MEET JULIE OF JULIE SAAD PHOTOGRAPHY

Today I'm introducing you to a lovely Brooklyn-based photographer who was named one of the top five wedding photographers in Dubai by Emirates Bride Magazine.

She has traveled around the world photographing weddings, has a background in theatre and film, and is so super cool and sweet that you'll love hanging out with her all day at your wedding.

And, she's currently hosting a contest to win a free makeover and boudoir session - what a great gift for your future groom! Enter here before the end of May: http://juliesaadphotography.com/blog/2014/4/30/enter-to-win-a-free-boudoir-session

Meet Julie Saad of Julie Saad Photography...

Q. How did you get into wedding photography?
A. In 2007, I was working as a fashion, portrait, and event photographer, when my then boyfriend asked me to fly to Dubai to document his brother's wedding. I had never even considered photographing weddings, but I realized that I had the necessary training in other types of photography, so if I could stitch them all together, I could photograph a wedding successfully. I spent the next few months poring over books, magazines, and websites about wedding photography, soaking in as much knowledge as I could about the special considerations for photographing such momentous occasions. I condensed everything down into a one page "cheat sheet" of things I needed to remember to provide the best photos I could, and spent the 13 hour plane ride from America to the Middle East memorizing that and imagining the wedding in my head. 
 
I was expecting to photograph the day and go back to my previous areas of photographic expertise. The getting ready was so much fun; the ceremony was moving; and the party was jubilant, including lively dancing and cutting the cake with a giant sword as per Arabic tradition (grooms tend to love this part because they get to play with weapons). When it was all over I left, cameras slung across my back, to go to sleep, thinking to myself, "well that was a cool experience. I'm glad I did that this one time." It wasn't until the next day when I would realize that wedding photography was going to be more than a one-time thing.

As I sat at the computer, looking at the photos I had just copied over from the camera's memory cards, I couldn't believe how much I loved every single image. I moved through the collection of images slowly, not wanting to reach the end. I soon realized that my face was in an enormous amount of pain, from excessive smiling! At that point, I was pretty sure I would like to photograph at least one more wedding, however when I later gave the couple their images, I knew for sure I had found something I loved. It was magical to watch them relive their wedding day and see things they hadn't even noticed. I didn't sleep at all that night; I was just too excited about my new-found passion. 

Q. How would you describe your photography style?
A. My photographic style is happy, romantic, and artful. I look for real emotion and heightened beauty. I draw on two of my biggest interests: cinema and fashion. I want to tell the story in a masterful way, and help everyone look their best at the same time. I'm often asked what genre I consider myself. A lot of photographers call themselves photojournalists, and while I do draw from and have training in this method of photography, I consider my style to be more fine art and editorial. As I move through getting ready, ceremony, and reception, I seek to be a fly on the wall the way a photojournalist would, but I am also injecting my own emotions into the imagery. I am adding my own sense of wonder and beauty and layering that on top of the work, to create a look that is all my own, but heavily influenced by my prior conversations with the couple, in which I determine their tastes and learn more about their unique story. During portrait sessions, I blend a variety of styles together, seeking to craft images that are aesthetically superior while also being laced heavily with emotion and romance. 

 

Q. Who is your ideal client?

A. My ideal client is any couple that values the craft of photographic storytelling.

Q. Where in the world is your favorite place to photograph? 

A. That is a difficult one to answer! I have photographed weddings extensively in the U.S., India, The United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, and Mexico. I'm going to have to cheat on this answer a bit and say that wherever I photographed last is my favorite place, as those are the photos I'll be enjoying working on at any given time. So, by that logic, my current favorite place would be Mersea Island in the U.K., as today I have been photographing my husband, his sister, their parents, and our adorable little niece Molly, who got a real kick out of learning to use a Hasselblad medium format camera loaded with Polaroid film. Also the sun sets so late here at this time of year, so you get this amazing early evening light that makes everything look like a still from a nostalgic movie. 

Q. What is your favorite part of the job?

A. I love working with my wedding couples and seeing them through newly engaged to newly wed. My favorite part is presenting my clients with a slideshow of their images, and watching this together. I hold a belief that an image doesn't truly become art until it is shown to someone else.

Q. What tips/advice would you give to couples as they are searching for a wedding photographer?

A. Look at lots of wedding photographer's websites, and when you see ones you like, try to figure out why. This will help you make your choices. For example, a lot of my brides and grooms come to me because of my strong work with candids and in low light situations. They know that they will get excellent portraiture and detail shots with me as well, but I seem to have a knack for capturing hearty laughs, slick dance moves, and stolen glances. If you're working with a planner, you are lucky in that you will have a pre-screened group of photographers from which to choose. Find someone whose work you love, then make sure to meet them or at least do a video conference call to confirm that you like the photographer as a person. It's important to find someone who's cheerful and relaxed. If you feel like you'd invite this person to a party, that's a good sign.

