Archive for 'Events'
Meeting the elegant Grace Ormonde and inspiring Jasmine Star all in the same week has left my head spinning! As I try to wrap my mind around last week’s events, I can’t help but feel extremely blessed to be part of an industry with so many talented and motivating individuals.
When I first heard about The Fix and realized it was coming to Miami (about a 4 hour drive from Tampa), I knew I had to make it happen. My favorite city + my favorite writer? Yes, please! I have been following Jasmine’s blog since 2009 and I know I’m not alone when I say she is an incredible inspiration. She’s a wonderful wedding photographer but beyond her lovely images, her words talk to my soul. She motivates me to find my online voice and gives me hope that I’ll be able to share with my readers my unique thoughts and aspirations in a way that will make a difference.
I came across Jasmine’s blog through Showit. Khaled and I have been using Showit since shortly after opening our business a few years ago and have seen the community continue to grow and inspire. I still remember when Showit had only 6 other pages ‘liked’ under their Facebook page- Kismis Ink‘s page was among those…yes, I felt really special. :P
When Khaled and I arrived at Awarehouse for The Fix, the first person we ran into was Andrew. We had met Andrew at the PASS tour in Orlando last summer and it was great to see him again. His smile is contagious and he’s always so much fun! After Khaled left, (I think he just secretly wanted to eat up all the Cuban pasteles at the hotel and practice his Spanish while I was away) I connected with other attendees while we waited for the doors to open. The evening was incredible. I met many Facebook friends, including Ashley Goodwin. She’s seriously the sweetest gal and I’ll have to find a way to hang out with her again! You may remember her from Jasmine’s CreativeLive workshop. Ashley is helping with The Fix tour and doing a great job-she’s a pro on stage! I also met another FB friend, Jillian Tree. She’s adorably kind and graciously offered to snap a photo of JD and I after I sorta-maybe jumped into his convo with a few other attendees! It was a ‘now or never’ moment for me and I’m glad I did. JD is as kind as can be and after a few minutes of chatting with him (mostly about yummy food), we were instant friends!
Ashley got the event started by going over the details of how the night would unravel. It was great to hear that the attendees would have several opportunities to ask questions and discuss the struggles they face in their business. Jasmine’s presentation was on point. She gave incredible advice, shared her experiences, and talked about the struggles she has overcome.
I have many, but my biggest take-away from The Fix is to EMBRACE change. As Jasmine explained, it’s the one thing that’s constant in our businesses.
I plan to print this quote that Jasmine shared and hang it in my office as a constant reminder:
“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” – Peale
As silly as it may seem, over the years I often wondered what it would be like to finally meet Jasmine in person. Where would it be? Would it be in Vegas among thousands of photographers at WPPI or a chance run-in during a break in the halls? I have yet to attend WPPI and I never imagined we’d meet in Miami, the city that my soul considers home. My parents moved from California (where I was born) to Miami when I was two years old and it doesn’t matter where I travel or reside, Miami will always be home. So what better place to meet Jasmine than where I grew up and share so many fond memories (almost all including delicious Cuban food)?
I’ve never considered myself to be the kind of person that gets ‘starstruck’ (actually, I’ve never been before) but I must admit that I looked up the definition and yes, I am super starstruck when it comes to Jasmine. I had all the symptoms as she walked over towards me at the photo booth after her presentation. Shaky hands, forgetting what to say, heart pounding…I felt like a teenager meeting a celebrity. I can’t believe I just wrote that, but it’s true. After a few seconds of taking in that Jasmine was standing inches away and conversing with me, I was finally able to relax a bit. She was beyond generous with her time and even signed my copy of her Exposed magazine. Watching Jasmine give her undivided and genuine attention to each of us there that evening was incredible. I’m grateful for Jasmine’s efforts, for everything she does to inspire this industry and I look forward to seeing her continued success. A HUGE thank you to her team and the wonderful supportive individuals around her that helped make this tour possible.
If you have an opportunity to attend The Fix at any of the upcoming cities, do so. I’m sure it will be an unforgettable evening. Be sure to give Jasmine and the crew a big hug from me too!
I love how Khaled goes along with my crazy ideas. I whisked him away Monday evening after work for a mini-road trip. He barely had an idea of where we were going or why, had no time to change, but he still obliged. What can I say, he’s incredible. A friend let me know a few days earlier that the one and only, Grace Ormonde would be at Salon Tease in Naples, FL for a book signing. An opportunity to meet her in-person, hopefully see some of my Naples peeps, and a road-trip? Despite the threat of a downpour, I just had to make it happen!
Upon our arrival, we were greeted with stunning decor, beautiful models, and wonderful company! We spent the evening catching up with some of our favorite industry friends (some of them I hadn’t seen since the Inspire Smart Success event in Mexico last December and The Special Event in Tampa last month), meeting new ones, and taking in the beautiful environment.
It was a true pleasure chatting and getting to know Grace Ormonde, she is elegant, warm, and absolutely gorgeous! A huge thanks to David Frohmberg, Sir Daniel and the rest of the talented vendors that created this spectacular evening. Our friends, Nanette and Karl of Luminaire Foto, photographed the event and I can’t wait to see their lovely images from that evening. Here are a few images that Khaled snapped in between laughs, fabulous conversations and delicious hors d’oeuvres.
