Helping our brides plan their wedding day dreams!

If you're wondering where to start, you're in the right place!

Developing a relationship with my couples is so incredibly important to me, and I hope it is for you too as a bride or groom!! That's why consultation meetings are included in my wedding packages. If you're looking for a photographer or videographer, you want to establish a close relationship with them. We are in your face and playing with your hair and making sure all the fine details go well with your dress, their tux, and all of the tiny things you are too busy to notice on the day of your wedding. We want to make sure things look perfect for your details, we want you to have fun while you get ready, and in order to do that we have to KNOW you. I believe that these zoom meetings or in person consultations are crucial to getting to know each other! I love getting to know my potential couples by asking a few questions first before we plan to meet up! so I'll share my questionnaire below and FAQ.

But first, let's talk the basics. If you're planning a wedding, you may want and need to focus on the following:

Pinterest:

-How I've planned my Pinterest for weddings (+my own) for each of my brides is by creating one board per topic.

1. I found a style I liked out of several boards. Follow people you know, pin their wedding day pins!
2. I found photographers I liked on instagram and I followed their inspiration on pinterest!
3. I made my own BIG board and then put each of the wedding day categories in sections in that board
4. Before they had sections available, I had aboard for each wedding day category. You can do this, instead!
5. My categories will be listed in a link here! my pinterest!
6. We will do a future blog breaking down how to do this for fellow photogs and also for all of you brides!

Facebook/Instagram:

1. I use facebook and instagram ALL of the time to search for other vendors in my area and also for ideas/collaboration for my brides. I seriously do this at least once a day. I type in a hash tag like #weddings #scweddings #photographyforweddings #scweddingphotographer #weddingphotography and such and I LOVE looking through everyone's posts, their websites and blogs, and what they have to say for planning!
2. We will do a future blog breaking down how to do this for fellow photogs and also for all of you brides!

Wedding Wire/Zola/Brides.com Websites to search for planning ideas:

-I have found that most of my brides use these websites to find vendors that I'm not really sure about, such as hair and make up, rental companies, and specific bar tenders with certain requirements per their venue. Otherwise, I say personal personal personal relationships are the biggest part of a vendor experience. I feel that on a personal level as a "has been" bride and I loved getting to know each of my vendors. If I didn't know them, I KNEW someone who recommended them and really trusted those people to give me vendor recommendations that would truly help me in the wedding planning process. We will do future blog posts on EACH of the following categories below. So stay tuned for that. xoxo.

Have you found a venue, a coordinator/planner, a photographer, videographer, caterer, DJ, and a Jeweler?

Venue:

1. We only went to look at two venues, I loved ours. Looking back, I wish we had looked at more, but I was trying to start a new job, finding a new job after that because transition was hard, we had just gotten engaged, my kitty cat of 18 years passed away, we were at the beach, then came labor day and student loans. It was A LOT, to plan a wedding during fall and I was able to start TF-CBT training for SAFE Homes and I was full deep into helping other brides wedding plan and doing fall minis, christmas minis, and weddings. YALL. We had like 2 weeks to pick a venue because in theory, you need to be picking your venue 1 year out from your wedding date (a. for budget reasons to pay it off. b. so that you can plan everything else). I am very serious about picking your venue. Please do that before you do anything else and like I mentioned above, have 2-4 dates you love in mind.

We love these venues: UGH! Please call us if you choose any of these, they're in our wedding day photo dreams!

1. Aurora Farms
2. Arran Farm
3. Arabella Farm
4. Gassaway Mansion
5. The Cliffs at Glassy Mountain
6. South Wind Ranch
7. Windy Hill
8. Belleview Meadows
9. Edinburgh West
10. Revel

We have shot at the following venues and LOVED our experience:

1. Duncan Estate
2. Sunset Farm, LLC
3. The Barn at Sitton Hill Farm
4. Viewpoint at Buckhorn Creek
5. Forevermore Farm
6. Lion's Gate Manor

Photographer:

While we want you to of course book us, we really love and trust two other photographers.

1. Emily Anne Photography
2. Amanda Morgan Photography

Videographer:

We love working with different vendors to collaborate and we have worked with these awesome videogs!

1. Olivia and Jordan Middle TN photo and film
2. Cameron Easler recollective films
3. RC Sloan with owl and tree films (our vendor friend with the rock) 
4. Front row films Robert and kayln
5. Grayson Smith, filming Alexis and Ryan's big day! graymsmith.sc@gmail.com

Wedding Planner/Day of Coordinator:

We ONLY trust the best!

