seven Mile Beach that day. Life moves so fast that we don’t take time to just let go and really dream. Do you want to know what Jasmine’s magnetism is? Authenticity. Her honesty and zest for life make you feel like it’s ok to be you. I have a hard time with future-thinking and identifying what it is that I really want. It always changes, it seems. I don’t know what came over me, but as we walked along the beach, chatting about family, marriage, the future and failures, I started to find a little grain of clarity. I started to dream. So many people tell me to stop dreaming. “You are so busy, how do you do it all, you can’t possibly do more, take a break, do you ever stop!?” Well, I don’t want to do more.  I want to be more of myself.  I want to give more of myself. I want to use everything God has given me to teach and be taught. I want to let go every day and say, “whatever your will is, I’m there.” It’s a hard thing to do… to let go of control and stop making our own plans. As the sea lapped on our feet, I took a deep breath and mentally took a picture. I unknowingly made a lot of decisions in that moment. When you find clarity, you have no choice but to act on it. I am so grateful for that time. Hi, my name is Lara and I love candlelit dinners, snow-capped mountains… and long walks on the beach.

We came back and sat with Harmony as the sun dipped into the sea. Harmony and I met at the first Engage I attended in Celebration, FL. She is so knowledgeable, connected and business savvy… I could go on and on.   She has been my cheerleader through so much.  Harmony tells it like it is and doesn’t take no for an answer. I tend to let some people take advantage of me. I am a people pleaser. I’ve have had to learn how to say no and tell people when I’m really hurt by them. I learned so much from being in the presence of her no-nonsense strength that week. She doesn’t know it (well, now she does) but she helped me make one of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made.

Being with Harmony and Jasmine made me take a good hard look at my life and start to pull weeds. And some big honkin’ trees. Thank you, ladies, for your honesty and generous hearts. It’s so hard for me to find female friends who don’t have a competitive spirit with me and, being around you both, I felt like I could completely let go.  Our time in Cayman will always stay close to me.

If you’ve been following Twitter over the last few days, you’ve been flooded with a barrage of Engage10 talk. If I hadn’t gone, I can imagine I’d feel a little left out. Well, you weren’t (and, luckily, Engage happens twice a year). Engage is like the G8… it’s the meeting of the minds that sets things in motion. If you didn’t go, you will still benefit from its effects. You will see how the relationships and ideas formed there will change the industry for the better and benefit everyone around us. Great quote from Sean Low: “Engage10 is just another wedding conference like the Hope Diamond is just another rock.” Not even a week after our return, I’m seeing the positive momentum continue to grow like wildfire. A few posts from attendees:

Jasmine Star
Hilary from Alta Moda Bridal
Harmony Walton part I and part II
Sean Low
Liene Stevens
Tom McCallum
Kristy Rice Part I, Part II

JoAnne Brown of Celebrations Cayman

Rebecca Davidson

Avery House

Exquisite Weddings

Jules Bianchi

Ami Price 1 and 2

Love Life Images

If I missed yours, leave a comment and I’ll add it!

Here I came to the very edge
where nothing at all needs saying,
everything is absorbed through weather and the sea,
and the moon swam back,
its rays all silvered,
and time and again the darkness would be broken
by the crash of a wave,
and every day on the balcony of the sea,
wings open, fire is born,
and everything is blue again like morning.
-Pablo Neruda

With love,

Lara

P.S. Have questions about Engage? If you’re thinking of going for the first time, feel free to email me or leave a comment here. I’d be happy to answer any questions about my past experiences.

Past recaps: Engage08 :: Celebration, Engage09 :: Cayman MegaPost!, Engage09 :: Encore Las Vegas.

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.

Oh, hello blog.  It’s been a while.  I’ve been a little afraid of you, to be honest.  Too much on my calendar?  check.  Not enough sleep?  check.  Overextending myself as usual.  check.  A ridiculous period of severe burnout after returning from WPPI?  Yes, ma’am! (Yes, my blog is apparently a chick.)  I’m actively working on the burnout.  By “actively” I mean working my tush off to change my quality of life and ability to step. away. from. my. Mac.  Post to follow.

