I was engaged 5 months before I got married. 

That version of "Stacie" back then had NO idea what she was doing planning a wedding (my mom will chime in and tell you so!). I had just graduated from college and gotten engaged soon after. I had no job. I had some cringe-worthy idealistic thoughts about how amazing I was going to be as  a spouse. And I had absolutely NO CLUE how to plan a wedding. 

Especially when it came to booking a photographer.

I happened to be at a friend’s birthday party at the end of July (our wedding was in September) and one of the girls there told me she was a wedding photographer. I hadn’t looked around at any photographers in town and had no idea what style of photography I liked. But I knew I needed one, so I booked her.

I didn’t even look at that girl’s portfolio! Which sounds absolutely CRAZY to me now.

AND,

BLESS. UP. 

Y’ALL, SHE WAS SUCH A

GREAT,

BRILLIANT,

SWEET

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER…

...and our pictures turned out great.

My interactions with my wedding couples now, is based off of my experience with her as my photographer… because she was SO KIND, SO SWEET, offered up so many great posing ideas and fun activities for Brett and I (a pretty awkward couple back then) to do, and at times I hardly noticed she was snapping away really important moments.

I probably wouldn’t have booked a photographer on time if that girl hadn’t approached me at that party. 

And let's be EXTRA real, I probably wouldn't have known where to even begin looking for a wedding photographer. 

Don't even get me started on wedding invitations. I designed my own basic-rustic-handwritten-kraft-papered-invitations and went through a long printing process (I printed on my Dad's home inkjet printer almost 300 invitations! DEER IN HEADLIGHTS! That's something I would never even consider doing now!). I hardly knew what an invitation suite even was back then! I can't imagine what it would have been like to have someone design my invitations.... I probably would have loved it and I probably wouldn't have stressed out so much! 

So, you get it. 

I was kind of a total mess when it came to logistics.

But I knew exactly what I wanted when it came to the intentionality of our wedding. I knew the words we said  to each other and to everyone watching that day would be the highlight of our lives. The ceremony was the part I most looked forward to. Everything else could have gone SO poorly, but all that mattered to me was that Brett and I got to hangout with every friend, family member,  and cheerleader in our lives... and then get married in front of all of them. And dance party with them afterward. 

But looking back, I'm really grateful for our pictures. I'm grateful a brave photographer approached me at a party about taking our pictures.... and now that I AM a photographer and designer, I'm seeing how important it is to approach others about the wedding services they might not be thinking about yet!

But what I've found, is I can't do this small business/photographer/invitation designer thing alone. 

I need to rely on my network to connect me to those wedding couples. 

DO YOU KNOW ANY COUPLES WHO JUST GOT ENGAGED OR ARE TYING THE KNOT IN 2018?

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT COULD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO SUGGEST JAMBOREE TO 3-4 RECENTLY ENGAGED COUPLES?

You'd be suggesting they book services with a girl who's already excited and passionate about their wedding. Who's ready to jump into the knitty gritty details of their day so when it finally arrives, they can relax and trust their vision is coming to life in their invitation design or wedding photography.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER SUPPORTING MY SMALL BUSINESS, MY LIFE, AND THIS AWESOME DREAM I'M WORKING HARD TO CHASE DOWN--- BY SHARING MY BUSINESS WITH A FRIEND WHO NEEDS THE SERVICES I OFFER? 

Thanks for considering! 

Tell me about YOUR wedding! Were logistics hard for you too or did you consider becoming a wedding planner after successfully planning your own wedding? Did you research your photographer? Did you have someone design your invitations or did you use pre-made designs?

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday! 

Stacie  

Meet Bri and Tim. 

These two. They're marriage-bound and full of laughs and cuddles in this session at Ransom Canyon. 

Firstly, I know Tim and Bri on a very intimate level.....we watch the Bachelor together.

They are my favorite reality TV commentary-friends. For a girl whose husband would never watch The Bachelor with her, I can really appreciate how Tim and Bri compliment each other in this (SACRED) activity together. *wink*

Secondly, they adore each other.

I don't always see guys look at their fiance the way Tim looks at Bri. And I don't really like talking fluff about couples, because Brett and I aren't really a fluff couple and not every couple screams lovey-dovey-- -but Tim and Bri so evidently admire each other just by how they look at each other. There's something so sacred and sweet about that.

Their admiration and the light in their eyes for each other is my favorite part of their engagement photos.

Can you see it too? Doesn't it make you just want to give them a big ole bear hug of congratulations?! 

I met up with Lindsey and Brennen (at Sugar Browns, one of my favorite Coffee Shops here in town) over the Winter Holidays to get to meet them and to catch their vision for their engagements and wedding.

