Name: Janine Cali

Location: Las Vegas

Number of years in the business: 12yrs

Website: yourbeautycall.com

Facebook: Your Beauty Call

What did you do prior to doing this? I was in baking for 3 years. My high school job.

If you didn’t do hair for a living, what would you do instead? I always thought I would be a nurse that delivers babies.

What are some of your hobbies? I love cooking with family and friends and traveling.

What was one of the craziest wedding experiences? I think it was when we had two very large wedding parties to get ready, booked for the same day, not knowing they wanted to be ready around the same times. Needless to say we pulled it off, but after running around mad and having to hire an assistant, we had to drink that night.

What was the best wedding experience you have had? It’s so hard to pick one because I have been so fortunate to have so many great brides. Just being able to experience the joy of how beautiful I make them look and feel, makes it all worthwhile. There are a lot of bests.

What is your inspiration? My grandma raised me watching old movies and musicals, so I am very inspired by classic beauty, Broadway and old Hollywood. Every trend comes back around and that’s where a lot of glam started.

Name an exotic place you want to visit: I would love to go to Morocco. The colors, the culture etc…I wouldn’t mind experiencing it all.

The best piece of advice you can offer a couple on their wedding day: I would say not to stress and really enjoy your special day because even though everything doesn’t always run smoothly, it always comes together and makes for good memories. One you laugh about later. Plus, the show can’t start without you.

Something interesting I want to add is I think that a client and stylist should click because it is a relationship built on trust and to have a happy bride, we have to be on the same page. I have been very fortunate to have clicked with so many great brides.

All above photos by Adam Trujillo Photography

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For a complimentary consultation for wedding planning services, please email us: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

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Names: DJ Starlene & DJ Steffon
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Company Name: Sound Fusion Entertainment
Number of Years in Business: 4 years
Website: www.soundfusionent.com
Blog: www.soundfusionent.wordpress.com
Facebook: Sound Fusion Entertainment Fan Page

What did you do prior to this?

DJ Starlene~ Jr. Program Manager for Housing & Registration, Operations Assistant, & Event Coordinator for a Destination Management Company.

DJ Steffon~ Food & Beverage

If you didn’t DJ for a living what would you be doing instead?

DJ Starlene~ I would be Event Planning.  I planned my first event at the age of 12, a Birthday Party for one of my Best Friends, and fell in LOVE with it.  Although I would LOVE to:  Work on a movie set, be a Make-Up Artist, and I would LOVE to be Oprah’s replacement!!  If I could have any dream job & the talent, I would choose to be an actress or singer.

DJ Steffon~ I would be a multi-talented musician in a band.

What are some of your hobbies?

DJ Starlene~ Watching movies.  I own over 500 VHS Tapes, DVD’s, Blu-Ray’s.  Scrapbooking.  Mostly because I LOVE photos!!
Anything that will feed my inner Adrenaline Junkie.  I have been sky diving, white water rafting, parasailing, & been in the swamp on a shallow boat surrounded by alligators.  Baking & Singing.

DJ Steffon~ Working on my ‘66 VW Bus & catering to Arlene.

What is the craziest wedding experience you’ve ever had?

DJ Starlene~ Setting up my DJ equipment on the roof of a Hotel with wind gusts at 50 to 60 mph wind, even then the director shot down my request to set-up inside.  So eventually a good gust of wind almost knocked down my speaker & laptop before I grabbed it.  Unfortunately I was not able to save my records that flew right off my turntables, and violently crashed into pieces against the balcony wall.  Thank God for bringing a back-up for everything.  Then I had to reset all of my equipment up inside, did I mention the wedding reception was about to start in 10 minutes?  So I had to re-do an hour set-up in a matter of minutes.

DJ Steffon~ Having to set-up the sound system for a wedding ceremony 3 times within an hour, because of a storm.  Then having to carry out all the DJ Equipment for the wedding reception in the rain.

What is the best wedding experience you’ve ever had?

We have taken very fond memories & friendships from every wedding we have DJ’d for.

We have had weddings that have had Salsa Dancers, Belly Dancers, Ballroom Dancers, live bands, & live musicians. Special Dances for loved ones who have passed on.

