48: Wedding Tornado, DIY Confessions, and Raw Photo Dilemma with Mackenna Hillis

Ever had your perfect wedding day ruined by Mother Nature? 

This week’s story submission had it all: a forecast for a sunny, dreamy outdoor ceremony, completely upended by flash flooding, thunder, and lightning while the bride and her bridesmaids were still at the salon. From soggy dresses to late groomsmen, a misnamed officiant, and a brother-in-law signing the marriage license incorrectly, total chaos. Yet the bride’s attitude remained unshakable.

Mackenna and Christa dive into surviving unpredictable weather with backup plans, navigating multi-wedding venues and unexpected guest drama, and why little disasters, muddy dresses, eaten dinners, and wild relatives, don’t have to ruin the day.

They also explore jaw-dropping DIY wedding confessions, from postpartum moms breaking their bodies for receptions that flopped to well-meaning family members being treated like unpaid staff. By the end, the storm passed, the photos were stunning, and the memories? Truly unforgettable.

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Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

• Wedding Weather Chaos – A bride’s perfect sunny forecast turned into torrential rain, flash floods, and even a near tornado, proving that Mother Nature always keeps weddings interesting.
• Timing Troubles – Despite major delays getting to the venue and groomsmen running late, the ceremony only started five minutes behind schedule, showing quick thinking and adaptability saves the day.
• Vendor and Guest Mishaps – From officiants mixing up names to siblings eating the bride’s dinner, unexpected hiccups kept everyone on their toes—but didn’t ruin the celebration.
• DIY Wedding Insights – Mackenna and Christa discuss the joys and stress of DIY weddings, emphasizing knowing your limits, enjoying the process, and having supportive friends and family.
• Postpartum Supermom Moment – One bride cooked all the food just 19 days after a C-section, only to have guests not show up—a testament to dedication (and the chaos that can come with DIY weddings).
• Respecting Helpers – Stories of friends and family being treated like staff instead of loved ones highlighted the importance of gratitude and kindness at weddings.
• Memorable Family Styles – From hideous DIY dresses to motorcycle-riding grandparents arriving in leather and denim, the hosts celebrate letting family members own their style and quirks for authentic memories.
• Photography Perspective – Mackenna shares how professional photographers navigate wedding chaos, from unexpected weather to ensuring the couple gets the photos they deserve.

Words of Wisdom: Standout Quotes from This Episode

• “There’s DIY for fun… and then there’s DIY for emotional damage.”  - Christa Innis
• “Who is asking a postpartum mom to cook a whole wedding meal? Be serious.” - Christa Innis
• “The minute you treat people like staff instead of family, I’m side-eyeing you.” - Christa Innis
• “If it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s not a cute craft — it’s a stressor.” - Christa Innis
• “That’s not just a wedding drama… that’s a boundary violation.” - Christa Innis
• “Nineteen days postpartum and cooking? I could barely imagine standing.” - Mackenna
• “If someone’s helping, you don’t get to boss them around.” - Mackenna
• “That would make me mad as the bride AND as the friend.” - Mackenna
• “You have to know your relationship before calling out that dress.” - Mackenna
• “Some people just have their own style… even if it hurts a little to look at.” - Mackenna

About Mackenna

Mackenna is a Middle Tennessee photographer specializing in weddings, maternity, Fresh48, branding, lifestyle, and senior sessions. Known for her steady presence and calm, grounded energy, she’s captured every kind of wedding day—messy, emotional, beautiful, and everything in between. With an eye for real moments and a heart for her couples, Mackenna brings warmth, adaptability, and storytelling to every gallery she delivers.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hi Mac.
Thank you for being here.
Hey, I'm
excited.
Yes.
This is awesome.
So I had like a last
minute, like cancellation.
and I was like reaching out and you
have a lot of experience doing wedding
photography and you've got some stories.
So I was like, this will be fun.
Let's mix things up.
And it's always fun to have like wedding
vendors on because they know the industry.

(00:21):
Yeah, yeah.
And I'm
sure you've seen it all.
But before we get to all that, can you
just introduce yourself, who you are,
what you do, and all that good stuff?
Yeah.
I'm McKenna, but my business
name and what I go by is Mac.
It's Mac's photography.
I've been doing photography for
about three years for the public.
It's been my full-time job for about a
year while I'm going through college.

(00:42):
I'm a social work and psychology major.
and yeah, I've just got millions of
stories, not even just from weddings,
just from general sessions of things going
wrong and weather and just all the things.
Oh my gosh.
So you are a, you said a psychology major.
Yeah.
social work and psychology.
Social work and psychology.
Yeah.
Wow, okay.
So is that a double major then?

(01:03):
So you, yeah,
so I'm from Tennessee, so we have
like, I don't know if they do it
in other states, but like I'm at
a, we call it a community college.
So for the first two years
I get my associates there
and it's practically free.
Mm. So that's
where I'm at right now.
And then I've got one more semester
there and I'll transfer to university.
Okay.
There you go.
Yeah, I don't know if
it's like that everywhere.

(01:25):
if you do like, community college,
it's a lot more affordable.
Mm-hmm.
I live, I don't know about free, but
it's a lot more affordable for sure.
Yeah.
And I feel like it's like undervalued
might be the wrong word, like
it's not talked about as much.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I feel like there's all this
pressure to go to a four year
university right away mm-hmm.
From high school so many people don't
know what they wanna do right away.
Yeah.
And then they spend the first couple years

(01:46):
at a four year university where they're
paying so much money and then there's
just kind of like are, you know, bopping
around trying to figure it out, which no
hate to be able to do that either, but
I'm just I think it's so smart sometimes
just going to community college and just
figuring it out the first couple years.
Yeah.
Well, when I first graduated, I went to
a different community college and changed
my major, completely transferred to
another community college closer to me.