I was... AGAST and disappointed to find out that Brennen doesn't have a thing for coffee and I almost felt like that was a conflict of interest and I couldn't be their photographer. But Lindsey assured me she breaths coffee, so I felt like maybe I could handle them. *wink wink*

I loved Lindsey's style immediately and Brennen was a straight up southern gentleman. PLUS, I knew it was mean to be after they told me they were going to look for matching Christmas pajamas after our meeting. HECK. YES. 

Fast forward to their engagement session and the most beautiful weather a West Texas February has ever seen. We walked old train stations, invaded Palace Coffee (Brennen was a trooper with all that coffee everywhere), and took some of the most romantic pictures at Palo Duro Canyon. Lindsey hiked in her heels and Brennan got a good workout repeatedly spinning her around and lifting her up and down over rocks her heels couldn't manage. 

Let's talk goopy feelings first. 

This is how life works. You build relationships. You invest time, tears, laughs, and soul into them... and then you have to part and let someone else do life with them. All you can do is celebrate how sweet your time together was and tell them how much you love them and desire for them to thrive as they move on. 

So Sarah, go take on the challenges, the adventures, the searing pains, and the deepest joys of life as fully as you can. 

On a non-goopy more comical note:

Sarah almost fell into a fountain during this session. And since I know her, I would have probably laughed first, then felt terrible because her beautiful hair and makeup would have been ruined. When you know who you're photographing, you're allowed to laugh when they almost eat it in a fountain. 

Also, now I know not to just send seniors into the fountain on campus without a little warning and without a large stick to hold onto. The moss is slippery and the fountain is slanted downward toward the middle.... I wonder how many seniors have actually fallen in? 

SENIORS: I still have senior sessions available before the end of the school year. Book now and get 15% off of a $350 session. 

I asked a lot from Dani for this session.. through puppy kisses, bumble bee avoidances, and posing *next to the cactuses in people's yards (thanks tech terrace residents!)... we got THESE stellar shots. 

Dani was a boss at her senior pictures (especially when there were a million families and graduates watching when we were at the Seal!). I had no complaints about her bringing a corgi puppy with her. Would you complain about having to spend time with that cute little fuzz ball?

We took these at the Texas Tech Horticulture Gardens and a handful of Tech Terrace homes (but only in the street cause trespassing in people's yards just feels weird). 

There was a moment during Caleb and Brenda's vows in their second ceremony, where I turned to Brett and both of us had big 'ole tears sliding down our cheeks. 

This wasn't any 'ole wedding for us, this was Caleb's wedding. Our Caleb. 

We've known Caleb a handful of years now and he has such a special place in our hearts. When I was a Hall Director (Yay those days of working in higher education!) , Caleb was one of the RA's on my staff. He brings energy into a room, into his friendships, and laughter into so many moments. He's a leader that thinks hard about the important things.

He's just as messy as he is awesome (aren't we all!?) I have such a very clear memory of him crying on my kitchen floor, upset with himself at who he was and decisions he was making... but going to his wedding showed me so much growth in him.  Listening to his vows had me in tears, excited and joy-filled for who he's become(ing). It also showed me he's SERIOUSLY found a girl who's a really stellar match for his shenanigans. 

Whether he knows it or not, Caleb has brought healing to my heart in the areas of motherhood. I'm not a mom and Brett's not a dad. But there are times now and back in higher ed when I was less of a supervisor and more of a mom/friend. Caleb even called Brett and I Mom and Dad, which really felt fitting sometimes and honestly made us feel super loved by him. He's totally not our kid, but we love him and now we're in love with him and Brenda. Yup, couple crush'n on a couple. That's thing right?

Caleb and Brenda only had, like, two days together in San Antonio for their wedding weekend before Caleb had to leave, so I knew every second they were together was special to them. They didn't have a first look (WHICH IS WHY CALEB'S WEARING AN EPIC CRY FACE WHEN HE SEES BRENDA COMING DOWN THE AISLE-- check out all his groomsmen leaning in to see his face-- it's so sweet!). They had two ceremonies, the biggest wedding party I've ever photographed, and a reception with so many great hispanic traditions. 

Here's my favorite sacred moments from their day. They were troopers, it was one hundred and three degrees. 

Typically I scout out a spot or two for my sessions, but Lindsey picked this one, and I loved how the Willows framed her in this BEAUTIFUL dress. 

I can't wait to show you all of Lindsey's jewelry details from her wedding! While it rained hard core on Lindsey's wedding day, she was a total trooper the really hot day we photographed her bridals. 

If you could take your bridals again or take them for the first time, what kind of location would you choose? Farm field? Apple orchard? Bold Canyon? Disneyworld? 

Bri and Tim's wedding is all about the glances and the looks. 

