Contact: Jean Murin
(610) 260-0234
jean@cakeandpictures.com

Cake And Pictures Launches Boutique Wedding Photography Portal For Brides And Wedding Professionals

(Philadelphia, PA – USA) – Cake and Pictures is an exclusive directory of wedding photographers designed to connect discerning brides with the most talented wedding photographers in the business. The company, based just outside of Philadelphia, is the by-product of the hugely successful Wonderful Machine, a web-marketing portal for commercial photographers.

Unlike other websites, Cake and Pictures presents only a limited number of photographers in each location, allowing the work of all of its members to stand out and making it easy for brides to find what they are looking for. The Cake and Pictures web interface is simple and intuitive, so brides can browse photographers from around the world quickly and without the distraction of banner ads or pop-up windows. Cake and Pictures hand-selects the photographers that appear on the site specifically to appeal to brides for whom photography is a priority.

Cake and Pictures lists award-winning photographers in 50 cities and 24 countries around the world specializing in all types of wedding photography including fine art, traditional and photojournalistic. Brides can be confident they will find a photographer to match their style, whether their wedding is a quirky backyard affair or a black tie gala.

Philadelphia-based wedding photographer Shea Roggio started Cake and Pictures because he realized there was no single place for brides and wedding professionals to find a comprehensive list of the best wedding photographers in the world. He teamed up with wedding photographer Cliff Mautner and Wonderful Machine’s chief executive, Bill Cramer, to establish a boutique web portal that lists only the best wedding photographers in the business.

The result is a website like no other. Cake and Pictures is the new, one-stop shop for high-end wedding photography – baked goods not included. All Cake and Pictures photographers handle their own scheduling and pricing and can be contacted directly for rates and availability.

Visit www.cakeandpictures.com to start searching for the perfect wedding photographer. For more information, please contact Jean Murin at (610) 260-0234 or jean@cakeandpictures.com.

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There seems to be no end to the number of ways Vera Wang can capitalize on her bridal clout. As designer of dream dresses to the rich and famous, Wang has swathed the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Uma Thurman and Mariah Carey in yards of tulle and lace since 1990.

Source: http://www.bnet.com

Full Story

The purpose of starting a local chapter of the Association is to bring together ALL wedding professionals for networking and educational purposes. Anyone in the wedding industry within the US Virgin Island is most welcome to become a member and to attend our bimonthly get together.

Association for Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI) is an international organization dedicated to providing quality service and a central source of information and referrals – for those planning weddings and those who service weddings. We have a fully staffed Association office dedicated to the support of our members and the brides. We have been providing services for the wedding industry since 1995.
Members receive benefits through networking and discounted services. Brides and grooms receive free referrals to wedding professionals. Members have agreed to a set code of ethics, assuring greater confidence in shopping with them.

Mary and Kati have been members of the International Association for the past 2 yrs. Mary has travelled to the Philippines and Mexico on AFWPI on FAM (Familiarization) trips. Kati also participated in the Mexico FAM trip. The FAM trips offer not only an educational experience in another location for destination weddings but also a great opportunity to network with other wedding professionals.

“The experience that we have received from traveling to other destination wedding locations has been immeasurable. We have been able to expand our knowledge by learning from other destinations. More Fam trips are planned one being in Tobago soon.”

For more information on joining the Association contact mary@islandstyleweddings.com or kati@katilady.com.

Is “networking” an important part of building your business? Sometimes it’s “who you know” and “who knows you” that help a business to succeed, and it’s very true in the New Jersey wedding community. We wanted to share with you a few opportunities to network with other wedding professionals in various ways…