(02:07):
And it was just nice that I figured that
out before I was paying a lot of money
Yes.
To then
pay extra, you know what I'm saying?
Yeah.
Oh, for sure.
I mean, I saw it all the
time when I was in college.
Like people just did not know.
And you switch majors?
I switched.
Not too drastically.
'cause I went in thinking I was
gonna be an English teacher,
a high school English teacher.
That was always what I wanted to do.

(02:28):
And it wasn't until I think like freshman
or so, no, I think it was sophomore year
that I was like, I don't wanna go back
to high school and I don't wanna teach.
Yeah.
You know, teachers are amazing and
I have so much respect for them.
Mm-hmm.
But I just could not see myself wanting
to go back to high school and teaching.
Yeah.
so I just switched over to
like English publishing.
So it essentially like the

(02:49):
same department, but like
later on I just went a
different,
different
way.
Well, that's good too.
'cause you have your books now,
so that kind of helped you,
I'm sure that made your change.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
I always liked the English and the writing
part of it, that definitely helped.
But I, to be completely
frank, I forgot a lot.
It's just like, it's wild.

(03:10):
and I feel like a lot of people
too, it's like whatever you graduate
in, you don't always go get a
job in that area, like mm-hmm.
you might end up like, 'cause how long
have you been doing photography now?
for three years.
For
three years?
Yeah.
your business, really taking
off, you really enjoy it.
You might end up mm-hmm.
I'm just wanna be a photographer.
Yeah.
And that's amazing.
You work for yourself, but you

(03:30):
just never really know what
direction your life will take you.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I have a lot of, my clients and stuff,
they'll be like, are you gonna do this?
Like when you graduate college?
I was like, I've never stepped it away.
I'm always gonna do it.
It'll always hold a
special place in my heart.
I love that.
Yeah.
Like even when we did my daughter's
like newborn photos, it was funny
because we just found someone
like, I'm like postpartum.

(03:51):
And I just remember like googling
someone and she lived close by and it
turns out she's a therapist nearby.
And so I'm like, she's like a full-time,
therapist has like four kids and then
she also does newborn photography.
And I was like, you go girl.
Like, she's like, I got all my things.
so yeah, I think that's a fun thing.
good friend of ours too, he
is a firefighter and he does

(04:12):
photography on this side.
Mm-hmm.
I love that.
Finding the arts is
like, I think really fun.
Yeah.
how did you get into it and like, did you
start with smaller portrait, photography
and then get into weddings or what was
your Well, so I live on a family farm.
It's like, I think we're like the
fourth generation to have the farm.
So when I was a kid I always just

(04:33):
loved like the scenery of it and stuff.
So I remember like when I was a kid
getting my grandma's little like cannon
camera and just going around and like
taking pictures of random places.
And then for my birthday, my birthday's
in December, it's a week before Christmas.
my mom gave me, it was a little
cannon, like EOS something, some
kind of little like DSLR camera.
And I remember I was like, Ooh, like this

(04:55):
is something I've always liked and stuff.
So I started doing like little
free sessions to like my
cousins or my friends or things.
And then I was like, I
think I wanna do this like.
to the public for like services.
So I'd say it was around the end of
January, I think it was January 21st.
I like had my first session
that I'd done and I made an
Instagram and I made a Facebook.
And then ever since then it's kind of
just grown bigger and bigger and bigger.

(05:17):
That's amazing.
Yeah.
I think it's great too when you're
a part of a small community.
'cause like word of mouth
is your biggest like market.
Mm-hmm.
Like tactic I guess.
taking care of one family and
then they just tell other people.
Yeah.
Like that's bigger than
anything because people Oh yeah.
Word of mouth.
I know I do, I trust word of mouth
so much more than anything else.
It's just that intimate

(05:37):
connection with somebody too.
Yes.
so I'm from a very, very small
town, like my high school, there's
one high school, one elementary
and one middle school in my town.
Wow.
And we didn't have a football team.
We were so small.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
So like it's been very nice because
I was doing photography when I was
a senior in high school and like I
took a bunch of the people, like my
classmates senior pictures and stuff.
And it was just special because

(05:58):
I've like, I've known them
since preschool pretty much.
'cause we've all went to school together.
And then I was taking their senior
pictures of their capping gown
pictures and it was just very special.
I love that.
So you got in at like the right time.
Mm-hmm.
You got the camera and
you're like, let's do this.
And so another probably like the
known photographer in your area.
Yeah.
There's a few other ones and stuff,
but like, I love the photography

(06:19):
industry 'cause there's no jealousy.
we help each other out.
I don't have bad blood with any of them.
Like one of my best friends from
high school just started the business
and like, we're always texting each
other and asking for tips or like
sharing location spots and stuff.
It's like I just love 'em all.
I love that we need more of that because
I feel like in the big, realm of like,
I business owners, things you see,

(06:40):
women are always taught to be like in
competition of others, and there is so
much room at the table that we should be
lifting up other women, especially other
women business owners to like, help them,
like follow their passions, like mm-hmm.
I'll have friends of mine text me and be
like, how did you get into social media?
Like, how do you post?
And I'm just like, here's my tips.
This is what I did.
Here's what you should do.

