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When Tom came to the States from Australia, he didn’t know that New York City was where he’d meet the love of his life. And little did Helen know her person would be from the Land Down Under! The universe has a habit of lining everything up perfectly in the way you’d least expect, and when you just sit back and let go of control - well, that’s when the magic happens...(cont.)
Intimate weddings like Lindsey + Shawn's Chatham Square elopement make me SO happy. While a big bash is incredibly beautiful in it's own way, there's something about the simplicity of saying "I do" with just your closest friends and family that feels extra special to me. No timelines to stress over, not a lot of details to worry about, and a focus on just celebrating the beginning of your marriage adventure in your favorite place with your favorite people.
Jade + Jurgen’s engagement session couldn’t have been more perfectly "Savannah" - from Washington Square to Emmet Park, with ivy walls and brick steps along the way. We explored the Historic District together, laughing and talking about their lives in California, how the universe brought them together, and why they love Savannah so much.
That’s what I love so much about engagement shoots...(cont.)
Kelsey + Justin's wedding at the Charles H Morris Center in Savannah, GA was the perfect mix of sweet romance and epic party. From the greenery tucked into Kelsey's hair, to getting ready in a gorgeous space like The Brice, to the cutest first look with dad, to the glow sticks they brought out during the reception, every detail was thoughtfully planned and beautifully executed - an incredible blend of personal, classic, whimsical and FUN!
When Erin told me her idea for a sunset engagement shoot at the Tybee Pier, starting with a gorgeous flowy dress and then turning into a cozy picnic at dusk, I was ALL in. I love when couples get creative with their engagement shoot, because it makes for such personal, special moments - and it lets me get even more creative too!
Little did Andrea know, but when her sister went to Army bootcamp, her life would change forever - and not in the way anyone expected. Because that's where her sister met Brad, and once Andrea met Brad too...well, the rest was history...
As Lauren + Graham held hands, the Bluffton marsh stretching out behind them and their friends + family sitting in front of them, they answered their vows with the word "always" instead of "I do."
Every once in awhile, I love to do a shoot just for FUN. No pressure, no payments, no one to please - just some play time where I can try new things and get the creative juices flowing.
When Rob + Kristy told me their elopement plan, I was ALL IN. From getting ready at River Street Inn downtown, to saying their vows at Wormsloe, to taking photos at Forsyth Park, to leaving in a pedicab, every moment was so perfectly "Savannah"...and so perfectly THEM.
A few weeks ago, Ansley + DJ visited Savannah on the one year anniversary of their miscarriage. They lost their son at 20 weeks to Merkle Gruber Syndrome, a fatal genetic condition, and they've continued to struggle with fertility ever since...
...and they chose to do a photo shoot as a memorial to their son because they know that their miscarriage is as much part of their story as their wedding day - a lifelong marriage will see ups and downs and everything in between, and it's all worth remembering and honoring...
Lately I've been very focused on figuring out a morning routine that will get me into alignment before I start my day. I want to do things that make me feel joyful and peaceful before I do work, because from what I've been learning about how energetic vibrations of matter work (spoiler alert: we are made of matter, so our bodies have a vibration just like everything else on the planet), raising your vibration BEFORE you work will help you achieve more effortless results. Why? Because then you aren't working against the natural flow of positive energy. You aren't working from a negative place of fear or worry, and you aren't trying to strong arm your way into success. Instead, you are getting into alignment with your higher purpose, and as a result everything will flow more easily.
As promised, we are wrapping up the three-part “Big Scary Questions” series today, and I’m so excited to talk about how to build your referral network!
Do you have a cup of coffee in hand? Because we are about to dive head first into Part 1 of a three-week series on Big Scary Questions, and the first question is “How the heck do I even find clients?!” (Good morning! Did that wake you up?!)
Last week we talked about allowing yourself to take steps backwards in your business in order to strengthen yourself mentally, physically and emotionally for a giant leap forward. But taking time off from your business brings up some scary questions that you might also have if you are moving to a new city or venturing into a new business niche…and y’all, a few years ago I was actually was faced with ALL THREE of those business challenges at once.
Last Monday, I briefly mentioned a particularly difficult phase of dream-chasing: the tear-streaked, anxiety-filled, doubt-fueled phase of not-enough-sleep.
I know, I really know—it’s a tough phase to be in. And there are probably many of you reading this right now who have thought recently “do I even want my dream badly enough to doing all of this!?”
I remember when Friday was the best day of the week. The anticipation of a full weekend of freedom ahead of you was almost like Christmas Eve, and it felt like Monday was ages away.