Catering to clients & guests who are from all over the world, and playing cultural music from countries like:  Thailand, India, Philippines, Mexico, Vietnam, Peru, Ireland, Africa, France, China, Greece, Lithuania, Scotland, Korea, Bulgaria to name a few.  Then getting to see the cultural dances that go along with the songs.

Grand Entrances that were themed around Mardi Gras to a Barbados Carnival Festival, which had beads, umbrellas, masks, feather boas, amazing headdresses, conga lines, and SHOTS!!

Voiceover messages incorporated into songs for a special dance.  One of my favorites was a surprise recording of the Bride & Groom’s daughter for a special family dance.  It was a surprise for the Groom, but the Bride was just as surprised when she heard it for the first time during their dance.  There wasn’t a dry eye.

Surprise videos.  One of our favorites was a video message from the Groom’s brother who is serving in the military, and was deployed overseas.

What is your inspiration?

Life. “Music Is The Universal Language Of Mankind”~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Outre-Mer.  Every song takes you on an emotional journey, because there is probably a song written for every possible aspect of life.  Love, Loss, Marriage, Cheating, Children, Hope, Anger, Faith, Drugs, Addiction, Happiness, Pop Culture, & Peace.  We are drawn to the music that expresses those struggles, and gives us an unspoken connection with everyone around us. Music has a way of touching your soul, has the power to remind you of memories, to heal a broken heart, and inspire the world even in the midst of war.  We DJ to share life’s journeys through music with those around us.

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon.

DJ Starlene~ Greece, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, & Jerusalem.

DJ Steffon~ Great Barrier Reef, & a Tour of Europe.

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors?

We try to do our best to make a real connection with our clients.  We believe that friendship is key to a successful event or wedding.  Once you develop a genuine connection you start to truly understand the expectations of your clients, because you know who they are.  This gives us the advantage to create a unique musical experience, based on that knowledge.

Even though we may play Billboard Hits, we are not cookie cutter DJ’s who just play what’s comfortable, or what every other DJ is playing. We assist our clients with choosing music that will make their event unique or tell their love story at their wedding through the music we play.  So we brainstorm, research, and play good music even if it’s not mainstream, because this is part of a DJ’s job.

We are one of the only DJ companies in Las Vegas who continue to use turntables, which allows us to incorporate Mixing Techniques.  We also have DJ’s with nightclub experience.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride and groom on their wedding day?

Yes, hire wedding professionals that you feel have the talent you are looking for, but make sure they are people you feel like you have a connection with.  If they care about you, then they will care about the product that they put out.

Hire…Hire…Hire a Wedding Planner to take the stress off your shoulders.  It’s hard to handle every detail of a wedding by yourself, and even more stressful relying on other people who may not be able to assist you when you really need them for whatever reason.

Speaking as a recent bride myself.  Do NOT expect perfection!!  Your Wedding Day is already perfect, because it is not the details that will make your wedding day perfect it’s the moment.  It’s so easy to forget that the most important thing about a wedding should be about the people you share it with, and that you have found “your” someone who has vowed to spend the rest of their life with you.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share?

Thank You to all our Fans & Families who continue to support our company & believe in us. It is your Love & Friendship that has brought Sound Fusion to where we are today!! We LOVE You!!

A HUGE “Thank You” to all the DJ’s who have mentored, taught, shared, and inspired us especially: DJ Presto One, DJ Jor-el, & DJ Anthony Johns.

We DJ to share music we love, and we are grateful that we are able to work on this love & passion everyday. We look forward to what 2011 has in store for us, and all the possibilities that it may bring. Cheers to Dreaming BIG!!

You can meet us in person at the upcoming Bridal Spectacular at the Cashman Field on January 21st & 22nd in Booth#564.

Juliet “Thank You” for being Kick Ass, and for allowing us to share a little bit about ourselves with all the fans of your blog!!  XoXo

Photo: Studio ATG

Photo: Orange Soda Photo

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Name: Alicia Lynch and Chris Purdum
Location: Las Vegas
Company Name: Orange Soda Photo
Number of Years in Business: We had our own photo businesses prior to meeting, falling in love and becoming Orange Soda Photo. Together we have 20 years combined wedding photography vision and experience.
Website: orangesodaphoto.com
Blog: orangesodablog.com
Twitter: @orangesodaphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/orangesodaphoto

How did you get started in wedding photography:
Alicia: Most of my family are photographers, so I grew up with a camera in hand and a darkroom in the basement.  I began photographing landscapes and my family growing up during our travels across the US.  In high school I started photographing weddings of friends, and needless to say, I loved it!

