Heather Garland - North Carolina Wedding and Portrait Photographer (Charlotte, Greenville, Belmont, Gastonia, Eastern NC)

Vendor Myths – Good Branding, Websites, & Blogs

Heather — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:13:19 +0000

The biggest turn-off when looking at wedding vendors for my wedding was terrible branding, websites, & blogs. Sure, I am more observant of these since I work in the industry but every client you have notices… trust me! If the first thing I see when I pull up a website is a homemade logo, a website that looks horrendous & unorganized, or a free wordpress blog template I just x-ed out. There was no point wasting my time there. If that vendor did not put enough effort and care into investing into their company, they wouldn’t be a good fit for me. Sure, there were plenty of brands I didn’t particularly care for (as a matter of fact I’m not too fond of the new Walmart logo either haha!) but that’s not a problem, a bride will still like you as long as it’s professional. I can not ever stress how important a professional logo is. As soon as I started my business I knew I needed a good logo, a good website, and a blog. That’s just as important as having the right gear, & knowing how to take good pictures (or whatever you do in your industry). It’s critical.

You get around 10 seconds (if that!) to make an impression on a consumer. If they don’t like what they see in the beginning, you might not ever get a second chance. First impressions truly are critical. You might take beautiful photos, sell beautiful cakes, or have great catering. That consumer will never know because you had a horrible website. I found this a lot less prevalent with photographers, it was more other vendors like venues, caterers, florists, DJs, etc. This is even more important for these vendors though. A consumer might see a photo they like and stay on the website… they can’t eat a cake, or smell a flower on the website. It’s crucial to make an impression & invest in good PROFESSIONAL branding. I have an amazing designer Amy from Candy Apple Studios. She does amazing work & I love how professional she is.

You might still be wandering if it helps, I promise it does. I have had countless compliments on many of my branding materials such as branded envelopes, my splash page, and how I package my prints. It makes a good impression to have good, consistant, & professional branding. So please all the amazing vendors out their with amazing products to sell who are getting skipped over because of a bad website… get a designer & get business!! You have to have a good brand for any one to ever care about the product you sale… and unless your a graphic designer it has to be done by a professional!

Sneak Peak – Megan Wright 2011 Senior // Charlotte, NC

Heather — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:00:40 +0000

I was so excited when Megan contacted me to shoot her senior session, she is such a beautiful & sweet girl. She is a rising senior at Gaston Christian School. We had a blast (even though it was almost 100 degrees!) wandering around Freedom Park taking photos. We might have sweated off half our body weight but I think it was worth it. I can’t wait to post all of this gorgeous session.

Also, if you are a 2011 Senior it is not too early to get your session done. I have very limited availability for seniors so contact me soon!

Family – Rosenbaum Family // Greenville, NC

Heather — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:27:26 +0000

Here is the other session that slipped through the cracks. This adorable family was so much fun to photograph. Their little girl Avery was just too precious. Her pouty face was so cute, I just wanted to take her home with me. They just moved to NC less than a year ago, and I am so glad I got the chance to document their family.

Family – Tugwell Mini-Session // Greenville, NC

Heather — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:14:54 +0000

Somehow a couple of sessions slipped through cracks and didn’t get on my to-do list to blog. This amazing family I photographed back in April. Ben is our pastor at Integrity Church in Greenville, NC and I have photographed their adorable little boy Finn before. They are such a photogenic family don’t you think? Plus Ben, Jes, & Finn are the sweetest people you will meet. I was so glad to be able to photograph this family again & I had so much fun going down to the Winterville Daffodil Field (even if all of the flowers were dead!).

Special – Free Engagement Session for 2010 Brides!!

Heather — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:35:12 +0000

If you are 2010 bride still looking for a photographer, I do have limited availability left this year. (Book fast because dates are almost gone too!) If you book in the month of July, however, you will get a FREE engagement session with digital negatives with ANY package! So don’t wait, contact me now to get your free session!