I did spend some time with my camera at the pool again this weekend for the BC AAA Provincial Championships. It was loud, crowded and difficult to shoot with 600 or so people on deck. It is difficult to be creative when everything looks the same over and over again. Many of the images look the same as the previous meet I did, which you can see here. I did get one I love though, completely unlike anything I’ve done before with swimmers. This is the start of 200m backstroke. I shot this from the stands.

I’ll be back at Saanich Commonwealth Pool at the end of the month to photograph World Trials 2011. The best swimmers in Canada will be there, and I am completely thrilled to be part of it.

I met the lovely ladies of  By Design Wedding and Event Custom Creations last November. I was impressed by their knowledge and enthusiasm for their craft as we shared stories of our roles on the wedding day. Katie McLaughlin and Brittany French, owners of By Design and certified wedding planners, share some insight here about the benefits of a wedding planner and how they can help with your wedding.

Wedding planning is one of those careers that is surrounded by so many misconceptions – and let’s face it, a lot of those romance movies out there make wedding planning seem like a service reserved for the rich and famous. So, let’s start this blog post off with a bit of rumour control – we ARE affordable to everyone, no matter how big or small your budget…and we think you should hire us. I know, I know – of course we want you to hire us. Hopefully after you read this, you’ll see why!

Time
Time is perhaps one of the biggest reasons couples today hire a wedding planner. On average, it can take a couple over 250 hours to plan a wedding. In today’s world, finding that kind of time can be difficult, and it can be very easy for couples to feel overwhelmed and stressed. Planning a wedding should be fun; it shouldn’t become a chore or a stressful task. Wedding planners can help you enjoy the process, they can help keep you on track, they can help you focus on vendors that are actually within your budget, and they can ensure that no small detail is missed.

Budget
This may seem like a contradictory reason to hire a planner – if you’re sticking to a budget, why spend money on someone to plan a wedding with you? Well, think about it this way – we are wedding professionals. We have connections with local vendors, and in many cases we can bargain a deal or take advantage of vendor discounts that we pass along to our clients. We also help clients keep track of the budget they set out. It’s far too easy to go over budget – the dreams you have of your perfect day can easily sidetrack you from making tough budget decisions. Having an unbiased planner remind you of your budget and your goals, and find alternative ways to help make your dreams come true can really benefit you. In the end, you’ll be glad you spent the money on a planner instead of letting your budget skyrocket.

An Unbiased Referee
A wedding causes excitement in a lot of people – the couple, as well as the family and friends. Sometimes it can be easy for family and friends to become too involved in the wedding plans, and the lovebirds can lose focus on what this wedding is really about – the love and union of the happy couple. Too often they want to please everyone else, even if it’s not exactly what the couple envisioned their wedding to be. They don’t want to say “no” or put their foot down at the risk of hurting someone – especially if that person is paying for part of the celebration. A planner is a couple’s advocate – we were hired by you, to help you and plan your day. We have experience dealing with this kind of scenario, and it’s easy for us to professionally intervene and remind everyone what the wedding is about. We play many roles – friend, mediator, financial advisor…this is just one of the many hats a professional planner wears that’ll benefit you.

Chaos Controller
No one wants to think about it – or admit it – but every event has its share of chaos, and yes folks, this includes weddings! No, it doesn’t always mean disaster, but there is usually something going on behind the scene that wasn’t exactly planned. This could be anything from a vendor not delivering something on time – or, God forbid, not delivering the correct item – to a time delay in the wedding, indecisive weather, a decoration disaster…the list goes on. You don’t want to spend your special day worrying about anything – you want to focus on your love, your family, your friends and most importantly, yourselves. Hiring a planner can relieve you and your loved ones of this stress. We are there to deal with everything and to make sure that nothing interferes with your special day. We know how to deal with chaos and crises – and while we’re doing it, you’ll rarely ever know they existed! You can rest assured knowing that a professional is making sure everything is going according to plan…even if the plan involves a detour.

There are so many more reasons we can think of to justify why you should hire a wedding planner, but these are some of the top reasons. We can’t speak for all planners, but we absolutely LOVE what we do – helping a couple plan their wedding day and ensure everything goes smoothly is very rewarding for us. We also love that our involvement on your special day means the couple and their family and friends can focus on the wedding and not on the behind- the-scenes details. One of our recent brides summed this up by saying, “Being able to be a guest at your own wedding is priceless”. We agree!

So consider it – hiring a wedding planner could be one of the best investments you make for your wedding day! And just to squander another wedding planning myth (thanks to those romance movies): unlike J-Lo, we won’t be stealing your groom

Katie McLaughlin, WPICC | Brittany French, WPICC
Owners and Certified Wedding Planners
By Design Wedding & Event Custom Creations

For more information on By Design Wedding & Event Custom Creations visit their website at www.bydesignvictoria.com or check them out on Facebook!
“Credit to Marion (the lovely bride) at ma_luxe for creating the overall theme pictured above.”
Being able to be a guest at your own wedding is priceless!

