The Best of 2018

I got in my car after my last wedding of 2018. I couldn’t have imagined a better end to the year. I pulled out of the parking lot, but the road was blurred in front of me. Tears filled my eyes. Grateful. So very grateful for this year. 

2018 was my second year of full time business. My first year, I got married, moved to a totally new place, and basically started my business all over again. It wasn’t easy. But I worked as hard as I could to make new friends, build a new clientele, and get my work out there. So, heading into 2018, I prayed and asked the Lord to give me at least 10 weddings. I felt like that was a big number. I had no clue if Id reach that goal, but I set it and asked the Lord anyway. 

Little did I know He would blow that number out of the water, giving me more than double what I asked for. Not only did He bless me with more than I asked for, but He also gave me THE best couples to work with. To meet. To get to know. To hang out with. I’ve met some phenomenal people this year. Been a part of some extremely special moments. Got to witness the start of many lives together. And for that, I’m beyond grateful. Totally undeserving. But grateful. 

I got to photograph a couple all the way from North Dakota who got married at Chimney Rock, travel to Montana for an engagement session, shoot some of our best friend’s proposal, got a styled shoot featured, was able to shoot in a few of my dream locations like Craggy Gardens and Lady Luck Flower Farm, and partnered with some wonderfully talented creatives. Never thought all of this would happen this year. But God is way bigger than my little plans. 

To all my 2018 brides and grooms, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, for trusting me with such a significant part of your lives. These images mean the world to me, because they remind me of how greatly you’ve blessed my life this year. God used YOU to show me His faithfulness, His love for me, and His blessing on my business. The highlight of my year was being a part of these moments with you. So much love for you all. 

Here are some of my favorite memories of 2018. It will be hard for 2019 to beat this.

Jeff + Lanier//Engagement

We had planned on taking these photos in Florence before Lanier moved back to Alabama during the school year UNTIL they decided to do them in Montana during their vacation. Without hesitation, I texted Lanier & said I would be there. I woke up at 3:45am on Tuesday morning to fly out to Montana to meet them in Missoula. We swung by their Airbnb to grab their clothes & then headed off to shoot.

We started at a local coffee shop, which was only fitting, seeing that Jeff owns his own coffee roasting business called Batch Nine Coffee Company (shameless plug). Then we decided just to drive around until we found some cool spots. Lanier & I sat in the back seat of Grammy's (Jeff's grandma) little truck while Jeff drove us around, scouting out locations to shoot. We drove up a mountain until the road got too narrow to keep going (or maybe it was because Lanier was about to have a panic attack being so close to the edge of the mountain haha). So, we pulled over & shot right off the side of the road. I made them run through grassy fields, dance on the side of a mountain, sit in front of some stranger's VW bus, ride a carousel (which was fun because Lanier grew up riding that exact carousel as a kid) and eat huckleberry ice cream. They were up for ALL the adventurous, which always makes my job way more fun!!

I spent the night with them on a trundle bed in their Airbnb (which I'm SO thankful they let me do!) and it was really cool because I usually do the shoot with my couples, sometimes grab dinner afterwards, and then go home. But spending over 24hrs with Jeff & Lanier let me see a lot more of their relationship, how they love, interact, and do life with each other. I flew out the next night to head back to SC, super thankful for couples that turn into friends and all the fun adventurous my job takes me on.