Photography for the 2012 Morgan County Fair pageants

Warmowski Photography will once again provide photography for the Little Miss Morgan County and Morgan County Fair Queen pageants at the 2012 Morgan County Fair in Jacksonville, Illinois. The pageants start at 7 pm Tuesday July 10th, the fair starts Wednesday (fair schedule and info). We provided the group and individual studio portraits and studio shots, and also will photograph the contest.

2012 Morgan County Fair Princess contestants group photo, http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
In the 2012 Morgan County Fair Princess pageant are (from left, front row) Chaeli Addisyn Thomas, Bella Collynn Evans, Amiah Jade Christison, Elizabeth Louise Stremming & December Ann Mitchell; (middle row) Brooklyn Elizabeth Anders, Olivia Pricilla Cook, 2011 Princess Madison Ann Davis, Elle Noel VanNoy & Macie Renee Rolf; (back row) Katelyn Mae Adams, Mackenzie Gerard, Callie Ann Howerton, Kayla Carolynn Brackett, Cerica Braelyn Gillis & Alaina Leigh Ford.

The following ladies will be vying for the title of 2012 Morgan County Fair Princess:

1. Olivia Pricilla Cook, daughter of Jared and Patty Cook of Jacksonville.
2. Brooklyn Elizabeth Anders, daughter of Matt and Heidi Anders of Jacksonville.
3. Elle Noel VanNoy, daughter of Tim and Maghen Smith of Jacksonville.
4. Chaeli Addisyn Thomas, daughter of Chelsea Phillips and Nathan Thomas of Jacksonville.
5. Alaina Leigh Ford, daughter of Jason and Aleece Ford of Franklin.
6. Cerica Braelyn Gillis, daughter of Brad and Geri Gillis of Jacksonville.
7. Katelyn Mae Adams, daughter of Aaron and Amber Adams of Jacksonville.
8. Callie Ann Howerton, daughter of Mark and Jodi Anderson and Jake Howerton of Waverly.
9. Kayla Carolynn Brackett, daughter of Brandon and Jennifer Brackett of S. Jacksonville.
10. Mackenzie Gerard, daughter of Chad and Melissa Gerard of Jacksonville.
11. Macie Renee Rolf, daughter of Brian and Traci Rolf of Concord.
12. Bella Collynn Evans, daughter of Sean and Amy Evans of Jacksonville.
13. Amiah Jade Christison, daughter of Eric and Misty Christison of Alexander.
14. Elizabeth Louise Stremming, daughter of Thad and Melissa Stremming of Jacksonville.
15. December Ann Mitchell, daughter of Chuck and Tiffany Mitchell of Jacksonville.

2012 Morgan County Fair Queen  contestants, http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
In the 2012 Morgan County Fair Queen pageant are (from left, front row) Sydne Peck, 2011 Queen Calla Kaufmann, Lauren Martin; (back row) Darcy Arendt, Haliegh Fredericks, Tara Stremlau, Katie Knox, Kenzie Jones.

The following ladies will be vying for the title of the 2012 Morgan County Fair Queen:

1. Kenzie Nicole Jones, daughter of Richard and Meri Jones of Jacksonville.
2. Haliegh Lauren Fredericks, daughter of Tammy Kemp and Jeffrey Fredericks of Jacksonville.
3. Sydne Jane Peck, daughter of Richard Peck and Kim Peck of Jacksonville.
4. Darcy Allison Arendt, daughter of Doug and Dee Arendt of Chapin.
5. Katie Lee Knox, daughter of Scott and Paula Knox of Murrayville.
6. Tara Anne Stremlau, daughter of Mike and Janine Hankins and Andy Stremlau of Jacksonville.
7. Lauren Ashleigh Martin, daughter of Brian and Marianne Martin of Jacksonville.

Portrait of 2011
2011 Morgan County Fair royalty Queen Calla Kaufmann & Princess Madison Ann Davis.

Check back at coverage 2010 and the 2011 contests. Warmowski Photography is happy to also be a sponsor of the contest, and first place winners will get special photo cards. See more pageant info. Good luck to all the contestants!

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, experienced photojournalists who love to capture the story of your wedding day. Also offering event photography, portraits, senior portraits and more. New studio at 301 E. Court St. Suite B, Jacksonville, IL 62650 – next door to Girls in White Satin, first floor of Hamilton’s 110 North EastFollow us on Facebook. We are members of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in the Central Illinois Region. Planning or anticipating a wedding? Get free tickets to the 5th annual Bridal Bash Sunday September 23rd in Springfield. 

Bridal Bash in Springfield Sunday September 23 2012

Earlier this week at the Springfield Local Wedding Favorites meeting we signed up for this year’s 5th Annual Bridal Bash, to be held Sunday September 23rd at Northfield Inn & Suites (3280 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702). Tickets are free, but you have to register on-line to save your place.

This will be a great bridal show! Girls in White Satin will be expanding their style show and bridal fashion show. Members of the group of the top wedding professionals in central Illinois will be on hand to give details on their services. There will be food, fun and education from the wedding vendors. And there will be a drawing with prizes from SLF members, with the top prize of an 8-day honeymoon vacation sponsored by Savvi formalwear. Come check out this bridal expo!

