inspiration: stop motion

Photographers and videographers have one of the hardest jobs. It's up to them to capture every special moment that happens throughout the event.

Here's a super creative way to capture every special moment of your wedding day in 4-7 minutes. I'm so in love with this idea!

Check out these Stop Motion Wedding Videos by Bayly & Moore. They're based in New Zealand (unfortunately) and have taken event documentation to another level. Here's one of my favorites! Thanks to Emily Benfield and Devon Feldmeth for sharing!

sweet, sweet reunion.

You know one of the things I love most about weddings?

The way it brings people together.  Old friends.  New Friends. Family.  And it's not just a huge reunion for the couple to see everyone again, it's a sweet sweet reunion for the guests as well.

In the past couple of years I've been to a few "reunion" weddings.  The first was for my friends Tim and Laura Garmey.  I went on a summer project with them to Yellowstone along with 30 other students from all over the U.S.  Tim and Laura met on the trip, so naturally, we were all invited to their wedding.  Although not all of us made it, it was so much fun coming together for Tim and Laura's big day, and to catch up on our lives.

A few weeks ago I attended another "reunion" wedding of sorts for my friends from home, Joe and Deb.  Being in Los Angeles, with a majority of my friends from home off at college, it's rare that we get the chance to all be in the same place in...October.  Thanksgiving, and definitely Christmas, are the times where we spend day after day hanging out, watching Elf, and eating at Denny's -- but October -- this was truly an exciting weekend for everyone involved.

It's just another reason why I love what I do!

june mountain isn't just for snowboarding

So in light of the upcoming (not quite soon enough) snowboarding season, I thought I'd share a sweet location for all you snowboard lovers.

Last year I finally learned how to snowboard.  The whole carving thing didn't come quite naturally -- let's just say that one of my friends was patient enough to spend the whole day going down the same slope.  And it didn't come without massive bruises, well, everywhere.  Even laying down in an extremely soft bed hurt a ton.  But it was all worth it, and I'm excited to go back (and hopefully land a jump)!

June Mountain was our choice for many reasons --

1. It's cheap -- $125 for a college season pass (I'm definitely wishing I was still in college...)
2. It's never crowded. Yeah, we all hate those long lift lines. And it's super awesome when you're just starting out -- you don't have to worry about running into people.
3. It's got a great half pipe (I'm not that advanced yet, but those that are appreciate it).
4. It's beautiful.  Really beautiful.

The last part is the most relevant part to this post because...during the summer season June Mountain becomes a venue for, yeah, you guessed it, weddings!  And it's just as beautiful.  Check out these awesome photos.

In short, June Mountain is awesome.  Snowboard in the winter.  Get married in the summer.

Or if you're not getting married you could also host an event, or just go to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

For more information, click here.

Together we D.R.E.A.M.

I had the privilege of helping out Central City Community Outreach with their 1st Annual Fundraising Event.  First events are always a little scary -- there are so many uncertainties. Who's going to show up, how much money are we going to raise, will people like the event?

One thing I loved about this event was how much every aspect of the night reflected the heart and mission of the organization.  So much planning went into helping guests experience first hand what goes on at Central City instead of simply putting together a nice sit down dinner. 

The event took place at the French Garden Restaurant, a small restaurant located just east of Skid Row.  The meal was served family style with salads, sandwiches, and cookies.  No fancy glasses or linens.  The centerpieces were interactive games and toys that the kids play with after school.

Right from the start, the event introduced guests to just a snapshot of the environment that Central City creates.  The guests entered through an alley decorated with canvas paintings and small lights.  Kids from Central City were present -- some participating in a drum circle, others playing jump rope.  The guests had a chance to interact with the children before even reaching the check-in table.  Check out some pictures below!

I'll admit -- planning this event made me realize how limited my ideas can be sometimes.  When I think of "fundraising dinner" my mind automatically jumps to a nice venue with 66" rounds, satin linens, and a prix fixe dinner.  But what this event accomplished was so much more than just a nice evening in exchange for a donation.  The event was a experience -- it got the guests involved and more importantly, invested in the organization because it clearly portrayed the heart of Central City and what it truly stands for.  For a non-profit organization, it's crucial to form long-lasting relationships and partnerships with your donors.  And I know that the success of this event can be seen not only by the amount of money we raised, but the impact that the event had on the guests who attended.