Afternoon Slice

Afternoon Slice | Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 26th, 2010

Melissa Coe | Boston

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and although October is coming to an end, the courage and support of the following mentioned will keep resonating way past fall.

The dress above, photographed by Melissa Coe, was donated to Brides Against Breast Cancer (BABC), a part of the Making Memories organization. BABC collects wedding gowns donated by designers, manufacturers, bridal shops, and individuals. All gown sales enable Making Memories to grant final wishes to women and men suffering from terminal breast cancer. Check out BABC’s website to find dates for gown sales near you!

Melissa Coe, not only shot the above image, but is a firm believer in the importance of helping others. If you donate your wedding dress to BABC, she will donate a free bridal session to help you preserve the memory of your dress forever. If you visit her website, you can learn about other ways that you can help Melissa make a difference, by choosing her as a photographer.

Jared & Trish McMillen | Las Vegas

Jared & Trish McMillen photographed last year’s Breast Cancer Network of Strength‘s bike ride at Red Rock Resort & Casino. Network of Strength is an organization that provides resources for information and support for those affected by cancer. Because cancer doesn’t only affect the patients, Network of Strength also funds a Partner Match Program, matching partners of breast cancer patients or survivors with other partners for support.

TAIT Photography | Canada

The above image was taken by TAIT Photography, who last year conducted a boudoir-photo session giveaway for a cancer survivors. TAIT Photography explains, “We have photographed many cancer survivors in the past, who naturally wish to see themselves in their best light and want to feel confident about their bodies once again.” The giveaway was open to all women who are cancer survivors of any type. This year, TAIT Photography is donating $1 per new fan on Facebook.

October through November, artisans and creators, like our photographer Allison Reisz, will be donating their time and session fees to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with Images for a Cure. Check out their website to find participants near you! Corbin Gurkin, as well as other industry peers, will be donating their time to mentor aspiring photographers with all of the proceeds going to F/Stop Breast Cancer.

Vendors Reach Out:

• Sincerely, Cupcake based in the San Fernando Valley area of California is donating 10% of their proceeds to the Susan G. Koman Foundation.
• Dress designer, Alisa Benay, encourages everyone to Share the Love. Every year, Alisa designs a special limited edition gown in a blush color. Each sale of these blush gowns is donated to various breast cancer research organizations.
• Lauren Merkin, another fabulous designer, is also offering up a special donation deal. 50% of every sale of her pink studded clutch, glittered with Swarovski crystals will be donated to the Young Survival Coalition (YSC). YSC offers resources, connections, and outreach for young women diagnosed with breast cancer.
• The Wedding Pink is offering a Colorado wedding giveaway for a couple whose lives have been recently touched by breast cancer.
• Vietri, known for their handcrafted home & gardens and their ability to promote the essence of the Italian lifestyle, will donate 20% of sales of their Incanto and Bellezza Amore Plates to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

– Heather

Afternoon Slice | Boudoir Photography with TAIT Photography

October 4th, 2010

Brides today are making more and more requests for boudoir photography, intimate images often presented as gifts to their husbands. In May, Best Health Magazine featured an article about five women’s experiences posing for boudoir photos. The article highlighted how it affected their mental health, reporting that each woman saw her body in a whole new light during the session. They found themselves no longer dwelling on their insecurities, experiencing a major boost in confidence.

Cake & Picture’s photographer Erica Tait created the boudoir shots of many of the women featured in this article. Erica and her husband Jean-Paul are owners of TAIT Photography, which is based in Calgary, Canada. While both Erica and Jean-Paul take wedding and engagement photos, it’s Erica who takes the boudoir photos.

It all began about four years ago, when Erica and Jean-Paul were booked for a destination wedding. The bride wanted to give her fiancé a gift on the day of the wedding, so she asked Erica to take some boudoir shots. Erica was happy to oblige, and the bride was thrilled with the final product. She found the photos to be beautiful and tastefully done.

Erica says she now photographs over 300 boudoir clients a year in Canada, Richmond, Virginia and the Washington, DC area. Not all of her clients are brides—some of them are women who want to give their boyfriends an interesting gift for an anniversary, and others want boudoir photos for their own enjoyment. She says women of all ages and stages are asking to be photographed—and why not? Doesn’t every woman deserve to feel beautiful?

You can schedule an appointment and see more of Erica’s boudoir work on her blog.

Afternoon Slice | Literary Loves

September 22nd, 2010

As a book-lover, I’ve always been curious about how to approach a literature-themed wedding.  I was excited to start researching different literary prospects, and I’m very pleased with my findings!

“The pleasant place of all festivity.” —Lord Byron

• Why not host your wedding at your favorite author’s home?  Check out the literary landmarks of:  Edith Wharton, Ernest Hemingway, Margaret Mitchell , and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

“Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.” —Shakespeare

• Don’t forget those old fashioned taste buds of yours!  Try some period-specific delicacies.

“Clothing the palpable and familiar.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge

• Try dressing your favorite literary period!  Check out these awesome vintage wedding attire vendors:  A Vintage Wedding,The Frock,  Posh Girl Vintage, Vintageous, and Blue Velvet Vintage.

Here are some extra ideas to make your literary extravaganza even more spectacular!

“Divine Ideas below.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Assign vocabulary seating arrangements, as photographed by Archibald Photography!

• Recite your favorite quotes during your reception or use them as center pieces, as photographed by Elemental Weddings! (below, left)
• Create your own fairytale backdrop, as photographed by gumgirl. (center)
• Toss paper bouquets by WhetherPaperworks featured on Etsy. (right)

• Play scrabble with your significant for your engagement shot, as photographed by Jennifer Hughes (below left & center)!
• Have guests shower you with novel confetti from anovelamore featured on Etsy (right).

• Create your wedding arch out of two bookcases (connect the arch with garland and flowers).
• Hand out autographed copies of your own novel for party favors.

Most importantly, bookworms, have fun with it!

Afternoon Slice | Philanthropic Photographers, part 3

September 13th, 2010

This post is part three in our series of features about Cake & Pictures photographers volunteering for charitable causes. Past entries include Emma Dodge Hanson’s work with Adoptive Advocates International as well as Jacob Fu and Esther JuLee of Esther JuLee’s Photography’s relief efforts in Haiti. Today we’re going to focus on wedding charities for industry professionals and newlyweds.

Liz Guthrie, Founder & Chief Wedding Officer of Wish Up a Wedding

Launched in January 2010, Wish Upon a Wedding is a non-profit organization that provides dream weddings for individuals who are facing life-threatening illnesses, regardless of sexual orientation. These weddings aim to celebrate the couple’s determination and courage through adversity. Both brides and wedding vendors can donate their time, money, airline miles, or new and unused products to potential couples. Wish Upon a Wedding is the brainchild of San Jose, California wedding planner Liz Guthrie.

The I Do Foundation was founded in 2002 by a group of nonprofit leaders who wanted to link engaged couples with charitable choices for their wedding.  Couples can personalize their weddings by giving back to their favorite charity instead of having a gift registry for guests.

Charity isn’t limited just to weddings— newlyweds can also volunteer during their honeymoons. A recent CNN article describes newlyweds who are traveling abroad and working on community projects. From building homes to teaching children English, these experiences have been known to bring couples closer together while helping others.

Each of these highlighted charities inspired us, and we hope they inspired you too. Find a charity that speaks to you and spread the love!