Elephant in the Room :: Pinterest

tl;dr: The best outcome is borne out of compromise.

Expectation vs Reality

Ah, Pinterest - in short, it's both a blessing and a curse.

When we were in the position of the client, we printed off the images we found that resonated with us and provided them to our wedding photographer. We get it. Totally. When it comes to weddings, there are so many different styles and concepts out there. Pinterest really gave me (Emily), in particular, some much-needed clarity during the planning process. Not even sure how brides figured it all out before Pinterest, to be honest!

We (Poppy & Sage Photography) have set some boards up to (hopefully) make life easier for our clients:

We are on your side, of course. However, like most things in life, Pinterest is not simply black and white for us. ;)

Tammie Joske (a photographer) states: "Photography is one part art, one part science, one part math, and that extra something else we can never put our finger on - usually we call it a 'good eye', or natural talent". We agree. You need all four components for a truly outstanding image. When you are busy focusing on replicating an image produced by someone else, there has to be compromise somewhere along the line. In addition to the above-mentioned components, there are usually environmental variables to account for, too: lighting, colours, natural elements*, to name a few. If everyone is okay with that, we can work with any situation.

[*For example, the image sourced from Pinterest might have a lot of movement in it from wind. We may need to bring along a leaf blower to replicate this situation. ;)]

I (Emily) worked at a small pharmacy on the Sunshine Coast for several years. One of the pharmacists I worked with was equally left- & right-brained (we'll call her Anna). To keep both sides stimulated, Anna worked as a pharmacist some days of the week and a hairdresser on other days. Hairdressing clients would come to Anna with cutouts from magazines or from hair colour boxes with the request to make their hair the same colour. Anna would ask the client a couple of questions to gauge what was motivating that particular colour choice (especially if she thought that the colour might not suit them best and she needed to find a diplomatic way to suggest a slight variation). One day, Anna mentioned that she had noticed an interesting phenomenon: it very often became apparent that the client was more attracted to the image of the person depicted in the image rather than the hair colour per se. She found that stripping the situation back and addressing the colour alone was, in some cases, quite challenging. Sometimes the client genuinely seemed to think that they would look more like the model if their hair colour was similar.

This is just one aspect of how the concept of expectation vs reality can play out.

Some would say that this grey situation can stifle creativity and limit the creation of unique content. We would not disagree.

In addition, spending time replicating images has the potential to disrupt (to one degree or another) the organic flow of the day.

HOWEVER, a lot is dependent on the situation for us. We will explain where we are coming from.

If we are doing a personal project for our portfolio, we'll go out with a model and experiment... explore our creative realm... take risks... push boundaries; that is our personal creative release.

If we are shooting an event for a client, we are respectful of your wishes - including inspiration derived from Pinterest. No questions. No judgement. It is not our day.

Ultimately, you are hiring us to capture your story your way. One big aspect of our business model is to work closely with our clients. In fact, one reason for why we provide two photographers for weddings is so that one can be responsible for ensuring that we meet the brief given to us by the client. We print off communication from our couple (including Pinterest suggestions and the questionnaire) and that shooter has the responsibility of keeping the brief on track.

In addition, we love that Pinterest means that we see less matchy denim pants and white shirts, peeking awkwardly around trees, terrible studio backdrops that are Awkward Family Photo-worthy, and so on. Pinterest definitely has a place in the wedding photography world. On a personal note, my travel board is bursting at the seams, and I am okay with that. ;)

Final Thoughts

Feel free to bring your lists from Pinterest to us. We will happily work through them.

One final thought is buried in this adage:

Don't give the client the images they want. Give them the images they need.

Elephant in the Room :: Wedding Tax

tl;dr: Things are rarely as black & white as they might appear.

Wedding vs Event

When talking about organising weddings, one often hears two words bandied about: wedding tax. When we were busy planning our own wedding, we had well-meaning people give us advice along these lines: "Call up x business and say that you are enquiring about an event. Call back a few days later regarding the same date but state that it is for a wedding this time. You can bet there will be a significant difference even if you mention that the same number of people will be involved. It's the wedding tax".

