JUNE 25, 2021
The Press Special Edition • Summer 2021
Photo courtesy of Shannon Rosen/Bay Area Fotowagen
Brentwood couple uses VW Bus to provide wedding photography
P
TIM EPPERSON
and-wife team has an easy solution
lanning a wedding can
to relieve the stress of finding a
often be a stressful
photographer with their business,
experience. One husband-
Bay Area Fotowagen.
The Brentwood entrepreneurs, Eric and Janel Behne, converted a 1971 Volkswagen Microbus into a photo studio that is portable and can be set up outside any wedding event, such as the ceremony itself or a
wedding reception. Inside the van, wedding guests can have photographs taken by a professional photographer. The photos are four-photo photo strips. Each guest who has see Photography page 15
Mark London Design serves your jewelry needs
S
K A I T LY N G L E E S O N
blue stones in their necklaces, to repair
omething old, something new,
a family heirloom, or to create some-
something borrowed, some-
thing new and unique for their special
thing blue.” We all know the old
day. For Mark London, of Mark London
rhyme that tells us the necessary pieces of a bridal outfit. More often than not, one of these traditional requirements is met through the jewelry adorning the bride-to-be. Some may choose to have
Design, he is all too familiar with custom jewelry and the importance it can hold with his clients. London has been in the jewelry business for 50 years and began his work in Brentwood four years ago. It started in Santa Cruz, when
he was 19 years old. “There was always an artist inside of me as a young person,” London recalled in an interview. “Instead of getting a job, I found a bead store that was for sale. I sold beads and findings to make jewelry.” While running this business, a man eventually came in who introduced London to casting. Being enthralled and enamoured by this specialized line of work, young London began to read books, take classes, and learn more about casting, stone setting, and jewelry design. In the long run, he spent most of his career where he was raised, hosting his first store in Napa, California.
Back to the present, London now employs computer-aided design, which often helps him create designs with the customer right next to him. Despite the 6,000 individuals currently on his mailing list, he usually works between two to 12 clients at one time. Even more so, he prides himself on his ability to design and create jewelry that is unique to the customer with whom he is working. “I try not to follow trends,” he explained, “I try to make things that are a little different and interesting. For my customers, I try to tailor things to their see Jewelry page 14
14
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Jewelry from page 13 personality, even if we are starting with something that they saw previously.” The benefit of unique, personalized jewelry design is one of the many positive characteristics to be seen in Mark London Design. When asked further about current trends for jewelry design, London articulated that, “So much of the jewelry that is popular and promoted heavily by companies that market on a larger scale has a strong reliance on retro designs and pieces that were popular between the 1920s and 1930s styles. These are combined with what we would consider contemporary arcs and open work.” Taking into consideration the current trends, as well as the personality and characteristics of the client with whom London is working, he designs and creates jewelry that best meets client needs. Rather than going to a store that mass produces the same piece, custom jewelry poses the advantage of a unique, special look on a special day. Due to the expertise of London, he was asked to share any advice that he would have for individuals looking into buying jewelry in this marital season. He said, “Importantly, if you have some time to do a little research, especially if you’re buying diamonds, you want to understand something about how diamonds are rated, sold, and priced, and what the competitive rates are. If you are interested in buying what is available now — lab-grown diamonds or naturally mined diamonds — I advise my customers to make sure they know where their stones are coming from so they can feel confident about what they are
Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Gleeson
Jewelry Designer and Crafter Mark London creates his own models through both hand-carving and 3D printing. buying.” For individuals who care more about the ethical implication of the diamonds they are purchasing, this advice is particularly important to keep in mind when making decisions about their jewelry. If an individual is interested in getting in contact with Mark London Designs, they can text or email him at (514) 850-4653 or mark@ marklondondesign.com. Ideally, one should begin meeting with London three months in advance or longer. However, if the project and design were simple enough, he could create something in a shorter time period. On top of the unique designs, London mentioned, “I always make sure that my customers are happy with the piece if I have designed it for them.” This means that for a bride-to-be in this wedding season, what matters most for this custom jewelry maker is that everything be as the client needs it to be. This can stand as reassurance for people as they make their wedding plans.
