Building on 2017

2017 was quite a year. We've seen many changes, triumphs, reached goals, empowerment, and much more. We've also seen a lot of failures. These failures don't have to be seen as a negative. Use these failures to grow, learn, and be better at your craft, your relationships, or whatever it is you need to do. 

2017 brought new challenges and experiences. I witnessed and photographed my first birth! Seriously, an amazing experience! Absolutely beautiful and I'm honored to have been able to witness such a miracle. Congratulations to the Busa family <3

2017 gave me the opportunity to photograph numerous weddings. I adore weddings and being able to photograph them and capture the joy and happiness is truly a blessing. 

2017, like every year, was a year of learning and growth. I started working with a good friend and fellow photographer, Andres. We've set up a team of talented individuals to work together on projects that will be brought to you throughout the year. 

2018. This will be a year of hustle, dedication, goals, work, play, excitement, learning, and drive. I'm thrilled to be working with such great people this coming year. I have amazing clients and friends that believe in me and that is enough to drive me to bring you the best, and it will only get better. 

Cheers to new relationships, building on established ones, accomplishing our goals, and to 2018.

What are some goals that you would like to accomplish this year? 

Aww, I do Look Like That

Engagement and Couple Sessions

As a photographer, I am part of hundreds of groups on Facebook. I get to see beautiful photos of love and gorgeous places all day. It's a wonderful and fulfilling career, but I do see a lot of the same sessions. Engagement sessions are mostly the same. You either head to a beautiful location or stay at home and enjoy your session in the comfort of your own home. Now, don't get me wrong, I also love these because you get gorgeous images and it's fun! These two types of sessions are extremely popular but I always like switching things up a bit. 

Michelle and I came up with a cool theme to do for their session. This is the beginning.

Love <3

I posted on a forum asking who would be interested in a Family Session. Michelle responded and we sort of switched up the idea from a typical family session to this. The idea was to draw what your partner's face looks like when they are in that state of emotion. For the photo on the right, Michelle drew what Dan's face looks like when he is head over heels with her. The kissy face emoji, ladies and gentlemen. 

The heart eyes that Dan made...absolutely perfect.

It was an absolutely Florida kind of day, which means that there was a ton of humidity and a light drizzle. That didn't stop these champs from doing an awesome job at their session. I mean c'mon, how cute!

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Towards the end of the hour that we were there, we grabbed a special someone to get in front of the camera as well. Jax is awwweeesome and in the end, I definitely was able to get an awesome family photo <3

8 TIPS TO KEEP WITHIN YOUR FLORAL BUDGET FOR YOUR WEDDING | Part 2

Happy Monday again! This is Part 2 and hopefully, you were able to read Part 1. It has a lot of helpful information and here is more greatness.

5. If a designer tells you a flower is out of season, do your research but rely on them to know how the product looks leaving the grower.  Sometimes, in rare cases, a designer will tell you a flower is out of season or impossible to get.  If you do the research and find other florists have it and it looks good, then the designer who tells you the flower is out of season or impossible to get is not willing to do the legwork to get a particular flower shipped into them.

Dahlias, a perfect example.  Early in my career, I had clients asking for Dahlia.  I was told by my wholesaler, it was hard to ship and hard to get.  As a designer I took my wholesaler at their word, only to find out later that not only is it not hard to ship but it isn’t that hard to get either.

6.     Aside from the bridal bouquet, where you stand for the actual ceremony and it’s floral are the secondarily most important floral.  Why? Think from a photographers perspective. Let’s say you’re getting married in an outdoor space.  There is nothing around and you plan on having a simple arch with no floral on the arch. While wide open landscapes are gorgeous settings for a wedding, having something for the eye to focus on for your guests and for the lens of your photographer’s camera, having floral or draping on that arch will provide a better photographic experience.

7.     Reception floral is probably more important for the couple getting married than the guests attending.  This is not to say it isn’t important to have a finished looking reception room, but more than likely the guests will not notice the 20 different bottles on a table with their 20 different flowers, or the tall pieces with cascading orchids.  There are times you will have a guest or two who is really into flowers and will spend time looking at the flowers, but think back at the weddings you have been to and do you remember the flowers or the actual happenings at the reception?

