When the big event finally arrives, there are many bridal shops, designers and gowns to choose from. As a wedding videographer, I see a lot of gorgeous bridal gowns. I also sometimes hear from various brides about how disappointed they were with the service they received where they purchased their gown. Or that they weren’t happy in the way that the gown fit. It’s always upsetting for us to hear this because we know how very important the wedding gown is to the bride and to everyone!

During 2008, when we asked our brides where they got their gown, we were amazed at how many answered “Faccio”. And their answer didn’t stop there. There was always a follow-up comment about how great the service was, and how the ladies at Faccio Bridal took such good care of them. We didn’t keep track of how many of our brides from previous years purchased their gowns from Faccio, but I can speculate that there were many.

After hearing so many good things about Beth and Elizabeth (owners of Faccio Bridal), I felt we just had to meet them. So when I had the bright idea of putting a young “bride” in our booth at the Enchanted Brides Show this year, Faccio was the first place I thought of. After all – you can’t be a bride if you’re not wearing a bridal gown! I made a phone call to see how they would respond to a request to borrow a dress for the evening.

Beth welcomed the idea, (in fact, she was actually excited about it!), and I felt that I had a new friend!

A few days later, Amy (my “bride”) and I visited Faccio to choose a dress for the event.

Now I understand why the brides rave about Beth and Elizabeth so much. They were fantastic! Friendly. Knowledgeable. Fun!!! The shop was lovely and stocked full of beautiful dresses and accessories. After trying on a few gowns, we decided on one (the first one Amy tried on, actually), and then chose a cute feathery-thing for her hair that complimented the dress perfectly. Amy opted to wear a pair of her own shoes, but if we’d wanted a pair from Faccio, they would’ve gladly loaned them to us.

Even though I spent a short amount of time with Beth and Elizabeth, it was obvious to me that customer service is at the forefront of their priorities. Take a few minutes to visit their website and blog to become acquainted with them. And be sure to check out a recent post on their blog that features two of our 2008 brides. Lauren Gibbs Mauer and Heather Ezell Flener both purchased their gowns from Faccio, and their weddings are featured in the current issue of Nfocus Magazine!

I'm not sure when it was that we first worked with James.   I do remember that we were fairly new to the wedding industry at the time and were trying to make our name known. We knew we had a great product to offer, but making others aware of it was a challenge.  I also remember that when working with him, we were impressed at how he organized the event and pulled everything together for a smooth wedding day. We soon learned that he is not only a talented wedding planner, but is also responsible for the events held at David Lipscomb.   To make a long story short, we sent James a copy of the wedding DVD for that wedding -- he was impressed, and began recommending us to his clients!  I remember Lynette and I were so excited!  Since then, we’ve enjoyed working with James at many beautiful weddings where he was the event planner.  (His assistants, Rebekah, Richard and Amy, are great too!)

One thing that we've always noticed at each wedding is the special relationship James has with the bride and groom and their families.  It's obvious how much they like him and trust his advice.  All of James’ weddings are special. He is always professional and leaves no detail undone.  When he is in charge of a wedding, we know that everyone there will do their job -- and that makes our job easier.  

When we put a wedding on our calendar where James is the planner, we always say to each other, “Oh, it’s a JAMES wedding”! Which means it’s going to be a great one!  So, because of James'  talent, creativity, and professionalism, we have decided that it's high time we put him in our Vendor Spotlight!

You can find more information about James on his website.

We have covered numerous weddings in the last five years, and we have had the pleasure of working with some great wedding planners. Last weekend we once again had a great experience with a wedding planner. Courtney Hammon of “A Magical Affair” was a true joy to work with!

Lynette has known Courtney since she moved to Tennessee from Florida (where she was an event planner at Disney World) about a year or so ago. Before yesterday, I had only met Courtney briefly a couple of times, so this past weekend was the first time for me to really see Courtney in action and get to know her.

