Jordyn and Kahl’s New Year’s Eve Wedding in Toledo

urban wedding photo

prayer for the newlyweds

Jordyn and Kahl’s New Year’s Eve Wedding

in Toledo

urban wedding photoJordyn and Kahl were married in a beautiful Catholic ceremony at the Historic Church of St. Patrick in downtown Toledo on New Year’s Eve.  Their holiday inspired reception was held at St. Michael’s Centre in Oregon, Ohio with the traditional New Year’s Eve Champagne at Midnight!
toledo museum of art wedding photoOur day started early in the morning at Crimson Renee Salon in Oregon where the girls had their hair and makeup done.  This is also where the bridesmaids gave Jordyn the scrapbook that they made for her.  Good thing they gave it to her there because of the makeup that needed to be touched up after the tears began to flow!
Crimson Renee Salon in Oregon bridal makeup at Crimson Renee Salon in Oregon bridesmaids gift to bride wedding scrapbook creative scrapbook pages bridesmaids scrapbook gift scrapbook for wedding memory book handmade memory book tears of joy hair salon for brides decorative hair piece for wedding veil
wedding veilThen it was off to the Historic Church of St. Patrick in Downtown Toledo where the bride, groom and entire wedding party finished getting ready and where the beautiful Catholic wedding ceremony took place.
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The Ceremony

ring bearers here comes the brideexcited groomwho gives this woman away christmas wedding in a cathedral new year's eve wedding at Historic Church of St. Patrickchristmas weddingexchanging of the wedding ringswith this ring I thee wed prayer for the newlyweds you may now kiss the brideAfter the ceremony, we only had a limited time to take all of the formal family and bridal party photos, which is the case with most churches.  Luckily, we were able to get them done before heading out into the cold for the destination photos around the area.
formal family photos at the wedding family portraits at a wedding large formal bridal party formal bridesmaids dresses perfect for pinterest a kiss on the cheek bridal portrait formal wedding portrait after the wedding after wedding kiss New Year Eve's Wedding Kiss groom and his groomsmen don't forget the groom the groom's ring winter wedding at the Historic Church of St. Patrick

Location Photos

After we finished with the photos at the church, the bridal party hopped into the limo bus from Birmingham Limo to the destinations where Jordyn wanted to take pictures. When planning her wedding day timeline, Jordyn allowed time in between the wedding ceremony and the reception to go to multiple places. We started at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge where we took some photos inside the lobby and on the grounds of the park. Then we headed to Middlegrounds Metro Park and Downtown Toledo followed by the Toledo Museum of Art. Finally, we went to Fleetwood’s Tap Room in Hensville to warm up and grab some refreshments. The downtown area was all lit up with Christmas Lights. By the time we arrived at Fleetwoods, it was dark outside. We were able to take a few shots of the bride and groom outside with the Christmas lights in the background.
funny wedding photos wedding portraits by Kurt Nielsen Photography New year's eve bride and groom winter wedding party photo on the beach of lake erie wedding uggs winter wedding bridesmaids wedding party on the stairs winter wedding in downtown Toledo downtown Toledo wedding photos
award winning wedding photorapherwedding walk winter wedding photography wedded bliss a wedding kiss piggy back ride for bride newlywed photo downtown Toledo Warehouse district wedding photo the look of love New Year's eve wedding portraits warming up the bride formal wedding party picture of bridesmaids with bride Toledo Museum of Art wedding photo groom and his men at the museum kisses at the Toledo Museum of Art bride and groom wedding photographer New Year's Eve wedding celebration holiday wedding lighting downtown Toledo wedding downtown Toledo New Year's eve wedding photo

