2017 BEHIND THE SCENES/YEAR IN REVIEW

Wow. It has been one INCREDIBLE year. It’s been one day after another filled with amazing couples, gorgeous weddings, and endless amounts of joy. It’s also been editing until 2 AM, overdosing on coffee, and dreaming big for the future. There have been road trips, destination weddings, and plain ole working from home in pajamas kind-of-days. Honestly, I love it all. I love the excitement of meeting brides for the first time, being with them on the most special days of their lives, and capturing their individual stories. Sometimes being a wedding photographer looks like a lot of late nights behind the computer, but other times it looks like photographing a wedding barefoot on the beach in Cabo. Sometimes it’s glamorous, and sometimes it’s working overtime to meet deadlines. It’s the life of a wedding photographer, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The number one game changer for my business this year was introducing my husband, Alex, as my primary second photographer! This year, he photographed 75% of my weddings with me, and I honestly can’t remember what it’s like to not have him as a part of my business! We’ve been able to travel together on the weekends and spend hours and hours in the car together. (In Houston, most venues are actually 45 minutes-1 hour away from the city!) You can read more about his involvement in my business and see his portfolio over on my website HERE!

When we say it’s been an incredible year, we truly mean it! Here are some of our favorite moments:

 

-Celebrating with 34 amazing, kind-hearted couples on their wedding days!

-Photographing destination weddings together in Cabo and Baton Rouge

-Attending ShowIt United in Arizona for the 2nd year in a row

-Having 15 photos place in the top 10%, top 20%, and top 30% of categories in the Shoot and Share Contest

-Printing out the very first copy of my Bride Guide!

-Shooting the cover of Bliss Bridal Magazine

-Speaking about being a new full-time business owner on a panel at the Houston chapter Tuesdays Together meeting for creatives

-Meeting some of the very best vendors in the industry who have become amazing friends!

-Hosting a styled shoot at Grand Texana with the help of the incredible Garnished Event!

-Customizing my website + blog to match my brand and creating new marketing materials

–Participating in the Brownstone Reserve open house

-Attending multiple photography workshops to continue growing my knowledge

-Seeing my work published at Ruffled, Bliss Bridal Magazine, Wedding Chicks, Cake and Lace, Brazos Valley Bride, 7 Centerpieces, and more!

 

Q&A WITH KATI AND ALEX

Here’s a fun little Q&A I put together so you can learn more about us and our business. (A is Alex’s answer and K is Kati’s answer.)

 

Q1: Favorite after-wedding late night snack? A&K: McDonald’s fries + frappe! (Healthy, right?)

Q2: Favorite song to hear at weddings? K: Despacito! A: Tennessee Whiskey

Q3: Favorite cake flavor? K: Red velvet…or better yet, donuts! A: Double Chocolate

Q4: Estimated number of times we’ve heard the Wobble at weddings this year? K: 30/34 A: 24/34

Q5: Best way to spend a free Saturday? K: Sleeping in late, cooking brunch, and going out for coffee with Alex. A: Sleeping in, making breakfast, and not getting out of my pajamas all day. (Haha! Can you tell we like the same things?!)

Q6: How many pairs of shoes did you wear through this wedding season? K: 3 pairs of flats…now they are all toast! A: Honestly, I bought a pair just for weddings, and they are still going strong.

Q7: Favorite type of wedding grand exit to photograph? K&A: Bubbles!! We did a bubble exit at our own wedding, and they photograph really well!

Q8: Estimated number of times a guest has asked to hold your camera bag?

K: At least a dozen times. BUT, I realized my old bag was way too big, so I recently bought a more ergonomic bag that I’m excited to use in 2018. You’ll have to ignore the humongous bag in all of the behind the scenes photos! (:

A: None, haha! I’m usually asking Kati if she needs help carrying more stuff.

Q9: What is your favorite part of photographing weddings?

