Cool Product Alert: The Wedding Party App!

Hey Brides and Grooms! While searching aimlessly on Pinterest, I came across a new fun new app! So of course, we wanted to share it with you right away! The Wedding Party App is currently perfect for IPhone users (and android users in the very near future!). This App is so easy "even your flower girl can use it" (it's true, their site even says so!). Print out the sites great "place card directions" so your guests know what to do, upload your images and share away!

The registration is simple,you may sign up using your e-mail or through Facebook. You design your own cover photo, notify your guests and let the uploads begin!

Cool Product Alert; Wedit

We Love Fun Products and look what we came across yesterday: Wedit! We thought this was a great option for those clients that don't have a large cinematography budget yet still yearn to have a very cool video from the perspective of their guests.

So Here is the LowDown:
You receive 5 HD camera's that you can with as you please for 3 days. You can place them anywhere you want, or give them to your guests to capture all the action of your fabulous day! Then...you send the cameras back to Wedit and they either upload all of your raw footage or for a small additional fee they can create a wedding video with your guest shot video. So Cool right? And you get it for a few days so you can really capture the moments leading up to your big day...

Here's a great sample below: 

Wedit Trailer Bahamas from Brett deMarrais on Vimeo.

Scratch Weddings

Throughout this month we have shared with you a variety of vendors from around the nation that inspire us for numerous different reasons, and of course, what inspires them! Today we thought we'd end the month with one more awesome vendor, Rob Principe and Scratch Weddings.

First we'd like for you to meet Rob:
Rob Principe is one of the world’s leading experts on the DJ and music industry and the founder and chief executive officer of Scratch Music Group, a venture-backed, high-growth music and technology company that is the nation’s leader in DJ booking, technology and music education. An internationally-recognized brand, Scratch Music Group is comprised of three business units: Scratch Events, which provides DJ talent  for some of the most influential brands in the world; Scratch DJ Academy, the world's leading DJ learning center, which Principe co-founded with the late Jam Master Jay of Run DMC; and Scratch Weddings, the nation’s leading provider of highly skilled, experienced and affordable marquee DJs for weddings.

We asked Rob a few questions about the inspiration of Scratch Weddings, their brand and outlook on the event world...Here is what he had had to say!

1. What was your inspiration in the creation of Scratch Weddings?
Given the success of our events business, clients began approaching us for their own personal events and weddings.  We felt honored that they would entrust one of the biggest nights of their lives to our DJ services and saw an opportunity to provide a level of quality, skill and professionalism that was unprecedented and do so nationwide.  Based on the needs of our existing customers we were inspired to launch Scratch Weddings and provide all couples with their choice of highly experienced and affordable marquee wedding DJs through the most stress-free and hassle-free process.

2. Where is an unexpected place, that you have found new inspiration for furthering the vision of Scratch Weddings?
Music is very personal and it’s important to find entertainment that fits your style and taste; we recognize how critical that is when planning such a momentous event!  Our goal is to personalize and deliver an experience that will make your event unique. We are able to achieve this by providing the most skilled DJs in the space who can build a soundtrack around even the most out-of-the-box requests. And what inspires us to continue to do this? Comments like these from happy clients:

“Scratch should be everyone's first choice for their wedding DJ. That's all there is to it. The service is impeccable, their DJ's are incredibly talented, and their crews are like ninjas with the equipment set-up and strike. All of this makes for a 100% worry-free day with guaranteed success on the dance floor.”

3. What is one piece of advice you would give to a bride looking for inspiration, in beginning with her search for an amazing event flow and music selection?
Since every couple comes in with a different vision for what they want out of their night, we have a list of questions to help guide them through the decision-making process. And we encourage our couples to explore what’s possible by providing examples and options.   The choice of wedding DJ should fit this vision and to help them achieve that, here at Scratch, we hand pick several wedding DJs from our team based on a couples interests and provide them with bios that include videos, mixes and photos to make the perfect match.  Once a choice is made, the couple has the opportunity to meet with the DJ for a live demo. In addition, they can have DJs simultaneously perform along with musicians; couples can even learn to DJ a short set at our Scratch DJ Academy and wow their guests with a performance of their own, and have a mosh pit on the dance floor if that is their desire.  It is their night, and we want to help make it the most memorable.

