Shawn Marie Rockwood, Honored for her Photography Work

One of our photographers, Shawn Marie, has been honing her photography skills for over 25 years, but finally worked up the confidence to enter her images into her first Professional Photography competition.

I guess good things come to those who wait because Shawn Marie received the highest total scores for the year, for first time entry from the Professional Photographers of Michigan and was awarded with a full ride scholarship to Great Lakes Institute of Photography. Because of Shawn accumulative scores on her entries, she received the honor of ranking in Michigan's top 7 Photographers.

That's not all! She was one of two people in Michigan who were awarded The Fuji Masterpiece Award for Wedding Photography. She also received the Court of Honor which is awarded to the judges' favorite in of each category in the competition.

She was very excited and honored to receive these awards. She says it has taken her many years of attending print competitions, and awards banquets watching other photographers receive these awards, to have the guts to enter her own images. With the support and encouragement of her mentors she decided this was the year to try. She is "proud and surprised" with the results, and she now has the competition "bug."

She has recently entered 4 prints in the Professional Photographers of America's National Competition, and is anxiously waiting for her results from the Judging at the end of June.

Shawn Marie believes that these photography competitions allow her to fine tune her skills and be the best she can be. She loves seeing her improvement reflect in her wedding photography.

Congrats Shawn Marie, and thanks for always striving to be the best!!

Photo Montages - Perfect for Sharing

Everyone loves looking through wedding albums, and yours will be no different. But for all those people who can’t make the trip to see all your wedding photography, we have a solution…

Photo montages are a great way to show the highlights of your wedding day and the emotions you felt. Have your favorite song played in the background, and it is the perfect way to share your wedding memories with everyone.


Check out one of my favorite Photo Montages...

Brooke & Michael from Mike Staff Productions, Inc. on Vimeo.

10 Mistakes to Avoid when Planning your Wedding Reception

Your wedding day is a time of celebration with light-hearted, good times that create happy memories. Above all, the day is supposed to be fun.

The less stress you feel on your big day, the more fun you'll have. Great planning helps you avoid forgetting important details. Avoid these stumbling blocks that threaten to ruin your happy day:

1. Not prioritizing your budget on the important things. The banquet is over, and now the party begins. If the majority of your reception time will be spent listening to music and dancing, it makes sense to allocate a proportionate amount of your budget to the vendor responsible for your entertainment. Whether it’s a band or a DJ, the key idea here is QUALITY.


2. Not communicating with your vendors. Have a thorough conversation with all of your vendors, and let them know EXACTLY what you expect. Don’t assume that, because they are professionals with years of experience, they automatically know what you want. Each bride’s vision is different. Vendors want to avoid disappointing you, so share the details of your dream with them from the beginning.

3. Not communicating your needs and expectations with your bridal party. Let each person in your bridal party know, prior to your wedding day, where they are supposed to be and when. Important moments at your reception can’t be rehearsed, so prepare a timetable for your bridal party that includes the Grand Entrance, speeches and toasts, bridal dances and any planned photo opportunities. They will be grateful for your organization.

4. Waiting until the last minute. Finish everything on your checklist at least two days before your wedding. You don’t want to be scribbling place cards at 2 a.m. on your wedding day. Give yourself and your groom a task-free day or two before the wedding to relax and rejuvenate.

5. Having too much to drink early in the day or the night before. Not only is it a good idea to avoid alcohol until the final party hours, it’s best to stay hydrated by drinking water or other non-alcoholic beverages. If you can’t resist a good nip, be sure to eat something.

6. Spending too much time taking pictures. There are the photographs of special moments you MUST have, pictures of spontaneous moments that are FUN to have, and staged photos that become a nuisance. Don’t be afraid to say NO to your photographer when you’ve had enough.

7. Losing your perspective. Keep your mind on what the day is about, and on the things and people that are really important to you. Don't get bogged down in so many details that you forget to have FUN! If something goes wrong, try your best to take deep breaths and think about the big picture. Don’t let the little things that might go wrong ruin your night. Above all, keep your sense of humor!

8. Getting stressed or overwhelmed. Eat! Talk! Dance! Have Fun! Keep things simple. After you’ve greeted your guests, let them find you if they wish to visit.

9. Not planning an exit strategy. Assign end-of-the-night tasks to others you trust, so you can leave unburdened. Final duties might include gathering gifts and transporting them “home,” paying the hall, and removing decorations -- including flowers, centerpieces and other wedding notions.

10. Immediately leaving on your honeymoon. Try not to plan a 6 a.m. departure the day after your wedding. Give yourselves a day to recuperate and get your things together. Better yet, go back to work for a week before leaving on your honeymoon.

Great Reception Song: Electric Feel

Is your wedding all about tradition? Or are you looking to put your stamp on how Detroit Weddings should be done?