K: For me, it’s being able to take photos that bring our couples back to “that” exact moment from their wedding day. I love storytelling, and that’s something I want to express more in 2018 through our work and in our brand! I also love offering a fun experience to our brides so that their wedding photography is more than just photos!

A: I like capturing the true feelings of the day and being constantly challenged to tell the story in a way that allows our couples to relive it exactly the way it was. I think the context of the day is important, so I enjoy photographing the details, decor, etc. It’s fun capturing candid photos as the second photographer. I’m always watching…

Q10: What are you most looking forward to in 2018?

K: I always look forward to working on new projects and learning how to achieve better work-life balance. That’s definitely one of the struggles of being a small business owner, but it’s also an exciting challenge!

A: I’m looking forward to bringing my new film camera along to weddings to take a few artistic shots on a different medium. I’m also working on convincing Kati to buy a new lens I have my eye on…I want to keep pushing us to create art on top of capturing the day.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS

And now it’s time for the most entertaining post of the year- behind the scenes of our 2017 wedding season! These photos bring me so much joy because I can remember being at each wedding and working with each couple. The photos take me back to the day, and I can remember the venue, the weather conditions, and all of the people we interacted with. Most of all, I see myself living out my dream and pursuing my passion. I don’t think anything can beat that!

These photos also make me cringe and laugh at times when I see my usually frizzy hair and repeated outfits. Haha! Half way through the year, Alex pointed out that I’d worn the same dress for almost all of the weddings. But hey, when you find a comfortable dress that has pockets AND is machine washable, you get a little attached!

We hope you’ll enjoy these behind the scenes photos- the good, the bad, and the….candid? (:

 

Probably telling them to hug each other and get nice and close! Alex at it again with his expert veil tosses!Back when my hair went down to my waist! I traded my usual work attire for a sundress and beach bag this day!Showing off our Bride Guide at the Brownstone Reserve open house! That foot pop! Me in my happy place…by the dessert table! Just kidding…sort of.  Alex’s face 99% of the time when I’m taking a test shot!  Apparently this is the face I make when I’m waiting for the recessional to start!  Gorgeous set up at Leslie and Justin’s wedding! Alex pretending to be the groom for the upcoming “behind the corner” First Look. Classic! Probably thinking about which flavor cake I want at the end of the night…haha!  I’m not sure if Alex is photobombing the groomsmen, or if the groomsmen are photobombing him! Not sure why I look like an army sergeant in this one!! Behind-the-scenes of the Bliss Bridal Magazine cover shoot at The George! Haha! Now I know what it’s like to be photographed unexpectedly on the dance floor…poor guests!!  A little more camera aware, ha!  Now taking recommendations for anti-frizz products…haha!!  Another fun shoot featured in Bliss Bridal Magazine!Reasons why I just got a portable steamer for Christmas! Those hour car rides to College Station will do you in! The cutest photo booth at Alyssa + Todd’s Brownstone Reserve wedding. Shooting details at Caity + Will’s wedding! A quick cake cutting 101! Personal pack mule…hehe!  I can’t help put post some of the candids that make me laugh out loud! Thanks for this one, Alex, Haha!!
Testing the lighting for the groom getting ready shots. Alex saves the day with his pinning skills! Expert veil tosser at your service…wait you thought that was done by wind?! Hehe. I call this one “The Pterodactyl…”  Don’t worry, they moved all the way out of the frame for the next shot!This one makes me laugh so hard! I hope I wasn’t telling Carleigh to mimic my hand placement!? See- guys can style details, too!  Always keepin’ it cool for the cameras. I call these next 3 photos “The many roles of Alex.” (: When your reflector is still in the car, so you improvise with large furniture. Haha!Alex doubled as an usher & second photographer at Patrick + Sarah’s wedding.
Testing out the sunset lighting! All white studio!

And that’s a wrap, 2017!! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all of the couples, vendors, and steadfast supporters who made this year so successful. We are so blessed and can’t wait to see what weddings, projects, and relationships 2018 has in store!

-Kati & Alex