Recently I got an email inquiry from a bride that included a brag about how much Netflix she watches and a proposal story involving a kitten. And I went, “Uhhmmm, hello!? Where have you been all my life?”. Seriously, if Myspace was still a thing I would put her in my Top 8.
I’ve talked before about how important it is to click with your wedding photographer and the further I get into this business, the more and more I believe it. Wedding photography is my passion, but not everything about it is as glamorous as it sounds. I spend a lot of time writing emails, fending off telemarketers (if I ever screen your call from an unknown number, you can blame them), and the amount of time it took me to file my taxes this year almost made me cry. Literally. But there is one single thing that makes all the self-doubt, hours of stress, and hand cramps from editing worth it – my couples.
Warning: this is about to get cheesy – but I mean every. single. word.
As soon as a couple books me for their wedding I add them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram. I like to be able to get a glimpse into their lives as a couple and get to know them a little better through social media. It allows me to interact with them, and since people like to talk about their wedding a lot, I get to see sneak peeks of the wedding itself. So by the time the wedding itself rolls around, I’m genuinely excited for their big day.
Last year I had the pleasure of shooting 3 weddings for a group of girls who were all bridesmaids in each others’ weddings. By the time I did the last wedding in October, I felt like part of the group. There’s one comment that I hear a lot from my brides, and it’s the best compliment I could ever think of – “I keep forgetting you’re my photographer, you just feel like one of the girls”!
Yes, photography is a lot of work and is probably not a great field for someone with high blood pressure, but I am constantly reminded why I do it when I get to meet the most amazing people, document their love stories, and form a genuine friendship with two people at such an exciting time in their lives. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to shoot a friend’s wedding.
Keep smiling!
Kaylina
P.S. If any client ever made me a friendship bracelet I would die happy.
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