Today's post is a fun one! I have a little bit of a tree, or a web, of really special clients that are all intertwined and connected, and I consider it one of my greatest accomplishments in my business.
My business depends heavily on client referrals, and I truly mean it when I say that there is no higher compliment I can receive than to have someone who watched me work a wedding day, quietly from the shadows, and liked me so much that they then booked their wedding with me.
I think it's one thing to look at a photographer's work and think that you want to work with them, but it's another thing entirely to actually witness their process and want to work with them. It's something that I don't take lightly, and I know that I'm being watched on a day that I'm truly consumed by my bride and groom. They get 99% of my attention on a wedding day, but it's an honor to know that my warmth and vibes spread to the rest of the group as well.
I officially started my business in 2019. In 2020, I photographed my Aunt Jill and her family for their Christmas card photos. They have a beautiful property with hundreds (maybe thousands!) of evergreen trees, so we braved the snow and got some beautiful golden hour family shots. It was a really quick shoot (you know-- we only need one photo!), but we definitely got the shot!
After that, my aunt posted some of these photos and tagged my brand new business account on social media. They caught someone's eye and she reached out to me for my wedding pricing, and that's how I welcomed Kayla and Devin into my photo family. I took their engagement photos, Kayla's bridal portraits, then their wedding photos, and have since done pregnancy announcement, maternity, newborn, and other family photos with them. They're stuck with me and they're mine.
After Kayla, Devin, and I shared their engagement photos, I had someone else reach out to me about their own wedding photos. This is where Jessica and Ryan enter! Ryan was set to be a groomsman in Kayla and Devin's wedding, and Jess had gone to nursing school with my sister. I was so excited to book them, and they are another couple who have just since welcomed me into practically every season of their lives.
These are the pinch-me moments. When I can have people like Kayla and Devin and Jess and Ryan who trust me to document their stories. The weight of that is not lost on me, and I cherish it so much!
After Jess and Ryan's wedding, I received another wedding inquiry from Emily and James. Emily had been one of Jessica's bridesmaids, and my right-hand girl that day. I haven't shared their wedding blog post yet, but I plan to really soon-- and when I do, you're in for the sweetest strawberry treat!
This was kind of my first "whoa" moment because while I'm sure that Emily had seen Jessica and Ryan's photos and had seen my completed work, she was the first one who had watched me in action on a wedding day and thought, she's my girl. Like I said at the beginning, it's one thing for people to love your work, it's another thing for people to love you. And I take that as such a compliment.
All of the same sentiments go into the next couple: Shelby and Dalton. Dalton was a groomsman in Jessica and Ryan's wedding, so they got to watch me work that wedding, too. Shelby and Dalton are one of my most adventurous couples-- just wait until you see some of their engagement photos! Their wedding is set for August of this year, and I cannot wait for it. I already know it's going to be a mix of elegance and PARTY, and I am pumped.
Now I'll toss it back to another inquiry directly from Kayla and Devin-- Devin's sister Maddy and her fiance Brandon. Maddy was a bridesmaid in Kayla and Devin's wedding, and she'll be married this coming September. We did their engagement photos with lots of laughs and their precious golden retriever at Letchworth State Park last fall. Here's a little peek at those!
Being trusted in this way, not just for my photos, but for the way I move through a wedding day, is something I’ll never stop being grateful for. Every referral feels like a little thread connecting stories, families, and celebrations, weaving this beautiful web that I get to be part of. It reminds me that this business isn’t just about images; it’s about presence, energy, and the way people feel when they’re around you. And to have that ripple outward, from one wedding to the next, is one of the most special parts of what I do.
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