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Photography from page 13
over the Greater Bay Area, including the their pictures taken will receive a copy and North, South and East Bay Area. They have the wedding couple will also receive each also provided their service to events in the copy in the form of a photobook saved on a Napa wine country. He said the first year, in flash drive at the end of the event. 2015, Bay Area Fotowagen reserved about “Ninety five percent of our business eight weddings and they expect to book at comes from weddings,” said Eric Behne. least 30 events in the coming year. “Business has really picked up since The cost to COVID started and this year we are hire Bay Area booked well into 2022.” Fotowagen varies Behne got the idea to start between $1,200this business after he and his $1,800 depending wife restored a 1961 Volkswagen on the size of the Beetle. event and how far “We thought a microbus they have to travel. would make a perfect, mobile “Bay Area photo studio,” he said. Fotowagen was born The couple looked online to from equal parts find a classic Microbus. They found passion and desire, the 1971 van in New Hampshire. according to the “The Microbus was less company website. expensive there than in California The van is equipped with an “While making plans because they’re not as popular,” 18 megapixel Canon DSLR for our own wedding he said. digital camera. day, we knew we Eric Behne said he shipped wanted to have a great the stock, original Microbus to California photo booth to capture memories with our and went to work on restoring the interior. friends and family. After all, it’s a great way He said the couple built a custom interior to provide our guests with a photo keepsake complete with hardwood flooring and a and memorable images for us as well. We bench for people to sit on while having quickly concluded that the typical booths they’re pictures taken. He said he also leave something to be desired.” installed a big video screen inside the bus so Those interested in hiring Bay Area people could view their pictures. Fotowagen for their wedding events can The Behnes started the business with contact Janel Behne at 925-354-6382 or very little advertising and business rapidly through the company’s website at bayareapicked up through word of mouth. The Behnes have photographed weddings all fotowagen.com
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Savings strategies for weddings
T
he question was popped; the engagement ring presented. What’s the next step on the
road to the wedding? Saving should definitely be on couples’ minds. A wedding is likely the most costly party couples will ever throw. According to The Knot’s 2019 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $33,900. There are many different costs associated with weddings. Some are predictable, while others are unexpected. Investopedia says the vast majority of couples budget too little for their weddings and also end up spending more than they had planned. Various strategies can make it easier to save for a wedding and avoid a post-wedding financial hangover. ♦ Get informed It’s impossible to budget for a wedding and ultimately save without knowledge of what services and items cost in the region where you live. A wedding in New York City will be expensive, while a wedding in Mississippi will cost a lot less, indicates SuperMoney’s guide to wedding costs. Conduct some research and find out what photographers, florists, transportation providers, reception halls, and wedding wardrobe vendors charge for common services. This will paint a vivid picture of what a wedding may cost in your area. ♦ Flesh out the budget Once you have gathered estimates, you can then figure out a financial goal.
An analysis of your spending habits will likely reveal areas where you can scale back so you can devote more funds to wedding savings. This also is when you can determine where to rein in spending and where you might want to splurge. If having a video memory of the wedding is not a top priority, you can skip videography services. If you have a special flower that you like, you may want to budget more for that bloom even if it isn’t in season. ♦ Set up a dedicated savings account One of the easiest ways to save for big-ticket items like a wedding, home purchase or other financial goals is to use an automatic savings account that may be available through your bank or employer. An automatic savings plan will pull a set amount from a personal checking account into a savings account through auto-draft. The bride and groom can link individual checking accounts to one savings account to contribute jointly. ♦ Avoid overspending An analysis of your spending habits will likely reveal areas where you can scale back so you can devote more funds to wedding savings. Do you need a takeout
Photo courtesy of Metro Creative
There are many different costs associated with weddings. Some are predictable, while others are unexpected. coffee in the morning or can you brew a pot at home? Might you be able to scale back on streaming services? Do you feel comfortable buying less expensive store brand groceries over name brands? Small cost savings can quickly add up. ♦ Add up gifts Factor in deduction of expenses that other people will commit to covering for wedding expenses, but only if you have concrete confirmation. A parent may host
the rehearsal dinner. One’s relative may offer to pass down an antique wedding gown to wear. But rather than simply removing these gifts from your savings calculations, keep them as a safety net to put toward unforseen expenses. Saving for a wedding can be challenging. But various strategies can help couples plan their dream weddings without breaking the bank. – Courtesy of Metro Creative
Worship Services Immaculate Heart of Mary
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