Chris: I always wanted a life behind the lens. I’ve had a camera in my hand since I was 12 and that first magical look through the viewfinder started it all. I did quite a bit of photography in the Army during deployments and later natural history and landscape photography shooting large format film through out Washington State and in the deserts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. In the 1998, a friend asked me to photograph their wedding, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

What did you do prior to this?
Alicia: I had a prior life in the medical field, with two bachelor degrees from the U of WA, first in Cell and Molecular Biology, and then later in Prosthetics and Orthotics.  My residency in Prosthetics brought me to Las Vegas in 2002.  When I wasn’t on call, building artifical limbs, or putting on HALOs in the Trauma ICU, I was off photographing weddings.  The lure of the camera lead me to choose a career as a professional photographer, and in 2004, I left the medical field, and started career in the photography business.  I haven’t looked back since.

Chris: I was an Art Director and production artist. I’ve been doing color correction and large format digital printing since the 90s. At one of my jobs we had a darkroom with a copy camera which I loved using – I think I spent more hours in the darkroom than I did sleeping.

If you didn’t do photography for a living what would you be doing instead?
Alicia: I love what we do, I honestly wouldn’t choose anything else.  This is my dream job.

Chris: What she said, except with a YEAH! at the end.

What are some of your hobbies? We both love SCUBA diving, and I am an instructor as well.  We love the great outdoors, and go hiking & camping when we can. Urban/desert exploring and disc golf are our short escapes.  Besides the outdoors, we love to watch movies. And of course, playing with our crazy Corgi, Boon!

What is the craziest wedding experience you’ve ever had?
We’ve seen some crazy weddings for certain, but nothing too over the top. A recent groom was a wrestling coach so all of his friends attended the wedding as wrestlers. The expressions from the other guests was priceless.

What is the best wedding experience you’ve ever had?
They’re all the best! We get to photograph people in love and the share the celebration of that love with their friends and families. That is the most rewarding experience we can have.

What is your inspiration?
Cinema, art museums, old masters, pop culture, fashion, books – just about anything that has passion and an interesting story. The connection of people in any manner, and of course the people themselves and the friendships we make with them. We get to see the phrase “love conquers all” in real life, almost every day. That’s so much inspiration to keep us filled! We love nature and we really love being under the surface of the ocean diving with the beauty of the underwater world. It gives you a perspective on life that we carry to every event, no matter how small or large. Diving with a humpback whale to sharing the most important day in a couple’s lives are unique experiences that cannot be reproduced, and is always remembered – we bring that experience every time we pick up a camera.

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon.
Alicia: Truk Lagoon, Micronesia, Central Pacific

Chris: The Galapagos Islands.

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors?
Because our photography is awesome and fun!
We work as a team, and it’s always the two of us. We work with our couples to determine exactly what they would like to have in their photography.  We have a very fun attitude towards life, and it’s infections to our brides and couples. We always end up being friends with them, even halfway around the world. We always get the true personalities to show in our images, and we always get our couples to smile. We obsess over the smallest details so that what they see is perfection and exactly how they want to remember their experience, but most of all we have fun.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride and groom on their wedding day?
Alicia: Hire a wedding planner, so you can relax and enjoy your day, and when booking a photographer, give them the time they need to photograph the fantastic images you are looking for.

Chris: What she said. Hire a planner. We’re planning our wedding right now and without a planner I’d want to jump off a cliff.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share?

We are so lucky to have so many cool wedding vendors as friends here in Las Vegas. Beyond making the day go that much smoother, we all feel like an extended family and want to thank everyone for supporting us!

We’d also like to extend mega thank yous and smooches to Juliet and Green Orchid for interviewing us!