Media Feature: Mag Rouge

We have talked about our "Mag Rouge" feature a few times on our blog...but haven't ever properly shown you the images, so I thought we'd change that today. Yesterday we posted a bit about us traveling to our Paso Robles market to work on two gorgeous photo shoots for the online magazine Mag Rouge and also Destination I DO. MagRouge is a relatively newer publication with great readership and amazing style...so we were of course HONORED to work on such a great shoot for such an up and coming publication. Mag Rouge gave us design inspiration of "Harvest", but it wouldn't be an Antonia Christianson Events shoot if it weren't glammed up a bit.  Who doesn't love a sequins linen with woodsy accents. We absolutely loved the flowers that Camilla Burns created and the little accents from her studio we were able to use to bring everything together. (notice her gorgeous planter that we used as our champagne chiller! swoon.) You can check out the pages on this online magazine below along with many more of the elements we brought in, or view the publication in it's entirety here.

I could sleep in this linen. Absolutely, one of my favorites. 

 Seriously, can she look any more gorgeous?

 Love! Love! Love!  Her Jenny Yoo gown and headpiece from Lo Boheme.

Planning/Design: Antonia Christianson Events
Photography: Allyson Magda Photography
Produced by: Be Inspired PR
Floral Design: Camilla Svennson Burns Couture Floral and Event Design
Bridal Gown: Jenny Yoo
Veil and Hair accessories: Lo Boheme
Wedding Ring: Diamond in the Rough
Hair/Makeup: Rhonda Johnson
Stationery: Azulsahara
Venue:  Hammer Sky Vineyards, Paso Robles California
Cake: Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach
Wine: OneHope Weddings
Table Linen: La Tavola Linens
Napkins: Custom made by Helen Price of Antonia Christianson Events

An Engagement Story: Chris and Adeena

We just love getting to celebrate when one of our own gets married! 

A few weeks ago, Antonia Christianson Events was honored to help with the proposal of our very own Adeena. Chris asked us to help in the preparation for the proposal. The restaurant was beautifully decorated, and Trivium Studios got some great photos of the proposal. I don't know if we are more excited about their wedding on the Eastern Shore or their tailgate style rehearsal dinner!  Their engagement story was featured on the "Oh Lovely Day" blog and you can see check out their story HERE!

{Vendors} Planning/Design - Antonia Christianson Events / Photography - Trivium Studios / Videography - Jeremy Mitchell / Venue - Sweetwater Cuisine / Floral arrangement - Vivid Expressions / Stationery -  RSVP  / Cake - Alicia Taylor / Hair Makeup: Rebecca Wood / Linens: ConnieDuglin Linens

Monday Meeting: Jeremy Mitchell Cinema

Ahhh...Cinema! Here's the funny thing about wedding videography or cinematography...It's kind of a big deal! Throughout our years of business we have seem many peaks and valley's in terms of wedding videos. The video trend used to be really big and then it kind of went into extinction (probably because the amount of "stereotypes around cheesy wedding videographers and their more cheesy product")...but now thanks to companies like Jeremy Mitchell Cinema who take a backseat approach to creating a truly gorgeous product we are glad to say the trend is back and in full swing (hopefully...it is going no where soon!) 

Ladies of Gentlemen: Meet Jeremy Mitchell! 

Image Copyright: Justin and Mary (who the way i can't wait to work with at special wedding celebration October 2013!) 

How did Jeremy Mitchell Cinema get started?

Jeremy Mitchell Cinema got started in an odd series of coincidental events that just happened to work out. I used to film and edit skateboarding videos back in high school and my first few years in college. Nothing I ever really took seriously. As I slowly got out of it and focused on my career and in that timeframe I made friends with my partner Nick Godsell. He was working at the mall with a friend of mine and we had in common a huge love for music. Fast forward a decade later and my girlfriend (now wife) Ashley is having me tag along with her to help photograph weddings. At the same time Nick had been videoing his world travels for fun. I somehow got the notion to shoot weddings but with utilizing my film background and called upon Nick and the dynamic just worked!

How do you describe your style?

As far as style would go I would best describe it as honest. We shoot the day as it happens, with as little directing as possible. As lame as it sounds we capture the moments as they happen and won't interfere unless absolutely necessary. We also try to capture all the details and style of the day, almost from a photographer viewpoint. 

What is your favorite thing about videoing a wedding? 

If I had to pinpoint my favorite thing about shooting a wedding it would just be being involved in the insane amount of fun that is happening that day. A wedding is the best day of two peoples lives and I love that we get to share that and call it a "job." I mean seriously, have you ever met anyone that does't think weddings are an awesome time?

What is your biggest advice of couples looking for a wedding videographer?