So, amidst my recent travels from Vegas to Denver to Los Angeles to Raleigh to New York to DC and back to NC again this past Sunday, I’ve been working diligently with my lovely team to produce Southern Weddings Volume 3… aka awesomesauce.  It has not been easy.  The more I grow and learn, the pickier I get and the harder it is to please my eye.  I’ve said “no” much more than usual on this issue.  I think Emily has started to fear showing me submissions.  Kidding.  She’s incredible and refining her eye as well.  I want great imagery, moving love stories, epic details, the best products, a ton of surprises and inspiring submissions that make me dream big. I’ve filled my desk with clippings, covers that make me swoon, and loads of inspiration.  (recent contents of my carry-on seen here)

In an effort to help you help me (hello, Jerry McGuire), I started a Twitter series last week called #GetPublished.  I want you to do well and “wow” me.  In my opinion, the more we all teach each other, the more we raise our collective level of success as an industry.  I don’t believe in competition.  I’ll tell you if a great wedding is better for another magazine or if I think you should advertise with them instead of me.  I do it all the time because I’d want the same.  So, I’m vowing to try to give as much knowledge and help away as possible in the months to come.  Anyway, I digress.

I’ve been wracking my brain over our next cover.  The stakes are set pretty high considering our last two stellar cover photographers.  (Thank you, Jose and Jeremy)

The photographer I had in mind doesn’t shoot bridal anything anymore, according to her agents.  Swoon…

Soooo… I asked a magical question that opened up the floodgates: who wants to shoot our next cover? Seconds after I asked the question and my phone buzzed and beeped so much that I had to turn it off.  It died within 30 minutes from all the activity!

So, you want to shoot our cover? The following is part exercise for you (it’s imperative that you learn to present shoot ideas with a clear vision and direction to editors/commercial clients) and a lot of help for me to get to know you as an artist.  Even if you don’t end up shooting my next cover, I’ll get to know your passion and vision for future projects.

To be considered, show me what you’ve got!

1. Put together a very short “creative”: 1 part story that you want to tell through the image, 1 part what fashion and accessories you would use, 2 parts location, and 5 parts visual storyboard for what you envision.  Pull images from various sources that paint the visual picture for me of the fashion, styling, location and atmosphere.  Wrap it all up in a nice little low-res pdf and send it on over. (Please put “V3 COVER” in the subject of your email) Nothing fancy.  If you have a vision, this should take you all of 20 minutes.  Keep the text minimal.  This is all about imagery and my gut reaction to your vision.

2. Here’s what I want out of this cover and I’m going to be vague on purpose: summer, blonde model, aqua/teal, hints of orange and gold, very fresh.  (If another magazine steals my scheme, you can see the time stamp on this post, y’all!)

3. This issue drops at the end of July.  You have to have time to do this shoot.  I prefer it is shot in the South, but that’s not necessarily a requirement.

UPDATED: We’ve decided to take the top submissions and help each photographer/stylist produce each shoot.  We’ll give you all the inside secrets on exactly what we want so you can execute the vision.  More details to come, but essentially you are guaranteed publication in either print or online if we pick you for production… and no matter what you’ll have great new material for your portfolio. So, team up with stylists, makeup artists and bridal salons to bring this cover shoot vision to life!  Please include your list of preferred vendors in your creative. If we choose you, we’ll help you get pull-letters for models if needed, guide the styling so it’s exactly what we are looking for, and help you blow it out of the water.

And just so you know, I don’t need a huge name for this cover.  That’s why I’m opening this opportunity to anyone.  I just need an epic image.  Anyone can apply.  Deadline to send me your creative brief is Monday April 12th. Bring it, y’all!  A little reminder…

If you are applying to shoot the cover, leave a comment below letting me know you’ll be submitting (tell me a little bit about what you envision while you’re at it!)  Have a question?  Put it in the comment box below so everyone can benefit.

As a bonus, I’ll choose one random comment as the winner of one of my favorite new books: It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be: The World’s Best-Selling Book (thank you, Jory, for the recommendation!) Winner will be chosen on April 15th.

Be sure to follow along with my How to #GetPublished series and stay tuned for my #GetBranded series coming next.

xo

lc

PS – Today is our 2 year blogaversary.  Thank you for two joyful years, friends.

