Awesome Asher Artisan Vendor–Angie Candell of La Candella Weddings

Asher Artisan Bridal Show is lucky enough to have on board one of Pittsburgh’s most creative and gifted photographers! We want to welcome Angie Candell of LaCandella Weddings to the show! Angie’s work has been featured on numerous wedding blogs for publication, and also featured as a RAW Artist of Pittsburgh.
We had the opprotunity to do a quick interview with this busy artist, she’s an interesting young lady that will provide you with stunning and unique photos of your wedding day.
1. What inspired you to start your business?
I adore photography, and I love helping to make people feel beautiful. I have been doing fashion photography for a while now, and my style has always been very ethereal and romantic, so it was just a matter of time until I crossed over to wedding photography.
2. Why did you choose photography to express your art and creativity?
I have had a camera in my hand since elementary school, so I have literally grown up doing it. My mom has always been into creating (crafts, music, art, etc.) so I definitely get a lot of my creativity from her. I love the whole process I have about being a fashion/wedding photographer. I adore making sets and designing props for shoots. I put a lot of thought into every step of the process, from how the set looks (in the case of a stylized bridal shoot), to how exactly I shoot it, to my retouching and editing process. I love the freedom I get with photography. My goal as a photographer is to create a fairytale for my clients.
3. What do you love most about your business?
I love that I’m finally starting to create a brand that , in my opinion, is distinctly different than most photographers because of my fashion photography background. I love being able to put normal, everyday people in the role in which I would normally use a model.
4. How would you describe yourself as someone who thinks outside the box to help an engaged couple plan/execute this element of their wedding?
As I said before, I love the whole process of photography. In the past, I have come up with props for couples for their wedding and found locations they never would have thought of. Heck, if a couple would come to me asking to help decorate along with being the photographer, I’d even be up for that! (I love creating beautiful sets!) I’m not your everyday photographer that photographs what she sees and leaves it at that. I love detail-oriented couples- the more extravagant and off-the wall, the better.
To see more of Angie’s gorgeous work, visit her online portfolio on her website or her Facebook page to have dreamy, ethereal photos of you and your love.

Awesome Asher Artisan Vendor–Ultimate Entertaining

I’ve known Tonya and Sean, of Ultimate Entertaining a husband and wife team, for a few years now! They deejayed a wedding and a few parties I shot, and I really enjoyed talking with both of them! They handle the wedding as a team, Sean operating the deejay and music part, and Tonya handles organizing the reception and making sure it goes off smoothly! I asked Tonya some questions to help us get to know her and Sean better, read on so you can get to know them too:

The 5 Friends Entreprenurs Need! | Asher Artisan Bridal Show

“That’s what friends are for!” That song instantly popped into my head! Well, I suppose it’s because at a wedding I shot last week a few of the cute bridesmaids sang it to the newly married couple during the Maid of Honor Toast! It was adorable. But seriously! You NEED friends. You need them for every chapter and each walk of life you go on. Entrepreneurs are in special need of friends to support them.
The Cheerleader
Miss (or Mr!) will be there for you during your tough times telling you that you CAN do it! They’ll laugh in the face of impossible feats either with you or for you, and tell you that you can over come any obstacle, and make you feel confident when you’re at a low.
The Oprah
This is the friend that looooves to talk about you. In a GOOD way! She tells everyone she knows about what awesome things you’re doing starting up your business, and how you’re so great at what you do. He whips your business card out to all his colleagues like it’s his job. She comments and shares all of the links and photos you post. You will be eternally grateful for all of the referrals they’ve given you, because referrals are priceless in the business world!
The Grandy
She’ll comfort you with a kind word when you need to hear one. He’ll tell you that not all is lost when you feel you’re losing. The Grandy (Grandma or Grandpa, depending on what they are, you know!) will take you into their kitchen and bake proverbial cookies when you’re having a bad day. Which, consequently, can happen a lot during a business start up! It comes with the territory.
The Yogi
She’s there with her everlasting aura of calm. Which is something that doesn’t exactly exist in me. I have to call this category the Yogi because my girlfriend that is this category literally IS a yogi! She’s the coolest thing since Woodstock, and not only can she talk business, but she brings an element of peace to it. When I’m feeling anxious, spending time with her brings me back to center and I can focus again. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at what you’re doing to see where your road is taking you. Your Yogi can help you do that!
The Coach
Another friend you’ll love to love is your coach friend. You can sit at her dining room table with a cup (or seven…) of coffee and talk for hours. Without stopping. And then you realize you’re late to pick up your kids from school. Woops! As you drive like a bat out of hell to get to school on time, you leave inspired, full of new ideas, your brain buzzing from the brainstorming and a sense that YES! I can indeed get this done!
Where do you find these type of friends? You already have them of course! Look no further than the friends you already have! Every single one of the friends that fit into these categories for me was my friend LONG before I started my business!
I was recently at a wonderful baby shower where one of the guests made delicious vegan cupcakes to serve for dessert as a gift. At the end of the shower, the beautiful mommy to be told everyone that her girlfriend had so generously provided the cupcakes, and that she could be contacted for more orders! My Mommy-to-be friend had just turned into an Oprah! She was supporting and promoting her girlfriend and helping her to get her name out, and this cupcake girl really deserved it! But they had been friends LONG before she started the cupcake gig. That’s what I’m saying–you don’t need to seek out help, the people that love you are already close to you.
Friends will love you no matter what–we love them all unconditionally, and that’s what makes our relationships strong! Arm yourselves with these five, and love them back the way they love you, and you will all be unstoppable 🙂 Yes!!!
And because every post is better with a photo…enjoy these adorable shoes from a wedding I shot a few weeks ago! BOWS! Gorgeous!