(07:00):
mm-hmm.
I'm not gonna be like, I
don't know, figure it out.
I just feel like we
should help each other.
Like why not?
Yeah.
there's so much like hate in the world.
Like why can't we just
like help each other?
I, yeah.
That's like my thing too.
It's like me and my boyfriend and stuff,
we've gotten pictures done by be by
other photographers before and it's
like I could have somebody take it with
my camera, but I don't wanna do that.
I wanna support other
photographers and things like that.

(07:21):
I don't know, I just really like it.
I feel like there's no bad blood in it.
Yeah, I love that.
And also too, it's like you never
know if like maybe one of them will
get hired for a wedding and then
last minute they like can't make it.
Mm-hmm.
So they're gonna think of you
first and be like, Hey Mac, can
you take over for this wedding?
'cause I'm sick.
Mm-hmm.
You know, whatever.
Yeah.
And you can help each other out
because I feel like I see that
a lot in the wedding industry.
Like even when I got married,

(07:43):
like my makeup artist had a couple
backups just in case like mm-hmm.
Something were to happen.
or if like one's pregnant and then
like she has her baby early, you know?
Yeah.
She'll have like someone kind of replace.
So I feel like that industry, you have
to have someone ready just in case.
Mm-hmm.
Anything can happen.
Right.
Yeah, especially like when busy
season is, I consider busy season

(08:04):
from like September to about January.
'cause it's like the leaves are changing.
It's very pretty outside.
People want family photos and
that's a busy time for weddings
and just things like that.
But then it's also like flu time,
sickness time, allergies, all that things.
So I was actually a maid of
honor in a wedding for one
of my friends, in September.
And that same weekend I had a photographer

(08:24):
message me and she's like, can you
second shoot for me this Saturday?
Like, my second shooter has gotten sick.
Oh.
And I was like, I'm in a wedding.
Like, believe it or not, like I'm sorry.
It's just, yeah.
I feel like we all lean
on each other a lot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I feel like you definitely need to.
So you've been a maid of honor.
Have you been in any
other, other weddings?
Mm-hmm.
Well, obviously like taking
pictures, like the photographer

(08:45):
of a wedding, but I've only ever
been in one, but it was very fun.
Oh, cool.
Well, you're still young, so I feel like
you're probably about to be at the age
where more, friends start getting married.
I remember like.
my first wedding.
I was a maid of honor and I think I
was probably before any of my friends,
because I was for my older sister.
But then I feel like there was a few years
in there where I was like, just nonstop.
'cause that would, that's when
people start getting married

(09:05):
and you're just like, okay.
Can everyone slow?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I just remember there was one year my
husband and I went to five weddings and
I was like, that's where I'm capped at.
that's, yeah.
That's how I'm starting to feel.
Like my boyfriend, he's a year older than
me, so like a lot of his friends and like
fam, like his cousin just got married
and he was the best man in October.
And then I was a the maid
of honor in September.
So it was like back to back.

(09:26):
We were both in two weddings and we were
always like kind of talking about like
at the end of the nights and stuff, like
what we were doing for each wedding.
Like I was writing my speech
and then a month later he was
writing his speech, you know?
Oh my gosh.
And it's like, you don't think
about like all the different
events that go on mm-hmm.
While planning a wedding.
Like there's a bridal shower if
there's a bachelorette bachelor party.

(09:48):
Mm-hmm.
There's like, you know, if it's
a more DIY type wedding, all
the things I have to attend.
And I just think about all those years.
Yeah.
Like being a part of weddings
where it was just like every
weekend there'd be something.
Plus I have a habit, and I don't know
if this is how you are too, but I
have a habit of just like reaching
out to the bride and being like.
What are you doing?
Do you need help with wedding stuff?
Yes, because I just like love helping and

(10:09):
I love like doing like the crafty stuff.
Mm-hmm.
Which I get is not everyone's cup of tea.
So I just am like, Hey, if you
need extra help, I'm there.
Like, let me know what I can do.
Yeah.
Well that wedding that I was just in
like after the rehearsal dinner that
night, we all made our own bouquet,
so they would all be different and
have like our little touch to 'em.
Oh, I love that.
Yeah.
That's a really good idea.
I love hearing all these new like

(10:30):
trends and ideas for weddings.
Mm-hmm.
I feel like it keeps kind of evolving.
Like when I got married it was a very,
like, I've been at weddings where everyone
wears the same dress color and style.
And then I like, there's more
individuality with dresses now.
Like my wedding, I was like,
pick your own style and then
just in this family of colors.
Yeah.
And now it's like, pick your own color.

(10:52):
Pick your own dress style.
And I'm like, I love that.
Yeah.
I'm not great at like.
The visuals, but I love when I
see it, I'm like, it looks great.
Well that was my friend.
She was like, I like this
color off of birdie gray.
But she said, just get
it from Birdie Gray.
Get it this color.
But whatever style you like that looks on
your body will compliment you the best.
She's like, I don't care.
she was like, just bring it to rehearsal
dinner and make sure it matches.

