Congratulations to our 2013 West Michigan Bridal Show Winner!

By admin | Published January 18, 2013

Congratulations to our 2013 West Michigan Bridal Show Winner!

congrats0004 Congratulations to our 2013 West Michigan Bridal Show Winner!
Nichole Smith from Ada, Michigan

Nichole won $400 off a Modern Photographics wedding package.

Not a winner?  You can still save $200 off you wedding photography package from us by contacting us to setup a Free Consultation.   During this free consultation we will not just be talking about photography, but you will have the chance to discuss with us anything that is stressing you out about your wedding.  We work hard to help you relieve the stress you are experiencing.   We will share with you our years of wedding experience.  Need more info- Check out the rest of our website and don’t forget to contact us before its too late and your wedding date has been reserved.  ($200 Discount is only available if you contact us before January 22, 2013)

 

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5 Tips how not to be a Bride Zilla!

By admin | Published January 27, 2012

5 Tips how not to be a Bride Zilla!

Weddings are stressful events that bring out the best or worst in the brides and grooms that plan them. The stress usually comes from the fear of failure: failure to entertain, feed, and host all of your friends and family and your soon to be spouses friends and family.  Who wants to start out with a bad first impression?

Wedding planning does not have to be stressful. Below are 5 tips to lessen the stress that can turn a bride from beautiful white dressed princess into a flame breathing dragon.

#1- It’s all in your head.

I am not talking about the stress of the wedding, but your idea of the perfect wedding.  Only you know what you want, and sometimes you don’t know what you want. When your guests arrive on your wedding day they are seeing the wedding through their eyes and whatever you present to them will represent your dream day. Friends and family want the best for you and usually consider the day successful when they see you and your spouse happy. Only you can break that reality. If you allow yourself to share all the mistakes and things that are not perfect your day will be just as imperfect as you tell them it is. When you allow yourself the control to not share the imperfections your guests will only know your wedding day as perfect.

#2- K.I.S.S (Keep It Simply Sensational)

In recent years weddings have gotten way too sensational.  Keep it Simply Sensational means-
Wedding = You + Spouse + Vows
Reception = You + Spouse + Family/Friends

Simple means removing the items that stress you out
Perfect Wedding = 10X Bridesmaids + 10X Grooms Men + 5 crying kids + Do It yourself Flowers + 10X Tuxedos + Party Bus + Beer + you can keep adding….

You get to choose what you want to add to the equation. The more you take out the less you will have to worry about it. If you still want it, but don’t want to stress about it, hire a professional that deals with it on a weekly basis. Money can buy less stress.

#3- Don’t try to be a wedding expert

Spending time trying to learn everything there is to know on how to plan a wedding can only result in more stress. If you want a wedding that looks like it was planned by an expert, the best thing to do is hire one. The time spent learning everything there is to know about weddings can be better spent enjoying the engagement.

 #4- Do it yourself doesn’t always mean cheaper

Just because you can do something yourself, doesn’t mean it’s cheaper or better. Time is usually not factored into the equation of cost. Would you rather be putting center pieces together or spending time on a long walk with your soon to be spouse? When it comes to do it yourself projects weigh the value of your time verses the value the task has to the event. Don’t spend hours on a project when the ceremony is only going to take 15 minutes. If you don’t enjoy the do it yourself project, don’t do it.

#5- Take a weekend off

Not every day between the time you get a ring to the time you get married has to be filled with wedding planning. Take a weekend off and enjoy it with your friends. Don’t make every get together a wedding Do-it-yourself weekend. Your friends are not your wedding slaves and are your friends because of all the fun times you have with them. Enjoy the process!

Brandon Mulnix – Owner, Modern Photographics

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How to get Wedding Photos that Don’t suck

By admin | Published December 26, 2011

Wedding Portraits that Don’t suck

Face it every where you turn there is a professional photographer, or at least someone who claims to be.  When it comes to your wedding how do you prevent a disaster when it comes to your wedding photos?  Below are five tips to help you choose a photographer that will create images that will last as long as your marriage, and a few generations longer.

1.  Don’t hire your best friend or family member to photograph your wedding
Why?- Its simple, if they are that good of a friend allow them to be part of the wedding as a bridesmaid or groomsmen not the photographer.  Ask yourself this question- “If my friend or family member made a mistake at my wedding, could I ever forgive them?  What would the relationship be like after a mistake.  Mistakes happen at weddings, from camera failures, to lens failures, to lost memory cards, or crashed hard drives.  Don’t ruin a perfectly good relationship unless the relationship wasn’t worth much in the first place.

2.  Don’t let your wedding be “The first” wedding for your photographer.
Your wedding is not the place for a photographer to learn what they are doing.  A good wedding photographer has probably been doing this for years with all the experience to go with it.  A newbie will be too worried about his/her shutter speed or aperture to worry about you and your family.  Experience brings with it adaptability and creativity.  The experienced photographer will know how to deal with any situation your event presents to him/her.  If they have been doing it awhile it means they haven’t made too many mistakes and have probably been referred to you by a very happy couple.  What determines if a photographer is experienced.. Their work.  If you only see the same one or two brides throughout their entire portfolio they probably only photographed one or two weddings.  Ask questions when you talk to them, check their references.

