Would you like some Relish with your Invitations?

This post has been too long in coming! It is finally time to share with our blog readers the suh-weet ladies of RELISH!!


(L to R - Stephanie, Leann, Rebecca)

Once again, Zach and I would like to take you back to our days of wedding planning. We like to think we're a cool, vibe-a licious couple, and we wanted invitations to reflect that! Well no can do. We had the hardest time finding invitations that were cool and reflected us. Sooooooo we resorted to making our own invitations. I do say so myself that they turned out pretty well, but it took a lot of time and who has tons of time when you're planning you're wedding?? Well, never fear - there are new ways now to do your invitations!!!!!

At least a month or so ago we visited the offices of the Relish Gals! We hung out with Stephanie & Rebecca (founders), met Leann Cooper (Chairwoman), Dustin (production manager) and just had a grand 'ol time :) These ladies are setting the trend with invitations, and on their site you can create your very own custom invitations, and the best part - you don't have to assemble them!!!!! The staff at Relish does all the work! They do invitations of all kinds - not just wedding invites! The options are endless.

Make sure to check out their blog as well as website!

To see their video interview with Ashley from
Ashley's Bride Guide click
here.

Wedding invitation making with Relish is truly an experience!

Now here is us with the ladies :)

A Kicking Live Band Shoot!

We had mentioned on our twitter a few weeks back that we were shooting a charity event (follow us on twitter - GrayPhotography!) and we wanted to share some of the photos with you! To be a little more clear, we weren't shooting the event per-say but the suh-weet band playing at the event.

Introducing The Nashville Blue Tones! These guys have been wanting to update some of their images and we were more than happy to oblige!







The Nashville Blue Tones is a fantastic group of keyboard, bass, guitar, drums, male & female vocalists, tenor sax, trombone, and trumpet and can add more horns and vocalists for any specific event, budget, venue, and entertainment needs.

These guys & gals put on a great show and we have seen them in action at weddings we have shot as well. David Nuding is the music director and owner of the group and of Blue Tone Music USA, and is a great guy to work with (he is seen below on the drums). We can't say enough about these guys!!!

Enjoy the rest of the pics :)



























Thought it might be good to mention that this particular event had a Moulin Rouge theme for the first set these guys played (hence the attire) .

SIDE UPDATES:
- Thanks to those who leave their comments - we love reading them!
- We are still accepting applications for associate photographers - read down our blog for more info
- Vote for Tenth Avenue North for New Artist of the Year! Go to Dove Awards Voting
or by texting the # 72648 and sending: 'Dove Avenue' (u can vote 2x).

Dreaded Tax Time... Who To Turn To?

It's that time of year again! Time to get your taxes together to file with the IRS. Woo hoo... exciting times... or not.

Do taxes confuse you and you wish you had someone to do your taxes for you but you have no idea who to go to? Are you a small business owner and are not happy with your current tax filing situation? Or maybe need some extra help with running your books?

Look no further!

A few years ago Zach and I found ourselves in a very interesting situation. We had income coming in from different areas - some W2s, some 1099s, confusing other taxes stuff, and to top it all off we were starting our own business. We had no idea what company we could trust we with our finances so we turned to Dave Ramsey's Endorsed Local Provider program. Dave's ELP program holds companies to a very high standard of excellence, have to earn Dave's endorsement, and more importantly are constantly being reviewed to keep Dave's endorsement.

Through the ELP program we found Tax Alternatives. We cannot brag enough about the service and help throughout the years that we have received from these guys and they do an amazing job. They have been available to us all year round to answer our questions that may come up, they work with our crazy excel sheets, truly have great customer service, and the cost is reasonable and most definitely worth it! We have been with them ever since we initially walked in the door.

Over the years we have referred many friends and fellow business acquaintances to them and we have continued to hear nothing but great things and see the great things first hand for ourselves.

So if you're needing some help, whether it's with taxes, accounting, bookkeeping (and the list goes on) - check out their site, contact them, and be amazed.

Hope this helps some of you! Taxes can be scary and daunting but they don't have to be :)

Famous Wedding Invitations- Mark Your Calendars!

Any of you heard of Sarah Evans? Country music singer... Yeah, we thought so :)



As some of you may know, Sarah Evans got married last year and the printed pieces came from the Williamson County Weddings and Events boutique.



Just a reminder that the lovely ladies of Williamson County Weddings and Events are hold a Social Invitation Showcase on Sunday, Feb 22nd at CJ's Off The Square right in downtown Franklin. Again, check out their Blog Post for more information, and don't forget to register!

