Behind the Scenes: Double Duty at Joel & Morgan's Wedding!

If you would have told me a few years ago, I was going to be photographing my best friend's wedding, I would've completely geeked out.

But I totally geeked out anyway when Joel & Morgan asked me to take their photos! It was such a joy to capture their wedding (talk about full circle: Morgan was my first model wayyy back when I first started taking pictures; I had the privilege of doing both of their senior pictures and their engagement pictures and at this point, I'm like please just hire me to be your life photographer!!!! <3)

I also had the honor of being a bridesmaid as well...which means I had to have a lot of help. And this gal, my dear friend Miss Rachel Waters-was (is!) the best help I could've asked for! The emotion Rachel captured while she did the ceremony by herself (something you don't normally ask your second shooter to do but she nailed it like a champ!) is the kind that will make you want to cry happy tears. Rachel, I can't thank you enough!

And, on top of that, Rachel managed to get so many moments from behind the scenes. This, this my friends, is the glamour of photographing a wedding. In a floorlength dress. With a turtle backpack & wind that makes you inhale your hair & bright sunshine & all the best things!

But while I was editing through these pictures, I noted some rare talents I especially display at photo events. Let's walk through them, shall we?

Obviously, the first one: like Caroline Logan says "10% a photographer, 90% a hair fixer." I think we can paraphrase that and say "25% corny joke maker...

(seriously one of my favorite face changes...zoom in if ya have to, it's SO worth it!)

"...15% laugher at her own jokes..."

"...50% hair fixer and train & veil adjuster..." (also since I adjust coat pockets too, I'm offering that as a complimentary service at the next wedding!)

"Hiiiii! So glad you guys wanted to hang out with me today! That WAS the plan, right????!!!!"

Killin' the moment like a pro.

In all seriousness though: Morgan had the dreamiest dress & veil and gave me all the Kate Middleton vibes. THE BEST.)

And then there's the 10% of the time that I actually take photos, pictured below. :) (JK, I promise.)

So along with that percentage, I'm one hundred percent a pro at giving free dance lessons. (Clearly, my math skills are amazing.)

My favorite moves?

Singing/dancing/demonstrating "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" with the full bridal party...

"Now sliiiiiiiddddeeee to the left..."

"And now to the front, to the front..."

clearly so amused.

Another one of my favorite moves: running away.

"The caterer is where? I've just got to run and grab something real quick..." (I also love Morgan's tree trimming skills in the back...)

And when I'm not teaching dance, I'm photographing it too...

I love that Xander is having absolutely non of it...and peep Jacob working on his photobomb!

But when I'm not giving out those aforementioned free dance lessons, you can find me eyeing...I mean photographing the cake...

casually twirling...

...giving out hugs...

...ruining my second shooter's photo like a champ... (Where's Waldo anybody?)

...and hiding in the curtains with the true subtlety I'm becoming known for...(also #communityovercompetition. I might hire this guy for my next wedding!)

One of my favorite tricks is to put on a bridesmaid's dress and sneak into the photos to see if they'll notice. After all, being a bridesmaid is one my dream jobs!

But then it's like...ooh, this one's telling us where to stand...where's the photographer? Oh. Okay.

Man, she's bossy.

Just kidding. These ladies are great <3.

Sometimes I try and sneak into the boys' photos too, but it's a little too obvious...

...because I'm wayyy too short to be one of the groomsmen.

Yup, still too short even from this distance too.

It was the greatest joy/blessing to get to see Peter and Elizabeth, (!!!) my first bride and groom at my newest couple's wedding. So thankful for them!

the joy was incredibly real.

I was lucky enough to grab a quick portrait of them: (you can see it here!)...and Rachel captured the succession of shooting that so perfectly...

I left my phone at the head table during the reception; so while Rachel & I mingled with the guests, this went on...

Thanks Ryan and Katie for the fun surprise! :)

Also found this beauty too...thanks for offering to hold my camera for me, Dylan!