Cake by Simple Elegance

Wedding Ceremony at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

Newlyweds and owners of Sound Fusion Entertainment

Juliet’s notes: Alicia and Chris will be getting married next April and I hear it will be a fun and crazy party!

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Name: Jessica Wallace (formerly Jessica Hurley/HURLeYgirl), Mrs. Wallace, Jess, the Red Menace, currently: GirlWhoDrewYou

Location: I work out of Las Vegas and Southern California–but I’m originally from Boston, Massachusetts.

Number of Years in Business: I have been doing caricatures professionally since 1989, both independently and for other companies.  But this past April, I finally ventured out completely on my own. I figured after 21 years, it was time to work for myself.   But it all began in Faneuil Hall, Boston, with a wonderful company called FUN Enterprises.  They were kind enough to take me in and make me the artist and business woman I am today.  From there I went to Las Vegas, where I drew at the Excalibur and the MGM Grand.  Next, I moved to Southern California, where I drew at Six Flags, Magic Mountain and eventually Universal Studios, Hollywood–for almost a decade.  After that, I returned to Las Vegas to draw at the Top Of The World, at the Stratosphere and lastly, in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.  I have drawn many interesting people, some of the more memorable–Steven Tyler of Aerosmith; Akihito, the Emperor of Japan and Kat Von D of L.A. INK.

Website: So, recently I launched my caricature website and on-line store. There you can see several samples of my work.  And read about all the different ways caricatures can enhance your wedding or event.

Blog: I do not currently write a blog on a regular basis.  But I do have an on-line clothing store: cafepress.com/girlwhodrewyou .  There you can buy everything from baby clothes to reusable shopping bags, all with my original illustrated designs.

Facebook: I have a fan page on Facebook: Girl Who Drew You .  I would love to have everyone who reads this “like” it; just because it’s the easiest place for me to let you guys know what events are coming up and about any specials that I’m offering.  But if you’d like to “friend” me, you can find me under Jessica Wallace.

What did you do prior to this? Not really prior–more like simultaneously.  I was an ice cream server, grocery bagger, supermarket cashier.   Concession stand, box office and usher at a movie theater.  Musicland employee, collection agent, vault manager.  Babysitter, nanny, Sunday school teacher.  Gift personalizer in a children’s boutique, sign painter, shower door etching designer.  Disc Jockey, florist, party planner.  Cartoon kiosk manager, cookie shop manager, photography studio manager. Henna tattoo artist, face painter, antique photographer.  Caricature kiosk owner, t-shirt designer, sneaker designer.  Video store manager, secret shopper, apartment building manager.  Baker, cake decorator, ice cream truck painter.  House painter, set builder, theater prop designer.  Graphic designer, childrens’ book illustrator, logo designer.  Comic book artist, special effects make up artist and personal assistant.  But through it ALL, I have been a caricature artist.

If you didn’t do caricatures for a living what would you be doing instead? If I didn’t have to work, I would live in Waikiki, Los Angeles and Boston–four months a year each; with a vacation home in Las Vegas.  I would still be doing caricatures–but for free.  And I would do a lot more swimming and jet skiing.  I would definitely travel more, attend more Halloween conventions and probably write a few books.  If I did have to continue working at something other than caricatures, I would want to work for SWATCH or URBAN DECAY as a designer.  Or on horror films as a special effects make up artist.

What are some of your hobbies? I love taking photographs.  At least 25 a day.  And on a special day, up to a thousand.  I love going to the movies; and I am very sad about the demise of 35mm film and the changeover to digital projection.  It’s just not the same.  I have many collections including a bat collection, a vintage lingerie collection and a collection of antique Polaroid cameras.  I also enjoy going to the drive-in, drawing pin-up girls, and designing/creating costumes.  Halloween is my favorite day of the year (I begin preparation in early September) and also my wedding anniversary. And if I could live in the water, I would–I love swimming!

What is the craziest wedding experience you’ve ever had? My own!  Even though I had wonderful friends from Boston and Los Angeles here to help me with all the last minute tasks–I insisted on making almost everything for my wedding myself.  I made all the linen napkins by hand, all the favors and most of the decor.  The morning of the wedding, at 4am, I was decorating the 50 person banquet table with movie stills.  And an hour before leaving for the chapel, my best friend and I were still sculpting the cake topper!

