My Best Wishes For You!

My Best Wishes For You!

A little something to get you started...



Perhaps a bit long... But, this e-mail evoked the stimulation of emotions such as "New Year’s Resolutions"

It has become a tradition that sometimes I like to hold on to, here are a few pieces for everyone to appreciate. I try to every year select out a few things to work on and keep that list in my Tiffany Blue Book by my bedside.

2014 has finally come to an end and I recently looked at my little book and I did pretty well with my 2014 goals {Both business wise and personal}

Oh, now... This year, I've had a few challenges - it is harder coming up with a new set of daring matters that will be part on my 2015 plan. However, I enjoy doing these and here is quick questionnaire that perhaps may assist you decide on your resolutions for 2015.

Let's see...

Here are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2015

Bad habits I’m going to break:
Start my days earlier, and attain a normal schedule - I definitely need more rest!


Where do I want to travel:
DO my normal US route - But, I want to conquer new places.


I will make a better effort at:
- Creating more availability to help more in my community.
- Develop a program locally to provide printed memories to those who cannot afford to have my services such as less fortunate individuals.{ Charitable work}


What Project to finish:
- My Bridal Sketches and other illustrations
- My Sketch table - Canvas painting studio set up

What I want to do more of:
- Offer Educational Opportunities to beginner photographers
- More YOGA and walk more often.


Food-wise, what would I do:
Prepare in advance... So, I can eat better and frequently


What to wear:
Although, I have always been the pony tailed with jeans gal, I will attempt to be more-formal, more often


Work/Business Wise
Indulge in creativity for my clients and myself while continuing to grow and assist conventions/workshops , continue to inspire other and meet new clients as well as to continue developing my Commercial Division!

So, there it is.... Now it is your turn...

What are your plans and resolutions for 2014?

We Receive: Blue Wedding Wire Rated | Wedding Industry News!

Allie Miller Weddings | Photography ©
Receives Blue WeddingWire Rated™ Badge

Indian Beach, NC – March 15th, 2014 – 

WeddingWire, the nation's leading online wedding marketplace, is thrilled to announce that Allie Miller Weddings |Photography has received the WeddingWire Rated™ Blue badge for excellence in Commercial Wedding Photography

The esteemed WeddingWire Rated™ program recognizes wedding professionals who have received positive newlywed reviews about their business on WeddingWire. The program recognizes businesses across more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and requires a minimum of three wedding reviews and an average rating of 3.5 stars or higher.Within the WeddingWire Rated™ program, there are five different levels that wedding professionals can reach based on the number of wedding reviews they have received (Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Black).  The WeddingWire Rated™ Blue badge is awarded when a business receives three or more quality reviews.As a member of WeddingWire, the world's largest wedding review site with over one million reviews, Allie Miller Weddings |Photography's achievement of Rated™ is an impressive milestone and an indication of the positive experiences expressed by their past clients.  As a recipient of the Blue badge, Allie Miller Weddings |Photography is highlighted on WeddingWire, which is comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada."With the growing importance of online reviews, WeddingWire is pleased to celebrate the successes of the wedding professionals who have received positive reviews on WeddingWire," said Sonny Ganguly, CMO, WeddingWire. "We are honored to recognize Allie Miller Weddings |Photography for their impressive work within the wedding industry."

"Allie Miller Weddings |Photography is thrilled to have achieved the WeddingWire Rated™ Blue badge for Commercial Wedding Photography in Indian Beach, NC. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire; it means so much to us and our business to have received the positive feedback that helped us earn this badge. 

We are dedicated to providing excellent service to our clients and look forward to increasing to the next Rated™ level in the near future."

For more information about Allie Miller Weddings |Photography, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront at www.weddingwire.com/alliemillerweddings

To learn more about the WeddingWire Rated™ program, please visit  http://wed.li/ratedinfoAbout WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire®, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go.

WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers.

Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com, Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.
WeddingWire PressRelease © 2014

Cheaper is not always BETTER.

Cheaper is not always BETTER - KNOW the difference! 

Had to re-post this - while I discussed this with friends this a.m and they could not agree more with me.. 

Although they do not live here, this is their story: 

Parents had a 'friend' do their photography as a 'gift' for their day - Photographer was someone who was not a seasoned, full time 'wedding photographer - That said - the pictures were just snapshots.. no editing.. just pictures - The bride's words: Looked like pictures were taken with a point and shoot" Well as a result my friends have no canvas {pics resolution were too low} - NO Wedding Album - The 'friend" had no idea how to put one together and the pictures did not have the 'quality' for an album.

