Women’s Business Forum :: Better Blogging
Thank you, Women’s Business Forum, for inviting me to speak this week about Better Blogging.
I’m a huge proponent of blogging (I must pause here and put in a plug in for my good friend, Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Guide, who showed me the light and encouraged me to start my blog. Thank you, Stacie!!) What a great era to be in business and to have the opportunity to blog. I have studios in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Doylestown, PA and with clients all over the world, it’s integral that they feel connected to me.
In conjunction with the product of my photography, I am selling an experience and my blog affords me the opportunity to build relationships with each of my clients. Oftentimes, I’ll meet someone and I’m flattered at how much they already know about me.
I understand how overwhelming starting a blog and maintaining a blog can seem, in addition to maintaining a Facebook account, a Twitter account and a Linked-in profile. Fortunately, there are a myriad of tools available now that link all of these accounts together and make posting more streamline.
My #1 piece of advice is that it’s better to do something badly than not to do it at all. You need to start somewhere and the more you do it, the easier it’ll become. Think of it as yoga for your brain.
I suggest that before you start, you find a notebook in which you keep all of your notes for your blog. Write things down as you do them. Chances are you’ll have to do them again and you may forget how to do them. If you have the steps written down, you won’t have to spend time researching the issue again.
The two main platforms for a blog are Blogger and Wordpress. Take some time to look at each and decide which works best for you. I use Wordpress.
Here are my action items for a blog :
- Set your blogging goals. What do you want to accomplish with your blog? Will your blog be your primary website or a supplement to an existing website?
- Know your audience. Take the time to research your demographic and understand the type of information they need then fill that need. Post useful information on your blog to drive traffic.
- Ask for Permission. Use your manners and ask for permission before posting images, music or text that belong to someone else. Chances are that the author of the content will be happy to share it with you if you ask first. If you don’t ask first, you open yourself up to the possibility of a legal mess.
- Permalink to Other Sites. Be sure to include links to other sites in your content. When creating a permalink, choose “open in another window” (or the equivalent) so that the link opens in a new page and leaves your blog open. Having permalinks in the content of your blog helps increase your chances of being found in a Google search.
- Reply to Comments. Take the time to thank people who have commented on your blog. And, take the time to comment on other blogs. The more you eNetwork, the more you build your readership.
- Add a Subscription Widget to your Blog. Readers can subscribe to receive new posts via email when you have a subscription widget on your blog. I use FeedBurner.
- Add an RSS Feed from your Blog. (RSS=Really Simple Syndication) This allows your reader to receive feeds from all their favorite blogs on one page in their browsers. Read the support documentation for your preferred platform to determine the best way to add an RSS button to your blog, however FeedBurner also has the capability of creating an RSS feed for your blog.
- Use Keywords. Add keywords in the keyword section of your post to increase your chances of top placement in Google.
- Don’t Forget to Brag About Yourself. This is the appropriate forum to brag about yourself. People want to know what you’re doing!
- Budget Your Time. Yes, technically you should be posting on a somewhat consistent basis, but if you can’t, don’t beat yourself up over it. Remember, it’s better to something badly than not to do it all. Just make sure to schedule an appropriate amount of time to post on your blog. Blogging does take time. You could post in 5 minutes if you really wanted to, but it’s important that you take the time to proofread your copy and make your images look pretty. Your blog is a reflection on you professionally and you always want to put your best eFoot forward. Also keep in mind that when your readers receive your blog either thru their email subscription or their RSS feed, they’ll begin commenting. Remember to budget time to reply to them.
So many of us are using the internet today before making our purchasing decisions and having a blog helps put you in the running. Take the time to research your options and invest time in building your blogging empire. Blogging can open doors that you never knew existed.
CELEBRATE YOUR HOLIDAY AT ALDIE MANSION
The holidays are in full-swing and Aldie Mansion is particularly beautiful during this time of year. I love seeing the snow on the roof and the lights twinkling inside. I love the sound of the floors creaking beneath my feet and the warmth that envelopes me as I walk in thru the stately front entrance.
Aldie Mansion was built in 1927 by William Mercer Jr. (brother of Henry Mercer) and his wife, Martha Dana of Boston and replaced the previous structure handed down to them by William Jr.’s parents. Martha continued to live in the house after William passed away and was well known for throwing lavish Christmas parties. Her most famous Christmas party was held in 1941 when the Von Trapp family sang in the great hall.