The best advice I can give to a couple looking for a videographer is to make sure that they like the videographer(s) as people as well as the product they produce. A wedding is an intimate affair and you're really allowing the videographer into your lives so you should be able to trust them and enjoy the experience. There's so many people and studios out there that can make a great product but you should be able to enjoy yourself and your time with them throughout the whole process.

Here's a link to film I rather love. Also, I heard the planner of this one was pretty alright!

Jesse and Brandon from jeremy mitchell on Vimeo.

Monday Meeting: Ramone Photography Studio

This week we wanted to take a look at another great photographer, Ramone! At Ramone Photography Studio, the relationship between the subject and photographer is key to capturing more than just a moment in time. He strives to show more depth through his photographs. Take a look at this great question and answer session we had with Ramone!

AC: How did you get your start in photography?
RPS: I immersed myself in photography when I was 16 & 17 years old. While in my high school photography and art program I also attended professional workshops, photography programs at museums and enrolled in college photography classes. I photographed my first wedding at age 17, as I apprenticed with the areas top wedding photographer of the day. Ramone Photography Studio opened at The Wayside Village Shops in 1994.

AC: What is your favorite moment to capture at a wedding?
RPS: There is always a time in the early part of every wedding that I fall into a zone. It's when everything seems to come together, the magic and romance comes to life. These many special moments occur throughout the day, some similar to other weddings and some unique to the wedding at hand. It's these variety of events & moments that I capture for my clients and they usually become their favorites.

AC: How would you classify your style of photography?
RPS: My career as a professional wedding photographer started just as the "formal" era transitioned to "journalistic". I was fortunate to learn early the value of both styles. I enjoy blending the casually posed formal style, the story-telling candid style with my own creativity, it's what make Ramone Photography Studio unique.

AC: What words of advice do you have for couples seeking the right wedding photographer?
RPS: Once you've done the basics and know you're dealing with a qualified professional, it is extremely important to click with the photographer's personality. There are many great photographers with hard to get along with personalities. You do not want to be annoyed or trouble your guests or your family & friends with a photographer who's hard to handle. Meet your photographer, but if it's too difficult call or have your mother or a bridesmaid pay them a visit. 

Now take a look at some of Ramone's gorgeous photos and let us know what you think!  

Monday Meeting: The Boardwalk Photo Booth Company

 We had the great opportunity to talk with our good friend Shawn Cox, owner of The Boardwalk Photo Booth Company, who's been involved in the wedding industry for over twenty years! Take a look at this great question and answer session we had with him and let us know what you think about the amazing pictures as well!



AC: How did you first become involved in the wedding industry?

SC: I started as a local disc jockey back in 1989.  I worked in radio for Z104 & 2WD for about 12 years and was also a full-time wedding DJ and managing partner for one of the local entertainment companies.  Radio was fun and a great experience, but in the end I just really enjoyed weddings.  I loved meeting new people every weekend and it was extremely fulfilling to walk away from a wedding reception knowing how big a difference you made to the bride & groom on such an important day.  The wedding industry has been a part of my life for over 22 years now!  I actually met Carolyn at a wedding and we had our pictures taken in the photo booth on the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier on one of our first dates.  Life hasn't been the same since.  In December 2009, Carolyn and I were talking about the industry and realized that there wasn't a local photo booth presence, and we knew that the trend had been building in Hollywood and in cities like Chicago and New York.  We shopped around for readily available "photo booths" and even looked into the franchises, but weren't impressed with anything.  We wanted to create a much more authentic photo booth experience for our clients, so in the end, we decided to have our vintage-inspired photo booths fabricated to our specifications.  We intended to have the photo booth as a fun side business, but things escalated quickly, forcing me into an early retirement from the DJ business to focus soley on all things "photo booth".  Now we have four photo booths in our collection.  Three of them are the digital photo booths that have made us so popular.  The fourth is actually an antique chemical photo booth from 1959 that spent much of it's life at Sylvan Beach Amusement Park in upstate New York.  As a company, Carolyn and I felt it was important to pay homage to the history of the photo booth, which dates back to 1925, so the old booth has been a welcome addition to our office at Wayside Village. 


AC: What can be some of the benefits of having a photo booth, along with a photographer at your event? 

SC: First and foremost, the photo booth is not a replacement for a professional photographer.  A photographer is SO important as he or she captures the magic of the event from beginning to end.  The photo booth should be considered a replacement to the traditional "party favor".  People often choose to exclude putting disposable cameras each table in lieu of the booth.  Guests are welcome to take photos over and over again - there is no limit, so in the end they get to take home tons of photos imprinted with the bride & groom's logo and wedding date.  We also create a scrapbook on site the clients often use as their only guest book.  Imagine how awesome it will be in twenty years when a couple pulls out the scrapbook and sees all of their guests exactly the way they looked on their wedding day.  The scrapbook is so much more valuable than a book of signatures and ends up being quite the prized possession.  


