Well, we did it! We made it one full year as a married couple. Although we have known each other for about a decade and have been together for 6 years, there is something so special about the first year of marriage. I really do feel like Ben and I work as a team, sometimes to a fault. We have definitely gotten into a rhythm of unloading the dishes, taking out the trash and falling asleep while working on our laptops in bed. I have always wanted a quiet life. My adolescent life really sucked so I always secretly wished for stability and a place I felt content with a person that could make me feel at home. Ben and our cats on an idle Tuesday really make me feel those things.

Not everything in our lives is picture perfect. A big part of me feels some guilt about this year. I have focused the last 12 months on building my business. I became work obsessed. In 2016, I photographed 27 weddings. If you think about how many weekends are in a year and the fact that I was also tutoring full time, that was a huge load to take on. There were weeks at a time when I had zero days off. Any free time I did have was on a plane flying to photography conferences, destination engagements and travel adventures I was determined to get published. In looking back, Ben was massively supportive given my Kir2ben obsession. He would model for styled shoots, he never complained about money we dropped on my photo expenses and would make breakfast after my sunrise sessions. In 2017 and beyond, I am really going to focus on thanking and appreciating Ben. As a part of that, I am only taking on a small number of weddings per year and scaling back on teaching as well. 

Although our first year of marriage flew by, not everything felt so heavy. The reason I became so addicted to my work is because it was and is fun. I truly feel that photography is what I was meant to do. Any time I got the chance to share my passion with Ben, I took it! Here are some of the best things about year one of marriage:

Year Highlights

Styled Shoots: This year, we got to work with so many amazing photographers and vendors in the area who have become dear friends. We had a blast at Vanessa Smith’s blush inspired styled shoot at Rust Manor House and we also got to work with Rachel Rice for a St. Michaels shoot at The Inn at Perry Cabin. We had my dear friend Marirosa Anderson and Eddie of Jalepeno Photography to capture some in between moments this year! A major shoutout to Katie Rose for this in home session to commemorate our life in our first home. 

Adventures: We also got to travel quite a bit, both together and separately! I think our Honeymoon in Bora Bora was our favorite but we also got to travel to Iceland,  Paris, Poland and Australia! In year 2 we are planning Banff, Italy, France, and Japan! 

Weddings: Not only was I able to document heaps of love stories, we were also able to be a part of some. We got to attend Jess Perry’s wedding on Cape Cod, Lara’s wedding in my hometown of Palm Beach Florida and teammate Erskine Love’s wedding in Wilmington, North Carolina. 

A Quiet Life: For those of you that know me, you are aware it is hard for me to slow down. In college, I was always the one volunteering to go out on Tuesday nights. Now, I feel a contentment that allows me to binge watch West Wing on the couch with Ben. If you’re reading this, thanks for checking in on our little team! Here are some photos of our quiet life. Hopefully next year, the man bun will be in full swing.