I met Kitty through another fantastic photographer down in Kentucky. When Angela Anderson heard I was going to be back in Columbus, she said Kitty and I had to meet up. I am so glad we did! Kitty’s work is stunning!  She has recently opened a sister studio called *Print and I am so excited to be working with them this summer!

Business Name: Kitty Maer Photography
Name: Kitty Maer
Phone Number: 614-668-1230
Email Address: hello {@} maerstudio {dot} com
Website Address: www.maerstudio.com
Blog Address: kittymaer.blogspot.com

How did Kitty Maer Photography come to be?
The original Kitty Maer was a curmudgeonly cynical fashion photographer who turned her nose up to anything wedding related. One day I begrudgingly took on a wedding four years ago and was shocked at how much fun I had…and this bizarre feeling I could only describe as ‘warm and fuzzy.’ I figured it would wear off after another three weddings. Four years later, I still blub like a little girl at almost every wedding and I’m still in love with what I do and the fabulous couples with whom I work.

How would you describe your style
Cinematic. I hear that word a lot. Modern vintage? I love contradictions.

What is your favorite aspect of your job?
Forementioned warm and fuzzies. And the fact that emotion can be captured and preserved on a simple piece of paper.

How many people shoot for Kitty Maer Photography?
Well, there’s me and then I have a sister-studio called *Print. Kate and Christa shoot for me at *Print.

What is the starting investment for a wedding?
$4000 with me and $2500 with *Print.

Anything else we should know about Kitty Maer and *Print?
We travel anywhere!

Childhood ambition?
Carpenter, beautician, fireman, costume designer, pirate (complete with big hat and sword,) artist, director.

Dream vacation?
weeks in the south of France with no cell phone, no laptop, and nothing to do.

Last time you laughed until it hurt?
I do it often; it’s hard to keep track.

Favorite part of a wedding day?
The dancing. Especially if there’s an anniversary dance. I love seeing couples who’ve been together for longer than I’ve been alive still in love with each other after all those years.

Last thing you bought?
A glue stick. I like making my own envelopes and stationery from things I’ve recycled.

Greatest length gone to get the perfect shot?
When I was doing commercial work, it could sometimes take hours. Nine was probably the record. But with weddings, I feel if I have to work too hard to get it, it comes out contrived. I like to just let things happen and be in the right place/right time. But I have had my share of scrapes and bruises from dropping and diving to get a shot as it’s happening.

Favorite animal at the zoo?
All the big kittens. The penguins are awfully cute, too.

Can’t live without?
Wolfgang (my other half.) Personal photos. Purpose.

Hidden talent?
Much better off staying hidden.

Favorite quote?
‘When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.’ – Hunter S. Thompson

Best compliment ever received?
I was told I make ordinary people look like movie stars.

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
Carpenter, beautician, fireman, costume designer, pirate (complete with big hat and sword,) artist, director. But I wouldn’t love any of it nearly as much.

Describe your perfect day.
Hmmm…this could go so many ways, so I’ll throw all the ideals in one basket: 68F, breezy, uneventful, no need to get in my car, no cell phone or internet access, a nice walk in the woods with constantly changing scenery, and it would be indeed a perfect day if along the way I were to find a white chocolate mocha with whipped cream and a bag of Anthropologie clothes.

Please share with us some of your favorite images from 2008.

Thanks to Kitty for answering my questions!

Coming up tomorrow: Grogan Studios

I have had the pleasure of working with Nicole (she also did my maternity photos when I was pregnant with my daughter!).  I will also tell you that Nicole helped to inspire the question about greatest length gone for shot – I will never forget her climbing around the ledge of a bathtub to get that perfect shot at a wedding we did together!  It was quite entertaining and she got the shot!

Business Name: Nicole Dixon Photographic
Name: Nicole Dixon
Phone Number: 614-718-0892
Email Address: nicole {@} nicoledixon {dot} com
Website Address: www.nicoledixon.com
Blog Address: nicoledixon.typepad.com

How did Nicole Dixon Photographic come to be?
I have always been in love with photography. After receiving my Bachelors of Fine Art and assisting for a couple of years in the wedding photography business, I found that I wanted to start my own company in this creative field.

How would you describe your style
I like to describe my photographic style as photojournalistic with an artistic flair.

What is your favorite aspect of your job?
The blessing of making art for a living.

