When Meg booked me for her next year summer wedding, I knew she was going to be my ideal client, it was going to be a nothing but fun and I was for sure up for an adventure. She suggested the City of Rocks (which I had never been to) so I trusted her and my GPS that it would be amazing. I LOVE ADVENTUROUS COUPLES! We pulled up and my jaw dropped INSTANTLY. We ran around the huge rocks until sunset and found a little grove of fall trees driving an extra mile! I had so.much.fun. I really can't believe I've lived in Idaho my whole life and not once been to the City of Rocks. These two were not afraid of anything I asked them to do either and they have been so sweet, easygoing and so adventurous (perfect client award).
Summer wedding here we come!!!! -Carly
0 Comments
Giant Volkswagen bus, a barefoot bride, draped floral, all on a beautiful rocky island. My talented and sweet friend Alexis puts on amazing styled shoots, all of my friends kept doing them and I would miss it by just a few minutes because she has people signed up THAT FAST. My friend Jessica and I drove to Antelope Island together. It's so refreshing to shoot creatively and to test out different shots and lighting. My favorite part from styled shoots is learning from other photographers. Since living in Utah, that's become HUGE to me. Where I grew up, there were never "workshops" or "styled shoots" every held or even mentioned. So when I moved to Utah I had a culture shock hahaha! Head Stylist & Coordinator: Alexis Foust Photography IG: @alexisfoustphotography Email: [email protected] Wedding Models: Keilara McCormick + Michael Beck IG: @larakei + @mbhodgman Email: [email protected] Engagement Models: Sierra Bodily + Josh Jackard IG: @sierrabodilyy + @joshjackard Email: [email protected] Decor: Chelsea Brooke Events IG: @chelseabrookeevents Email: [email protected] Table: Tavolo Rental IG: @tavolorental Email: [email protected] HMUA: Lexi Harker Beauty IG: @lexiharkerbeauty Email: [email protected] Florals: Beehive Floral Co IG: @beehivefloralco Email: [email protected] Invites: Ink and Press Co. IG: @inkandpressco Email: [email protected] Wedding Dress: J Noelle Designs IG: @jnoelle.design Email: [email protected] Tie: ZuZu Wear IG: @zuzuwear Email: [email protected] Cake: Kennedy Chamberlain IG: @_mimiandjune Email: [email protected] Wedding Models: Keilara McCormick + Michael Beck IG: @larakei + @mbhodgman Decor: Chelsea Brooke Events IG: @chelseabrookeevents Table: Tavolo Rental IG: @tavolorental HMUA: Lexi Harker Beauty IG: @lexiharkerbeauty Florals: Beehive Floral Co IG: @beehivefloralco Invites: Ink and Press Co. IG: @inkandpressco Wedding Dress: J Noelle Designs IG: @jnoelle.design Tie: ZuZu Wear IG: @zuzuwear Cake: Kennedy Chamberlain IG: @_mimiandjune Head Stylist & Coordinator: Alexis Foust Photography IG: @alexisfoustphotography Email: [email protected] To be honest, hitting my one year mark as being a full time photographer feels so strange. I use to dream about capturing wedding days filled with giddy brides, making a brand for myself, fluffing a long white veil, having the best quality camera and sharing my personal life a little. And I can fully say I am doing my dream job. Almost 4 years ago my husband bought be a $300 camera for Christmas, I wasn't sure if I was "good enough" until I took the leap a year ago. 1. UNPLUGGING AND RECHARGINGBetween editing an entire wedding, thinking of the very best caption for an Instagram photo, redoing an entire website (because you really can't afford for someone to do it), posting on facebook, emailing and texting clients back, the list goes on and on. Sometimes I literally turn my phone on airplane mode. Your typical 9-5 job you can just come home and be DONE! But when you work from home sometimes you feel like you can't shut it off. The gym is my total escape for that. I get to zone out for an hour and focus on ME. 2. A Mom firstWhen I decided I was going to really go for this, I promised myself I would always be a mom first. I’m actually writing this while my baby naps. But once she is up, I can’t be on my computer. It gives me a solid 3 hours to do things that I need to do but it's also good because I can't obsess over my blog, website, Instagram. My baby comes first and my brides are a close second. Hahahaha I really do have the best brides around. 3. STOP COMPARING!!!!!This is always a note I have to keep to myself. Deep down I really am a people pleaser. But this year I've grown further and further away from that. Not everyone will love your images, not everyone will follow you, and that OKAY! I would rather have a tiny tribe of people that absolutely adore me than thousands of people that scroll right past me. Jenna Kutcher says “You are not nutella, you can’t please everyone.” 4. Listening to the Right StuffI bet you’re thinking….what the crap does that mean? In the photography business there is a ton of education. I’ve decided I have to pick and choose who I need to take advice from and who I can have it go one ear and out the other or you start feeling super guilty for not doing “the right thing”. The Gold Digger Podcast from Jenna Kutcher (yes I love her teaching) is amazing and she knows her stuff! But it might not be the right education for YOU! Go with your gut and run your business from your heart (holy cheesy....). 5. Getting out of a FunkAs photographers we feel like we have to be creative 24/7 and the reality is we have “writers block” just like everyone else. Styled Shoots have helped me tremendously with this, it’s a time where photographers can come together and learn from one another without the pressure of a real client. Thanks so much for reading and learning as I go. In my first full year by the end of this week will be 18 weddings and my goal was 12. I LOVE what I get to do. -Carly Also HUGE thanks to my friend Jessica Ajeman Photography who takes our pictures then lets me edit them. She is the sweetest!!