But you know why I used to crave Fridays and dread Mondays? Because...
I remember the very first time I ever shot a wedding like it was yesterday. I was a second-shooter (basically an assistant photographer) for a well-known wedding photographer in Gainesville, FL back in 2010. I could barely sleep the night before, and I spent the whole wedding day with excited butterflies. I can still picture the room the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready in, because it was the first spot we shot in that day and I couldn't believe I was really there.
And then when it was all over, I spent the drive home on such a natural high that I felt almost dizzy. I called one of my best friends on the way home, shaking with excitement and just wanting to tell someone about it this FEELING I had stumbled upon...
A dear friend recently gave me some fantastic relationship advice that is SO beautifully simple, but it had just never occurred to me until she said it...
Client consultations are a given in my book, because how else would they know whether I was someone they wanted to spend their entire wedding day with?? Yes, that sometimes means I’m investing my time into someone who won’t ultimately book me, but my booking rate is absolutely higher for having put the time and attention into my couples from the first moment they contact me.
So, let’s talk about client consultations and there why, where, when and whats that make a wedding consultation go from formal encounter with a vendor to casual, comfortable coffee date with a new friend...
Back when I very first started shooting, I remember seeing other photographers win awards and feeling like that was an impossible feat. At the time, taking my business full time felt like a pipe dream, much less actually winning anything.
But this week, I won three awards. THREE!! I am over-the-moon excited to see my business baby validated in this awesome way, and I want to share with you the philosophies that are the reason why I went from a girl with a nice camera who had a pipe dream to a full-time award winning wedding photographer.
Have you ever noticed that the “end” of a romantic comedy is always the beginning of the actual relationship? You spend the entire movie watching the couple fall in love—you witness all the exciting moments that happen before the actual relationship even begins. You see the butterflies, the obstacles they overcome to be together, and then BAM—it ends with a first kiss, or a wedding, or some other big romantic event that signifies “making it.”
When Christa + Tim are together, you can just tell it's right.
They fit each other, they compliment each other, and they really enjoy each other's company...
...and more than anything, they love each other. <3
Tonight's mini shoot with Amanda + Lance was pure Savannah loveliness. Sweeping oaks, a pretty braid, a couple in love, park benches and brick pathways...I didn't want it to end!! Pulaski Square is an absolutely dreamy location for photos, and I want more of you to have the chance to book a shoot here!
(Click through to book a Savannah mini shoot on Sept. 15 or Oct. 1, or a Gainesville mini shoot on Sept. 17!)
I was listening to Rob Bell's podcast ("The RobCast") this weekend, and one of his latest episodes is called "Seasons." And it's about, you guessed it--navigating the changing seasons of life. Specifically the necessity of grieving the passing of a season, even during positive changes in your life. He said that even when a really wonderful new season is beginning, it still means that we have to say goodbye to an old season--and as humans, that causes feelings of grief that need to be processed in order to be fully present and appreciative in the new season.
It was a perfectly timed episode, because this week is one of those season-changing periods in my life, and I'm feeling all sorts of mixed emotions about it.
Megan met R.J. in chemistry class her freshman year of college--but that wasn't when the actual chemistry began. (Hehe, I couldn't resist!!) He was simply the nice guy who helped her with her homework and played baseball for their college team.
Late one afternoon two years later...
Melissa and Seth Engagement Photos
After Jimena booked me as her wedding photographer, one of the first things we planned was a trash the dress shoot on the beach outside Delray Sands Resort -- the place where she and Keith would begin their marriage adventure together. Jimena has been one of my best friends since I was living in Gainesville, FL just after graduating college, and she's been a willing guinea pig for many just-for-fun shoots as I built my business over the years. I wasn't surprised at all when she jumped at the chance to be up at the actual crack of dawn the morning after her wedding to catch the sunrise and play in the waves--all in her wedding dress.
Hello, sweet Savannah + Gainesville friends! I am officially booking fall mini shoots, and these will close out my family shoot season for 2016. I know, I'm bummed my family photo season ends so early too, but I've got a full wedding season calling my name this fall. (YAY!)
Click through for all the details! :)
Photo by Apt. B Photography (www.aptbphotography.com)
Eve + Pat's whimsical, polka dot-filled, Harry Potter wedding makes my heart SO happy - and not just because the details were basically a photographer's dream. The reason I loved this wedding so much goes deeper than that - and it all comes back to Eve + Pat. Their playful relationship. The friends + family who spent the day laughing with them. The personal details that made every minute of their wedding day just so perfectly THEM.