(11:12):
I love that.
I did birdie gray too.
Birdie gray was so easy.
Yes.
Like awesome.
I tell everybody that.
I'm like, I was into weddings
where we wore birdie gray and then
my own wedding was birdie gray.
Yeah.
And it just saves the stress
of like going to a bridal shop.
'cause I did that for a lot of weddings.
And when the bride doesn't know
exactly what they want, you're all
coming out with different dresses

(11:33):
that you like for your body type.
And then it's a game of
like voting, like, yeah.
Do you like this better?
Do you like this better?
I like that color.
And like, I've literally been
to ones where like the bride had
no clue, like didn't know what
color or style, which is fine.
But then you're shopping a long day.
Yeah.
But it's exhausting.
Yeah.
Oh.
So when you think back to some of the

(11:53):
weddings you've been a part of or sessions
like, are there any like wild stories
or funny stories that come to mind?
well the first one that I always
think of, and I've told people this
before, I was like a baby photographer.
I had maybe been doing it six months
and my friend, she was like, here,
you can use some of my gear and you

(12:14):
can get used to it and stuff and you
can help me second shoot the sweat.
I was like, yes, that's perfect.
So we, it was like, gosh, maybe
an eight hour day or something.
I was like, my biggest day I had done yet.
And at the end of the
day she had went home.
like, we went our separate ways
and she got home and her card had
corrupted, like her memory card.
Oh no.
So all the pictures she had

(12:34):
was like, from my angle, so.
it was good that she had
my pictures like that.
She had had a second shooter and
stuff, but I just felt so bad.
And then obviously the bride
and groom were not too happy.
Yeah.
I mean they at least
still had some pictures.
Right.
How does that happen?
Like a card getting corrupted?
I really
don't know.
Like I've heard of it happening before and

(12:54):
stuff, and I've researched a little bit,
so it wouldn't happen to me, but like,
I really don't, I'm sure there is a way
to avoid it happening, but I think it's
just sometimes, like, I know I've heard
before, like filling up the memory card,
and then letting some of the pictures
sit in there for a while can cause it.
And there's a few other, like
just your camera in your car
not mixing and stuff like that.
I feel like technology things has

(13:16):
to be like some of the scariest.
Yeah.
Like, do you ever just like hold your
breath after like a wedding, like plug it
in, just like hope everything goes okay.
Because yes, I feel like.
I've talked about it before, but
like to me, photography was like the
most important vendor at my wedding.
Mm-hmm.
Because I feel like you just
look back on those, like
they're just all your memories.
The day goes so fast.

(13:36):
Mm-hmm.
You don't see everything.
And like, I love personally looking back
at cocktail hour because I wasn't there.
Right.
Like, my husband and I
were taking photos mm-hmm.
Get our moments together.
And so I love seeing the cocktail
hour photos of like our family and
friends, like interacting and hanging
out and looking at the details.
And then we had our videographer
take some videos too then.
And I loved that because

(13:57):
couldn't be there.
Right.
And so I feel like it allows
you to feel like you're at
two places at once in a way.
So I feel like that would be kind of
stressful to be like, okay, let's triple
check, make sure everything's okay.
and then something's just happened.
You can't stop
everything from having Oh yeah.
Well, I just done an engagement.
Mm. It was back during the summer,
I feel like maybe May or June.

(14:19):
And, it was at a pretty popular
state park not far from where I live.
And it downpour just became a downpour.
Like all friends and family were there,
they're all in dresses and their hair's
done for pictures and stuff, and downpour.
But like, I feel like that made
it special at the same time.
'cause it's like, you'll always
look back on that, remember?
And I don't know you've ever heard
the saying, but like, wet knots are
harder to untie than, dried knots.

(14:41):
And I kept telling 'em that
day and stuff, and I, I think
it turned out pretty special.
So while the wedding was going on down
port or down, like, were they getting
married inside and it was, it was a
surprise engagement.
Oh, it was a surprising engagement.
Yeah.
So I was there with her family and
they were coming from like where
they live and they were supposed
to be there at a certain time.

(15:01):
And then about a like 15 minutes
maybe before they got there.
Downpour, just a monsoon.
So we're all like hiding in
like my vehicle 'cause she
wouldn't recognize it and stuff.
And we're spraying like that.
It'll settle down for a minute.
But the pictures turned out so good.
Oh, I love that.
I've been seeing that too, more and more.
Like there was this one wedding, I don't
know where it was, where it started

(15:23):
raining and it was not in the forecast,
but they still had like some umbrellas
to kinda like cover some people but
it rained like on the bride and groom.
Mm-hmm.
And they just like owned it.
They just like went into it and it
looked so like romantic because it
was like her hair was wet and like
at the end of the day you can fix
up hair after just blow drying.
I mean maybe on someone that just doesn't
care as much about like hair and stuff.

(15:43):
But the pictures looked fantastic.
Yeah.
They had this full backdrop
and even though it was raining,
it just looked so romantic.
I think of like a nineties romcom where
they kiss in the rain or something.
And I was like, I love that.
I thought it looked so beautiful.
And I'm sure it's like stressful
at first, seeing the rain.
I think if you just kinda like,
don't stress about it or let it just

(16:03):
like roll off your back, I think
everything can kind of turn out pretty.
Yeah.
Well that's what I was telling her.
I was like, you'll look back at
this in 20 years and laugh about it.
Mm-hmm.
Like about how it rained and stuff.
I said, y'all will always remember this.
Yeah, no, for sure.
I think people will remember it too
as like a fun, like, whoa, like, you
know, all these weddings kind of like
bunch together being very similar, but

(16:24):
you'll be like, no, I remember that one.
cause this is how we handled it and
the pictures were amazing and Yeah.
No, I love that.
okay.
That was cool.
Okay, so I wanna do this little segment
kind of from like your point of view.
Okay.
These are different like scenarios
and rate them on a scale of one
to 10, one being not important
and 10 being very important.