Bri smiling at herself in the mirror after she's put on her wedding dress. Bri's dad tearing up as he sees her for the first time. The way Tim (we call him Smiley Tim) smiles at Bri when she's walking down the aisle and the way he smiles at her when she's dancing with her dad (That picture will potentially make you cry on the spot so I'm warning you now!). 

There was even a moment during the Best Man's speech when Bri looked at me and just smiled at me because it was all so sweet and sacred and I think she knew I was mentally celebrating them (My inner dialogue at weddings sounds a lot like this, "You go Bri and Tim!!! Somebody throw some heart-shaped confetti!!!!.... Epic speech celebrating your love right?!!... GET THAT first kiss!!!!!.... Good choice with the cupcakes!!!....These two cuddle bugs are killing me! I just want to give them big hugs right now, but it's their wedding day, Stacie, you just let them hug each other while you take pics!"). 

Why you should set aside a day for wedding portraits

I never thought I'd be a proponent of this,b ut recently brett and I Had a chance to spend a day adventuring around Monahan sands in our wedding clothes and it was seriously SO MUCH FUN and totally wroth our time. 

We had about thirty minutes on our actual wedding day to take pictures of just us (funny enough, we had a first look, but we didn't want anyone-- not even the videographer or photographer to see it-- it was so sacred to us that it just be us and no one else....) which seemed fine at hte time. But after doing this shoot in a fun environment, with no rush, no need for my hair and makeup to stay absolutelyperfect for a ceremony and such--- it was a really sweet time for Brett and I. 

Kim had us bring our vows (which I printed out and did a simple calligraphy for our names) and had us say them to each other and enjoy the moment. 

It was a rush of emotion and memories repeating our covenant words to each other. 

We both cried and blubbered through them and I can tell you why... because in so many raw ways, our vows have all been manifested in our marriage. We've failed at them. We've trudged through them. We've upheld some of them so well and so poorly. It was epic to say them out loud to one another-- we even laughed a few times because we could think of specific arguments or selfish moments within our marriage where said vow was at work. It was beauitful to think that Brett's iron has sharpened mine. ANd my iron has sharpened his. All in this dance (sometimes feels like a battle) called marriage. 

Practically I loved just getting to take time to hug Brett. To kiss him. To run around with him in a big billowing dress. To be unashamed of my physical relationship with him. When we took our engagements and even some of our weddin gpictures, we were physically awkward. If you didn't know, now you do--- we waited until marriage to have sex, so some of the ways we interacted with each other in our pictures just looks super awkward. 

But in these pictures, I think we look far from awkward, and just super pumped to be with one another. I do wonder if there are ways we could have been a little more comfortable with each other during our engagement and wedding pictures. Nowadays, as a photographer, I don't know what people's relationships are like-- speficially their physical relationships, but I always assume they might need guidance with what to tod with their hands or they might just need me to help them slow down, enjoy their time with one another, and to relax as much as possible so their pictures can accurately capture who they are. 

That's what I valued about this day Brett and I had together, and if i could convince any of my future couples I photograph to spend a day before or after their wedding getting dressed up again for a handful of hours traipsing around town getting ice cream, walking thorugh botanic gardens, or going to the drive-in all dressed up in their wedding garb... I'd try to convince them every time. 

July 2, 2018

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I looked back through my Spotify to see what I was listening to the day Lindsey and Brennen got married. Music moves me as an artist, and I was SHOCKED when I saw the music that was influencing me that day:

First Try by Johnny Swim. 

I don't think there could have been any song that could fit Lindsey and Brennen more (except maybe their first dance song... Faithfully by Journey... perhaps one of the greatest love songs ever). 

Two beautiful and kind hearts with parents whose marriages have tested time. Lindsey and Brennen have been dating since high school (for the most part!) and their admiration for each other is SO evident in these pictures. Their relationship has already stood through some up's and down's and through years of dating long distance. 

Lindsey, beautiful, stylish, and honestly so fun-- she knew exactly what she wanted for her wedding and these pictures show it. And Brennen, the sweet kind of west texas boy who cares deeply--- he was down to love his future bride in any way he could throughout my time working with them as their photographer(engagements, bridals, and wedding). 

Every time I pass through Amarillo now, I'll always think of this beautiful wedding, these two kind souls, and their beautiful covenant marriage. And how a crazy weather day didn't keep their spirits down really at all. You can even see the progression of the really amazing sunny weather in the morning to a crazy west Texas rain storm that night. It makes this wedding day's photographs so unique. 

You know what they say--- a wet knot never slips. It rained on my wedding day, and I think that phrase is sweet and hopeful for any couple who has had to figure out how to get married with rain in the mix. :) 

So press play and listen to what I was feeling as their photographer.