One of the first things that strikes you when you meet Courtney is her personality. She is so personable and puts you at ease right away. I don’t think she knows a stranger! She has a great sense of humor, and seems so calm and in control, which is really needed if you’re going to plan weddings for a living! The wedding that we worked with Courtney was beautiful and ran smoothly.  Everyone was in their place when they were supposed to be there, and everything and everyone looked gorgeous. And then there was Courtney in the back, smiling, directing it all. She made sure that the bride didn’t have to worry about any of the details that could stress you out on your wedding day. And really, that’s a very big part of a wedding coordinator’s job -- to put the bride at ease and let her enjoy her day.

Since I have been shooting weddings for several years now, I see the importance of having a wedding planner. I couldn’t imagine planning a wedding without the help of an expert who can walk you through the process. And coordinating all of the vendors and all the details from small to large is a HUGE process! Plus, having a great wedding planner in charge of your big day really helps us, as one of your vendors, do the best job that we can do. If the wedding is well planned and organized, then we know where we need to be and when we need to be there, and there are no surprises. We’re able to catch everything important that happens on your special day. Having a professional wedding coordinator is a win-win situation! You’re happy and stress free and your vendors are happy and stress free!

You can find out more about Courtney and the services she offers by visiting her website.

I love flowers. I mean, what’s not to love about flowers? But even though I love flowers, I couldn’t make a decent flower arrangement if my life depended on it! So I really find myself doing a double take at a lot of our weddings at some of the beautiful flowers and amazing flower arrangements.

Take last weekend, for example.The flowers at Meghan and Chad's wedding were gorgeous! I loved the colors. I loved the way they were arranged to look spring fresh. I loved the bouquet made of pure white tulips. I LOVED THE FLOWERS!

Then I found out that the person behind the beautiful flowers is a gentleman that has provided especially memorable flowers at several of our past weddings. The man behind the beautiful flowers is John Conger. John Conger is not a florist, but rather a free lance floral designer with Geny’s wholesale Floral. And he is truly an artist. He also is a  very nice gentleman.

The first wedding we worked where John was the flower designer was last summer. It was a hot, summer day, and I remember walking into the home where the wedding was being held, and seeing flowers EVERYWHERE! Gorgeous blue hydrangeas especially caught my attention. They were the most beautiful bridesmaids bouquets I had ever seen! The bride's bouquet was a unique design of calla lilies. Now, for me to remember the flowers at a wedding we did OVER A YEAR AGO, when we do so many weddings and see soooooo many flowers, says something.  Believe me, my memory isn’t that good!  But the FLOWERS were that good. I couldn’t forget them.

Another wedding we did where the flowers were designed by Mr. Conger, was last fall. And the flowers were a beautiful mixture of autumn colors. And inside the church, the floral centerpiece looked like autumn had just burst open. It was glorious. And it was exactly what the bride had wanted.

I know our bride last weekend was very happy with her bright, sunny flowers arranged so beautifully for the wedding, and then so elegantly at the reception. And she was thrilled with her bouquet of simple white tulips. But in the hands of a true artist, a bouquet of white tulips is anything but simple.

If you are still looking for a florist, you might want to consider a floral designer such as John Conger. He can be reached at Geny’s Wholesale Floral at 615-269-0177. He can also be reached through Joan Presley at Geny’s; the email is jhpresley@tds.net.

Give John Conger a call …. he'll create the floral design of your dreams.

I’m not going to mention the obvious, such as location, location, location. If you know Nashville, then you know how easy it is to find Loews Vanderbilt and how easy it is to pull in and hand off your automobile to the valet.  This goes without saying.  And I’m not going to focus on the classy décor in and around the hotel. This is obvious too.

What I am going to mention are the things that go above and beyond. Such as the lion statues that grace each side of the main entrance at the hotel. I have been at Loews Vanderbilt before and have seen these lions sporting various “outfits” depending on the occasion, such as athletic gear when there is an event in town, such as a marathon. Or they sometimes show their Titans spirit by wearing jerseys or such when a big game is in town. But for a wedding, these lions are dressed as a bride and a groom. Such a small touch, but one that stands out.  And besides, it’s so cute!