At the time we thought this was a great suggestion. We did not have time to implement the process ourselves, but the concept sounded plausible, for sure. However, since starting our own business in the wedding industry, this additional cost concept has popped up again but from a different angle.

Personal Experience

We own a photography business. Here are just some of our personal expenses: Camera bodies. Different lenses for different purposes (macro, portrait, landscape, to name a few). Travel. Continuing education. Legal paperwork. Software licences. Website host. Website build. Memory cards. Hard drives. Flashes. Batteries. Computer. Insurance. Registration. Marketing. Advertising. Accounting. Tax. Liability. And, of course, time.

Time for: Planning. Emailing. Culling. More emailing. Editing. Emailing (again). Oh, and sick days and limited holidays (necessary for health, contentment and the opportunity to work to the best of one's ability) also need to be factored in there somewhere.

All of these costs need to be accounted for. Moreover, the higher your costs, the more you need to charge the customer for your services. The more you charge the customer, the less competitive your pricing becomes. Adding an additional cost on top of the cost to run your business reduces your business' perceived value. We have a cost-of-doing-business spreadsheet and I can assure you that there is no column for "wedding tax".

So why can wedding services cost so much? The short answer is that different businesses work from different models depending on individual market drivers. We will explain.

We have an amazing business mentor in Las Vegas: Josh Line from Josh Line Photography (professional headshots). One of the first things Josh recommended that we do was to read "Oversubscribed" by Daniel Priestley. Daniel lists four main drivers of market imbalance: innovation (these businesses secure for themselves a niche position in the market), relationships (these businesses invest time in their clients and really get to know them), convenience (these businesses focus on producing the most frictionless solution to client needs), and price (these businesses create an imbalance in the market based on price). You will find these applicable to most, if not all, industries (wedding-related or not). The specific individual driver for each business you approach during the planning process will influence the price you are quoted - more than any arbitrary and ambiguous additional cost in the form of a wedding tax.

Furthermore, we recently read an article entitled The Wedding Tax Is Totally Real Except When It Isn’t. In it, the author (Rachel Sugar) interviewed a high-end planner who works in New York state. He explained the reality of his job like this: “If I ask a corporate client what kind of chair they want, I show them one or two options, and they say yes. If I talk to a bride and groom about what kind of chair they want, it’s a 25-email exchange. Your mom has a chair she liked sitting in at the last wedding she went to; your dad has an issue with pillows and seats; your groom wants long, rectangular tables; and you want round tables. I price so I can stay sane.”

Real Life Example

Lovely Anna, owner of Raw Cotton in Swan Valley, Western Australia, sums up how most of us feel in the bespoke small business industry: "When buying from a hand maker, you're buying more than just an object. You are buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentation. You are buying days, weeks and months of frustration and moments of Pure Joy. You aren't just buying at thing. You are buying a piece of heart. Part of a soul. A moment of someone's life. Most importantly, you are buying the artist more time to do something they are passionate about. So, thank you for supporting me". (Check out Anna's Instagram @rawcottoncollection.)

Final Thoughts

Our advice is to find products and services you love and/or people you value and want to support. We all have a story so find one that resonates with you and your priorities and get behind that small business. Even if you are someone who would score much the same as your cat on an empathy quiz, we are sure that you can appreciate why Rolex charges the amount it does as compared to Quartz. If you're on the market for a Holden, you won't go to a Lamborghini dealership and ask them to match Holden's price.

Work out your wedding budget and set your upper limit. Be realistic. Source your three quotes and get to know each of the businesses at the same time, if possible: you might find you're not ultimately drawn to the lowest price. Perhaps you don't feel like a number with one and they allocate more than enough time to get to know you. Perhaps another one is a standout based on product or service alone. Perhaps another one is hard to beat for price. Or another one offers the most convenience at an already stressful time in life. Figure out where your priorities lie; perhaps you want a unique venue or designer dress or stunning cake? Whatever it is that adds to your story as a couple, find the product and/or service that meets your criteria and support the hardworking people making it all happen. We want to wish you a smooth, fuss-free (wedding tax-less) journey of wedding planning!

