David Jay and Jasmine Star were out in Kansas City a while back to generously share their knowledge and inspire fellow photographers in the Kansas City area. We had the privilege of documenting the event and put together a short promo piece for it. They are two of the kindest people and truly have a passion for what they do and empowering others to do the same. It was a great time and it was great to be able to meet and catch up with other photographers in the Kansas City area.
It is my personal ambition to never stop learning and the topics and subject matter that DJ and Jasmine touched on are universal and inspirational to anyone who listens. Even though I was technically working during the event, I still got a lot out of it and was glad that I was fortunate enough to be a part of it.
Thank you, DJ and Jasmine for sharing your hearts, passion, and experiences! Definitely gave us a lot to think about!
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The MOST FANTASTICAL, BADDEST, AWESOMEST photographers (inside joke for those who were at the seminar), David Jay and Jasmine Star, were in Kansas City for a stop on their Free to Succeed Tour.
Anyways, while she was in Kansas City and before she found out who the real culprit was, she had some ideas as to who was behind this heinous crime committed against her. (After all, she has to defend her brand, right?) At this point in time, she thought it was DJ out to spite her.
I know, I know, the PWGBridal Show was just 2 weeks ago… Another bridal show?
I had mentioned that being a part of a bridal show is a great networking opportunity… and that is how I met Dave Lamaster, Director of Sales & Marketing at Staley Farms Golf Club. If you’ve never met Dave, you’ll instantly love his friendly personality and over-the-top “Helllllllllooooooooo!” It will put a smile on your face every time. If you ever need a boost, just give him a call and listen to his voicemail message ;)
So what’s a golf club and bridal shows have to do with each other? And why is Dave at a bridal show instead of out playing golf? Hear from Dave Lamaster himself…
That clip was from the bridal show 2 weeks ago but it was also the case yesterday. He could have been out playing golf but instead he’d rather be hosting a bridal show ;)
Staley Farms Golf Club is not only a country club but it’s a great place to hold events like weddings or receptions… and the food is fantastic! They had a layout of food and everything was so tasty!
Not only is Dave super-friendly but he is also very professional and flexible. We had some last minute changes with our table and Dave was so helpful and supportive of everything. Having been with Pepsi for numerous years, he knows the ins and outs of client satisfaction and will take very good care of you. If you’re getting married in the northland, take a look at Staley Farms. Once you get a tour of the place and meet Dave, you’ll know you’re in good hands!
The bridal show was great. The thing I really liked about the Staley Farms Bridal Show was that it was a more intimate setting. You get more time to talk to vendors and look at their work and the atmosphere is a much more laid-back and easy-going so everything is less intimidating.
Not to mention again that the networking opportunities as a vendor were phenomenal as well. As a vendor, I was able to develop relationships and get to know some of the other vendors.
Next to our booth was Carolina and Darrell Coleman of Eclektica Salon, located in Briarcliff Village. I was able to spend some time with Darrell and get to know him. We have a lot in common in our business mission, focusing on customer service and bringing our professionalism to a more personal level with clients.
I also asked Carolina her professional opinion of my haircut, since she is a Master Stylist, having studied in Spain and Italy. She was very impressed with my haircut! She said the hair was blended very well with no holes or missed spots. And she really liked how the front was a bit longer and natural looking. The reason why I was so interested in Carolina’s professional opinion was because I actually cut my own hair. I’ve been developing this skill since college to save money and also because of some bad experiences with haircuts. (I figured if my haircut was going to be messed up, I’d feel better knowing that it was me who messed it up instead of letting someone else mess it up ;) After talking with Carolina, I was boasting to my wife, Mary, and telling her that my haircut was approved by a Master Stylist. I felt very accomplished! Thanks, Carolina. And I hope I didn’t make Darrell too jealous at the attention you were giving me ;)
One of the things that I appreciated most about Carolina and Darrell was their prioritizing family-time over business. Being a small business owner, it’s easy to get carried away trying to make your business grow. But at the end of the day, they couldn’t wait to get home so they could spend time with their five-year-old son, Alex.
On the other side of our booth was Caren Bittiker of Caren’s Cakes. It’s always a pleasure to see Caren but yesterday was the first time we really had a chance to hang out with and get to know Caren. If you haven’t tasted one of her creations yet, you’re missing out. I never knew how much time and effort Caren puts into her cakes and had a newfound appreciation for her attention to details. For her daughter’s wedding cake, Caren worked for 2 weeks straight to make over 2,000 white chocolate roses to adorn the cake! Talk about an extravagant expression of a mother’s love! Being next to Caren’s table was a pretty sweet spot, to say the least! LOL
I also got to meet Amber and her husband, Dave, of Solomon’s Porch Productions. They are moving to Lawrence, KS in August from Denver, CO to study film! They flew in to KC after waking up at 3am, had their whole setup as carry-on only and flew back out last night. I couldn’t believe all of their stuff for their presentation fit in a carry-on! Best of luck to you guys and thanks for helping me so that Mary wouldn’t have to carry that big, heavy TV with me!