(16:46):
Okay.
Feel free to add context
if you'd like as well.
Okay.
So on a scale of one to 10, how
important is capturing candid natural
moments compared to posed shots?
Ooh.
My perspective, I think you
said tens like you need it.
Mm-hmm.
I would say like probably
an eight or nine.
I love the candid photos though.
I think it shows like very true emotion

(17:06):
to it instead of, instead of like your
post ones, like everybody does post
ones, you know, but candid ones not.
Like everybody has candid moments, but
everybody's candid moments are different.
Mm-hmm.
So
I really like capturing those like, for
weddings like cake cutting or surprise
proposals, like your moment of when.
He's asking you to marry him.
Like, I just think that moment
is different for everybody.

(17:27):
Yeah, no, I totally agree.
I was saying this recently when I got
my wedding photos back, I, the post ones
were okay, like, I mean, I like 'em.
They're good.
this is nothing against the photographer.
She did a great job, but the candid
ones were just the ones where
I was like, wow, I love that.
Yeah, because you could see like
emotion, you could see connection.
whereas sometimes I feel awkward or
stiff like posing and it was so great

(17:50):
seeing the candid ones, like I said,
like the happy hour of people just
like interacting and people laughing.
Like one of my favorite photos, my
husband and I, out of all the pose
ones, it's when my, I think it was
our maid of honor was giving a speech
at the time and we're laughing and
we're just sitting at the head table
laughing and I think it's so cute.
yeah, I love the candid ones.
They're just very real.

(18:10):
How confident are you in
matching your photography style
to the couple's overall vision?
I would say about an eight.
Again, that's like, I pride myself in
that is I can do light and airy if you
want to, or I can do like dark and moody.
Mm-hmm.
It just really depends on what you want.
Like my editing is just
not a base of something.
Like I can switch it
up if you'd like me to.

(18:31):
I love that.
Did you hear about the, I'm trying
to think of where I saw this.
It might have been a TikTok drama where
the photographer, sent the photos and
the girl knew exactly what the style was
gonna be, and then complained about the
style and kept asking for raw photos.
And she was like, well, raw, I don't
typically give my clients raw photos.

(18:51):
And it turned to be this
like whole like TikTok drama.
Like what was your, did you see that?
I'm, I
did, I'm pretty sure I know
which one you're talking about.
Like it was like their wedding
thing was like kinda like
that Carnival circusy thing.
Yeah.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes, yes, yes.
And she
tried making the photographer look bad and
I was like, these photos are beautiful.
Like Yeah.
When they actually look at the
whole album that became public.
Yeah.
It looked beautiful.

(19:13):
Like this photographer did
a great job and mm-hmm.
It was so terrible of them to
pull out a few blurry ones and
be like, this is what we got.
And I was like, wait, why
are you trying to trash this
photographer?
Yeah.
I remember vaguely seeing those
pictures and I don't even think
like it was a blurred effect.
It was that girl's editing style and
I know like she added like a haste to

(19:33):
it, or I've even seen, I've never done
this before, but like people will take
like the cream colored pantyhose and put
over their lens and make it like that.
And that's what it looked like to me.
It didn't even look like a
focus problem or anything.
Right.
It was just the editing style.
I remember that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was crazy.
Yeah, I know.
And it's like, I always wonder about when
people come on the internet to say stuff.

(19:55):
I'm like, do they not realize
that the one, the vendor's gonna
see it and two, they're gonna
give their side of the story?
Yeah.
So I don't know why.
that girl even like put the photographer's
name out there, like bashing her.
Yeah.
And I felt so bad for the
photographer, but now I think like
everyone was able to see the truth
of like, nope, she did a great job.
Like, she even offered on the phone

(20:16):
be like, I'll give you the raw photos.
but typically that's not.
Included in a photography package?
Well, yeah, that's like in my contract
I have like a bunch of stuff listed, but
one of them is I will not give raw photos
because it's not that I'm not proud of my
work unedited, it's just I don't want like
for you to post the raw photos and tag me,
and then everybody thinks, oh, she just
takes the pictures and gives it to 'em.

(20:37):
Like, yes.
I always say that pictures or are
half of it like taking the pictures.
Editing is a whole like.
Most of my weddings have about
a four to six week turnover.
Just because like editing is a lot of it.
I don't think people realize that.
Yeah.
And like anyone can pick up
a camera and press a button.
Right.
But it's the art behind it.
Like how you angle yourself.

(20:57):
The lighting, the editing
and all that stuff.
Like it is an art.
And I hate when people come on the
internet and act like, it's like,
oh, I could have done a better job.
I'm like, no, you probably couldn't have,
well, one of, she's actually
took my pictures before.
we've talked about it before and it's, she
was talking about like, anybody can pick
up a camera and take pictures and post 'em
and then be like, I'm offering services.

(21:18):
But it's like, you
gotta build yourself up.
And I'm not bashing anybody that's gonna
like start a business or something.
It's just, you gotta build yourself up.
'cause I'm self-taught.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I've never
took classes or anything.
I've had, friends help me out with
advice and stuff, but I also think that
there's building stones before you start
charging people, if doesn't make sense.
No.
Totally.
Yeah.
I feel like you definitely start with

(21:39):
like, you know, family and friends.
Mm-hmm.
And then as you kind of keep growing,
you can like charge a little bit more
and then you charge a little bit more
and then you're like, okay, I've been
doing this for 10 years, so I can
charge this, you know, whatever it is.
Yeah.
yeah, for sure.
I think it's a, about like building
up your portfolio and mm-hmm.
Like I knew a lot of friends that
started off that way, like doing like
baby showers or birthday parties.
Yeah.
Just to like get used to the camera

(22:00):
and like playing around with it.
Mm-hmm.
but yeah, it's like people don't
realize, like, they think, oh,
I'm just paying them to come to
the wedding and take snap photos.
It's like, no, there's
so much more behind it.
Yeah.
I'm not a photographer
and I can see all that.
Yeah.
Okay.
How important is storytelling in the
way you photograph on a wedding day?
Ooh.
That's probably like a 10 for me.

