Va-Va Venues!

    On a road trip to Boston the other day, we decided to pass the time by recounting all the locales where we've had the pleasure of creating couples' wedding photography.  Knowing there would be a lot, we still didn't expect to come up with over 130 different venues!  And the list keeps growing.

Harding-Allen Estate

If you're planning a wedding and would like any input from a photographer's perspective, be sure to give us a call.  Naturally some of these venues we've been to many times, some perhaps only once.  We'd be happy to show you our "library" of wedding images covering a variety of reception venues.  And to think we haven't even listed the churches, cathedrals or synagogues!

Alpine Grove - Hollis, NH	Lakeside Ballroom - Worcester, MA
AMVETS - Natick, MA	Lakeview Pavillion - Foxboro, MA
Andover Country Club - Andover, MA	Lashaway Inn - East Brookfield, MA
Angelica's - Middleton, MA	Leicester Country Club - Leicester, MA
Asa Waters Mansion Millbury, MA	Leo's Ristorante - Worcester, MA
Beechwood Inn Worcester, MA	Lord Thompson Manor - Thompson, CT
Belltower - Milford, MA	Luciano's at Lake Pearl - Wrentham, MA
Best Western Royal Plaza - Marlborough, MA	Maironis Park - Shrewsbury, MA
Black Orchid - Shrewsbury, MA	Masonic Estates - Charlton, MA
Blissful Meadows Golf Club _ Uxbridge, MA	Maxwell Silverman's Tool House - Worcester, MA
Boston Harbor Hotel - Boston, MA	Mechanics Hall - Worcester, MA
Boston-Newton Marriot Hotel - Newton, MA	Milan Banquet Room - Shrewsbury, MA
Brookstone Ballroom and Event Center - Derry, NH	Minuteman Club - Hanscome AFB
Butternut Farm - Stow, MA	Nashoba Valley Winery - Bolton, MA
Cathedral of the Pines - Rindge, NH	Naval Station Officers Club - Newport, RI
Centrum Center - Worcester, MA	Oakham Golf Club - Oakham, MA
Charles Hotel - Cambridge, MA	Oakhill Country Club - Fitchburg, MA
Charter Oak Country Club - Hudson, MA	Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, MA
Chocksett Inn - Sterling, MA	Omni Parker House - Boston, MA
Christina's - Foxboro, MA	Periwinkles Garden Court - Oxford, MA
Club Maxine at Maxwell Silverman's - Worcester, MA	Pipinell's - Franklin, MA
Coachman Lodge - Bellingham, MA	Pleasant Valley Country Club - Sutton, MA
Cochituate Country Club - Wayland, MA	Point Breeze - Webster, MA
Cocke 'n Kettle - Uxbridge, MA	Pond House Café at Elizabeth Park - West Hartford, CT
Cohasse Country Club - Southbridge, MA	Primavera - Millis, MA
Coldbrook Country Club - Barre, MA	Promises To Keep - Derry, NH
Colege of the Holy Cross Hogan Center - Worcester, MA	Publick House - Sturbridge, MA
Colonial Hotel - Gardner, MA	Quail Hollow Country Club - Oakham, MA
Colonial Inn - Concord, MA	Quincy Neighborhood Club - Quincy, MA
Commandant’s House Charlestown Navy Yard - Boston, MA	Raddison Hotel - Marlborough, MA
Copley Plaza Hotel - Boston, MA	Raffael's Banquet Facility - Walpole, MA
Crowne Plaza - Boston, MA	Ramada Inn - Auburn, MA
Crowne Plaza - Natick, MA	Royal Sonesta - Cambridge, MA
Crowne Plaza - Worcester, MA	Rufus-Putnam House - Rutland, MA
Cyprian Keyes CC - Sterling, MA	Salem Cross Inn - West Brookfield, MA
Devens Inn & Conference Center - Devens, MA	Saphire Manor - Sharon, MA
Dino's Restaurant - Worcester, MA	Seaport Hotel & Conference Center - Boston, MA
Doubletree Hotel - Westborough, MA	Sheraton Tara - Framingham, MA
Elks Lodge - Auburn, MA	Spencer Country Inn - Spencer, MA
Elks Lodge - Shrewsbury, MA	Sterling Country Club - Sterling, MA
Fenway Park 406 Club - Boston, MA	Steven's Farm B & B - Barre, MA
Fort Devens Officer's Club - Devens, MA	Stowe Acres Country Club - Stow, MA
Four Points Hotel - Fitchburg, MA	Sturbridge Host Hotel - Sturbridge, MA
Franklin Country Club - Franklin, MA	Sturbridge Isle - Sturbridge, MA
Fruitlands Museum - Harvard, MA	The Barn at Gibbet Hill - Groton, MA
Gamble Mansion - Boston, MA	The Manor - West Boylston, MA
Grafton Inn - Grafton, MA	The Tavern at OSV - Sturbridge, MA
Hanscom Field Officer's Club - Lexington, MA	Thomas Henry Hearthstone Inn - Sturbridge, MA
Harding-Allen Estate - Barre, MA	Tilton Hall Clark University - Worcester, MA
Harrington Farm - Princeton, MA	Tower Hill Botanic Garden - Boylston, MA
Hawthorne Hotel - Salem, MA	Tribeca - Worcester, MA
Higgins Armory - Worcester, MA	Tuckerman Hall - Worcester, MA
Higgins House at WPI - Worcester, MA	Union Station - Worcester, MA
Hilltop Steakhouse - Saugus, MA	Veronique Ballroom - Brookline, MA
Holden Hills Golf Club - Holden, MA	Wachusett Country Club - West Boylston, MA
Holiday Inn - Boxborough, MA	Wachusett Mountain - Princeton, MA
Holiday Inn - Mansfield, MA	Wachusett Village Inn - Westminster, MA
Holiday Inn - Worcester, MA	Warren Conference Center - Hopkinton, MA
Hopkinton Country Club - Hopkinton, MA	Wayside Inn - Sudbury, MA
Hudson Elks - Hudson, MA	Wedgewood Pines Country Club - Stow, MA
Indian Meadows - Westborough, MA	Westin Hotel - Waltham, MA
Inn at Woodstock Hill - Woodstock, CT	Westin Hotel Copley Place - Boston, MA
Interlaken Inn - Lakeville, CT	White Cliffs - Northborough, MA
Italian Social Club - Worcester, MA	White's of Westport - Westport, MA
Jimmie's Allenhurst - Danvers, MA	Worcester Art Museum - Worcester, MA
Kirkbrae Country Club - Lincoln, RI	Worcester Country Club - Worcester, MA
Knights of Columbus - Leominster, MA	Wyndham Hotel  - Billerica, MA
Knights of Columbus - Westborough, MA	Wyndham Hotel  - Westborough, MA
Knights of Columbus - Worcester, MA	Zukas Hilltop Barn - Spencer, MA

