Although I don’t do many baby shoots, but when I do, they keep me on my toes! And, they help me get my baby fix! I love babies, but after 3 girls…I’m done!! I did a couple of semi-recent baby shoots, and loved every minute of them! I thought I’d share some photos and tips with you.

Tips for having your new baby photographed:

The best time to have your baby photographed is As Soon As Possible! Within the first week is best…within the first 3-4 days is even better!

Make sure the baby is well fed. Or if the appointment is close to feeding time, you may want to wait and feed the baby when you arrive. Especially if feeding makes baby sleepy!

Try to keep baby in loose clothing, so there isn’t any marks when your little bundle of joy is undressed.

Dress in layers! It gets mighty warm in there. We like to keep the heat up to keep baby warm and comfy!

Most importantly don’t stress. We understand bringing your new love (or even having us come to you) in itself, can be a little stressful. Your worried that the baby is going to scream the whole time, and empty themselves all over our blanks and props. Yup, they may, ad probably will!  And it’s all okay, we expect it! If it doesn’t happen we are super surprised!

Babies change SO fast. Professional newborn photos are a great way to remember your beautiful baby, before you blink and they are entering high school!

I have a couple more baby shoots to put up so stay tuned!!

 

Connie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love getting messages like this from our clients:

 

 

 

Hi Dave,

Scott and I as well as our families can’t thank you enough for the amazing services you brought to our wedding.  The music was perfect,  the lighting was gorgeous,  the monogram we loved and your enthusiasm made the party a blast! Everyone had so much fun and the compliments keep coming in. So thank you for making our wedding a day to remember!

Thanks,

Shana, Scott and family

Now this is awesome…..We did her sisters wedding over 4 years ago and she’s already planning on having us do her wedding!

Hi Dave,

That is good to know that you’re free; I’ve been to a lot of weddings and your DJ services by far are the absolute best! I really think the DJ is a huge part of what “makes” the reception…can’t wait! You’ll be one of the first to hear!!!

Thanks again,

Rebecca

Ahh, the veil…  the ultimate accessory in the transformation from engaged girl to blushing bride. Though steeped in tradition as it is, unless required by your religion, a veil is strictly optional. Today, wearing a veil is more of a style statement than a symbolic gesture. Thus, the ideal veil depends largely on the style of your wedding gown and the overall look you want to create. 

Wedding Veils Guide – How to Select the Right Wedding Veil – eleGALA.com.

The true definition of a professional is one who makes it their profession. They are an expert in their field.

Quoted from Websters “A professional is one that engages in a pursuit or activity professionally.  The professional is characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of their profession, exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace.  They are participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>, and have a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier>.”

As you plan for your event, how do you sift through the piles of information you will receive.  Here are some tips you can use to make notes about the professionals you meet:

• Appearance:
  • How are they dressed when they meet the client? When they setup for the event, or even perform the event? How does their office look (if they have one).  Whether they do or not, are they prepared with all the necessary information and materials?

• Materials and equipment:
  • What does their information look like.  Was it printed at home or at staples? Is their equipment outdated or does it look like it’s seen better days? Are there wires hanging all over the place?

• Websites:
  • Do they even have a website? If so does it look like it’s from the 80′s? Or better yet does it look like they did it themselves? What about their email address? Is it @AOL or @SBC etc….

• Bridal Shows:
• How is their display setup? Are their booths professional looking displays or do they look like they were thrown together? What was their overall appearance like? Remember first impressions are everything. If their booth was setup poorly or they weren’t dressed properly what do you think your event will look like?

So what does all this say? Let’s face it, if a wedding professional can’t take themselves seriously how can you expect them to take your event seriously?

When preparing for your wedding or special event most people don’t consider the placement of the entertainment and the space that is required. The reason for this is a typical DJ setup may include: A table top system and 2 stands with speakers setup on either side of the table.  However, some companies such as DK Productions don’t fit the “typical” profile and may be using a different setup. They therefore can’t always fit into the spot that is provided for the “typical” DJ.