1. Chelsey Vaughn with Five Feathers Events (The Rock, Old Blue Truck Farm, and anywhere else!)
2. Holly Masters with Mastered Events (Duncan Estate, and anywhere else!)

DJ/Band/Entertainment:

Hands down the best DJ's we know!

1. Justin Tripam, DJ Nuvo
2. Tim Fletcher, Kestrel Productions
3. Tim Snow, DJ Timmy (Personal Reference)

Jeweler:

We prefer Helzburg Diamonds in the Westgate Mall, they took care of us and our families!

There is no particular order I'd recommend to hire these professionals in, however, you need to have a plan of action for scheduling these vendors. Every vendor is different for how far out they plan weddings, so make sure you have a list of 3 vendors in each category that you like and reach out to them!

Florist:

Seriously wish I would have hired Mill Street Florist for our vendor needs, but you live and you learn.

I will be definitely recommending her from now on for all of our brides needs. Maybe she can help me out with some anniversary floral (and that would suffice me, haha!)

Hair & Makeup:

Glam Salon in Downtown Greenville was such a professional team at a wedding I got to shoot with Amanda Morgan. I loved my experience there as a vendor so I cannot imagine how they'd treat a client's experience. Check them out! https://www.greenvilleglamsquad.com/

Officiant: We really suggest if you know someone who you trust who is ordained, to go with that person for a spiritual connection, sometimes they provide pre-marital consultations, and they know the story of your love. However, message us for a more detailed list of officiants we know and we'll send you in a direction we feel best serves you to check out on your own!

Bartenders:

1. AMANDA IS MY GIRL. Seriously, she saved us. Ask her about our wedding, LOL. Upstate Event Services.
2. Liquid Catering

Rental Furniture/Tent/Chairs/Linens/Lighting:

1. Event Rentals
2. Berbank Events
3. Charmed Events

Cake/Dessert:

1. Holly's Cakes (you won't regret it, we used her for our wedding cake!)
2. Love+Sugar (Lisa was so sweet and so are her cupcakes!)

Favors:

My suggestion on favors is to pick something special to your relationship and then go on etsy and search for it.

Some examples include: coasters, drink holders, personalized cups, koozies, popcorn or candy bags

Photo booths:

1. Complete Weddings and Events
2. Carolina Photo Booth+Bus

That's not it, just yet! You're almost done...

Transportation:

I always wanted to hire them and I'm looking for a reason to now that we're married....but hey there's always my 30th burt day coming up! check out the Party Bus of South Carolina.

Parking Attendants: check with your venue to see if they have any staff available to do this, check with your rental company, or even your caterers! hire a trusted friend and see if you have to have any certification to park someone's car or to direct traffic, often local law enforcement will help with these type of events!

Any portable restroom requirements:

I will NOT lie to yall. I did NOT want a porta potty at my wedding. I actually threw a minor hissy fit over it. LOL.

however, THESE PEOPLE ARE LIFE SAVERS, C+J Porta Potty, seriously rent the trailer, you will not regret it.

Attire/Dress/Veil/Shoes/Jewelry/Garter:

We mentioned our favorite's above but we've also heard good things about these storefronts!

1. The White Magnolia
2. The Dress

Stationary/Calligraphy/Vinyl Designs:

1. Le Bella Designs, Laura Bryan Griswald (she did our wedding invites + programs!)
2. Simply Crafty by Meagan, Meagan Cartee Varner (she works with us at the rock + may intern for me!)
3. Southern Style Design Kim H. Cartee (this is Meagan's mom, so talented!)

Wedding planning is such a fun time in a couple's life. I'm excited that you've come to the 'book the photographer' box on your list and that you loved my work enough to message me, email me, visit our website, or read our blog! We really enjoyed writing this recommendations and vendors blog post. I'm truly honored that you are here and are able to read this post. Stay tuned for more of our work and advice for you all when planning your big ole' wedding!! And even more, if someone referred you to become a bride of ours, we want to know WHO sent you our way. Once you book, let us know your friend's name (referral) and they will receive 15% off of a session if you book your wedding with me! :) have them shoot me a message or email and confirm that you sent them and you'll both receive an ADDITIONAL gift on us! photosbyburtgreengregory@gmail.com

Love,

Burt