The Reception

After all of the location photos, we finally headed to the wedding reception held at St. Michael’s Centre in Oregon.  Rico Sounds was playing the tunes for the evening, and the delicious food, including the wedding cake and desserts, was provided by Michael’s Gourmet Catering.
Michael's Cafe Wedding cake two tiered wedding cake personalized cake topper new year's eve wedding party favors light up wedding centerpieces shimmering wishing well single vase centerpiece memory table guest book table design maid of honor toast maid of honor speech best man toast father of the bride speech midnight kisses Wedding seating chart wedding reception seating chart program table water filled vases for centerpieces kissing menue new year's eve ring bearer cutting the wedding cake bride and groom serving the wedding cake to each other cake wars chocolate covered strawberries first dance first dance at the wedding daddy daughter dance father daughter dance mother son dance crowded dance floor bouquet toss garter toss caught the bouquet and garter wedding rings wedding ring and bridal bouquet Michael's Cafe Bakery wedding desserts ringing in the new year on new year's eveFor more information about Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography, including pricing, please visit my website at www.kurtnphoto.com. To contact Kurt to schedule your Free Wedding Consultation, please call the studio at:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560
419 885 7153

Feel free to make comments below and/or share this blog post on your favorite social media site. Pin your favorite images to your Pinterest board!  Read what other brides are saying about me on The Knot and Wedding Wire!

happy new year

Be sure to check out Jordyn and Kahl’s wedding trailer created by CJ Video Productions!  Chris was with us the entire day.  He and also captured all of the moments from Jordyn and Kahl’s New Year’s Eve wedding.

Jordyn + Kahl from CJ Video on Vimeo.

Party Portraits Are the New Photo Booth Trend

Party Portraits Are the New Photo Booth Trend

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The other day, The Knot released its “Hot Wedding Trends for 2017.”  While reading through the list, and passing through their usual dresses, colors, and invitations, I found something that they are calling “the new twist on the traditional photo booth.”  Of course, as a “photo booth” owner, I was intrigued to see what they were talking about!
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The New Trend in Event Photography

Instead of the traditional automated photo booth, which is what all of the local photo booths are,  according to The Knot, couples are having portrait studios at their receptions.  Well, if you have ever seen my Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes green screen photo booth, you know that we are different than all of the other photo booths out there.  In fact, we “Are” a portable studio that does it with a green screen AND gives your guests choices of backgrounds for each photo.  And we have done it this way since our inception in 2009!
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What else we can do for you!

We can also do a more formal portrait using a studio backdrop and still be able to print on site.
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We can even use your own background or banner.
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Why do we do it this way when it is more expensive to do it the way we do? Furthermore, it means we need three people to be at every event when we print.  We have a photographer, a computer technician, and someone to help with the prints.  For this reason, let’s go back to when I first became a wedding photographer.

In The Olden Days

Back then (almost 30 years ago), there were no second photographers, no assistants, and no one to help the photographer.  We did every thing ourselves. We worked hard but never missed a shot (and this is how I still do my weddings)!  Plus, instead of taking the photos on the altar or at the park or the museum or wherever, we actually brought all of the stuff needed to take studio portraits to the ceremony venue.  We set up a backdrop and studio lights and actually took formal family portraits.

When I wanted to start a photo booth division of my photography business, I was looking for something different.  I thought back to how cumbersome it was to bring a studio with me, but, with today’s technology, I knew doing so would be totally different than what anyone else would be able to do.  Making it green screen would make us stand out from the crowd!  Hence, Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes was born.
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At first, most people want to take a nice photo and not do the “fun” photos with props.  As the night goes on, they start wanting to have some fun. Because we do it as green screen, the guests are more likely to pose for the background image than just pose for a selfie or the photo booth.

Plus, because we give choices, we actually really interact with the guests because we need to know what backgrounds that they want to use and what look they want to achieve with their images.  We also print a full 4×6 photo for everyone in every photo, every time!
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Because we can create the backgrounds, there is no need for you to pay for a background banner with your logo and/or your event sponsors logos.  We can do it for you!  We can even do a jumbo background which is 10 feet by 20 feet!
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So what events can we do?  We can do almost anything!
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From daddy daughter dances to charity events, to conventions,
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and facilty closings.
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We also do Mother and Son Senior Luncheons, to VIP meet and greets and fundraising galas, and of course, school dances, proms and after proms.
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We have even done special shopping events at the mall!  As I said, we can do just about anything, and that’s what makes us different!  And yes, we even travel!
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For more information about Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes green screen photo booth, including pricing, please visit my website at  www.kurtnphoto.com.  Be sure to check out my Complete Wedding package which includes all day wedding photography and my photo booth for your entire reception!

