Last year, I made a commitment to give away one free wedding package each year to a couple who had lost a parent. My mom passed away before I was married, and not having her on my wedding day with me was heartbreaking. There is so much community in loss. It's an odd community. A bittersweet one. But a community, nonetheless...
How to adequately write about Katie + Eytan's gorgeous backyard wedding? I have no good words to describe the colorful hydrangeas, the precious sunshine mixed with rain, the whimsical gown, the elegant guests, the incredible band. I have no words to explain Eytan's bow when he saw Katie walk down the aisle, no words to express Katie's dad's sweet expressions, no words to capture Katie's calm and sweet and dear demeanor, no words to hold on to the heart flutters of everyone who was captivated by Katie + Eytan's duet at the end of their reception...
If you know me, you know I pretty much live and breathe by Instagram. I think social media is absolutely incredible, and the connections that it brings into my life are not only invaluable for my business, but also totally for my heart.
Sweet, sweet Danielle was my very first inquiry on Instagram ever. I about died when I read in her contact form that she found me there. Our first meeting was adorable, and her sparkly eyes and calm spirit were so much goodness - those eyes sparkle even more when Justin is around. :)
Panera Bread cafes are where a lot of my wedding consultations happen. The smell of yummy soup and bread, tasty tea and coffee, and cute cookies contributes to the overall sweetness of these meetings. The first consultation with a clientfriend is one of my favorite things. I imagine it to be kind of like a first date, where you are mutually excited/nervous/curious in the beginning, but then you hit it off, and just talk and talk and talk for time on end. That's how it was when I met Nicole. I could tell she was my kind of people as soon as I handed her a coffee...
My mom died before I was even engaged, which was truly heartbreaking to me. Her biggest dream was to see her daughters get married. Growing up, we talked a lot about weddings. We talked about gowns and rings and how she prayed for us to marry the perfect person.
We talked. I miss that.
The anniversary of Mum's death is July 16. 6 years. So, sometimes, July sucks. But this year, July is going to be awesome. Why?
Because I'm giving away a wedding.
Yes. For real. This is not a joke.
I'm giving away a wedding package for the upcoming 2018 season.
Shana + Rob are what I refer to as the realest of the real. I remember meeting them at our initial consultation, and thinking, Wow - these people feel like old friends; I could talk to them for days. Seriously. They are confident, but kind. They were excited, but down-to-earth. Their wedding day was gorgeous, and oh so them...
I teared up when Lori + George's wedding was over. For real. Happy tears, but also sad tears. Because it was over. Two years of planning. Two years of texting back and forth. Two years of dreaming about this incredible day. I kind of feel like one of my limbs has been cut off without being able to say "xyz number of days left - eeee!" to Lori. It feels a little weird. You see, I have been with these two souls for 24 whole months; they booked me for their fabulous wedding day in 2015, and it has been my absolute joy to walk with them along this path.
When Lori + George's officiant was offering a small message during their marriage ceremony, he mentioned that these two loves scored the highest anyone could score on a compatibility test during their marriage counseling. Truth be told, it wasn't that surprising. ;) Lori is to George what the sun is to the moon; brightness that is continually reflected between two beings. Their hearts are intertwined in some of the most beautiful of ways...
I recently began offering albums as an add-on option for my sweet wedding clientfriends, and received my first sample album in the mail this past week. It was like I was opening up my OWN wedding album when I took it out of the wrapping - I was THAT excited. You better believe I'll be carrying this to every meeting and consultation I ever do from here on out...
Alex + Kevin are the type of people you always want to be around. They are magnetic with their wit and cheerfulness, and draw others to them easily with their compassion and kindness. They love to encourage others, and it's evident in every part of every interaction with them. They are givers, and they exude a special type of goodwill that you can't quite put your finger on, but you know you want it in your life...
It's funny how certain memories stick. I remember very vividly meeting Jamie + Nick for the first time. They dreamt of their gorgeous farm wedding with me. They told me about the incredible venue, their thoughts for their colors and bridesmaid dresses, their desire to have a day that just encompassed all that they are together, and celebrated it in the best of ways...
Chelsea and Ernie are an important part of my little tribe. Their relationship has been one of my favorites to come alongside. Chelsea is the soft to Ernie's loud, the sweetness to his boisterousness. They are genuine through and through, and are some of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met...
My mom died before I was even engaged, which was truly heartbreaking to me. Her biggest dream was to see her daughters get married. Growing up, we talked a lot about weddings. We talked about gowns and rings and how she prayed for us to marry the perfect person.
We talked. I miss that.
The anniversary of Mum's death is July 16. 5 years. So, sometimes, July sucks. But this year, July is going to be awesome. Why?
Because I'm giving away a wedding.
Yes. For real. This is not a joke.
I'm giving away a wedding package for the upcoming 2017 season.
I love weddings.
Maybe that's cliche for a wedding photographer to say, but it's the honest-to-goodness truth. I honestly, really, truly do.
When I tell people I photograph weddings, they usually say, "Oh, but that's so stressful!" Maybe it is. But I never see it that way. I see the little things. The small details. The love. The laughter. The tears. The excitement. The "oh my goodness, I love my gown moments." The "oh my goodness, I love this woman" moments. The "I can't hold back these tears" moments. The "we finally made it" moments.
I think I must call everyone "dear" and "sweet." But seriously - Michael and Emily truly are some of the most dear people I have ever met. They are genuine in everything they do and take care of - their work, their families, their friends, their love. Even on her own wedding day, Emily scooped me up and made me feel welcomed and appreciated, all while scurrying around, gathering last-minute items, and hold a glass of champagne.
Okay. Now that you've been all up in my brain with my scaredy-cat feelings and my type-A planning tendencies, I'm sure you'd love to know the ups and downs of working on my recent styled shoot. Below are things that went REALLY WELL, as well as things that I could have done better. As Ben Sassosays, As you improve, we all improve. Community over competition, friends. :)
I wrote styled shoot across the top of the page, and made categories within the list that I knew I could populate - hair, makeup, cake, invitation design, accessories. Within this list, I also had a few categories that I knew I needed to find - venue (v important), gowns, florals. My heart literally started beating hard and fast when I finished my list, I was that excited. But I was also nervous - what if I got my people on board, and couldn't pull together the rest?