What is the best wedding experience you’ve ever had? The best was the very first one I ever did.  It was at the top of the Prudential building in Boston.  I was asked to sit next to the bar at the wedding reception and draw the wedding guests.  Everyone enjoyed my work, tipped me and the groom gave me $50 for a cab!  At sixteen, you think to yourself, “This is the life! This is the job for me.”  I will never forget it.

What is your inspiration? When I was in high school, in the 1980s, I couldn’t get over my teachers’ haircuts.  That is what made me start doing caricatures.  Once I began I couldn’t stop.  A two hour train ride to college each day gave me all the faces I needed to practice and eventually feel confident.  Personally, I am inspired by my husband and my friends…I draw all of them, every spare minute I have.  Professionally, my inspirations are Al Hirschfeld, Doug Sneyd and Glen Barr.  I strive to make my work as recognizable, beautiful and unique as theirs.  My goal in life is to make people happy with my drawings.  There is no better feeling than giving someone one of my caricatures or comics and seeing them smile.

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon. Although I don’t know much about any of them–I would have to say Fiji, Bali and Bermuda.  More realistically, Hawaii is next.  In 1997, I won a special effects make up contest; the prize was a trip to Waikiki.  I’ve been dying to go back ever since.

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors?

Many artists I’ve worked with over the years are super talented, but truly resent drawing for other people as their job.  I am the complete opposite.  I LOVE drawing for people.  I love the wedding reception/event/celebratory environment.  Drawing to the music, seeing everyone dancing, happy, celebrating their special day, all inspires me to do the best drawings I can possibly produce.

Also, there is a certain trust brides have in me once I’ve told them I have twenty-one years of experience.  I am versatile in style and medium–I can caricature in marker, airbrush and pastels.  I am very outgoing, hard-working, professional and reliable.  All of that adds up to satisfied clients and in turn, happy brides.

Who or What was your favorite drawing of? When I was three years old, I was in a downtown restaurant with my mother.  It was in the early seventies, when cocktail napkins were still made out of stiff, red and white checkered paper.  Just before we were about to leave, an older man approached us, and handed me a napkin with a ball point pen caricature of me on it.  I think that was it.  The moment it was decided that this is what I would do.  To have someone, in minutes be able to capture my personality in a few minutes, on paper, forever (or at least the two decades it hung on my grandfather’s bedroom wall)– was amazing.  For him to be able to make me feel special, pretty and worthy of his time, seemed to me, an amazing gift to give people.  It wasn’t so much the drawing, but more the way HE saw me.  And I can say in all honesty, that every drawing I’ve loved in my entire life, has reflected that…an honest portrayal of personality.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride and groom on their wedding day? Don’t try to do everything yourself.  Use your budget wisely–hire an event planner.  Make sure that they make sure that everything is COMPLETELY finished the day before your wedding.  Relax.  Have a spa day.  Write yourself a letter (or an email) about your last day being single.  Enjoy the people who traveled to be with you for your important day.  And most of all–remember that no matter what happens during the wedding, YOU WILL BE MARRIED TO EACH OTHER.  And at the end of the day, that is all that matters.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share? I recruit a lot of people to sit for me.  After I talk to them and show them their drawing, they are always surprised at how lovely they look.  I think it’s important that brides who are thinking of hiring a caricature artist know that I realize that this is your wedding.  These are not goofy, buck teeth, double chin, unflattering, theme park caricatures.

These are drawings that will capture the beauty and happiness of your special day.  And a memorable wedding favor that your guests will treasure forever.  For more information and to read testimonials from my actual clients, please check out my new website at: girlwhodrewyou.com

Caricature of Juliet and Angelica done by Jessica Wallace at the Wish Upon a Wedding Las Vegas Launch Party.

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website * Email: angelica@greenorchidevents.com

Originally from San Diego and trained at the California Culinary Academy (Le Cordon Bleu) in my hometown of San Francisco, Tiffany has been working in professional kitchens including the Four Seasons Hotel and Mirage for the past six years. One of these years, Tiffany had the privilege of working for pastry chef Stephane Treand, who has the distinguished title of MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France – Best Craftman in France).