A vendor that I never really met before was for chair cover rentals. I just happened to walk by their booth and we struck some good conversation. Bill and Regina Calderwood of Best Seat in the House were so friendly and we had a lot to talk about and share. Their work is very professional and chair covers are such a small touch but it makes such a difference to the atmosphere and look of a room. Below is an example of how chair covers bring uniformity to a room’s design.
We met a lot of brides and vendors and look forward to the follow up in the upcoming weeks. It’s awesome how we find favor with people and they just love our work. One of the most common observations people coming by had were the attention to detail and the quality of our presentation. People still think videography is cheesy, obtrusive, and boring to watch so they loved what we had to offer because it was so different and entertaining. The vendors across from us kept looking over at our screen at every free moment and we even had people come over from the other wing and tell us that there was no comparison. It just continues to encourage us when people notice and go out of their way to let us know.
Just wanted to give you a little update before I get caught up with things.
The Perfect Wedding Guide in Kansas City holds the largest bridal show in the Kansas City area.
If you’re looking for vendors for your Kansas City wedding, check out the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal Show. With over 220 vendors in one place, there’s plenty to see… and taste!
Kairos Moment Wedding Films was commissioned by the Perfect Wedding Guide to create this promotional video and we totally ROCKED their expectations! ;)
If you’re a bride, you’ll see a lot and get tons of ideas for your wedding. And for vendors, it’s a fantastic networking opportunity! You get to meet a lot of brides coming to you to learn about your services and you get to meet other vendors, most of whom are super nice! I just moved to KC about 3 years ago and KC is filled with just about the friendliest people :)
Things have been a bit busy around here with the fall wedding season kicking in and we also moved into our first home just a little over a week ago!
Signed…
Sealed…
DELIVERED!
We’re home!
We went in to close on our new home two Thursdays ago, moved in that Saturday, and even managed to sneak in a wedding shoot with the inimitable Heather Cole during our Saturday move-in day! It’s been quite a transition for us and we are getting settled in and loving our new place!
“There’s no place like home… there’s no place like home” ;)
With all the recent press that Trash the Dress has been receiving lately, the news was bound to spread to Kansas City.
Featuring 2 fantastic photographers (Jason Domingues and Heather Cole) and a videographer (guess who? :) all in the Kansas City area who are already offering Trash the Dress sessions, if you are looking for bridal images that look like they could belong in a fashion magazine, give any of us a call. I promise you will have a great time and you will LOVE the images!
After 35 hours of traveling from Christchurch, New Zealand back to good old Kansas City, Mary and I are back safely after an awesome time!
New Zealand is an excellent place to vacation during this time of year, especially after coming back to 90 degree humid weather!
More pictures coming soon!
After almost three weeks of almost no contact with the outside world, there is a lot of catching up to do! A lot has happened while we’ve been gone and a lot more is still happening.
Trashing the Dress is gaining popularity in the Kansas City area as another photographer, Kelley Walker-Chance, most well-known for her Coquettes, has recently done her first TTD session as well, which, as usual, ended up looking amazing!
If you are looking to Trash the Dress in Kansas City, there are some amazing photographers here that will create memories that you will cherish forever. If you really want bridal elegance and beauty, give me a call and we can create a music video with your images and video for a breathtaking and unforgettable experience!
If you can’t stand to watch a beautiful dress get dirty or wet, you have been forewarned.
We’re not about keeping things clean and sterile. We’re about getting images that are remarkable. And getting memorable images is to risk getting a little dirty.
John Rettie, a columnist at Rangefinder magazine, a very well-known magazine among photographers, wrote in the October 2006 issue, about the ever-increasing popularity of videography among young couples getting married.
Here is an excerpt from his column:
…I foresee a shift towards videography and away from still photography in coming years….
Essentially it boils down to customer expectations—what is it they want? Video is growing in popularity. It’s all over the internet, and even newspapers are now shooting video for use on their websites….
Gone are the days of boring, lightly edited documentary-style videos. Instead the leading wedding videographers are producing movie-style stories with dramatic editing and emotional images….
Videography is still more complicated than still photography, partly because sound has to be added to the dimension, and it requires a totally different mindset while shooting. However, as we move forward, young people are more interested in video than stills….
Bottom line—I predict that within 10 years, if not sooner, a majority of brides will hire only a videographer to cover their wedding, or at the very least prioritize spending money on a videographer first, with the still photographer being a secondary consideration.
Like Rettie, most brides don’t realize the movie-style stories that Kairos Moment Wedding Films produces. Your wedding video doesn’t have to be boring or dull. If you want to remember the feeling of your wedding day, if you want to be taken back to the time when you first kissed as husband and wife, if you want to remember the precious and solemn vows you declared to one another as you came before God, think Kairos Moment Wedding Films.
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