Being a vendor, we've become accustomed to the different levels of treatment we receive from staff members at different venues. Generally the staff will treat us cordially. Sometimes not. But at the wedding this past weekend, the staff at Loews treated us as if we were guests! You can read more detail about this in Cheryl's Notes where she describes the hotel staff to be kind and responsive to requests. 

Another thing about Loews Vanderbilt that we appreciated was their willingness to work with us in regard to the lighting.  At the reception this past weekend, the person in charge of lighting took the time to speak with us regarding how the room should be lit during the introduction of the wedding party and first dances.  We understand that people like dimly lit rooms for a party atmosphere, but its a big advantage for us if the lights are brightened somewhat during the big moments then brought down for dinner and dancing. At most reception venues, our requests for lighting fall on deaf ears. But Loews Vanderbilt staff was more than willing to help us out in this area. Wow!

In general, the staff at the hotel was great. Every time we asked a waiter to stop for a moment and allow us to shoot some footage of his tray of hors d’oeuvres, they would actually stop and let us do it!  Again, this may sound small, but so many times this kind of request is totally ignored with the waiter brushing past us; or if they do stop, they impatiently wait for us to finish the shot. We know they are there to do a job and serve the guests, but it’s nice when they realize that we're also there to do a job, which is to document the events of the evening.  And that includes all the details, such as a tray of beautifully arranged hors d’oeuvres. This is something that the bride and groom may not have a chance to see during their busy day. We don't want them to miss anything, so we try to catch all the details and beautiful touches that make their day special.

Just think . . . If we, being vendors, are treated so well by the staff there, then just think how well the guests are treated! 

We're looking forward to working future receptions at Loews Vanderbilt. We were very impressed, and we think you will be too.  Check them out if you’re still looking for a reception venue. Call Erin Wilkinson at 320-1700.  She'll be glad to help you.

If you’ve been reading our Spotlight Vendors the past few weeks, you may have noticed something in common with them. Our last three vendors have all been photographers!

McNeal Video only recommends a very select group of great photographers who do amazing work and who we enjoy working with. Take my word for it, the way a videographer and photographer work together can make or break a video.  We enjoy working with Derrick because we respect each others work and know that we’re both there to do the best work possible for the bride and groom.

Derrick and his wife, Laura, are truly a team. I think that when they married, they experienced a “mind-meld” of some sort because during a photoshoot it seems that they work as one. Laura will generally do most of the talking and posing of the wedding party while Derrick must be sending her mental vibes so that everyone is perfectly posed!  But don’t get me wrong, Derrick doesn’t pose all his shots. He sees a photo opportunity in front of him, takes the shot, and gets the perfect  photo.  One shot gets it and he moves on to the next. So whether it’s a posed formal photoshoot, or spontaneous shots, I haven’t seen a bad photo yet.  And that’s the truth.

Both Derrick and Laura are two of the nicest people you will ever meet.  Derrick may seem like a man of few words, but he talks softly and carries a big camera!   On the other hand, Laura is a good talker.    She keeps everyone lose and laughing.  She has the cutest terms of endearment for Derrick, but I won’t embarrass him by putting them in print.  But they are really sweet.  : -- )

Not too long ago Cheryl and a friend were looking at some of Derrick’s photos from a wedding we did together.  Her  friend saw this one shot that Derrick took of two little flower girls holding hands as they were getting ready to walk down the aisle. Sounds like a simple picture -- but the lighting, the angle, just everything about the photo was perfect, and her friend said, “Looking at that picture makes me feel that there is nothing bad in this whole world”.  If a photo can make someone feel that peaceful and happy, then I would say that Derrick hit his mark.  And he does it all the time.

