Happy new year! In a time of new year resolutions, we have to admit that we have not been very good at posting to our blog as of late. But as a tech-savvy friend once said — photographers who blog all the time do so because they don’t have enough real work. We were so fortunate to have so many weddings to cover this fall. Our main priority of getting photos edited, toned and posted for our brides, along with fulfilling book and print orders, took precedence from nurturing the blog. A goal for 2012 is to do a better job posting and keeping all our followers and friends more connected with what we’re doing.
One change we’ve made is to click off the comment section on the blog. We have edited thousands of spam posts just to find a few remarks by real people. We post all our blog entries onto our Facebook page, so the conversation can carry on there.
And speaking of the ever-shifting sands of Facebook, our posts used to automatically import onto our page. Facebook doesn’t like that any more, so now we will have to add manually posting links into our workflow.
Thanks to all who follow us! We hope you have a great 2012!
Wow, been super busy with coffee table books (we’ve done more than a dozen books in the last month, including a 100-page wedding album, so our clients can have everything to share over the holidays), so we haven’t been posting on our blog much. This will soon be corrected!
Just wanted to share a couple notes from the Springfield Local Favorites meeting last week at the Northfield Inn & Suites. We spent most of the meeting talking about plans for 2012, ideas for the Bridal Bash, plans for a SLF bridal guide, ideas for upcoming wedding expos and bridal shows, and even talked about starting up a streaming radio station (another way for brides to get specific ideas for Central Illinois). WDBR’s bridal show at the Crowne Plaza on January 8, 2012 is a popular show amongst our members (get a full list of downstate bridal shows).
We ended the meeting reviewing all our fellow wedding vendors in the group, and the recurring theme was how each of us tailor our services for our clients. Lisa Kates at Lisa Lu Designs is a perfect example: “Don’t be a template!” is her slogan. Instead of getting style X, design Y, and having your programs and invitations being a copy of what your friends had for their wedding, she designs everything from scratch and the printing is done locally. Some others . . .
Why walk down the aisle to that familiar song when Adam Rainis from Themes from the Heart can compose a song just for your wedding.
Each dress from Girls In White Satin Bridal & Formal Wear gets steamed at least three times before you walk down the aisle. Don’t have a wrinkled dress! Also offering in-house alterations, with a maximum charge of $125.
Soon to join is Shawnna Franklin who will be offering airbrush makeup. 217.331.8533 (web site in development www.bigbeautifuleyes.com)
Alicia is famous in Springfield for her homemade caramels. Also offering Longaberger goodies, and registering for pottery and other wedding gifts.
Slumber Parties by Sara offers a fun experience for bachelorette parties. Don’t wait to get your goodies shipped, bring them home from the party.
Hamilton’s Catering is a family-owned company, with Gina & George Hamilton putting all sorts of extra effort to make sure service is tops for your day.
Specialty Cakes gave out free cookies, which were included in the goodie bags given to the first 150 people at September’s Bridal Bash. Along with one of those cookies was a certificate for a free cake. Cool prize!
Coming events: Monday December 5th is the grand opening of Secret Recipes‘ new banquet facility in Mount Zion (1475 Village Parkway). A great new alternative for weddings in the Decatur area. They also will have a wedding expo February 25th.
And, coming up is Magical Event’s How To “I Do” seminar 2-4 pm Sunday January 15th, 2012 featuring a workshop with ideas on how to plan your wedding. At Northfield Inn & Suites, 3280 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702. How to plan your wedding, with various speakers, question & answer session, and more. Call 217.741.9850 or email to register.
Details for the Jacksonville Main Street’s Jacksonville Bridal & Prom Expo have been announced. The event was moved up a week this year so it won’t conflict with shows in other towns. It will be at Hamilton’s 110 North East on Sunday January 22, 2012 from noon-4 pm. The event will feature fashion shows at 1:30 and 3 with bridal and prom wear put on by Girls in White Satin. Over $1,000 in prizes will be given away, including a grand prize of airfare from World Travel.
The event is well worth the price of admission. As a special bonus, we’ll pay you back for your tickets when you come to the show and choose us as your wedding photographers. (Book us before/at/or within a month of the expo; check in at our booth during the show; and we’ll credit $10 off your final wedding package price for your and your guest’s tickets. Offer good for new bookings only.)
Event put together by Jacksonville Main Street and is sponsored by the ticket sellers above as well as Hamilton’s Catering, Production Xpress, Casey’s DJ Service & Artistic Portraits and World Travel.
Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife team of experienced photojournalists offering their talents to tell the wedding stories of couples in Jacksonville, Springfield, Quincy and all over Central Illinois and beyond. Studio located on the ground floor of Hamilton’s 110 North East at 301 E. Court St. Suite B, Jacksonville, IL 62650. Friend us on Facebook.
Great news! The Jacksonville Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo has been moved up a week to Sunday January 22, 2012. The event, held at Hamilton’s 110 North East, was down in attendance last year due to conflicts with shows in Springfield and Quincy. Check back to our blog for more details as the date gets closer.
