As some of you may have noticed, things have changed quite a bit around here. If you’re reading this using a blog subscription service such as Bloglines or Google Reader, please CLICK HERE to come over to my site and check out the new look!
After five and a half months of planning and waiting, I am so happy to present my new brand to all of you. It has been a long time coming, and a lot of heart (and money!) has gone into gathering the right team to help make my vision a reality.
When I relaunched my business in June of last year, I knew that creating my new brand would be a long and involved process, and I would need to hire a professional to truly do it right. That professional was the one and only Ashley Jankowski of For the Love of Creating and the new design boutique Luxecetera. I can’t say enough good things about this woman. She was such a godsend for me! She is the epitome of professional, she has fantastic ideas, she’s patient and understanding, and most importantly, she’s incredible at what she does. If any of you are looking for a new brand, I HIGHLY recommend going to Luxecetera and getting on their waiting list ASAP. They are so talented, and in my opinion their rates are extremely reasonable, especially considering the quality of their work. Your brand is the heart of your business, and it’s worth investing in. You will not be disappointed!
My logo, and a bundle of dried lavender. My logo, which Ashley created, was obviously the central part of the brand, but the lavender played an important part. It represents a lot of things I love – nature, calmness, femininity, antiquity, and a Southern charm – and it smells great, to boot! While brainstorming with Ashley I offered the idea of incorporating this somehow, and she translated that into some very elegant but subtle touches.
This is my favorite piece, and was also something that had a big influence on everything I did. I first got the idea from a post on one of my favorite websites, Elizabeth Anne Designs. They had featured some adorable Save The Date Handkerchiefs, and I loved the soft, romantic feel they had. I contacted Erin at Lucky Luxe Correspondence and she found a lot of vintage hankies for me to use as unique business cards. I love that each one is different, and that they have all had previous owners. It’s neat to think of what the stories behind each handkerchief might be, and the path they traveled to become my new business card. Thanks Erin for creating these for me!
Ashley did an amazing job of creating all of my marketing materials.
I’m especially in love with this pricing guide that I’ll be presenting to potential clients who meet with me.
Appointment cards (from WHCC). These are so adorable, I can’t wait to start sending them out!
Stamp from RubberStamps.net
New CD Packaging for digital negatives (from Cypress Albums)
Postcards, pens, referral cards, and post-it notes (from GotPrint, VistaPrint, WHCC, and VistaPrint, respectively)
Note cards/Thank You Notes from WHCC
Tote bags! Anyone want one? They’re perfect for carrying around at bridal shows ;)
So what inspired my brand? In my opinion, it’s really important for a brand to be reflective of both the business and the people who use the product/service. Thus, the first step for me was to sit down and think about my clients – who they are, what they do, what appeals to them, etc. As I thought about my brides old and new, the one common thread I saw was that they all embodied a modern Southern lady. My brides are beautiful, elegant, and classy, but never stuffy or uptight. They strongly value family, heritage, and personal relationships. They’re fond of tradition but willing to put a modern spin on things. Most importantly, they are all friendly and welcoming to everyone around them. That is the Stacy Reeves bride, and that is who I want my business to appeal to. Ashley took that description and created a beautiful brand that I could not be happier with.
I learned a few things during this process:
- Hire the right person. Choose a professional, someone with experience and a great portfolio and a design aesthetic that you love. This is not the time to hire a crafty friend or a design student or a startup designer.
- Be prepared to invest time and money. This process isn’t cheap or fast, and is just as valuable, if not more so, than a cool new camera or lens. I started working on my brand in June of last year, got on Ashley’s waiting list in November, began working with her in February, and finally went live with it in April. Although I got very impatient at times, taking nearly a year gave me the opportunity to look past trends and “cool ideas” and really identify exactly what I wanted, something that I will stick with for a long time to come.
- Know your target market. Know who your average client is, what they like, where they shop, what appeals to them, what turns them off, etc. Identifying these things will give both you and your designer a good reference point for where to start. Also keep in mind that more than likely you’ll need a different brand for each type of photography you do.
- Trust your designer. Assuming you hired a professional, they have a successful business for a reason. They know the difference between a fad, a trend, and a style, and they are trained to be able to take what you like and translate that into good design. During my process, whenever I was torn or unsure, I deferred to Ashley’s judgment, and it always turned out to be the perfect choice.
Again, I strongly recommend giving the girls at Luxecetera a call. They are extremely talented, and I know they will take good care of you and your business!
Here’s the whole suite. I’m so excited and relieved to finally have a brand that I adore!
