#wedloft

Very excited to be featured on the popular wedding blog, WedLoft  as one of their "Vendors We Heart"

Here are the questions Michelle and the gang over at WedLoft asked me about myself and my business:

Tell us why you think you’re a popular choice for brides and grooms. I capture every moment of your big day naturally. I don’t over-edit photos or pose you awkwardly. I use Photoshop to make sure each picture is perfect, but I don’t use it to fake anything. Nothing is artificial. I believe our uniqueness is what makes us special, our differences make us beautiful. I make sure your joy on this magical day shines through. A big part of that is making you comfortable and relaxed. I love the organic moments that happen when you are just being yourself.

What inspired you to start your business? My dad first started teaching me to use a camera when I was 2 years old, and I haven’t stopped taking pictures since. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. Taking artistic photos has been my passion my whole life, and I absolutely love capturing people’s most important life moments. In college I studied photojournalism and started off working for magazines and newspapers, but I realized preserving your special moments through film was far more rewarding. Combining my passion for photography with my love for capturing those moments makes this the perfect career for me.

What options for customization do you offer? People can basically customize anything. I have three wedding photography packages, but I’ll let people tweak them any way they want. For instance, clients can hire me for as many or as few hours as they require. They can add on engagement sessions, custom-made wedding albums, or a second shooter. I especially love when brides share their artistic ideas with me. I’m always open to new ideas. It’s all about giving the client the perfect experience.

If you could give one tip to couples who are planning a wedding, what would it be? Don’t stay at your reception too late. I’ve seen a lot of couples plan to stay until the very end of the night, but then all of their guests leave before they do. If you want to have a last dance and have your guests send you off in style, you have to leave at least an hour before the scheduled end of the reception. Besides, it can’t hurt to start the honeymoon early ;)

5 Things that make you happy? 1. Perusing local antique shops and flea markets for unique items, especially vintage cameras. 2. Having a cozy night in with my husband curled up on the couch watching a movie, or reading a good book together. 3. Going on spontaneous road trips. My husband and I especially love exploring New England’s hidden gems (and documenting the entire journey with my camera). 4. I love trying out different recipes from old family cookbooks or found on Pinterest 5. Taking pictures of people in love. Capturing other people’s happiness always makes me happy too. Their love is contagious.

If you could work on the ultimate destination wedding, where would it be? Paris, the city of love! I studied abroad in France in college, and absolutely fell in love with it. I took pictures of everything (of course), and would love to go back. The history, the architecture, the art, all of it spoke to me. It’s such a romantic city and a beautiful backdrop for your big day.

Guest Blog: Michelle Cangemi Wedloft.com

          I’ve been seeing wrapped bottles and vases all over the place lately! They are super cute and would make beautiful wedding centerpieces & decor! To show you just how easy and adorable these centerpieces are, I made you a lil’ tutorial! Get ready to get your craft on… enjoy!

Materials

Recycled Bottles or Vases

Jute Twine and/or Yarn

Multipurpose Glue (hot glue gun & glue optional)

Scissors

Step 1 – Getting Started: Starting at one end of your bottle, glue the edge of the twine to the bottle.  This is where the glue gun is helpful if you have one.  Just a dab of hot glue will quickly hold the twine to the bottle. If you’re using the multipurpose glue you’ll need to wait until it dries so the twine doesn’t come loose as your winding it around the bottle.

Step 2 – Glue & Wrap: Use the multipurpose glue to cover the surface of the bottle.  You don’t need to cover the entire surface.  Glue sparingly – I just made some swirls and squiggles. Now start wrapping the twine!

Step 3 – Finish Up: Wrap the entire bottle, cut the twine and add a larger dab of glue (multipurpose or hot glue) to secure the bottom edge of the twine. You’re done!! Easy-peasy, right?

           Step 4 – Repeat: If you have other bottles, repeat steps 1-3 for each.  I decided to spice it up and used colored yarn for my other two bottles.  Using yarn is a great way to incorporate your wedding colors into your DIY centerpiece! Oh, and don’t worry if you get glue on your yarn or can see it in the cracks. It will dry clear.

And there you have it! These wrapped bottles make simple and sweet centerpieces either on their own or with a few flowers tucked in!

If you want to give your centerpieces just a little something more, hot glue a few embellishments to them!  I added three mini fabric flowers to the twine wrapped bottle to add some pops of color. 

The great thing about this project is that is can be used in your home when the wedding is over!! 

* Special Thanks to Wedloft.com for allowing us to use their project and photos.