But all joking...

and sarcasm aside, it was such a huge honor to be able to pull double duty for Joel and Morgan's wedding! Thank you for trusting me with all that responsibility! <3

traded the stripes and blue dress for a wedding dress...and another blue dress ;)

Love you J& M! If you've made it all the way to the bottom, high five. You're the best!

CREDITS:

Second shooter: Rachel Waters of Waters Photography

Ceremony: Grace Immanuel Reformed Baptist Church

Reception Venue: City Flats Hotel

Bridesmaid Dress: Azazie

(Also, photographers: this is the turtle backpack I'm wearing in a lot the photos: best backpack for my camera/laptop I've invested in! Super comfortable and the pockets are the best for stashing your phone in while wearing it.)

resting in Jesus

"I've been in a bit of a funk," I explained to my brother and sister. "I just can't seem to shake it."

I went on to tell them how I felt so overwhelmed emotionally and mentally and couldn't figure out why I felt this way. Yes, I was working a lot, but that was normal. Yes, I was a little stressed over friends, but well, I was bearing their burdens. Yes, I was reading my Bible and praying. So what was I doing wrong?

Turns out, I was addicted to seeing the number of my hours go up. I was taking all the weight of being burdened for others on myself and not giving it to the Lord. I was so busy, so caught up in trying to serve God and help others that I wasn't making a lot of time for myself.

Really?

It seems weird to say, but yes. That was it. I wasn't taking time to rest.

And I think that something the Lord has been trying to teach me to do is rest. I say that because after that late night couch talk, I got sick and took a full day off of work. That was the first day besides a Sunday in the longest time I didn't have any work to go to, and it was unbelievably peaceful. Then, I headed away to Tennessee and spent time in God's creation marveling at His handiwork (holy moly, He is a creative genius!) and then sprained my ankle in the most ungraceful way possible.

I tripped off a rock.

It's almost like the Lord is saying to me, "Slow down! And to really make sure you do that, you are going to sprain your ankle and you will have to be slower.

"Appreciate this season. Come visit with Me. Take time to be holy and pray before Me." So I will say, "Yes, Lord. I will rest. I will take time to spend with You, and make that a priority."

You see, one of the things my brother advised me to do is spend more time in the presence of the Lord, and it has been a gamechanger. Yes, it means getting up earlier but I think it truly reflects what Emma Mae Jenkins says: "Time with Jesus is the best because it overflows into time with everyone else in the day." I need to hear what the Lord wants to teach me before I go out and try to handle everything myself. Instead, I can walk out to my work with the Lord's hand consciously guiding my steps.

Another important thing I've learned to LOVE are rest days. Rest days are the days where I only work one shift or just don't have any work at all. They are the BEST! I may not get them often, but I'm learning to appreciate them with alllllll my heart.

Rest days are for pizza dates with my mom, spending a little more time in the Word, praying till I feel like the burden has been lifted, cleaning off my computer, yoga, reading, and Marvista movies. They are so precious because they are time away from my work to just rest and refuel.

So the takeaway? If you're feeling just like I was: take time to rest before the Lord. Even if it's just for a few hours, make time with the Lord your priority! Some verses I've been loving to pray in the morning are Psalm 143:8-10: "Let the morning bring me Word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.

HERE'S THE IMPORTANT VERSE:

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

My prayer is "teach me to do your will"-but how will you know God's will unless you seek it out in His word?

So seek His face, and rest. Lysa TerKeurst says it beautifully: "Jesus doesn’t participate in the rat race. He’s into the slower rhythms of life, like abiding, delighting, and dwelling—all words that require us to trust Him with our place and our pace. Words used to describe us being with Him.” (Uninvited)

welcome to mk!

Hello hello hellooooo!

It's been a while since I've posted much here, so I figured since a new year means new starts, I'd revive my blog!*

* clarification: there will be blog posts. They probably will not be scheduled or weekly or even biweekly. We shall see.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to start sharing more of my writing and behind the scenes here!