Tell me what you see in these pictures. Tell me you see their admiration. Tell me you love their details. Tell me you never knew West Texas could look so pretty. 

Tell me it was CRAZY we took them to a cemetery for their portraits and happened to be taking pictures in the GARDEN OF EVERLASTING LOVE!!!!???!!! 

And definitely comment on the details, because Lindsey worked really hard on most of them and I think she should be praised! 

We have two things on our bedroom wall from our wedding day: a picture of us and our vows to each other, hand-written and framed.

If we woke up to a fire in our house (I've been watching a lot of This is Us), I honestly think I'd grab those two things because they mean so much to us. We both wrote our own vows, and it would be hard for me if they were forever lost or forgotten. 

I believe something bold and crazy about our marriage.

I believe our marriage is successful and thriving, in part, because of what we vowed (covenanted) to one another and because we've taken time since we got married to look over and remember our vows. 

Do people really do that after their wedding day? Do they really recall what they said? What they promised? 

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME, AS I VALUE MY OWN MARRIAGE THRIVING, THAT I WOULD VALUE MY CLIENTS' MARRIAGES THRIVING.

It gives me purpose deep in my bones and where the butterflies flutter in my stomach, to have a mission statement that values a couples' real life success beyond their actual wedding day. 

And I mean that truthfully--- having a mission statement that's just a gimmick literally makes me sick to my stomach.

I value taking time to understand you and your relationship. I value cheering you on as I snap, snap, snap at your wedding or write up your vows on my ipad. I value candid moments between you and your family members because one day those people won't be around anymore. One day you'll look back at your pictures with loved ones with tears in your eyes. I value you remembering so many sacred moments. I value helping you remember the deep-rooted reasons you got married in the first place. 

I want you to have amazing photos from your wedding day and I want you to understand how hard I'll work to get those photos-- but not just so you can have them in an album on your coffee table those first few years-- I want you to have amazing and real photos, so you can really remember how deep your love is for one another. So you can remember your love is worth celebrating and fighting for.

I want you to have vows written in beautiful calligraphy, not so your wall will look pretty, but so you'll be forced to live them out. "Forced" in all of the best ways we can use that word. I want your marriage to be saved, reconciled, or thriving because you stopped and took a glance at your vows on the wall, and were reminded of what you promised and who you promised you'd be. 

IT'S MY HONOR TO VISUALLY AND CREATIVELY HELP YOU PREPARE FOR A LIFETIME TOGETHER.

I want so much for you and I haven't even met some of you yet. 

I need you to know (potential clients and past clients) that I've crafted my business from my heart. That I don't take it lightly. 

I'M LOOKING FORWARD. BEYOND YOUR WEDDING DAY. I LOOK FORWARD FOR YOU AND WITH YOU. I'M HOPING SO DEEPLY THAT THE SERVICES I'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH, WILL MOVE YOUR MARRIAGE FORWARD. 

Lexi + Dean | Ransom Canyon Wedding

When I met Lexi for coffee a few months before her wedding, not all her wedding planning was going well. Vendors were falling through and I could tell she was really hoping I wouldn’t be another bump in the road on her way to getting married. Would I, the person she’d chosen to photograph her wedding, show up and be organized? Would I be intentional with her? Would I offer kindness and truly be pumped to celebrate her wedding day when other vendors didn’t seem to be coming through?

We talked for a good while, and I left our meeting wishing her wedding wasn’t months away. I honestly loved her. I loved how she talked about Dean and I loved that she told me he’d be full of jokes on their wedding day (she wasn’t wrong). I loved that she was sweet and kind with a good dose of sarcasm and dry wit humor. That’s a Bride I’m ALLLL about.

And you know what? Any hesitation I saw on her face at the beginning of our meeting was completely gone by the end of our meeting. I could tell she was all the more pumped for her wedding day—-but I could feel it in my heart too. I was excited to too.

When their wedding day came Lexi and Dean let me call them by nicknames I made up for them. Dean was never without a joke or a theatrical face. And I could really tell that Lexi was able to soak in every moment she needed and wanted to soak in. It had come together.

So, here’s to finally getting to post SexyLexi and Deanster (pretty sure I called him Dean Street a few times too) and their beautiful Ransom Canyon wedding.

And here’s to coming through for Brides, valuing them as a friend, cheering them on as a friend, and getting to deliver to them a snapshot of their love story.

Until the next wedding,

Stacie

P.S. Dean and Lexi’s Dad made their wedding backdrop! And I absolutely loved it! Also, those market street floral bouquets were some of my favorite bouquets of this season’s weddings— the mix of all the colors was surprising and different and OMG I really LOVE how it turned out.