You’ll be glad to have Derrick at your wedding, and you'll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have a great photographer covering your day.   Check out Derrick’s work on his website -- you'll definitely be impressed.  And feel free to leave a comment if you've used Derrick and Laura for your wedding photos!

If you read Cheryl's blog last week, you know that we only recommend a small, elite group of photographers who we feel do amazing work and are also a pleasure for us to work with.  This week we're introducing you to Angie Gambill of Gambill Photography.

There are so many reasons why we enjoy working with Angie and why we feel she does amazing work. Her photos are gorgeous. Like we said last week, there is more to being a great photographer than taking photos. The person behind the camera matters!  Angie is the kind of person that you actually enjoy having at your wedding.  She's a good person and a very talented photographer.   Oh. . . and we mustn't forget Angie's assistant, Nina!  She's great, too!

Both McNeal Video and Gambill Photography appreciate each others work, and we know that we're both capturing the bride and groom's memories of the day.  We consider Angie to be a friend, we have a mutual respect for each other,  and always enjoy working together. 

Angie is very efficient and has a very calm presence behind the camera.  She always seems to be calm, cool, and collected!  She is a quiet presence -- she knows what shot she wants, and she gets it.    She moves her photoshoots along without stressing everyone out.  Everyone who uses her for their wedding day just loves her. 

We are happy to recommend Angie because we know you won't be disappointed with the results -- your wedding photos will be beautiful.  You can find out more about her and see samples of her work by visiting her website.  We'd love to hear your comments if you used Angie for your wedding!

 If you read this blog with any regularity, you're probably already familiar with his name.  And maybe you remember him from the "Ninja Photographer" post.  We've had the pleasure of working with Joey and his wife, Amy, for about 3 or 4 years now, and everytime we work with them, it just gets better and better. 

Cheryl recalls the time she first met Joey in her recent blog post, but what I remember is her coming into the church with a big smile on her face (even as she was trying to catch her breath from running up and down the streets of Franklin with Joey and all the groomsmen) and excitedly telling me how she had met the photographer and that "he was fun!!!!"   I remember the relief I felt because we never know what to expect when meeting a photographer that we haven't previously worked with.    And she was right -- he is fun!!!!   

Joey's photography is amazing.  Take a look at his website, and you'll see what I mean.  He has a creative mind and a sharp eye and produces unique and beautiful photos.  He puts the bride and groom at ease on a day that could be nerve wracking.  His photoshoots run on time and he doesn't exhaust everyone in the process.   He doesn't have to take 10,000 shots during an event.  He knows what is going to work -- he takes it and moves on.   He works easily with videographers, too.  He respects our work and we respect his -- the result is that the bride and groom get the best photos and video possible of their wedding day.    Amy, his wife, is also a talented photographer, and together they make a great team. 

There is nothing phony about Joey.  He is a genuinely good person that loves his wife and family, has strong convictions, and is smart and extremely talented.  He has the kind of personality that just draws people to him.  I'm not being glib when I say that EVERYONE LOVES JOEY!  And on top of all that, he's a GREAT photographer!!!

Take some time to visit his website and look at his work.  You'll be as impressed as we are.   If you are in need of a photographer, we highly recommend Joey Pippin of Lifetime Weddings.  And, if you've already used Joey for your wedding day, we welcome your comments!

There are a million details that have to be tended to in planning a wedding, and Mary Natalie had them all under control.  It would be easy to become flustered or irritated with things that happen, or don't happen, on the wedding day -- but Mary Natalie was all smiles -- cool, calm, and collected.   She was especially helpful to us at the reception, keeping us informed of everything before it happened so we could be where we needed to be, when we needed to be there.  (You'd be surprised how many other event planners don't give us this courtesy.)  Her support of us during the course of the day tells me that she "gets it" -- That she understands that the wedding couple made an investment when hiring us to capture their day, and she worked with us to help us do the best job possible.

When talking with Mary Natalie, you soon learn how much she enjoys what she does.  She loves her job.  I guess that's why she's so good at it!   Find out more about her by visiting her website.