Today, I wanted to share all of my thoughts, feels and snaps behind my incredible labor of love on my blog. This was hands down the hardest thing I have ever done in my photography career. I’m not going to lie, hosting a workshop is tough. It was the first thing in my business I felt nervous about and I had serious doubts leading up to May: What if people didn’t buy tickets? What if attendees walk away feeling disappointed? What if I failed? Well, I’m here to tell you it was all worth it. The feeling of being able to give business owners tools to become more successful is an all time high feeling for me.

It’s difficult to put into words how much I adored this couple. It’s also hard to believe the only day I had ever met them in person was on wedding day! Ellie & Greg are insanely down to earth. While the two live in the most intense, high paced city in the world (New York) they could not be more opposite of the tense city vibe.

I could photograph Marcella and Jamie all day long. These two were naturals in front of the camera. We woke up at 6am to be among the first at the Jefferson Memorial during peak cherry blossom bloom in Washington, D.C. It was actually about 40 degrees but you would never know with how amazing Marcella was in the cold (even in a dress)! Planning a photography session during “peak bloom” can be extremely challenging. The forecast this year had falsely placed the blooms a month early! They can bloom anytime between mid-March and early April so this requires a lot of flexibility on the part of both the clients and photographer! We definitely got lucky with our timing.

I am going to try to describe my love for this couple. They honestly are just so fun to be around. We spent 3 hours together and maybe an hour of that was actually shooting. They are sarcastic, interesting and super laid back individuals: just my type of people. They are getting married at the Wharf this November and I know I am going to feel more like a guest than a photographer! We actually casually planned sunrise at Jefferson before we knew about the cherry blossom dates! These two got super lucky with the weather and the blooms all at once!

As you may (or may not) know, I have officially launched my photography workshop called The Real Talk Workshop. We get it Kir… you’re hosting a workshop. So why then am I writing a blog post about it? Well, I don’t really think a landing page on my site is doing this event justice. I want to really dive in and explain the passion behind this project. 

Ah yes, the age-old question: Do I need a wedding planner? The answer is an overwhelming YES. What most brides don’t realize is that, no matter what, you will have a wedding planner. If you don’t hire a professional, this job will either fall to you, your photographer, your mother, or a team of drunken bridesmaids. This is not to say that any of these people can do this job or are in the least bit qualified for it… but one way or another, your wedding will go on. Whether you want it to run smoothly without stress is up to you.