JESSICA LEE | THE BLOG

All images (and links) can be found on my Shower Pinterest board.

I’m really loving the combination of this palette lately – soft gray and brown tones mixed with white + the natural texture of paper and burlap + a little glossiness with the gold – rustic, yet sophisticated. It has truly inspired the direction of my baby shower. Even though I’m having a boy, I love how it’s gender neutral and I think it would be lovely for one who doesn’t know the sex of their baby.

A remarkably warm spring day, a smooth timeline and paired up with an amazing team, equal the perfect recipe to photograph my first wedding of the year.

A beautiful day for Michelle and Chris that started with the grooms prep and ended at the beautiful Addison Park in Aberdeen, New Jersey.

Michelle and Chris opted to have their first look at a very special location, one dear to Michelle’s heart – Ocean View Cemetery in Staten Island, New York – were the bride’s grandfather was buried.

A first look is when the bride and groom see each other for the first time and takes place just before the ceremony. There are many reasons a couple may choose to have a first look, but most importantly it allows the nerves of the day to subside, centering the bride and groom, helping them to be more present during the ceremony. As a photographer, I love this – it allows for a smooth timeline, more available light and lots of picture time!

Right after the first look, I was able to grab some beautiful portraits of Michelle and Chris together. Michelle was just stunning!

Then it was off to the ceremony, held at The Church of Saint Clare in Staten Island, New York.

The reception was held at the Addison Park in Aberdeen, New Jersey, where we ended the night with the cake cutting.

VENDOR LIST:
Hair: (Mike from) Visage
Makeup: (Patty from) Visage
Florist: Flowers by Bernard
Wedding Gown Designer: Henry Roth
Groom’s and Groomsmen attire: Men’s Warehouse
Lead Photographer: Vanessa Joy Photography
Cinematographer: Rob Adams Films

Today I am finishing up my series on the make up of a brand. If you’ve missed the first two posts, catch up on them here:

Part 1: Brand Elements
Part 2: Brand Identity

For part 3, I’ll be talking about the Brand Experience.

Specifically, a brand experience is a brand’s action perceived by a person and is determined by a number of brand experiences over a period of time including one or more touch-points.

A touch-point can be anything from a sensation, feeling or a behavioral response to any brand-related stimuli – identity, packaging, communications and environments. So, the next time you purchase something from iTunes, talk to customer service at your local bank or walk into an Apple store, each experience will solidify an already growing perception, wither conscious or unconscious, of it’s perceived value.

We build our knowledge through interaction. This helps us to form an opinion that will help us to understand our experience with it. Everything about how a company does business constantly reinforces this perceived value. The smallest details and most subtle points can have incredible effects on the overall experience.

Creating a long-standing connection to your business’s brand experience is crucial and can be defined by the solutions you offer, who they are best suited for, and what your brand will feel like in the lives of your client’s. Getting off on the wrong foot can steer the remainder of a client’s experience the wrong way, forcing you to spend the rest of the time doing damage control.

Determine your value, declare a solution, then build the experience you want your business to be, not represent. Begin with why – what prompted you to open up shop. Then look at what experience you want your customers to come away with – what does your business look like, feel like, smell like, taste like? – these are your touch-points.

Clarity should be the focus of our approach. You have the ability to make powerful strides towards a better brand experience with

// A defined aesthetic
Is it consistent around one single idea or message?

// Thoughtful attention to detail
Is your workflow organized?

// Knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses
Are you a micro-manager or can you delegate tasks to people who may be better at them then you?

// Managing client expectations
Do you under promise yet over deliver?

// Marketing to your ideal client and creating advocates out of them
Do your client’s respect your time and talents?

// Delivering quality services and goods
Do your products/ services warrant the prices you charge?

JLM is currently booking branding projects for 2012. Get started TODAY!

Last week I started The Make Up Of A Brand Series, deconstructing the Wikipedia definition for a brand: any feature that identifies one seller’s goods or services different from those of other sellers.

All to often, the word brand or branding is used in the wrong manner (more on what a brand is, coming soon!), and confused with a brand identity. In the second part of this series, we will talk about brand identity.

The brand identity is any visual aspect that forms a part of the overall brand. It can be:

1. A Logo (the symbol or icon that represents the entire identity and brand)
2. A Color Palette or Scheme (the color palette contains all of the colors used in a project.. the color scheme is the intention for which the colors will be used)
3. Any Graphics or Patterns (used to create style and appeal)
4. Stationery (business cards, letterhead, personal note cards, envelopes, etc.)
5. Marketing Materials (newsletters, website, blog, product look book, etc)
6. Products & Packaging (products that you sell and the packaging in which you deliver it in)
7. Apparel Design (t-shirts, uniforms, etc)
8. A Slogan or Saying (a messages that is conveyed through direct (t-shirt) or indirect (commercial) modes of communication)
9. A Character (a company mascot – ie.. the Geico gecko)
   
10. Images (any image that represents a company brand – ie.. fashion adds or a photographer’s post processing style)

Three of my favorite brand identities that need no naming!

all images found on Pinterest

When sitting down with your designer to develop your brand identity, here are some things to think about:

// Does it reflect the personality and values of your business?

