One of the greatest things happened this year when I decided to expand my team. It can be lonely working alone but I also saw some demands + needs within my business. One thing that really got to me was how many weddings I can’t photograph each year just simply because I’m already booked. It crushed me when these couples would message me + say I’ve been following you forever + it’s finally my turn I have to have you + their date is set + I was already booked. This year I added Esther to my team as a lead photographer. First of all she’s the absolute sweetest, why she takes the shit she does from this team I will never know but we tease her relentlessly + she takes it + at times dishes her own back when we never saw it coming haha. She’s been a second photographer of mine for years + been creating her own amazing business. Just as she was about to really launch into her first year of weddings on her own she found out she was pregnant. She’s an incredible mom to her now 1 year old guy + the funnest stepmom to her husband’s 2 girls. I approached her with the idea of joining the team as a lead last fall knowing it’d either be absolutely perfect for her life + biz or it’d be absolutely the wrong deal, hoping not the latter. I’m so stoked she agreed to it + we’ve had the most epic summer EVER as a team.
Heidi + Cory eloped in Many Glacier last month, just the two of them. They booked Esther + this was awesome cause I was actually shooting up there that night as well so we got to go together! Just a few weeks before their plans for an officiant fell through. I reached out to Amanda, our in-house officiant haha. We don’t normally offer her in Esther’s elopement collections to keep her available for the couples I’m working with + she’s also my personal second shooter so to keep her available for that as well. But that day I didn’t need one + Amanda couldn’t imagine the stress that may have been for them to have that come up last minute + jumped in to make their elopement official. She officiated so many elopements this summer + still says that Heidi + Cory had her favorite vows. Their love for each other was clear, they were so heartfelt, their hands together + tears streaming down their faces. I wish I had been there for them!!!!
This ended up so cool as they had all their correspondence with both Esther + I leading up to that day, then I didn’t shoot right away so I met up with them + joined them on the walk out to their ceremony spot chatting the whole way. My other couple + I ran into them a few times shooting around the area constantly yelling how good looking they are + congratulations. Typical, making a scene everywhere we go 😉
Heidi emailed me after to say thank you for everything. She used to be a photographer herself but found herself getting burnt out + uninspired. Which is actually very common in this industry. She moved on to a new chapter in her life. But in her email saying thank you she told me how great the experience was + how inspired she felt that day + has decided to chase after her photographer dreams again. Plan made + in motion! Hearing that is not only an incredible compliment but so inspiring for us as well! That our shenanigans + dream chasing could impact you in just a few hours together to run after that thing your heart desires. Absolutely amazing + so incredibly grateful for these two!
Esther crushed it on their elopement so I wanted to share a few images! For those curious how this team gig works just a rough overview the couple works with us as a team throughout the entire planning process with me in the lead most of time. Esther shows up + works magic photography with them + I do the edit giving it my personal style + touch. Voila.. Jacilyn M Team amazingness!
XOXO, J.
