Vendor Profile: Hot Metal Strings
August 27, 2012
So not only is Alisa an amazing photographer (she kindly second shot for me at Jody & Brian’s wedding, and of course shoots amazing work on her own) she also plays with Hot Metal Strings, an all female string quartet. The lady knows weddings. And the ladies, as a group, are fantastic (and I know a wee bit about string quartets, I actually play a bit of violin with a local orchestra). If you’re looking for a string quartet for your ceremony (or other events), check ‘em out:
How long have you guys been a group?
We’ve been playing together as a group for about three years but only a year ago did we formalize the group by naming it, Hot Metal Strings.
How did you get together?
The musician world is so small and perhaps even smaller in a place like Pittsburgh that is tightly knit by its orchestras and various ensembles. Three of us went to school at Carnegie Mellon University at different times and have worked in the same orchestra or ensemble at one point or another so it’s easy to get to know each other and realize that we just click, not only as musicians but as people. It’s actually very cool to be able to work with people you actually enjoy being with!
What kind of training do you have?
We all have various degrees in music performance from elite institutions and have been playing our entire lives.
How many events do you do a year?
We probably play an average of 20-30 events a year
What all do you cover – ceremony, cocktail hour, etc?
Hot Metal Strings provides music for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions.
What other events do you do, besides weddings?
The group plays for all types of special events including corporate receptions, anniversaries, gallery openings, birthdays, showers, galas, etc…
What’s in your repertoire?
Our repertoire is vast and includes all the favorites and many, many more. We have a complete list on our website.
If I find sheet music, can you play a specific song?
If there is sheet music for a specific song and it is arranged for string quartet we only charge the fee for buying the sheet music (which is usually quite minimal)
Do you do any of your own arrangements?
If however, there is sheet music but an arrangement for string quartet does not exist, we can make our own arrangement for a fee per song.
What areas do you cover? Are you willing to travel outside of Pittsburgh, etc.
We cover the Pittsburgh area and a 60 mile radius around it. If the event is outside of Pittsburgh proper, a travel fee is added to the quote.
You can learn more about Hot Metal Strings on their website or their Facebook page
Do you run a business you’d like to have profiled? Hire a vendor that you love and want the world to know? Get in touch at info@mooreclick.com.
Vendor Profile: Cake Eaters Sweet Shoppe
April 2, 2012
I mentioned not long ago on Facebook that someone had found me via a search for the phrase “girl likes cake.” Which is appropriate, because this girl likes cake, and so does miss Jess Wagner of Cake Eaters Sweet Shoppe. I got to meet up with Jess at her place in Mount Lebanon, and talk about how she got started. While she’s only had the business going officially for a year, she’s been baking for a lot longer.
How did you get started?
I’ve been baking all of my life. Cake eaters was born out of wanting to do something creative.
What flavors do you offer? What type of cakes?
32 flavors and then some. I can pretty much do any type of flavor that the client can think of. Cupcakes, small cake toppers, or weddings.
Are your cakes customized, or do you have designs to choose from?
Everything is customized.
Can you do kosher, gluten-free, vegan, etc.?
Cake Eaters offers vegan, gourmet, and happy hour (boozy) cupcakes.
How does delivery work?
Delivery depends on location and is subject to a 15% fee. Depends on size, location, difficulty of set up, etc.
What events do you do, other than weddings?
Showers, private parties, banquets, or just a Friday night.
What’s your favorite cake that you’ve made?
Peach cobbler cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting with streusel topping.
You can find out more about Cake Eaters Sweet Shoppe on their Facebook page, or contact Jess at 724-944-0466. She’s based in Mount Lebanon, but always makes the effort to meet a client halfway so that they don’t have to drive too far. She’s a very cool lady, and makes amazing cupcakes. If you have an event coming up, definitely check her out.
Do you run a business you’d like to have profiled? Hire a vendor that you love and want the world to know? Get in touch at info@mooreclick.com.
Vendor Profile: Hyeholde
February 27, 2012
I first got to shoot at the Hyeholde last year, at Laura & Brian’s wedding. And as it turns out, I’ll be shooting another wedding there next week. It’s a lovely venue, and I caught up with Matthew, the Banquet Manager, to ask him a few questions about the place.