Aside from creating beautiful wedding cakes, Tiffany also enjoys introducing kids to the wonderful world of pastry arts at parties. She has a teaching credential from grad school so I bet those parties are fun as well as educational!

Although she can do anything pastry, Tiffany specializes in cakes because “it is something that comes completely naturally to me”.

Oh and finally, Tiffany can make dog birthday cakes and dog treats on occasion when requested.

Additional info coming your way regarding her new business!!  In the mean time, check out her new blog here.

Tiffany in action:

Black and white damask cake including a stunning red cake stand Tiffany created:

A wedding cake Tiffany made while working at the Four Seasons Las Vegas.

And our Hello Kitty obsessed Angelica would be totally upset if I didn’t post this final cake that Tiffany created:

Wanna learn more? Check out her website at Peridot Sweets!

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Name: Yasmin Tajik
Location: Based in Las Vegas, but travel too!
Company Name: Shalimar Studios
Number of Years in Business: 1.5 years
Website: www.shalimarstudios.com
Blog: www.shalimarstudios.com/blog
Twitter: @shalimarstudios

How did you get started in photography?
I always had an interest in photography and how it documented the lives of my family members.  It gave me a sense of ancestry and where my family came from when I looked through old albums, especially since my parents migrated to the US from Pakistan.  Eventually as I grew older I took on the role of documenting and photographing my own family.  It wasn’t until I moved to Las Vegas 10 years ago that I met a good friend who shared a love of photography like I did.  Eventually I saved up and purchased my first DSLR.  That’s when I felt my photography skills accelerated as I would spend hours reading on the Internet and reading books how to use my camera and compose images.  I finally came across my mentor, Arica, about 4 years ago, and she took me under her wing.  My skill level rose exponentially and that’s when I started developing my own style and opened Shalimar Studios.

What did you do prior to this?
My first love was working with animals.  I graduated with a Biology degree from college and quickly found myself training and conducting research with dolphins and whales.  Unfortunately living in Hawaii on a minimal researcher’s salary wasn’t enough to support myself so I fostered my next love, photography.  I still aspire to take a safari to Africa and combine my two loves photographing the exotic animals of the Masai Mara.

If you didn’t do photography for a living what would you be doing?
Honestly, at this point I don’t know that I could say anything other being a photographer.  It is so rewarding to me that I can’t image anything else.

What are some of your hobbies?
Other than photography, I love to spend time with my family and I love to travel.  I’ve been very fortunate to have travelled to many countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  Each country has it’s own charm, and lessons to teach.  I always come back refreshed, grateful for what I have, and with a bigger heart.  I also love to read and play the piano.

What is the craziest experience you’ve ever had?
I recently photographed a wedding in Minnesota.  Just after we completed the couple, family and wedding party photos, it started to rain.  Plan B was to move the wedding indoor, and the only available space was a narrow hall in the club house.  The ceremony was standing room only, and afterwards we weren’t allowed into the reception tent due to thunder and lightning, but also a tornado warning.  I have to give credit to the bride and groom as they stayed calm and made their little adjustments throughout the day.  It turned out to be such a beautiful ceremony and reception.  One of my favorites so far!

What is the best experience you’ve ever had?
There are so many great experiences that I’ve had with my clients.  Each couple or family is different, and I really try to learn more about them throughout our time together.  The best is when we become friends afterwards and stay in contact through email, Facebook and Twitter.

What is my inspiration?
I am definitely inspired by people around me.  It is by watching their interactions and relationships that gets my mind roaring.  I think part of that comes from my international travels, and people watching in different countries.  I also tend to look towards more exotic imagery of people from different cultures and countries.  Just by looking at images of those faces, forces me to analyze who they are and figure out their life story.  As a photographer, I find myself looking at the world and at people in a completely different way than I used to.

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon.
Definitely the Galapagos Islands.  I’ve dreamed about capturing beautiful imagery of exotic and primitive animals in such a desolate location.  I’d also love to go to Egypt.