// Does it create value for your work?

// Does it speak to multiple audiences – including current customers, potential customers and those naysayer’s?

// Do the graphics or patterns chosen support the impression you wish to give of your potential client?

// Is it consistent around one single idea or message?

…

Hope this helps you when you sit down to define the brand identity of your business!

xo

Jessica

Staying true to form, I’ve created another inspiration board for the baby shower – this one, fun stuff for the guests to do!

Starting from the top, left

1. Special Wishes Cards via Emily Ley //  I thought this would be an amazing time capsule for my little man to look back on and read all the love his family has for him – could be wishes, bible verses or any love they want to share.

2. Polaroid guest book via On To Baby //  I love this idea. I thought it could also couple as a way for my guests to leave me and Shelvie their best baby advice.

3. Block Decoration via Bump Smitten //  In lieu of signing a guest block, guests at this shower signed a baby block. This, by far, is my favorite idea! and.. would be perfect to later decorate the nursery.

4. One-sie Decoration via On To Baby //  I’ve seen a few ways of doing this, check it out here, here and here – this last one being my favorite!

5. Make Your Own Necklace via On To Baby //   This would be fun to do for a sophisticated girl-themed shower!

6. Tile Design via On To Baby //   Hand designed tiles – a nice personal touch for the baby’s room. These would even be nice framed and used as artwork for the room.

7. Baby Bingo via On To Baby //   A fun game to keep the guest entertained during the shower.

8. Rhyming Station via On To Baby //   I love this and think this would be too funny to re-listen to my family and friends flow!

9. Baby Madlibs via On To Baby //   Another fun game to keep the guest entertained during the shower.

10. Custom Perfume Station via On To Baby //   This is another favorite! Perfect for a girl-themed shower.. although, I’m still considering it for my own!

As you can see, I’m in-love with On To Baby – it’s a great resource for shower inspiration (and you should see the nursery inspiration.. I die!). Another great resource for parties is Le Partie Sugar – tons of great pictures to get you inspired! One last website I go-to, after I check out Martha, is Hostess With The Mostess – one of my all-time favorites for party inspiration.

Have any good websites on your go-to list? Due share them in the comments below!

xo

Jessica

People often choose a product based on its perceived value, not its actual value – so, before diving into the process of creating a brand for yourself, it’s important to clearly understand each component that goes into the make up of a brand.

Defined by Wikipedia, a brand is any feature that identifies one seller’s goods or services different from those of other sellers.

These components can be broken down into three categories, brand elements and brand identity – making up the visual appearance of a brand + the brand experience – a less tangible means of communication, but equally important.

PART ONE: BRAND ELEMENTS
Can be the name used to identify the company or the visual mark that identifies the brand… in
other words, the name + logo or icon.

Some companies choose to do just a font treatment. Others, after years of a consistent brand message, drop the name all together.

When sitting down with your designer to dream up your company logo, here are some things to think about:

// Will you elect to have a logo/icon + your business name or just use your business name?

// What type treatment or font will you choose?

// Is the logo created easily recognizable?

// Is it simple enough to be scaled to fit a multitude of media?

// Is it relevant to your industry?

// Will it withstand the test of time?

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t create an inspiration board for everything I do!

So, when whispers of plans for my shower hit my ears, I was all about injecting my two cents.. well, umm.. anyone who knows me, knows that’s a nice way of saying that I kindly took over! haha

My mom, bless her heart, has let me totally take over the details and she rallied in her troops (aka. friends, called in some favors, even got a cherry tree involved) to help make it come to fruition.
pun not intended.. haha

First up, the inspiration board I created for the menu:

all images where collected on Pinterest and can be found on my Shower board

Because I loove breakfast, we decided that brunch would be ideal. My mom and I are getting together on Sunday to finalize the menu – the star, her famous french toast!!

Challah Bread
Raisins
Eggs
Cinnamon
Buttermilk
Nutmeg
Cranberries
Bacon

Mix all the wet ingredients.
Place the big pieces of bread in a deep pan and pour the liquid mixture all over the bread.
Cover with plastic.
Leave over night in the refrigerator.
Bake 375 for 45 min the next day.
Crisp bacon – crumble and sprinkled over the top.

YES.. it IS as good as it sounds!!

I am THRILLED to introduce you to my little man..

We haven’t decided on a name yet, but we have two in mind. I like them equally as much.. I choose one, then the other. I can’t commit! I feel a name says so much about one’s personality. I want to make sure I make the right choice!

Shelvie and I wanted to make this a special moment for our family, so we decided to have an intimate dinner at our favorite restaurant, Bensi. For dessert, I made a three layer cake – the middle layer revealed the color of the baby’s gender.

Yes, buying a yellow cake mix was not the smartest decision. Art 101 – it didn’t even occur to me.. duh! So, instead of a blue cake it turned teal!! eeekk!

I had the most fun while making the banner, an idea I found via Pinterest.