Information :: Five Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Photographer

It can be challenging navigating the world of wedding planning - to say the least. This is especially true when you are looking for specialists in fields that are a) very often foreign to your own and b) over-saturated. At Poppy & Sage Photography, we try to make life a little easier for everyone; we would like to share some thoughts and tips on how to go about narrowing down the right photographer for you individually (we find that often one partner takes greater responsibility for aspects of planning, such as choosing a photographer) and as a couple, too, of course.

Choosing a photographer is a huge commitment. So many styles to navigate. Do you want documentary? Fine art? Edgy, bold, colourful? A great photographer will make an "average" wedding look stunning. A bad photographer will make a stunning wedding look average... or worse. More than that, though, some (definitely not all!) of the most popular wedding photographers do not necessarily have strong, well-composed, thoughtfully executed portfolios but have wonderful, easy-going personalities that make everyone feel comfortable and relaxed - an essential ingredient for the recipe of wedding photography you want to look back on for a lifetime. What if you want it all, though? Photographers who mesh well with your personalities and create images that you will treasure?

Here is a deductive process we recommend helping you to hopefully hit the jackpot:

1) Is this a business or a hobby?

One key indicator is whether the business has an ABN or not. Sometimes you will find this information on the business website and sometimes you need to ask for it. Another indicator is whether they have liability or not. (You will find details for both our ABN and liability on our FAQ page.) Having associated paperwork (such as the above) tells you that the owner(s) is invested & takes their business more seriously than a hobby (just one piece of the puzzle but a very important one).

While on the topic of paperwork, do they offer you a written contract? Very often clients think of the contract as having a sole purpose: to protect the business. However, the contract is there to protect you, too. The business is legally bound to follow through on their end of the bargain. Do they clearly articulate the deliverables to you (minimum number of total images? Or how many images will be delivered per hour? Or turnaround for said images? Et cetera...).

2) Does this business genuinely care about our needs & wants?

How would you even know? It can be almost standard to feel like a number in business and you are as time-poor as everyone else so where do you even start? Unfortunately, a lot of it has to do with gut feelings. For example: if you feel as though you are being rushed to close the sale and things are not progressing at your own rate, this can be a key indicator that you are simply $$$ to the business. Another example: we all have insecurities we want to be able to work around and angles we prefer to be avoided. If you don't feel comfortable discussing these kinds of details with your photographer, they are probably not the best fit for you.

However, there are some tangible indicators, too. For example, how happy are they to catch up and have a chat with you? A wedding photographer should have excellent communication skills; good listening is non-negotiable. You will only be able to determine this by having a chat. If your location is outside a reasonable travel zone, are they happy to jump on skype? Make time for you over the phone? There is not much point falling in love with a photographer's work but then not really getting each other in person. We welcome whatever form of communication you prefer, and we are very happy to meet in person within a 10 km radius of Brisbane CBD. We especially appreciate the opportunity as it breaks the ice. Furthermore, if you do choose to book with us, the wedding day itself will be so much more relaxed. We are another familiar and friendly face on the day. :)

Another key area to focus on is how well they get to know you and your wants and needs. We recently read through a comment thread on Facebook. One bride mentioned that her photographer took ~50 detail shots of her dress and that she did not particularly care for that many. We love a good detail shot (could easily take 50 ourselves!) but we wouldn't if we knew that was low priority for the couple concerned. For example, we provide our couples with a detailed questionnaire upon initial contact. We do this to get a feel for your priorities and vision. Completing the questionnaire gives us an insight into your style and taste, too. Frequently, the questionnaire is handed back to us with unanswered questions. This is totally fine, too! If the question is asking for an answer that is not a big deal for you, that is still valid information for us. We try to tailor our product to suit both of you as closely as we possibly can.

3) Does the business interact with other related businesses or attend industry events, such as wedding fairs?