They, however did get a disc and they printed most of their pictures at 'Costco' - they were not happy with the quality of the paper. All I can see in their faces was sadness and a sense of 'We wished we had invested in a good photos" look.

Well - I guess SOMETIMES - 'CHEAPER' is not better 

Here is my little article on this topic...

Your Wedding Day.. Ahhh {bliss!} - You have waited for this moment almost all of your life... And now, here comes the planning... And along with all preparations, it is a good time to start shopping for a photographer - after all you do not want to trust those images to some hobbyist who "loves to take pictures" or someone in your party with a point-n-shoot {usually a good hearted friend}, right? 

If you are reading this blog, you have probably landed here and the title has caught your eye - I am so glad you've decided to check out this article, because finding a wedding photographer can be a bit overwhelming. 

I know, prices range from almost nothing (friends with cameras, the hobbyist) to prices as high as $30K-50K dollars!! And no! This figure is not a typo. I can let you in a little secret, since you got this far - 

Good wedding photography is not cheap, but it is the most important investment you will make on your special day.. It is not an expense {key word} you are investing a lot into your big day. In easier terms, when your wedding venue is over, the food will be eaten, the transportation will be returned, tuxes taken back and the dress and decorations packed away (possibly will never worn or used again - my gown is pretty in a box). Now, your photos, Ah {Smile} - these are usually the only remaining evidence of all the hard work you put into your wedding day. 

What we are saying is, that If you are hiring a wedding photographer, just make sure you hire a photographer that you are comfortable with and feel like you can actually trust to take on your day personally.\Even if it is not our booked wedding, just make sure you are truly confident they can handle the work load, the day, the guest, the lighting {that their gear can handle most lighting situations?} etc and treat you and your party with respect. Professional photographers, we come in all shapes and sizes. We all have various levels of experience and education. 

So to say not all wedding photographers are created equal. We can say that we are not the low end cheap, but we are not the most expensive either. We do shot many weddings, and have multiple PRO camera bodies, PRO lenses and flashes, and we are ready for anything, for example if one of our cameras break down, you can trust we have backups, again not missing a moment. And this is exactly what you want when you are hiring a photographer. 

Also, do not forget planning for the worst, is your photographer affiliated? Do they have insurance? What is the contract read? Are they professional? When you first met - Were they dressed appropriately to your interview? With my wedding packages, there are always two of us taking photos. I've used other photographers before, but the second photographer is USUALLY my husband. 

We love what we do and we have fun shooting weddings. Honestly, we are so grateful to work with so many couples who truly understand the value behind our craft. And we have created some pretty sweet relationships as well as with the many clients that we have photographed. Sometimes in conversations with friends and colleagues, we are always amazed at some of the horror stories we hear about their wedding photographers and the stuff we come across in social media. There are of course lots of talented photographers too, but, the way of handling your day's captures are different. So, it is important to meet and survey the professional photographers you are considering for your special day. 

Not everyone is a good fit ( whether be for you {client} OR the photographer). Your overall experience is an important factor for all those involved, when you have a great rapport. For some reason if you are not comfortable with their style. Do not settle. Find someone that you will be comfortable with, remember they will be on your every moment on your day. Keep in mind that good professional photographers get booked real FAST! Make sure they are not double booking on your day or taking other sessions during your day. A story last year we had to turn away 5 brides requesting wedding dates in September and November. 

We simply could not shoot them because we were already booked - our attention is solely to you, and if hiring someone - expect nothing less! If you find someone you really like, make sure you get in touch with them as soon as possible. If for example, our style suits your taste - send a message - even if not in the area... {hint} Perhaps, you are just researching - give us a ring- or Skype with us and feels like you would would just like to come by and visit. 

We would be glad to let you look more closely the work we do, and our process and see if you like what I offer. Goodness! I never imagined I could really write this long blog, but I know it has gotten longer than intended. 

Final words - When hiring a professional wedding photographer just make sure you like them as a person/people and you can tell a lot by first impressions. So, If you are a fit {like peas in a pod} you will likely click with them during your day and it will reflect in the outcome of your photos. 

Also, make sure they have good gear and backups to handle your wedding and most lighting situations. (Plus, make sure they actually know how to use it!) If you're not having an outdoor wedding with a nice cloud cover and a brightly lit reception, you might run into issues. 

Saying that also, make sure you like their past work and this perhaps will be the best predictor of the outcome. So, even if their price might be right, but their style might be wrong... 

Cheaper is NOT always better. Sometimes cheaper is just CHEAP and the product will be shown and discussed for times to come among friends and family....True story! Remind me to tell you when we meet! Now, there is a lot of work ahead... Let's plan YOUR day!

Allie

www.alliemillerweddings.com