Artist NewsletterFEBRUARY 2015

Photo by Jaime R.

Table of Contents

LETTER FROM MATT | PAGE 2

CHANGE OF THE GUARDS | PAGE 3

STEPPING UP | PAGE 5

FEBRUARY PICKS | PAGE 9

NEW ARTISTS | PAGE 8

ARTIST CALL-OUTS | PAGE 10

MEET THE OFFICE TEAM | PAGE 7

““To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often.

—Winston Churchill

Yes. I will. Those are the words that have been uttered more in the last ninety days by girlfriends, now fiancés, than any other time of the year. There is wedding

season, the off-season and there is engagement season. From about a week before Thanksgiving until Valentine’s Day,

couples get engaged – a lot! And with their engagement, their lives begin to change.

The winds of change are sweeping through Bellagala as well. Those of you that have been with us for a while, understand there is one constant at Bellagala – change. And that’s not a bad thing. We don’t change simply for the sake of changing. We change because we are constantly learning. As we learn, we get better. As we get better, we tweek. Sometimes, we do way more than tweek, we overhaul. But rest assured, it is always about getting better and helping you get better, so that at the end of the day, together, we can offer the best quality service in the industry.

As a result of the recent change at Bellagala, you are going to meet some new BG faces in the coming weeks. A couple of those new faces, Darac and Leanne, are in our marketing department. You are reading this newsletter online, not in physical print, which is a change they have brought. We can now bring you more info on what you are doing, how you are doing it and in a more dynamic way, all while saving the company money. That’s good change.

In the coming months, you will see this newsletter monthly. Let us know if there are things that you would like to see in it. We’re always listening. Thanks for everything you all do! We wouldn’t be where we are today without your efforts.

Until the next change...

Matt RushExecutive Director

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LETTER FROM MATT

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR FORMER OPERATIONS COORDINAT0RGoodbye, Gretchen.

Happy New Year everyone! As many of you already know, I have recently welcomed my son Odin into the world (see photo below). I wanted to take a quick minute to update you on a change here at the office. First, let me start by saying,

it has been an absolute pleasure to have spent nearly seven years working with such amazing and talented

people. I have learned so much and truly enjoyed my role at Bellagala. However, after some careful consideration (and heartache) I have decided not to return to my role

as Operations Coordinator. I am sad to leave but excited to start my new full-time job as a SAHM (stay at home mom). I

will continue to be a part of the Bellagala team as a 2nd shooter photographer and look forward to being on

the other side of the fence with you. I am so excited for Erin to take over this role and am confident that she will do a wonderful job in supporting and growing our team. Here’s to

a new adventure!

Sincerely,

Gretchen Gosnell

CHANGE OF THE GUARDS

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A MESSAGE FROM YOUR NEW OPERATIONS COORDINATORHello, Erin!Hi everyone! If you’ve been in the office within the last two years, we may have already met. If not, you should probably swing by more often (haha). Although I am sad to see Gretchen go, we have worked closely together to make this transition as smooth as possible. As the former Client Services Coordinator (a.k.a. front desk lady), I have had the privilege to not only participate in operational activities but to meet and chat with many of you! I look forward to even more of that as the new Operations Manager –– and hope to grow these relationships as we continue to redefine the wedding experience together.

Sincerely,

Erin PorterOperations Coordinator

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Greetings! I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Sales Lead! As I am saddened to see Sari leave, I have also learned from one of the very best and am excited to see where 2015

takes us. I have been with the Bellagala Sales Team for over a year now, and my goal for us moving forward is to

match you up with couples for that perfect fit. How do we do this? By connecting you with the Sales Team and

having one-on-one sessions to get to know you better. So whether you’re a newbie or alumni, do not be shy as we’d

love for you to stop in and say “hello” (we also welcome wine and donuts)!

Sincerely,

Shelby ReitznerSales Lead

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR NEW SALES LEADHello, Shelby!

STEPPING UP

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AN UPDATE ON YOUR FORMER SALES MANAGER

Goodbye, Sari.

She started as an intern. She knew nothing about the wedding industry, and quite frankly, didn’t see herself spending any time in it upon completing the internship. That was almost 7 years ago.

Sari has accepted a position with the McNamara Alumni Center. She is starting another chapter in her life, and if that weren’t enough, she is getting married at the end of this month. We couldn’t be happier for her and Nate. And while it is hard to see her go, we’re excited for her and her new journey.

Sari has embodied everything that Bellagala stands for during her time with us. Her dedication, organization and willingness to learn and grow are evident in every aspect of her accomplishments at Bellagala, which are numerous. She has been vital to the transformation of this company.

In typical Sari fashion, she poured herself into those that she worked with, and we are so blessed to have one of her “students”, Shelby, to step forward and assume some of the responsibilities that she held. She’ll do great!

We are so thankful to Sari for all that she has done for Bellagala. She will be missed.

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Photo by Barclay H.

MEET THE OFFICE TEAM

your 2015 Bellagala office team!Introducing....

LEADERSHIP

TIMPresident/Founder

MATTExecutive Director

ERINOperations Coordinator

JOEFinance

SHELBYSales Lead

AMBER

DARAC LEANNE ROB TARA KAYLA

LILY SHING MIKE BRIAN

SAMANTHA RACHEL KIM KALEN

HR/DISPATCH

MARKETING

CLIENT SERVICES

TECHNOLOGY

DJ COORDINATION

POST PRODUCTION

SALES

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Welcome to the team,

we’re so excited to have you!

Johanna K. - Associate PhotographerKirsten S. - Associate PhotographerMikki P. - Associate Photographer

FEBRUARY PICKS

Photo by Jeannine P. | Hair & Make-up by Wendy Z. | Floral by Leslie Q.

Photo by Kim V. Photo by Kelly M.

Photo by Barclay H. | Floral by Jen D.

Photo by Ashley B. | Make-up by Sarah E.Disk Jockey by Andrew T.

Photo by Nick S.

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ARTIST CALL-OUTS

Word on the street is...“We couldn’t be happier with Justin. His level of interaction with guests was perfect. He accepted requests and kept the dance floor alive for nearly 5 hours! He was fantastic to work with from start to finish! Definitely spend the extra money and go with a DJ you can be in touch with throughout the planning process; it’s worth it to have complete piece of mind and know your evening is in the hands of professional who has perfected his craft. Working with Justin was a delight; he comes highly recommended!” –Kimberely & Grant

“Mariah! Thank you again for the amazing job you did on my makeup. You are such a doll, and I never have felt more glamorous in my life. I cried all day long yet my makeup stayed flawless. Everyone could not believe how amazing it was! I got a million compliments.” –Deanne

“Thank you Adam for making everything so seamless at our wedding. We had a wonderful time and surprisingly felt so comfortable being filmed. From what we could tell you were a superstar capturing everything!” –Sophie & James

“Angela was phenomenal to work with! She was easily accessible throughout the planning process and was very flexible in making sure everything was figured out. She was very receptive to what we wanted while bringing in her own ideas. She was amazing at taking candid pictures and was great at getting all the posed shots that she wanted. She even braved the cold to get us outdoor pictures! We could not have asked for a better experience!” –Kelley & Dallton

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BELLAGALA255 EAST 6TH STREET • ST. PAUL, MN 55101

651.227.1202 • BELLAGALA.COM