Photo by Sarah M.
ARTIST NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS Photo by Jeannine P.
LE TTE R FROM GRETCHEN / PAGE 3 ARTIST AP P RECIAT ION / PAGE 4 AR O UND T HE OFFICE / PAGE 5
FE ATUR E D A RT IST A DVICE / PAGE 6 W E LCO ME NEW A RT IST S / PAGE 8 PE E R R E VIEWS A RE IN / PAGE 9
FE ATUR E D WEDDINGS / PAGE 10
WO R D O N T HE ST REET / PAGE 11 IMPO RTAN T REMINDERS / PAGE 11
LETTER FROM GRETCHEN
“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” -Hamlet Act 4 Scene 3
Perceptions. As much as you know who you really are, you will continue to discover that others will see you differently. Whether these perceptions are positive or negative, they are still different than how you would perceive yourself. Finding out that someone perceives you negatively may not be fun at first, but the good thing is, you can change it. In fact, you should want to change it. On the other hand, finding out that someone perceives you positively may be awesome, but don’t let it stop there! I don’t know about you, but I’ve found the most “growing” times in life, ones where individuals were brave enough to share how they truly see me. Sometimes the most essential steps to moving forward—and in the same direction—require us to be opened to the opportunities sitting right in front of us. Most people look for opportunities to simply change, but I say look for opportunities that help you grow! Change and growth are two very different things and in order to grow you have to get comfortable sharing tough stuff, and then receiving it also. Some of you are already aware and actively participating in our peer review system. We’ve created this safe environment to help our artists develop as individuals and as a collaborative team. By sharing your thoughts and feedback with one another, you are helping Bellagala redefine the wedding experience. As you kindly acknowledge a person’s strength or area for growth, you are not just giving them constructive criticism—you are giving them the opportunity of becoming a better artist! I hope you never stop looking for opportunities to grow—especially those that are right in front of you. The latest workshop or conference may try to tell you what you are doing wrong, and how to make it right—but they don’t really know you unless they have worked alongside you. So take the peer review system as one artist looking out for another—not simply to tell you how you are doing, but to help and reassure you are moving in the right direction. GRETCHEN GOSNELL / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
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WELCOME TO THE TEAM We’re so excited to have you! Nicole P. - Associate Photographer Karin R. - Associate Photographer Miraz A. - Associate Disc Jockey Steve L. - Associate Disc Jockey Jasmin M. - Associate Disc Jockey Kevin W. - Associate Disc Jockey Sam F. - Associate Disc Jockey Dj S. - Associate Disc Jockey Steve E. - Associate Disc Jockey Jeloni H. - Associate Disc Jockey Macello V. - Associate Disc Jockey Derek C. - Associate Disc Jockey Yowon Y. - Associate Disc Jockey Patrick F. - Associate Disc Jockey Glen E. - Associate Disc Jockey Vlad H. - Associate Disc Jockey Aleksander K. - Associate Videographer
PEER REVIEWS ARE IN
At Bellagala, we make every effort to provide superior services to our couples. I repeat, services (plural). This would not be possible without the awesome collaboration between our talented artists; we know and see this through your peer reviews. Keep up the teamwork everyone!
ERICA B / STUDIO DISC JOCKEY “Erica was very professional, did a great job as emcee of the reception, and sought me out to communicate needs in the schedule. She also remained very composed amidst a couple of technical setbacks that she experienced, but did not let it affect her service to others. Great job!” – Roger S / Associate Photographer
MARK F / ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHER “I had the pleasure to work with Mark when I was on call and he was very organized and easy to get a long with. It was very inspiring to see him work with the couple and to see the amazing work he does. He also provided super helpful feedback after the wedding which I always appreciate. I look forward to our next wedding together.” – Johanna K, Associate Photographer
CAROL K / STUDIO FLORAL DESIGNER “Carol K, once again, did a lovely job. Her floral centerpieces, pew arrangements and altar arrangement were exactly what the bride wanted! She was on time and helped with set up. Everything went very smoothly and the client was very happy with her flowers! I have confidence in Carol and will continue to refer her to future clients.” – Marissa P, Studio Wedding Planner
JAIME R / STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHER “Jaime is a top grade photographer. Hard working and ready for anything, including gathering scattered family members together for a photo op across 2+ acres. At all events, she was prepared without a reminder. And when I was in dire need of batteries for the microphone, Jaime had 2 to spare. I hope we hire more people like her.” – Connor J, Associate Disc Jockey
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ARTIST APPRECIATION
Thanks for stopping by to meet the Sales Team! PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kirsten S
EVENT PLANNERS
Chris D
Christina H
Audra
Caitlin
Megan K
Erica T
Amber J
Cheryl K
Emmy R
Angela L
Kim V
Nicole C
Dan K
Anna B
Nicole L
Derrick J
Jeannine
Mattea
Amy L
HAIR & MAKEUP
Tom B
Jasmine L
ARTISTS
Joseph Y
Tara
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ARTIST APPRECIATION
FLORISTS
DJs
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Abbie
Andrew M
Aleksandr
Carol
Andy A
Ben
Cassandra
Brent F
Christian
Dawn
Bryan L
Dan
Heather
Dan S
Luke
Kristi
Erica B
Patrick
Kyle E
Todd
Mike H
Seth M
AROUND THE OFFICE
Meet Nicole Hello, or as I like to say, Hola :) My name is Nicole and I’m the newest member of the full-time Sales Team! I truly enjoy working with brides and grooms––helping them plan their dream day and matching them with all of you talented artists. With several years of experience in the wedding industry, I firmly believe in Bellagala, our team and the high level of service we provide for couples. When I’m not at work or planning a wedding you’ll find me enjoying one of my other great loves: weight training, spending time with friends and family, all dolled up at a Broadway musical, or sipping good coffee while writing a screenplay. I’m excited to be a part of such a talented community of artists and to represent you to our lovely clients!
