Officially kicking off our 2016 wedding season has us thinking about how great the past year has been for the two of us, both personally and as a business. Looking back at 2015, our little photographer hears are so happy they could burst, and we want to count down some of our favorite moments, big and small, to share with you. Let’s roll the highlight real and go back to last January, when…
15. We FINALLY joined Instagram. We’ve both had separate insta accounts for a few years, but we felt it was time to share more about who we are as a team, and all the fun that happens behind the scenes. You can follow us, www.instagram.com/capture_weddings (and we will follow you back!)
14. We took a retreat weekend to Asheville, NC. The two of us try to schedule a getaway every off-season. It helps us clear our heads and gear up to have another great year. We chose to rent the cutest air bnb cabin in Asheville, where we spent three incredible days sipping wine, eating tasty things, and reading our favorite novels. The funny thing about these trips is that we always forget to take photos of ourselves, probably because we’re so busy soaking in the good life. There is already a return trip planned for 2016, so safe to say it was a successful trip!
13. Wedding Wire World. Educating ourselves is a vital part of keeping a business moving forward, and this two-day conference really kicked our year off right. It’s packed with information on the latest wedding trends, what technology is influencing the world of event planning, and a little fan girling over the likes of Monte Durham & Bill Rancic. We love attending conferences that are outside the realm of photography, because it really pushes us to see how other business people are making things happen. If you’re in the wedding industry and would like more information about this annual DC area event, you can learn more here.
12. Our past couples became a party of 3! After several years in business, we’re starting to feel like oldies (but goodies!) as we hear from our past clients and their growing families. This past year it seemed like every time we turned around, another Capture couple was contacting us for family photos. It just warms our heart to meet these new babies and see such big milestones in the lives of people we’ve photographed over the years!
11. We were published on Bicycle Built for Two! One of our favorite wedding blogs features same-sex wedding photography exclusively. We documented Kirsten & Emily’s sweet surprise session in November, and immediately submitted it for publication, keeping our fingers crossed. Check out their feature here, & give them some love!
10. .We met with a business consultant. This has been on our wish list for years. Being self-employed means you wear all the hats, make a ton of decisions based off your experience, and sometimes end up second guessing those choices. Having some outside help was the BEST thing we’ve done for Capture in years. If you’re in the wedding industry, we couldn’t recommend OFD Consulting enough. Trust us, you’ll sleep better at night knowing you have a wedding PR guru weighing in on what’s working and what isn’t. And the coffee dates are nice too. 🙂
9. We got in FRONT of the camera! Y’all, I don’t know why we waited so long to do this again, but it had been three long years since we had our portraits done together. This was so overdue, it almost shouldn’t be on our list. But our super talented friend and fellow VCU Photo alumni Jessica Salay rocked a session out for us. It’s always an eye opening experience to feel how it is on THAT side of the camera. We love our clients even more after being reminded how much trust you put in your photographer, so thank you! And thanks to Jess for these photos that we love!
8. Jenny got engaged – & Allison was there to document it! Jenny here; I’m a tough one to surprise, and I pride myself in noticing everything. I even used to say “Oh, I’ll know when he’s going to propose.” Talk about a big slice of humble pie….I was so clueless, I thought Rome had dropped something when I saw him kneel down! When I looked up to see Allison with her camera out and my best friend crying….it finally dawned on me! The sweetest part was that he chose the location where we had our first kiss, and where we frequented for brunches when we were first dating. This is such a good example of how thoughtful he is, and why I can’t wait to marry him. I’m really happy I have an equally thoughtful business partner, because now I have these amazing photos to remember the moment!!
7. Home town wedding. Still Jenny here! Heading back to the town that home to the small town in Wisconsin (the one I left 12 years ago to pursue a photography career) felt very surreal. Not much has changed, and it was so heart warming to document Jesse & Laura’s love story in a place that was so familiar and close to my heart. You can see their stylish wedding here. Shout out to such a cool couple for trusting me with your wedding photos!
6. Coffee With Strangers. If you live in the RVA area, you have probably heard of this local podcast! They are original stories of locally inspiring people, hosted by Richmond’s own Kelli Lemon. It’s hard to believe it only started in March of 2015, and has grown beyond our wildest dreams. If you haven’t heard of it, you have to check out all the past episodes (binge-watching, anyone?), especially our local wedding dress guru Christine Greenburg’s episode. We have been happy to provide behind-the-scenes photography for the majority of the episodes, and are really looking forward to what else CWS has in store. You can catch all the goodness here.
5. Jenny took an adventure to Europe! What is the best part of a traveling photographer? The HUNDREDS of photos, of course! We won’t overwhelm you with everything, but this 12 day whirlwind included Rome, Paris, Majorca & Frankfurt. And lots of cheese. We’re already scheming on an international Capture trip for 2017; destination wedding anyone??
4. Allison got engaged! There may or may not have been bets taken on if someone was coming back with a ring when Allison and her sweet boyfriend Ben left for their epic trip to Colorado. It got even MORE epic when, on their hike of the Loch in Rocky Mountain National Park, at 10,190 feet of elevation, Ben proposed!! They propped up a cell phone, using a boulder as a tripod, and captured this sweet moment. It feels extra special that the both ladies of capture were engaged within a few months of each other- promise we didn’t plan it that way!
3. We had our first wedding featured in print! We’ve had various wedding featured online, which is always exciting for us and for our couples. We’ve even had the occasional photo in print, but this was something new; Jency and Alan, who tied the knot at the unique Adams International School, had their beautiful picnic wedding featured in the summer publication of Richmond Weddings. There was a lot of oohing-and-ahhing when our issue arrived; it’s so rewarding to see our photos in print!!
2. Jenny & Rome adopted a dog! We take our furry friends very seriously around here! Meet the newest addition to the Capture family, Lilly!. She’s a 5 year old purebred german shepherd, rehomed from a family in Delaware. She loves cheese just as much as we do, so we think she fits right in.
- Allison & Ben tied the knot! If this could have a higher ranking than #1, we’d put it there. When you photograph wedding for years, it feels surreal to be at your own. We set up the wedding our own way, including a cocktail hour to kick things off, a quaker-inspired ceremony, and camp fire to end the night. We chose property that has been in Ben’s family for years, so the location was soaked in memories. Of course, Jenny couldn’t let the day go by with out taking just a few photos.
2015 was an adventure, and we already know there are some big things on deck for 2016, so we hope you’ll join us for the ride!