MOST LOVED | SHAY & OLIVE

Happy Wednesday babes!! We're so frickin' excited to introduce you to one of our MOST LOVED photography teams and long time friends, Shay & Olive!! Today we're talking to Hilary, one of the three creative minds behind this Dallas based company!

We met Hillary over 2 years ago at Common Desk back when Celebrate Dallas was just starting out in the wedding world.  She was one of our very first friendors, even photographing our first ever styled shoot in Bishop Arts. Both of our companies have come along way since we first met, adding team members, changing names, and even opening our own studios. We've got a serious love affair with the Shay & Olive team and we know you will too soon :D 

What are five words (or a 5 word sentence) that would describe yourselves and/or your company the best?
Joyful, Collaborative, Philanthropic, Creative, Spontaneous.

How did Shay and Olive start? Who are Shay and Olive?
I studied Fine Art at SMU and during my senior year I started doing wedding and portrait photography. I continued building the business after I graduated and by 2015 I was starting to get overwhelmed-- Working alone was exhausting and lonely! Erica was living in Madrid and Xavier and I took a trip to visit her shortly before she moved back to Dallas. During our visit Erica and I decided that when she moved back to Dallas we would team up!  Xavier had been doing a lot of behind the scenes work from the beginning but in 2016 he joined S&O full time and we became a trio!

When I started the company it was called Hilary Grace Photography-- I was the sole photographer and never imagined growing a team! Once Erica joined we decided to name the company after our dogs. Shay (short for Seamus) is Xavier's and my mutt. Olive is Erica's Old English Sheepdog. 

How would you describe your wedding photography styles?
Our style is photojournalistic. We gravitate towards vibrant color and we look to capture authentic emotion.

What are your favorite local hangouts?
Anywhere on Lower Greenville! 

Besides wedding photography, tell us about a few of your other creative endeavors.
Xavier loves to host! He runs our community natural light studio called The Lumen Room. The Lumen Room is a bright, white, naturally lit loft that serves as a blank slate for the visions of other photographers, videographers, stylists, etc. We are constantly inspired by what others create in the space!

Erica travels and takes gorgeous photographs of architecture and landscapes. She sells her prints at local markets and on her Etsy shop.

I have a soft spot for animals! I photograph dogs and all of their goofy quirks at Grace and Goose Dog Photography Studio.

CONTACT | SHAY & OLIVE 
INSTAGRAM | @shayandolive

PHOTOS | SHAY & OLIVE

VENUE HIGHLIGHT | JEFFERSON TOWER EVENTS

Happy Wednesday friends! We've made it halfway through the week and we hope you have fun plans for Memorial Day weekend! 

Today we're taking a sneak-peak into this unique Dallas venue, Jefferson Tower Events! The iconic Jefferson Tower in the heart of Oak Cliff has a rich history though the original building has been fully restored to provide modern amenities. The building covers over 4,000 square feet and the interior is decorated with Art Deco details. The natural light and authentic Dallas view definitely sets Jefferson Tower Events apart from the rest! 

With services like in-house catering from La Calle Doce and El Ranchito restaurants, floral design, furniture rentals, and his-and-hers private lounges, Jefferson Tower Events has everything a couple could want in their big day! 

Although we've not yet had the pleasure of hosting a wedding at this venue (we sure want to!), we did participate in the Swoon Event early this spring here. and it also happens to be local to our studio, The Coterie, in Bishop Arts! Keep scrolling for a look into the venue! Enjoy!

The Minimalist styled shoot featuring this spectacular venue is coming soon!

MORE INFO | JEFFERSON TOWER EVENTS
phone | (214) 948-1540
email | info@jeffersontowerevents.com
location | 351 W. Jefferson Blvd. #800 Dallas, Texas 75208

PHOTOS | JEFFERSON TOWER EVENTS

MOST LOVED | NORTH MARK FILMS

Say hello to one of our favorite husband + wife duos in the industry, Christopher + Olivia, the owners of North Mark Films! We met these beautiful souls a few months back when opening our creative studio, The Coterie. At the time, we were searching for local vendors who shared a similar passion for weddings to join as members and by chance these two found us instead. 

There are two teams at Celebrate Dallas, those who cry at weddings and those who don't, and those who don't can't help but tear up at the intimate moments captured by these two talented filmmakers. Christopher + Olivia were sweet enough to give us an interview this week and we can't wait for y'all to fall in love with them and their incredible work just like we did! 

What five words [or a five word sentence] that would describe you and/or your company best?
Oh gosh, thats hard. I would say....passionate, cinematic, risk-takers, light-hearted, and life-lovers. 

How did you guys get into wedding videography?
By happenstance! A friend of ours was getting married, and didn't have a videographer. We had been wanting to try out hand at it, so we offered our services, and we ended up loving it! Our friends loved their film, and we got some really awesome feedback, so we decided to pursue it.