First, are you actively participating in bridal shows and events? Not only will you have the opportunity to showcase your products and services to engaged couples, their bridal parties and families, but you’ll also have a chance to meet and get to know other vendors exhibiting at these shows, and often you’ll be able to cross-promote or recommend each other, helping to increase your (and their) business. Here’s a list of upcoming shows going on throughout New Jersey where you may want to consider attending or exhibiting:

http://www.njwedding.com/bridalshows

Here’s a list of Bridal Show Producers that you can contact about the costs for display booths, tables, etc.:

http://www.njwedding.com/advertising/njbridalshows.cfm

Second, a growing way to connect with others in the wedding community is through “social networking” web sites like facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Are you on these yet, and actively promoting your business? If not, you should be, because it’s FREE and already has a strong contingency of members within our industry actively using it. Here’s a link to various groups and pages that you can check out and join:

http://www.njwedding.com/facebook

Also, one of the best ways to make new connections is the “old fashioned way” through wedding industry events were a simple handshake and “hello” could be the beginning of a wonderful new business relationship! We encourage and invite you to one coming up on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Landmark in East Rutherford. As a media sponsor and participant, we’ve found these past events (which are FREE for up to 2 people per NJ company) to be exciting, where many new relationships begin by just handing out your business card and saying “hello” to fellow wedding professionals. For more information and to register, visit the following link:

http://www.njwedding.com/industryevent

We hope these above resource are helpful for your wedding business, and hope to connect with you soon!

Erik and Beth Kent
Co-Publishers
NJWedding.com & WeddingIndustry.biz

Planning that once-in-a-lifetime celebration in this new decade is all about attention to detail, with couples showing their individuality and signature-style. Through the years, while some things about weddings change, others remain exactly the same. While the past is fondly remembered, this year, the present is important too! Save the date cards, self-written vows, mismatched bridesmaid dresses and eco-friendly touches are all new additions to this upcoming wedding season.

Veils, cakes, the first dance, champagne, lace, tulle, something old, new, borrowed, blue, and wedding photographs have all remained constant, in an ever-evolving wedding day. New social media such as Facebook and Twitter and the online personalized bridal widgets and web casting of the ceremony in real time, highlight all the couple’s news and the wedding day festivities. But this season’s focus is on retro chic and the Hollywood days of glamour.

The traditional black tuxedo is back for the gents and for the bride, it’s all about accessories; gloves and pearls. The bird cage veil and the emergence of bridal hats and the bouffant or French twist hair styles, make for an elegant look. The inspiration comes from the sophistication of the 50’s and 60’s. Strapless wedding gowns are as dominant as they have been in the past, and, they will quite likely continue to be in the future, but expect to see sashes of black and high waistlines. Gold is back for engagement and wedding bands after an absence of a few years, where silver was prominent as the metal of choice.

The vintage glamour look, which emerged last season, continues this year, and is gaining strength. There’s a breath-taking ambience to today’s weddings. The “something new”, could be hair extensions, while “something blue” can be the sky over a Jamaican destination wedding. Honeymoons are all-inclusive and brides and grooms are gravitating to luxury resorts with their amazing meal packages and opportunities for many different adventures..

Invitations range from fun to fancy formal, and some even have illustrations of the bride and groom illustrated in pencil sketched artwork. Look for vibrant colours that match the wedding’s theme such as turquoise/raspberry combinations as well as the traditional and elegant colour scheme of black and white.

Brides and grooms are revamping their first dance with a routine that is a medley of songs, replacing the traditional first dance of the reception, which in 2010, is just called the “party”.

Weddings are elegant with a lot of character. For comfort you’ll find wedding venues with comfy couches and living room settings, set up for the ceremony and reception; adding increased comfort and cosiness for the guests. Sit down dinners are still in style, but look for cocktail receptions with a supper club feel- cocktails- think, martinis, Manhattans, old fashioned cocktails and big band sounds.

Wedding cakes continue to be tiered, but the trend is to more white cakes with butter cream or fondant icing, topped with an heirloom antique cake topper of a bride and groom. Colourful macaroons are replacing cupcakes. Dance floors are adorned with custom vinyl monograms of the bride and groom’s initials. And look for special lighting, which klamps up the décor of the reception site, adding warmth and atmosphere.

On this special day, couples want their signature style shining through. The possibilities are endless! From sheer whimsy to the outrageously breath-taking, today’s couples are style-makers and it shows! There has never been a better time to marry!

Media Contact

Sheryl Davies, Publisher
519-252-8463

http://www.theweddingguide.ca

The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County,
Perfect wedding planning at your fingertips since 1992!

Where do you see your business going in the next year?

In this economy, there’s nowhere to go but up. They say weddings are recession proof, but they’ve definitely gotten smaller. That being said, it’s starting to come back.