Jason Huang - dang, balllaaaa!!! this is an incredible advancement for your brand stacy! i'm excited for and jealous of you, but slightly more excited! congrats! :-p
Tracy Allyn Croysdale - Gorgeous!!! The whole thing... I love it all! Congratulations, Stacy!
Sarah Neal - Oh my gosh.... this stuff is INCREDIBLE. I am a graphic designer full time, a photographer part time. You REALLY got some amazing stuff. Well done.
Jennifer Jasiczek - Gorgeous! Just Gorgeous! Never in my wildest dreams did I think all those teasers would reveal this. WOW!
Crystal - I am going through this process right now, thanks for the great info Stacy! Your new Brand looks fabulous!
ChristanP - W-O-W! I was trying to think of something really cool or funny to say but all I can think of is wow, you nailed it! Can I borrow your brain for a few months to redo my brand? ;)
stacyreeves - No need - Just hire Ashley :)
Kelly Simants - Stacy, your new branding is truly incredible!! I especially love your handkerchief business cards! What a unique idea that your clients are going to love! Congrats on this huge milestone!
Lisa Taft - Wow! Gooooooorgeous! Very lovely and classy! =)
ken kienow - oh. mah. gah.
Catie Ronquillo - Congrats on the new brand!! It's beautiful as are all of your marketing materials!! :)
benj haisch - uhmazing
Joe Kennedy - That's pretty spectacular, Stacy. Good job all around!
Robb Duncan - Wow Stacy !!! WOW !! WOW !! WOW !! Lost for words, this is all soooooo Awesome !! Congrats !!
Dennis Bullock - It looks great Stacy! Congrats!
Christy Lynn - Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! I love every detail.
Laci Boston - Congrats Stacy! I love your new look & I am excited for you!!
Bunny - Your new brand is elegant and beautiful! Congratulations to you and your business. Kudos to you for thanking the people/companies who helped to make your brand what it is. Credit where credit is due, but you still take the cake for being the driving force. Good luck in 2009 and beyond!
JA2 - I'm suddenly feeling a little illegitimate and unprofessional ... and it's all because you had to go and show off your personal rubber stamp!!! :-) Seriously ... awesome work in capturing the essence of timeless.
porter - very, very nice! Well done...
Rob Her - Stacy, I see you're doing well...REALLY WELL! LOVE IT!
Alen Abdula - amazing new look!!!
craig j stodola - BOOM! Goes the dynamite. WOW! Well done Stacy.
Kat Braman - Beautiful details and you can really see the lavender inspiration. Love the little handkerchiefs.
Hilary - Wow! This is all fantastic. Congratulations on a fabulous new brand. I love the rubber stamp!
Erwin Layaoen - AWESOME! I always visit your website to view/read and get inspired. I was more shock and excited when I saw your new identity. TRUELY AMAZING!
Megan - Wow! Everything looks so great! Congrats on the new branding! :)
Ceece - wow looks really really great. I'm a sucker for great packaging!
Beki - uh, wow! So jealous! Everything looks is gorgeous and wonderful!
lara hanlon photography - Stacy, I love it! I love everything about it. And NOW I see the buzz about your new un-business cards. :) You guys were a great team and every single detail fits you perfectly. Yay you!
Jeremy Gilliam - So many cool things here Stacy! Well done and congratulations!
John Cachero - Wow, Stacy. This is PRO branding. Everything looks amazing. Congratulations! And kudos to the women at Luxecetera for putting this impressive overhaul together.
Brian Calabrese - Stacy your always on top of your game ! I am going to be redoing my branding soon. GREAT WORK. FANTASTIC DESIGN !
Cherron - Oh, Stacy! These are all beautiful. Very well worth the wait, I think. I love it.
Alex - Absolutely gorgeous Stacy!! I am so happy for you. And I want a tote bag! ;) Hehe
Marianne Wilson - Everything looks amazing Stacy!! Congrats!
Brienne Griffin - Wow, Stacy, the new look is amazing! You must be beside yourself with glee. I'm loving everything!
lisa rigby - Stacy I LOVE all of these touches. Your branding consultant really did a beautiful job, and you've thought of everything! So much inspiration here!
James Bitz - Wow! I am blown away every time I visit your blog Stacy, but this time I almost fell out of my chair!
stacyreeves - Alex, I was already planning on sending you one ASAP! PS :: I thought of you the other day and immediately craved a crepe.. We totally have to get together the next time I am in Houston!
Amber Hughes - This is AH-MA-ZINNG! I love all your promotional materials! Totebags and vintage napkins? Killer ideas and so unique! I think it's fantastic too how your brand is there in every little detail... like the little lavender icons in subtle places. No matter where you look you think 'Stacy Reeves - The Wedding Photographer'. Thanks for all the great info on your process... I'm sure there's a number of us who have a LOT to think about now thanks to you. This brand is so awesome it's going to spur a whole wave of re-branders!
