If last week was a whirlwind of image editing, this week is the same thing for business development! I’m deep into research mode for adding new products and services to my 2008 catalog and I can’t wait to see some of these ideas in action in the new year. I’m looking at expanding the options for coffee table books and adding some more album options for family photo sessions (and budget-conscious wedding couples!). I’m also planning to add a complimentary in-home consultation with some of my packages, to help you plan for the final display of your photographs in your home. I can’t wait to share these developments with you as they happen.

In the short-term, though, I’m very pleased to announce that I am offering customized holiday card designs for family photos this year! I have six fun, elegant and dramatic holiday card templates from which to choose, and I may be adding more by next week. Here’s just a few of the card fronts that I’ll be offering:

I’ll be scheduling follow-up sessions with everyone this year so we can get your cards, prints and gifts perfected and ordered, and I’ll bring some samples of these cards for you to view. I’m so excited to see your families on these cards this year! If you haven’t scheduled your family session yet—DO IT NOW! I have very few spots left!

Speaking of holidays—I have to be honest, I’m not a big fan of holidays in general, but I have found one thing to love in the last few years…it may sound weird, but I love Tofurkey! I was never big on turkey as a kid, and then I became a vegetarian in my early-mid 20’s…well, I’m not a vegetarian anymore, but Tofurkey is one (new) holiday tradition that I won’t be giving up! My other favorite tradition is going to the movies on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So that brings me to my question—what’s your favorite holiday tradition and why? It can be any holiday! Leave it in the comments, or drop me an email by this Friday (10/12) and I’ll announce the winner with the best answer next week!  Winner receives a $10 gift card toward your next print order, or a free 8×10 print of your choice.

GO SOX!

Lara Swanson, of A Softer Image Photography in the Washington DC area, interviewed me for a blog article about my post on inclusive wedding documents.  This is exactly the kind of grassroots change I was hoping to get started by writing that post.  Other wedding pros reading this—please let me know if you’d like to implement changes like I did!  I’m more than happy to help. 

For now, though, go check out the article and interview!

Here’s a list of my currently-available photo session dates. This list is for weekends only—as those are the dates for which I get the most requests—but weekday evenings are also a possibility. Please email me (mcb@mollybennett.com) to schedule your photos for 2008!

Summer 2008 availability:

• 6/8
• 6/14
• 6/15
• 6/28
• 6/29
• 7/5
• 7/6
• 8/23
• 8/24
• 8/30
• 9/13
• 9/14
• 9/20
• 9/21

The girls started out their day getting their hair done at this rockin’ little hair salon called “The Hair Station” that is attached t—are you ready for this?—a GAS STATION. So cool.

Hey, Tomi, you’re so “stuck up!” Just kidding.

Tomi’s sister stopped to look at some celeb mags (a total secret obsession of mine), and stopped on this page with (heartthrob!) Seth Green:

Tomi decided to have her make-up done at the MAC counter in the Alderwood Mall. She wasn’t the only one with that idea—I couldn’t believe how many brides were there doing the same! Even more surprising though was that I was the only photographer there. Oh well, at least I didn’t have to compete with other people’s flashes going off!

Tomi’s make-up artist was so nice and funny. It was a pleasure to watch her work.

Tomi and her sister…

Just look at all that love in her eyes…

Okay, so Nikki gave the best toast EVER. It was so funny and interesting. This woman could have a career in public speaking! Seriously, she knew how to keep an audience’s attention. I think the best part was when she was reading from the paper and she said, “Tomi is so nice, sweet, caring, loving, talented, pretty…hey, Tomi, what’s it say here? I can’t read your writing.”

Tomi and Kevin adopted three little kittens this summer, and they were all about two months old at the wedding. So cute…and just the right size to go home with guests as a wedding favor!

Talk about chemistry, look at them sizzle!

Snohomish, WA: Tomi and Kevin…where do I begin? I’ve known Tomi for almost a year now because she and Holly (my partner) used to work together. When it came time for Tomi to start planning her wedding, she called and asked me to be her photographer! Heck yeah!

The couple recently purchased a house on five acres up in Snohomish, and they decided to turn their housewarming into a wedding by having the ceremony and reception LITERALLY in their own backyard. How cool is that? It made the whole event feel very homey and comfortable. I think the best part of the ceremony was that Tomi and Kevin ad-libbed through some of the serious parts and kept cracking eachother up. You can see some of that in the slideshow, below.

Thanks, Tomi and Kevin, for including me in your day!

Click here to order photos from this event online.