What are the major trends and/or obstacles your industry is dealing with?

Brides have become savvier shoppers – thriftier. They start off with a lot more information that they used to. Professionals need to be prepared. There’s a do-it-yourself trend lately, too. While it can save money, it can cost a lot of time, energy, and not always come off as nice or professionally as you’d like. Couples are also trying to save money by looking for alternative, less expensive venues – private homes, outside, state parks. However, we’re starting to see a return to pricier venues.

Do you foresee any hiring this year in your business and industry sector?

I’m seeing more wedding professionals. I’ve gotten many calls from people who are thinking of starting a business. We took a hit last year, but the entrepreneurs are starting to jump in.

Have you seen an increase in local tourism?

We’ve seen destination weddings stay about the same. Sometimes, a “weekend wedding” can be cheaper than a one-day wedding in your hometown. We’re seeing a lot more people sending “save the date” reminders to their guests so they can plan ahead, and make a vacation out of it, which helps out the overall tourism industry since these people are never here just for a day.

Do you find tourists coming to Vermont for different reasons now than before?

I don’t see any big change. People come here for warm hospitality and reasonable pricing. They come here to relax. While it has been off for the last couple years, I see it coming back.

Source: Click Here

With estimates of 100,000 wedding vendors country wide, the US wedding industry is incredibly fragmented with vendors serving very localized markets. According to WeddingBusinessMarketing.com, more than 95% of wedding businesses fail within the first five years. Although wedding vendors know their craft well, failure rates are high because they often lack knowledge when it comes to running a business, fail to advertise adequately, or advertise ineffectively. With the challenging economic situation, some wedding planners have lost 60% of their business from 2008 highs. In this environment, understanding marketing effectiveness is absolutely critical. The goal of the 2010 Wedding Marketing Effectiveness Survey is to paint a clear picture of how the macro economic factors are impacting the micro economic factors, which tactics are working and which are not. The online survey respondents will include wedding planners, photographers, event designers, florists, venues, catering managers, publicists and destination locations. Survey topics include social networking, search engine optimatization, referral generation, branding, and image management.

The survey is being promoted jointly by industry veteran, Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts and Two Bright Lights. The survey’s insights will be revealed at Engaging Concepts’ business summit for wedding professionals, engage!10 :: cayman islands, at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, June 7-10th. In an effort to make sure the findings spark collaboration industry wide, all survey participants will be provided a roadmap outlining how to improve business performance.

About Two Bright Lights
Founded in 2009, Two Bright Lights (TBL) is a subscription-based pioneering online B2B wedding marketing service dedicated to improving marketing efficiency and results for photographers, planners, and vendors. Optimizing the power of social media and networking, Two Bright Lights maximizes networking and referral capabilities through features including image sharing, portfolio development, and inspiration board creation. Additionally, by streamlining the editorial process for Real Wedding features in print and online publications, Two Bright Lights boosts business visibility in a highly-competitive industry. Headquartered in Chicago, Two Bright Lights reaches worldwide through its online presence at www.twobrightlights.com .

The emails tell recipients that the passwords on their Facebook accounts have been reset, urging them to click on an attachment to obtain new login credentials, according to anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc.

New Password-Stealing Virus Targets Facebook

If the attachment is opened, it downloads several types of malicious software, including a program that steals passwords, McAfee said on Wednesday.

Hackers have long targeted Facebook users, sending them tainted messages via the social networking company’s own internal email system. With this new attack, they are using regular Internet email to spread their malicious software.

A Facebook spokesman said the company could not comment on the specific case, but pointed to a status update the company posted on its web site earlier on Wednesday warning users about the spoofed email and advising users to delete the email and to warn their friends.

McAfee estimates that hackers sent out tens of millions of spam across Europe, the United States and Asia since the campaign began on Tuesday.

Dave Marcus, McAfee’s director of malware research and communications, said that he expects the hackers will succeed in infecting millions of computers.

“With Facebook as your lure, you potentially have 400 million people that can click on the attachment. If you get 10 percent success, that’s 40 million,” he said.

The email’s subject line says “Facebook password reset confirmation customer support,” according to Marcus.