I want you to know that Josh and Caitlin are some of our good friends. We love them and were humbled to photograph their wedding in Colorado Springs.

Josh lived with us for a semester and because Josh and Caitlin were in a long distance relationship, we sometimes hosted Caitlin at our house when she was in town.

Their wedding day was a million wonderful moments, one after the other. I choked up several times and laughed out loud more. When two of the most intentional, fun, and kind people get together to get married, you can’t help but have all the feels.

What I’ve always loved about Josh and Caitlin is how their leaning into celebrating their inter-racial marriage. They’re both coming from two different cultures and haven’t ignored that. They’ve embraced it. The up’s and the down’s of it. I love that.

When we first talked about their wedding day, Josh told me I was allowed to take charge of things and do what I needed to get good pictures—- except try to take Caitlin off the dance floor. He told me once the dancing starts— she can’t stop won’t stop. I thought I already knew this about Caitlin. But it’s true. true. true. Caitlin and Josh both are about a good dance party. And they certainly hosted a crazy fun reception.

The goal of their wedding was to celebrate their miraculous love. To let God be glorified as the Author of Love. I hope you can see their goal coming to fruition in these pictures.

P.S. This song is the song Brett sang while they were lighting their unity candle. One of my favorite moments from our time in the Springs was driving by the Garden of the Gods while listening to Brett practice this song in the car. These were such sacred words to have on my heart the days leading up to their wedding.

One of the main reasons I didn’t want to start a business, was because “crunching numbers”, paying taxes, and potentially being audited by the IRS scared the FLOOP out of me.

What if I didn’t understand it all and was doing it all wrong? What if simple mistakes would cost me thousands of dollars or jail time? It sounds crazy, but these were my thoughts.

So I let a lot of fear keep me from starting a business. Brett encouraged me to educate myself a bit more and to not let the fear of the unknown keep me from pursuing a creative career. Thanks Brett. You’re a rockstar.

Maybe that should be my unofficial number one Resource on this list: Get you a Brett. Someone to tell you CAN and SHOULD.

I’ve come across SO MANY helpful resources since I first started my business. I want you to know about them too.

“Sharing is caring”, as my summer camp counselor used to say.

1. JOIN THE RISING TIDE SOCIETY IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY. 

The Rising Tide Society has been REALLY helpful for me. I don’t understand a lot of Tax stuff and it can feel so intimidating, so their resources have been SO helpful. The PDF they put out mostly for their Tuesdays Together meetings are amazing. If you’ve never been to a Tuesdays Together in your home city, I’d encourage you to look it up on Facebook and see if you can attend 1-5 meetings. I joined when I first moved to Lubbock (I just showed up to the coffee shop they were meeting at after a photographer saw I was editing a family session at a different coffee shop and recommended I go to some meetings so I could meet other creatives).

These meetings changed my life because they allowed me to ask the kinds of practical questions you’re asking (about pricing, taxes, Search Engine Optimization, marketing, client communication, collaborations, networking, etc.) and feel loved and supported by other creatives— not out to cut my throat and compete with me, but out to help all of us succeed. Tuesdays Together, if you carpe diem the friends you make there, can provide many opportunities for networking, styled shoots, and networking.

If photographers or wedding planners or bakers show up to those meetings and they like your work, they might recommend you to future potential clients or ask to work with you in the future.

I guarantee you when we move cities, I’ll be hitting up the Rising Tide Meetings there ASAP.

2. RISING TIDE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.

You’re supposed to read these before you go to the meetings, but sometimes I can’t go to the meetings, so I Just read the newsletter. These have been SO helpful. The PDF’s they send out every month have literally saved my business from doing things illegally. 

3. TAKE FREE BUSINESS COURSES VIA YOUR LOCAL UNIVERSITY OR LIBRARY. THE STATE OF TEXAS OFFERS A COURSE AND FREE COUNSEL FOR BUSINESSES.

Texas Tech offered a “How to start and run your own business” 6 week course that I took when I first moved to Lubbock.

This course calmed my fears.

It helped mostly with all the legal stuff. Like registering your name with your city, Deciding what kind of business you are (I’m a Sole Proprietor, but they help explain why it might be better to have an LLC), making you official in the Texas system so you can properly pay your taxes when you start making money. Rising Tide also has information on this.

I could ask questions in this course, and not feel stupid for asking.

This is something you could google for your area or call your local university or library and ask about.

4. SETTING PRICING WHEN YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT. 

Maybe you’ve been offering your service for free for years and you’ve decided you want to start making money off of it. Maybe you’re just starting out and still figuring out how to make your product or service the best it can be.

What helped me start thinking about my business seriously and about what I charge seriously came from changing my perspective. What did I make in my first job when I was working at UNT as a hall director? I think I made $15-$20 an hour.

