VP Blog » Business http://vignettephoto.com/blog The blog of Vignette Photography: Austin, TX based Wedding and Lifestyle Photographers Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:00:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Product Spotlight: Albumshttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/product-spotlight-albums/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/product-spotlight-albums/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:00:44 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=2148 We just received new swatches for album cover options and I just love them! I can’t wait to create new sample albums with these – especially the Green Boa you can see in the photo below.

In case you weren’t aware we offer three types of albums:

Flush Mount, Linear Bound and Perfect Bound

All three come in multiple sizes and with a lot of fun cover options. The base prices for all albums start with 30 sides and the sky is the limit! We’d love to show off our samples as well so you can see just how awesome they are.

If you’ve been a client of ours and still have those wedding photos on a disc, please contact us! We’d love to help create an heirloom album for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/product-spotlight-albums/feed/ 0 What People are Saying…http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/what-people-are-saying/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/what-people-are-saying/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:21 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=2066 We really are blessed to have some pretty fun and amazing clients. It’s a pleasure working with them and even better when the relationship continues long after the wedding is over.

I thought I’d share a lovely thank you note we recently received – handmade by the bride!

If you don’t mind a bit of bragging from us, here are few other things people are saying about Vignette Photography:

“We absolutely loved working with Elizabeth and James! Throughout the entire process, they were very professional, knowledgeable and easy to work with. They are a great and friendly couple. Vignette shot our engagement session and wedding. Our pictures from both look amazing! I would highly recommend them for your special day. Thanks Elizabeth and James!” ~ Meeoak and James

“James and Elizabeth were fantastic! They had never been to our location before but did an incredible job. The photos are great, very artistic. They were a joy to work with.” ~ Laura and Kyle

“Elizabeth and James are wonderful. They care about their clients and are genuinely invested in making sure your event is captured perfectly. I hate having my photo taken, and they made sure I was comfortable with them. We met for dinner, we did an engagement session, we chatted on facebook and by the time my wedding day came around, I didn’t think twice about the photos. They managed to be everywhere and at the same time never in the way. Guests told me how polite they were, and how every time they looked around Elizabeth or James was capturing a perfect moment. Elizabeth is very responsive. I never had trouble getting a hold of them, getting questions answered or just checking in. I know folks have strong feelings about their photographers, and I’m no different, love them!” ~ Lori and Allan

“Elizabeth and James were a perfect match for our wedding photography needs. They are quite the professional team, making sure that the bride and groom have all of the posed, family shots that they would like while ensuring that those special, candid moments will be captured. Additionally, Vignette Photography’s prompt attention to all of my questions truly exhibits their excellence in customer service. I cannot begin to say how please we are Vignette. Thanks so much!” ~ Lisa and Jake

It is so fulfilling for us to not only deliver images that our clients will love but that the service we provide them is just as wonderful. Our goal is to make the photography selection and process of your event an easy process. We want to make it fun too! Being able to get to know you both is very important to us. We feel that will make you more comfortable with us and our cameras in your face and also help us provide images that really capture who you are.

If you’d love to hear more about us and our services, please drop us a line at info at vignettephoto dot com or call us at 512.394.4354. We’d love to hear your story!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/what-people-are-saying/feed/ 1 {Recap} Two Bright Lights in Austinhttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/recap-two-bright-lights-in-austin/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/recap-two-bright-lights-in-austin/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:27:03 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=2037 Last night I had the pleasure of helping out a bit and attending the Two Bright Lights boot camp. It was wonderful to finally meet Siri, co-founder of Two Bright Lights in person. She is very energetic and encouraging. I loved talking with her! Made me anxious to get more weddings uploaded to their service and ASAP!

I arrived early to help April of Paisley Day and Siri get things set up for the attendees. April, being the fab planner she is, was totally prepared with cute little goodie bags and color coordinating cookies and Jones sodas. How awesome are these?

She even included a mini Luna bar in honor of Lara Casey.

Huge thank you to Aloft at the Domain for hosting us in their gorgeous facility.

I went a bit overboard on photos but I couldn’t help it, especially with tasty treats Steve Southern of Southern’s Fine Dining brought for us.

Pecan wood smoked brisket slider complete with caramelized onions, Maytag blue cheese and a Dr. Pepper glaze. Yes, they tasted as amazing as they sound.

Cast iron seared sea scallop shooter over jalapeno spoon bread served with roasted corn chow-chow.

Lobster shooter with red curry coconut sauce.

I only ate one of these but seriously could have eaten at least 6. Mexican cheesecake bites with bourbon sauce. Divine.

Meet Chef Southern.

Ok, back to the boot camp! Wedding vendors- coordinators, venues, florists, caterers, photographers – you MUST sign up! What impressed me the most:

  • Photographers and their images are really protected.
  • We can share images from events with other vendors with ease – no more burning multiple discs and the time that involves.
  • Create inspiration boards or slide shows easily for your blog or clients.
  • Submit real weddings to their huge editorial list.

We ended the night with drinks in the Aloft’s w xyz bar. Golf tea anyone?