NICOLE L. / WEDDING PLANNING CONSULTANT & ACCOUNT MANAGER
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Photo by Cheryl K.
ARTIST
Getting to Know Chris D. / Studio Photographer I’m from Duluth, Minn., and the beauty of that area inspired me to try photography at a young age. In fact, I sold my first photo when I was 16, and I’ve been snapping away ever since! Today, my passion for wedding photography stems from my desire to capture the special moments that make each couple, and each wedding, unique. And okay, I’ll admit it — I’m a romantic at heart. I love helping couples celebrate and remember one of the biggest days of their lives. When I step away from the camera, I enjoy running (even marathons) with my wife, golfing with my daughters, cooking for family & friends (especially a good steak paired with a great red wine), fishing (both ice and fly) and drinking coffee (can’t beat the chocolate and caffeine combo of a good mocha). When I’m not capturing the romance of weddings, my other favorite subjects to photograph are my wonderful wife and two darling daughters. I’ve been shooting weddings for 20 years…and for the last 10 years, I’ve put a lot of that trust into the hands of the Sales Team at Bellagala. After my first meeting with them, I felt more confident that the Sales Team now had all the knowledge about me personally, my approach and my work. Let’s face it, we are in the business of dealing with human emotion…and if you don’t make an effort to give the sales staff a “face” to attach to your work, you are doing yourself a great disservice. It makes more sense to me now, that the team who is representing me to every couple that comes into Bellagala, has as much knowledge as possible about who I am.
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ADVICE
Getting to Know Heather F. / Studio Florist Flowers have always captivated me. I obtained a degree in Floral Design from Hennepin Technical College. In my 12+ years of experience as a Floral Designer, I have worked in many aspects of the business including, wholesale floral supply, fresh flower sales, floral design and instructing, custom planting, etc. I am extremely passionate about flowers and continue to be inspired by my past experiences to create fresh and vibrant florals, in order to capture the essence of all my clients’ visions. I can’t begin to tell you how valuable it has been getting to know each member of the sales team. It has really helped incredibly with my bookings. Each Sales Team member really took the time to get to know me personally, my style and my capacity. I believe this opportunity gives the sales staff the best insight to match clients with the best artist, according to their unique needs. Personally, I have had so many bookings in the last couple of months that I am impressed! I have full confidence in the sales team at Bellagala knowing they are representing me with a great amount of knowledge of who I am and what I do because I took the time to sit down with every single one of them. Take the time to get to know your sales team, they are here for you!
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FEATURED WEDDINGS
Photo by Kelly M. / DJ by Brent F. / Videography by Adam J.
Photo by Ashley B. / Makeup by Sarah E. / Floral by Jana W.
Photo by Sarah M. / DJ by Kyle E. / Videography by Ben E.
Photo by Kristen M. / Floral by Abbie F. / Hair by Lori
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WORD ON THE STREET
Client Reviews DAN S / STUDIO DISC JOCKEY “We were super thrilled with the experience that Daniel brought to our reception. Daniel was a great DJ and very professional, he made our day less stressful and made sure everything went smoothly. Our friends/family were pleased as well (as shown by the dancing). I would recommend him to anyone.” - Jacob
NICOLINA M / ASSOCIATE DISC JOCKEY “We were paired with Nicolina and I can not begin to praise and say thank you enough for a job well done. She did an absolutely fantastic job and was so positive the entire night. She arrived promptly on time and was very flexible and kind to us and our guests. Please pass along the message to her. If surveyed, she would easily earn 5 of 5 stars from my husband and I.” - Kashi
GRETL B / MAKEUP ARTIST “Gretl was fabulous. From our first phone conversation to the final look on my wedding day, Gretl was completely dedicated to my vision for my wedding day look. She has a great eye for color and styling and gave me the perfect balance of looking special but still looking like myself. Her products and application technique are top notch and my makeup stayed put through a VERY long day. I would not hesitate to recommend Gretl to any bride!” – Laura
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
MEET THE SALES TEAM We highly encourage you to stop in and meet with the Sales Team if you have not done so recently. The more knowledge we have of you, the better we can match you with clients we believe are a good fit. Feel free to stop in any time between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesdays to meet with your sales team! ST. PAUL SAINTS TICKETS GIVEAWAY! Make sure to check the artist Facebook group over the summer for ways to win FREE Saints tickets each month for games at the new CHS Field!
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BELLAGALA 255 EAST 6TH STREET / ST. PAUL, MN 55101 651.227.1202 / BELLAGALA.COM