Martha died in 1960 and bequeathed Aldie Mansion to the Catholic Archdiocese, which used the mansion first as a seminary and later as a drug and alcohol treatment center. In the 1980’s, Aldie was abandoned, vandalized and burned. After many changes of hands, Genuardi Markets, Inc and Vesterra Corporation sold the property to the Heritage Conservancy for $1. In 1991, the Conservancy, with the support of the community, complete a 3-year capital campaign to restore the mansion. Aldie now houses the business offices of the Heritage Conservancy and is rented for weddings, receptions, meetings and community events.
Since we are now Doylestown community members, my family and I recently attended the annual Christmas at Aldie Community night where we indulged ourselves on sweets, listened to the local high-school choir sing Christmas carols, made a Christmas ornament, learned how to make a bat house, watched a rescue dog presentation and played instruments at a sing along. I’m so thankful to the Heritage Conservancy and the community for resurrecting Aldie so that we can enjoy it today.
To schedule your holiday event at Aldie and dine on exclusive caterer Jeffrey Miller’s cuisine, contact Kimberly Bates or Shelley Nohowel.
A WEDDING, BUCKS COUNTY FARMHOUSE STYLE
A Wedding, Bucks County Farmhouse Style
When I arrived at Nostalgia on a refreshingly crisp fall Saturday afternoon, the light shone through the trees and grandly illuminated the pristine house and meticulously kept grounds.
From the moment I stepped onto the property, I was greeted with warmth and kindness and felt as if I found a haven from the bumps and grinds of every day life. I first explored the outside accommodations Nostalgia offers and reveled in the rose-filled gardens surrounding the soothing sounds of the gentle running water of the pond, sheltered by towering established trees. I explored the gazebo which contains an intricate stained glass pattern housed in the roof and echoing the roses planted in the garden. I was delighted at the sight of the historical salt house embellished with simple window box overflowing with impatients. I walked up the path past the salt house and walked up the deck into the Grande Celebration Room, added to the original structure built in 1720 by Welsh immigrant, Simon Mathews, and was amazed by the wealth of space which can hold 100-250 guests without incident.
In the Grande Celebration room, guests dined on a buffet of homemade foods carefully planned by the bride, alongside Nostalgia owner and head chef, Gail Morosky.
As I looked around the room that evening, I saw smiles and heard laughter echoing throughout the old farmhouse all night long and knew it was no wonder that the Intelligencer newspaper had awarded Nostalgia with the prestigious Best of Buck 2009 seal.
Congratulations Nostalgia and Gail and Joe Morosky. And most importantly, congratulations Nostalgia brides.
FROM A MONTEREY WEDDING TO THE NESTING NEWBIES
Monterey Plaza Hotel Wedding Ceremony
Monterey Cannery Row
Monterey Plaza Wedding Reception
Jung and I photographed Wendy & Michael’s wedding at the Monterey Plaza Hotel. They are such a lovely couple and their infectious kindness and sincerity warm our hearts invariably.
As you saw in our previous post, Wendy and Michael graciously allowed us to film their engagement session to use as a promotional video for our studio, which our friend and colleague, David Ethridge of A Video Reflection artfully shot for us.
And now most recently, Wendy and Michael joined us on the set of the Nesting Newbies. Again, their personalities warmed the room and you will no doubt enjoy Newbisode #2.
Lea McIntosh, the host of Nesting Newbies, asked me to create a few layouts from Wendy and Michael’s wedding to be shown in the intro of Nesting Newbies Newbisode #2 and I remembered the complimentary disc I received from graphicauthority.com a few weeks back and decided to use it for these layouts. There are tons of graphical elements in each of the layouts and I really enjoyed taking the template and making it my own to showcase Michael & Wendy’s wedding uniquely.
See the templates and Wendy and Michael in action in our newly released Newbisode #2.
SHAZAM! A SNEAK PEAK AT NESTING NEWBIES NEWBISODE 2
Sneak Peak into Nesting Newbies Newbisode #2
by Jodi Murphy
Nesting Newbies™, Newbisode 1, has launched and is already getting some buzz! Newbisode 2 isn’t far behind and the team outdid themselves as we all begin to get in the newbie groove. Chef Lea McIntosh is at her best when she’s teaching and in this Newbisode Michael and Wendy Mantilla ask her lots of questions (we like to call them Newbie Q’s). They are a lively couple and the set was full of fun and laughter as they learned how to cook Chef Lea’s Moroccan-style Seafood Stew over a Saffron Risotto. Michael kicked things up a notch when he used “SHAZAM!” – His own newbie twist on a famous exclamation while adding an ingredient to the pot. It was a hilarious and unexpected moment.