I really can’t say enough about Two Bright Lights and how amazing they are. I know they will streamline some of my work flow and give me the opportunity to easily submit to blogs and magazines. That exposure as a business owner is huge!

Thank you again to Siri, April, Steve and Kathryn at Aloft for a wonderful night.

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/recap-two-bright-lights-in-austin/feed/ 2 Two Bright Lightshttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/two-bright-lights/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/two-bright-lights/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:00:08 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=2014 This post is a bit more for wedding professionals in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and any surrounding cities. Photographers, planners, venues – any wedding pro! You do not want to miss out on this opportunity. Two Bright Lights has been traveling around the U.S. spreading the word about their amazing service and hosting boot camps so we can learn the ropes. This Wednesday, June 23rd, they will be here in Austin!

I was very excited to learn about Two Bright Lights a few months ago and immediately asked they bring their boot camp to Austin. It was only last week though that I decided to get in and play around. I uploaded a wedding and wow! Couldn’t be easier! There are so many amazing features. I am looking forward to learning much more this week at the boot camp.

Click on the image above to access the invite and get your FREE ticket to the boot camp! If you plan on attending, leave a comment. I hope to see you there.

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/two-bright-lights/feed/ 0 Milestoneshttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/milestones/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/milestones/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 14:00:50 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1920 Before May disappears I wanted to do a special post about Vignette Photography turning 2! That’s right, this month marks our two year anniversary in the wedding world. May 2008 seems decades away and I can still see us in our apartment brainstorming the business, ideas, the website, the blog. We shot our first wedding together that year in November for our dear friends Amy and Rodney.

We also saw quite a bit of this cutie that first year.

It’s a bit strange going back and reading old posts. Things have changed a bit since then. You may not know that VP started out as James’ baby. He had the wedding experience, understood a digital camera and has an incredible portfolio of studio work. I came from a film background, swore I’d never shoot digital (or Canon for that matter!) and only had a couple weddings under my belt along with family and child sessions. We were going to build the business together and the plan was to hopefully transition James into the business full time. I was going to be a second shooter and office manager. Funny how things change. I have always loved weddings and knew that one way or another my career would pertain to them. The plan was something event coordinator related. As we grew the business my obsession for weddings grew and James’ love for web development grew. Haha, that sounds funny. Don’t worry, we still adore each other but our career paths over the last two years have changed a bit. Vignette is now my baby and this 2 year anniversary marks my launch into wedding photography full time. Yep, that’s right, last week was my first full week at my new job. It’s scary but awesome all at the same time. James is still a part of Vignette but 90% of it is me. You’ll still see him occasionally assisting with sessions and being the best 2nd shooter at weddings a girl could ask for. I know I wouldn’t be here doing this if it weren’t for him.

When 2010 began I had a strange sense that this would be the year of change. I’ve followed Lara Casey since early 2009 on Twitter and she is one amazing woman. She’s inspired, encouraged and challenged me and probably doesn’t even know it. When she announced the first Making Things Happen workshop I wanted to be there (especially since it was in Watercolor, FL!) but it wasn’t doable at the time. I knew this workshop was going to be monumental. Then the Dallas workshop was announced and I wanted to be there but had a wedding to shoot. I still haven’t attended a workshop but I follow quite a few of the alumni on Twitter and between them and Lara Casey, the MTH bug had bit me! This was the year I was going to make things happen!

I started out by attending The Simple Plan in February. I wanted to get a better handle on the business and get that plan written! It was an amazing two days and Michelle and Kelly are awesome. We also had the pleasure of hearing Blair from June Bug Weddings and Shannon, the CEO of Texas Wedding Guide. I learned so much and left with a brain on the brink of overload. Whether new to the business or a veteran, I can’t recommend Sage Wedding Pros enough.You can visit Catie’s blog for a workshop recap and some eye candy.

Next up was the Get Real Sales workshop. Saundra Hadley is incredible and knows her sales stuff. Well, I wanted to know her sales stuff and improve my technique. Then in April I attended Eventology. Um, wow. What an experience. I even got to meet Lara! Please excuse the iPhone pic.

Attending Eventology (click here, here and here for some fun recaps) was life changing in the sense that it got me thinking seriously about what I do and the possibility of doing it full time. Being around so many other creative, fired up individuals was addicting and inspiring. By the time we got home, unpacked and then packed again for Chicago, I was pretty sure I was ready to take the leap.

May 21st was my last day as someone else employee. I am now the boss and a full time photographer. Who would have thought?

This post has gotten a bit out of hand but there you have it. I love what I do and that I have the opportunity to pursue it. I am excited about the rest of 2010 and how it’ll unfold for us and the business. I admit to being nervous but I am believing and trusting for great things.

Here’s to 2 years and making things happen in the years to come!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/milestones/feed/ 0 {GET REAL} Sales : Saundra Hadleyhttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/get-real-sales-saundra-hadley/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/get-real-sales-saundra-hadley/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:00:11 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1595 As part of improving our business and skills as business owners, I think it’s so important to always keep learning. This year has been and is a year of learning for us. I am so excited about where Vignette Photography is headed and I know that only by improving ourselves and always growing, our business will too. Not only will it improve us, it will improve our client’s experiences when they interact with us. That is big for me.