In April 2009, I received a call from Randy, whom I had never met. He was in Victoria for the weekend scouting locations to take his girlfriend, Charissa, the following weekend. One of the first things he told me was how beautiful she is. He was head over heels for her. They were coming up from Portland and he was going to propose. He asked if I would photograph the proposal. How fantastically cool is that?!? It was all I could do to stay composed on the phone.  Randy and I met in Beacon Hill Park the next day and scouted locations together. We both agreed that beneath the willow by the old stone bridge would be perfect. He had the whole itinerary for the day planned out down to the minute. The time was set for 2pm the following Saturday.

It was a beautiful sunny spring day that was still in need of a sweater. I arrived early and sat in the bench beneath the ancient willow to save their spot. When I saw them make their way down the sidewalk at the far end of the pond, I left the bench and went into paparazzi mode. I secreted myself away across the pond, and through my camera was blessed to document a perfect moment.

Randy took his time, choosing just the right words to say. When the moment came to pop the question, Randy got down on one knee. Charissa was completely surprised. They had attracted quite an audience around the pond and on the bridge as passers by realized what was happening. Cheers erupted when she said yes.

Randy had asked that I do an engagement session for them afterwards. With all the emotion in the air, it was an experience of a lifetime. There was no coaching or posing on my part. The magic unfolded before my lens.

Randy emailed me a few months later to announce that they had already been married, and sent a link to their stunning wedding photos. They are perfect together. I am still touched by Randy’s thoughtfulness in capturing that moment for Charissa. They have such love for each other. They are truly amazing people. I still feel gratitude, as well as goosebumps, when I think of being part of the proposal. I’m certain their images help them remember the magic of that moment too.

There is part of me that really wanted to walk out into the fast moving stream to get a better angle of the shot, but the practical side of me vetoed that idea.

We decided to walk up above the falls, then kept going to the trestle bridge. I’ve lived in Victoria for 19 years and had never been there. The rest of my family have been up there a few times on hikes, at times when I’ve been busy. Now I feel like I was left out. It’s pretty wild up there. I didn’t get to go all the way across as Saxon would not go anywhere near it and we couldn’t very well leave him alone.

I wish we had more time that day to explore the park. Next trip there I will take more time, leave the dog at home, and take more pictures.

How did you get started?

My business started when the universe decided to close a few doors on my family through the tough economy.  I had been a stay at home mother for 3 years when my husband’s contracting business took a nasty hit and was forced to lay off his employees and had left him without work for 4 months.  I had been wanting to get back into the work force, but didn’t know where to start.  I had been originally trained in interior design and not much was happening in that department either.  So I took a step back, remained positive and through this presence I decided to speak with a few local farm markets to supply fresh organic and locally grown flower bouquets (right from my garden).  My first year doing this I fell in love with growing and arranging one of earth’s finest splendors.  I loved it so much, I started to study, to understand the arranging process and began to mentor with some fabulous people.  I knew this was my calling.  I knew I could do this and for me, it’s not a job, it’s not work, it’s passion, and through this passion comes great creativity.

What is your design philosophy? How would you describe your style?

I pride myself on being unique and different.  I like to create artistically balanced sculptures.  Having the interior design background really gave me a great understanding for creating colour harmonies, balance and structure.  I like to think outside the box, exploring new options, stretching my legs and using the natural world for inspiration.  I don’t think I have one style.  I gather my inspiration from each and every client, and none of them are the same.  I start my process with a blank slate and I gather a style through them to fit their needs.  I like to use a lot of textures in my designs, to create depth and passion.

What makes you unique as a florist?

I think what makes me unique is my passion for this industry.  As previously mentioned, this is not “work” for me.  It’s a passion for bringing joy into others lives, even if it’s just for a moment.  I enjoy seeing their expressions when they see my arrangements.  I love being a part of a day, especially when dealing with weddings, that they will remember forever.  I love thinking my arrangements will be in their photography for a lifetime.  I feel honored to be a part of that.  Going above and beyond my clients expectations, I think sets me apart and it shows when you read my testimonials.  I love working from a home-based studio.  There is no set quota of business I have to meet each month.  I am allowed to book a number of events that I feel comfortable with.  I book just enough events to know I can dedicate 100% of my mind, time and heart to each event.  I am not throwing arrangements together at the last minute to get them out the door. I can allow myself ample time to make sure each arrangement is perfect, to make sure each client is fully satisfied.

What services do you offer?

Being a home based business, I specialize in wedding, corporate, funeral and residential “standing” orders.  All my flowers are made to order, offering the freshest product available.  I offer free consultations for my clients to determine their deepest desires, dreams and wants.  Delivery services and set-up/take down services are available upon request.

What are the trends for florals this year?

