I used to photograph weddings all the time -- actually, a wedding is how I got started with photography to begin with (shout out to Heidi + Chad who basically insisted I be their photographer and guilted me into it by saying they wouldn't have photographs if I didn't do it, and then bought my first camera as payment -- without them, this entire business would not exist and I am eternally grateful to them for seeing something in me before I saw it myself!)
Aaaanyways! I love weddings; I love everything about them. But after a few years of consistently shooting them, I realized I was getting burnt out and I just didn't feel like I was going to continually be able to give my best photographer self to my wedding clients -- so I took a step back. I stopped offering weddings except under very specific circumstances.
And, if I may, it was the best decision I ever made.
Taiga's mom, Nancy, has followed my work since the very start and when she reached out about Taiga's wedding, I could not have been more excited! Taiga + Chaz are my dream wedding clients:
*prioritizing photography (Taiga even mentioned "golden hour photos" when we were chatting before they hired me and, let me tell you, clients who understand the importance of the golden hour are clients all of us photographers want!)
*so crazy in love and not afraid to show it (just WAIT until you see their bridal portraits)
*outdoor ceremony/reception
*casual + flexible
*beyond friendly and welcoming and just so, so fun to take pictures of
I know that I am so lucky in that I get to be a little bit pickier about who and what conditions I work with for weddings -- but I could not have written up a better who + what than Taiga + Chaz and their wedding day. It was absolute perfection. The weather, the emotions, the people (Taiga + Chaz but also their family + friends).
A few of my favorite moments throughout their day:
*seeing Taiga's dad get so emotional when he got up to do a reading during the ceremony -- it's not every day you see your only daughter get married. Taiga + Chaz surrounding him while he did the reading definitely made me tear up -- you could just feel the love between them
*Chaz's mom also did a reading during the ceremony and had all of their guests pray over them -- to see a group come together with the best intentions and wishes and prayers for their future was beautiful
*when I was able to sneak Taiga + Chaz away for those ever magical golden hour photos -- you could truly feel how much they love each other just by watching them interact. But in those moments when I get to steal the bride + groom away from everyone else and they get a few minutes to just relax and be together? It's honestly magic every time. You can see the emotions from the day settle in, they realize they get some time to breathe and just revel in the fact that they are MARRIED. And Taiga + Chaz were no exception -- the way Chaz looks at Taiga as I had them traipsing through the weeds? You know it's a forever kind of love when you see it.
(bottom left in the collage below is all I'm gonna say...)
Taiga + Chaz -- I struggle with the words to say thank you for giving me the gift of photographing your beautiful wedding and love story. I know I've already told you this but if all weddings + couples were just like you, I just might take on weddings full time again! Your love for each other was a joy to see and such an inspiration, both personally *and* as a photographer! There's nothing better to fill your creative soul as a photographer than two people that just genuinely like + love each other so thank you thank you thank you. It was truly a privilege to photograph your beautiful day!