So using that as a starting point for my own business really helped. I started charging clients a $20 service fee an hour (so it’s important to know about how long it takes you to do things). And since then, I’ve gradually started charging more. Depending on how much money you make, remember that a portion of your pay check goes to taxes. If you offer a product, you’ll want to charge the service fee and the supplies fee. Personally, I tack on shipping and taxes to the overall price. Always consider how much of your check goes to taxes.

5. HOW MUCH FREE SHOULD I OFFER PEOPLE?

I did a lot of heavily discounted or free things for clients while I was getting my feet wet and still figuring out what I wanted to offer clients and how much my service was worth.

When I started charging clients (around year two of my business), I stopped doing things for free. I was down to negotiate pricing and communicate with clients why pricing was set in some areas. But once I started charging people for weddings, free services were intentional and initiated by me. I always try to offer a free wedding to a client every year. And maybe do one or two giveaways. But not much else because my time is valuable…. as in, my time gives me my paycheck.

6. STORYBRAND

The podcast will make you rethink everything about your website.

The five-minute marketing video, wrecks you.

Everyone should be using Storybrand.

7. MAKING MONEY IS ACTUALLY CHALLENGING

Someone being real with me: Making money off of creative services is really challenging. Stay in the game. Work really hard. Don’t turn on netflix for a year or two. Collaborate a lot and put forward the work you want your ideal client to see— don’t settle for clients and projects that don’t fit the vibe you’re aiming for. Set boundaries.

8. LOOK AROUND. USE OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES AS A RESOURCE.

What are your competitors charging? Producing? Marketing? Communciating? I just went on etsy two days ago and took a ton of screen shots of other people’s hand-written vows. My goal is to have my vows be the number one paper anniversary gift couples purchase for one another in the next five years. To do that, I need to look at what others are charging (some of them are charging too much and some of them…. I’m not sure how they are making money off their business) and see how they are styling their pictures, wording their policies, etc. I’ve learned a lot of shop policy talk from looking at etsy shops that already exist. Copy and pasting shouldn’t be a thing, but learning what to communicate with customers from others’ etsy shops, is actually REALLY helpful.

Whether or not you are selling on etsy, in person, or through your own website, Etsy has a whole blog and handbook dedicated to helping business owners be successful on the Etsy platform in general.

Knowing what other people are charging is helpful too. Some of them have been doing this a long time and have an awesome reputation and they can charge a bunch. Some of them haven’t been doing this very long, and their pricing might not be as extravagant. See if your prices look about the same as 10-15 people in your area (or on etsy) doing something similar to you. See what all they are charging. What packages do they offer?

Some clients won’t take you seriously if your prices are too low. Some won’t take you seriously if they are too high. When your’e starting to charge people, I think it’s okay to start on the lower end and raise your prices every six months to a year. Or charge more in the summer versus the winter. Ask other professionals in your arena what they started with.

9. GO LIVE HQ BLOGS

These blogs are so helpful (and REALLY inspiring and fun looking… they are like modern day scrapbooks) if you are unsure how to put together a website. Any free courses or videos Promise and her team produce, are amazing and SO helpful when it comes to coming up with blog design, website design, and overall brand marketing. My personal blog’s design is based loosely on a Go LIve HQ template!

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I’VE SHARED? WHAT HAS BEEN A REALLY HELPFUL RESOURCE FOR YOU?

These two beautiful human beings are married and romantic as ever whether they’re in color or black and white.

Not everyone loves black and white. Not everyone loves moody and dark. I LOVE BOTH OF THESE THINGS, even though I don’t typically photograph dark and moody.

This black and whites are really for my own enjoyment and appreciation of light without color.

I think there’s something sacred and romantic about black and white. I do everything I can when I’m editing wedding not to try out every picture in black and white. Sometimes I just want to see how it changes the depth or perspective of the picture.

With these, I especially love seeing the sunlight come through in black and white.

Some of these are moodier than others— what do you notice your eyes finding in each picture? Do you think you would focus on different aspects of Lizzie and Andrew if the pictures were in color?

If she had a reality show it would probably be called Keep’n up with Kayleekins.

Ummmm, I’m itching to do more photography and have fun and stretch myself to make more art. I’m so glad the holidays are coming up so I have free time to do just that.

It’s all here. Everything to the quiet of the venue the morning of, to the laughter and games after the ceremony, to the walking and climbing through Zilker Park Portraits after the reception.

AND THE DONUT WALL. Sorry not sorry for including too many pictures of the donut wall. I’ve never seen a sexier donut wall, than at Lizzie and Andrew’s wedding. It’s SO PRETTY and makes me SO hungry.