To check for availability and schedule your FREE photo booth consultation for your event, please call:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560
419 885 7153

Feel free to make comments below and/or share this blog post.  Help spread the word and pin this image to your Pinterest board!

Tips for attending Bridal Shows – Superbowl of All Bridal Shows

Tips for attending Bridal Shows – Superbowl of All Bridal Shows
Did he put a ring on it?
Did he put a ring on it?
shotgun wedding
Does planning your wedding make you feel like you are staring down the barrel of a shotgun?
tips for attending bridal shows
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming to say the least. It’s hard just to figure out where to get started. The good news is that it is Bridal Show season!
gettaway car for wedding
Because the majority of engagements happen during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, it makes sense to have Bridal Show Season begin in January. The first and biggest bridal show of the year is the Sounds of Music DJ’s Superbowl of All Bridal Shows. This bridal show is a two day event this Saturday and Sunday, January 10th and 11th, from 1pm-5pm. It is so large that it is at two separate venues, The Stranahan Theater & Great Hall and The Premier Banquet Complex. Both venues are on Heatherdowns (across from one another) and transportation is provided between the two venues, so you only have to park once. Tickets are good for both days AND both venues. Over 125 vendors will be in attendance with hundreds of brides and grooms coming out to meet the vendors and to get information and ideas, and to book their favorite wedding specialists. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $8 at any Anderson’s Store, 2B Bridal Boutique and J. Foster Jewelers; or you can purchase them at the door for $10.
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I will be there with my Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes green screen photo booth and my Kurt Nielsen Wedding photography. I will be at The Premier and located at the back wall which is directly across where you will be entering the venue. My vendor booth is next to the Sounds of Music DJs booth. We will have my full photo booth set up and ready to show you how much more fun a green screen photo booth can be. Plus, you and your bridal show companions will each get to take home a free 4×6 photo from the photo booth. For a sneak peek at my Bridal Show Specials, please visit my website at: http://www.kurtnphoto.com/toledo-bridal-show.asp. Don’t forget to sample our special treat courtesy of our friends at Hit of The Party Ice Cream Machine Rentals!
old time wedding photos
Times have changed and so has wedding planning! One of the best and easiest ways to plan your dream wedding is to attend a bridal show. However, attending a bridal show can be extremely overwhelming, especially if this is the first one you have gone to and it is so big, like this weekend’s Sounds of Music DJs Superbowl of All Bridal Shows. Hundreds of brides, like yourself, will be in attendance. It will be crowded, it will be loud, and it will be confusing! But have no fear, we’ve got you covered! Here are some helpful tips for attending bridal shows to help you through the day.
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Pre-Register! Not only will this save you time in line at the door, but for this show, you will be entered to win a great prizes. You can get information on how to pre-register on the Sounds of Music DJs website at: http://www.soundsofmusicdjs.com/bridalshows.html. You can also look at the list of participating vendors and get the layout of where everyone is located. The list will show you who will be there and you can check out their websites and reviews before you go which will help you in your decisions for planning your dream wedding.
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Show up early! Not only will this give you a head start on the other brides, but it will give you more time with the vendors before things get too crazy. Since this is a four hour per day show and it is for two days, you can always go back and talk more with your favorite vendors if you start early!
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Bring an entourage! Bring your mother, your maid of honor, your bridesmaids, and your groom; whom ever will be helping you plan your dream wedding. Not only will they be able to help carry things for you, like the information and your coat, but they may be able to see and hear things that you may not pick up on. They can also help you make decisions.
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Make up address labels! This is very important to help you save time. Most of the vendors will have some sort of drawing for prizes and having the labels ready will save time and prevent your hand from cramping. Make sure you include your name, phone number, email address and wedding date as these are the things most of the vendors will want to know.
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Bring a notebook! This is a great way of keeping track of what you like and don’t like. You can write down notes to yourself about the vendors or ideas you get from speaking with them.  You never know what you will need it for, and you don’t want to forget the great ideas that you get from the show!