What are some tips you'd give a couple looking for a compatible videographer?
Compatibility is huge. If you are looking for a certain style of videography, I would start with your photographer. If you have a dark and moody photographer, chances are they know a videographer with the same style (same if you're looking for light and bright). My second tip would be utilizing Instagram! Never underestimate the power of searching hashtags and reaching out to other creatives for recommendations. Chances are someone knows someone. And once you find your match in a videography, trust them!

What's the most common misconception about videography?
Ah! I would have to say that a lot of people are unaware of what wedding videography has become! They imagine Uncle Joe with a camcorder, and very rough plain footage. Today we have some incredibly talented film makers working in the wedding industry, and they know how to turn your day into a compelling piece of art that you actually want to watch!

You guys do more than just video, right? What else do you offer?
Yes! We own LCB Photobooth Company on the side! With all the gorgeous weddings that we attend every year, we noticed that there was lack of quality photo booths to accompany these events. And thus, our company was born! 

Photos + Videos | North Mark Films

CONTACT | NORTH MARK FILMS
EMAIL | hello@northmarkfilms.com
INSTAGRAM| @northmarkfilms
PHONE | (619) 376-0405

Venue Highlight | Hickory Street Annex

Happy Wednesday friends! Today we're showcasing one of our favorite venues, Hickory Street Annex, a 6,500 square foot industrial, loft-like space located in Deep Ellum. This unique venue offers cityscape views and plenty of windows for natural light. With it's versatile style, Hickory Street can easily be transformed into everything that you've envisioned for your special day. Boasting both bride + groom suites, a vintage elevator, and excellent service by CN Catering, this venue has everything a couple could want!

While we eagerly await our next wedding in this beautiful space, you can find us swooning over these images from two of our favorite photographers, A Sea of Love and Shay & Olive!

MORE INFO | HICKORY STREET ANNEX
214-828-1414
MICHELLE@HICKORYSTREETANNEX.COM

Photos | A Sea of Love | Shay & Olive | Hickory Street Annex

MOST LOVED | CHELSEA Q. WHITE

Happy Wednesday lovely people!! Today we're so excited to introduce you to Chelsea Q. White Photography, the newest member of the Celebrate Dallas' MOST LOVED vendor list!  Our friendor-ship developed from a shared connection on Instagram (isn't that how we all meet these days?) and after countless happy hour dates and dinners we finally collaborated for the first time last fall. Our autumnal bohemian photo shoot will be featured later this month on The Perfect Palette!

Chelsea's eye for design and composition is necessary for any couple who wants the perfectly captured wedding day. Her sweet smile and genuine personality are just a bonus! Read along to get to know her a little better! 

1. What are five words (or a 5 word sentence) that would describe you and/or your company the best?
Personal | Joyful | Genuine | Timeless | Real

2. How’d you get into photography? Was it always weddings?
I definitely share a similar beginning to a lot of photographers! I was always the one with a camera in my hand growing up. I learned photography on a film SLR camera in high school and developed my own film and prints in the darkroom. In my professional life, I started doing documentary and photojournalistic photography before I branched into weddings almost three years ago.

3. You shoot film + digital, right? How do they compare in your opinion?
Yes! And they don’t compare - ha! Film has a timeless, romantic quality that is so difficult to achieve with digital. There is a reason so many digital photographers try to emulate the look of film -- it’s just magical! Digital does have it’s place and it helps me in tricky lighting situations like dark churches and receptions. There are ways to get your digital to look like film and I’m always up for a challenge.

4. What’s your advice for the couple whose number one priority is having a fun wedding?
Hire vendors you trust and communicate with them A LOT before your wedding. If you take the time to insure everyone is on board with your vision and your priorities, you can rest easy on your wedding day and know your team is going to pull it off for you. But if they don’t know what’s important to you or don’t know what you want, you’re more likely to be stressed on your big day. Don’t feel like you’re asking too much or being naggy -- I’d rather over communicate with a bride than under communicate! Also, schedule way more time than you need in the pre-ceremony portion of your timeline.

5. How would you describe your wedding photography style or portfolio?
I’d say I fall into the fine art category of wedding photography. Fine art photography is often misunderstood but basically it means your photography and/or planner are going to be involved in styling details of your day, making sure everything looks cohesive, and that you are in beautiful environments where natural moments can unfold. It means we’re checking to make sure your hair is perfect and the photos of your grandmother’s broach are styled like a magazine. That’s not to say we don’t capture candid moments or let the day unfold organically but we do make sure all your images are clean, without clutter in the background, and timeless. I highly recommend fine art photographers for brides who love fashion, art, design, and culture. 

6. What's your favorite local [Dallas] hangout?
Oh gosh, there are so many! I love tacos and Topo Chico from Velvet Taco; a healthy pour of red wine and a charcuterie board at Times Ten Cellars. For craft beers and burgers, Liberty Burger is my jam. And you can’t beat the skyline view at HG Sply Co.

MORE INFO + INQUIRES
Chelsea Q. White Photography
Email | chelseaqwhite@gmail.com
Instagram | @chelseaqwhite
All photos by Chelsea Q. White Photography