(22:20):
I'm given all these such high
scores like that you need them.
But I don't know, it's just like what
I've said earlier, you look back on these
photos for years and years and years, and
you want it to tell your love story, Anna.
Mm-hmm.
Like I've
had, uh, clients before, like you
would like walk in to where their
ceremony would be and they would have
pictures from their relationship.

(22:41):
Like they had been dating for
golly, like 10 years or something.
So there's pictures of them,
literally like in middle school
to up to when they got married.
And I just, want that
to show in your wedding.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
No, I love that.
I love that.
Like adding the personality
to their wedding.
Mm-hmm.
especially as a photographer,
I'm sure you see so many weddings
that like repeat the same themes

(23:02):
or colors, which is totally fine.
It's totally gonna happen.
But then adding those
little hinges of like.
Personality and like family tradition
or whatever that looks like for
them, I think is, really awesome.
That's what's gonna make them
like stand out a little bit.
let's see.
how important is it for you to
build a relationship with the
couple before the wedding day?
Ooh, that's very important too.
would also probably say like an

(23:23):
eight or nine, which with my wedding
packages, I offer like a very discounted
engagement sessions before then, and
also about a week, well, within a
month to a week before the wedding,
I get on a Zoom call with them.
We make a schedule or we're communicating
like we, I haven't always got on a Zoom
call, but we also communicate and we
make a schedule before then, because

(23:44):
I've always had a schedule at weddings
that I do, but I've known photographers
not to, and they're like, I don't
know why I never made a schedule.
So I always like to communicate with them
for obviously the engagement session, I
meet them and then making that schedule.
I feel like I build a
relationship with them also.
And also I tell them like, free of
charge, message me, ask like vendors
that I recommend or this or that.

(24:06):
So, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I think it's very important.
Yeah.
No, I love that.
I agree.
I was just saying to someone
about like, anytime you pick a
vendor, it should go both ways.
They should make sure you're a
good fit for them and mm-hmm.
You should make sure you
are a good fit for them.
Did I say that the same way twice?
But you know what I mean, like,
like I know what you mean.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Like I've had calls with brides 'cause I
do weddings very rarely now when I have

(24:27):
calls with brides, it's to make sure
like, Hey, am I gonna fit all your needs?
or do you need someone that's gonna do
A, B and C and I only do A and b, you
know, whatever, whatever that looks like.
' cause it wouldn't be honest or good of
me to be like, oh, I can do that when
it's something I've never done before.
Or it's something that
I don't typically do.
and, you know, vice versa.
Like, I want her to look at
me and be like, oh, like she

(24:49):
can do this, but I really need
someone to do this whole thing.
You know, whatever.
yeah, I think that's, really important.
Building that relationship.
Like that was our photographer built
out our whole day of timeline too.
And it was so great.
Like we'd only met her via Zoom before
the actual, Wedding day, but because
of how attentive she was in emails and
the Zoom calls, and we had like a two

(25:10):
hour call with her kind of going over
the day timeline, which I had never
had anyone do before at any wedding.
Like a photographer at least.
And I was like, that, was so nice.
And she even like, encouraged
me to eat during the day.
'cause like when you're busy doing
stuff, you kind of forget to eat.
And she was like, Krista, go eat.
This is your time.
Don't forget.
Yeah.
And I'm like, okay.
So, yeah, that's so important,
building that relationship

(25:31):
with your client for sure.
all right.
And so we were just kind of
talking about this, this last one
talks about building timelines.
So you are pretty involved with building
your couple's timeline for their wedding.
I like to have like, even just like
general sessions, I always like, if
it's like a family session and it's
like a big family, like grandparents,
grandkids, they're like a big family.
I even like to be like,
okay, we're gonna start with.

(25:51):
Full family shots and then this family,
this family, the grandkids will get one.
Like, I don't know, I guess in some
aspects of my life I'm very Type A,
but in other aspects I'm very type
B. But when it comes to photography,
I feel like I'm definitely type A,
like making sure all my batteries are
charged before sessions and all kinds
of stuff, which I'm kind of going away
from the question, but yes, I like a
schedule with really any of my sessions.

(26:12):
Yeah, no, that's so important.
especially I feel like wedding vendors
need to be like that, that shows good
organization, but it also shows that you
care about the couple and you want them
to have a good experience, or the family,
you want them to have a good experience.
'cause I feel like so many times, like.
we hear these horror stories.
Maybe it's a vendor, maybe it's
who know whoever it's on and it's

(26:33):
like they just didn't care enough.
they're like, I'm gonna do things my
way when it's like, it should be a mix.
Like, yes, this is what I do typically
as a vendor, but okay, this is what
you're looking for on your day.
Okay, let's kind of mm-hmm.
Interweave them or whatever.
Yeah.
That's what a lot with like some
of my wedding couples before, which
I've done a lot more elopements
than I have weddings, I will say.
But like still, I'm like, okay, these

(26:54):
are the pictures that we're going to get.
You make 'em into a timeline,
send it to me, and then I'll make
whatever edits I feel like I need
to make and we'll both approve it.
Yeah, I love that.
So with elopements, do you ever
like hear of like family drama
or people getting mad about
them?
No, not really.
So my elopements, I guess.
I guess mine are more considered

(27:14):
like a micro wedding, but my
elopements is up to 25 guests.
Okay.
So like I have had elopements before
where it's just like the couple and then
whoever is marrying them and that's it.
But I think I've only had one of those,
but most of my elopements it's like
immediate family like mom, dad, and
siblings are there for both sides.