Thanks to Karl for this lovely image of Khaled, Grace Ormonde, and I that evening.
We fully intend to follow Grace Ormonde’s advice, “Always celebrate love, live the dream, and keep the love.”
Dazzling, sparkling, and, INSPIRING. That pretty much sums up the ISS experience in Mexico. The luxurious event, held in Cancun, Mexico, was filled to the brim with exquisite details, expert speakers and an electrifying atmosphere. It was absolutely amazing to shoot and participate in such a creative, fun-filled environment. I can’t thank Stacie, founder of Inspire Smart Success, enough for trusting me with such a huge endeavor. Each day was filled with so many unforgettable details and experiences. It’s hard to pick a favorite from the event, but shooting the fire-dancers during the Blanco Party was definitely a thrill! Everyone at the event was warm and welcoming and we built an instant bond. I can’t begin to describe and count the immense talent behind this event. The gorgeous paper products created by Tifany of Gourmet Invitations, the beautiful cinematography of Ryan and Eric of Epic Motion, the unparalleled service by the staff of Now Sapphire resort, just to name a few.
Last summer I had the privilege of attending ISS-Orlando as a guest and it was an incredible experience but it could never have prepared me for what I experienced in ISS-Mexico. I must admit that shooting this event was not an easy task, especially without my amazing second-shooter (aka: my hubby) but I couldn’t have done it without the help of Karl & Nanette of Luminaire Foto. We had a blast together (you’ll see a bit of the fun in their photobooth at the end of this post) and it was a blessing meeting both of them.
Besides making new friends and sharing unbelievable experiences together, here are some mentionable highlights of my time in Mexico:
-Almost (accidentally) throwing Mike Colon off a lifeguard tower, this one to be exact. (Thanks Austin for the snapshot, priceless memory and thank you Ana, our talented model)
-Preston Bailey complimenting our work and autographing his book with, “Mariana & Khaled, you both have an amazing eye.” Yes, right at that moment life couldn’t get much better.
-Rooming with Krystyn of Bridal Beauty Chicago. I had never met her before and instantly felt like she was family.
-Christopher Confero and Clayton Gray. LOVE them both to the moon and back.
-Opening my dinner invitation on Day 2 to find that it was with Sonny Ganguly…you know, the guy that created Sony. (I guess it’s a bit of an inside joke).
-Working closely with Sandie (Stacie’s mom), Rachel, The Jens and the rest of the crew. They did a phenomenal job and it was such a pleasure.
-Getting to know Ceci Johnson. I met Ceci before in Miami last year and I’m thankful I had the opportunity to chat more with her in Mexico. She’s a big inspiration and I absolutely love her work.
-Tajin Seasoning. Lisi Korn, although we didn’t get to hang out as much as I would have loved, a big thank you for introducing me to the delicious seasoning. I finally found it in Tampa and use it on everything!
-It was hilarious and fun to spend time with Dana Larue and her hubby, Hunter. The monkey showing his ‘affection’ to Hunter was probably one of my favorite memories.
-Riding the van from the airport to the resort with Youngsong Martin and getting to know her and her hubby was a great experience.
-Traveling with my airport pals ❤ Petronella, Eddy and Marilyn, Eileen and her hubby, Brad.
-Meeting Kathy Romero. I can’t describe what a wonderful and inspiring woman she truly is. It’s no wonder why her beautiful face is gracing the cover of the first issue of ISS Magazine. I might even have to create a blog post to feature her and how she’s motivated me in many ways. Kathy…We’re.On.Fire.
There are just too many memories to list, but I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with and share amazing memories with such a wonderful group of top-industry professionals. Wishing 2012 is full of much success and happiness for each of you!
If you haven’t attended yet, I highly recommend you check out and register for one of the upcoming ISS events!
Wanna Lounge
2012 has been full of blessings! Lots of amazing opportunities, changes, and new beginnings happening at Kismis Ink and we can’t wait to share them with all with you!
At the end of January, The Special Event came to Tampa. I had never attended before and had just returned from a conference (ISS Mexico) when I heard of it so I didn’t sign up for any presentations or attend any of the additional events. It was convenient that it was here in my home town, so I got myself over to the event a few times that week. I visited the Exhibit Hall, connected with some really talented wedding pros in our industry and had an opportunity to enjoy the event at a more relaxed and laid back manner. Overall, it was a great experience!
Meet Gigi, made up of an array of colorful flowers from FiftyFlowers.com. She was a celebrity at the Exhibit Hall with the paparazzi swarming around her constantly.
Concept Bait and AFR Event Furnishings did a stellar job with their booth. Loved the Moroccan vibe!
These glittery chocolates by Bedazzle my BonBons were yummylicious! Thanks to Caroline of Caroline & Evan Photography I purchased two boxes of one in every color to take home with me!
It was such a pleasure to meet these three ladies! Saundra Hadley of Planning Forever, Kelly McWilliams of Weddingtidbits, and Kelly Spalding of Perfectly Placed are outrageously fun and left me wishing that we had had more time to hang out.
