a feel-good photoshoot fundraiser!

This just arrived in my inbox. We have been on the quest for photographers for the wedding and I stumbled across j-studios via downtomysoul.

Jessie from j-studios is a member of an organisation called the Australian Community of Child Photographers. The ACOCP is a purely volunteer organisation that sends out professional photographers, free of charge, to families who have a still birth or who have a baby or child with a terminal illness.

What a brilliant idea! It breaks my heart to think of those families who have to undergo such an ordeal. But how wonderful is it that this organisation exists and is able to contribute in a small way so that these families have beautiful images to hang on to… something tangible to hopefully help ease the pain in years to come. How could I resist helping spread the word?

It’s an Australian organisation so I assume the offer is valid throughout Australia, or places in Australia that they have member photographers situated in.

FROM J-STUDIOS:

URBAN MINI SESSIONS

Many of you know that I am heavily involved in the Australian Community of Child Photographers. The ACOCP is a purely volunteer organisation that sends out professional photographers, free of charge, to families who have a still birth or who have a baby or child with a terminal illness. The ACOCP operates without any funding and relies solely on membership contributions and fundraising such as this. We hope that you will consider supporting this amazing organisation by booking a mini session in June or July.

How it works?
We currently have 10 weekday mini session slots during June and July. When you are ready to book we select a date and time that works for you and then you pay your $50 direct to the ACOCP. Mini sessions last for about 20-30 minutes and are ideal for updating your family photo and getting a couple of great shots of your kids.They are limited to immediate family (up to 6 people) only. These sessions will be held in the Melbourne CBD or Docklands area. After wards we will organise a time for you to come and view your images (approximately 12-15 images will be shown from your mini session) in the studio for your ordering session. You will receive one complimentary 8x10in print from your mini session and you will have the opportunity to purchase additional images from our special discounted Mini Session packages or individually from our normal studio pricing.

I have already had photos done....How can I help the ACOCP?
You can forward this on to family and friends who may want a fun Urban shoot. Spread the word and hopefully j [studios] will be able to sell all ten mini session slots and raise $500 for the ACOCP.

Thank you for helping support the amazing work of the ACOCP.
Jessie Broome
j [studios]

let them eat cake

a beautiful Martha Stewart inspired autumn cake by Three Sweeties, Melbourne

[excuse the waffling, if you want to CUT TO THE CAKE click here]

Busy, busy, busy! That's my excuse for not blogging for over a month. Seriously, it's a freaking WONDER than any of us brides to be have ANY time at all to blog about the experience and ideas - what with work, domestic chores, LIFE it's very easy to get out of balance.

We're booked and ready to go to Bali in just over a week and I am hoping the Balinese notion of 'rubber time' will mean that our 2 weeks there will actually feel like 2 months. I am hopeful.

But now for a brief wedding update:

- Mum visited for a week, and we managed to drive up to the Dandenong Ranges (where we are having our wedding) twice to look at the ceremony and reception venues

- I now have, not one, but TWO vintage wedding dresses haha. Bit greedy huh. But the second was an amazing floaty 60s number that fits liked a glove that I picked up from the Geelong Mill Markets. And for a measley $35 how could I say no? But we actually have a legitimate excuse for TWO wedding outfits now, but more about that later.

- AA's hunt for the perfect suit continues. He also has managed to pick up two outfits but isn't 100% convinced that either is THE wedding suit. But in the meantime, both are pretty damn cool. Both vintage - one 60s woolen blue suit, and a 70s chocolate brown number with a nice satin trim on the lapels.

I'm a little reluctant to launch into all the details of our wedding on here just yet, I'm not sure why. Perhaps I feel like someone might just steal our ideas but really that can't be justified seeing I got the lead on our reception from another wedding blog too! Or maybe it's because I feel like I'll be jinxing things a little. I've been fine with AA and a couple of select close people to see photos of my wedding dresses but I'm a little funny about divulging all details of the wedding here just yet. I'll work up to it. I also feel it might be a bit of a spoiler for friends who are coming to the wedding but also reading this. Maybe I can just put 'spoiler alert!' before I spill.

In the meantime I have plenty of other great ideas I have collated til now to share.

This one I just came across this weekend.

QUIT THE BLABBING BLUEBIRD AND CUT TO THE CAKE!

Three Sweeties

are a Melbourne, Australia based cake shop that make AMAZING looking cakes, cupcakes and other sweeties for weddings, birthdays and other occasions.

We're not big cake people and I really hate the cake cutting tradition. I mean, what on earth is that all about anyways? I think I'd barf from the cheesiness of it. I think cupcakes could be a good alternative.

So I did a google search and came across these guys. Look at some of these!

They can deliver and set up the cakes too to make sure they're presented as intended but it all adds up though, so not sure it's something we could afford at our wedding. But look at the workmanship! Just stunnning. But if we could afford it, I would definitely be seeking these guys out. So gorgeous, a work of art like that would double as a centrepiece at the reception.

Actually, all this talk of cake reminds me of a conversation that AA overheard when we were at Chatterley's - the restaurant at Cloudehill Nursery.

A couple who were booking in their wedding reception there were talking with the owner and the bride said 'We want a LOT of cake. I just really love cake and I think everyone should be able to have as much cake as they want'. The owner was saying 'Look honey, that's really sweet but the truth is a lot of it will just end up going in the bin, you really don't need slices THAT big'. After a good couple of years working in catering AA said to me later, 'always listen to the caterer about quantities. They always know!' so maybe that's a useful tip.

As it turns out we're actually thinking we might skip the wedding cake or cupcake idea all together if it ends up being too costly. We'll just have a dessert bar instead seeing we're having a buffet dinner too. More variety and people can have what they like. Maybe some wedding cookies instead?. Hopefully everyone will be way too busy having an awesome time, no will notice there was no boring cheesey cake cutting ritual and photos.

What are your feelings on cake?