Will you be my Bridesmaid?

There are so many ways to ask the closest women (or men these days!) to be in your wedding party. I have seen so many creative ways of doing this. If you’re like me though and you want to send something that’s creative, personal, but also (let’s be honest) easy, Greetabl has your back.

I’m so excited to be telling you about Greetabl! I am all for it. I literally use it for everything and to be honest, I feel like not enough people know about it. For the record, I picked “will you be my bridesmaid” for the title because I obviously specialize in weddings. This gifting option though can be used by ANYONE not just someone getting married.

Why Greetbl?

I remember a few years ago looking for a gift to send my sister. There was the option to send her a subscription box from various sites, but I kind of just wanted a one time thing? The process in itself was a little confusing where I had to include my sister in signing up which gave the surprise away. In my opinion, I didn’t like it. I also looked into sending gifts from Amazon, but I still didn’t feel that it was personable enough? To me, sending chocolates and flowers were sort of expensive?

Then one day I scrolled through Instagram and found a Greetabl ad. The advertisement was adorable, so I checked it out. I was instantly hooked with the style of the site. It was simple to navigate. I got to personally choose everything from the packaging, items and greeting. In short, Greetabl offered a convenient, personable and affordable way of greeting someone I care about.

How it works.

When arriving to the site, you begin on finding the right design for your box. Next what I normally do is pick out an appropriate gift for the occasion; from candles to gummies to jewelry, there’s lots to choose from! After going through and finding the perfect gift, you have the option of also leaving a gift card or “bonus” gift. The bonus gift is usually something small like glitter, tea, or a face mask. The site will then take you to another page where you can really add your personal touch by adding photos and a message inside.

The best part about the message part is if you have a writer’s block, they have little prompts to work with. Finally when you are ready to send, you can either schedule a time for delivery or send as soon as possible. Could not be any easier.

My go-to

I use Greetabl on a regular basis. It’s honestly fun to receive a package you weren’t expecting in the mail. It’s a great way of telling my fellow wedding vendors and my assistants ‘thank you’. Even outside of Skys the Limit Production, my family and friends enjoy the messages and images I send for their birthdays and holidays.

So whether you need to propose to your gals or let someone know how much they mean to you, give Greetabl a try. I think you’ll like it!

Looking for a videographer or photographer for your special day? Visit here for more information!

An Authentic Announcement

Around 2 million people get married each year and the challenge of planning a wedding hasn’t gotten much easier. Basic Invite offers a reprieve. A space to truly create something unique to aid in the task of sharing the details about your special day.

Wedding Invitations

There is no need to settle for something close to what you envisioned when Basic Invite invites you to create exactly what you want! Your wedding invitation is the first hint of your official union to all those you know and love. Though many marry, your bond is the only one of its kind. The two of you, on the verge of this next leap together, deserve an announcement as authentic as the love you profess. Even with its line of traditional wedding invitations, Basic Invite, proves that at Basic Invite nothing truly basic exists.

Basic Invite is one of the few, if not only, websites that allow customers unfettered access to nearly every color in the spectrum. With a myriad of designs and hues to consider, Basic Invite will guarantee that your invitation will be as distinctive as your love. An occasion as momentous, as your wedding day, warrants a celebration. Whether it’s a bridal shower or engagement party, Basic Invite has what you need to make your internal picture a reality. With over 180 different color options, you can design your engagement party card down to the most minute detail.

Once you have perfected your vision, order a printed sample. Basic Invite gives its customers the opportunity to test the texture of the card and the quality of the design before submitting their final order. With Basic Invite, you don’t have to buy and hope that its right; you can be certain beyond any doubt.

Plenty companies understand the importance of choice when it comes to invitations and such and can often fall short with limited selections for envelopes. That is not the case with Basic Invite. Make a statement with your invitation before its even opened by choosing an envelope from over 40 different color choices that is as special as the card it holds.

For your convenience every envelope is peel and seal. Basic Invite offers a host of services to allow you to tailor an invitation in a way that speaks to you, with the message you want to share. Some crave the glitz and glamour of a name that many may recite. But there’s  particular kind of beauty, hidden within a Basic Invite. Design your dream today.

Why Does My Videographer Cost an Arm and a Leg?

I’m going to be completely honest. I’m the type to go to a Texas state fair and check all available food booths for the cheapest batch of fried Oreo’s to purchase. What can I say? I don’t want to get ripped off; I work hard for my money. If I make an investment on something, I want to know why it costs the amount it does, especially if it’s more than I budgeted for. This is why I can see where couples can feel alarmed whenever they hear the cost of video and photography (or any service) for their wedding day. I feel like I’m very transparent with my business, so I’d like to share a bit of behind-the-scenes on how videographers come up with their quotes. I cannot speak for all videographers, but I can at least speak for my own and maybe this will give you some insight for other business as well!

Every season is not wedding season. According to the Knot, in Texas, fall is the most popular time to tie the knot and winter is the least (pretty sure it’s because of the weather, but that’s my guess). That being said, I have to prepare financially for those slow seasons. The amount videographers charge is spread throughout the year as an average income. If I don’t save enough for those slow months, I’m in trouble.

Before I can pay myself, this list needs to be taken care of first:

  • Camera, drone, mics and other equipment like lighting, stabilizers, and batteries.
  • Assistance, Insurance, and Contracts **Do not use a videographer who doesn’t have insurance or a contract! Big No-No!**
  • Advertising and Website – so you can find me!
  • Adobe software and song licenses – gotta have Ed Sheeran!
  • Travel expenses – gas, hotels, etc
  • Education – continuous
  • Desktop/Laptop
  • USB flash drives/subscription to Dropbox
  • Taxes and other random day-to-day costs

Once equipment is paid for, that’s not the end either. They need to be upgraded every 5-6 years because we all know just like our phones and computers, times are always changing and you gotta keep up! So as I figure out how much I need to charge my client, I have to make sure all these expenses are in the equation as well. I wish the list wasn’t so long, but I want to make sure my business stays trustworthy and I give my absolute best.

