Jackson Hole Wedding Planner Resource – I DO! Jackson Hole

Photographer: Hannah Hardaway

Hannah Hardaway’s portrait and wedding photography is clean and refreshing. Her honest approach to bringing out the joy in life and in people reflects her background in narrative, documentary storytelling. Having traveled extensively in the world, both as a professional skier and as a lover of life and adventure, Hannah thrives in just about any environment with ease and magnetism. She lives by a cup-half-full way of being, and naturally sees the light in people and brings out the natural beauty and magic in everything – from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Her photography is both romantic and vibrant, while humble and natural.

“For me it’s about the little moments, the in-between spaces that tell the story. It’s the emotions of the day, the people who share in it, the relationships, and the details that make the character of each wedding unique and special. As the day unfolds, I capture the beauty of it all with minimal directing and instead focus on highlighting and enhancing the celebration.  My objective is to put people at ease in front of the camera and make the photography of the event a fun part of the whole experience.”

Gifts & Favors: Beau-coup

About Beau-coup

Beau-coup is an innovative and leading force in the online favors and gifts industry. We are a professional team of merchandising gurus, customer service representatives, marketers, fulfillment staff, technology experts, web designers, entrepreneurs and seasoned business managers who have been working hard since 2002 to offer the best shopping experience you can find on the internet.

From the time we opened our “doors” online, we have marked every special occasion – from moving in to our first real office in downtown Mountain View, California in 2005 to every major upgrade we make to the website – with a celebration. In 2009 Beau-coup debuted on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America. The company had achieved a 3-year growth rate of 243%, an accomplishment to which everyone contributed and for which we are all extremely proud. Despite amazing growth, we still manage to celebrate every employee’s birthday and anniversary with the company.

We believe that life is a series of milestones to be celebrated and that favors are an important part of every special occasion. Beau-coup is committed to providing an unmatched selection of high quality favors and gifts and exceptional customer service so that every celebration will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. We want to inspire our customers and help them find the perfect way to honor their achievements, and to thank their loved ones – to say merci beaucoup.

Our Story

The idea behind Beau-coup originated from my experience as bride. My husband and I knew we wanted our guest favor to be something unique, something that reflected our interests and personality. Like most couples, we pored over stacks of bridal magazines, surfed the major wedding websites, and visited numerous bridal shops for ideas. To our dismay, we seemed to come across the same set of products from vendor to vendor. We eventually decided to give our guests personalized golf balls (we love playing golf together!). The shopping experience was a difficult and frustrating one for us – we worked with three different vendors and spent many long hours packaging individual golf balls.

We started Beau-coup shortly after our wedding. Having gone through the process ourselves, we knew there was a real need online for a one-stop wedding favors shop that offers unique and high quality items. And we also knew how stressful and emotional planning a wedding can be. Beau-coup’s mission is to help make the process a little less stressful, even enjoyable, by offering the most exceptional customer service and an unmatched selection of quality guest favors at competitive prices. I also hope you will be inspired by all the unique ideas on our website, whether it’s how to tie the perfect bow or display your favors, we hope to make a difference.

Polly Liu, Founder

I adore Kisa Koenig… She is a fabulous photographer and such a kind person. I’m so happy she sent me these tidbits (I couldn’t agree more): Thanks Kisa!

A solution to the formal photos Dilemma

I was shooting the “formal” group portraits at a wedding on Saturday and as is pretty typical, it proved difficult for many reasons. After the ceremony, people are usually hungry, ready for a beverage, socializing with friends and family they haven’t seen in a while, etc., etc. So when you are trying to wrangle parents, siblings, in-laws, grandparents, nieces, nephews, and everyone else you might want photos of, it can get a bit chaotic and frustrating for everyone involved (except me, of course, because I can handle A LOT!)

The grooms mother turned to me and said, “You know, we should have gotten these family shots done last night at the rehearsal dinner, ” and I thought, “That’s a great idea!” So I thought I would share this with you. On your wedding day, it’s so important to get photos of you and your new spouse, the wedding party all dressed up and coordinated, your parents and siblings, and other people that are important to you. But as far as all the extended family shots, if you are inviting all of those people to your rehearsal, consider booking your photographer for that event too and get a lot of those out of the way then. Most people are still dressed up pretty nicely and there is a more relaxed air to the rehearsal dinner than the actual wedding day.

Another option that many couples are doing is to take some portraits before the wedding ceremony. This is nice for many reasons including fresh makeup and hair, less rushing, and more time to enjoy your cocktail hour after the ceremony. But some couples prefer the tradition of not seeing each other before the big moment of the bride coming down the aisle (a really special moment I remember vividly from my wedding day.) And some people might want some quiet moments of reflection prior to tying the knot.

So weigh your options and consider these. But whatever you choose, keep an open mind and remember that even though it might seem like work, I promise you’ll cherish having your photos when the dust settles and you begin your life with your new spouse and family.