We just did a wedding this winter, a beautiful wedding.  Over 1,500 red roses.  The centerpieces were 3 different designs.  Tall pieces on gold candelabra, short pieces in silver plated teapots and short pieces on stacks of books.  There was a lot of detail on each table, from rose petal runners to specially selected hardback books for the right color scheme.  I know the couple getting married appreciated the final look, but I also know for a fact, the guests were not sitting talking about the 200 rose candelabra topper or how the books matched the theme perfectly.

Speaking of reception flowers.  I highly encourage a mix of tall and short pieces.  For me personally, the reason being, it gives the room flow and movement.  When you talk to your designer listen to their design ideas as they usually know what works in the space you’re having your reception is and know how to keep movement in the floral pieces.  Having all tall pieces gives the eye nowhere to go. Tall pieces are good in spaces where the venue has tall ceilings, but having them all tall can actually draw the eyes up.  Shorter pieces can help to keep the eyes focused lower.

8.     Reuse as much of the ceremony floral as possible.  Going back to the arch.  If you use a garland on the arch, ask your venue, planner or florist if they will move that piece to the sweetheart/head table.  This also goes for any aisle floral you may have, use those for your cocktail table. 

Most of the weddings we have done, with a few minor exceptions, we have taken the ceremony floral and “flipped” it to the reception space.  There is no reason not to do that.  It is a cost saver and allows for those flowers to be used in a space where you can look at them and appreciate them while you and your guests celebrate.

Lastly, there are questions you should ask your florist when you meet for your initial consultation and they are:

1.     How many weddings have you done?

2.     Have you worked at my venue(s) before?

3.     Do you have the staff to help with setup?

4.     Is delivery, setup, and strike included in the pricing?

5.     What are the additional costs for adding items before the wedding? (Let’s say you add 2 bridesmaids, 2 groomsmen, and 2 reception tables a week before the wedding, you need to know what those costs will be – be prepared to pay more than the original order as the product needs to be ordered to accommodate last minute additions.)

6.     What are the rental costs for glassware, arch, etc?

7.     Do your proposals have approximate stem counts and flower types?

For the DIY couples.  First, I applaud you. Here are some tips for you adventurous couples.

1.     Find a floral provider who will let you order the flowers for you wholesale.  While sites like Globalrose and Fifty Flowers are great, you will be paying a lot over wholesale and the flower choices are quite limited.  Instead, if you find a florist who is willing to let you order with them you will save quite a bit of money. Tell them what you’re wanting to make so you are sure to order the correct amount of flowers (I usually tell DIY clients to add an extra 5 – 10% extra flowers to any order as sometimes things get sad in transit)

For example; Globalrose has 10 hydrangeas for $50.00.  That’s $5.00/stem.  Wholesale is approximately $1.00/stem.  Globalrose has 50 ivory roses for $63.00. That’s $1.13/stem.  Wholesale is approximately $.60/stem. So if you do the math for let’s say a hydrangea and rose topper at “retail” pricing:

RETAIL DIY                                                  WHOLESALE DIY

10 Hydrangea = $50.00                                 10 Hydrangea = $10.00

25 Roses          = $28.00                                  25 Roses          =$25.00          

Total               =$78.00                                   Total               =$35.00

2.     While YouTube is great for “tutorials” on how to put together a bridal bouquet or a huge hydrangea ball vase topper, keep in mind that 99% of those tutorials are done by a florist who has been doing this for years.  See if you can find a florist who will allow you to work in their space and give guidance as needed.

I had a DIY client last summer.  She ordered her flowers through me.  I let her know when the flowers were here, and then she, her mom, her aunt and her planner came to my shop.  It was a fun day.  I showed them how to process (the term florists use to prepare flowers by removing thorns, stripping leaves, cut and putting into treated water ) and then how to assemble their centerpieces and was there to give them pointers as I worked on another wedding.