Worcester Art Museum

Spencer Country Inn

Recharging Our Batteries and READY to Rock!

Even though the winter months are the slow season for wedding and on-location portraiture here in New England, we've gotta say we totally LOVE this time of year as it affords us more opportunity to plan and prioritize.  We can refocus and reaffirm for ourselves what we love about this business - what our strengths are (and how we can capitalize on them) and where our weaknesses may be (where we should step outside our comfort zone and aim to grow).

While reviewing our packages for 2012, we decided to revamp our price lists in order to offer more album selections and a variety of à la carte products.  We saw that we could actually reduce our photo reprint pricing too!  Just after we received our new marketing materials, we happened to attend a Boston wedding expo (the first of the year in this area), and man, were we pleased to find that we're extremely competitive in our pricing and when push comes to shove, we can offer more value for the dollar, more bang for the buck.  In all honesty, the pricing plans we saw at the expo were well over $3000, and we offer several options well below that.

I guess part of our "secret" (if there were one)  is that we keep our overhead expenses low.  Working from our home studio and office allows us the freedom to go "on the road" for weddings and on-location portraits, without having to rent  studio space with all the added expense that entails.  We essentially carry the studio with us when a client wants a formalized background, as is often the case in a baby session at the client's home, or for a high school senior portrait.  And this year we plan to expand our selection of indoor backgrounds.

{at our home studio where we meet with clients}

_________________________________________

The other day we bid a fond adieu to our dear comrade "Larry, the Large Format" ... if you didn't know, Chris buys and sells camera gear and knows the stuff like the back of his hand.  Larry, as we liked to call him, sort of fell into our laps when Chris purchased a large collection of gear from an amateur photographer who no longer had the photo "bug".  After some tender loving care, Larry was good as new and looked totally cool with our interior décor, if I do say so myself!

