FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
Celebrations of Tampa Bay was established as a DJ company in August of 1991, in Temple Terrace, Florida. It consisted of a DJ & a harpist. In the summer of 1994 we started Video Services; I didnât even have a car at that point. I remember taking the bus to Davis Island to meet with a bride to book my first Wedding Video job and calling a taxi to transport my DJ equipment to south Tampa for a reception. I was able to get a car by making a deal with a groom, in exchange for doing his wedding. Since then, there was no looking back as I was able to do weddings full time since November 22nd of that year. One year later, in 1995, we added Photography, and started doing All Inclusive Packages. From 1995-2000 the business boomed which made it necessary to hire a full time secretary in the summer of 2000. In 2002, we purchased Big Screen Projectors and thus, started the unique concept of showing the video of the ceremony during the reception. As the years have progressed we have learned more creative ways to utilize the projector, such as showing the Bride walking down the aisle with her father in slow motion on the Big Screen, while she is dancing with her father during the reception. Seeing the emotional tears of the parents during this, confirmed to us, that, this was a great idea. As with business growth, you face the challenge of maintaining quality with your services. This produced the need for Stephanie our Photography/Office manager, who joined our team in 2005, which helped us to be able to provide continuous training and evaluation with our Photographers. Stephanie implemented the Customer Survey Forms, given to our brides after the wedding, which allowed them and us, to evaluate, in detail, each member of our team. In 2010 we added Uplighting, which helped transform plain reception venues, into a beautiful, romantic atmosphere with washes of colored lighting. Todd, one of our Photographers started our Open Air Photo Booth service in 2011, where we actually set up a studio background and print the pictures on the event, which allowed us to do high quality studio pictures as well as fun pictures with props. We have also enjoyed the friends we have developed with other high end professionals in the Tampa Area. In a highly competitive industry where many companies come and go, it has been rewarding to see that, what started as more of a hobby than a business, in a Temple Terrace apartment, 20 years ago, has transformed, with Godâs grace and guidance, into a leading multi-service production company in the Tampa Bay Area. We are grateful to all the brides who have put their trust in our services, and made us into the company we are today. This success has allowed us to gain equipment and resources that a smaller company just can't afford which is an answer to prayer in those early days; "God please give me the equipment". It warms my heart to know we have played a part in a special day in the lives of so many people. We will never rest on our past success as we continue to "Passionately Pursue Excellence". We will approach the next wedding, to be our best wedding ever.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Wedding Photography is more about communication, leadership, and work ethic than simply posing people and having a digital camera. As a bride in today's market, in order to save yourself disappointment, you will want to distinguish between the novice who is experimenting in a hobby, and the true professional who has years of experience. Due to the improvement and declining prices of technology, there has been an increase of substandard photographers entering the wedding market. These people will often use the auto functions of a camera, which are fine for consumer use, but in creating high quality sharp images it takes a highly skilled, experienced photographer who knows how to manually adjust the settings of the camera for different situations to get optimum results. A High End Photographer also has to have the unique ability to move people around, deal with interruptions, and do so in a friendly, yet timely manner. It takes communication skills, to direct and guide them, with a servant attitude. The more time wasted during the Formals, the fewer shots you will get, and the more time your guests will be waiting at the reception. In order to do this, he or she has to be in good physical shape to be able to move equipment quick enough so as to not miss out on anything. He has to have a good "Âwork ethic". You will hear the word "Âphotojournalism"Â used a lot. A true "photojournalistic photographer" has the ability to anticipate action so as to be in the right place at the right time. Most inexperienced photographers do not understand what photojournalism is, they think it's just taking candid shots, but there is a lot more to it than that. An Artistic Photographer has to see beyond the surface, to make something ordinary, extraordinary.