On the set in the Rutt of Los Altos kitchen, everything is laid out in preparation, including the plump Christopher Ranch Garlic cloves.
Teachable moments include how to use a professional knife, while James Burkart captured all the antics on film!
Michael and Wendy are creating something together in the kitchen and are confident they can do it on their own the next time and the seafood stew simmers for just a few more minutes before tasting.
Chef Lea uses a Calphalon stock pot and answers Wendy’s question about what kind of pots to use. Calphalon was so excited about the show’s concept and this unscripted Newbie Q, they became a sponsor! Chef Lea also taught Wendy and Michael how to use the leftover risotto in crab cakes. Everyone Allure West Studios › Edit Post — WordPresson the set enjoyed a taste when the segment was over – we were chirping about it for hours.
The Newbisode segues into a Mediterranean seaside table top designed by Jodi Murphy and David Braddy using items from Bloomingdale’s Stanford, fresh flowers, lemons and seashells proving once again that you can entertain in style without breaking the budget.
Vanessa Rockey, the show’s hair stylist brought make-up expert Julie Acosta and together they primped and prepared Chef Lea and Wendy to look their best under the harsh camera lights. Natalie Wi of Allure West Studios was on hand to document the happenings (she photographed all of these images) and take her stunning food shots. For more details, images, recipes…and soon the Newbisode…go to Nesting Newbies. Bon Appetweet ™ – JM
2nd QUARTER BAWN EVENT | GUILD HALL AT PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCH
Click on the Image to See the Flash Slideshow
Click the image above to view the flash slideshow.
I am proud to say that I hold the privilege of photographing the 2nd Quarter BAWN Event at the majestic Guild Hall at Piedmont Community Church. The venue itself was breathtaking and once all the pros had done their work, the grounds were transformed into a magical wedding venue.
As a wedding photographer, I just love the different angles, perspectives and rooms that are all within a few steps of each other at Guild Hall. At Guild Hall, you have the luxury of convenience and the opportunity for each part of your wedding to look like it was shot at a different location.
So what is BAWN you ask? BAWN (The Bay Area Wedding Network) is a group of wedding and event professionals who wish to promote growth in the wedding industry through education, networking and building strong relationships among peers. BAWN events are for the benefit of the wedding and event industry and are produced by Marie Rios, Owner Creative Occasions and Gwen Helbush, President of Where to Start, Inc. Wedding & Event Management. BAWN events are intended to provide networking and educational opportunities, as well as, the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships between event professionals.
The Team
the photographer | natalie wi | allure west studios
the planners | marie rios | creative occasions // gwen helbush | where to start, inc. wedding & event management
the invitation | sabrina moyle | hello!lucky
the calligraphy | michele papineau | papineau calligraphy
the rentals | jennifer khan | blue water party rentals
the piano | frederick hodges | frederick hodges music productions
the band | benjamin wanicur | golden gate jazz trio
the videography | jonathan metcalf | metmedia creative digital video & multimedia
the chocolates | deirdre stewart | scharffen berger chocolate maker & dagoba organic chocolates
the service staff | susan sheinkopf | the party staff, inc.
the sound | michael peterson | weddings with michael peterson
the beverage service | madeleine amodeo | best beverage catering
the furnishings & floral design | selyca medford | blueprint studios, the studio collection
the lighting | megan woods | enhanced lighting & sound
the lunch & service | alicia slater | global gourmet catering
the venue | carol leslie special events | guild hall at piedmont community church
the staff | kristjan gavin | in good company meetings & events
the sanctuary florals | orna maymon | ornamento, llc
the centerpieces in guild hall | paige benjamin | passiflora designs
the centerpieces in the courtyard | constance shrecengost | sunshine flowers
the cake | judy chadwick | true confectionse cake | the display cake was a four-tier square cake finished in ivory fondant and decorated with white chocolate draping edged in copper luster dust and white chocolate roses edged in claret luster dust with dark chocolate leaves | cake was chocolate butter cake filled with Espresso Bavarian Cream and Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
the education | shawn jackson, esq. | california business development center
CUSTOM DESIGNED COFFEE TABLE BOOK
Custom Designed Hard-Cover Coffee Table Book
Here are a few of my favorite pages from a hard-cover coffee table book that I designed for Carolyn Kearney and Mike Stone’s wedding.
I asked Carolyn and Mike to to send me some of their thoughts and feelings from their wedding day and I incorporated those quotes into an elegant coffee table book that supplements their feature wedding album.