With the proceeds of the sale we were able to snag a lens that we've had our eye on for our Nikon D700 - a Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4 G ED VR.  The image of our living room (above) is the first from this new lens, and we can see it's totally gonna rock at our next wedding this February!

Bridal Expo Fun

Winter in New England tends to be "slow season" for wedding photography, so last Sunday we had the occasion to attend a bridal expo presented by Wedding Day Expositions at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.  Although Chris has exhibited at dozens of bridal shows over the last twenty years, I (Vic) had never attended.  Go figure ...

I think at first, Chris was reluctant to pull out his camera -- after all, there were many wedding photographers exhibiting that day and we didn't want to risk stepping on anyone's toes.  But what we found (after receiving permission from Andrea, the expo producer) was that the only folks taking photos were the brides-to-be themselves with their trusty iPhones, so we knew we'd be able to capture some amazing images that no snap-shot camera could achieve.  See if you agree :-)

Nilsa models a bridesmaid dress from La Reine Bridal

Miss Massachusetts, Natalie Pietrzak

Nilsa

Nilsa

Mangit with flowers by Artistic Blossoms

There was no risk of going hungry while perusing the vendor booths.  Most often you'll find excellent dining set-ups provided by experienced caterers.  The adult beverage bar was a real plus, and naturally, champagne was the beverage du jour!  BUT, the pièces de résistance were the wedding cake offerings from Konditor Meister.  You cannot imagine the variety of cakes ready for sampling that were simply to die for -- I chose the Baileys Irish Creme cake.  Y-U-M!

Music for the day for provided by Entertainment Specialists, and the live performance by the high-energy World Premier Band was extremely entertaining.

 

Among the many wedding photographers present, we struck up a conversation with a super nice gentleman, Jim Hoopes, principal photographer and owner of Beacon Hill Photography, who offered to take a photo for us too.  Thanks Jim!

So in summary, I'd highly recommend attending a bridal expo before your big day!  One thing we advise couples to keep in mind however, is to not feel pressured to make any buying decisions that day, but rather to scout around for ideas on color schemes, dress and tux styles, and types of photography that "speak" to you emotionally.  You may be offered a reduction in cost, a special "this day only" price, if you commit to a particular vendor.  We say, just make certain you've already done your research before you make a decision under that type of situation.   In fact, that's a great idea for our next blog, "How To Choose Your Wedding Day Photographer".

Ta-ta for now!

New Year's Resolution ~ Reward Our Fans & Friends!

Wow, have we been naughty in not posting a blog in so long.  New Year's Resolution #1 -- blog more consistently!

The holidays came and went so very quickly, don't you think?  Why is it with today's technology (which was supposed to save us time), we always feel as though we have less time this year, this month, this week, than we did last year, last month, last week?  Regardless, all one can do is the best one can do, right?!

And so Chris and I sat down to discuss our photography goals and what we see as beneficial for 2012, and luckily for our clients, we've got a great way to attract engaged couples as well as thank those we've done business with before (our 'VIPs' - very important patrons!).  Even fellow wedding vendors can benefit.  So what have we got up our sleeves?


Announcing
Wakeen Photography's Referral Program for 2012 ~

   Could you use an easy $100?   (Who couldn't?!)  If you know anyone who's engaged and who'll be looking to connect with a professional wedding photographer, your referral to us can earn you a referral bonus upon the couple contracting with us to photograph their wedding day.  In fact, you might not even KNOW that you know someone who is engaged, so if you want to take advantage of an easy opportunity, we hope you'll share this post with all your friends ... they'll tell two friends, who'll then tell two friends, and so on...

During the initial consultation with a couple, we always ask how they heard about Wakeen Photography.  If they mention that Y-O-U referred them, then guess what?  Y-O-U are $100 richer!  This applies in every case, whether you're a former client, a personal friend, a family member, a neighbor, or our mailman  ... someone in your life is probably planning a wedding in 2012!  What have you got to lose ~  SPREAD THE WORD !

AND AS IF that weren't enough ...

We've got another promotion up our sleeves to be announced in the very near future.  Brides and grooms, you won't want to miss this!