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

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

It’s not hard to fall in love with Jory Cordy’s work.  I can see why clients fall in love with him too. Spend an hour with him and you will experience belly laughs, comfort, calm, excitement, inspiration and wonder all balled into one.  His images really do speak for themselves and I’m so honored to call him a client and good friend.  Jory has gone through quite a transformation this year, moving from digital to film, and breaking out as a solid, confident artist in the luxury wedding market. His new wedding site launched today and I couldn’t be more excited! Be sure to check out the new wedding site, his commercial work, blog and follow his hilarious tweets. Without further ado, the first in my new revealing interview series… Mr. Jory Cordy. [photo above by Michael Chan]

[photo by Fred Egan]

Controversial question first:  who would you chose to shoot your wedding (vow renewal) and why?
A Bryan Photo. I love the film documentation from Bryan Johnson and Caleb Chancey and the Super 8mm coverage from Branden Lower. They are amazing guys to hang with and very talented photographers.

You’ve made the leap from digital to primarily film this year.  Tell us about the process of that transition and what motivated it.
There is an undeniable characteristic to film that we all love, whether we are aware of it or not. The process really fits into what I’m all about and the experience that I want my client to have. An honest and organic product. Honestly, I was bored with my digital gear. The transition to film gave me a fresh perspective on my approach to shooting and interacting with my subjects. It slows down my shooting process. It allows me to break and give my mind a minute to breathe, while I reload film. Also, shooting digital creates the temptation to overshoot, since there is no time or cost issue involved. Shooting film has allowed me to concentrate on creating stronger but fewer images. I imagine only having about 20 images to tell a story, like I show in my portfolios, and it challenges me to find those magic moments to photograph in order to create a strong visual story. I am simply a fanatic over the results shooting film produces.

You also moved from Texas to L.A..  Tell us about that.
Dallas was a stepping stone to where I was trying to be. L.A. was always on my mind, I just wasn’t sure when I would get here. I kept booking tickets to L.A. to shoot a few friends and music artists. After spending some time here I was confident about my decision to move. I left Dallas in freezing rain and arrived to 65 degrees and cloudless skies in California. Smooth move.

[photo by Michael Chan]

Tell us about your new site and branding materials:
My new website is in no way innovative, but the design is well thought out, clean, and free of elements that would distract from the images. I want to be able to express myself and style in a very subtle yet attractive way, through my branding and physical branding materials, without speaking too loudly. The punch is in the photos. The same goes with my branding materials.

You have a strong commercial brand as well. Tell us about why you decided to separate your commercial work from your wedding work and how that’s strengthened both brands/will strengthen them.
I enjoy both sides of my work greatly but for very similar, but completely different reasons. Shooting for a commercial client, whether it be for a record, a magazine, an actor, or a personal test, is where my creative heart lives. (It’s a place that looks like the inside of the Keebler tree house) I am shooting to create a few solid images to meet the expectations of my client and still retain a creative consistency of my vision. It’s an amazing process. This is what I lose sleep over. Dreaming of what I want to shoot next, who I want to shoot next. With a bride and groom I essentially have the same goals, but my artistic vision is spread over a couple hundred photographs that realistically tell the story of what happened that day. I want the body of photographs to contain a continuity with no obvious disruptions, caused by too many details or portrait session adventures. I want every photograph that comes off of that roll to have significance in the story. I save my elaborate production and direction for the talented souls that play music and pretend for a living. The two styles of shooting definitely inspire each other. The experiences I take away from shooting weddings keep me on my toes during a commercial photo shoot, and my commercial eye lends itself to certain situations during a wedding day. However, the commercial and wedding photography industries are on two different sides of the street, and I want each portfolio to truly represent myself for the respective clients. Art buyers, publicists, and music management need to see exactly who I am and what I am capable of. I don’t want to showcase love and romance, in the fashion of weddings, in my commercial portfolio. I also want my wedding portfolio to be focused, and put together to inspire potential brides. Therefore they remain disconnected, and I believe it creates a stronger brand for both.

What most excites you about the months ahead?
Learning from people that are better than me, taking on new projects to expand my creative boundaries, and shooting lots and lots of new pictures.

Favorite moment you’ve had shooting a wedding recently.
I just shot one of my best friend’s wedding this summer. “Capturing moments“ takes on a whole new meaning when you’re photographing someone close to you. I just played the tears off as sweat. Mid summer in south Louisiana, no problem.