Modeling wedding dress, http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
Girls In White Satin quick style show at the Springfield Local Favorites Bridal Bash 2011.

At the meeting I also met Jessica White, owner of Willow & Birch Salon—  the newest member of Springfield Local Favorites. They are a great salon located on the west end of Springfield next to Bella Milano (4525 West Wabash Avenue, Suite C, Springfield, IL 62711). Check them out for great wedding styling.

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Wedding photography for Springfield, Quincy and all of Central Illinois. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook). Studio located at 301 E Court St. Suite B, Jacksonville, IL 62650 in the Hamilton’s 110 North East building.

Green weddings the topic at Springfield Local Favorites

The topic at this month’s Springfield Local Wedding Favorites meeting was green weddings and how brides incorporate environmental sensibilities into their wedding day. We haven’t really been asked by our clients about steps for greening our business, but figure this would be a good chance to overview some of the things we do.

  • Digital photography — probably the most green aspect is digital workflow. We don’t use all the film and chemistry of traditional photography. Plus, we offer our clients high resolution digital files of their wedding images to reduce the amount of prints and materials used.
  • Recycling — we recycle paper, cardboard and other materials at our office. Some waste paper with client info even gets shredded and added to our compost pile. Electronic waste gets donated to Pathway Services Unlimited, which as a bonus brings in money for their programs.
  • Rechargeable batteries — we mostly use NiMH rechargeable batteries, not only are they reusable and reduce waste, but they give better performance on wedding days. When they die they can go to Radio Shack for recycling. Disposable batteries (when required) are recycled during our pilgrimages to Ikea. (Note a Maha recharger is a good investment, for its slow setting keeps batteries cooler so they can survive more charging cycles.)
  • Reduce, reuse — Keeping in line with the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra, we also reduce the amount of paper we use by using emails, calls or texts to communicate with brides instead of printing and mailing. For quick things we have to print we reuse paper, using the back side of paper (even paper scavenged from meetings and other organizations we volunteer with). We also close the loop by purchasing paper and other materials with recycled content from local suppliers.
  • Energy efficiency — Always a major consideration in our purchasing decisions. We use CFL/florescent lighting (and recycle old bulbs), LED bulbs and efficient halogen bulbs.
  • Electricity — At our home office we get our electricity through Power Smart Pricing, so the cost of electricity changes by the hour with higher prices during peak times, and lower prices during low demand hours. On a hot summer day when there’s a high use alert, we’ll even turn off all our computers and take a break. It’s a way to reduce the need for new power stations, reducing environmental impact and overall price of the electricity system.
  • Cleaning — We use green cleaners for office cleaning.
  • Transportation — We have high-milage cars, with the goal of a hybrid or even electric car when we replace our current vehicle. Steve is also on his bike (or scooter if pressed for time) for runs to the post office or other short trips.
  • Community — We’re involved with the Town Brook project, pushing to create a park along the creek through Jacksonville. A place to encourage healthy walking and bicycling incorporating native plants and other habitat for wildlife in town.

One thing to say is green is at our core, it’s not just something we are doing for marketing. From growing up with my dad flipping off lights and teaching a conservation ethic, to getting involved with environmental stewardship through Scouting and college volunteer organizations, to our trips to the farmer’s market and concern about health and the environment a part of our every day lives — this isn’t greenwashing or green marketing. This is an ethic and a consideration in al the things we do.

If you’re planning to use green wedding vendors for your special day, be sure to check us out and ask how we line up with your goals. Here’s an article from this month’s Audubon magazine with more ideas on the topic.

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Wedding photography for Springfield, Quincy and all of Central Illinois. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook). Meetings hosted at Northfield Inn & Suites. Studio located at 301 E Court St. Suite B, Jacksonville, IL 62650 in the Hamilton’s 110 North East building.

American Sign Language for the Deaf

Deaf groom signs "I love you" at wedding ceremony, photography http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
Ed Hoyt signs "I love you" to the crowd as he and Autumn are presented to friends and family after their ceremony September 2007 in Jacksonville. They both work at Illinois School for the Deaf. Behind them is Kitty Aubry, one of Tiffany's mentors from ISD.

Tiffany has a skill that we probably don’t share that much, but it’s worth mentioning that before getting into photography Tiffany was a deaf education major at MacMurray College in Jacksonville.
It was during her student teaching days that she also interned as a photographer at the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, thus launching her photography career. Her four years of American Sign Language training at school still comes in to handy when we photograph events for the deaf or hard of hearing. Her ASL skills helps make deaf family members more comfortable during the hectic day.
So if you have a wedding or other event and have deaf family members, put Tiffany and her ASL skills to work for you.

Posted by Steve.  Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Skilled in American Sign Language.

 

Deaf girl signs during Bat Mitzvah ceremony, http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
Ariella signs during her Bat Mitzvah at Temple B'rith Sholom in Springfield Illinois in October 2011.