3.  Don’t hire a professional who doesn’t use professional lighting
Professionals photographers make a living by repeatedly creating great product that you would love and cherish a lifetime.  One tool that a professional uses is off camera lighting.  Flashes and other off camera lighting give images depth and consistency that natural lighting can’t.  Professionals understand how and when to use natural lighting as well as flash, but they use flash for all the really important photos.  This includes the reception. So when you ask a photographer if he/she uses flash and they tell you no, or its the one built into your camera, you are probably better off hiring your family member with the same camera.

4.  Don’t miss the opportunity to meet the photographer
On your wedding day you are more likely to spend more time with your photographer then you do your husband/wife!  You better like the photographer otherwise its going to be a long day.  The best way to do this is meeting with your photographer face to face or at leas over the phone.  There are many inexpensive photography companies that have up to 10 photographers that you won’t get to meet till your wedding day.  The only person you should wait to meet on your wedding day is your spouses extended family, and you might want to skip a few of them.  If your photographer pushes your buttons in the meeting, don’t hire them.  They will more than likely push your buttons on your wedding day when you don’t need it.  Get to like your photographer.  They have great ideas and like to help.  An experienced photographer can help you plan your day, and know solutions to problems that arise because they have been there before.  The newbie will still be trying to figure out what setting to put his camera on, so he/she will be of no help.

5.  Don’t try to do everything Do it Yourself
When it comes to printing your own wedding photographs, you should get the help of the photographer who took them.  Professionals usually care more about the quality of the print then the Minimum wage employee behind the Print & Go counter. Ask questions about what you get after the wedding.  Professionals will explain everything and help you decide on the best product for you and suggest the best possible solutions for your memories.  A good photographer will sort and adjust the images to provide you with quality images on a disc for you to have.

Please don’t hire a photographer that will leave you in tears or provide you with more stress than your future new family members.  Its not always a good idea to save money on photography.  The photos will be the only thing left after 30 years, because the cake will stale, and your flowers will wilt along with your memory.  Your wedding photos will refresh your mind and heart about the joy you experience on your wedding day.

For more information about how not to make a mistake when hiring a wedding photographer feel free to call us at 616.897.5606 or contact us at info@modernphotographics.com

417 grand rapids michigan wedding portraits destination How to get Wedding Photos that Dont suck

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4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

By admin | Published November 10, 2011

4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you are getting married in Grand Rapids, Michigan and are looking for a place to get married here is a list of five of my favorite places.

St Cecilia Music Center 900x600 4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

St Cecilia Music Center

1.  St Cecilia Music Center- This unique venue is nestled in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan and is just of Fulton Ave.  St Cecilia is special mostly because of its design.  There are 3 different areas; Royce Auditorium, Presidents Room, and the Dexter Ballroom upstairs that would work well for weddings.  The auditorium can hold hundreds of people and has an isle on either side of a main center seating area.  Stage lighting  makes for a “Broadway” type feel, while the acoustics are award winning.  There isn’t a bad seat in the house.  The Presidents Room is a little more quant.  It is a perfect place for an intimate wedding with less than 70 guests.  The Dexter ballroom area can hold the average 100-150 guests and also double as a reception area.  Very unique place.  More info- http://www.scmc-online.org/building/

Goei Center Unique Wedding Venue 900x600 4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Goei Center

2.  The Goei Center- If you are looking for a very non-traditional venue with old wood floor, brick walls, and lots of open space, then the Goei Center is perfect for you.  What I liked most was the feel of the space.  I like brick, and there is plenty of brick in the this old ware house now Eastern Floral space.  The Goei center is an all in one place.  An urban venue with a very personal close feel.  Its not too big that you feel estranged from your guests, but not so small you feel cramped.  The old wood beams and large windows makes for back grounds every where you look. More Info- http://thegoeicenter.com/weddings.html

Ab Nab Awen Park Wedding Grand Rapids 600x900 4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ab-Nab-Awen Park

3.  Ah-Nab-Awen Park- This park is the front lawn of the Gerald R Ford Muesum and is available to host your wedding.  The downtown buildings and flowing Grand River make for a majestic wedding venue.  Grand Rapids Park and Recreation do an amazing job keeping this park clean and free from clutter.  A cement pad is the main stage that is just feet from the river, and the DeVos Place and Amway Grand Hotel make it a great place to have a wedding.  More Info: http://explore.friendsofgrparks.org/parks/23

 

Calder Plaza Wedding Grand Rapids 600x900 4 Unique Places to Get Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calder Plaza

4.  Calder Plaza- This City Landmark would make a great place to get married.  A very unique piece of art makes for a colorful and vibrant background.  Seating can be any shape or size.  This non-traditional wedding venue would definitely make your day unique. More Info- http://explore.friendsofgrparks.org/parks/26

These are just four of the many unique wedding venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us about other possible venues in Grand Rapids, or the surrounding area.