Favorite moment shooting something other than a wedding:
I was shooting an artist, this year in L.A., visiting from London. One shot for himself that he had to have was “near” the Hollywood sign. In an effort to get as close as we could to the sign, we came across a private road and a young jogger that was so excited to have found us searching for the sign. He insisted on walking us up his tried and true route to the sign to touch and take photos on. We did indeed touch and take photos ON the Hollywood sign. It was insane. However, this was seconds before: the alarm sounded, the gentleman instructing us to run down a hill that was impossible to walk down, being chased into hiding by helicopters and evading a squad of L.A.P.D.. (No dramatization)

[photo byJeff Newsom]

You’re a Mammoth Man and have close friendships with some phenomenal photographers.  Tell us how those relationships have helped you, future projects, etc.
Relationships with your friends, that you respect as artists, is a privilege. Through these friendships I’ve developed a true band of brothers, as well as learned some priceless skills. Surround yourself with good people.

Tell us a funny photography story.
Long before I switched to shooting film, I showed up to shoot a friend in Laguna with what I thought was my digital Canon. It was not. In my defense the 1V looks identical to the 1Ds. I was forced to shoot a roll of film in a camera that I did not load properly. Clueless of the error, I proceeded to shoot the roll. Fortunately, we shot plenty of photos on a digital Leica he had brought with him, because the roll of film was obviously blank. I like to think Jason Cohen and I are still friends.

Dream celeb client: Bob Dylan.

Describe your work in one word: Existential.

Finish the sentence: I’m dying to shoot a 20×24 Polaroid camera.

What you feel good at: Taking pictures.

What you feel bad at: Interviews.

5 favorite wedding images you’ve shot and why:

1. The color and texture in this image blow my mind.

2. This is my favorite summer wedding image.

3. I really like b&w photographs.

4. I love Ben Rector as a blur, and the golden backlight on these guys.

5. The only thing happening in this photograph is the subtle motion of the water. I like that.

5 favorite commercial images you’ve shot:

1. This is one of my favorite shots of Alex Beh from the Mosley Tribes shoot.

2. Days Difference right under the Hollywood sign. You don’t get many overcast days in L.A., that’s why I like this image so much.

3. This is an out take from a shoot with the Writer of Peach Plum Pear. It’s my favorite shot from the shoot.

4. This is a polaroid of Mat Kearney and Trent Dabbs. Fun moment in the studio.

5. Mark Brooke diving from 30 ft, pretty epic.

Favorite travel memory this year:
Park City, Utah with my friends this past winter was insane. I’m an aspiring pro snowboarder (sarcasm) and during a break, (muscle cramp) mid-run, I sat in the most amazing spot on earth watching snow slowly burry me. It was a chilling, quiet noise and could have fallen asleep if not for the frightening thought of being snowed over and rode over by Matt Sloan on his speed board. I got up and tried to finish my run, but kept having to break again. The first experience was inspirational, the third was annoying, but the finish was victorious.

What inspires you?
I find inspiration in the things I surround myself with daily. Music, photographs, fashion, films, amazing people and family, and the success of other creative people.

What is your most significant photography accomplishment thus far?
Coming to a realization of who I was as a photographer, and what I really want to shoot. Which has made it possible for me to create a foundation for the future of my portfolio.

What do you love about weddings?
I enjoy that the story is non-fiction, and not produced. There is freedom in spontaneity.

If you and Val got to have another dream wedding, tell us what you would do:
We would probably find a way to get all of friends and family to the spot where we honeymooned, Kauai. We had an amazing week there.

What’s in your camera bag?
Business cards, small black notebook and a Pilot Precise V5 ink pen (my favorite ink pen ever), sharpie for tagging rolls of film, a Contax 645, Mamiya RZ67, Yashica T4, Canon AE-1, Lomo AC-1, and couple prime lenses for the previously mentioned cameras. I randomly have grass, leaves and parking tickets tucked away in there.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I studied Fashion Design for 5 years. I spent most of that time studying fashion photographs and drawing up sketches of women’s garments that I conned my mom into sewing for me. She is 150% faster than me on a sewing machine and my garments were always due 24ish hours after the commission. My fascination with fashion photography is what drove me to start shooting people.

[photo by Fred Egan]

What is the Jory Cordy wedding experience?
Every experience is different for my clients and myself. I find ways to adapt to each couple and react to their personalities. I don’t want my presence to be overwhelming on the day of the wedding but I will definitely leave my mark

3 most valuable things to you in business:
Passion, honesty, and relationships.