Q. What do you do when you're not taking pictures?
A. Editing pictures. Ok, kidding, I do have a life outside photography. I love going to see films and the occasional play. I play a little guitar and hopefully soon the accordion as well (so far I can only do half of the theme from Amélie on it though). My husband, Sam, and I are training for the New York City Marathon, and also do the occasional bicycle tour. We once rode our bikes all the way down the coast of California and then across the Southwest into Texas. I do volunteer work when I can, and would someday like to open a photography camp for underprivileged kids. I also love reading fashion magazines, walking around New York, and people watching.

Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. Hmm, if you're reading this and happen to be engaged, congratulations! I wanted to be a bride so much that I proposed to my husband myself, who fortunately said yes. Weddings are so much fun, but the best part comes afterwards, when you wake up the day after saying your vows and realize that for the rest of your life, you will have a partner with whom to share your life.

 

To see more of what Julie has to offer and to book her for your wedding, check out her site or send an email to julie@juliesaad.com. Don't forget to like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter and Pinterest. And, of course, enter for a chance to win her boudoir contest!

If you missed our previous vendor interviews, you check them out here, here, and here.


 

MEET CHUCK BRAMAN OF NEW YORK JAZZ EVENTS

Today, I am thrilled to introduce you to an extremely talented musician-drummer-bandleader, who also has a background in jazz as an editor, critic, speaker, teacher, theorist, and author. WOW. 

We first worked together at a wedding last June where he and a few of his fellow musicians played for the cocktail hour at a wedding I planned/designed. They were amazing - not only in terms of their music, but also in the way they presented themselves - such a pleasure to work with during the planning process, friendly as could be in person, and flawless in their musical execution. If you're looking for a jazz band for your wedding or other event, look no further.

Meet Chuck Braman of New York City Jazz Events...
 
Q. When did you form New York Jazz Events and what led you to start?
A. New York Jazz Events was formed in 2011 based on what I perceived as a unique need of the marketplace that I was in a good position to provide: a sort of one-stop shopping for event planners and brides, to be able to locate real, quality New York City jazz bands that are also experienced at performing for private events at a high professional level.

Q. What types of events do you typically perform at?
A. We typically perform at corporate events, weddings, private parties, concerts, and in restaurants and night clubs around New York City.

Q. What makes you different than a typical wedding band?
A. A wedding band by definition needs to be many things to many people, whereas I provide a niche service to a niche market. We are real, working New York City jazz musicians who happen to play weddings, rather than wedding musicians who happen to play jazz. We provide a very high level of sophistication and elegance which fits certain weddings very well, and our music can be combined with the music of a DJ for those clients who need all the stylistic bases covered.

Q. How many bands make up New York Jazz Events? How does someone decide between them?
A. I have several different groups, either built around a particular lead instrument, such as piano,  vibraphone, guitar, or saxophone, or around particular individuals, such as the vocalists I work with. Each of these groups has worked together on a regular basis for many years. In addition to these, I’m able to mix and match my sidemen into additional groups if the client is seeking a different instrumentation other than what we already offer.

To decide between them, my website has videos of each of the groups that are categorized according to instrumentation and size, so our clients can both see and hear the various options. I’m also quite happy to help guide clients to a decision based on their preferences and my knowledge and experience.



Q. What areas do you service? Just New York?
A. One client who was a guest at a wedding in New York liked us enough to to fly the entire band out for his own wedding in Los Angeles! In general, though, we perform within the Tri-State area.

 
Q. What is your favorite part of the job?
A. Playing! I'm a musician first and foremost, so my passion for this field derives from the music that we create. That said, however, it's a wonderful feeling when our clients tell us how much they loved our music, how many positive comments they received from their guests, and that we made a special occasion even more memorable.


Q. What tips/advice would you give to couples who are considering a jazz band for their wedding?
A. Do it! We live in an age of recorded music, but there is nothing that can substitute for the experience of seeing great artists creating great music before your eyes, which is exactly what jazz musicians do. In addition, live jazz is synonymous with elegance and sophistication and the greatest jazz musicians in the world are concentrated in New York City. The trick is to find the subset of those who care about and can fulfill the special needs of a wedding or private event. Once you’ve located a band you like and can trust, you need to decide whether to use them for the entire event, or combine them with a DJ. Either scenario can work very well depending on your preferences.

Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. I can honestly say you are one of the nicest and most professional event planners I’ve ever worked with. Thanks a lot for the opportunity to present my music to your readers, I hope we have the opportunity to work together many more times!

Awww, shucks! Well, I think you guys are pretty great too and I know that we'll get to work together again - I wouldn't have it any other way!

To see more of what New York Jazz Events has to offer and to book them for your event, check out their site or call 212-989-5281. Don't forget to like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and watch them on YouTube too!

If you missed our previous vendor interviews, you check them out here and here.

MEET KELLER GLASS OF CADDYWHOMPUS PRODUCTIONS

 

 
We're back with our monthly vendor interview series and I'm stoked to introduce you to a talented cinematographer, who will bring your wedding to life with his fresh, modern, and thoughtful approach to film. He has an impressive background in audio engineering, online marketing, and the entertainment business, and his enormous passion for what he does is obvious through his work. See for yourself.

Meet Keller Glass of Caddywhompus Productions...

Q. How did you come up with the name?
A. I’ve always had a fondness for wordplay and for strange/old-timey words. “Caddywhompus” comes from the Latin word for four and is etymologically very closely related to “caddy-cornered.” It means slightly off-kilter or askew, and is usually used in a slightly comical sense. It is one of those words that I love in that it describes a fairly complex idea in a succinct and playful way. My former business partner and I used the word as a group name for a project when we were still in school and it lasted several iterations of our collaboration until he left to work for Apple. I kept the name as I started getting freelance videography work and the rest, as they say, is history.

Q. How would you describe your filming style?
A. My style is to use the medium to tell stories. I try to keep the aesthetic modern without getting too hung up on the latest fads, and in general I try to deliver clean, uncluttered edits that tell the couple’s story and match their emotional intensity.

Q. Why weddings?

A. Weddings are a film-maker’s dream. Beautiful stories are unfolding in real-time with extremely emotional moments and many people coming together to celebrate two people that they love. I could not have written some of the moments I’ve captured at weddings; each one is unique and most are breathtakingly beautiful. In many ways, I think modern weddings and the moving picture medium were tailor-made for each other.

Q. What services do you offer?

A. The typical deliverable is a simple 60-minute edit of the entire ceremony and speeches, a 15 to 25-minute cinematic edit of the full day, and a 2-minute teaser for online. We can deliver the two long-form edits on custom DVDs and we use footage from the videos to create a slick design for the cover jacket.

We also shoot engagement and honeymoon shoots as well.

Q. What makes you different/better than the competition?

A. I shoot with a three-person crew instead of the typical two-person, and it makes a huge difference in the quality or our footage. The third crew-member is responsible for capturing audio, communicating with the planner, keeping track of the schedule, etc. which frees the two camera operators to do what they are supposed to be doing: capturing moments. You can certainly shoot a wedding with two or even one camera operator, but I’ve found that the third crew member makes a demonstrable difference in the depth and quality of the captured moments and I think that this work-flow difference sets us apart from most other cinematographers.

Q. Who is your ideal client?

A. It may sound a little strange, but my favorite clients are couples who think they’re not photogenic or who don’t think their stories or very interesting, because they are always surprised by how compelling they are on film and how beautiful their stories are when set against the backdrop of their wedding day. I think a lot of couples get so wrapped up in the nuts and bolts of putting on The Wedding that they forget that the whole day is about bringing loved ones together to celebrate their new lives together and, in many ways, to reinforce the bonds of family and friendship.  

Q. What tips/advice would you give to engaged couples who are thinking about video for their wedding? 

A. A good trick is to give the videographer photographs of family members and friends that you would like to include in the final edit.  It can be quite difficult for videographers to tell who the VIPs are during a wedding, particularly those who are not in the wedding party, and studying a few photographs ahead of time makes it much easier to know who they should focus their eye on.

Also, and this may sound overly practical, but make sure that you have worked out the details in advance. Who exactly will be shooting the day of the wedding? What is the due date for the film? Can you request changes to the final edit?  How many? What is the dress code for the videographers? The sooner you get these details nailed down, the less stressful the entire experience will be.

THANK YOU, Keller for letting us get to know you a bit better - keep on telling those beautiful love stories through your camera lens and we'll keep watching!

To book Keller and his team for your wedding today, check out the different package options they offer, and then fill out their online form. Their films are so much more than wedding videos - don't miss out on a moving memory that will last forever.

If you missed last month's interview, check it out here.