This is my first attempt at making a 3-layered cake. I learned a valuable lesson – being an artist does not translate to being a cake maker! I also learned that icing acts as a glue and does wonders at hiding the flaws.. haha!

For the actual reveal, both mom’s cut the cake. I LOVE their reactions!!

You can watch a short clip of it here.

and.. You can catch up on my journey so far here.

PS.. I have 5 nieces – any advice for raising boys?!  I would LOVE to hear about your story – the joy.. the horror.. and everything in-between!!

xo

Jessica

It was one of those chance encounters that turned into a truly memorable, life-changing experience.

I met Cassie after commenting on a post for volunteer’s – she was looking for other professionals to interview for her latest blog series. It was one of those leap-before-you-look kind of things. It definitely turned out to be a win in my favor, I met a truly remarkable women and got a chance to create a website design that stretched me as a designer.

With all projects, I start by having the client send me an inspiration board – could be a folder of just images, a highly designed Photoshop collage, a link to their Pinterest board – whatever speaks to them at the time. Cassie took it one step further! She ripped pages from magazines, then added stickies telling me what she loved about the page. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE it when a client participates in their own experience! I believe it’s so important to be personally connected to what they are doing!

Cassie wanted a site that was content heavy.. “organized chaos” she called it. It was also important to her to create a unique experience for her client that maintained an editorial feel. Together, we created a site that focused on her wants, infused with her personality, while giving her clients a fresh perspective at viewing her information.

Cassie’s inspiration, torn from an assortment of magazines.

Each page had a personal touch, but my favorite was the HOME page and how it highlighted one of her favorite quotes.

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WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR NEW WEB DESIGN:
The thing that excites me the most about my new web design is the over all beauty of it. For the first time, I have a website that is exactly “me.”

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On the meet CASSIE page, you can see what’s in her bag, read the same books she is or connect to the things that set her heart on fire.

Cassie wanted a different spin on the typical “things I love” set-up. Rusty, her fabulous husband, came up with “I AM“, and Cassie filled it with all the things that contribute to her amazing personality. Again, taking charge of her own experience.. LOVES IT!!!

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WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER’S THAT MAY BE CONSIDERING A NEW WEBSITE DESIGN:
My advice to anyone who is considering a new web design is DO IT!  (Just kidding. ) My advice would be to leap fearlessly. Investing in something so large is a scary leap to take on. But you’ll not regret it.  The experience you receive alone is well worth the investment! The shiny new web design is just a perk.

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For the GALLERIES pages, Cassie wanted something unique – a design that incorporated different sections that featured explanations and a combination of font styles.

She didn’t want to do the usual gallery layout, but maintain a unique experience for her client. Within each gallery display, different layouts were created that can be interchanged or kept the same – each display highlights an individual session or a series of similar sessions.

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DID YOU HAVE ANY FEARS WHILE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS:
I definitely had fears going through the process. At times, I felt overwhelmed in making these huge decisions — not necessarily pertaining to the colors and the nit picky things– but more to the over all concept and the firm direction I wanted my brand to go. But once I made them, I flew. My brand and my art all had a cohesive direction, which further inspired me to revel in my own style.

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LOVE NOTES show off the sweet notes left behind by her clients.

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THE SWEET NOTE CASSIE LEFT BEHIND FOR ME:

Dear Jessica:

When I first started this process, my website was bleh. My brand had no definition.  Over the last few months in working with you, I’ve developed my style. I’ve given my brand a life and my work has been more inspired than ever. I know that in going through this visual identity process with you has been one of the most rewarding things I could ever do for my business. When I started, I assumed I would just be getting a slap your momma good website. What I didn’t realize is that in the end, your friendship would mean so much more to me than my visual identity –which I might add is even BETTER than I could have ever imagined.  It makes the “slap your momma good” phrase seem so 1985. Words cannot describe how confidently I’ll be showing my work from now on. It’s much like buying an entirely new outfit at the mall — the kind that was made just for you– the kind that helps show your inner beauty by making you FEEL beautiful. That’s exactly what you’ve done. Your work and your friendship have given me the tools to make my business’ beauty shine. And for that, I’m forever thankful. You are a blessing! And I’m feeling such mixed emotions now that the process is over. Because that means I’ll just have to find different excuses to email you a bazillion times a day.

Thank you again.  I cannot wait to see what plans God has in store for you.  I’m honored to have been able to work with you!

Love,
Cass

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A quick way that makes it easy for potential clients to CONTACT Cassie.

What sets Cassie’s heart ablaze! The MENTORING program is something she established to help budding photographers and is a definite MUST DO!!

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WHAT DID THIS EXPERIENCE MEAN TO YOU:
The experience with you, personally has meant so much more than the web design. While at first, I thought I was merely hiring you to design, I didn’t know at the time, but God was placing a wonderful friend in my life.

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Cassie now has a website truly authentic to her very core – reflective of her personality, attractive to her ideal client, packaged with a unique client experience. I’m so THRILLED for her!!

You can find more of Cassie..
on her WEBSITE
on FACEBOOK
on her BLOG
on PINTEREST