photo copyright Kate Stutz Photography

We are on Facebook! Yes! | Asher Artisan Bridal Show Facebook Page

Social Media! It’s everywhere–we have so many accounts to log into each morning! I thought I’d make it easy for everyone to follow blogs and new happenings at Asher Artisan Bridal by making a FaceBook Page! Everyone knows that the more likes you have, the more views your page gets, so I’m offering an exchange! For every like that we get, all you have to do is send a link to your business page and we’ll like you too! Just returning the favor! 🙂
All you have to do is like the page and it will be in your  news feed! Give us a “Like” and send us a link to your business page, and we will “Like” your business back!
Here is the link to the Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Asher-Artisan-Bridal-Show/633125306732360
Hope to see you around! 😀

photo copyright Kate Stutz Photography

Entrepreneurs For the Win!

You know what the coolest thing about doing this bridal show is? Really? Honestly?
It’s how many people are stepping forward to be Entrepreneurs!
They are realizing that they DO have it within themselves to run their own business, and they have the drive and passion for what they love to make themselves succeed! Being your own boss isn’t exactly easy, but it is incredibly rewarding!
One of the hardest things about running a successful business is the advertising, exposure in relation to your profit. Of course, you want people to know about you, to be able to find you and contact you, but how can you do it when so many advertising options are so expensive? How will you be able to pay your bills when you also have to pay a huge sum of money in order to promote yourself?
Absolutely–you can look at it as “an investment”. When I had first started my photography business, I looked into advertising in magazines and other bridal shows. Being that I had just spent quite a bit of money on high-grade equipment that I needed to deliver professional, beautiful photos, I didn’t have much left over for advertising. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. How could I advertise and still break even that year? Operating “in the red” isn’t easy for anyone–let alone someone that has small children to feed!
If this sounds similar to your story…contact me. Let’s get everyone in touch. Bridal shows are a great way to meet up with potential clients that share the same vision you do with your creativity and ideas! The name of the game is “be who you are and stand out!” applying to both vendors and engaged couples 🙂
We come from so many walks of life. Some of us are parents who are trying to find jobs that will let us be more present in our children’s lives. Some of us are students who find that pursuing a passion is a more rewarding career than what they originally set out to study. Some of us are workaholics that have gotten tired of their day job and want to do something more personal and artistic. Whatever the case…that is awesome that you’ve taken the steps to follow your dreams! Keep pursuing them, because following your heart can never be a wrong move!

photo copyright Kate Stutz Photography

photo copyright Kate Stutz Photography

Starving Artists–Give Them a Chance!

Some say All You Need is Love. For the most part, that is totally true! What would life be without love? Boring and sad–that’s what! Even for people like me that do NOT have the love of money and materialism…we still need to eat and pay bills! And for many other aspiring artists like me, it can be difficult to make a living off of your art at times…throwing your passion and energy into projects and dreams, but going unnoticed. These are the two biggest reasons I decided to start this show:
1.) Small artist-based businesses need more exposure
2.) Small businesses can’t afford an $800+ table at big bridal shows
Exposure is the element that is necessary to make your art into a business. If no one knows about your interesting and amazing products or services, they won’t be able to contract with you! There are so many wonderful artists that produce lovely pieces of work, and eventually quit their day jobs to do their art full time! After all, if there were no art, the world would be a pretty bland place, don’t you think?
Affording an $800 table can be looked at as “an investment” but look at our economy–if you’re trying to make a living, maybe hold a day job, even raise a family, $800 is a hefty sum! Sure, they’ll say “well, you can make payments!” and it stings a little less, but not by much. They’ll also say “book one wedding and you’ve covered the cost!” OK, that makes sense too, but really all you did was break even. You are not turning a profit, and what’s more, you can only do ONE show that year, which isn’t giving you much exposure. After looking at it like that, is it reasonable? Not really.
With the Asher Artisan Bridal Show, I want to bring together all vendors and artists who are eager to show off their portfolios and promote themselves. If you’ve got something that makes you stand out and want to meet awesome couples in person and turn clients into friends, this is where you want to be–and at the introductory rate of $100 a table, its an investment that won’t break your mosaic, hand painted piggy bank 🙂