A great way to make your wedding unique is by choosing music that represents your personality.


Try an eclectic, fun song and really set the mood. How about MGMT’s Electric Feel…




Your bridal dances don’t have to be stuffy and slow like a junior high dance. C'mon, you're fun and one-of-a-kind. Let your music show it, too!

11 Ways to Pack Your Dance Floor (all night long!)

Every bride wants their reception dance floor packed, and years of experience as a wedding entertainer have taught me a few tricks that can make your dance floor vibrate with the celebratory beat of numerous feet. Following these easy tips can make a bit difference in the success of your dance party.

1. Rent a smaller dance floor. A huge dance floor can appear empty, even when a nice-sized crowd is jamming on the floorboards. Smaller dance floors look full faster, ramping up the energy level in the room and giving shy guests the courage they need to join the fun. Rental companies may insist that you need 2.5 square feet per person for your dance floor. Instead, rent a floor that’s 25 percent smaller than the suggested formula. If people want to dance, they’ll do so whether there’s space on the official floor or not. Leave plenty of room around the perimeter, (free of tables and chairs), for additional dancers.

2. Turn the lights down low. A dimly-lit dance area works best. Keep in mind that daylight lasts as late as 10:00 p.m. in the summer months. If the hall’s windows face west, make sure there are shades you can drop or blinds you can close to keep out the last rays of light. Keep an eye on your photographer, who will try to brighten the dance area for picture-taking, and delegate someone to keep a hand on the light switch.

3. Say no to videographers that require “spotlights” on the dance floor. There’s nothing like the sudden glare of a spotlight to make camera-shy guests scurry from the dance floor. New high definition (HD) cameras allow videographers to avoid the use of harsh lights and capture dancers on tape much more unobtrusively. Be sure to ask around and find a videographer that uses HD.

4. Keep the hall doors closed. Busy hallways can be distractions for your guests. Redirect their attention to the dance floor by closing doors that lead to gathering areas outside the room.

5. Locate the bar inside the room, if at all possible. After dinner, the dance area is the focal point for your party. Guests leaving the room for drinks can’t hear the music and won’t be able to dance if their requested songs are played. Placing the bar in the room keeps guests within listening range and able to respond to their favorite songs on the dance floor.
6. Play requests. People like to hear familiar music and dance to their favorite songs. The more your DJ honors song requests, the more likely your dance floor will be filled. Ask him to leave plenty of room in his music schedule for their requests.

7. Keep “do not play” lists to a minimum. You may have a lengthy list of songs you don’t want to hear, but those may be the tunes people are waiting to dance to. Allow your DJ to play the songs that will bring people to their feet, and you and your guests will enjoy a livelier party.

8. Limit your “must play” list. Include most of your requests on a “try to play” list. It’s thrilling to hear lots of your favorite songs at your party, but playing too many takes time away from familiar and requested songs that others are anticipating. Your DJ can sense the crowd’s mood and decide when a song on your “try to play” list will match the feeling. Generously share your music time with your guests, and watch them respond in kind on your dance floor.

9. Put the DJ right next to the dance floor. Don't hide him in a corner or out of the way. In order to do his job well, your DJ must be located where the party action is, not separated from the dance floor by tables, walls or other barriers. You and your guests need easy access to him for announcements and song requests, and he needs a direct line of sight to read cues from the crowd.10. Hire a Great DJ, and then trust him. Each party has its own personality. Some guests may pack the dance floor right away; others may need a little more time to warm up. An experienced wedding DJ has played to every type of audience and knows what works. Give him time to perform his music magic, and you are sure to be enchanted by the results.

11. Get out on the dance floor and DANCE! Your friends and family want to see you have a fantastic time and will take their cues from you. If you and your groom are enjoying yourselves on the dance floor, they’ll want to be there, too.

Videography for you wedding...

Did you know that a recent poll found that less then 20% of brides had videography in their top 10 Must Have Items before their wedding, BUT over 91% wished that had professional, videography after their wedding?

Just so you don't miss out on capturing your once in a lifetime moments, I wanted to give you a sample of a recent wedding highlight video:

The Wedding of Lisa and Chris from Mike Staff Productions, Inc. on Vimeo.

I just love it!! What do you brides think?

Dressing the Parents

I was talking to a bride today, and she is stressing over what her parents are going to wear. Although fashion isn't by forte, I do have some insight on the subject.

This is a big day for parents, but it's not their day. Offer suggestions as to what they wear. They will appreciate your insight. Many Southeast Michigan brides choose colors for the moms that coordinate with the bridesmaids, but don't match exactly. Have your moms try on classy, elegant, but low-key dresses. This will make her feel comfortable and beautiful on your day.

For the dads, having them in the same tuxes or suits as the groomsmen is a great idea. It will look sharp in pictures as well as really make them feel included.