I’m so excited to FINALLY share this first set of images from the Portfolio Builder that Emily from Feast & Festivities and I hosted together in the fall!

The concept of the Portfolio Builder is something I’ve been envisioning and planning and trying to figure out the best way to make it happen for several years already. I knew that I didn’t want to take it on on my own (so much work!) and I knew that Emily would be an amazing partner. You’re going to hear from her a little later in this post.

This set of images were taken by the talented Photography by Jolaika!

The 2020 Portfolio Builder was originally supposed to take place last April, but we decided to postpone due to Covid, and I’m so glad that we did. By the time our new October date rolled around, the case numbers were actually a lot higher but we we knew how to best organize the day to keep it safe for everyone involved, and had so much more peace of mind.

As I’ve been envisioning the Portfolio Builder over the last few years, I knew a few things would be important:

1) That I wanted to gear it towards photographers and videographers.

2) That each of the participants be given privacy, customization, and the chance to do their own thing. I’ve seen the behind the scenes of a lot of shoot-outs and photography workshops on Instagram, and honestly, they look terrible. Jostling over each other’s shoulders to try to get the shot you want? Nah. That’s no good. I know that if I were in that situation, I would shrink to the back because I wouldn’t want to take away anyone else’s chance at getting what they need, and in the end, I’d be super unhappy with my final product.

I’ve got a soft spot for beautiful seating displays. Whether it’s a traditional (and cost-effective) seating chart, or an elegant display of escort cards like this one, I love to see that attention has been paid to the details. This is one of the first things your guests will interact with, so it should be beautiful!

Here, we carefully lined up rows of (alphabetically arranged!) escort cards beside a champagne tower (HELLO! That’s a good way to welcome everyone to the party!) and completed the design with mixed size floral arrangements. Because, obviously every table should have gorgeous floral arrangements 💁🏼‍♀️

A few notes from Emily of Feast & Festivities:
"One of my favourite event details to design is the dining table. It's where guests all simultaneously gather and move through an experience together. Planned and designed well, a table has the essentials for the making of a cherished memory—carefully chosen food and beverage, personal touches, and good company.

The sunny and tall ceiling surroundings of Cloakroom are so refreshing and white. We took the opportunity to draw on that blank canvas with neutral linen, chairs, and tableware, which allowed the colour palette to really stand out in the cheerful florals and candles of the tablescape. I always love a custom detail incorporated into the event's place setting. For these settings, we added a vellum wax seal embellishment with lavender buds to the menu. The card was placed on top of a custom-made Everyday Host linen napkin with a soft purple edge, highlighted by the particular fold of the napkin. I'm such a sucker for a timeless linen texture napkin!"

One of my very favourite design moments of the day, this sweet little cake and champagne combination. Adding depth is often forgotten about, but so much life is brought to this moment of your wedding design, through the varied heights of the cocktail tables, the layering of texture through napkins and plates ready to go for your cake cutting, and a few simple taper candles placed behind the cake.

Obviously any time anyone wants me to floralize a champagne bucket, or a wedding cake display, or just about anything, I’ll be happy to do so. I encourage you to think through your wedding day and imagine when those special moments will be happening. Then, how can we enhance the ambiance of those moments even more by adding a thoughtfully-planned design element?

This was such a joyful day, and I cannot wait to share more from the other photographers.

Vendors:
Photos: Photography by Jolaika
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management

Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?

June 12, 2021 is the date and registration opens NEXT WEEK!

This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. You’ll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.

Whether you’ve been in business for several years already or if you’re just starting out, or maybe you’re thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.

And let’s be honest…after the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.