Time is very valuable and since I have my own business, I can work twice a week right? No way. If I worked that little a week, I would have some angry clients wondering where their video was. The hours are longer now (at least 75 hours/week) than when I actually worked for another company, but the benefit is I can plan out months in advance the days I want off to go on vacation or holiday. As much as I would love to provide $500 videos for my clients, I simply can’t afford the time to take care of the things listed above. I would have to work double to keep my business running and worse than that, spend less time with my husband and 10 month-old.

$500 videography is possible, but there are some risks. Of course everyone knows you risk your video quality, but there are other precautions to keep in mind like insurance and contracts. You want to make sure if a drone is flown into your venue or a guest trips over camera equipment, there’s insurance to pay for damages. It doesn’t matter if your videographer costs $100 or $10,000, they need to have insurance and a contract. You want to be sure they do show up on your wedding day and you will receive a video after everything is over with. I’ve heard horror stories of vendors not showing up or running off with couple’s money; it’s the worst and it breaks my heart every time. So when searching for a videographer (and this goes for all) here are some tips on what to ask:

  • For examples – highlights, teasers, drone footage, etc.
  • How music is chosen – do they choose or do you and do they have a license to those songs?
  • What their insurance covers as well as a contract.
  • What all video you are actually given – do you receive your whole ceremony, dances etc?
  • To meet in person (at least a phone call) – make sure they are a legit person and that you mesh well with them.
  • If the owner will be filming your wedding – it can sometimes be conflicting if you like the owner, but they send someone else to your wedding.
  • About any hidden fees or expenses.

I hope this relieved a sense of curiosity some may have when they receive a quote from me or any other wedding professional! Preparation, expenses, time and personal earnings are everything a wedding professional or any small business needs to put into consideration when setting up their prices. With that being said, I absolutely love what I do! It’s a lot of work, but you are all worth it! Everyone has a story; not just the fame and fortune on television. You are my inspiration and it’s why I love doing what I do.

– Sarah🌻

Forever Wedding Favors

Looking for fun and memorable gifts to give your guests? Something that they will actually enjoy keeping? Forever Wedding Favors has your back. These timeless pieces are sold at a low price compared to other competing companies.

I personally love the little polar bear salt n’ pepper shakers. They are no bigger than your thumb, but they make for a cute little addition to dinner. Warning: they are breakable, I broke mine the very next day (my luck). 😭

The wine bottle cork remover is also another one I like. It hides itself as a mini wine bottle which can be doubled for decoration, and you always have it nearby for when you feel like getting your Riesling on! I have a classy heart bottle stopper and I just love it. It adds just a little bit of personality to my favorite bottle of wine!

Now if your with your friends at a bachelorette or a bachelor party these wedding playing cards are the way to go. They get you hyped for the special day and of course bond over a nice game of cards.

If you’re like me, then you are into anything romance. I use these little L-O-V-E magnets that actually look like typewriter keys. I love to see them every time I hang up a picture on fridge! So guys seriously, take a gander, there’s some awesome finds; more than 300 to be exact!

Questions not to ask your wedding photographer

Choosing the right wedding photographer is important because these will be the lasting memories you have in print. Wedding photography is an art form, and most photographers take great pride in what they do. Because this is your special day, where you are together with your family and close friends, you will want every photo to be the best possible shot taken. The search for a wedding photographer can start with a list, which you will gradually narrow down to a list of people you will want to consider hiring and booking for your big day. Thering.org can help you with locating the best possible vendors and give you a place to start with your search. Eventually, your search will come down to one person, and this will be the photographer you will entrust with all your photos. Once you hire the photographer you want, you will always have more questions to ask, and much of this is ensuring that everything will go right when the day comes. It is important to understand that there are no bad questions to ask, because essentially you are paying for a service, and will want the best possible service. However, that being said, (for fun) let’s name a few things that are not necessary to ask your wedding photographer.
 
Every photographer does operate differently from the next, with how they will organize people for formal pictures; however, the candid picture does say more. Typically, you should not need to ask ‘where do you want us to stand’, because this is your wedding day, and it is the photographer’s job to capture the moment.

Capturing every moment does require the photographer to take hundreds of photos, and one thing you do not need to ask is ‘can we have the raw files for every photo taken’. Most photographers will not necessarily entertain this, because it is part of their process to take as many photos as they can to capture the best ones. Essentially, these photos are un-edited and only hold a part of the photographer’s vision, and may not represent the photographer’s true work.

Getting that perfect picture, does, however, require a great eye, and not always a certain type of camera, so it is not always needed to ask ‘what camera do you use?’. What the photographer advertises on their website is what is being delivered, but it is the photographer’s ability to capture the moment, which really sets them apart.  
 
When it does come the time to receive your photos, it can be difficult to estimate how many you will get, and it can be impossible to establish an exact number. However, photographers can give you estimates based on other weddings, but it is not always necessary to ask ‘how many pictures will I receive’.

Do not let any of this discourage you from asking questions, because good photographers will know there is no such thing as an inappropriate question. Everything you will need to know will be outlined within the contract. This will be the exact details with what you are paying for and what you will be receiving. Every honest question is often welcomed, and if it is something that is not outlined in the contract, you can most certainly ask about it. A photographer is there to do a job you are hiring them for, and the best thing you can do is trust their creative process. These are the professionals, and this is what they do for a living, and you have chosen your photographer because it is who you feel will best capture every moment at your wedding.