Speaking of bridal shows, it’s always maddening searching for information about downstate bridal shows (Illinois). Many of them are put on by TV and radio stations, and they put their airwaves to use in promoting the events. (Advertising drops off after Christmas, so TV/radio put on these shows in part to fill up all the open ad slots.) At the same time the sponsoring stations’ web sites have been lacking details on the events! So, we’re here to help you find resources as you plan for your wedding day. (If you want more information on photography, get in touch with Tiffany 217.473.5581 voice/text― she has lots of suggestions for other vendors including venues, banquet facilities, wedding cakes, dress shops, bridal bouquets and flowers, wedding DJs, limousines & transportation, and more.)
So, here’s a list of the 2012 Bridal Shows in Central Illinois (as complete as I’ve been able to find). Thanks to Girls In White Satin for doing the initial leg work! If you have additional information for me, post it on a comment on this blog, on our Facebook page or e-mail steve -at warmowskiphoto.com. Everything is listed by date, day of the week, city, description of the show and times (anything in italics is a guess based on the previous year). I’ll put in links when available, and will update this post as I get more information.
January 6-7 Friday-Saturday Decatur Bridal Expo
January 8 Sunday ChampaignElegant Bridal Expo at the at I Hotel & Conference Center 12-4pm
January 22 Sunday Jacksonville Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo at Hamilton’s 110 North East, noon-4 pm, $5 in advance$8 at door (prom fashion 2 pm, bridal fashion 3 pm)
January 28 Saturday Quincy Y101 at The Ambiance 12-3
January 26 Thursday Collinsville Gateway Convention Center 5-9 pm
January 29 Sunday Springfield WNNS at the Prairie Capital Convention Center Everything Weddings Expo
February? SundayRushville Times Bridal & Prom Expo at Virginia Community Building 1-4 pm
February 25 Saturday Quincy KHQA Bridal Show at the Oakley Lindsay Civic Center, 1-4 pm
February 25 Saturday Mount Zion (Decatur/Mt. Zion) Expo by Secret Recipes
* Sunday 14 October JacksonvilleGirls In White Satin Extravaganza, annual end -of-season sale with $199 wedding dresses, $99 mothers dresses, $59 maids dresses, $49 flower girl dresses, and more.
* Asterisk denotes special event. Last updated 2 November.
As of now we’re planning to take part in the Jacksonville Illinois Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo on January 22nd 2012, maybe one of the Quincy shows, and the Springfield Illinois Local Favorites 5th Annual Bridal Bash, September 23rd, 2012 at the Northfield Inn & Suites. We like this show because the atmosphere is more relaxed. All the exhibitors are Springfield Local Favorites members, and we all cooperate. It’s not like a regular show where whoever can write a check for the booth is let in. SLF has standards for membership in the group, and we even have accountability standards. If you have a problem with a SLF member, you can come to the group to mediate. It’s a great way Springfield Local Favorites contributes to stress-free events.
Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook). New location for studio at 301 E. Court Street Suite B, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650. Hours by appointment, first floor of Hamilton’s 110 North East.
Girls In White Satin quick style show at the Springfield Local Favorites Bridal Bash 2011.
Plans are in the works for the 2nd Annual White Satin Extravaganza.
Photo by Warmowski Photography
Girls in White Satin Bridal and Formal Wear will have the sales event 1-5 pm Sunday 16 October 2011 at Hamilton’s 110 North East in Jacksonville, IL 62650. They just returned from the exciting Chicago Markets, and need to make way for spring 2012 arrivals.
Wanted to help spread the word about a neat series of seminars brought to you by fellow Springfield Local Favorites members Magical Events of Springfield.
How to “I Do” is a seminar designed to help brides and their families at any stage of the planning process. It is to help educate brides not sell them services or products, and is free to all brides and their families. Special guests include area brides, Stevens DJ Service & Entertainment, Specialty Cakes and more!
From 2-4 pm Sunday 23 October 2011 at Specialty Cakes, 1560 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, IL 62704 (behind Famous Liquor).
There are still a few slots open, call 217.741.9850 or email to register.
There is a similar program in the works set for January. Here’s the preliminary information: 2-4 pm Sunday 15 January 2012 at Northfield Inn & Suites Conference Center, 3280 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702. This event might also have a drawing with gift certificates, discounts and whatnot. We’ll see how things develop!
Are you looking for an idea for rehearsal dinners in Springfield? The Northfield Inn and Suites (3280 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702) not only hosts weddings, they also offer rehearsal packages. It’s a great facility on the northeast side of Springfield. Have your event there, guests can stay in the connected hotel facility.
I recently found out that Terryl Boulanger of Girls in White Satin is an independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay. We’ve heard some great stuff from our brides how checking with someone from Mary Kay before the wedding was a great idea to make them (and their photos) look even better for their wedding day. More than just a source for makeup, she also teaches you how to use makeup.
Free tickets are still available for the Springfield Local Favorites 4th Annual Bridal Bash, 1-5 pm. Sunday Sept. 25th at the Northfield Inn & Suites in Springfield.
Warmowski Photography, Girls in White Satin and Hamilton’s Catering will be participating along with more than 30 other of the top wedding vendors in the Springfield Area. The day will feature free food and information on planning your wedding. New this year will be a man cave for grooms-to-be to relax and watch the game. Brides on hand will be entered into a drawing with multiple prizes, with a grand prize of an 8-day, 7-night honeymoon vacation package.
Free tickets can be picked up at Girls in White Satin, 300 E. State St., or get information and a link to register on-line via the Bridal Bash tab on Warmowskiphotography.com