Souce: Comcast News (http://www.comcast.net)

DexKnows Weddings is designed to directly connect consumers and local businesses by providing a single source for wedding-related information. The site is designed to make wedding planning easy and engaging by including detailed information for soon-to-be brides and grooms who may be searching for attire, flowers, food, reception venues and more.

“Combining the powerful local search capabilities of DexKnows.com with a focus on a specific market like the wedding industry enables us to present consumers with a unique experience tailored to fit their needs. It also allows us to provide local businesses with the best means of reaching these highly-targeted consumers,” said Sean Greene, senior vice president of interactive, Dex One Corporation. “Our new weddings site is the first in a planned series of life event or industry-specific products devoted to markets that are underserved by current online offerings.”

Listings on DexKnows Weddings are populated from the robust, accurate content DexKnows.com is known for and include user-generated ratings and reviews, links to businesses’ websites and more. Features of DexKnows Weddings include:

“Our goal has always been to make it easy for consumers and local businesses to find each other, and DexKnows Weddings is a natural extension of that goal,” said Greene. “DexKnows Weddings’ premier content, unique features and access to local merchants make it the preeminent local search destination for all wedding-related needs. We look forward to taking this same approach with other markets.”

About Dex One Corporation

Dex One Corporation (NYSE: DEXO) is a leading marketing services company that helps local businesses reach, win and keep ready-to-buy customers. The company’s highly-skilled, locally based marketing consultants offer a wide range of marketing products and services that help businesses get found more than 1.5 billion times each year by actively shopping consumers. Dex One offers local businesses personalized marketing consulting services and exposure across a broad network of local marketing products – including its “official” print, online and mobile yellow pages and search solutions (http://www.dexknows.com and http://www.business.com), as well as major search engines. For more information visit www.DexOne.com.

Source: http://triad.dbusinessnews.com/viewnews.php?article=bwire/20100315005343r1.xml

The Bridal Plus package is the latest of Bryce’s creative marketing concepts designed to create a larger customer base with a lower investment. This compact program allows RTO dealers to benefit from a consistent and proven market – the wedding industry – with a lower initial investment than traditional jewelry rental programs.

“The bridal category has great potential and is the most consistent category in the jewelry business. It’s the biggest area for growth in RTO jewelry,” says Bryce Jewelry President Bryan Collins. “Consider that there are over 40,000 weddings a week in the United States.”

For dealers who have never incorporated jewelry in their business, the ‘Bridal Plus’ program is a great place to start. Bridal Plus offers significant return on the investment. As with all of Bryce programs the dealer gets a turn-key program with exceptional customer service and ongoing sales training from your Bryce Representative.

Due to the continued ability to refurbish jewelry, these products have significantly longer lives than most rental merchandise increasing their earning potential above other RTO items. Bryce offers free refurbishing on jewelry, which allows items to hold their value indefinitely.

A year in the making, the ‘Bridal Plus’ program refines jewelry selections to include Bridal, Trio, Anniversary and Engagement rings and some additional staple pieces to round out the program. In today’s economy Bryce is concentrating on what will rent every day. Rental stores already have a built in cliental of about 40 customers that are married but don’t have wedding rings.

This alone could bring in substantial revenue. There is also a new group of bridal customers that can’t go to the jewelry chain stores and get credit anymore. This program will fit their needs. Unlike many luxury items, bridal rings continue to be in demand year round regardless of economic trends and they never go out of style. The greatest benefit of this jewelry program is that it is easy to incorporate into a daily sales routine, and while bridal rings draw in new customers, they provide a new opportunity for return customers.

Because customer service is a Bryce company tradition, a representative will assist dealers in making ‘Bridal Plus’ a part of everyday sales strategy for the best results.

Bryce Jewelry staff know that success comes from service, and each dealer and market area is given individual attention. Bryce is the most experienced vendor in RTO jewelry and has earned that position by standing behind their products and offering dealers the training necessary to be successful with jewelry merchandise. As with all Bryce Jewelry programs, Bridal Plus comes with marketing material, ongoing representative support and a customized inventory.

The ‘Bridal Plus’ package is a lasting marriage of service and success. Make a perfect match in 2010 with Bryce Jewelry. Call 800/880-9434 to learn more.

Source: www.rtohq.org