Interview - The Royal Gazette | Bermuda + Wedding Industry Finances + Covid-19
We’ve received some good news for Bermuda’s Wedding Industry: Premier Burt recently announced that small wedding ceremonies with ten people or less - including the officiant - are now permitted during Phase 1 of reopening. With this announcement, The Royal Gazette asked if they could speak with me about how Covid-19 has financially affected the wedding industry on the island. Emily of Bermuda Event Solutions and Nikki Begg of Bermuda Bride were also interviewed; two amazing wedding planners I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I’m looking forward to capturing small ceremonies and elopements - our first one is only a few weeks away and I plan to wear an N95 mask, gloves, shoot with long lenses, and keep a wide distance between myself and the clients.
~ Elopements & Small Ceremony Portfolio - Click “Here” ~
We’ve received some good news for Bermuda’s Wedding Industry: Premier Burt recently announced that small wedding ceremonies with ten people or less - including the officiant - are now permitted during Phase 1 of reopening. With this announcement, The Royal Gazette asked if they could speak with me about how Covid-19 has financially affected the wedding industry on the island. Emily of Bermuda Event Solutions and Nikki Begg of Bermuda Bride were also interviewed; two amazing wedding planners I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I’m looking forward to capturing small ceremonies and elopements - our first one is only a few weeks away and I plan to wear an N95 mask, gloves, shoot with long lenses, and keep a wide distance between myself and the clients.
~ Elopements & Small Ceremony Portfolio - Click “Here” ~
Of course, there are many factors that play a part in the wedding industry other than finances and the current global economic strife. First and foremost: the LOVE and DEVOTION between my couples is the cornerstone of the wedding industry, along with emotional moments during the actual ceremony, hilarious speeches, epic reception dance parties, and the smiles on my clients’ faces when they receive their photos; all of this is the heart of the wedding industry. But - this interview with The Royal Gazette was about finance and although it pains me to think about math (yuck) - Fiander Foto would not exist without it. On that note, a special “shout out” to all the math teachers I ever had; you all deserve a gold medal.
Just like many other businesses, the pandemic has rocked the wedding industry in Bermuda, which is directly linked to tourism. My clients - who mostly fly down from the USA, Canada, or the UK for a week-long trip - choose Bermuda as their destination location because a) the landscape is gorgeous and b) they enjoy the amazing hospitality that’s offered on our island. There are many different small businesses and large companies involved with Bermuda's wedding industry: photographers, videographers, wedding planners, dressmakers, shop owners, officiants, airlines, hotels, vacation rentals, musicians, DJs, florists, hair and make-up artists, transportation, boat rentals, bakeries, those who focus on lighting and decoration, graphic designers, print shops - the list goes on!
Couples, their family members, and guests stay in Bermuda anywhere from 4 days to a week and a half on average. Within that amount of time, they may opt to dine out at restaurants, visit the island’s many parks and beaches, take public transportation, rent an electric car, or venture out on the good ole “pink and blue” (public bus). They may opt for a fishing or boating charter with Early Bird Charters, check out the Lili Bermuda Perfumery in St. George’s, or to book a tour through Winnow. Each one of these companies has their own assistants, employees, and interns. For each wedding that does not occur, hundreds of people will miss the opportunity to earn a living.
Let’s focus on the good news: being able to allow small ceremonies in Bermuda is a start to the wedding industry being able to recover from this financial disaster. If you have ever day-dreamed about eloping, now is the time! As members of our community - both near and far - we have a responsibility to proceed with caution to help slow the spread of Covid-19. Please click “here” to read the full article; beautifully written by Paul Johnson. In the interview, I was asked if it’s a good idea for Bermuda to start out with small ceremonies and how the current travel ban is affecting the industry:
When it comes to Covid-19, I think it is wise for the wedding industry to reopen slowly and one of the ways to ensure this is to place a limit on the amount of people attending a ceremony… As much as I’d love to photograph a larger wedding right now, we still need to be careful to help slow the spread of the virus.”
Ms Fiander agreed reopened borders were crucial to the sector. She warned: “Without this happening, the wedding industry along with several other industries that depend on tourism will not thrive and, maybe, will not survive.”
We’ll get back to the “good ole days” of large weddings and dance parties, it’ll just take time. Sending positive vibes to all my clients - and - to all my co-workers in the wedding industry. I miss seeing and working with all of you on the weekends. Hang in there! #chooseBDA
Fiander Foto: Stress Free Experience with Coronavirus
I don’t know about you - but - the last few weeks have been a little stressful with the daily updates on the Coronavirus. I wanted to reach out to the amazing “Fiander Foto Family” and touch on a few things regarding this virus and how it may relate to your bookings, rescheduling, and cancellations. In short, I’d like to ensure a stress free booking experience as we all navigate these “uneasy waters” surrounding the coronavirus.
We try to ensure a stress-free experience when working with Fiander Foto as we navigate through this pandemic. Please click on the button below to access the latest update to our Covid-19 Leniency Policy - last updated on 9.27.22. This PDF is updated on a quarterly basis; please be sure to check back in for updates.
We are happy to work with you surrounding the dilemmas you may face regarding the Coronavirus. For those who have any questions, please feel free to email me (melanie@fianderfoto.com) and/or give me a buzz on my cell phone: 1-441-516-6498. Last but not least, we’d also like to thank all of our awesome clients for booking with us and trusting us to capture these important moments in your lives. We’re looking forward to the upcoming wedding and tourist seasons with gusto (and some extra hand sanitizer and elbow bumps).
