Thursday, February 27, 2014

Welcome Margot!

I was very lucky recently to take a short trip to Arizona to visit my sister-in-law, her husband, and their two precious girls. Baby Margot had just turned two weeks old when I got there, and big sister Isabelle was happy to show me the ropes. Besides missing my own little ones (and hubby!), it was a fantastic visit filled with snuggles and that special new-baby smell. 

I, of course, took lots and lots of pictures. My sister-in-law, Mandy, and I had planned out a few posed shots, but I was most excited to get some great lifestyle images of the two girls. They are among some of my most favorite photos I have ever taken.





Margot's nursery is as sweet as can be, with soft pinks, ivory, and shades of brown. The afghan in the photos above was lovingly crocheted by her mommy and is among the most beautiful I've ever seen. Her big sister is just right in love, and is so helpful fetching diapers, binkies, and loveys whenever the baby cries. It seemed to me that Isabelle just grew up overnight!


Although my crochet skills are nowhere near Mandy's, I did bring a handmade-by-me bonnet and diaper cover set to do a few posed pictures in. Margot's original due date was right around Valentine's Day, which inspired my color choice of reds and pinks. Little stinker was impatient to arrive, though, and came almost three weeks early (just like my own babies!). 




Although she is quite the peanut, we did her pictures just in time to still fit in this adorable hat that her mommy made:


It was so wonderful to spend time with all of them, and to get a little warm weather and sunshine as well! I'm afraid it will still be a while before I can enjoy outdoor family sessions in Vermont without everyone bundled up in jackets and scarves. 



Although I am so happy to be home again with my family, sleeping in my own bed, this visit to Arizona with my in-laws is one I'll treasure for a lifetime. Congratulations Mandy and Matt!


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

A Sweet and Simple Partnership

I'm excited. Really, really excited. I was feeling a little stuck in a rut recently and wracking my brain for something fresh and new that could catapult this business to the next level. Luckily, I talked to the right person at the right time. Funny how things like that happen, right?! ;) Anyway, my husband and I have gotten to know our next-door neighbors pretty well this past year, and neighbor Kerri and I have developed a great friendship and now what I hope is going to be a very successful partnership for us both!

Kerri is amazing at all things organization. She started a blog last year, Picture Perfect Clutter, and set about working on projects in her own home and for friends and colleagues to find a way to simplify life and reduce the stress that comes with a cluttered home and lifestyle. In talking with her, I found out that she has a love for event planning, especially weddings, just like I do. As we talked more and more, it seemed pretty clear that a collaboration between the two of us could be pretty amazing. I helped her re-brand herself into Simply Planned, a business all about organizing events, weddings, and even your home. We are going to be working side-by-side on a lot of projects, including a very special wedding planning binder that is going to be available very soon! I am also going to be training Kerri as my exclusive second shooter for weddings. This means re-working my packages to include a second photographer at all weddings, so stay tuned for some updates about that in the near future.

This partnership between Sweet Events and Simply Planned is going to mean so many new and exciting things! We have a really fun collaborative project in the works that involves a little bit of travel, as well as some DIY projects we are going to work on together and share on our blogs. Get ready, friends - and show Kerri some love on her Facebook page while you're at it!

I will be on a bit of a blogging break for about a week, as I am leaving tomorrow for Arizona, to meet my brand-new niece (and take lots of pics too!). Miss me while I'm gone. :)

Cheers!
Elysha

Monday, February 17, 2014

A Valentine Post: My Girl

We got a snow day on Friday. The sky opened up and dumped 16 inches of snow on our state (give or take), so school was cancelled and my little ones were not happy about it. Most kids treasure a snow day, going to sleep the night before school just wishing and praying that they'll wake up to those magical words - "school is cancelled". Not mine. They would be unhappy about it basically anytime, but particularly on Friday because it was Valentine's Day, which meant no class Valentine's party. We had baked the day before, and my daughter had carefully written out her valentines to all of her classmates and her teachers.

I knew it was up to me to make the day extra special, since both of our school-age kids were pretty disappointed about not having school. So I took the day off from business stuff on my to-do list and had a spectacular day with my kids. We colored, we made decorations, we baked a chocolate cake (from scratch - get the amazing recipe here), we did puzzles. And while the boys napped, Lilah and I had some very girly time together at her request. She wanted to do makeup, nails, and foot massages. I threw caution to the wind and let her have at it with my makeup. I even let her paint my toenails and my fingernails, which I never do since I am OCD about polish chipping. It was truly fabulous.

I get to spend lots of time with my boys, since the littlest isn't at school at all yet, and our middle child is only in preschool for a few hours a few days a week. It is rare that I get to spend a real quality-time day with my girl, and I was so grateful for a snow day that allowed me to do that. She is such a fun child, so smart and creative. She even got spoiled by Daddy for Valentine's Day - he gave her a pedicure and painted her fingernails too! 