Here are my top FIVE favorite moments from Andrew and Lizzie’s Wedding:

1. Their wedding values. Andrew and Lizzie wanted their guests to interact with one another. They wanted their guests to engage with one another, have intentional conversations, and have fun. So, epically and non-traditionally they chose to nix the dancing and include Lawn Games instead. I love when couples break the mold. I love when couples value guests having special moments with one another. This was really cool to see happen at Andrew and Lizzie’s wedding.

2. The first look. Duh. Andrew was tearing up before I even brought Lizzie out. And what was so awesome about their first look? It was simple and sweet. They held hands and smiled at each other. What they said was to each other and— just the way I like it— I was sneaky and far away so they really owned the moment and were able to be their most authentic sweet selves. And they really are the sweetest couple. You can see it on their faces in these pictures. Sometimes we make the first look out to be this crazy epic event. These two made it so simple and effortless.

3. The Zilker portraits. These two love adventures, rocks, and adventures. They picked the spot and it was honestly so nice to walk around with them post-wedding. Not pressured by time. I could tell they were relaxed and excited to walk around and hug one another. Lizzie was a boss for climbing around in her dress. And Andrew was a boss for how much I made him pick up Lizzie.

4. The Stained Glass vs. The Donut Wall. IT WAS ALL SO PRETTY. The chicken and waffles we had for brunch were pretty awesome too.

5. The kindest toasts from the Matron of Honor and the Best Man. When speeches make me cry at weddings…. that’s when I’m reminded of how important my job is and how VERY COOL it is I get to witness people celebrating people.

What kind of wall would you have at your wedding? Donuts? Puppies? Balloons?

Nicole and Kyle's Engagements, Bridals, Wedding Photography, Invitation Design, and Chalk Wall--- they were all Design Jamboree.

To be trusted by the Browns with so many essential and visual aspects of their wedding was AWESOME. I love that Nicole only had one person (me! Design Jamboree!) she had to talk to about photos and invitations. Throughout the entire process I was able to understand her better as a Bride and catch her style vibes, which ultimately lead to my being able to honor WELL what she was dreaming up for her wedding day.

 In my opinion, working with Kyle and Nicole on so many details made their planning and communication with me quicker and easier. I also think it helped us establish a friendship that made the wedding process lots more fun.

Major plus? It was SO SO FUN to be excited with Nicole throughout the entire wedding planning process. 

That's truly what I love about couples ordering my Double Whammy Invitations and Photography Package. I journey through their planning journey AND their day-of journey. 

This is what I love about being Design Jamboree. I get to be a part of the Design process for everyone's Jamboree. There's nothing better than designing, photographing, and partying with you. :)

Florals: Candelaria Designs

Venue: Llano Estacado Winery

Hair: Savannah Ross

It's the best. party'n. partnership. ever. 

A few days before we put together this styled shoot, Wimberleigh and I got coffee and I told her I was over-joyed she wanted to model for us. Not only was she ecstatic to model, but she also told me it hadn't been that long ago that her mom suggested she do some modeling. Go mom, go. She told me it was refreshing and sweet to hear her mom say "You're really pretty, you can do this". 

And boy let me tell you-- the girl can work and flirt with the camera! Yowza. 

And me? I'm just sit'n there sip'n my coffee, uber-driver-over-the-moon PUMPED because this is my first collaborated styled shoot.... EVER. 

And, if we can get SO real here,

I'm passionate about Wimberleigh and her body type. I see a lot of photographers using models for styled shoots--- but I feel like Wimberleigh's body type is highly under-represented.

I rarely see my own body in styled shoots. 

Which is a total bummer, because I think there are a lot of women out there who are my future clients who want to see their bodies represented so they can see that girls like them are work'n their confidence and regular ole selves. 

I really wanted to collaborate on a styled shoot where my model was someone with confidence and someone with a body my beautiful future clients could relate to.

And  ya know what? 

I think my future clients, no matter their build, can appreciate this shoot and can appreciate the body-types they see in my portfolio. I don't ever want a client to think he or she can't book with me because they only see one type of person represented on my blog or website.

That just ain't how it works in these here parts of the Design Jamboree. 

Who do I want to book? Brilliant women in their errryday bodies. Toned abs. Food babies poking out. Curvy jigs jig'n with every step. Double D's or Triple A's--- I want 'em all. 

And just in case you're wondering, Wimberleigh girl bossed the entire shoot. She took us to town. 

And the best part?

I really just got to know her heart and character better throughout this entire shoot--- and oh man, she's a total goofball with a laugh ready for every joke I cracked (thank goodness). She's a gem. And that's really what these pictures and styled shoots are about. Getting to know the gem inside the bad ass girl boss woman lady person. 

