Dayton Weddings | Echo by Design | Wedding + Portrait Photography

..Goodbye 2010 | Talking Business..

Good Byee 2010! Helloooo 2011!!!! I couldn’t be more stoked about this upcoming year and all the things that I have planned for this dream company of mine. All the while that I have been away on ‘vacation’ my wheels have sure been turning, more like jamming. So many things are happening and so many exciting plans to be made for this new year!

I first want to start off the new year by reviewing myself and how I did last year. I sure want to be the best that I can be and there is no better way to do that then make your accomplishments AND flaws known. So here is to a big whoot whoot for starting Echo by Design in general, the biggest step of faith I think I have ever taken.

Accomplishments:

Echo by Design was born in September.
I was able to design a logo to start branding.
I launched my website and the new blog, and love both!
Found an album/print company I love! Thank you BR!
Photographed 8 Weddings.
Photographed numerous families & newborns.
Photographed a surprise proposal.
Had my sister Nicole as my uber fab assistant.
Surpassed my Income Goal.
Kept great office hours.
24 hour turn around time on email response.
2-3 Week turn around to see your images.
Have great relationships with my clients!
Bought a new ‘L’ series lens, camera bag, and updated to new design software.

Certaintly I am not perfect and there are some things that I know I need to work on for sure in the year of 2011, but more on those flaws/goals to come later this week. There is something about being open and honest that helps you better achieve those goals that are set. And your going to help me keep them!!!

Thank you Echo by Design clients for such an awesome 2010, a toast to you! Can you think of any accomplishments that I didn’t mention?

..ACCOMPLISHMENTS..

love, echo

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echoes of love

..Bryan & Jenna’s Parent Book..

I promised in my last post that I would show you what was in the bag, so here is the Holiday gift reveal. Jenna and Bryan shared a very special day back in August when they joined themselves as one. A day that Kim and Joy Kinnear, Jenna’s parents wanted to remember too! Joy decided that the perfect day could be summed up in a parent album.

I’m always telling my bride’s that this book is really cool to give your mom’s because it’s small enough that they can shove it in a great handbag. It’s an easy very light display of your wedding day that she can share with co-workers, family, or friends. It doesn’t compromise your personal album from being ruined or lugged around to each place! Especially since our great leather bound books are solid and heavy!

The album turned out beautifully and I’m sure she is having a great time showing it off…

Parent Album Recipe for all you bride’s wanting details:

These parent albums feature an all black hardcover design with a single feature photo on the front. Their names as well as their wedding date is displayed below their favorite wedding day image. The album is a 5×5 in size when closed. It holds 100 pages with one image per page. The inside displays an all black page and a white keyline border all the way around their horizontal or vertical images.

These albums also come in 8×8!

..PARENT ALBUMS..

love, echo

P.S. Stay tuned, after the new year I have a couple of exciting announcements to make!

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..Christmas Announcements..

Hey Echo by Design website, blog, and facebook fan page followers! I continue to count my blessings this Christmas season as I walk into the year of 2011 with even bigger aspirations for this business of mine. I have exciting news coming up over these next few weeks and I CAN NOT WAIT to share it with all of you 😉 But for now forgive me for not being committed to the blog, I promise I will get back to it after I spend some time with family and friends!

If your new or have been following for awhile I have just a few business announcements for the upcoming weeks:

Christmas is a really special time for my family, we all love to soak up the Holidays and the time that we are blessed to have with each other. Therefore I do want to mention that I will be out of the office starting Wednesday December 22 and then following through the regularly scheduled weekend. I will resume SEMI-normal business the Monday following Christmas.
And lastly, I would like to acknowledge all of our facebook fans out there once again! Thank you for bringing our total fan count to ALMOST 400! So anyone that is already a fan (or has yet to become one), be sure to share with all your friends and family! There just might be a reward involved!

And always if you know of someone who needs to be in front of a camera, be sure to send them my way. I have a special announcement/promotion coming with all the news to come next year!!! As always stay tuned!

Can’t wait to show you soon what and whom received this bag…

Thank you for understanding my love of this Christmas season. See you after Christmas, be blessed!

..MERRY CHRISTMAS..

love, echo

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echoes of love

..Operation CHRISTMAS Child..

Every year since I can remember Brad and I have participated in the charity drive called Operation Christmas Child. It’s put on by Samaritan’s Purse and helps bring a dash of Christmas to children over-seas who could otherwise not afford it. Or in most cases someone who has never even heard the story of Jesus being born.

So each year Brad and I dig deep into our pockets to bless children who need things like school supplies or hygiene products such as toothbrushes, tooth paste, and even a bar of soap. Each of us picks a gender and an age group then spoils them with a couple of toys. My favorite is to pick a little girl and treat her like a princess. I always want her to have a brush, a mirror, maybe some high heels and pearled necklace and then a doll of some sort. Brad likes to give his boy little cars and trucks he can play with and some action figures that can save the world!

Giving to Operation Christmas Child each year has always given us a chance to step back and be thankful of all the blessings we have in life. It also humbles and teaches us that all the possessions we own will only take us so far in life. They always say that a hearse doesn’t carry a luggage rack and as I get older I find this more and more true. So be thankful for what you have been given before this Christmas holiday! It’s not about the gifts, the toys, or even the newest gaming systems that the world has to offer. It’s much much more. So this Christmas dig deep into your pocket to bless someone that isn’t as blessed as you…whatever charity that may be!

Sending these two packages with love!

..DIG DEEP..

love, echo

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echoes of love

..A Dash of Christmas Thankfulness..

When I took my leap of faith this last year to make Echo by Design possible, I knew that I wanted to make wedding photography not just the day of. It was my personal unending goal to make it an experience, something that the bride AND the groom would never forget. I was BLESSED beyond measure this last year by eight lovely couples who chose ME to give them that experience. I have dubbed these brides and grooms as my foundation couples, after all they were the ones who made Echo by Design possible.

In the spirit of Christmas and for only a ‘slight’ show of thankfulness, I decided to make each of them their very own Christmas ornament. I can remember that I had to make and purchase my own ‘first’ Christmas ornament following my newlywed marriage. To be honest it never even crossed my mind that the first Christmas ornament for us as a married couple would mean so much to me. After sending these gifts out just a few short days ago I have received an enormous response of thankfulness. To all my brides and grooms this year, this small token of thanks would never be able to thank you enough for believing in me to capture all your amazing and wonderful days.

If you haven’t met the 2010 couples on the blog this year…feel free to read back on the blog about their special day’s!

Once again THANK YOU to the Forrester’s, the Tracey’s, the Kline’s, the Crawford’s, the Axe’s, the Slate’s, the Martin’s, and the Burkin’s!

..FIRST ORNAMENT..

love, echo

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echoes of love