2020 // reflecting back on the past year in business + life!
Well, I’m sure I speak for everybody when I say — 2020 did NOT go like I thought it would. Woof.
I can’t sit here and say that it was all bad, or that it wasn’t good…. or can I?? Ha, I kid, but for real, 2020 was a doozy. From a business standpoint, I had been SO excited that I made the executive decision to NOT book weddings until May of 2020, and looking back now I can’t help but question if that was some sort of divine intervention lol. Not having weddings until May meant that I didn’t suffer TOO terribly with weddings having to be postponed, or cancelled. Ultimately, four of my sweet May couples, one of my sweet June couples, and one of my sweet November couples all decided to postpone or simply change their wedding date. Most fortunately of all, was that I didn’t have anyone cancel. I was and am STILL so very proud of my brides — my couples — who powered through a crazy year and made hard decisions, accepted that things might not look like what they envisioned originally, but realized and accepted that things can STILL look and BE good no matter what. My goodness, I could go on and on about that!
A wildly popular line from the 2020 wedding season was “LOVE ISN’T CANCELLED” and as cheesy as it is, it was so true. I’ll forever be amazed at how couples, families, and wedding professionals worked their asses off last year to make sure that things could still happen — safely — and people could still have a very, very special day! And also worth mentioning is how so many wedding pros, myself included, did our jobs all while struggling to breathe through a face mask, all in the name of safety. I’ll never look at hot wedding days quite the same….because as hot as it’s been in the past, (I’m talking I’ve nearly passed out at weddings TWICE due to just heat alone), nothing quite matches the level of heat one feels as a wedding professional, on a hot wedding day….wearing a mask.
Despite the craziness of last year, and how the beginning felt really unstable, I ended up shooting the most weddings ever, coming in at 29 weddings! And all were completely wonderful! Engagement sessions / anniversary sessions were pretty on par to the year before (32 in 2019), 2020 came in at 37. Definitely didn’t do much shooting beyond that though — just two senior/graduation shoots, 4 family/lifestyle shoots, and only ONE styled shoot!! There just simply wasn’t enough time in the year, but regardless, all were great and I’m so so sooo grateful for how great 2020 ended up being.
37 couples shoots in 2020 — engagement / anniversary
29 weddings in 2020!
As always, I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming blog posts to recap the above —
One post will recap the best of the couples = engagement and anniversary sessions!!
One post will recap the first half of the best of weddings, always gotta split that into two posts because holy hugeness!!
One post will recap the second half of the best of weddings!!
AND THEN WHAT COMES AFTER THAT!?
Did you guess the massive behind-the-scenes blogpost!!?? If so, then you are correct!! And this little glimpse below is absolutely a glimpse because there is sooooooo (like, SO) much in the way of BTS from last year, and I cannot wait to share it all!!
If you’ve followed along in recent years you know that when I do my recap of the past wedding season, I normally talk about goals I had VS what I accomplished of said goals…. as well as what goals I have set forth for the new year, etc. Honestly though? I don’t think I’m going to do that this time.
I don’t want to be all Negative Nancy, and I’ve so far done pretty much nothing but say that “despite the craziness, 2020 went pretty well” blah blah blah — but if I’m being SUPER honest… 2020 wasn’t pretty. Not entirely, and not professionally or personally speaking.
Did I have goals last year? Totally. Did I accomplish some? Yes. Was the year as a whole more about SURVIVAL than anything else though? One million percent yes.
And also, am I tired? lol… I laugh typing that, but holy guacamole I am e x h a u s t e d. And despite the fact that truly, 2020 did go pretty well in spite of all its bs, it also kicked my ass. So instead of goal writing, to-do list making, discussing all I want to see and do in 2021, I really just want to lean into the hope for a better year, a safer year, and ideally no more pandemic status.
Alright, 2021 (I totally accidentally typed 2921 first, haaa) — let’s do this thing!!!