(27:34):
Oh, that's cool.
are they like overseas
or do you fly to any
or, well, what helps me out is with
my location is I'm probably an hour's
drive between like six state parks.
So like a lot of my, like on my Instagram
and Facebook, I'll tag that location and
a lot of people find me through that or
I'll put the hashtag of the location and
a lot of people find me through that.

(27:56):
Okay.
That's cool that you can have all
these like beautiful different
like settings and mm-hmm.
Be really aware of like what's near you.
Yeah.
Like engagement photo shoots as well.
That's awesome.
Yeah, I was just asking because like
I hear of like different stories where
families get like they wanna be a part of
it, but like maybe the couple just wants
to like run off and get engage and not
include, not, I shouldn't say not include

(28:17):
anyone, but they just want it to be them.
So I was just curious if like you're
ever brought into that drama or anything?
Yeah.
Oh, I've always said too, like when
I get married one day I wanna do a
small wedding, like immediate family.
Like I don't wanna have a big thing
and that's just my personal preference.
There's nothing wrong with a big
wedding, but I've always said that too.
Like I just want
something small.
Yes.
Yeah.
I think it's so important to know

(28:38):
like what you want and like get
on that same page as your partner.
'cause I feel like so many
people can come in and be like,
no, you need that big wedding.
Mm-hmm.
What if you regret it?
And it's like, but I'll regret more
doing what you want and not what I want.
Yeah.
Because I feel like that's what
I see the most is like brides
that regret are typically because
someone else came in and took over

(28:59):
or told 'em they had to do it away.
They didn't want.
Yeah, well one of my really good
childhood friends, she just got
married this, past summer and what
she done is it was called an I do BBQ.
So like a month before they got married,
they had this big, they had rented
out a venue, but it was like a big
barbecue and it was just all their
loved ones, their friends, their family.

(29:20):
And then about a month later,
they got married in like a
small, tiny micro wedding.
Mm. I love that.
Yeah.
That's like what my cousin did.
She, I'm trying to think of the order.
Yeah.
So she did a big party, I wanna say
it was like at a public park ' cause
she worked for it at the time.
Public park had like food
trucks and all that stuff.
Mm-hmm.
All our family like flew in from all over.

(29:42):
And then like a month later, maybe her
and her husband got married in Ireland.
Mm. And all they, they brought
her mom and then my uncle who
married them and did the ceremony.
Um, so.
I thought that was a really cool way
of like, still involving everyone
in the wedding, but then they gotta
do what they wanted, in Ireland.
and I didn't feel like,
I missed out on it.
Yeah.
Because it was most beautiful photos.

(30:03):
She had the most amazing setup
and, yeah, it was cool to see.
Okay.
Let's get into this week's
wedding story submission.
I'm excited.
There we go.
I never really know what
we're gonna get here.
Okay.
I was very lucky that in the lead up
to my wedding, there wasn't much drama,
but of course there's always something.

(30:25):
On the morning of the wedding,
the forecast called for warm,
sunny, beautiful weather.
perfect for an outdoor ceremony.
When I arrived at the salon for
hair and makeup, it looked exactly
like the ideal day we'd hoped for.
About halfway through getting my hair
done, we suddenly heard a loud bang.
We looked outside to see
torrential downpour, sheets of
rain and thunder and lightning.

(30:46):
It was like what we're just talking about.
I can picture it.
My weather app still claimed
it was sunny and clear.
That's the worst when it's like the
weather has not caught up on the
apps and you're like, I'm looking.
It's not matching.
Until it didn't.
What was supposed to be a perfect
day, instantly turned into a flash

(31:07):
flooding and a massive thunderstorm.
Trying to get from the salon
to the car was a disaster.
Our umbrella flipped inside out,
soaking me and my sister and my
four bridesmaids from head to toe
right after getting their hair done.
I would be distraught.
Nobody talk to me for an hour.
Give me some time to just cope.

(31:28):
Yes, I know.
That's the thing too.
It's like we were talking about
earlier, like I'm, seeing all
these weddings where it rains.
I'm like, oh, it's so romantic,
but I'd be lying if I didn't say.
First it would take me a little bit to Oh,
me too, me too.
Especially a bit like snuck up,
like how it did on her like perfect
forecast that morning and then
just flash flooding happened.

(31:48):
I would be like, everybody
just gimme 30 minutes.
Leave me in this room.
I need time to decompress, maybe pray.
Yes.
You know, just gimme
a second.
I know like weather is one of those
things you can just never predict.
You never know what it's gonna be like.
And if this tells you anything
about like my, I shouldn't say
fear of like weather changing.
the venue that I got married at had an

(32:08):
outdoor area and indoor and so it was
like, I knew I always had a backup plan.
Yeah.
We got married in March, so we were
like pretty sure it's gonna be indoor.
And even like the front area
was where the bridal suite was.
So we got our hair and makeup done.
So I never had to even like
step foot outside because I was
just like, you just never know.
And we had every single weather that day.