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors?
Each photographer has a unique skill-set and style.  I think those are what clients are initially drawn to.  It then boils down to my relaxed style of photography and taking the time to really learn who my clients are.  At our first meeting or first conversation on the phone, I ask them questions about themselves, where they come from, and I ask about their families.  Family means the world to me, and I can learn a lot about a person by asking about their parents, kids, and siblings.  Learning more about them and their life story gives me more tools to utilize in their sessions to bring out their personalities and style.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride on her wedding day?
Take the time to enjoy the moments.  Even though you may have spent a year planning all the details, all those can change last minute.  What everyone remembers is the love and feelings of the day and that is what I want to capture for you.  Oh, and drink plenty of water the week before your wedding for flawless skin!

Anything else interesting you’d like to share?
I’m a little lady with a big camera and big ideas!  One of those ideas is photographing South Asian weddings, engagements and events here in Las Vegas.  I can’t wait to bring all that here for the local community to take advantage of.  And a big Thank You to Juliet for sharing my story.

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Name: Megan Ruth Stay (You can call me Meg)
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Company Name: MegRuth Photography
Number of Years in Business: 2
Website: megruth.com
Blog: blog.megruth.com
Twitter: @megruth (are you sensing a pattern here?)

How did you get started in wedding photography?

I shot my first wedding when I was twelve, my dad gave me his 35mm film camera to photograph at my sister’s wedding. It was then that I fell in love with photography. I took classes through high school and went on to get my BFA in photography in college. I moved to NYC and started my career on the production end of the industry, but I missed photographing. So when my husband and I moved to Vegas I started my own business.

I absolutely love being a part of one of the happiest days in two people’s lives. I love that I get to share those moments with them and allow those memories to remain forever. It really is one of the things that brings me the most joy in my life.

What did you do prior to this?

In New York I was a studio manager for a food photographer. It was a delicious job. A little too delicious for my figure…

If you didn’t do wedding photography for a living what would you be doing instead?
I love what I do but secretly would love to be a baker in my own shop. I’m thinking mostly breads. I’d have some great photos of my bread, that’s for sure!
I’m fairly certain that I couldn’t give up my great brides and grooms though. I have way too much fun.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love baking. I always said if there was one thing I could eat the rest of my life it would be sour dough bread. Love it. Sewing is another passion, I’m working on my second quilt. It’s not as hard as you think. House projects are another fave, my poor husband has a never ending “honey-do” list. But I promise I help!

What is the craziest wedding experience you’ve ever had?

I was so fortunate that my, now, friends Packy and Anna found me and trusted me to document their wedding adventure when I first started my business. They got married ON the Hoover Dam two years ago at 7am. It was already about 110 degrees. “The Dam Wedding” was a dam good time.

What is the best wedding experience you’ve ever had?

There is always something special about each wedding I photograph but this past May I was able to be the photographer for my friend Amy’s wedding who I’ve known since I was six. We were roommates all through college and she means the world to me. Being able to capture the love between her and her husband, Warren, was a blessing.

What is your inspiration?

One of my greatest inspirations is Dorethea Lang. She was a photog-journalist during the turmoil of The Great Depression for the FSA. She went all over the country documenting the human suffering while making every ounce beautiful. Some people criticized her for making her images happen but I am a firm believer that you can direct a subject in a way that allows them to be themselves and get a specific message to the viewer while maintaining your integrity.

Photographers should know their photographic history; there are so many amazing predecessors out there!

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon.

The next place on my list is Spain. I want to go to Barcelona and Madrid and just meander the country in a convertible while eating scrumptious food. Doesn’t it just sound blissful?

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors?

The bride and groom are shadowed almost the entire day by their photographer, you want to like them. I think that a lot of people hire me not only because I produce images they’ll love to look at and share but because they’ll have fun with me. I’m a bit of a ham at times which I think people find fairly amusing.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride on their wedding day?

Make sure you slow down and enjoy the little moments. By nature I’m a people watcher so being a photographer allows me to do that for a living, which is amazing. There are so many wonderful things that happen at weddings. The looks between sisters, or the mother of the groom. Enjoy all those tender moments and I’ll do my best to capture them for you.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share?

My favorite camera to photograph with is a handmade wooden 4×5 view camera. I love photographing with Type 55 Polaroid. It’s so dreamy.