3.     If you are lucky enough to find a florist who will allow you to place a wholesale order with them and work in their space, ask them if they would be willing to deliver your DIY items to the venue. Be prepared to pay a delivery fee but I encourage DIY couples to do that. The reason being is because the florist will know how to care for the flowers (keeping them cold, hydrated and treated) overnight and assuring you get fresh products on your wedding day. The additional bonus to having a florist deliver for you is they know how to pack things so vases don’t fall over and flowers don’t get crushed.

All of these tips will helpfully make your wedding planning easier, whether you’re a couple who will have the florist do all the work for you, or you’re a DIY couple. These are all very easy ways to make sure you get as close to the flowers you want and keep your budget in place. 

Thank you, Kelly, for all that helpful information :) If you'd like to contact Kelly for her services, her information is listed below.

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Kelly Dixon | Union Blooms Floral

Info@unionbloomsfloralweddings.com | www.unionbloomsfloralweddings.com

7 TIPS FOR GETTING INTO WEDDING SHAPE | Part 2

Hey everyone! He is the continuation of "7 TIPS FOR GETTING INTO WEDDING SHAPE" for you to enjoy! If you missed Part 1, it's in an earlier blog post. Enjoy the read!

4: Hold yourself accountable:

Make sure when you start any new diet and exercise program that you keep track of your progress and keep up with writing in your fitness journal if you start one. Keep track as to what you eat every day. They even have apps for these things now, but I like the idea of writing notes in my phone or on paper. There’s no need to download another app that’ll take up space on my phone and it gets the job done. Remember, holding yourself accountable means acknowledging when you have an “off day.” If you ate an extra slice of pizza or drank a soda when you knew you shouldn’t keep track of that. If your goal is to look and feel your best know that the power is in your hands. Whether you lose 5 pounds or 50 lbs. before your wedding mental clarity is important. Know that you hold the key to a healthier life, and your success depends on yourself at the end of the day.

5: Don’t be afraid to ask for support:  

You are responsible for your own weight loss journey, but when you join a group or work out with a friend it does help the process for many people. Your friends and family may have the same reservations as you do when it comes to starting a new routine. Find someone you trust to workout with you and help each other achieve goals. Sometimes having someone in your corner helps the process. Better yet, see if your significant other wants to join a program with you. It could be a way to get even closer before the big day!

6: Don’t be afraid of failure:

Stick to your diet as much as possible. Eat vegetables daily and eat lean meats or go vegetarian temporarily if you can. Never beat yourself up about the occasional cheat day. We all have our moments. You might be surprised to learn that the body does well when put into shock every occasionally. If you’re eating a strict diet of nothing but vegetables and lean meat and you have a night where you eat a cup of low fat ice cream it’s not the end of the world. In fact, it may give you a small boost in your metabolism. Just do not let that one night a week be an everyday habit.

7: Get a trainer if you can:

Sometimes having a workout buddy is good for motivation but when you get closer to the big day you may need a little extra help to get down those extra pounds. When working out on your home or with a friend isn’t enough you may need the assistance of a professional. Finding a trainer may seem like a difficult task, but I find that word of mouth is the best thing. Make posts on Facebook, check websites, or go to your local gym for the perfect trainer. Many will offer your first session for free or half off so deciding on who will work best with you is mostly affordable and easy!

Remember, trainer or not muscle is denser than fat, so you've most likely turned some fat into lean muscle (no matter what the scale says)b by your wedding day, if you’ve stuck with some workout regime. Visualize yourself coming down the aisle in the best shape ever and don't give up! Even if you haven't lost weight, you should be seeing some results in your muscle tone by the time you get to your big day.  

Thank you, Katrina, for the amazing information! For those interested in contacting Katrina, her information is listed below :)

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Katrina Tecxido

www.fanfitgo.com

www.facebook.com/fanfitgo

www.instagram.com/fanfitgo_katrina

7 Tips For Getting into Wedding Shape

Tips For Getting Wedding Ready | Part 1

Author: Katrina Tecxidor: Owner and Operator of Fan Fit Go

Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon!