On the day of the wedding, I met Carolyn in her hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia and was absolutely floored at how beautiful she looked. She had her hair and nails done at Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door on Pentagon Row and was preparing to slip on an exquisitely feminine strapless Melissa Sweet at Kleinfeld A-Line, French Lace wedding dress.
Bella Figura’s Classic Calligraphy Eco-Friendly Wind-Powered Letterpress Invitations and delicate florals from Brookhill Florist fit perfectly with Carolyn’s historical D.C. style wedding.
Carolyn and Mike were married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill and after the ceremony, we closed off C Street at 3rd and took some surreal shots of Carolyn and Mike and their wedding party with the Capitol as their backdrop.
We headed over to Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria, Virginia for the reception. Here, Carolyn and Mike were led into the cocktail hour by a bagpiper and were introduced for the first time as husband and wife on the terrace overlooking the green.
After their indulging in their delectable Alexandria Pasty Shop wedding cake, Carolyn and Mike left through a gate of sparklers and paused for a romantic embrace before whisking away in their getaway car.
We photographed Carolyn’s brother’s wedding 5 years ago at the Ritz-Carlton at Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and since their wedding, are proud to say that the Kearneys have been part of our extended family. We love watching their family grow and are honored to be a part of it as it happens.
ELLEN + DANE
Ellen + Dane were introduced to us by Jean Marks of Jean Marks Weddings and when we met them, we could see that they were true soul mates by the way they smiled at each other.
And when we photographed their wedding, they embraced us that warmth and kindness.
Ellen + Dane began their day at the luxurious Mediterranean-style Hotel Los Gatos, which sits at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains and when I arrived on the scene, Shawn Cavlan of Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co. was applying the final touches of Ellen’s makeup. Ellen was simply luminous as she bathed in the warm sunlight streaming in through the large windows of the Vasona Room.
While Ellen’s girls were helping her primp, Dane was greeting his family and best friend, who had just flown in from Canada for his wedding and after a few family portraits at the hotel, friends and family left for the church and we went to Vasona Lake with Ellen + Dane for a creative, private portrait session.
When our session wrapped, we progressed forward to the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Saratoga, where Ellen’s uncle married Ellen + Dane. After the ceremony, guests made their way to the newly remodeled, contemporary Plumed Horse in downtown Saratoga for an intimate dinner celebration.
Ellen + Dane were surrounded by their closest family and friends on their wedding day and we thank them and their guests for their warm reception. We’re proud to have been asked to be a part of their amazing day and to have made such wonderful new friends.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Ellen + Dane!
The Team
the planner | jean marks | jean marks weddings
the invitation| out of the envelope
the makeup artist | shawn cavlan | shawn cavlan beauty co.
the flowers | susan groves | in full bloom
the hotel | hotel los gatos
the church | prince of peace lutheran church
the restaurant | the plumed horse
the cake | the plumed horse
OUR NEW WEDDING RINGS
I’ve been holding up lines everywhere these past few days since I just can’t seem to stop admiring my new wedding ring!
I asked my lovely friend and Union Street Wedding Ring colleague, Dilek Sezen of Dilek Sezen Objet D’Art, to design these beautiful rings for us using my original engagement diamond.
I just love how the rings feels and looks on my finger and Jung has been raving about his ever since he slipped it on.
These exquisite rings sit atop an elegant arrangement created by my other lovely friend and Union Street Wedding Ring colleague, Mandy Scott of Mandy Scott Flowers.
The Perfect Wedding Gift
Give your Bride and Groom the everlasting gift of portrait enlargements. Your Bride and Groom can apply this gift card towards portrait enlargements or towards their wedding album. We are currently running a promotion offering up to 10 cards per customer with a 10% discount. Call us at 415.513.5925 or email us today to place your order!
Project Wedding Cake at the Julia Morgan Ballroom
Cake Designer, Gabrielle Feuersinger, of Cake Coquette in San Francisco has created a collection of Fabergé-inspired egg cake toppers. These intricate ornamental keepsakes can be personalized with portraits of the bride and groom and customized with hand-painted and elaborately gilded themes to make a truly original finishing touch for your wedding cake.
This is the latest wedding cake she’s designed featuring her Fabergé-inspired egg cake toppers and the latest set of images that Gabby and I have added to our project.
This cake was designed for a Russian bride and her groom who is on the SF Police Force (see the fabulous Groom’s Cake!) who were married at the Julia Morgan Ballroom.
Stay tuned to see where we take Project Wedding Cake next!