Wishing everyone a terrific 2012 full of opportunities, cherished moments and golden smiles!



In Gratitude ~  Chris & Vickie

... Who's The Fairest of Them All?

OK ladies, admit it.  Once upon a time, you wanted to be a princess, right?  The proof?  What about those fairytale picture books you've saved to pass down to your own daughter someday.  Or how about those videos and coloring books you spent hours dreaming with - remember Jasmine in Aladdin, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, the Little Mermaid?  Not to mention those of you who loved to dress up Barbie.

I think that's why we women love weddings so much.  We love putting together our personal vision of becoming 'princess for a day'.  When will there ever be another time in our life when we can pull out all the glamor-stops with our gown, our shoes, our jewelry, our hairstyle and our make-up?  We want our prince charming to be dazzled, don't we!

What I don't like about weddings is that once the day arrives, all too quickly our princess package is put away, never to be enjoyed again.  So much planning, fussing and fretting (not to mention $$$) for nary 8 to 10 hours of looking our best ever.  Then for perhaps weeks after you wait and hope that your photographer has captured you in the best light.

That's why we propose couples consider a "Rock the Dress" session (sometimes called a 'trash the dress' session, but we don't like that term for such a precious item).  These sessions can occur one day after or even months after your wedding date.  Wouldn't you love the chance to have your hair and nails done again so you can don that gorgeous dress for a more relaxed and fun glamor session with your new husband???  For this session men often wear a pair of white or black dress pants with a white dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves, so your guy doesn't have to frown over putting on a tux again!

Your bridal fashion session can take place at any multitude of locations -- a beach setting, a park, a cityscape, perhaps outside a bistro or a building with beautiful architecture.  Even a railroad track can be a fun backdrop. 

Wakeen Photography offers these sessions at your convenience.  We're always available and eager to discuss ways to personalize your session.  We offer your finished images (approximately 50) on CD, or if you prefer, we'll create gorgeous wall art of your favorite image (think above your bed, or a living room mantle) such as 20"x30" canvas gallery wraps.  

So DON'T box up your dress just yet!  Call to inquire on pricing -- it is so much more affordable than you may think!

                        
  Call Chris at 774-262-5332, or Vickie at
              774-279-6782                                         

       

Family Beach Sessions - One Day Only! Saturday, September 24th

courtesy Emerald Coast Reflections

So, you ask yourself, "just what is this Family Beach Session and why would I want to do this?"   Well, if you haven't had your whole family photographed in a while (come on now, fess up), or you've always envied your friends who've got great professional portraits on their walls with all the kids and the dog looking so 'together' and beautiful -- NOW is your chance!

For one day only, September 24, Wakeen Photography is offering discounted family sessions at Wollaston Beach in Quincy, Massachusetts, beginning at 4:30 p.m., the late afternoon 'Golden Hour' that us photographers know offers primo lighting.  And sources tell us that Wollaston Beach is unmatched in this area for beautiful sunsets.  Not to mention, after your easy and comfortable 'mini-session', you can walk across the street to a variety of fish/clam/ lobster shacks for a fresh seafood dinner (last of the season, perhaps)?

Each session will last approximately 20 minutes (be sure to arrive on time as a courtesy to the other groups booked), and will consist of a customized professional sitting for families of any size.  We'll offer you suggestions beforehand for wardrobe color-coordination, if desired, and after we've created about a couple dozen images for you, your online previews (password protected) will be available for viewing within two weeks.

Session fees are only $95, no matter the size of your group.  A 50% deposit is required at time of booking.  You will receive a 8x10" print, enhanced and color-corrected for a look only the professionals can provide!  Naturally, we offer many other reprint sizes, as well as some fabulous wall décor products that you'll want to have in your home, once you see how great you look!

If all that isn't enough, we're throwing in a 10% discount on holiday cards ordered through Wakeen Photography, if that's what you choose to do with your family image.  [orders for holiday cards must be placed by November 30.]  AND if you REFER A FRIEND you'll BOTH receive 10% off your entire session fee and any subsequent order.

Be sure to call A.S.A.P. as this offer lasts but a day, and the day is just around the corner!  To speak with Chris in our studio, call 774-262-5332, or email Vickie to inquire:  vickie@wakeenphotography.com.
See you at the beach!