What is unique about the Hyeholde?
The building, the gardens and grounds. It feels like that you have stepped back in time.
How many guests can you host?
100 – 110
Do you offer catering in your wedding packages?
Yes. (See their menus.)
How many weddings do you host in a year?
On average, one a weekend.
Do you host ceremonies as well as receptions?
Yes. You can find out more about weddings on their site.
What other events do you hold there?
Everything from business meetings, showers, rehearsal dinners and of course weddings.
Are there recommended places on the grounds for photographs?
Anywhere on the property. (I can vouch for this, literally anywhere on the property would make a great backdrop for portraits).
See Laura & Brian’s wedding at the Hyeholde.
Vendor Profile: Enamor
January 25, 2012
Planning a wedding can get overwhelming, so I always like to keep an eye out for cool stuff to recommend to my couples. I first heard about Amie Hackworth’s work back when I shot Curtis & Emily’s wedding. She’d done a really adorable hoodie for Emily, and of course I asked where she got it. When I asked who did her cake toppers, she said “Oh, Amie did those, too.” Then when I found out that not only will she paint cake toppers to look like you and your intended, but that she’ll include the dog, too? Totally sold.
I contacted Amie about doing a short interview for the blog, and that’s below. But if you want to skip straight to ordering goodies, you can check out Enamor Weddings here.
How did you get into doing custom pieces for weddings?
I did a lot of DIY projects for my own wedding in September 2010 – table decor, reception decorations, my bouquet, and ring pillow. After the wedding was over I had this yearning to create more wedding related items. I would spend hours looking at wedding websites and would watch countless bride shows on TV. I was hooked! I decided to take a leap and open a second Etsy shop dedicated to wedding items in November of 2010. By January 2011, my shop went live, and I signed up to do a indie wedding show in St Louis, MO to see what feedback I could get from potential customers and professionals in the industry about my wares.I have been busy ever since making card boxes, ring pillows and cake toppers!
Where do you get your inspiration for pieces?
I love modern fabric patterns and colors, and the look of vintage textures and pictures. Each cake topper order is based on on photos the customer sends me. I love looking at photos of weddings, dresses, and colors on Pinterest.
Yours are some of my favorite cake toppers that I’ve seen (and I see a LOT of cake toppers), how did those come about?
I had painted a mini version of my husband and I to put on our wedding cake, and I got a lot of compliments from my family and friends about them saying, “they look just like you!”. I figured if I could paint us, I could paint others too.
Emily told me that she’d met you at a craft fair in Pittsburgh. How did you end up there?
My original business, enamor, is dedicated to hand painted and re-purposed vintage items. I do a lot of indie craft fairs around Michigan and surrounding states in addition to selling online. In April of 2011, I was a vendor at Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh. I paint all sorts of forest-type critters on clothing, bags, aprons and housewares. Emily had purchased a hooded sweatshirt from me with a whale painted on it from the show. Some months later Emily contacted me to see if I could paint her a Bride To Be sweatshirt with a deer on it because she liked the whale one so much! I was honored she remembered me and wanted something one of a kind for her big day.
When you’re not making pretty things, what else do you do?
I work full time with adolescent girls who have substance abuse, behavioral, and school problems at a boarding school. I plan all of their daily activities, and try to teach them once a month a craft, painting, or baking project. My two businesses are my “therapy’ from my day job!
If people are interested in getting some of your pieces, how can they do that?
The easiest way to order any wedding items is through my website, Enamor Weddings. Any questions can also be emailed to enamor_etsy@yahoo.com.
How far in advance would they need to order?
Cake toppers I allow at least five weeks to complete and ship, six if the order is international. Card boxes I need six weeks to complete and ship. Each set of toppers or a card box takes 10 plus hours of painting, depending on how much detail the customer wants. I would encourage anyone to order well in advance of their wedding, as I am just one artist and cannot do rush orders.
If you have a cool wedding product or service, and would like to be considered for an interview, get in touch at info@mooreclick.com
Amie Hackworth is also on Facebook, Twitter, and has a sister shop where she sells handpainted and repurposed vintage items at Enamor on Etsy.