AC: Would you say there has been an increase in demand for photo booths for recently?


SC: Absolutely.  We certainly feel that they are becoming a staple item at weddings.  It's still such a "new" thing.  The photo booths receive constant praise from guests as "the best idea EVER".  We hear it at every single event.  We have to admit that it wasn't our idea, but we are doing our best to perfect it.

AC: What advice do you have for a bride and groom when they're looking for a way to make their event unique?

SC: Well, a photo booth is definitely a unique addition, but there are so many great design elements available for weddings now.  Hampton Roads has some of the very best vendors you'll find anywhere.  From uplighting the walls and pin spotting the tables to elaborate ice bars and swanky lounge furniture.  The sky really is the limit these days.  If a client can dream it, the vendors in our area can pull together and make it happen.  We see it every weekend.  "Don't be afraid to be different".  That's our advice.  It's 2011, and it's cool to throw tradition to the wind and have FUN! 

    Both of these great outdoor shots were taken by Shawn!

Monday Meeting: Trivium Studio

Monday Meeting with James Christianson and Trey Tesoro of Trivium Studio. 

Trivium Studio gets it's name, Trivium, from the point where three paths cross. At Trivium Studio it is the intersection of the visions of James, Trey, and their clients. Trivium Studio is relatively new, although its photographers are not novices. James Christianson and Trey Tesoro both had their own photography "brands" before deciding about 18 months ago to merge and create Trivium Studio. James and Trey's style complement each other so well and they truly are a breath of fresh air in the wedding market.

AC: How did you get your start in photography? 
TS: I (James) took photography in high school, and really enjoyed it. I continued photography throughout the years sporadically and when I meant Trey we both loved photography and our passion grew into our business. We had our own independent brands but we always shot together; however, about 18 months ago Trey and I decided to merge our brands together as one.

AC: What's your favorite moment to capture at a wedding?
TS: There are too many to list. Trey really loves to capture when the groom first sees the bride, while I love capturing the first dance in addition to any one on one moments between the bride and groom. Especially the moment before the bride walks down the aisle- her anticipation! There really are too many to list!

AC: How would you classify your style?
TS: I'd have to say a fusion of all styles. We pride ourselves on capturing real moments as they are happening. Of course we'll take the traditional style pictures, but what we love and are known for is our ability to capture emotion in the moment in a timeless manner. 


AC: What advice do you have for a bride and groom looking for the right photographer?
TS: Choose someone that you truly have a connection with. You want to love their style but you want to feel comfortable with them through the process and on the big day. You have to remember to choose what you like, not what others around you like because they are your wedding pictures. Take engagement pictures with your photographer--that way if you don't like them or if you don't fit their style you aren't stuck with them on your wedding day. All you have after the wedding are the images, so make sure you are going to love them without settling.

Make sure you check out Trivium Studio featured on these well known wedding blogs and in the next issue of the Knot, DC/Maryland/Virginia Edition in stores this month! : Wedding Chicks, Inspired By This

A Tribute to Long Sleeve Gowns

Last year I wrote a post on things we loved about "cold weather attire" for weddings and sleeves of course were one of the main items. I have always loved the classic look of a gown with sleeves and was not surprised at all when Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, chose the beautiful look for her wedding day.

Image Found

Here is an image of one of our well known ACE Brides, Audrey, in her own lace gown. These sleeves were actually a bolero jacket that could be removed after the ceremony. Audrey looked classic and stunning on her day.

Lissa Hatcher Photography

Here are a few dresses that we originally featured on our original post:
Novissima Gown:

Monique Lhuillier Gown:

Chrysler Wedding Party: 2nd Annual

For the last 2 years the Chrysler Museum of Art has hosted a "Wedding Party" for potential brides in Hampton Roads. We love this event as it only features preferred wedding vendors to the Chrysler Museum of Art, it is open to the Public, and it gives brides and potential clients the opportunity to see the Chrysler set up with some of the amazing vendors that make magic weekend after weekend at this fabulous castle like venue. 