How many people shoot for Nicole Dixon Photographic?
I always have a second photographer with me at weddings.

What is the starting investment for a wedding?
$4300

Childhood ambition?
To own a chestnut mare, I was big into horses.

Dream vacation?
I was lucky enough to go on my dream vacation a few months ago to Italy to see art works of the old masters! The next dream vacation might be Spain.

Last time you laughed until it hurt?
The last time I laughed until it hurt was probably on a random weeknight not too long ago. Laughing is one of my favorite pastimes and my friends are pretty good at encouraging it!

Favorite part of a wedding day?
My favorite part of a wedding day would when all of the family poses are finished and I have the bride and groom alone to photograph. They can finally relax and love on each other and I get to view and capture it. It’s beautiful.

Last thing you bought?
I recently just made the switch to Canon cameras and bought all new equipment.

Greatest length gone to get the perfect shot?
Hmm, the greatest length to get the perfect shot… I’m not above laying down in the middle of a downtown street or climbing up a banister

Favorite animal at the zoo?
I was always a fan of the elephants.

Can’t live without?
Friends

Hidden talent?
Most people don’t know that I’m a pretty good oil painter.

Favorite quote?
“What you feel only matters to you. It’s what you do to the people you love. That’s what matters. That’s the only thing that counts. ”

Best compliment ever received?
After photographing the birth of one of my clients, and being called Aunt Nicole… That was a huge compliment.

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
If I wasn’t a photographer, I believe I would be a midwife.

Describe your perfect day.
My perfect day would be a sunny day in September, sitting on the beach in a lounge chair with my toes in the water and a fruity beverage in hand.

Please share with us some of your favorite images from 2008.

Thanks to Nicole for answering my questions!

Coming up tomorrow: Kitty Maer Photography

Care to take a guess at what these candle holders are made of?

Those lovelies are wax and they could be a fun DIY project for your tables!  All you need are some balloons and high melt wax.  Fill the balloon with water, dip it into the wax a few times, pop the balloon and remove the remnants, drop a tealight in the bottom and you are good to go!  I would suggest putting a bit of sand in the bottom to keep any spilled wax from getting onto the holders themselves so you can reuse them.

Since you can tint the wax and control the size of the balloon you use, you could make a huge variety to decorate your wedding.  Have fun!

Full directions here from candletech.com

I am lucky enough to share studio space with my first featured photographers so I get to see their gorgeous work all the time!  Clay and Lisa are amazing photographers and ridiculously fun too!  Enjoy our first Vendor Conversation with Red Gallery Photography!

Business Name: Red Gallery Photography
Names: Lisa Hernandez & Clay Justice
Phone Number: 614-794-1113
Email Address: redgallery {@} redgalleryphoto {dot} com
Website Address: redgalleryphoto.com
Blog Address: redgalleryphoto.bigfolioblog.com

How did Red Gallery Photography come to be?
We met at a local modeling agency, where we were both doing portfolio shoots for models. After we got married we kept getting asked to photograph weddings because of our fashion based style.

How would you describe your style
A blend of fashion & photojournalism

What is your favorite aspect of your job?
The emotional, happy reaction our couples have after re-living their wedding day through the photographs we’ve taken.

How many people shoot for Red Gallery Photography?
Two – Clay & Lisa, occasionally we have one of our associates shoot with us.

What is the starting investment for a wedding?
$2950

Anything else you want to tell us about Red Gallery Photography?
Clay & Lisa: We’ve been known to stop traffic, climb trees, and brave all extreme weather conditions to get the perfect shot for clients. That’s just part of the fun for us.

Childhood ambition?
Clay: photographer
Lisa: photographer

Dream vacation?
Clay: Amsterdam
Lisa: Fiji

Last time you laughed until it hurt?
Clay & Lisa: That’s an everyday occurrence at our house thanks to Clay.

Favorite part of a wedding day?
Clay: the challenge of capturing each wedding in an original way.
Lisa: photographing the bride just before the ceremony, when she is beaming with excitement!

Last thing you bought?
Clay: synthesizer
Lisa: yarn (for knitting)

Greatest length gone to get the perfect shot?
Lisa: Braving the windstorm of 2008 to get some outdoor photos that the bride had her heart set on. The wind was so extreme I came home after the wedding to find a tree had fallen on our house.

