Episode 1: Who are you and what is Wedding Wednesday?
Hey y’all! I’m Kate, Owner and principal photographer here at Katherine Elyse Photography. I’m starting out this year feeling really grateful for all my fabulous past clients, my legendary team of wedding pros I work with, and of course, those of you who are maybe new to KEP and want to get a better understanding of me, who I am, and how I work. I think 2021 is going to be our year!
All of the content I’ll put out is created for you and by your request. I’m extra super grateful to have such a supportive community of friends and followers. Every other week I’ll be pairing some expert wedding advice with a lovely beer to sip on while you read. I’ve been super nervous to get these blogs out so I figured I’d get a beer that’s reflective of those tummy bubbles. Today we’re drinking Lagunitas 12th of Never, because that’s genuinely the timeframe in which when I thought these blogs would happen! lol This week, I want to tell you a bit about me and give you some insight into why I feel qualified to be giving advice about anything to anyone about weddings!
This is my 10th year as a professional photographer and 6th year full time shooting weddings. I started in 2007 while in college at Chico state with a camera I basically stole from a guy I was dating at the time. So, at least one positive to that failed relationship. (lol) I took it to Thanksgiving and chased around my cousins and really enjoyed the creative freedom it gave me. I never once considered that it might become a career. I have my degree in Psychology with a minor in child education, so I was pretty sure I was going to become a teacher. I actually did teach for 3-4 years after college but I never felt fulfilled by it.
Meanwhile, while I’m teaching, I’m doing more and more photo shoots and realizing that I’m spending more time on photos than I am at work and feeling WAY better about it so, eventually, I made the shift and decided to switch careers and become a legit photographer. I started with grad photos and “fashion photos. Really should have looked some of it up because it’s pretty heinous. Lots of contrast, no idea where lighting should be, no direction, lots of Pinterest-ish kind of cheesy poses, you know the drill.
I did simple portraits for a while and eventually moved onto moved to engagements, and that’s when I felt like I really started to come into my own. I LOVE people, I’m a huge empath, so being around people in love made me feel incredibly happy. I knew that I had to continue to expand on all those strong creative feelings!
Eventually, I moved to weddings. Now, from a professional perspective, I would NEVER recommend getting into the industry the way I did. I thought, “Oh! I’ll take pretty pictures of pretty people and it will be all hearts and rainbows!” I just had no idea. I was completely self-taught and I didn’t realize how much education and knowledge and expertise I had to gain before coming on to capture a once-in-a-lifetime event. Luckily, I can say that I never ruined anyone’s day or missed important moments, but regardless, past me gets a slap on the wrist for her ignorance.
Luckily I was committed to always improving, I got it together, and started learning from the best of the best. I was taking online classes, second shooting, networking, etc. and it really helped me grow into the true professional I am today. As of now, I’ve shot over 200 weddings in my career. I’ve been invited to shoot in Missouri, The Jersey Channel Islands, England, San Diego, and LA. I’ve even done shoots in Australia and ended up in China in 2019 shooting a wedding in the Zhangjiajie National Forest park (where they filmed Avatar)! That was an absolute dream come true!
I have an array of couples, from across the globe, who I’ve followed from engagement to wedding to maternity and family photos and that’s always my ultimate goal. I don’t want to just be a person behind the lens, I genuinely want to be your friend. I mean, I take my clients out for a drink or a coffee or have them over to my home to chat about wedding stuff because I honestly feel that having a close relationship with you is the key to capturing those truly beautiful candid moments that everyone wants from their portraits and on their day. A lot of my client reviews talk about going from photographer to BFF and I think that’s probably the highest compliment I could ask for.
So, what is Wedding Wednesday, you ask? This blog series is for couples. I think planning a wedding can be confusing, it feels impacted with lots of options for professionals, and it’s hard to know how to plan your wedding as a couple. I’m basically here to help you navigate the wedding labyrinth to help you have the best wedding ever!
We’ll be covering everything from where and when to start the planning process to how to finish with a total BANG; we’ll even chat about how to create the perfect honeymoon experience! We will leave no stone left unturned. We’re in this together and I honestly want to help you plan the perfect day. Now you know about me, you know about my experience, and you know what the series is going to be about, so let’s go over what to expect in the weeks to come!
I’m going to frame things up starting at the beginning of the wedding planning process but things I cover should still apply to everyone, no matter where you are in your planning process. If I’m doing an episode on choosing a venue and you already have one, jump into the comments and give some input! We’re all living different experiences and all of your knowledge based on your wedding planning journey may be super helpful to someone further back in the planning process!
Episode 2 will be all about making a game plan for your Wedding Planning Organization and where the heck to even begin. I promise I’ll steer you down a clear and easy path to planning and keeping track of all the little details. I can’t wait to be a part of your engagement and wedding journey!
PS! If you’re in the industry, DM me, share your stories and secrets, I’d love to feature you on one week!
If you’re one of my past couples and you’re reading along for fun, shoot me a text because I’d love to hear about your wedding planning experience and hear your advice for 2021 couples.
If you’re here to learn, let me know what you want to know! I want to know where you’re at and what info you’d find most useful. 🙂
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