Instead of a traditional booth this year we decided to set up a "mock table" that would let brides envision where their wedding guests would be sitting as they ate dinner. Obviously, I chose yellow (it's a favorite of mine if you can't tell)...but then I choose a happy spring like linen to warm us up a bit from that brisk March wind. Daevid created our beautiful flowers! I loved that he included daffodil's as they are a sure sign of spring and he also let us use one of his amazing chandeliers (which, If I don't say so myself, was one of the "WOW" pieces of the night). RSVP Stationery created our "in lieu" of cards, tables number and place cards and Blue Steel Pro Lighting lit our booth. 

Here are a few pictures from our "Fresh" spring booth. Thanks Echard!! 

One of the fabulous ACE team members Stephanie tied these chair ties...I loved them and we already have requests for client weddings. Thanks Steph! 

(from L to R): Adeena Morgan (ace intern), Antonia Christianson, Stephanie Spence (event assistant)

Great car from our friend Bob at Royal Coach Limo! 

Thanks Echard for these great pictures (Ramone and Echard)

A Fascinating Accessory

If you are looking for a one-of-a kind accessory to complete your bridal ensemble, your search ends here! Fascinators originially debuted in the late 18th century and have made a comeback! A fascinator- also called a cocktail hat or Chapeau- is a delicate headpiece typically made of flowers and feathers. Many designers create custom pieces in vibrant colors and add rhinestones, tulle, etc. The dainty headpieces can be attached to hair using alligator clips, combs, or headbands. These head-turning accessories have been flying off the shelves thanks to the influence of Kate Middleton. The soon-to-be Princess of Wales has been seen wearing custom fascinators on multiple occasions, and sales of similar pieces have increased dramatically. Bridal fascinators are a trendy veil alternative- or you can transform your look by switching to a feathery fascinator for your reception. Most designers embrace custom orders, so you can have the fascinator of your dreams! Check out these designs that we know you will love!

Bette Bridal Fascinator from Lo Boheme

Fascinator with removable cage veil and fascinator with dangling crystals

Peacock feather fascinator

Wedding Wednesday: Eastern Shore Virginia Wedding Details

A few weeks ago we announced my moms wedding...and each week we have been sharing a few little details about her big day. Today, we are sharing dress inspiration. I can tell you who her designer is and even share a few images of the vibe we are going for...but definitely no pictures of the real dress!


My mom has literally put all of the planning into my hands. Including the dress...but here are the details that I was looking for when picking the perfect dress for my mom:
1. It had to be flexible.
2. It had to flow.
3. It had to be comfortable.

I loved the Fluttering Sleeves of this dress:

Mon Cheri Bridal: Mon Cheri Wedding Dress 19232S

I loved the length of this dress:

Anne Barge

 I loved the comfort in this dress:

J. Crew Wedding Gown Principessa

Now...Drum Roll: I chose an Alisa Benay gown for my mom. I loved it for a few reasons...First, Alisa is amazing and I have loved her work for a long time (you can see another post we wrote on her last year here). Next, she let us customize my moms dress 100%. Finally, she isn't a designer that a lot of our local clients use as she is more of a boutique designer from Colorado. I loved that my Mom wouldn't have the same dress that everyone else has.

Two Fashion Finds We Love!

During the search for bridesmaid dresses it can be difficult to find a design you love in the right shade for your wedding. The Dessy Group at http://www.dessy.com/ helps with this very dilemma. Dessy offers bridesmaid dresses and accessories, as well as other wedding fashions, in rich Pantone shades. Dessy also sells a Pantone Wedding color fan available with nearly 200 colors from the current collection. Colors are organized according to color family so it is easy to determine which shade is your favorite- not all blues are the same after all! This device is small enough to fit in your purse and can be helpful when shopping for wedding attire and coordinating colors. We keep our own color fan in office so we can help our brides synchronize flowers, stationery, etc. The Dessy Group can be a great tool in planning and coordinating the entire look of your wedding. 

When it comes to customizing your wardrobe, milk & honey is "a dream come shoe".  Milk & Honey is a unique shoe company based in Los Angeles that allows you to design your very own custom-made shoes. You can design any kind of shoe you want, but we think this is a fun way to do your bridal shoes! The website is easy to use as it guides you through the design process.  You are given choices on style, heel height, material, color, and more! Can't get the design exactly how you want it? Milk & Honey offers live chatting to assist customers and will also discuss questions over the phone.  Milk & Honey even has a great variety of ready-to-wear styles. Another great thing about this company is that they offer several non-leather products in an effort to support vegan clients. I had lots of fun designing all kinds of shoes, now go try it for yourself at http://www.milkandhoneyshoes.com/!



Images obtained from http://www.dessy.com/ and http://www.milkandhoneyshoes.com/.