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Dream Delivery Team

05.15.12

We are always talking about Dream Foundation, how much we love them – the amazing things they do – and why it is so important for us to bring the wedding community together to raise funds and help them grant final wishes.  But I have to say it doesn’t really hit home on what a difference we make in peoples lives – until participating on the dream delivery team.

Twelve years ago Steve & Lori were married, they honeymooned in a cabin down on Ocean Shores – they flew kites – rented scooters and celebrated the loving life they just vowed to spend together!  In August of last year Steve was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.  He was given 8-10 months to live.

In the letter that Steve sent in to the Dream Foundation, he asked only for a 2nd honeymoon – to spend a week with his wife & their two dogs, at the same place they had honeymooned twelve short years ago.  He wanted to bring back some wonderful memories and give her a break from everything that has been going on. In his words, “She deserves this more than anyone – she is tougher than any of us ever knew…” 

Two weeks ago, three of our team members Laurel, Eliza & Rebecca and long time supporter Chris (Laurel’s Mom)  had the opportunity to deliver a dream.  There aren’t words to describe what it is like to experience a dream delivery – there were laughs, tears and a lot of excitement!

They delivered a package that included : A blanket hand made specially for them, a note from a 5th grader in Santa Barbara about dreams, 5 days at the cabin in Ocean Shores, Dream Foundation T-shirts, (that he was most excited about and immediately put on!) & hats, a little spending money for the week, chocolate from Theo & a smiley face kite for the week at the beach.

Dream Foundation, Wish, Kite, Package, Love, Care

Michelle Mullany couldn’t wait to hear the details! She & the Dream Foundation team were so excited to hear how it went!!  This is Lori chatting with Michelle on the phone.  ;0)

Dream Foundation, Steve, Lori, Wish, Love, Care, Get Hitched Give Hope

Steve is an amazingly smart man – we had heard he built his own computer… but had NO idea until we saw this – AMAZING!!

Sending them off to the beach house – we can’t wait to hear how it went!!  ;0)

Dream Foundation, Steve, Lori, Wish, Love, Care, Get Hitched Give Hope

 

Here is a video, so you can hear the story in Lori & Steve’s words.

 

 

Pictured below Dream Delivery Team :: Laurel McConnell, (founder & VP of Marketing) Rebecca Ellison (team member since the beginning!) Eliza Truitt (founder & organizer of fun!)

We feel so honored, blessed, humbled to have been invited into Steve & Lori’s lives – to be able to bring just a little bit of happiness to them in such a time of need, is amazing.  Thank you so much Dream Foundation for doing all that you do.

 

Photos by Eliza Truitt Photography  – Video by Rebecca Ellison Photography    – Blog Post by Barbie Hull

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Dreaming of a Unique Photobooth at your Wedding? Meet 2012 contributors :: Barbie Hull Photography and Heathoriginal!

05.14.12

 

If you’ve been to a wedding in say…. the past year or two, chances are you have seen one of the biggest and funnest new trends : a kick butt photo-booth!

Photo-booths are getting so popular, because you and your guests can sit back and be as CRAZY as you could ever imagine, with all the control in your hands! Trust me… the pictures are always very very entertaining!

This year, we are so unbelievably stoked to have two amazing vendors collaborate for a super special photo-booth that your guests are sure to be talking about for WEEKS after your wedding or event!

The ever talented Barbie of Barbie Hull Photography and the prop master Heather Driscoll of Heathoriginal are putting their heads together to get one KICK BUTT PHOTO-BOOTH in the auction.

Read on to see just what they are all about!

 

From the mouth of Barbie herself!

Tell us a little bit about yourself!! What do you do & what does your business specialize in?

Lets see…. I’m a professional photographer who specializes in weddings & portraits. (all happy events!) My approach is to have fun!! (really… is there a better way? I don’t think so!) If you are having fun, its easy to forget how awkward it can be to be photographed – and then you end up with light-hearted natural photographs you will love!

How did you get started in business? 

I started my company in June of 2001 and have been shooting people (with cameras!!) ever since!

Tell us…. What are you donating to Get Hitched Give Hope this year?

This year’s event is a little different than my past donations.  I feel so lucky to be sharing a bistro table with the beautiful & talented Heather Driscoll of Heathoriginal (hand crafted party details) we are teaming up to donate a really fun photobooth!!  Including a background, camera and flash set up – with instructions so your party will be the BEST ONE YET!! (A party isn’t a party w/o a photobooth setup!!)

Is this your first year with with us or have you participated with GHGH in the past??

This isn’t my first year with Get Hitched Give Hope – in fact, I am one of the six original founders… you heard it!  I was sitting around that infamous bottle of wine while we dreamt up all things glittery & giving in 2007.  Here we are FIVE FABULOUS YEARS LATER and the thing I love the most is that the PEOPLE!!!!  That’s right, I LOVE YOU!!!!   Thank you for reading our blog and supporting our cause and best of all THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GRANT WISHES!!!!!