There you are, getting ready for the “big day.” You have the location for your wedding, the florist is all set, your cake has been picked out, and the DJ lined up. Now it's time to buy your dress. The next hurdle inevitably comes your way, how do you drop weight in a short amount of time? Most people tend to plan a year before the big day while others have less time. No matter how long you have until that big day, time goes by quickly. Let’s face it, between work obligations, friends, and family, we all lose track of helping to take care of ourselves. Sometimes we neglect our bodies and reach for comfort foods and skip the gym. Here are 7 things to know when getting into wedding shape that you’ll need to know.

1) Have realistic expectations

First and foremost, you need to have realistic goals and expectations while you get into wedding shape. I put this first because many of us want a quick and painless answer to the harder complex questions. Sure, you can drink one of those “48-miracle drinks” right before your wedding, but essentially all your doing is losing water weight. It’s temporary and unsafe because your weight will bounce back quicker than you can imagine. Instead, find a routine, diet, and exercise regime that works for you. Reframe from fad diets or extreme measures to lose weight.

If weight loss is your plan than 2 or 3 pounds a week is realistic. The more extreme the diet, the more likely your weight is to bounce back. Anything more than 2 or 3 pounds a week is possible, but hard to maintain. Your body can do amazing things but know your limits. Push yourself in every workout, but if that soreness you feel the next day turns into extreme pain, stop and see a doctor if need be. Muscles should not be sore for more than 48 hours. Chances are if you’re sore for longer than that amount of time, that means that you over worked that area.

Generally, going on a fad diet or even skipping breakfast can have the opposite effect as to what you may think. While some short-term weight loss may occur, dramatically curbing calories might lead to a cascade of hormones that cause people to end up retaining more fat in the long run. If you're skipping meals and no longer are eating at regular intervals, your metabolism slows down because the body thinks it is starving and tries to retain nutrients longer. On the other hand, eating healthy foods throughout the day can keep the metabolism going. Doing this will lead to your body staying in that happy "weight-loss zone," a state where your metabolism is working efficiently. Besides causing more weight to come back, a fad diet might also lead to dehydration, gallstones, kidney stones, low blood pressure and electrolyte disturbances that might be dangerous. Many young, healthy brides may not think health problems can happen to them and may ignore the warnings. At the very least fad diets will leave you feeling hungry, cranky, more tired, and having fewer coping skills as your mood slowly deteriorates.

2) Focus on how you feel instead of the number on scale

Keeping track of your progress is important, but don’t dwell on the number the scale says. That’s the thing with the scale. It can be a blessing and a curse. Use the scale to track your progress, but don’t get down on yourself if you only lose just a pound a week. Overall, try your best because that is all you can do. Besides inches can be more telling as to whether your diet and exercise regime is really working.

In the beginning of your training, your focus should be on getting active and engaged in the program more than what the scale says. A good way to get motivated is to start a workout diary where you can monitor your progress. To stay motivated, keep notes all the way through. Make this a workout diary of sorts. If you're more of a visual person take a picture of yourself every week to track changes and keep it in your phone. Add aerobic activity (running, walking, jogging, cycling for example) at least 3 times a week at first. Don’t use main exercise, because too much cardio can burn not just fat but muscle as well.

3) Don’t underestimate yourself

It starts with the little things. Even walking can make a difference. Don’t underestimate the importance of just eliminating sugary drinks out of your diet. Many people have a good ten pounds of weight in their body just by a build of toxins in the colon. Swapping out unhealthy foods is just one part of getting in shape for a wedding. If you take away soda and sugary foods and drinks from your diet you can naturally expel some of this waste in your body quickly. Instead of sodas try flavoring your water.

Increasing your water intake makes a big difference to your body’s health. Studies show that those who drink at least 8 cups of water tend to weigh less than those who don’t. If you don’t like water, an easy fix is to cut up your favorite fruit, put it in your water bottle, and let it sit overnight in your water bottle. The next day your water tastes like fruit. Flavored water will make it easier for you to make your water requirement for the day.

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