Best advice for new photographers:
The best thing to do starting out is to shoot a lot of pictures and find a way to be unique. The rest is in your personality.

[photo by Jeff Holt]

Is it photography for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
As much as I love photography, I am really just an artist. I would like to start pushing myself into the film industry, producing and writing.

Add a question here for us: : )
Who writes these questions? Also, what’s the next project for Lara Casey?

Answer: I wrote them with love and care just for you Mr. Cordy ; ) Glad you enjoyed them. Next project: Conquering the world with you. Oh, and turning 30. That’s a project.

Have a question for Jory? Fire away…

Kyle Barnes sent me these images above today from our Watercolor shoot. My favorite is the little mason jar of simple red carnations in the gravel. I set a table up for Kyle one afternoon and left him to play. The images that came from it (you’ll just have to wait for the rest) are some of my favorites he’s ever shot. You can’t beat the image on the left. Imagine: playing croquet in your Louboutin’s and sipping French wine as the sun sets. Yes, please!

Oh Jory, this shoot makes us swoon! These film images above make me feel like I’m swimming in a sea of pretty pink vintage goodness. Y’all know I love French macarons. Jory Cordy captured these delightful sweets from Sucre and Paulette’s so perfectly. I love the bride and groom signs from Kristy Rice. So many details on this table I can’t wait to share with you in our print edition. I had to hold myself back from showing you my favorites!

One of the most beautiful women I know, inside and out, is Annette Thurmon. Annette is not only the model above, but a stellar custom wedding dress designer. Shot by Fred Egan with her husband, these images capture what Watercolor is all about- the brilliant sandy white beaches. Just magical, Fred!

OK, Jeff Holt melts my soul every time I talk to him. He encourages everyone around him to strive for greatness in their lives and be filled with sunshine. These images do just that for me too! Henry the dog, was such a good sport donning a Southern Proper bow tie. The decadent table details will make you melt too! Oh so much to come…

Styling for all the shots above by the incomparable Joy Thigpen and Ashley from Dolci Odille. Thank you, ladies, for your Midas touch!

I have some big surprises in store from my other rep client, the phenomenal Mr. Cowart. It’ll be well worth the wait folks.

Thank you, gentlemen, for always inspiring me and encouraging me too. I’m writing this post after having a long conversation with someone this morning about what makes me happiest in all the work I do. It’s working with you.

Inspired,

lc

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!”

I’m back!  I mean that in a big way.  4 days in this place did more for me than I thought it would.  Before I blog that (oh so much to tell you!), I’m clearing out my travels vault, one fab event at a time.  And FYI- they won’t be in order and I have a bunch to get through.  But, it’s alright.  No Problem.  Yeh mon. Hope you enjoy!  I’m starting with…. the Bridalbar Atlanta launch.  Katharine, Whitney and I had the pleasure of celebrating this glam launch in July.  What a stellar event.  My good friend, Harmony Walton, has taken the wedding market by storm with her boutique wedding vendor library concept, attracting celebs and debs alike.  Bridalbar’s branding is perfect for the savvy Southern bride… it speaks to the modern sorority girl who wants the best of the best for her big day.  A few pics from our Atlanta adventures:

Our Labor of Love always hits the spot with their fantabulous Smilebooth.  I could spend hours playing in this thing!  … especially with a custom backdrop from Dolci Odille.  Above from left to right: the incredible Joy Thigpen, Kyle Barnes, Whitney from Our Labor of Love, Brittany, beautiful Jesse from Our Labor of Love, not sure (help me here!), me, stunning Harmony.

“Pink carpet” pics above from Our Labor of Love.  This was the first event I brought Katharine and Whitney to and we had a blast!

More Smilebooth fun.  Top pic left to right: good friend Meredith, me, Rebecca, Jesse, and my partner in networking crime, Jeremy Carter.  One of my favorite women in weddings, Eliana, joined is in the bottom left shot.

Jesse and I have decided to start a series of Smilebooth goodness.  They shot one of my favorite weddings I’ve ever done this year and Jesse and I have some fun shots with the little green elephant from that.  Love you Jesse!

Above: Kyle Barnes and Whitney hamming it up, Kyle with Katharine and Whit, Whit-Kath love, the pink ladies and I, and sleepy SW ladies.