Tell us your FAVORITE part of weddings!!

My favorite part of weddings…. is all of the love, excitement and LOVE!!!  That first look… the tears… the hugs – I just LOVE being a part of so many peoples favorite days.  (yes… I am really that sentimental… and yes… I cry while watching TV too!)

Do you have any insider secrets to tell our brides to make their planning (and enjoyment of their wedding) easier?

oooh – insider secrets?? You’ll have to meet me for coffee so you can hear them all… but the BEST advice any bride/groom/person can have is – RELAX!!! You’ve planned all you can plan, now on the wedding day – trust your planner/photographer/friends!  If something isn’t quite perfect – don’t let it ruin your day.  Just roll with it and most times – you are the only one who will notice anyway.  Happy Wedding Day!!

 

Find out more about these amazing companies and make sure to come by their table at the party this year!

Barbie Hull Photography and Heathoriginal

www.barbiehull.com and www.heathoriginal.blogspot.com

barbie@barbiehull.com  and  heather@heathoriginal.com

Barbie on Facebook

Heathoriginal on Facebook

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Meet our Treasurer :: The multitalented Michelle Loretta from Sage Wedding Pros

05.11.12

The secret to any successful business comes down to how your money is spent.

SInce Get Hitched Give Hope is a non-profit, where the dollars go is just that much more important. We have over 30 amazing people on our team that put in countless hours of time to make Get Hitched Give Hope successful, but when it comes down to it, it is where our money goes, and how many WISHES we grant that really really matters.

And you have to have one hell of a mind sitting on the seat of Treasurer to make sure your money is spent in the ways that are the best, and that we can give more and more and more to the Dream Foundation and the Young Survival Coalition.
Enter the amazing Michelle Loretta from Sage Wedding Pros.

Michelle is not only our Treasurer but she was one of the ladies sitting around a table back in 2007 dreaming up what is now Get Hitched Give Hope!!!

She has since moved across the country to Miamiand started Sage Wedding Pros which, if you ask us, is the BEST small business blog out there.

It’s targeted to the wedding industry, but the knowledge that Michelle and her biz partner Kelly share on Sage Wedding Pros is relate-able to ANY business. When you are done with reading all about Michelle here, you should head over and get lost in all the amazing info there!

 
 
See what makes Michelle tick!
 
What do you do for GHGH and how long have you been involved?
I am Ms. Moneypenny AKA “the Treasurer”.  I was one of the original founders of GHGH and have been involved since it was just a glimmer in our eyes.  I served as the President for a couple years and became the long-distance Treasurer when I moved to Miami in 2009.

 

What brought you to GHGH?
When we founded GHGH we wanted to throw a big party where engaged couples could meet some fabulous wedding professionals.  Soon, we saw there was a great opportunity to give back and decided that this party should be a charity event.  The GHGH formula is magical because everyone wins: wishes get granted, couples get great deals, wedding pros get attention, and everyone has FUN!
 
What is your favorite part of your experience with GHGH?
I love seeing the magic come alive.  The GHGH team is incredibly creative and resourceful.  We start planning the event 11 months in advance and when all the lights, ribbons, and bling come together it is an incredibly beautiful event.  But, the incredible thing is that for all the sparkle, it’s the good-hearted feelings that really shine.  Wishes are being granted on that special night and everyone can feel how special it is.
 
You co-own Sage Wedding Pros; what drew you to your job?
I am co-owner of Sage Wedding Pros.  Kelly Simants and I teamed up in 2009 to develop Sage Wedding Pros, a business blog with daily tools and best practices for small business owners in the wedding industry.  (This venture stemmed from my experience as an invitation designer for mmm… paper and her experience as a wedding planner with Sweet Pea Events.) Shortly thereafter we launched The Simple Plan, an easy-peasy approach to business planning. Today, we consult and speak to wedding professionals on how to build a successful and sustainable business. We pride themselves on going beyond theory and arming business owners with the tools to excel.
 
Do you have any insider secrets to tell our brides to make their planning / enjoying of their wedding easier?
Remember that a wedding is only a day and a marriage is a lifetime.  Savor the celebration of that lifetime.  Don’t sweat the small stuff!
 
Are you married? And if you are, what was your favorite part of your wedding or what would you have done differently?

 I was married in 2004… and had an AWESOME wedding. I love that all our favorite people were in the same room with us, sharing in us. My favorite part was our band. We had an Argentine band that played a mix of Latin sounds – and no standards – all original music of their own. People danced their BUTTS off.
I do wish we had gotten a better photographer who was a wedding photographer. (He is a very accomplished travel photographer, but the timing of a wedding is very different.

What color shoes do you plan to wear to this year’s event?

Probably red.  It’s my signature color.

 

Thanks Michelle! And congrats are due as well as you just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and are on a much deserved maternity leave right now!
 