There are many reasons I love attending conferences. One of the them is the way serendipity has a way of creeping in when you least expect it. That’s the only way I can describe meeting Tara Guérard. She was sitting at her book signing area at a time when I was waiting for WOW Mom session to begin. We greeted each other and a few minutes later we were chatting about Tara’s love of film photography, Elizabeth Messina, our families and how our businesses began. I’m so glad I got to meet her as I have since looked over and fallen in love with her work. Looking forward to opportunities to connect with her again in the future.
I was delighted when Stacie founder of Inspire Smart Success asked me to take a few snapshots of her speaking at the WowMom presentation. The speakers had great insight and a couple of my favorite parts included the slideshow of these talented women’s children describing what they loved about their moms’ businesses and Ruth Moyte‘s top 10 tips for mom survival in the industry!
Love these two ladies! xoxo!
I didn’t bring my camera the next day, but as the saying goes: “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” Here’s a few iPad snapshots (just for Kelly, lol) of the inspiring presentations at the Exhibit Hall:
A huge thanks to Eileen from Diva with a Fork for snapping this pic of me at The Party Goddess booth. Tweeting this pic won me a 3-month membership for the Bullpen Coaching Session with Marley Majcher!
The night before the Exhibit Hall opened at The Special Event, we had an ISS alumni meetup at Miguels (If you’re in Tampa and like Mexican food, you must try this delicious restaurant). It was great catching up with other alumni and meeting some new faces. A huge thanks to Eileen of Diva with a Fork for choosing a great place and Sandie (Stacie’s wonderful mom) for putting this fun meetup together!
(Photo credit: Stacie & Kelly’s phone pics)
Another opportunity to connect with some awesome wedding pros was the TSE Tweetup at Champions Sport Bar (at the Marriott). Thanks to Melissa of Masterpiece Weddings and Lauren of Every Last Detail for setting this up. I was able to meet many new faces and finally meet some long-time twitter friends in-the-flesh, including the lovely Michelle Loretta from Sage Wedding Pros. You can see a few pics of the tweetup here and here.
It was a week of catching up with some industry friends, making new friendships, getting inspired and besides sharing knowledge and experience, sharing some great laughs!
Being a business owner leaves little to no time to escape from the daily tasks, piles of emails, social media, and all the other important parts of running a successful business. As a professional photographer, I have realized that I spend more of my time in the business itself, than behind the camera. At times, I feel my creativity has to be put on hold, so that I can take care of the ‘practical’ side of my business. Well, I also realized I’m not willing to sacrifice my creative nature and appetite to grow as a photographer. I found a solution that works for me. I’m in the process of training myself to “take time away”. Take time to recharge my batteries. Yes, I will fight the feelings of guilt. I will understand that the emails will be there tomorrow and I will continue to set up strategies to maximize my productivity and time when I am “in the office”. But, on my “time off ” I will continue to practice and grow as a photographer. I will document where I go, how I enjoy my time and my experiences.
When Leslie, the inspiring editor of Vertical Magazine announced a Get Vertical Getaway to the Tradewinds resort in Ana Maria Island, I didn’t think twice and jumped at the opportunity. Leslie is awesome to work with and I consider her a dear and trusted friend. I knew whatever she was up to, it was going to be amazing! The getaway was a relaxing, inspiring, and the ultimate pampering experience! I was lucky to be one of the first to register, and receive a brand new Chevy Equinox from GM in the Southeast to drive to Ana Maria Island and back. Their customer service was beyond excellent. They brought the car to my front door, with a gorgeous welcome basket waiting in the vehicle and they picked it up the evening I returned home. If I had not just purchased a new vehicle in the beginning of this year, I would have totally contemplated purchasing from them. They were fantastic!
Sponsored by Working Women of Tampa Bay, the getaway kicked off with a beach chill out event where I met the other fabulous ladies, including my roommate for the weekend. After that, we headed to our beautiful cottages to change and hit the lovely shoppes at Pine Avenue. I bought the cutest little bag at Bella by the Sea, fell in love with everything at Pink & Navy, and had the yummiest cheese, sangria, and olive oil samples I’ve ever tasted at Anna Maria Olive Oil Outpost. Rhonda of Really Relish was a sweetheart and I can’t wait to go back and visit these fine shoppes very soon! We worked up an appetite after all that walking and shopping and had dinner at Gulf Drive Cafe . If you are ever in the area, stop by and try the grilled homemade blue crab cake sandwich, absolutely delish!
We spent the rest of the evening lounging by the pool and chatting about our businesses, goals, experiences, and future. It was such a blessing connecting with these women. I left Ana Maria Island the next day with buckets of inspiration, but not before the most amazing breakfast I’ve ever had! Seriously, the Island Creperie is a MUST if you are in the area. I had the “Big French Breakfast”…WOW.
Thank you Leslie and everyone who made this experience possible. Thank you for the opportunity to get to know more about my community, meet fabulous women, and get recharged and inspired! Much love to all of you. Looking forward to the next getaway in October, and to hear of all the continued success for each of these talented women!
Enjoy a few of the images from my experience!