We ended the day with a home-cooked meal (steak, roasted potatoes, and asparagus for the grown-ups, homemade pizza for the kiddos) by candlelight, followed by our delicious chocolate cake. Then we pulled out our couch for our weekly family movie night (The Little Mermaid, chosen by Lilah this time), and all three cherubs crashed on the pullout for the night. No pomp and circumstance, no diamonds and five star meals, but it is a day that I will treasure in my heart forever. I truly could not have asked for a more perfect day, and I have the most wonderful bunch of valentines in the world.

Love and kisses,
Elysha

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Bridal Portraits - A Lost Tradition

A young, fresh-faced bride in a long-sleeved lace gown with a full skirt and petticoat smiles from a time-worn frame. Her long veil is attached to her finger waves with a Juliet cap, and she holds a simple bouquet of Lily of the Valley. The backdrop is faded black muslin, in stark contrast to the dazzling white of her dress. The original black and white photo has faded to sepia tones, and is a beautiful reminder of a bygone era, a long-standing tradition of formal bridal portraits that has fallen by the wayside in latter years.

I am sure many of you have a portrait like this that you can conjure up in your imagination. Maybe it hangs in your grandmother's house, or is collecting dust in your mother's attic. These photos are such a wonderful, simple treasure - a keepsake of an ancestor's youth and beauty. I think it's time for a bridal portrait comeback!





It really makes a lot of sense even when thinking about it from a practical angle. First of all, it gives brides a chance to do a test run of their hair, makeup, and even their dress fitting before their wedding day. And any excuse to wear your beautiful wedding gown more than once is a great idea, right?! Of course, the photos should be kept a secret (especially from the groom!) until the big day, but having a private viewing session with your photographer gives you a chance to decide on any hair and makeup changes ahead of time, as well as to get comfortable posing in a wedding dress. Plus, things are so hectic and busy on your wedding day, it's great to have a private, long session with your photographer to capture your bridal portraits in a more relaxed setting.



And it doesn't have to be in a studio! Maybe you'd rather do your bridal portrait session outdoors, or in a special venue. Whatever your personal style, a bridal portrait can be a fun experience and a great way to capture how special this time in your life is. And it is sure to be a treasured keepsake for your future children and grandchildren as well.



Let's bring back this sweet tradition of bridal portraits - contact me today to book your session!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Referral Program

In the photography world, a good portion of business comes from referrals. That makes me happy. For one, that means that clients love my work and in turn tell their friends and family about it. For another, I get to meet so many new people who may have otherwise never heard of Sweet Events. Think about your real-life friendships - haven't many of them come from meeting people through other friends and acquaintances? I myself met my very best friend in college through a mutual acquaintance. I am grateful for that to this very day, just as I am incredibly grateful when my clients send more clients my way. That is why I am really excited to start a referral program and hope that you will be on board with me too!

It's really a win-win situation: I get more clients, past clients get gifts and bonuses, and new clients get a discount. Sounds great, right?!


It gives me such joy to have such supportive, wonderful clients (and friends) who show their love for Sweet Events by telling people about it. And the mini accordion album/iPhone case gifts? They are so fun to design and a great way to show off the images from your sessions! A little reminder of your photos wherever you may be. So tell a friend about Sweet Events Photography today, and make sure they let me know who referred them! 

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

You're Beautiful

As I mentioned last week, I am really intrigued and excited to break into the beauty/boudoir photography market. It is all about making women feel beautiful just as they are, and bringing to light just how amazing they look to the ones they love. I think it can be incredibly empowering as a female to capture this beauty in images that are different than any others you may have done before. Stepping outside your normal comfort zone, getting pampered, dressing up, and having a couple hours to just have fun and get in touch with your inner vixen. That is what motivated me to seek out some beautiful volunteers to help me build up my portfolio and get some practice in.



They're gorgeous, right?! Both of these ladies are dear to my heart, and it was so fun to share this experience with them. It makes me so happy to think that I could help them see the beauty that is unique to each woman. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to continue in this line of photography!


It is amazing how each woman went from being a little shy and reserved at the beginning of the shoot to comfortable and confident by the end. 



Once you get into a groove with posing, add in some fun music, and just keep talking, the laughter and natural smiles just follow. It is an incredible feeling.


The most important thing that I want to emphasize: these photos are for YOU, as a woman, to capture that unique spark that is yours alone. Sure, they make a fun wedding or anniversary gift, but ultimately my goal is to help each woman realize how beautiful she is. 





So, are you inspired? Are you ready to let me show you just how beautiful you are? Please, contact me to book your beauty session. You won't regret it!