7 years in the making, Morgan and Trevor were married on a warm day tucked on the side of the canyon in a little grove of trees. An hour before the ceremony, we snuck away to do their first look. Trevor is so goofy and keeps Morgan laughing 24/7 it was so sweet to see him get emotional as he saw her for the first time. He had the BIGGEST grin on his face he seriously could not wipe off. They hugged and giggled, I loved being apart of it. It felt so intimate and snug as Morgan and Trevor's closest family and friends were all together on the canyon side. You could hear Shoshone Falls in the background. Morgan and I have known eachother FOREVER. Ok ok since kindergarten. But, I don't ever remember Morgan without Trevor. You could ask anyone from our high school....every high school dance. Every lunch. Every school basketball game. Driving together. They are/were ALWAYS together. I'm so happy I was apart of their sweet day. -Carly hahahahahaha I love Trevor.
This year I decided to make a little bucket list to do all the fall things with our Emmy girl. She's at such a fun age, she's so curious and amazed by everything. It cracks me up. I hope this little list can inspire you to get out and do things with your family. These are things I did growing up and of coarse want to keep doing them with our little family. All of these things take little to no money too! I love doing little things with Ems that don't cost a dime. Of coarse there is the usually go to McDonald's and let them play on the toys (hahahahaha), instead try one of these!!!
yummy fall treats: pumpkin chocolate chip cookies homemade carmel and apples homemade hot chocolate apple cider chili outside activities: the pumpkin patch apple picking get lost in the corn maze bundle up and have a fire take a drive to see the leaves go on a hay ride inside: carve pumpkins halloween movie marathon sugar cookie decorating put up the decorations I know what you're thinking. What the heck is a styled shoot?
A lot of creatives get "writers block" and we feel uninspired. One day I was looking on Pinterest and was so inspired by sand dunes, I knew I needed to do a shoot ASAP. So I got in tough with amazing local vendors and this is what we came up with! My husband was so sweet and built the arch (it is for rent). Conner Nesbit from Leuca Floral (@connernesbit) did the amazing fall inspired bouquet, flower crown and arch garland. I completely trust Conner so I said do whatever you want!! And he delivered the magic! Jessica has the most detailed handmade gowns, I've always followed her and promised I would use one of her dresses the next time I do a styled shoot. Aubrey is wearing her two piece high neck gown. I am obsessed. Thanks to Aubrey and Ashton for modeling for us! They were so much fun. And a special thanks to everyone that came! <3 At one of the weddings I did in September, someone asked me how many weddings I've done this summer. Truthfully, I had no clue! After that I ran home counted how many weddings I have done this summer. I had done 17 and just recently booked 3 more. Back in January, my goal was to book 12 weddings in a year! I was in complete shock! Last October I did my first styled shoot and I decided I wanted to be a wedding photographer.
No I don't get thousands of likes on each picture. No I don't pay someone to do my editing or shooting. But I did have a dream to capture true, real, raw, love through unique and easygoing couples. And that's exactly what I've had this summer. As we move into fall and winter, I can't be more excited for my fall and winter weddings-----but that's another blog post ;) Reagan and Jordan's was simple and classic. They have such a goofy and tender relationship. <3 Kandice and Troy had their closest friends and family at their sweet mountainside wedding. the mountains and trees were the background and the grass was their dance floor. Their ceremony was so sweet and simple as their good friend married them. The whole day Kandice's bridesmaids were literally the sweetest and felt like my little assistants at the end of the day. I love a helpful bridal party more than anything.
They danced under the stars. I love my unique and easy-going brides. This summer has truly been incredible and I will forever be thankful for them. -Carly J. I've never had a bride schedule bridals before their sealing and I would HIGHLY recommend it. It not only made it easy afterwards with family pictures, but also was a magical and giddy beginning to their day. They were both so calm and excited to be married within the hour.
My absolute favorite part of the entire day was Sunny and Jaxon's reception. Her mom planted matching flowers specifically for her wedding. SO sweet!!!! I'm so blessed to have such easy-going and unique brides. I really do get the sweetest brides . This summer has been crazy busy in the BEST way possible <3 Before I even get into their beautiful ceremony, I have to take a moment and appreciate how nice, easy-going and SO kind Sabre and Riley have been to me. Sabre booked me awhile back (she found me on instagram) and a couple of months later she started working with my husband. Since then we've been on RZR rides together, ate mexican food together and I see her almost everyday. She is THE SWEETEST.