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Bring a camera! If you see something you like, like a centerpiece or even a vendor you want to remember, you can take a picture to help you remember.
Sounds of Music DJs Superbowl of All Bridal Shows Vendor Layout
Gather as much information as you can! Most of the vendors will have some sort of hand out to give you. Whether this is about pricing, services or both, getting that information now can be extremely helpful and can cut down on time spent researching later. You should receive a bag at check-in to keep all of your information in. This bag will get heavy so it’s a good idea to let someone else hold it for you while you talk to the vendors. If you come late, bring your own tote bag just in case they run out. It’s also a good idea to look over the information that you receive as soon as possible after the show while the conversations are still fresh in your mind.
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Bring your checkbook and/or credit card! Almost every vendor will require some sort of deposit to hold your date. However, not all of the vendors will be able to take credit card payments at the show. That’s why it is important to bring your checkbook, or even cash (not advised!). However, if you must make a credit card payment, the vendor may be able to write down your number and info and run the card at their office, or they may schedule you to come in that week to take care of it in person. {Be sure their bridal show offer will still be valid if you need to schedule an appointment!}
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Bring your calendar! As I said in the previous tip, you may need to schedule an appointment to speak to the vendor more at length than you can at the bridal show. Having your availability ready to schedule an appointment will be a huge help in planning for both you and the wedding vendor.
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Know your budget before you go! You will be soooooo overwhelmed and see things that you really like and want, but will you be able to afford them? Remember, deposits are usually non-refundable and booking something or someone you cannot afford is never a good idea. However, going with the cheapest vendor to save money is not necessarily a good idea either. That’s why you want to set some sort of budget so you know how much you can afford to spend on each of the details of your wedding day. The five major costs will be the venue, the caterer, the DJ and/or band, the photographer, and the florist; not necessarily in that order. They are also the most important aspects to book early because they book out several months or even years in advance! {I have several events booked for 2016, some late in the year!}
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Don’t get pressured into booking someone that you are not ready to book! The wedding vendors are there to attract clients and show off what they do. A few of the vendors will try to pressure you into booking them instead of their competitors. Checking out the wedding vendors before you go is a great way to prevent this. Make sure you read their reviews on TheKnot.com and WeddingWire.com to see what their past clients think of their services! There will be a lot of brides attending the show that will be ready to book, but most of them are just collecting information. However, because some will be ready to book their favorite vendors, it is important for you to be prepared to be flexible in your decisions, just in case your favorite vendors are already booked for your dream wedding date.
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Eat before you go! Although some of the vendors will have some type of food or dessert, including us, you will only be getting sample sizes. Even if you eat all of the samples that will be there, it will still probably not be enough to fill you up, especially since you will be walking a lot. It is also a good idea to bring a water bottle of other liquid refreshment. You will be talking with so many new people that you will definitely become thirsty. In the past, the venues have had their full service bar available, but they will charge you for their drinks.
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Probably the most important tip of all is to wear comfortable shoes! You will be doing a lot of walking and standing. Because of how many vendors and brides to be will be in attendance, there is no room in either venue for chairs for the participants to sit down and relax. Therefore, wearing comfortable shoes and clothing becomes even that more important.
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I hope these tips for attending bridal shows help you prepare yourself for this weekend’s Superbowl of All Bridal Shows, and any other bridal show you might attend. If you are coming to this weekend’s show, be sure to stop by my booth and say hello and have your picture taken in our fun photo booth! Don’t forget to sign up for my give-away!  Good Luck and Happy Planning!
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For more information about Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography, including pricing, please visit my website at: www.kurtnphoto.com.

To contact Kurt to schedule your FREE Wedding Consultation, please call the studio at:

Kurt Nielsen Photography
5431 Schultz Drive
Sylvania, OH 43560
419 885 7153

Feel free to make comments below and/or share this blog post on your favorite social media site. Pin your favorite images to your Pinterest board!