Keep in touch with Michelle!

website : www.sageweddingpros.com

Email : michelle@sageweddingpros.com

Twitter:@sageweddingpros
 
Facebook : Sage business advice for small businesses

 

 

 

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Looking for a cake artist for your wedding? Meet 2012 contributor :: BAKED.

04.30.12

photo credit : Alante Photography

 

We are excited to welcome the fabulous Kristina and Natalie of BAKED. to our contributors this year. Their cakes are scrumptious and they have such a love for what they do, it’s obvious when you meet them! They will be donating something great to the auction this year…. is your mouth watering yet?

It should be! Read our interview with Kristina to find out more about the gals of BAKED. and just what they are donating to Get Hitched Give Hope

Tell us a little bit about yourself!! What do you do & what does your business specialize in?

We own BAKED. We are a custom cake bakery, we make all of our cakes from scratch, using fresh, local ingredients. We pride ourselves in making one of kind custom cakes with our flavors and decorating. We want to make sure that your cake not only looks great, but tastes great too! All of our cakes are made to order to we can ensure the freshest quality cake!

How did you get started in business? 

My partner, Natalie and I have been doing this for the past 6 years and both started out making cakes for our friends and families and jobs, that turned into such a passion that we took it to the next step, thus Baked. We both had attended culinary and pastry school and both worked together in a small cafe/bakery together before we opened our cake shop.

Tell us…. What are you donating to Get Hitched Give Hope this year?

We are donating a wedding cake of choice with a value up to $550.

Is this your first year with with us or have you participated with GHGH in the past??

This is our first year to participate, and we are so excited! We have heard just great things and think that it is such a great cause!

Tell us your FAVORITE part of weddings!!

I think the favorite part of weddings is bringing it all together, and we have one the biggest roles with the cake. This is what we are passionate about and we truly believe our work and dedication reflects that!

 

Find out more about this amazing company and make sure to come by their table at the party this year!

BAKED.

www.custombakedcakes.com

baked.seattle@gmail.com

Seattle Wedding Cakes on Facebook

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Meet our Minister of FUN :: Eliza of Eliza Truitt Photography

04.27.12

Eliza is one of the super intelligent and giving gals who founded Get Hitched Give Hope. She has been deeply involved from the beginning of this amazing adventure, and this year she has a truly unique roll!

 

She is our Minister of Fun, which, in reality is more for us team members than anything!

 

You see, there are thirty or so of us who trek along juggling our own businesses, our families, and our responsibilities to Get Hitched Give Hope. There are A LOT of things that go together to make this event successful each year, and it can start to feel like a circus at times! So, this year, we have Eliza help organize fun nights that the team members can get together and hangout. For no other reason than to relax and enjoy each other without having to frame it around work!

 

We’ve had game nights, and bowling nights and bbqs and the like and it is one of the perks that makes all of us LOVE to volunteer our time to this organization.

 

So, thanks Eliza, for helping keep the fun in the mix with all the planning!

photo credit : La Luz Photography
 
Interested in just what makes Eliza tick? Check out our team interview below!
 
What do you do for GHGH and how long have you been involved?
I’ve been with GHGH from the very start–I was one of the original founders! This year I have the incredibly awesome role of Community Director, aka Minister of FUN! I’m here to set up rad social events and volunteer opportunities for the GHGH team so we can enjoy each other’s company and chillax together.

 

What brought you to GHGH?
Tuesday Toasts brought me to help start GHGH…we wanted to harness the power of the wedding industry for a good cause!
 
What is your favorite part of your experience with GHGH?
Can I have two favorite parts? The first favorite part is the relationships I’ve developed with the other members of the GHGH team. It’s an incredibly hard-working, creative, and hilarious group of people and it’s been a privilege to work with everyone. The second favorite part is the Big Night…when we tally up the total funds raised and we meet–or beat!–our goal it makes me so proud of the work we do.

 

What is your favorite part of the wedding industry?
My experience has been overwhelmingly positive!! I feel like it is such a close knit community and everyone is willing to help out, lend a hand and give advice. 
You own  :: Eliza Truitt Photography  a boutique wedding photography company in Seattle.
photo credit is the fabulous Eliza Truitt Photography
 
Do you have any insider secrets to tell our brides to make their planning / enjoying of their wedding easier?
Stay true to what you want and don’t get swept away and overwhelmed by wedding blogs.
 

Are you married? And if you are, what was your favorite part of your wedding or what would you have done differently?
Yep, I’m married and my favorite part of my wedding was the ceremony. Seeing all the familiar faces smiling and listening as we said our vows was far and away the best part.
 

What color shoes do you plan to wear to this year’s event?
Red? Gray? Orange? Haven’t decided yet….

 

Thanks Eliza!
 
Keep in touch with Eliza! 

website : ElizaTruitt.com

Email :  eliza@elizatruitt.com
Twitter: @elizatruitt
Facebook : Seattle Wedding Photographer Eliza Truitt
 
Are you still looking for the perfect photographer for your wedding? Check out ElizaTruitt.com to see beautiful classic imagery. Her packages start at $2800.
 

 

 

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