The Classic Harpist recital in Jacksonville

A little bit off the subject of wedding photography, but our friends Devon & Jeff Haupt of The Classic Harpist will be presenting a harp recital as part of the Music Under the Dome concert series at the Jacksonville Public Library 201 West College Avenue Jacksonville, IL 62650 at 4pm Sunday January 29th. They will also be part of the Jacksonville Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo January 22nd.

The couple are fellow members of Springfield Local Favorites and have returned to Devon’s home of Central Illinois from the Chicago area. They have an impressive list of locations they performed recently: In Michigan — Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo; Comstock; Grand Rapids; Farmington Hills; Whitcomb Parlor, St. Joseph; Fore Lakes Golf Club, Kimball; & Battle Creek Country Club, Battle Creek. In Indiana — Valparaiso Country Club & Taltree Arboretum, Valparaiso; Granger; White Hawk Country Club, Crown Point; Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart; Columbia City; South Bend; & Benton House, Indianapolis. In Illinois – Cornerstone Building, Peoria; Mattoon; Quad Cities Botanical Gardens, Rock Island; Heritage Woods, Charleston; Pine Lakes Golf Course, Washington; Quail Creek Country Club, Robinson; Esplanade Lakes, Downers Grove; & Allerton Hotel, Chicago. And Tiffin, Ohio. See their list of top wedding ceremony music for 2011.

If you’re interested in harp music at your wedding or event, be sure to check them out and come to the recital or bridal expo for a preview. And, as you can see from above they (just like us) are more than happy to travel.

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook).

Monthly Springfield Local Favorites update

An update on Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois, who met at the Northfield Inn & Suites.

Group president Matthew Stevens of Stevens DJ Service told of how connections made within the group have paid off for Springfield brides. He was working four different weddings where the cake was not delivered (!) He called fellow SLF member Tammy of Specialty Cakes and asked her if she could help. She was able to pull a cake out of the fridge and quickly put one together to save the day. Another reception was being held up because the limousine had broken down (bad maintenance!) He called Party Time Limousine and they were able to quickly pick up the wedding party from the side of I-55 and bring them to the party.

Members heard a presentation by Kimber Leka, formerly of  wedding photography by Photofever (old site was www.photo-fever.com). Now she leads Leaving Hoofprints Youth Ranch in Springfield, Illinois. The organization saves abused horses, and uses them to give horsemanship and rides to struggling children. Springfield Local Favorites members are working on helping this program as a form of service to the community.

Members are getting ready for bridal shows, including this weekend’s WDBR bridal show at the Crowne Plaza and the Jacksonville Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo January 22nd. Get a list of 2012 central illinois Illinois bridal shows.

Other highlights from the meeting . . .

And don’t forget about Magical Event’s How To “I Do” seminar series, next event 2-4 pm Sunday January 15th, featuring a workshop with ideas to plan your wedding. Call 217.741.9850 or email to register.

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook).

Blog changes and goals for 2012

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!

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook).

Springfield Local Favorites November update

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.

Posted by Steve. Warmowski Photography, husband-wife photojournalist team available to tell the story of your wedding day. Follow us on Facebook. Member of Springfield Local Favorites, a group of the top wedding vendors in Central Illinois (on Facebook).

2012 Jacksonville Main Street Bridal & Prom Expo January 22nd

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.

Admission $5 in advance, pick up tickets at A Head of Times Grand Salon & Day Spa, Girls in White Satin Bridal & Formal Wear, American Rental & Party Center, Ashley’s Petals and Angels or the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. Tickets are $8 at the door.

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.

Say you’re coming on our Facebook event page.

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.

2012 Bridal Shows in Central Illinois

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 Champaign Elegant Bridal Expo at the at I Hotel & Conference Center 12-4pm
  • January 8 Sunday Springfield WDBR at Crowne Plaza
  • * January 15 Sunday Springfield “How To I Do” seminar/workshop 2-4pm at Northfield Inn & Suites by Magical Events (featuring Springfield Local Favorites vendors)
  • January 15 Bloomington The Wedding Show at Marriott
  • January 20-21 Friday-Saturday Peoria Bridal Bash at Embassy Suites East Peoria with Radio Peoria 5-8 pm Frdiay, 10-3 Saturday
  • 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? Sunday Rushville 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
  • February 26 Sunday Springfield Elegant Bridal at the Hilton
  • February 26 Sunday Bloomington Your Dream Wedding WBNQ Double Tree Hotel
  • March 4 Sunday Peoria Toast, Taste & Tour
  • May 6 Sunday O’Fallon Regency Conference Center
  • July 29 Sunday Collinsville Gateway Convention Center
  • September 9 Saturday O’Fallon Regency Conference Center
  • September 23 Sunday Springfield Local Favorites 5th Annual Bridal Bash
  • * Sunday 14 October Jacksonville Girls 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.

Modeling wedding dress, http://www.warmowskiphoto.com
Girls In White Satin quick style show at the Springfield Local Favorites Bridal Bash 2011.