My Biggest Mistake as a Bride

WHO you pick as your photographer matters more than you think it does.

I was young, 19 at the time. I’d been to very few weddings in my life, so planning my own wedding with nothing to reference was both a blessing and a curse. While not knowing anything was a benefit when it came to scheduling how I wanted the day to flow, the challenging part came when I sacrificed things I actually valued because I didn’t know the long-term cost of my choices.

When it came to picking a photographer, I knew my dream photographer. I knew her personally and followed her work for years. Everything she posted was beautiful. I wanted my day to look like that. I knew she could do that for me, but, I didn’t book her.

I was presented with a photographer who was willing to photograph my wedding day for a whole lot less. Was she experienced with weddings? No. Did I love her work I’d seen? No. Did I feel personally connected with her? No.

But, she was cheaper, so I booked her anyway.

At the time I was naive and believed:

• all photographers shot the same way and could give me those blurry backgrounds and creative photos I wanted.
• all photographers could edit their photos in any style I wanted.
• any photographer could make my day look as wonderful as it felt.

The photos we received were decent. A few I really love, mostly because I love the people in them. Overall they just felt awkward and unnatural. They definitely didn’t have the dreamy look I was hoping for. I’m so thankful to have photos of that day, but I’ve been disappointed ever since receiving them. They weren’t the quality of photos I thought any photographer could capture.

Flash forward to about two years after our wedding. The opportunity arose for me to start shooting with my dream photographer — the one I didn’t book — as a second shooter at weddings. This was a pinch me moment that changed my life.

As I learned from her, I saw there was so much more to being a photographer than just pointing a camera and taking photos. Shooting in the style I’d always dreamed of took practice, a specific way of setting the camera and editing, and it took a creative mindset that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Learning photography in-depth opened my eyes to more concrete reasons why my wedding photos never felt like the photos I’d dreamed of. My lesson became my mission.

Now as a wedding photographer, my driving motivator at every wedding is to give my couples everything I once wanted from my wedding photos, but didn’t receive. I take the photos that tell your story in an artful way. Awkward posing will never come from me. I aim to take photos you’re proud to fill an album with and display in your home. I fully believe you deserve that from your photographer. Someone who sees you and cares for you.

This is your day. It only happens once, so it deserves to be captured with care and reverence.