In other words, you're looking for social accountability. Is this business known to other businesses and do they seem to have some sort of rapport? The more you find a vendor sitting on the fringes of their industry, the more likely they are to be either complacent or unreliable... and sometimes both. We work with other businesses regularly. Feel free to check out our vendor’s portfolio here.

4) Do I LOVE the photographer's portfolio or am I just okay with it?

Only you can answer this question satisfactorily. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have signature shots that we gravitate toward. We all have our own unique "eye" or bias or perspective. We all have our own secret editing sauce. It is so important that you find the portfolio that resonates with you. While you are going through the process of narrowing down a photographer, pick their portfolio apart. For example, if your wedding is in the middle of the day, you want to look for images shot in full sun. Do their indoor and outdoor images differ greatly? Perhaps their outdoor images are not that great, but your wedding is indoors in a cathedral, and they rock those particular shots in their portfolio?! Better yet, ask to see a full wedding and decide for yourself if they capture all the moments that matter to you and your significant other. (Below you will find a backyard wedding, a barn wedding, a garden wedding, a homestead wedding, a church wedding and a manor wedding - we love to work with the spectrum!)

You will find 100+ images below of our work under a range of different lighting/weather conditions (stay till the end for our favourite example under rainy conditions):

Night-time photography is a unique challenge: how about we start there? (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love colour and, during colour correction, we do not desaturate any colours. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Indoor lighting is another unique challenge. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Indoor lighting is another unique challenge. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

A spectrum of colour at this beautiful Hamptons style wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

More night-time. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love to chat all things lighting and timelines. Ultimately, we want to pick out the best times of the day for the parts that are important to you. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love to chat all things lighting and timelines. Ultimately, we want to pick out the best times of the day for the parts that are important to you. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love to chat all things lighting and timelines. Ultimately, we want to pick out the best times of the day for the parts that are important to you. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love to chat all things lighting and timelines. Ultimately, we want to pick out the best times of the day for the parts that are important to you. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

This is our philosophy regarding wedding photography: we aim to capture an image in such a way that the subjects feel something for the rest of time. This is at the heart and soul of wedding photography. The image above was taken during speeches at Michael & Anne-Maree’s beautiful wedding. Whenever we look at it, it transports us to Anne-Maree’s daughter’s heartfelt speech welcoming Michael to the family. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

There are some moments that seem to sum up each wedding; Michael & Anne-Maree’s wedding embraced every member of their family - from the elderly to the babies - with the effortlessness that comes with years of selfless dedication and investment. It was truly an honour to be on the sidelines of their wedding day. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

There are so many in-between moments, and we keep our eye on those. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We take plenty of standard composition shots, but we do not overlook these unique moments along the way! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Those moments after walking back down the aisle are chaotic - in the best kind of way and we live for them. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Some moments you cannot relive: Michael with his mum. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree with her dad. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

If you have chosen a lush green venue, we will not desaturate the greens; true-to-life is an important aspect of our brand. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We enjoy doing our research on your venue and challenging ourselves to take some unique shots for you - ones that “work” but are different to the usual obvious angles. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Anne-Maree & Michael’s wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

When the sun dips and we want some soft backlight, we can make it happen one way or another. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love an enchanting outdoor wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Golden hour. The end. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We don’t want any of your photographs from your wedding day to be ‘boring’ - including the reception ones. We will work with whatever light is available and create some magic. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Capturing the emotion at Greg & Claudine’s vow renewal. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

A cloudy afternoon across the road from the Brisbane Registry Office. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

The Moment. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Another example of working with available light at a wedding reception. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Another example of a non-boring reception shot. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

You do not have to have preparation/pre-ceremony shots if you do not want to - of course. However, if you do, we would be delighted to capture the pre-ceremony details - and emotions! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

A cursory glance at our portfolio will let you know how much we love details. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Never work with children or animals? We missed that memo. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