Sabre and Riley's wedding was nothing short of many tears. It was a warm summer evening down in beautiful property filled with green trees. Sabre walked hand in hand with their little Zailee, tears streamed down Riley's face. This ceremony was so special for their whole family. It has been so cool to be with them and their little family. Colby and Andrea's canyon side wedding. Sweet gifts to their parents. The canyon view. 3 hours of non stop dancing. + a heartfelt ceremony Love these two so much!! xoxo
Small lush green orchard ceremony, tacos trucks and churros, a family hug at the end of the aisle and getting pushed into the pool are just a tiny list of Danielle and Rob's day. Danielle had written in a journal for months and months on end for Rob to read on their day, she wrote things that she loved about him and small memories they've had together. Their ceremony was filled with close friends and family with the orchard as the background, the ceremony was as sweet as ever. Danielle, Rob and the kids walked down the aisle hand in hand, at the end of the aisle they embraced one another. Tears welled up in my eyes. It was the most special moment as the hugged and kissed each other.
TACOS. TACOS. TACOS. CHURROS. CHURROS. CHURROS. As if their day couldn't get any better, they had a legit taco TRUCK at their reception!!! Followed by the biggest churros I've ever seen hahaha Rob then chucked Danielle into the pool. Fully clothed. I love rad easy going couples. It makes my job so easy. They are wild and fun and it definitely shined It was the peak of spring and the blossoms were at their full bloom. The temple grounds were full of cherry blossom trees, yellow tulips and fresh green grass. As Ashlyn and Brayden came out of the temple, Ashlyn did a direct line to her dad and hugged him. I teared up behind my lens as they sat there hugging. Her smile was contagious and permanent the ENTIRE day. As we shot their bridals at the temple, it was so upbeat and giddy. My favorite saying by Brayden was "Man, I feel bad for my kids. Their going to say 'Dad, why do you look 12 when you and mom got married?'" hahahahaha He's probably going to kill me for putting that in here, but it was THE BEST. Brayden, it's better to look young than old, RIGHT?! Hahahaha. At the reception the line got longer and longer by the hour, I've never seen so many people at a reception before. No joke. But the most IMPORTANT part......the Oreo bar full of Ashlyn and Brayden's favorite Oreo's with labels of which one was there favorite. The high school sweethearts ended the night with a sparkler send off and of to the surprise honeymoon they went! (cough cough San Fran!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I enjoyed every minute I spend with these two, I love when my "clients" become my good friends. I'm throwing in their bridals as well from Big Cottonwood Canyon. Enjoy my bloggin' friends :) I LOVE summertime (it ends so quickly), I love the cool warmth fall brings and spring is so good for the soul. I love the first snow of the year and on the day Christmas, but after a while it's just too dang cold and I go into hibernation (haha) you can relate, right?! I love being out doors and soaking up the sunshine, I think I might live in the wrong state. This was the first shoot I did when it finally started to warm up and I was like.....YES. Gimme all the sunshine. It as so nice to get out of the winter funk and start getting excited for those spring and summer weddings. Hiliary (@hiliarystewart) and I ran around these hills with these two. Alicia's smile is so dang contagious and yes she is like this all.the.time. We worked with each other at Hope Ave. before I had my baby and she always made it so much fun when we worked shifts together. I totally miss the clothes! It's a good thing I like to shop ;) Ok, this blog post is so random. Thanks for bearin' it with me. Just trying to keep it real and tell you what's on my mind. I keep reading these perfect-so-thought-out blog posts and they just aren't me. I'm totally not a writer, I hated every English and writing class I had but I hope I can speak to some of you :)
Thanks for reading and scrolling my friends :) I had a blast taking Kyle and Terra's pictures, it sure was an adventure!! But when you come with me I guess that's what you have to expect! I'm not going to sugar coat it......we drove up to my most favorite spot in the Logan Canyon. It about a good 20-30 minute drive, we pulled up to the spot to see snow completely blocking the road up to the spot. I was like NOOOOOOOOO! That's not even the worst part. There was a lady that tried to attempt to make her way up to the spot and got completely stuck in the snow. She had 3 little boys with her, I felt so bad! There's no phone service up there or anything. We tried to get her unstuck or a good 20 minutes or so using yoga mats (hahahahha yes yoga mats), shoveling her out (thanks to Kyle), pushing her car, we tried everything. She ended up going with this other girl that stopped to get phone service to call her husband. We couldn't make it to the spot but it seriously turned out perfect.
Emily and her sweet family were so nice to let me come into their home for a cozy little pancake party. When I walked into her door I was showered with hugs and a million questions, I lovveeee little kids so I was loving every minute of it. They chased each other around, gave sweet cheek kisses to one another and watched mama make the pancakes. And can we talk about the matching PJ's?! So adorable!! |