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Kellie McKinley, President
office: 702-795-4040
cell: 702-417-3981
fax: 702-736-2090
web: www.seijilimo.com

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

Haute Shots
Contact: Stacie Frazier
Website: www.hauteshots.net
phone: (702) 944-4181
email: info@hauteshots.net

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Name: LaVey Lauren Ortiz

Location: Las Vegas Nevada aka Wedding Capital of the World

Number of Years in Business: 8 and counting

Website: laveylauren.com (under construction)

Blog: Up and coming

Facebook: LAVEY ORTIZ Celebrity Make-up-Artist

What did you do prior to this? I worked at Disneyland for a short time right after high school then moved back to Vegas and started working at the salon inside the Venetian as a receptionist. One day our make-up artist called in sick and he was booked solid so I volunteered to do the job. It was either sink or swim and I guess I’ve been swimming ever since.

If you didn’t do makeup for weddings for a living what would you be doing instead? Honestly I’ve always known I wanted to do something creative. At first I thought I wanted to be a special effects make-up artist.

What are some of your hobbies? You mean besides making people beautiful? It’s crazy how much my work has consumed my time and how lil spare time I get sometimes. But when I do get free time, I enjoy working out, hiking, spending time with family and loved ones.  Dinner with friends is one of my favorite things to do.

What is the craziest wedding experience you’ve ever had? I had a couple hire me out to do wedding makeup in Beverly Hills, California. The morning of the big day as I was packing my kit, the bride called me balling saying she just walked out on her fiance and was at the airport headed back to New York City. I didn’t know what to say. I tried calming her down and said “hey do what you gotta do”. I cant imagine how much money and time had completely just went to ruins but thankfully that was the first and hopefully last time I experience something like that.

What is the best wedding experience you’ve ever had? Wow I have had so many! I’ve been so blessed to have traveled all across the United States to participate in weddings. One of the best weddings I have ever been to was when a young couple flew me out to New York around the holidays and gave me an apartment to stay in and invited me to their wedding on Wall Street next door to the New York Stock Exchange. It was a beautiful wedding and not a detail was skipped and I am so lucky to make good friends with almost every bride that I have ever worked with. I know they will always remember me and I could only imagine how many wedding photo albums I have been apart in. But I’m sure my wedding day experience will top the charts.

What is your inspiration? Old school Glamour! I believe classic traditional glamour will never go out of style and you can never go wrong with any of the classic looks. Back then women were dressed to the nines and hair and make up was always done and I still believe to this day that women were most beautiful back then.

Name an exotic location you’d like to visit soon. I’m not much of an exotic location type of girl.  I just recently visited Hawaii to do a friends/co-workers wedding makeup and that was a blast! So i would have to say next on my list would be Napa or Sonoma County.  It may not be exotic but that’s my idea of paradise.

Why do your clients choose you over some of your competitors? Besides having years of experience and working on some of the most famous faces of the world, I believe being personable makes a huge difference. I always take extra time on every bride and while I work on them, I think to myself that this could be me and how would I want to look and be treated on my wedding day. I am VERY honest and I will let u know if what you have in mind may not be the best look for you and trust me…..I KNOW what photographs good and I think brides appreciate the confidence. I also use the top of the line products and know of almost every product made and truly do know what works best for make-up and skin. I always do my research and try and suggest a good lipliner and gloss to every one of my brides and I assign a close friend lipstick duty

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a bride and groom on their wedding day? To actually enjoy the day and enjoy each other. Nothing else really matters and years from now no one will remember the napkins or center \pieces but they WILL remember how much in love you two looked and how much fun they had at the wedding. And to the brides……”I promise they will not start the show without you!”  and please……Drink tons of water the week of your wedding day, stay out of the sun and tanning beds and please don’t have your bachelorette party the night before.  The pictures never lie! And research beauty magazines and have in mind a make up look and hair look so that both you and your artisan will be on the same page.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share? I work inside COLOR salon inside the real Caesars Palace, one of the most beautiful salons in the world.  I have worked on thousands of brides and deal with weddings every single day. It still amazes me how many weddings Vegas is a part of and of course that I am so lucky enough to be a part of

Check out the work we’ve done together at a recent photo shoot.

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com