You do not have to have preparation/pre-ceremony shots if you do not want to - of course. However, if you do, we would be delighted to capture the pre-ceremony details - and emotions! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love unique framing that contribute to the story of your day. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Details, details, details. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We will chase you (sometimes) to get the best angle! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Funny moments that you cannot stage. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Out of the two of us, Pete takes the most beautiful non-facial emotive shots: one of his many fortes. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love to chat all things lighting and timelines. Ultimately, we want to pick out the best times of the day for the parts that are important to you. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

If there is a bokeh opportunity, we’ll find (or make) it. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Portraits during peak-hour at popular landmarks and there are people everywhere? First you see them. Now you don’t. Feel free to check out the SOOC (straight out of camera) version of this image in this blog post. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Late-afternoon light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Late-afternoon light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Late-afternoon light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Mid-morning light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception lighting with fluorescent tubes. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Using trees to frame the subjects; every single property has endless possibilities. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

From a shoot shot between 1:30 and 3 during Brisbane spring. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Dramatic & stormy evening sky? No where else we would rather be. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Afternoon lighting; this series of images was shot from 2:30-6 pm. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We worked in the rain during this shoot; we actually love rainy days as the cloud cover usually results in gorgeous soft, diffuse light. This black & white version highlights the rain droplets on the lens. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

From the same shoot as the image directly above. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Any chance to work with bokeh and we will take it. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

You do not have to have preparation/pre-ceremony shots if you do not want to - of course. However, if you do, we would be delighted to capture the pre-ceremony details - and emotions! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

You do not have to have preparation/pre-ceremony shots if you do not want to - of course. However, if you do, we would be delighted to capture the pre-ceremony details - and emotions! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

You do not have to have preparation/pre-ceremony shots if you do not want to - of course. However, if you do, we would be delighted to capture the pre-ceremony details - and emotions! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Ensuring that your loved ones are valued and not overlooked is important to us. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Moments of pure unbridled joy? You can enjoy those for a lifetime. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We enjoy working with you to maximise best lighting on the day. We had had some in-detail lighting discussions with this beautiful couple during the lead-up to their wedding and it all came together on their day. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Same lighting as above but different perspective. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

If you have taken the time to choose the details for your day, we enjoy taking the time to make sure that they are captured beautifully. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Ceremony Room 1, Brisbane Registry Office. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Ceremony Room 1, Brisbane Registry Office. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Ceremony Room 1, Brisbane Registry Office. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Mid-afternoon spring wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Mid-afternoon spring wedding. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

This one was taken outdoors in a fern garden. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Golden hour. The end. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Taken at dust… I mean, dusk! Well, a bit of both actually. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Outdoor shoot. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love playing with light, of course! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We love playing with light, of course! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

This image was taken outdoors. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Same object as shown above but photographed indoors with no natural light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

In a temple (Kerala, India). (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

In a temple (Kerala, India). (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Late afternoon sunlight on a mostly overcast day. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Having fun with chandelier lighting. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We can honestly say that we have fun at work! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Outdoors in afternoon sun. We love embracing colour in our processing. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Catching the last rays of sun for the day. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Dark enough for the sparklers to pop. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

We are all about a clean, crisp edit: one that is not too warm and not too cool but true-to-life. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Reception shots can be a bit of a differentiator between photographers. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Another example from working with animals. :) We love it when we see pets involved, too! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

One specific question that has popped up in client consultations is, “Can you capture the greenery outside of our reception venue from the inside?” Yes, we can. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Yes, we mean it when we say that receptions do not have to be flat - or boring. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Cathedral lighting. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Cathedral lighting. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

That afternoon light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Making fairy lights dance. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Working with the afternoon light. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Also in hospital; not usually known for the best photography-friendly lighting. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

In hospital; not usually known for the best photography-friendly lighting. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Understanding lighting is crucial. (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

Finally, beautiful Hannah embracing rainy weather. Honestly, any weather can look amazing when you have the right spirit about it! (Image by Poppy & Sage Photography.)

5) Does this business support a cause bigger than themselves?