Favorite animal at the zoo?
Clay: monkey
Lisa: otter

Can’t live without?
Clay: Lisa
Lisa: Clay

Hidden talent?
Clay: guitar playing
Lisa: Rock Band singer (the video game)

Favorite quote?
Clay: ‘Run Forrest, run!’ Jenny in Forrest Gump
Lisa: ‘Do everything in love’ Paul the apostle

Best compliment ever received?
Clay & Lisa: One of our brides said when she looked at her wedding pictures with her family they loved them so much that they were all weeping with joy.

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
Clay: musician
Lisa: clothing designer

Describe your perfect day.
Clay: beach bummin’ – swimming, drinking, eating, playing, lovin’…
Lisa: Boogie boarding in a warm ocean in the morning, a bike ride in the afternoon, and a bonfire on the beach for a perfect ending.

Please share with us some of your favorite images from 2008.

Thanks to Clay and Lisa for answering my questions!

Coming up tomorrow: Nicole Dixon Photographic

Oh, how I love photography!  I love photographers.  I love pretty pictures.  I love when you can feel the emotions just by looking at a picture.  I love when a photographer takes all your hard planning work and tells the story of your day perfectly.  As they always say, photography is one of the only things left after the wedding!

Photography is often about pure emotion – you will either react strongly to a photographer’s work in a good way or react strongly in a bad way.  Don’t book a photographer that you just feel okay about, book a photographer that you LOVE.  Book a photographer who you are so excited about that want to steal their sample book and show random strangers all the gorgeous pictures because you think they are that amazing!  If you book someone you love, you will more than likely love your own book after the wedding!

I am going to be featuring some of our fantastic Columbus area photographers over the next two weeks.  Columbus is blessed with some incredibly talented photographers and I am so excited to feature just a few of them on my blog.

A couple of housekeeping notes: none of the photographers here have paid anything and no one requested to be a part of this series – I picked them because first and foremost I love their work.  In addition, I either have had the pleasure of working with them personally or someone I have worked with very highly recommends them (i.e. someone told me, “when I am booked, I recommend…”).  Obviously, I can’t feature every amazing photographer in Columbus although I would love to – maybe the next time around!  I hope you enjoy the conversation and maybe you will learn something new about the great talent we have here in Columbus!

First up tomorrow is Red Gallery Photography!

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Finally! I can finally do a review of the brand new Southern Weddings Magazine!  I am beyond tickled to say that I am madly in love with it!  If you have been reading this blog for any time, you know that I love Southern Weddings Blog.  You also know that I am a magazine junkie so is it any surprise that when Lara and her team finally put out a magazine that I got a little giddy?

The magazine is everything I love about the blog – tons of real weddings, lots of pretty pictures, interviews with some of the most brilliant wedding gurus.  It is fantastic and I cannot wait to see the next issue!  I had to get a copy straight from SWMag as Ohio isn’t technically southern but Lara assures me that they are going to be expanding their distribution so maybe by issue #2, we will be able to get them off the shelf!

Kudos to Lara and the whole Southern Weddings team on a great launch – can’t wait to see what you do next!

Emilie Duncan Event Planning’s brand new site is almost ready to launch – while we get everything up and running, you might not be able to access the main site at emilieduncan.com.

Also – while we do this, we might have some downtime in email as well so if you send us an email and we don’t get back to you ASAP, please accept our apologies and resend it!

Can’t wait to show you what we have been working on! Yay for new things!

Adding: Apparently the new site and old site are switching back and forth and will be for a few of days – sorry for any confusion!  It should be completely new by Friday!!

I mean it when I say I keep in touch with my brides and grooms after the wedding and because of that I get all kinds of updates from them.  Among my favorites are the baby announcements!

The newest member of the EDEP family is Jenny and Dave’s son Patrick David!

Jenny and Dave on their wedding day -

And little Patrick David!  He was born on January 7 at 12:16 am, at 7 lbs, 8 oz and 19 1/2 inches long.  Mom, Dad and Patrick are home and doing great!  How beautiful is this little guy?

By my last count, 6 of my past couples have welcomed babies since their weddings – Marcy and Web, Jennifer and Jeremy, Grace and Sean, Cory and Thomas, Katie and Jon and now Jenny and Dave! If I missed any babies or anyone has any news to share (I know quite a few of my couples still check in here from time to time) please let me know!!!

Congratulations Jenny and Dave – you did great!  I hope Stella the pup is adjusting well.

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