Mimi & Randy - Two lives, one path

Even Hurricane Irene couldn't dampen the spirits of Mimi and Randy who were married at Hollin Hall on August 27, 2011. Their program included the verse “Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it ...” from Songs of Solomon 8:7.

The ceremony, planned for the Walled Garden, was moved to Historic Hall Hall.  Pastor Emmanuel Dunyo officiated.

 

The reception, catered by Be My Guest Catering, was in the Meeting House. Be My Guest owner Winston Sanchez served as Wedding Planner/Coordinator. Nomad Event Systems provided the lighting and draping.

The wedding colors were “watermelon dripped with mint and pearl drops.”

Photos by Nina Tisara/Hollin Hall & The Meeting House

Finding your perfect wedding venue

Aimee Hardenbergh writes:

I don't believe you will find any other article in the entire universe that will talk about the insider secret I am about to let you in on. It's so basic that I believe it alludes many couples planning their wedding.

The key to a successful venue search begins with ...virtual drum roll please...the quality of your inquiry. Honest to goodness. While handling all of the correspondence and appointments for a unique venue for over a year, I saw all kinds of requests for information. Every venue gets excited to see a new inquiry. Every venue gets super excited to see a quality inquiry.

How do you create a quality inquiry? How do you write your inquiry so the venue wants to respond to you and not ignore you? Yes. You can be ignored. If you think you are somehow protecting yourself by not giving the exact date, month or year you really want in your initial contact along with the true number of guests you may be having is a good move, you are wrong. Venues get inquiries every day. Lots of them. They like it when all of the information is present to know if that potential wedding is a good fit for their property or not. They respect you for having a good grip on what your wedding looks like and want to work with people that appear organized. Lack of key information is a sure sign that you are not serious about planning your wedding and moving forward.

A good idea is to set-up an email account that is dedicated just to receiving all the correspondence from vendors for your wedding. That way, you just simply delete the address and don't have to worry about  your personal inbox filling up with information that you no longer need after your wedding (because you're married now! Yippee!).  Be careful about the Internet provider you decide to use to set up this account. Make sure that it can receive emails from businesses that have word documents or photos attached. I've had problems with emails sent to Hotmail accounts bouncing  back when I was trying to send the requested information.

If you're using www.getmarried.com or www.theknot.com or any other online resource for your search, it is especially important that you double check how you've entered your contact information. A venue has no way of figuring out what is wrong with an email address that you provide or an incorrect phone number. One wrong number or letter means that you are not going to get the information that you are looking for! Be careful!
 
Make your inquiry conversational and not stiff. Otherwise, you sound like you're the venue's competition shopping their prices! Ever read Trip Advisor and wonder who really wrote that review? It goes without saying that you should be polite.

And, I am going to go even further and say that the person that is responding from the venue should be friendly, warm and polite. I cannot tell you how many times I heard "You're so nice!" or "You're the only one that returned my call" (I love talking to brides on the phone!). If you get a rude response or a bad vibe from someone that is representing a venue...run. Run very fast! It will not get any better from there for you. Ditto if you've provided good, accurate, complete information and the venue does not respond to you. The venue is either disorganized, overwhelmed or doing bad business and you don't need to have your wedding tied up with any of that.

Now you've got the inside track on making your inquiry one that will get respect and a response! 

*****

 Aimee Hardenbergh is the owner of True Wedding Events and is the Washington, DC and Virginia exclusive Wedding Scene Specialist.  Contact Aimee at info@trueweddingevents.com today for your complimentary wedding planning or venue consultation or visit www.trueweddingevents.com for more information on her services.

 

August Splendor

Lele and James were married in Hollin Hall's walled garden on August 20.  The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered through opposite gates, met in the center aisle and walked together to the bridal altar. 

The Meeting House Chapel was beautifully decorated in deep pink and white for the dinner reception. 

Photos by Nina Tisara/Hollin Hall & The Meeting House

How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer

How To Select Your Wedding Photographer

Photographs are an important way to help you remember the moments and share the memories of your wedding.  For many folks, the day goes by in a blur and the photographs become how they remember the day.

According to Steven Halperson at Tisara Photography in Old Town, Alexandria, choosing the best photographer for your wedding can seem daunting. You may be tempted to ask a friend or relative to photograph your wedding. If so, remember that the person will be working and less likely to enjoy the event. But most importantly, your friend may not have the experience or equipment to capture those special moments. If your photographer is part time, how available is he to take your calls or meet with you.

Professional photographers often shoot in “raw” format which has many of the benefits of working with negatives from film days. Raw files can be manipulated without losing sharpness. JPEGs on the other hand become noticeably less sharp after a number of openings.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a photographer; talent, style, price, and personality.

Talent and Qualifications – Yes, new photographers can do good work. (Professional photographers were once new and inexperienced too.) But nothing beats experience. Examine the photographer's work. Chances are your wedding photography won't be better than what you see in the display albums or on the website. Read testimonials. Check references. You want your photographer to be in business when it's time to deliver the product!

There are many styles -- traditional, journalistic, candid, formal. Some photographers offer only one type. The best can offer all and will incorporate your preferences into your wedding day coverage.

How much should you expect to pay? You can spend from $500 to $10,000 or more on wedding photography. The norm is to spend about 10% of your entire wedding budget on still photography. Many photographers have packages that include everything from the coverage to albums and prints. Some have a la carte pricing that enables you to select just what you want. If you are on a tight budget this might be the best way to go.

Consider how many hours you want the photographer to be with you (from getting ready to the last good-bye? or for only the ceremony and formals), how many photographers (two can give you wider coverage), as well as what you will receive. Will you receive proof prints, thumbnails or a CD with hundreds or thousands of images for you to review on your own? Will the photographer help you select the best? Will you be able to purchase high resolution digital images or receive an edited CD? If you get a CD remember that digital files don't enjoy the longevity of film. To be safe, CD's should be copied every 5-7 years . Also, technology changes so quickly, equipment may not be available for future viewing. One can hardly find slide projectors these days. As a safeguard, get good quality prints of your favorite images. Chances are good, prints can always be copied.

About personality -- you’ll want to meet personally with your photographer to see if your personalities match. You'll want someone that who will get along well with you, your family, and friends.

As soon as you decide on a photographer, contact him to reserve the time and write a formal contract. Read the contract thoroughly. Everything you are supposed to receive should be written down along with the price and payment schedule. Be aware of their cancellation policy. Don't pay a deposit until you have read and signed the contract (the photographer should sign the contract also).

Meet with meet with your photographer about two weeks before the wedding to review all the details. Be prepared with a list of “must have” photographs. And then, after the wedding, be prepared to enjoy sharing the memories with your families and friends.

Megan and Sean - A Happy Wedding

Megan and Sean were married in the Walled Garden at Hollin Hall on July 30, 2011.  Their guests enjoyed music by Geoff "Jeff Davis" Peterson and a wonderful dinner by Matters of Taste in the Meeting House chapel.

Photos by Steven Halperson/Tisara Photography