People seem to be much savvier these days when it comes to choosing a business to support. We all want to be part of something that makes a positive difference. Something that makes this world a better place to be in. The reality is this: the fact that we all need to put food on the table for our families and pay our bills is not necessarily reason enough to support a business. However, when you see a business doing their bit to not only support themselves but contribute to society as well, it is so much easier to get behind that. Find one that supports a cause you care about, too. That's our personal challenge for you! :)

When you are booking, feel free to check with us if we are supporting a local organisation at that time. We regularly run campaigns supporting local charity organisations. You will find information for them during that period. If we are supporting at the time you book, we will pass on their specific details and we will donate 10% of the total amount of money you spend on our service.

All the best for your search and may it be as smooth as possible!

Meet Homewares, Stationery & Giftware Designer, Sophie!

You will meet the lovely Sophie from Sophia Mulheran Designs today! We recently undertook a project with Sophie that we can't wait to share in the coming months. It was a delight to work with her and we can vouch for the wow factor her products bring. We have enjoyed getting to know the Sophia Mulheran Design brand for a couple of reasons in particular. At a business level, we enjoy supporting local businesses and you will find the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand based here in Brisbane, Australia. On a personal level, Pete has a science degree with an environmental major & Em has honours in environmental microbiology; the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand is passionate about sustainable and ethical business practices, so this (environmentally conscious) aspect resonates with us. We recently noticed on Sophie's Instagram that the team have picked up 10,479 pieces of rubbish so far this year! What an amazing effort! I am sure you would be keen to hear more of the stories behind Sophie's business so I will now hand it over to Sophia to speak for herself:

"Tell us about yourself” 

I’m a creative and passionate Brisbanite who is working towards the most sustainable and ethical lifestyle and business. I love drawing so to essentially be able to do it as a job (as well as creating other awesome things) is an absolute dream come true!

"Why did you choose to design homewares, stationery and giftware?” 

I’ve always wanted to make a positive difference to our environment and community so when I formulated the idea to turn my passions into a career, I stopped at nothing to get the business up and running. The Sophia. Brand launched in August 2017 and since then, it’s been nothing but a success. I have learnt so much and met so many beautiful and inspiring people.

"How did your interest in design and creativity start?”

I grew up on an acreage property, so I was constantly building, exploring, creating and running free. This has shaped me into the person I am today and has armed me with an intense passion for the environment and everything creative.

"Who in business inspires you?”

There’s too many to count!! I’m inspired by anyone and everyone who has the courage to take the leap of faith and follow their dreams. It’s inspiring to see so many people who have made the decision to quit their day jobs and set out to do exactly what they were born to do.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?” 

Most people think that I sit down and carefully plan out every tiny detail of my designs, but the truth is that I create all my designs on the spot, and I never know how they are going to turn out.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?” 

I know there’s people out there who think they don’t have a creative bone in their body but the truth is that my drawings used to be messy and nothing of great quality. It was only the other day that I found a few drawings that I created not long before I launched my business. If I was still creating those dodgy designs, my business would be an absolute flop! Keep exploring different aspects and don’t forget that nearly anything can be considered art!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?” 

When it comes to weddings, I have a few unique things to offer. The first being custom-designed wedding invitations and menus to suit your flowers, style and wedding layout. I’ve also introduced wedding hire items. These include my hand-crafted copper bowls and plates, which bring a striking colour and texture to the wedding dining

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?”

I pride myself on being unique and creating things that people have never seen before. What's the point of following the trend when you can create your own?

"What is the best advice you ever received?”

I’ve received lots of awesome advice over the years but one thing I always tell myself is that if you keep going and never give up, you will succeed. Work hard, keep your head down and you’ll get there in the end!

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?” 

Who knew there was so much to learn about running a business? I thought I’d done the majority of the work when I launched the business, but the truth is that there are always improvements to make. Business is a journey too!

"How do you balance work and family demands?” 

I’m definitely guilty of working for 5am until 10pm without so much as a break. I have way too many ideas that I want to follow through on so at this point in time, work never really stops for me. I might find a balance one day!

"Anything else you would like to add?” 

If you’d like to follow my sustainable and ethical business journey, feel free to check out my website and social media pages: 

Website: http://www.sophiamulheran.com