And because I know you're dying to know the details: 

Makeup, Hair, and Styling Assistant- Nicole Hartman 

Dress- Old Navy

Locations- Texas Tech's Horticulture Garden and Downtown Lubbock

Mint Chair- Downtown Mini-Mall Denton, Texas

Photography- Me, Stacie, Of course!

I've had a lot of kindred-hearted DIYers out there ask me how I made my collapsable chalkboard Photobooth Wall, so I've put together this quick DIY for you!

This DIY is perfect for a portable photobooth or a temporary chalkboard wall in a rental home or home office. I learned a few good tips along the way, so I'd encourage you to look beyond the Supply List, because sometimes I skip over the Instructions when I read DIY's and I know you might be tempted to-- it's just painting a few panels right? How could that be so hard?

Time Commitment: This is a solid weekend project due to painting and drying time. Lay out a bunch of tarps in your living room, turn on crappy Netflix movies you don't mind not giving your full attention to, and paint.

Physical Commitment: Your arms will be looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger's arms by the time your done with all your painting. I painted my panels up against the wall and will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. Next time they're laying out on the floor--- my arms wanted to fall off!

Supplies: 

Panels- Check out Home Depot's Foamular Boards. A friend of mine who used to teach theatre said she used these boards for lightweight sets all the time. And y'all, They are SUPER lightweight and WAY easier to carry than a wooden backdrop. SUPER PORTABLE. If your'e renting or in an apartment, these panels are great for a temporary chalkboard wall. They are the average height of most apartment walls, but I would measure your walls first to make sure the panels will fit inside your apartment if your'e hoping to make a temporary chalkboard wall.  I'm probably going to buy more of these to make my chalkboard wall even larger. 2 Panels = $22

Primer- 1 Can. $14. I asked for a cheap primer at Home Depot. Whatever they recommended, It worked out. 

Chalkboard Paint- 2 cans. $20. My Home Depot suggested I use Rustoleum Chalkboard Paint because it for sure works like a chalkboard. It was WAY cheaper than the Chalkboard paint I found at Hobby Lobby. It took my chalk perfectly!

Chalk- $6 for a variety pack of FUN COLORS at HobsLobs. 

Extended Paint Roller: $7-20. I highly recommend an extended roller. 

Overall Cost: $69

Set Up:

1. Lay your boards down on the floor, using an extended paint roller to paint them. I DON'T recommend putting any of your weight on them to paint because your knee or elbow could indent the boards if it stays there too long. 

Painting: 

1. Remove the plastic tape-like cover on the side of the board you are using. I was a goof, and didn't realize that plastic comes off so I spent time and paint on a bunch of plastic that peels right off. Don't be a goof. 

2. Use one coat of primer on each board. 

3. To get a stellar reliable Chalkboard Finish, I recommend using three coats of paint on each board. This is the part that takes so much time. Priming, Painting, Drying, Second-coating, Drying, Third-coating, Drying. That takes awhile! And you want to make sure you let the paint dry well to get the best chalkboard finish possible!

Make Your Photobooth Moveable and Collapsible: 

1. Use gaffing tape or duct tape to tape together the back of your boards. They should fold so the chalkboard is on the outside. 

2. Don't put any kind of tape on your chalkboard. I had paper flowers I attached with duct tape to my painted board and I successfully ripped off some of the paint. BLURRP. 

When Chalking: 

1. This isn't your gradeschool married to the wall/makes scratching noises/sturdy as hell chalkboard. Be gentle with the chalk (especially if your chalk has sharp edges!)--- you'll find that the chalk makes an indent on the board if you press super hard. I wouldn't use this for others to draw on unless they've been warned about pressing gently. 

Consider This: 

I'm definitely considering painting the other side of my boards a different color so I can flip the board around and have a chalkboard or different photobooth color on the other side. If I used this Photobooth for Brides, having two color options would be ideal. 

How did I make mine stand up straight? 

1. I made a PVC Pipe backing and ductaped the back of my panel boards to it. I would recommend getting weights to use on both sides of the PVC Pipe if you are using it as a Photo Booth. One of my customers knocked into it with her body and it almost came crashing down. SUCH A POTENTIAL NIGHTMARE. 

2. In my office--- I've nailed it into the wall. It looks best straight up against the wall and makes it easier to change up the chalk drawing. I'm SO PUMPED to see how I can use it as an in-home photobooth when guests come over for dinner or events. I think friends will love it. And I love having it in my office as decor. I've considered writing out big business goals on it for weekday use. 

Overall, This project is a solid time commitment, but pretty budget friendly when you consider all that you can do with a moveable, changeable, chalkboard photobooth. I'm pumped for all the ways I can use mine! Especially as a photobooth when friends come over!