And of course, Zach and I WILL be stopping by... if you need any more incentive to come :)

The Willy Wonka (Schakolad) Chocolate Factory

Are you needing some Valentines Day goodness for your special someone? Well look no further! Zach and I experienced the joy and delight of Schakolad Chocolate Factory today, and we now can say we have lived life to the fullest ;o)

This place has everything you can imagine when it comes to chocolate - chocolate records, chess boards, soccer balls, and yes, even chocolate handcuffs and body paint. You need it, they have it, and if they don't have exactly what you're looking for, they can custom make it!

Zach and I met Taylor and his sweet wife Tara earlier this month and really clicked! They are both great business people and are nice as well (always a bonus :). Taylor owns & manages the Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Cool Springs and Tara owns My Lavish Event wedding planning. She actually blogged on us a few posts back so make sure to hit her blog up and see what other goodness she is sharing on :)

Ok, ok, now it's time for the photos - we know that's why you all come to our blog anyway :)








Custom chocolate being made for Arrington Vineyards














Taylor the chocolatier! (Thank-you Kristine... he he he.)

We followed them along in the making of their chocolate dipped cherries! I'm not sure if we're allowed to share the secrets of what they are actually dipping the cherries in (besides obviously chocolate), so just enjoy the process!






The chocolate dipping begins!


Finished and ready to eat!! I (Jody) ate one of the dark chocolate dipped cherries and they were sooooo good!







There were so many different things to shoot so to see all the really cool stuff, you'll just have to visit the store :)

Here is myself with Tara & Taylor



You can find Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Cool Springs in the same complex where Borders is located!

A Great Deal for an Awesome Wedding Venue! Save $1,000!

This image was taken in the back by their perennial gardens and gazebo

For those who have not heard, CJ's Off The Square is having a HUGE sale on all remaining 2009 spring/summer wedding dates.

Save $1000 off the facility fee for Friday, Saturday or Sunday

This is for a limited time only. Offer applies to wedding rates only and is valid on wedding dates through August 31, 2009.

We have shot weddings here and this is a really great place to have your wedding! It's picturesque, can be customized to fit any of your needs as a bride, and most importantly, one gets great service.

Contact them to see if they still have your wedding date available!

Hand Made Jewelry = Sweet Wedding Accessories!

We just did a shoot for the super cool ladies over at Adornments at the Factory in Franklin. These gals are a mother and two daughters and they have a brand new studio located on the second floor. They make all of their jewelry, paintings and drawings themselves and can also do custom designed pieces for your wedding event - including very unique invitations.

When you open up those top notch bridal magazines and see these great shots of so-and-so wearing these gorgeous wedding gowns and shoes, it seems like they are always wearing some hand-made custom piece of jewelry that is awesome and that is exactly the kind of stuff that these ladies make! Their stuff is beyond unique and would make a killer addition to you and your bridesmaids look for the wedding day. This stuff would also make a great gift for important people who were/are involved in your wedding.

These gals started their company to allow them, as well as other artists, to live the dream of making a living doing their own art. For more background on these gals, continue reading at the bottom!

Here are some of the shots with some behind the scenes at the end and a shot of the ladies!













Here is the set-up! It's amazing what some great lighting, mad camera skills and a great lens can do.


Here is me with the ladies!

Lucina, Zach, Laura, Alexis

If you look close, you might recognize the awesome chick to the far right - that's Alexis - she was one of our brides who we shot (with cameras) in November this past fall at CJ's Off the Square! To check these gals out, visit their site (which is about to get a total face lift so stay tuned!) and their blog as well! Laura is in the planning process of her own wedding as well, so for those who love to follow along other brides as they plan, she includes that on their blog!

More About the Adornment Ladies:

Alexis was a self taught beadweaver throughout her early years and then studied weaving and metal work in college where she began experimenting with incorporating the art forms together into jewelry. Since then she's barely been able to pull herself away from the jeweler's bench- though she does occasionally return to her loom or beadwork for a special project. She also binds unique books!

Alexis received a Graduate Jewelers Diploma at the Gemological Institute of America, and is currently studying to receive a Graduate Gemologist Diploma as well.

Laura studied art in college, focusing on painting and sculpture. After a brief stint at the Ghost Ranch school in Albuqurque, where she first learned how to make jewelry, she was hooked as well. Laura paints, draws, makes jewelry, and does the occasional stone sculpture as well.

Lucinda decided that her second career in life should be as a weaver. She loves to make scarves and throw pillows especially and can be seen working at her loom right in the store! Her other love is handmade cards. She makes printed cards for all occasions using handmade paper, fine cardstock, vellum, etc. When these three put their heads together, amazing things result!

Together these three have just opened a new store at the Factory in Franklin, TN. They carry their own work as well as that of a few, select other artists, such as Tom Turnbull (a fabulous potter) and Patricia and Paul Ferrell (a husband/wife duo that do beautiful pottery and woodturned vessels).

If you are ever at the Factory, you must check out their studio and meet these awesome people!