Weddings
One of the most exciting aspects of being in the wedding industry is the incredible people we meet. Each wedding day is successful, in part, because of the creative teams that are assembled to support that couple. We’re all about the team experience at Gold Grid Studios, and that extends to industry professionals in other fields. These are the vendors we admire, respect, and always recommend!
The first in our series of Gold Grid Recommends is Anita Vaughan, officiant and life celebrant.
What’s one thing that makes you different than other professionals in your field? Effectively, why should I work with you?
I think that the one thing that makes me different is my approach to ceremonies. As a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, my ceremonies are custom made for each couple. So, it’s not about me or what I believe or what I like. It’s all about YOU.
I invest a great deal of time and energy into each ceremony. My couples complete very detailed questionnaires, and share personal details about themselves and their relationships. When I’m reading the responses, I often think, “Of course you love each other! You are amazing!!” I guess I fall a little bit in love with each of my couples when I’m working on their ceremonies.
When couples respond to my questions with such honesty and openness, I feel a sense of obligation to create the perfect ceremony for them. I want them to read the 1st draft and say, “Yes! This is us!”
After officiating a ceremony, I often have guests ask me if I’m a friend of the family, or how long I’ve know the couple. That’s when I know I’ve done my job.
What’s your favorite part of a wedding day?
Of course, my favorite part of the wedding day is the ceremony! But, I have favorite parts of the ceremony. I think the one I like the most is the community vow, which most of my couples opt to include in their ceremonies.
After the couple exchanges their vows and rings, I have them turn and face their guests. I ask them to look at everyone and take a moment to “feel the love” of their family and friends. I then ask the guests whether they affirm the marriage and give the couple their blessing, to which they all exclaim, “We do!”
It allows the couple an opportunity to be truly present and “in the moment.” It also allows the guests to feel included, rather than just being spectators. It’s such a happy way to end the ceremony!
What’s one thing you wish you could tell every couple?
I wish I could tell every couple to take a step back and remember what the wedding day is all about. The day is about the love you share and celebrating an important life event. It’s also about all the people who surround you on your wedding day and who are celebrating with you because they love you. Everything else is just icing on the cake!
I would also like to remind them that there will most likely be a glitch on their wedding day. You can plan everything down to the tiniest detail, but something might still go wrong. And it’s okay. No one will care. The most important thing is that, when it’s all over – you’re married!
So, take time to soak it all in on your wedding day. Mingle with your guests. Eat the delicious food you picked out. Kick off your heels and dance! It’s time to celebrate.
What your best memory to date from a wedding/event you were a part of?
Without a doubt, the best memory I have is when I co-created the Under a New Moon wedding giveaway in 2011. The ceremony, which happened at 12:01 AM on June 2, 2011, was the first legal same-sex wedding ceremony in Chicago!
As a long-time supporter of same-sex marriage, I wanted to do something to celebrate when civil unions became legal in Illinois. So, I contacted the wonderful folks at Catalyst Ranch and worked closely with then-manager, Lauren Smith.
We brainstormed and came up with the idea for a wedding giveaway for six couples. Everything was donated by wonderful and generous local wedding professionals, some of whom contacted us to ask if they could help. It was amazing! Lauren and I poured so much time and energy (and a few tears) into running the contest and organizing the event… and it was worth every second!
The six couples we selected got to know each other through the process and became friends, and still keep in touch. Since then, I have officiated a larger wedding ceremony for one of the couples, and the others were there as guests. I also performed a baby blessing ceremony for one of the couples, who are the proud moms of an adorable little boy.
It’s been almost five years, and every time I see photos or watch a video of the event, I get choked up. I am so proud to have been a part of it and I’m still overwhelmed by the generosity of the wedding community. I still can’t believe that, from a tiny idea, something so amazing was able to happen. It shows what a little love and a lot of great people can do!
Anything you’d rather say?
I have the best job in the world!!
Learn more about Anita: www.anitaweds.com
Weddings
As soon as you get engaged, you’ll find that everyone has an opinion! There are unlimited resources about how to organize and prioritize your planning. With all of the blogs and tips out there, we want you to have a bit of insight from the Gold Grid Studios team.
Below are 5 questions you should ask every photographer. These are basic questions that will help you get a feel for the photographer’s experience and professionalism, as well as guide your expectations for before and after the wedding. Your wedding day is too important for you to have to say “Well, I wish I’d asked…” afterward. We encourage you to never stop asking questions!
1) HOW MANY WEDDINGS DO YOU SHOOT PER YEAR?
Why to ask it: Weddings take a lot out of you. It can be a long, physically tiring day for both the photographer and for the entire wedding party. You want a photographer who has the experience, stamina, and positivity to not only make it through the day, but to excel in the environment. On the flip-side, you don’t want someone who spreads themselves too thin. For example, if your wedding is on a Sunday, and your photographer already shot a Friday and a Saturday wedding, you may find yourself with a photographer running on fumes…or a Trente triple-shot coffee!
Our answer: 20-25. It means we are active throughout the year, constantly shooting at new venues and meeting amazing new couples. It also means that we are not shooting 3 weddings per weekend. This ensures we have time to give each couple the focus and energy they deserve.
2) DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE AND INSURANCE?
Why to ask it: There is currently no barrier to entry into the field of photography, which makes it hard to figure out who is an official business. You want to make sure you are protected & the photography company is legitimate.
Our answer: Yes.
3) WHEN WILL WE SEE OUR PHOTOS?
Why to ask it: There are so many horror stories about couples having to wait months (or even years) for their photos, or concerns about not being able contact the photographer after the wedding. It is important to have an idea of when you will receive your photos, so that you can plan accordingly. And the more specific the photographer can be, the better! There are too many variables in hearing “within a few months.”
Our answer: We set the exact date before the wedding even happens (usually 4 weeks after the wedding). We host an ordering party for you, where you come into our studio to view your photos for the first time. We celebrate your day with a grand unveiling, and help you figure out how to best utilize your photos.
4) HOW DO YOU BACK-UP THE PHOTOS AND/OR KEEP THEM SAFE?
Why to ask it: Any tech person would agree that when it comes to technology, something always happens. It’s not a matter of IF it will crash or break, it’s a matter of WHEN. There’s no need to take a risk with something as priceless as your wedding photos.
Our answer: From the moment a memory is being captured, we are taking precautions. We always write to 2 memory cards in camera. Then, once downloaded to the studio, images are stored on 2 different external hard drives (along with 1 off site hard drive and 2 cloud based services). Once editing is complete and you have all of the photos, they are permanently stored on a separate hard drive dedicated to the year you got married only. We’ll keep them there for you forever. The JPEGS are also backed up in a cloud-based system forever.
Bonus tip: This is why tangible artwork is the best!!! It’s never going to “crash” or be unusable because you updated your operating system.
5) WE DON’T KNOW ALL THE SPECIFICS OF OUR DAY. CAN WE CHANGE OUR COLLECTION AFTER BOOKING?
Why to ask it: How overwhelming is trying to make decisions on things you’ve never done before? You’ve decided what photographer you want to work with but then they have all of these different packages with number of hours on the wedding day and different size albums and canvases and… We haven’t even taken any pictures yet! Your wedding is 9 months away, how are you supposed to already know the entire timeline?! You just want to know you have your favorite photographer for your date. Can’t we just figure out everything later?!
Our answer: Of course! You should only make informed decisions. We set up our collections in such a way that we can continue to customize for you after booking. You can always add hours or even upgrade to a full day of coverage. We allow you to make that change in a few months when you actually know your timeline (and we can help you build that timeline too!). We also offer album credits. This way, you know you have money set aside for an album, but the details of it – how many pages, what size, what kind of cover, etc etc – can actually be decided once you have your photos.
Weddings
Grab your blankets and hot cocoa, and take a look at Heather & Brandon’s fabulous winter engagement session! It was a wonderfully crisp day, perfect for snuggling and capturing some intimate moments between these two sweethearts. We can take a lesson in color-coordination from these two, as the whites and blues they wore are the ideal complement to a wintry Chicago skyline!
We started in Lincoln Park near the South Pond, and then made our way over to North Avenue Beach. Heather & Brandon totally embraced the season, and brought blankets and layers (a very easy way to get different looks and encourage a little coziness). Using the snow to showcase the ring is one our favorites, a moment of elegance you could only find this time of year. Through it all, these two barely even noticed the cold, or at least they made it look that way!
Weddings
Mike & Phil’s engagement session was an absolute blast! They are such a fun, laid back couple that we were able to take our time and really get to know them. Phil specifically requested that the session be someplace near their apartment, hoping for “nothing too complicated or involving too much schlepping.” We were happy to oblige, as we’ve often found that taking photos in a familiar setting is a great way to relax and really enjoy the session.
We started in a nearby park, finding some of that perfect golden light. We then went inside and really got to see Mike & Phil in their element. These guys love cooking together, and the holidays are their favorite time of year. So a fresh batch of cookies seemed like the perfect solution!
Enjoy, and look forward to seeing their wedding photos in a few months!
Weddings
It is always exciting to be part of a styled photo shoot. It gives us the opportunity to work closely with other industry experts, and to spend a few hours in the fairy tale world of weddings. We were elated to find that this styled shoot was recently featured in Inside Weddings, and just thrilled to share it with you!
For this session, the emphasis was on the creative team. Rather than focus on one element at a time, this was all about highlighting the magic that can only happen when everyone works together. Since Gold Grid Studios is a wedding photography team, we were very excited about this concept! We aimed to capture moments that really showcased everyone’s skills and unified vision. So we lit the candles, cut the cake, and popped the champagne! It was a big party to celebrate the power of teamwork, thrown by some of the industry’s most talented, creative people.
It was an absolute joy, and we cannot wait to do it again! Go team!
The Team
Kesh Designs, Inc. | BBJ Linen | A Posh Production
Tablescapes Event Rentals | Elysia Root Cakes | Robyn Tornabeni Productions| The Wedding Dresser
Inbal Dror | Dimitra’s Bridal Chicago |Rosie Scianna | Michelle Durpetti Events | Bowery and Bash
