Each year, Bridal Spectacular teams up with Las Vegas’ top wedding professionals to orchestrate an incredible, multi-day photo shoot for Spectacular Bride Magazine. During the photo shoot, we highlight everything from stunning Las Vegas wedding venues, exquisite wedding gowns and magnificent floral displays and décor, to gorgeous hair and makeup looks, unique invitations, and fantastic photography styles.
With a multitude of models, photographers, florists, invitation companies, hair and makeup teams, rental and linen companies, wedding gowns and jewelers, it takes a lot of hard work and creative dedication to pull off such an intricate photo shoot. Not to mention, this year the photo shoot team and models unfortunately had to endure unusually cold and windy weather conditions during the two-day shoot.
We wanted to provide our Bridal Spectacular readers with a sneak-peek before the photos are released on January 22 and 23 at the Winter Bridal Show, so we interviewed Debbie Hansen, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief for Spectacular Bride Magazine to get a behind-the-scenes look at the 2016 photo shoot. Enjoy!
Bridal Spectacular: How do you come up with the vision and creative direction to create a photo shoot of this magnitude?
Debbie: The vision comes with the selection of our sponsoring properties and the uniqueness of their venue they offer for the photographers to capture. Every venue is different and the photographers love to find that special spot to take the model to and capture the best shot they can.
Bridal Spectacular: Once you have determined the creative direction, how much time does it take to plan out the photo shoot?
Debbie: We spend a couple of weeks securing the photographers, wedding dresses, formalwear, models, makeup artists, and event designers and florists to bring the magic together. Everything has to be carefully organized so that each photographer has about an hour with each of their two models.
Bridal Spectacular: How many vendors were involved to make the photo shoot happen?
Debbie: We had a team of four Bridal Spectacular staffers at each shoot, six photographers at the Hilton and eight at Las Vegas Paiute, one model couple at the Hilton, and two other female models, as well as four female models at Las Vegas Paiute. Please see the end of the blog for a complete list of participating vendors.
Bridal Spectacular: Once you begin shooting, how many days/hours does it take?
Debbie: The models start getting ready for the shoot at usually 9am, and then the first photography sessions start around 11am and we finish up at sunset — It’s a long day!
Bridal Spectacular: What is the most difficult part of the photo shoot?
Debbie: Completing one session and then only having 10 minutes to get the models changed into a new outfit to start a new session with another photographer. It keeps us on our toes.
Bridal Spectacular: What is your favorite part of the photo shoot?
Debbie: Seeing the images when they start rolling in!! The photos will be available to view in our winter edition of Spectacular Bride Magazine.
Bridal Spectacular: Is there anything else you would like to add or share?
Debbie: You can get an idea of what it’s like for the photo shoot participants by watching the following videos. The shoot at the Paiute was particularly challenging because of the cold and the wind, but you can hardly tell it from the photos, the video gives a better idea of what it was like:
We would like to give a special thank you to all of the Las Vegas wedding vendors who helped make the 2016 Spectacular Bride photo shoot possible:
The Hilton at Lake Las Vegas Participants
Photographers
- Adam Frazier Photography
- Ella Gagiano Photography
- Kandylane Photography
- Knight Sounds Photography
- M Place Productions
- Mindy Bean Photography
- Video by Memory Lane Video
Wedding Fashion
- Wedding Gowns: Brilliant Bridal and David’s Bridal
- Tuxedos: Jerry’s Tux Shop, Men’s Wearhouse and Tuxedo Junction
- Jewelry: Brighton Collectibles
Models, Hair & Makeup
- Jaffet Haro- Hair & Makeup by Hair’z Melinda
- Megan Highfill- Hair & Makeup by Hair’z Melinda
- Chelsea Dawn- Hair & Makeup by Makeup in the 702
- Christopher Spang- Hair & Makeup by Makeup in the 702
Florentine Gardens Ceremony
- Paulina Clute at Paulina Clute Events
- Florist Enchanted Florist
- Entry Signage: 1st Impressions Invitations Inc.
- Rentals: Current Events
Reception Setting
- Planner: Emily Grace Julaton at Emily Grace Events
- Florist: Enchanted Florist
- Paper Products: Alligator Soup
- Rentals: RSVP Party Rentals
- Cake: Melissa’s Bakeshop
Grand Ballroom
- Glitterati Weddings & Events
- Florist: Jovani Linens & Event Design
- Paper Products: Paper and Home
- Rentals: Current Events and Jovani Linens & Event Design
- Uplighting: LED Unplugged LIGHTING AND EVENT RENTALS
- Cake: Las Vegas Custom Cakes
Monte Carlo Ballroom
- Glitterati Weddings & Events
- Florist: Jovani Linens & Event Design
- Paper Products: Paper and Home
- Rentals: Current Events and Jovani Linens & Event Design
- Uplighting: LED Unplugged LIGHTING AND EVENT RENTALS
- Cake: Las Vegas Custom Cakes
Hilton Beach: Floral Couture by Floral 2000
Hilton Chapel: Floral Couture By Floral 2000
Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort Participants
Reception and Ceremony Floral & Décor: Event Society, Bouquets by Bouquet Couture.
Rentals: CPR Tents and Events.
Photographers
- High Class Studios
- Images by EDI
- Jenna Ebert Photography
- KMH Photography
- Key Lime Photography
- Moxie Studios and Cinematography
- Photos by Larotonda
- Stephen Salazar Photography
- Video by M Place Productions
Wedding Fashion
- Alfred Angelo
- Bowties Bridal
- Bridal XOXO
- David’s Bridal
Models, Hair & Makeup
- Alex Richardson: Hair & Makeup by Hair’z Melinda
- Denise Dy-Prieto: Hair & Make up by Makeup in the 702
- Tala Marie: Hair & Makeup by Makeup in the 702
- Khalilah Yasmin: Hair & Makeup by Hair’z Melinda
For more wedding ideas and information on our upcoming show, please visit bridalspectacular.com or follow us on Facebook, twitter and Pinterest. And, be sure to save-the-date to attend our Winter Bridal Show January 22 and 23 at Cashman Center where you can meet all of these talented vendors in person!
Receive $5 off admission when you buy tickets online! Click here and enter promo code: BLOG2016
Author: Deidre Bakker-Riches