Babies All Around!

Baby Shower:

Baby Announcement:

I believe it's finally springtime!!

Warmly,

Emily

Some previews!

The spring wedding preparations are in full force, and I've had the opportunity to put together some awesome invitations! Of course, I cannot show them in full until after the events take place.

But for now ... a preview!

In addition, some past opportunities:

Jordan and Nick got married:

 

Jennifer has a shower:

Mary has a baby:

Beth and Jason got married:

Laura is having a baby girl:

There we are! Stayed tuned to see what's up next!

Warmly,

Emily

On Finding a Photographer

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times, "We don't really care about the photographer. All we know is we're not going to spend $5,000 on some guy to come out and click a camera for ONE day." I feel I can write this blog entry on an unbiased level because I am not a photographer. I just have a lot of friends who have been very disappointed in the results of the person they hired on a budget to capture one of the most beautiful days of their lives.

Wedding photography is ridiculously complicated. The shooter has to be:

1. sentimental

2. a fashion photographer

3. a lighting expert

4. an event photographer, and most importantly (in my opinion)

5. a photojournalist -- so you are captured in real time, living your favorite moments.

When you hire a photographer, you are actually hiring the person who will give you the ONLY remaining evidence of your wedding day. The cake will be eaten, the flowers thrown away, the guests will return home. But the pictures remain. If you find yourself with an album full of under/over exposed images and no depth or emotion, you will be incredibly disappointed. Even if it's something you never really thought you cared about.

Why are they so "expensive?" Just look at their equipment! The cameras, along with the lenses cost thousands of dollars. If they bring their own lighting equipment, that's thousands more. Also, a lot of wedding photographers run the business as their full-time job. They need health care for themselves and their families. Something else to consider -- you probably want your photographer insured, in case grandma trips over a lighting wire, breaks her hip, and ends up suing for hospital bills. The software used after the pictures are taken for correction and album building (Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom, etc...) can run thousands more. AND if there is a second shooter, that person needs to be paid for their time as well. These expenses add up. You may only see your photographer for seven hours on your actual wedding day, but the time they spend before that, scoping out your venue for the best light and then again in post production making sure your blemishes are gone and your arms don't look fat is money, too.

These people are dedicated and SO worth the extra thousand or so. Even if it means only putting flower arrangements on the first 6 pews instead of the whole church, or making your centerpieces lower to the table and not so enormous to where only Shaq can get the full effect.

Just because Uncle Jim has a camera that looks professional doesn't mean he even kind of knows how to work it, how to see the moments, and how to edit them to anything beyond what everyone in the congregation is capturing with their point-and-shoots.

After checking out these amazing photogs, who dedicate their lives to the craft,

you'll know what I mean. 

Chip Litherland at www.elevenweddings.com

Michael Connor at www.connorstudios.com

Melanie Mauer at www.melaniemauer.com

The Kaisers at www.theimageisfound.com

Armin DeFiesta at www.armindefiesta.com

 They all travel, and they're all SO worth it!

Happy Planning!

Warmly,

Emily

Happy First Birthday, Happy Jack!!

Welcome to almost February!

This weekend was spent hanging out with my good friends, Michael and Nicole, and their precious kiddos Grace (2 1/2) and Jack who just turned 1!! Such delightful babies, and I love when their birthdays come around because it means I get to make something fun for them! Their house is just full of Auntie Em pizazz. Check it out!

I have never seen a child born with more hair, so here is Grace's 1st birthday gift:

 

And then along came baby Jack:

 

Followed by Gracie turning two:

And then Jack turning ONE!

So much fun! Some of these items are listed on my Etsy site here: Embellished on Etsy

I leave you with these fun, bright bridal shower invites!

Have a great week!

Warmly,

Emily

Where is Summer?

If it weren't for my little pooch, I'd probably be hibernating right now! Unfortunately Thankfully he requires frequent walks which forces me to get out of the house and away from my projects for at least a few minutes at a time.

What I'm working on...

Well, for starters, I've opened an Etsy account. It's a work in progress, but it's there and will continually be growing. Check it out! Embellished on Etsy

I have so many works-in-progress at the moment but cannot post them just yet. Jack's first birthday is coming up next week, so his Auntie Em has made him quite the gift. Also, Samantha is about to become a big sister, so I've been busy adding a few fun touches to the new baby's nursery. I will of course post the final look once it's finished. Stay tuned for the Hawaiian wedding scroll invitations. And the whimsical yellow-and-black ones. And the regal purple and gold sunflower ones. And the ...

Well, just stay tuned!!

Warmly,

Emily

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my home to yours! Our Christmas card this year:

FRONT:

 

INSIDE:

 

 BACK:

Here it is! The back of princess Grace's dollhouse painted by her Auntie Em. Photographed by her dad over at www.connorstudios.com.

I have been keeping busy. The Christmas decor came down this past weekend. For some reason, I feel that the faster I take down the decorations, the sooner spring will arrive. So I am very patiently waiting on those daffodils to make an appearance!

This sweet bride is getting married in Hawaii (lucky girl!) And we will be doing scroll invites that ship in a gold mailing tube. But for now, here are her airplane ticket save-the-dates! Cute, huh?

Stay tuned! Spring 2011 wedding season is upon us!

It's FREEZING!!

I know, I know. It's December, and I should expect the weather to be less than desirable but REALLY. It's cold out there! Which only means one thing -- more time to Embellish! Thankfully my brain hasn't frozen, and I am doing some major projects. I have three weddings in May, so I have produced the save-the-dates for those and am working on the invitations now:

Rachel and Wes: Aren't they adorable?!

 

Friends continue to have babies. It really does seem like every time someone calls me, it's to announce a pregnancy or engagement. Such happy times.

New baby Blakely: Beautiful boy

 90th birthday celebration: Congrats!

This past weekend, the mama of this sweet girl asked me to come over and help her out with a major problem. They bought a dollhouse for Grace for Christmas, but the back of it is so bland and boring!! ENTER EMILY! I painted their little family and a tree and some clouds and birds on the back to jazz it up a bit. I'm still waiting on pix from that, but cannot WAIT to upload them when they come in.

Grace playing with my Yoshi:

The holiday decorations in our house are full-force, and I cannot wait to move into a bigger home so I can decorate stair banisters and mantel pieces.

My Christmas will be spent in sunny Tampa this year, but I will be accessible by phone and email throughout the entire holiday season, so feel free to contact me as you please!

Warmly,

Emily