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to meet a few Twitter friends (finally!) and attend Saundra Hadley’s {GET REAL} Sales Workshop. I am so glad she made a stop in Austin on her Texas tour.

If you haven’t heard of Saundra yet, go to her blog, follow her on Twitter. She is fantastic and a wealth of real, applicable knowledge when it comes to sales. And when I mean real, I mean real. She doesn’t candy coat things as you can tell….Here she is talking about one of the top 5 sales mistakes people make…talking to much during a consult.

Two other sales mistakes…

This is just a small sampling of what you’ll take away from her workshop. We covered other things like facing the fear, tracking your sales cycle and overcoming objections. It was a great day of learning and collaboration and I really appreciate Saundra sharing her experience with us.

Thank you as well to Jennifer Jasiczek of A Regal Affair for hosting Saundra on her tour. You gals are a lot of fun!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/get-real-sales-saundra-hadley/feed/ 0 Weddings Unveiled Recaphttp://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-recap/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-recap/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:37:41 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1569 Thank you to all the wonderful brides (and grooms and bridesmaids) that stopped by our table last night at the show. It was a pleasure talking with each of you and hearing about your wedding.

We had planned on setting up the Photo Booth as promised but there was just enough of a breeze last night that it didn’t quite work out. Maybe next time!

Just a reminder to all the WU guests- if you signed up with us, you are eligible for a complimentary Photo Booth (a $500 value) if you book with us. Give us a call or send an email to get more information about that!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-recap/feed/ 0 Weddings Unveiled and PHOTO BOOTH!http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-and-photo-booth/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-and-photo-booth/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:59:21 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1561 I am so excited about the show this Wednesday at the Allan House! Beginning at 6pm on March 3 you can stop by, meet some amazing vendors (James and I included) and check out our new Photo Booth! We’ll have it set up for the show to show it off and have some fun in the process. Come get your picture taken! We’ll have the photos available for everyone to download by March 6.

We are also offering a complimentary Photo Booth ($500 value) to show attendees that book their wedding with us. Good on wedding coverage of 6 hours or more. Just be sure to leave your contact information with us to be eligible.

Here is some additional information about the show:

  • March 3, 6-8pm
  • Admittance is $5 (tickets online) or $10 at the door.
  • The unveiling of the Weddings Unveiled Bridal Lounge where brides can look through vendor portfolios in a lounge-like setting.
  • Free gifts and special offers inside the swag bags including a special treat from Embellish Nail Salon.
  • Raffles held every thirty minutes.
  • Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.

We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-and-photo-booth/feed/ 0 Photo Booth Launch!http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/photo-booth-launch/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/photo-booth-launch/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:49:05 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1403 We are very excited to announce that starting now, our clients will be able to add on a Photo Booth to their wedding day coverage. Even if you are currently booked with us you can still take advantage of this service.

What the Photo Booth includes {$500 + tax} for any length reception:

  • Reception set up and all the props (at least a 10×10 area is needed)
  • Gallery cards with information on how to view the photos
  • A live gallery within a week of the wedding
  • Images that you and your guests can download, keep and print or order directly from us

We think this will make a fun addition to any reception! If you are interested or have more questions just send us an email – info at vignettephoto dot com.

If you were at the Weddings Unveiled show last night, you know we were giving this away for free with any 6 or more hours of wedding coverage. You needed to leave your email with us to be eligible. If you missed out, come see us at the next show we’ll be doing on March 3 at The Allan House.

Here are a few examples of Photo Booth images. Keep in mind, we can customize this a bit for a clients- B&W or color, etc. For now we only offer a smooth white backdrop but may have different options in the future.

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/photo-booth-launch/feed/ 2 Weddings Unveiled – January 13http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-january-13/ http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-january-13/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:28:28 +0000 elizabeth http://vignettephoto.com/blog/?p=1517 The next Weddings Unveiled is tomorrow evening at Zach Scott! Don’t miss out if you’d like to visit with some stellar vendors in a relaxed setting. There will be raffles, food and drink.

January 13, 6-8pm

Visit the Weddings Unveiled site to learn how to get free tickets and additional information on the location. $5 at the door.

Stop by and say hello to James and I. We’ll be showing off sample albums and images from our newest service addition- our Photo Booth!

We won’t be a part of the raffle but will have the following “Show Specials”:

- Book with us at the show ($100 holds your date!) or schedule a follow up appointment to book with us and receive a free Photo Booth set up during your reception. Good on 6+ hours of wedding coverage. $500 value!

- Getting married in February or March? We still have open dates! Book and receive $100 off your final total.

We’ll have more information about these Show Specials at our booth – just ask!

We look forward to meeting you!

]]> http://vignettephoto.com/blog/posts/weddings-unveiled-january-13/feed/ 0