Congrats Harmony, Rebecca and team on such a fab launch!

xo lc

Welcome to our new series, Branding Beauties!  Lara and I (Emily, for those of you I’ve yet to meet!) are thrilled to introduce this insightful series of posts on the whys and hows of integrated branding across multiple platforms.  Since branding – whether in the form of business cards, a blog, or even an email message signature – is usually the first way a potential client or collaborator encounters you, it is the most important investment you can make.  Yes, branding can make or break you. Your brand is essentially everything that is visible to the world that reflects who you are as an artist or business.  Great branding has the potential to tell your unique story and set you apart in the market.  We will be asking this question a lot in the coming series and I challenge you to ask yourself this right now:  what does your current brand really say about you?

Our first guest in the series is photographer extraordinaire Lisa Lefkowitz, who blew it out of the water on her recent re-branding collaboration with the fabulously talented Melanie Halim of Collective Lines.  Lisa and Melanie were kind enough to answer a few questions about the re-branding process.

What was the impetus for changing your company’s branding?

Lisa: After almost ten years in business, I was ready to overhaul the look and feel of my brand, collateral, website, and blog.  (Lisa’s old brand look below)

I felt that my business had outgrown it and my images had moved in a different direction from my old brand.  I wanted to take my business to the next level, and felt strongly that a new brand could support the vision I have for where I want to be.  I had never worked with a branding agency before, and while I knew it would be costly, I also knew it was the right thing for me to do at the right time.

What inspired the design elements, look, and feel of your new branding?



Lisa: Melanie and I worked closely in many meetings to get to a moodboard {shown above}.  I wanted a new brand that captured the feel of my images and my approach to wedding photography.  Some of the key words we wanted to resonate visually were fine art, artisan, classic, elegant, exquisite, feminine, and high end.  I knew I wanted to work with letterpress for much of the collateral, and Melanie suggested using gold throughout the pieces to evoke an old-world, artisan feel.  I am thrilled with the results and LOVE the gold — it is so distinctive and elevates all of the paper goods.

Melanie: The inspiration started from Lisa herself as an artist, a person, and a business, from her exquisite, classic, and beautiful photographs.  When she showed them to me at one of our first meetings and talked about her work and business so passionately, I was inspired.  We were determined to translate that passion into a brand that would truly represent her.

Do you keep your company’s “look” cohesive across multiple branding platforms (i.e. your blog, website, business cards, stationery)?  How?

Lisa: Yes, definitely — that was very important.  It was great working with Melanie.  From the start she saw this branding project from the big picture perspective, as one vision.  I was blown away when, at one of our meetings, she laid out mock-ups of the entire system on my studio table.  It was so consistent across all platforms and so beautiful — I think I even shed a tear! She had that consistency planned out in advance — another benefit of working with an experienced agency.

Do you feel your physical branding echoes your or your company’s in-person and/or written persona?  How?

Lisa: Yes.  Working so closely with Melanie, I felt that she got to know me well, and was very concerned with essentializing not only my images but my personality into my brand.  I am a low-key person both in the way that I shoot and the way that I do business.  I think the look and feel reflects that.  It’s not flashy — it’s simple, classic, and lovely.

Melanie also pushed me to express my written voice in the collateral, something I had never really done.  We have a postcard that goes on top of my promo cards that has just my logo and a statement from me in the first person.  She felt that having my voice heard would personalize my business, which I think it did.  We carried this voice into the bio sections of the website and journal, as well.

Melanie: The brand uniquely reflects Lisa’s personality which includes her voice (personable and professional), her approach (high quality craftsmanship with attention to the finest details), and her character (simple, sweet, and elegant).

What advice would you give to another wedding professional looking to improve their branding experience?

Lisa: Bite the bullet and hire a branding agency.  Find the right agency, one with a vision that is in line with yours.  Trust and respect each other’s expertise.

Thank you so much, Lisa!  We are in love with your branding and your work, and we couldn’t have picked a more fitting individual with which to start our series.  See more of Lisa’s beautiful work on her website and blog.

Wedding professionals: Would you like to be featured as a Branding Beauty or know someone who should be?  Don’t be shy!  Email me to nominate yourself or someone you know for a future feature.

All images c/o Collective Lines.