For example, at a recent event we arrived for setup and instantly we were presented with a problem. The company hired to do lighting placed a stand right in the spot where we were to setup, centered at the edge of the dance floor. Instead of calling us, The lighting company assumed that we would be setup on a table as most DJs are.

Another scenario is to place the DJ in a corner as far as possible from the dance floor. Sometimes that works IF the DJ can broadcast remotely and still setup the speakers near the dance floor (something that DK Productions is capable of doing). However, it can still pose a problem if the setup requires more space, such as: Truss lighting, Video screens or perhaps a larger sound system for a bigger room.

Be sure to consult your entertainment professional and your venue to discuss arrangements for proper space, table setup and placement of the dance floor and entertainment.

 

 

Raise a glass – now’s the time to toast to the happy couple! Wedding toasts and speeches can sometimes cause anxiety, but don’t let them. Enjoy your moment in the limelight, and make the most of these situations with some wedding speech prep work.

Wedding Toasts and Wedding Speech Guide – eleGALA.com.

A while back I saw an episode of “Masters of Reception”, a show dedicated to wedding receptions.  This one particular episode basically was about a wedding being the one day out of a year that people want to be treated like royalty. So why is it that so many wedding professionals feel the need to tell them what they are going to do instead of asking them what they want to do?

What makes your event successful is when your vendors take time to get to know you and what you envisioned for your event.  Instead of them saying “no” to what might actually be a simple request, they should say “Let’s see what we can do for you”.  If you really want to have that  unique event, hire professionals who really know what it’s all about….You and your guests!!  After all, a little extra can go a long way.

It seems more and more DJ companies are jumping on the band wagon of an all-inclusive package with DJs, Photo and Video. But what are they really offering and what are you really getting?  I decided to research this information a little further. What I found was rather disturbing.

One company I researched, I went through their pictures of DJs and saw your typical headshot photos. I then looked through the photographers and videographers and that’s when I was surprised. The DJs were also photographers and videographers, OR is it the photographers were also DJs and videographers. The point being what are they? What is their expertise? What are they really good at?

Another example is some companies will offer photography or videography as a service, but really they are a booking agent. They have a handful of companies that they will sub-contract out to do your event. This raises the question, Do you know what you are really getting?

It’s important to ask all the necessary questions to find out what you are really getting and who is really performing the service.  At DK Productions you will know exactly what you are getting.  Our DJs are DJs and Photographers are Photographers.

What makes a wedding cheesy?  Put simply? Lack of Relevance. Now what exactly does that mean? Well first when someone wants something we should ask why.  If they don’t want something we should also ask why. It’s just as important.  Most times a bride and groom come into my office and say they think lights, a game, props or a dance are cheesy.. Even sometimes they say the garter/bouquet is cheesy, overdone, tacky etc…When that happens I can tell them why with almost 99% accuracy.

Usually what happens is the Bride and Groom saw something at another event and they either got turned off by it, saw it way too many times, or just want something completely unique that fits them (which is the most popular reason I hear lately). The same thing applies to the music. Program your music to be “all about the bride & groom”.  If a bride and groom say they don’t want the dances or garter and bouquet, we need to get a sense for why they don’t want it and offer an alternative solution.  Then give it relevance.

From the introductions to the last dance there needs to be relevance. I can’t tell you how many times someone comes in and says “please don’t play old time rock n roll or celebration”, “don’t play the electric slide or chicken dance”. They aren’t saying it because they really think the song is cheesy. They are saying it because just about EVERY DJ is playing it (or at least every dj they saw). A wedding lacks relevance if everything we are doing is just for the sake of doing it because it’s a wedding. To me that’s what makes a wedding (or DJ) cheesy. Most people take the statement “All About The Bride” to mean the bride does or gets whatever she wants, and she can. After all it is her wedding! However, as wedding professionals we need to make it a true statement.  The only way to do that is by giving it Relevance. Then (and only then) is it really “All About The Bride”.