Kristen Morgan - So beautiful and so you. Congrats and enjoy!
Roberta Cotter - Wow, Stacy! This all looks amazing. i just love everything here. congrats :)
Mariana Maya - Stacy!! this is so amazing! You are truly an inspiration! Lots of hugs and wishes for continued success!!
John Heil - wow, really great collection of items! awesome branding style!
Stacy McPeek-Smith - This is fantastic Stacy!! I love it!!
emily - Wow girl wow, this looks absolutely stunning. Your designer did a great job, I love all the details! I am sure all of this will take you to the next level! West of luck to you lady.
jess - lurve it all ;) i really want to work with them but never heard back, guess i need to keep trying :)
Kim Kalyn - HOLY SMOKES lady !! This ... all of it ... looks phenomenal. What a fabulous job. I love everything about it. I am sure it will work wonders for you :)
John Morgali - Holeeeeey Cow! thats pretty amazing stuff there. I'm so jealous! Congrats.
Ami @ Elizabeth Anne Designs - everything is just gorgeous! so glad we could be of a little inspiration. :) xox!
Kate - Congrats Stacey - that is really beautiful - and really you. I have just had my first branding consultation with a pro designer and I'm very excited about the process. Thank you once again for so generously sharing.
Kate - I meant Stacy, not Stacey :-) [sorry]
Jennifer Elaine - Wow! Everything is so beautiful and unique! I love love love the handkerchiefs!
Bethany Murphy - WOW! That is all I have to say :) I am in the process of enhancing and changing some things with my business and I have been so excited with what is to come. When I came across this post, it made me even more excited! You have done an AMAZING job with everything. It is so well thought out and you can just see who you are through it. I know how much time and money has gone into this and I just want to say it was well worth it! I can't wait to see where your business takes you :) Hugs, Bethany
Gail Kelly - Hi Stacy - Your new branding looks totally fab. Really hi-quality like your photography! I am a graphic designer/ amateur photographer & really enjoy coming on to look at your amazing pics for inspiration & now your amazing branding - also glad to see you hired a professional they have done a great job. Can I ask where did you get the really cute slipcase for your referral cards from? Loving it ;-)
stacyreeves - Hi Gail! The slipcase was from Paper Presention (www.paperpresentation.com), it's their business card size envelope. Love it!
Gail Kelly - Thanks Stacy ;-) I know i've said already but it all looks really great!!!
Sarah - I have been a long time blog stalker and I LOVE your work! Your new branding is absolutely fabulous! Keep the good stuff coming!
Alex Griffin - Stunning...Congratulations...can't wait to see all this stuff....one day!
Dana Goodson - I love your new stuff! Looks awesome. :o)
La Kaye Mbah - This is so gorgeous and so you. Congrats on the new look. I continue to be inspired by you & your work!
Phat Photographer - Incredible. I'd remarry my wife just to get some of this packaging.
Sasha - Wow, Stacy!!! Thank you so much for sharing all of this information. When it's time for me to overhaul my branding, I will definitely be calling Luxecetera. Everything they have done for you is just incredible, the most beautiful, elegant, thematic branding I have ever seen. There are just no words for everything I love about it. Thank you so much again for sharing!
Kirsten - Congrats! The branding is truly awesome!!!
Daniel Lamont - stunning!
Eliana@BYSE - AMAZING! Is all I can say. I have never seen branding executed to perfection until now.
Rachael - WOW, WOW, and WOW! Beautiful. The time and personal touches you put into it will make all the difference! One day....One day I hope to achieve this kind of professionalism!!!
Stacy McEnaney :) - I am in LOVE with this logo. It is everything that symbolizes YOU and your amazing talent. It is so classy but yet so modern. And on my wedding day...the lavender was just so nice to smell:) Thank you for being you Stace. You are fabulous.
mari - wow - your new branding material looks amazing! very jealous : )
Emma - I know you posted this FOREVER ago, but I just came across you via Luxecetera! Your branding is just gorgeous! I love the hankie :). Would you mind telling me where you got your totes printed? I'm looking to make some for a friend's bridesmaids and of course the bride! Your work is beautiful :) Hope you had a wonderful new year!
Elizabeth - I love all of your packaging!!! I was wondering where you got the tote bags with your logo on them?
Sarah - Absolutely beautiful and completely inspiring to get off my duff and brand myself. It's timeless and I love it all! Congrats!