I am seeing swift movement from perfectly fixed bouquets, to more ornate, free flowing cascading bouquets. Modern vintage is in the air using pastel hues and vintage inspired blooms such as scabiosa, anemone, garden roses, ranunculus, herbs, astible etc.  I have also been seeing, on the other spectrum, bold colour palettes which are being tied into the colour of the men’s tuxes, or even socks and suspenders!  For example, brightly coloured socks will match the flowers in the bouquets, this adds for unique interest in the photography as well.  But what I cannot stress enough, is staying true to your likes.  Just remember, you are going to be looking at your wedding pictures 10 years from now and you are going to want to still love the look.  Just stay true to who you are!

What flowers are best for hot summer weather?

The best is to incorporate blooms that are hardy which will withstand the heat.  Some examples are: carnations, roses, foliage, button mums, crysathemums, anthuriums, and spray roses just for a few examples.  Try to stay away from more delicate blooms, or blooms that need a large amount of water such as hydrangea.

What should brides know about their flowers? What sorts of things should they keep in mind?

I am sure you all know that in season flowers are the most cost effective way to go if you are on a tight budget.  Imports obviously will cost you more as they do have to travel around the world to end up in your hands.

What advice do you give brides about picking their flowers?

Stay true to your favorites.  If you do not have any clue, I am here to help you decide.  We can knock out favorites or dislikes.  Again, in season flowers will be much more cost effective and you’ll get more bang for your dollar.

When should a bride begin looking for/book a florist?

Many brides leave their floral orders to one of the last things to do on their list.  I recommend brides booking their florist as soon as they have their venue booked.  Flowers are a naturally grown and if ordering a large amount of one bloom, you’ll want to make sure they will be available.  Florists also book fast, just as anything else.

How much lead time do you need?

I like to have at least 2 months lead time to guarantee your order, more time is better.  The sooner I can get the order in, the less problems there will be.  The growers have their orders and can dedicate part of their crop to you.

What do you suggest a bride bring to her appointment with you?

Everything and anything.  I like to see as much as possible. The flowers should really enhance your theme.  Flowers are the first thing your guests will see when entering your venue and they really make the theme come to life.  It’s important to see the brides dress, if you’ll be marrying in a full ball gown dressed to the nines, you’ll want to keep the bouquet clean and simple.  If you are marrying in a simple dress, you can add much more detail to your bouquet.  If you can bring colour swatches, vase colours already picked, these are all important.  Again, bring everything, I want to get inside your wedding day!

I work at having balance in my life to ensure everything important gets done. It is a real struggle. I find when I am working on my business, I stress about the laundry that needs folding, the dishes that need washing or the dinner that still hasn’t been started. Then when I am taking care of the house and kids, I fret over all the work that still needs to be done for my business. You see, I am working on a new website, which is incredibly time consuming as I work to get it just right. Plus all the other things like developing new price lists, product research, answering emails from prospective brides, blogging, learning new techniques, etc. And my sweet husband is there, to listen to my distress and help where he can.

It all leaves me wondering what the term life balance really means. Mostly I feel like a street performer with too many balls in the air, then one or two fall out of sequence. Someone, usually Cliff, picks them up and juggles them himself for awhile, and I keep going. I don’t think balance happens everyday, but is achieved when looking back over a whole lifetime. Happy & sad, busy & relaxed, excitement & boredom.  In the end we do the best we can, and the rest takes care of itself.

I did take time to pick up my camera though. I need to take a lesson from Saxon. Relax.  It’s a new week and the project is still there waiting for me.

Many brides say….,”I just don’t know where to start when it comes to decor. There are so many nice options out there”.

Your decor should be an extension of you and your fiancé , not anyone else. You know what kind of person you are and if you don’t, just ask your maid of honor or your fiancé and they will quickly let you know. If you are the simple type do not try to please everyone else by going with frills and fancy. You won’t be happy. On the other hand if you are all frills and fancy and the pocket book won’t allow your personality to come through here are a few suggestions:

• Set your budget – stick to it
• Write down your wish list – everything your heart desires regardless of cost
• Do the math to see how much over budget you are (I am assuming you will be over budget since everyone is – if you aren’t, call me. I want to be your BFF!)
• Assign priorities to everything on your list – things you absolutely have to have and things you can live without.
• Is there anything you or a few friends/ relatives can you do yourself to save money?
• Are there “knock-offs” of what you want that will cost you less?
• Now with the new priorities and the new prices begin at the bottom of the list and start deleting until you are on budget.

I would like to thank Deanna for inviting me to participate in her blog. I enjoyed working together on a couple of photo shoots. She was delightful to work with and very professional. I just love the way my pictures turned out!

Happy Weddings!
Linda Payne
Designer Weddings &
Special Occasion Rentals

We stopped at Douglas and Bay on the way home. There is an abandoned lot and buildings COVERED in graffiti, but it’s some of the most amazing graffiti anywhere. Again, I thought this made a great place for portraits.

Roberta, I can’t thank you enough for the experience and the opportunity. I am truly honoured and grateful.