De Shop - Portion of Proceeds Donated to VA & BDA Covid-19 Crisis
Well - Covid-19 has cause quite a few issues around the globe I would say. My husband and I - both of us being small business owners - have felt the raft quite hard already. Although we still want to help out in any creative way we can. A few months ago, I launched a very silent temporary shop for various types of framed prints and photo products. The launch was so silent that I only told my folks - my #1 Fiander Fans. I say temporary shop because I’m currently in the process of working with WpCustom to have an official launch with a new website in the coming months. In attempts to help out with the Covid-19 Crisis, I wanted to share my temporary shop publicly. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Arlington Food Assistance Center in Virginia (my home state) and Meals on Wheels in Bermuda.
Well - Covid-19 has caused quite a few issues around the globe. My husband and I - both of us being small business owners - have felt the wrath quite hard already, although we still want to help out in any creative way we can. A few months ago, I launched a very silent temporary shop for various types of framed prints and photo products. The launch was so silent that I only told my folks - my #1 Fiander Fans. I say temporary shop because I’m currently in the process of working with WpCustom to have an official launch with a new website in the coming months.
In attempts to help out with the Covid-19 Crisis, I wanted to share my temporary shop publicly. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Arlington Food Assistance Center in Virginia (my home state), Meals on Wheels in Bermuda, and the CDC.
Whether you’re looking for a gift certificate, a nicely framed print, iPhone case, backpacks, clocks, tote bags, coasters, or a credenza - because who doesn’t need a good credenza, right? - I’ve got you covered! All pieces are inspired by my daily work as a photographer, traveling, and of course - coffee & cats.
Feature - Scottish Wedding | "Dress Stories"
Special thanks to Scottish Weddings for putting together a “wee” write-up about my super-awesome bride, Janine, and her two wedding dresses! Janine had a brilliant approach to finding her wedding dress(es): she rented one and borrowed the other. You can read all about her rented dress from Still White and her grandmother’s borrowed wedding dress by clicking “here”.
Special thanks to Scottish Weddings for putting together a “wee” write-up about my super-awesome bride, Janine, and her two wedding dresses! Janine had a brilliant approach to finding her wedding dress(es): she rented one and borrowed the other. You can read all about her rented dress from Still White and her grandmother’s borrowed wedding dress by clicking “here”.
Feel free to check out Janine’s entire wedding day at Errol Park Estate by clicking “here”
Wedding: Dee & Drew - Lowndes Grove - Charleston, SC
I had a wonderful time photographing Dee & Drew’s Wedding in Charleston, South Carolina - held right in the heart of the city at Lowndes Grove. There was no shortage of southern charm here, that’s for sure!
Photography: Fiander Foto
Venue: Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina
Wedding Planner: Erin Altman of Ooh! Events
Beauty: Ashley Campbell of Vanity Salon Bridal Hair/Make Up
Catering + Bar: Kailin Good of PPHG (Patrick Properties Hospitality Group)
Band: Soul Fish
Florals: Kaitlyn Haas of Out of the Garden
Rentals: Ooh! Events & Snyder Events
Transportation: Lowcountry Valet
Feature - Rangefinder Magazine | "Wedding Proposal Game Plan"
Many thanks to Rangefinder Magazine for sharing my story on how I captured Mark & Chanel’s proposal!
“When thinking about photographing proposals overall, Fiander says it’s important to have a backstory or ruse, so to speak. “The ruse I come up with for my clients depends on the location of their proposal,” she explains. “I’ll ask if the proposer wants to pop the question at one of Bermuda’s beautiful beaches, nature reserves or historic landmarks. If the clients have extra time, they may opt to propose at one location and then take engagement photos at a second nearby location. In some situations, the client may tell their significant other that they’ve booked a photo tour, which would explain why I appear with two cameras. Or I may pose as a landscape photographer and allow the client to approach me at the pre-selected location and ask me for a photo.”
Check out the whole article on Rangefinder Magazine “here”.
Social Media Giveaway - See What's Shakin'
We’re launching our first social media giveaway - HOORAY! Check out the post for more details.
Engagement: Shana & Andrew at The Hamilton Princess in Bermuda
We’re launching our first social media giveaway - HOORAY! Win a FREE 60min engagement session or an extra hour of shoot time at your wedding - your choice - when booking a full day wedding package! We are deep into the booking season for 2020 - so - we figured we’d have some fun with it!
Click “here” and find the corresponding picture and enter the competition with these easy steps:
Follow @fianderfoto on Instagram (and/or on Facebook)
Once on Fiander Foto’s Instagram or Facebook page, like, comment, and tag a friend.
Send an email with your preference: melanie@fianderfoto.com
Winners will be announced shortly!
Award - WeddingWire Couples' Choice 2020
~ WOW ~
I’m super stoked to be selected for a third time as one of the WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Awards for 2020 as a Photography Vendor in Bermuda! This award is for those in the top 5% of the wedding business! A special thank you to my clients ~ this award is for all of you! I also want to congratulate all the local Bermudian businesses who won the award for their category. Cheers!
Stylized Winter Wedding: Nashville, Tennessee
I had an amazing time working on this stylized shoot with Callie Lindsay! Check out the blog post to see our list of vendors!
I had an amazing time working on this stylized shoot with Callie Lindsay! Below are our list of vendors:
Venue #1: The Franklin Farmhouse | Venue #2: Harlinsdale Farm
Florals: Swank Floral & Interiors | Stationary: Empress Stationary
Models: Katelin & Chris August | Hair/Make-Up: Katelin August
Holiday - See What's Shakin'
The holiday season is just around the corner! See what’s shakin’ at Fiander Foto!