 

MEET KATHY GLASS OF SASSAFRAS VINTAGE RENTALS

 

I am extra super excited today because this marks the beginning of our monthly vendor interview series, where I hand-pick wedding vendors who I either have worked with and love, or who I would love to work with, and I ask them questions about their companies and their lives, in order to give all of you a glimpse into their worlds. And more importantly, to give you a bit more information than you can find online, so that your wedding vendor search is just a little bit easier, and a little bit more personal.

I am so overjoyed to announce that our very first interview is with the sweet and sassy gal behind the coolest vintage rental company out there. I could have snuggled up on one of her plush pin tucked couches and chatted with her all day. 

Meet Kathy Glass of Sassafras Vintage Rentals...

Q. How did you get started in the vintage rental business?
A. Collecting vintage and antiques has been a passion of mine for years and I've always had a love and appreciation of the eras of my grandparents, their parents and so on. After my husband and I incorporated vintage and family heirloom pieces into our own wedding, we decided to start a business doing just that, in the hopes that Sassafras would be an opportunity to fuel my passion and a means to offer the same services to brides throughout Connecticut and New England. I just love that vintage and antiques offer an alternative to one-time-only wedding decor purchases; they are timeless, meaningful and reusable.

Q. Where do you find your pieces?
A. We find our pieces all over and from many different sources; variety is the key to finding unique treasures! We frequent tag and estate sales, flea markets, antique shops, consignment shops, and believe it or not, Craigslist, which has proven to be an absolute goldmine at times. Many of our pieces have come from our own unique collection too, which really helps to add a personal touch to everything we do.

Q. What is your favorite piece at the moment? 

A. My favorite piece from our collection is our evergreen velvet settee. She came from a Victorian mansion in Holyoke, Massachusetts and is our most luxurious piece. Something about the rich green of the velvet and the intricate wood carving beckons to a bygone era. There is something truly magical about this piece.

Image by Michelle Gardella Photography

Q. Which pieces are the most popular with renters? 
A. Our settees and chairs are our most popular pieces. They are able to mix-and-match with each other and additional pieces from our collection to create lounge area seating. We have found that the lounge area really completes the look and feel of a cocktail hour or reception by giving guests a comfortable and stylish place to sit and relax, and enjoy each others company. 

Images by Maggie Conley Photography and Michelle Gardella Photography

Q. Where do you find your inspiration?

A. Each piece carries with it its own bit of inspiration, which I try to honor and work to enhance. I find tons of inspiration from wedding style shoots on various wedding industry blogs, and I love to get inspiration from interior designer blogs too! Emily Henderson is a personal favorite. She's always incorporating vintage into her designs and making the old look new again. 

Q. I know that you also offer styling services - tell me a little bit about that and how it works.
A. Our styling services include everything from helping brides choose the perfect rental pieces from our collection, to styling and decorating on the day-of. We work with brides (and planners) to identify the theme or look of the wedding and then work from there to choose the perfect pieces and decor.

Images by Michelle Gardella Photography

Q. What is your favorite part of the job?
A. My favorite part of this job is choosing the right pieces for the couple and really adding a unique value to their wedding. Doing what we can to help enhance the overall ambiance of a couple's special day is meaningful beyond words.

   

Images by Michelle Gardella Photography

Q. Looking into 2014 and 2015, what do you think will be the big wedding trends?
A. I think the vintage wedding trend is here to stay. Vintage items tend to be timeless, versatile touches that can be styled to work with really any theme. As individual pieces are considered, I think custom outdoor bars are going to be a big trend for upcoming wedding seasons. Whether made of rustic wooden planks and barrels, or a chippy dresser, or a tap from the early 1900's, custom bars are a great way to show a couple's personality in a piece of furniture, and offer a great way to show off specialized drink menus.

Q. Anything else you would like to add?

A. I feel truly lucky to be following a passion of mine, and am super thankful that I get to share it with people on one of the most important days of their lives. My words of advice to couples out there planning their big day, is to be true to yourselves, your personalities, your likes and dislikes, and your ideals. Your wedding should be a celebration of your love for each other and a reflection of you. Bring in those personal touches that mean so much to you and enjoy the best party of your life.   
Image by Michelle Gardella Photography

Great advice, Kathy, and such great finds! Thank you for spending time with us and letting us into your world. We can't wait to see all of the gorgeous new pieces that will be added to your collection next year. 

To start reserving these one-of-a-kind pieces for your wedding or event, you can email Kathy directly at kathy@sassafrasvintage.com. And to keep up with her ever-growing collection, check out her site and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.