Vendor View: Photographer Cyndi Hardy

Hey everyone...Meet Cyndi! She's a talented photographer of families, children, little bitty babies and yes...weddings!

Cyndi also loves to scuba dive! Its one of the things she's experienced in life that has lead her to be a photographer. Be sure to visit her blog for more awesomeness!

Here's her contact info and a little bit more about Cyndi and her style.

Contact Name: Cyndi Hardy
Business Name: Cyndi Hardy Photography
Location: Goodyear, AZ
Contact Phone: 623.640.4114
Email Address: cyndi@cyndihardy.com
Website: www.cyndihardy.com
Blog: www.cyndihardy.com/blog

~Give us an overview of your business and its products/services:
We are wedding photographers with an artistic/photojournalistic style. We are based in Phoenix, Arizona, but travel across the country for weddings.

~What makes your business unique when compared to others in this category:
Using an artistic approach to wedding photography, we strive to capture those unique, precious moments you will treasure forever.

~Where do you draw inspiration for your creations, products, or services:
Weddings are full of emotions, my inspiration comes from all of the surrounding emotions.

~What has been your most favorite moment as a business owner:
Photographing my best friend's (an amazing photographer, I might add) wedding, I was just as emotional as they were.

~What product or service has been your best selling item? Why do you think that is:
Gallery wrapped canvas. It puts the photographs in a different realm.

~How do you set yourself apart with regard to your customer service:
I always respond quickly to customers requests. If a customer contacts me about a date that has already been booked, I have a network of photographers that I can refer them to.

~If you could offer one piece of advice to brides, what would that be:
Make sure you mesh with your photographer, it will make your wedding day smoother and result in better images. I also suggest having an engagement session with your wedding photographer, so you have the opportunity to get to know each other more before your wedding day.

Be sure to visit Cyndi's website and blog for more eye candy!

Happy Planning!

Vendor View: Custom and DIY Invitations

Meet Michelle Loretta, Owner of mmm...paper, a company with two brands...custom invitations and DIY invitations for the "do-it-yourself" crowd.

Michelle sent me a few samples from her yumminess brand a few weeks ago and I have to say the products are top notch, first rate materials! I fell in love instantly! The colors are vibrant, chic and trendy...there are many colors to choose from and the best part? You assemble them yourself! This makes them very affordable and fun!

I asked Michelle to share some details about her company and about herself. She's a passionate paper person (love that about her cause I LOVE paper too!) and has built a great company.

Here's some yumminess she share with us:

Contact Phone
206-774-1689

Email address
michelle@mmmpaper.com

On the Web
www.mmmpaper.com (custom wedding invite design)
www.yumminess.net (do it yourself wedding invites)

In 2008, mmm… paper launched its new do-it-yourself brand of couture wedding invites, yumminess! This brand is all about couples succeeding in the assembly of their own invites.

~What makes your business unique when compared to others in this category?
We’ve seen too many wedding couples attempt to make invites and become flustered with all of the cutting, gluing, and printing required with most do-it-yourself wedding invites. Yumminess is pre-planned, pre-cut, and pre-sized. We provide everything you’ll need to be successful including glue, fasteners, ties, and assembly instructions. We also offer to do the printing for you. We think your invites should be gorgeous - regardless of who assembles them.

~Where do you draw inspiration for your creations, products, or services?
I used to work in the fashion industry… so I look at paper like fashion designers look at fabric. Papers are luscious lovely textiles! I try to think like an apparel designer when constructing a gown… how can I meld these textures and patterns into something gorgeous?

~What has been your most favorite moment as a business owner?
I love the balance between creativity and strategy. Part of my day is playing with paper and part of my day is molding the business into a leader in the stationery industry.

~What product or service has been your best selling item? Why do you think that is?
For wedding invites, it’s all about color palettes. For 2009 colors are bright and vibrant: reds and oranges, chartreuse and magenta. Flourishes and swirls are also very popular right now.

~How do you set yourself apart with regard to your customer service?
We have an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on our customer service. (We survey all our clients to determine their level of satisfaction with us.) Clients love that we are available… and we are there to make sure they are getting what they want. It’s not about us, it’s about the client.

~If you could offer one piece of advice to brides, what would that be?
Go with your gut. If you love it, do it. If you’re not in love with it, move on. There is so much information out there! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Ultimately, if it feels good, chances are you’ll be happy with the result.

Thanks for taking the time to share your "yumminess" with us, Michelle! We truly appreciate it!

Happy Planning!