 Did you get married in Grand Rapids, or West Michigan?  Where was your wedding?  Can you add to my list of Unique Places to get married in Grand Rapids?  Leave a comment to share

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The Officiant who marries them- Image of the week- Wedding Portrait

By admin | Published November 9, 2011

The Officiant who marries them- Image of the week- Wedding Portrait

the wedding officiant portrait grand rapids 600x900 The Officiant who marries them Image of the week Wedding Portrait

Wedding Officiant Portrait- Grand Rapids, MI

Every wedding has to have an officiant.  For some its a pastor, others a friend, some Elvis.  Tim and Connie chose their friend “Cogsworth” (I can’t remember his name now).  The ceremony started like any other, “Cogsworth” was given a gift of Jameson as a token of the couples appreciation.  The music played the bridal party took its places on stage at St. Cecilia’s Music Center.  Instead of candles there was red and white wine mixed together.  There was even a bit of humor “Marriage is what joins us together… ” In the tone and style of Princess Bride.

“Cogsworth” could dance as well.  Hitting the floor at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.  Fun times!

Do you remember who married you?

 

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Basic Wedding Planning 101 by Dee Mitchell

By admin | Published April 9, 2009

Basic Wedding Planning 101

wedding planning basic 101 Basic Wedding Planning 101 by Dee Mitchell

He just popped down to one knee and presented you with a beautiful ring and asked you to be his wife!  You’re newly engaged and so excited!  Not only have you found the person of your dreams to share your life with but you are about to start planning one of the most important event of your life.  And with this comes so many questions…  What will the date be?  Where are we going to hold the wedding and reception?  Who is going to be our photographer; our florist; our planner; our cake; our DJ; and the list goes on and on.  But better yet, how are we going to pay for it and how much time do we need to plan it??? With all these questions, there are answers.  I would like to share with you today, “Basic Wedding Planning 101”.  One question I get numerous times when I’m speaking to anyone about the wedding industry is when the right time is  for a newly engaged couple to start the planning process of their big day.  My answer is as soon as you set the date even if you are planning a two to three year engagement.

First Step:

BUDGET ~ Setting a budget is a very important part of the planning process and should be at least discussed if not completed before you start talking to vendors about your wedding.  I encourage my couples to sit down together with their parents and figure out how much everyone can afford to spend and go from there.  Once you have that magic number figured out, then it is very important to develop your detailed budget.  You might choose to hire a planner to do this for you or else you can use great websites like The Knot, Wedding Wire, and Wedding Planning on a Budget.  Once you start looking at the initial budget, make a list to determine what is most important to you.  For example, if a high caliber photographer is a highly important to you as a couple, then you are going to want to set aside a large portion of the budget so you can get the photographer that you want and cut back in other places.

Second Step:

Okay the budget is in place and the fun begins!   Now the couple needs to start thinking about the style of wedding they would like to have and vendors they need.  Lucky for us here in West Michigan we live in between two very great cities, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. And in between these great cities, there are even greater little towns for those who are looking for more of a quainter wedding. And what is even better then the location is the wonderful options that you have for vendor choices.  There is someone for everyone here!  A great resource for local brides is the West Michigan Wedding Association. On their website you will find links to some of West Michigan’s best wedding professionals.  Other sites to check out also are The Knot, Wedding Wire, Wedding Chicks, and OneWed. Make sure when you are choosing those vendors that are going to play a part of your day that you truly click with them.

Third Step:

Once you have your vendors set up you can start adding the little touches that really reflect you as a couple.  This can be accomplished by DIY projects or working with your designer to make an atmosphere of your wedding that is truly your own…  Be adventurous but don’t overwhelm yourself.  During this same time start looking at making a time line of items that you need to complete before the wedding.  If you have hired a planner, plan on sitting down with them to help you with this task.  We in the wedding planning industry know our business so use us as a tool to make this time of planning as enjoyable as possible.  If you have decided forgo hiring a professional planner then I highly suggested that you use The Knot, Wedding Wire, or purchase planning software such as The Wedding Organizer to help relieve any unneeded stress.

This is a small sampling of items to get the newly engaged couple started.  In the following months I will plan on teaching you how to research and what questions to ask when searching for vendors.  Also I will be giving some great tips on setting up a budget and keeping on that budget.  And finally I hope to share with you some great time saving ideas to help ease the stress of getting all the items on your to do list accomplished.

My name Dee Mitchell of Elements of Elegance Event Planning and Floral and I am very excited to be a guest Blogger here on Modern Photographics! Let me tell you a bit about Elements of Elegance Event Planning and Floral. We are a company made up of three people that offer full service event planning and floral.  From the very first time you meet with us up to your event, our goal is make sure you feel like there is no one more important then you are.  In addition to this you will find that we are very much think outside the box when it comes to design.  There is nothing better then sitting with a client and helping them bring out the design and décor of their special day right before their eyes! I really hope you have enjoyed our posting!

Have a great day and Happy Planning!!!

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