(32:29):
Like when I woke up, it was sunny
and kind of chilly, like forties.
Then it ended up, I think it rained
a little before the ceremony.
Then it ended up snowing
later on at night.
So like we had every kind of weather.
So I was like, okay, well as long
as we don't have to go outside.
But my
parents, they got married in March
too, and they said like the day
of their wedding, it was just

(32:50):
like a little bit of everything.
Cold, hot, windy.
I think it might've like sprinkled too.
And now like every year
on their anniversary.
Like, you never know if we're gonna
have snow, if we're gonna have rain,
if it's gonna be in the seventies.
Like we just don't know.
Yeah, I know.
It's so wild.
Yeah, because our, one year anniversary,
my daughter was born a little
before our one year anniversary,

(33:11):
so I'll never forget that week.
it was like three feet of snow
outside when the day before it was
like raining in like 50 degrees.
So
that happened.
They went to the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park.
I don't know if you know where that's at.
Yes.
for their anniversary one year.
And they said like, they got down
there and it was nice and warm.
It was like 60 seventies maybe.
They went to bed that night at the hotel.

(33:32):
Woke up the next morning and it
was like half a foot of snow.
And they were just like, I think
they may have planned to go hiking
that day or something, but they
were like, we're kind of stuck.
Oh my gosh.
I hate that.
So hard to plan for that.
okay, so she says, so she got soaked
head to toe, her bridesmaids and her
sister on the drive to the venue.
We passed similar cars, stuck in flood

(33:53):
water, and the roads completely closed
because the rivers had overflowed.
So this is like a storm.
Storm.
This is bad.
Ah, really bad.
I wonder where this was.
We got to the venue later than planned
only to learn that my soon-to-be
husband and groomsmen weren't there yet.
I went straight to the bridal suite to try
to fix my hair and makeup when the, oh,
she had already had her makeup done too.

(34:14):
While my maid of honor called
to find out where they were.
They were still in the hotel and
had no idea about the weather.
They tried calling for a taxi, but it took
20 minutes before one finally showed up.
They made it to the venue only
about five minutes before the
ceremony was supposed to begin.
Oh my gosh.
That's.
Oh my gosh.
I would be, I would
be, that's one of those

(34:34):
times it's like, do you just
push your timeline back an hour?
Because you gotta think if they're running
late, all their guests, you're probably
running late and then that's messing
with your caterer, your photographer.
you as a bride or groom, it's,
Ooh, that's a messy situation.
Yeah, I know.
It's like one of those like
quick calls of like, okay, can
we push this back a little bit?

(34:54):
And yeah.
Because I feel like, yeah, if the
groomsmen who are like important in the
wedding, the groom aren't there, maybe
we can like push it back just slightly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Surprisingly, the ceremony only
started five minutes late, but even
then things didn't go smoothly.
The officiant accidentally said,
my maid-of-honor's name instead

(35:14):
of my partner's during the vows.
I always cringe when I hear
stories like this, like that.
They say like the wrong name.
Yeah.
Or they pronounce it wrong.
I feel like it's a officiants
job to triple check names
and how to pronounce them.
Mm-hmm.
And this sounds to me like maybe
the officiant didn't know them

(35:35):
personally or meet with them before.
Yeah,
because like we met our officiant,
like at least on Zoom multiple times
before I spoke to her on the phone.
she knew our names.
Yeah, yeah.
But oh my gosh.
And while signing the marriage license,
my brother-in-law signed the wrong spot.
Thankfully, someone caught it or our

(35:55):
certificate would've been a void.
Oh my gosh.
After the ceremony, the storm
finally passed, so we were
able to take photos outside.
This actually turned out to be a
blessing because the post storm sky
and the slightly damp surroundings
created the most beautiful backdrop.
I love that.
Yeah.
The dress did get a little muddy,
but nothing major dinner, dancing and
the reception were going perfectly,

(36:16):
aside from my brother and one of the
bridesmaids accidentally eating my
dinner when I was busy greening guests,
still I was having the time of my life.
How do you accidentally eat someone
else at dinner?
Yeah, that's like when I'm a
photographer or when I was in that
wedding, in September, I'm always
like, make the bride and groom a plate.
Set it at their chair, like put
a napkin over it or something
so nobody will touch it.

(36:37):
Yeah, because they need to eat.
I mean, they've been probably
stressed out all day.
They need to eat something.
I know the amount of weddings I
heard where people were like, I was
too stressed or like running around.
I never ate.
And I'm like, what?
Like
you need to eat in my camera bag.
I keep little granola bars and I think
I maybe have like some gummy packs
or something because if I do shoot a
wedding or something, or like even if

(36:58):
I travel somewhere to take pictures,
I like to have little snacks for me
or people I'm taking pictures of.
Yeah.
Have you ever had, sorry,
this is like a side question.
Have you ever had a, like a wedding that
you've been to where they like don't set
aside time for you to eat dinner as well?
I almost all of them set
aside a time for me to eat.
'cause it's in my contract that
I have like 30 minutes to eat.
But usually the wedding gets so crazy that

(37:20):
my 30 minutes turns into like 10 minutes.
Right.
Just because like there's so many moments
that like, even though literally just
30 minutes I have set aside to eat,
there's stuff going on during that.
So usually I just make a plate,
scarf it down real fast, and
then I'm back to taking pictures.
So even though in my contract it's
30 minutes, it's usually I take about
10 just to eat something real fast.
Yeah.
It's hard to like sit and
allow yourself to like sit when

(37:41):
other things are like Yeah.
Going on around you.
no, I totally get that.
I heard like horror stories from vendors.
I was actually, when I was a day
of coordinator at a wedding not too
long ago, I was sitting at the table
with a photographer and videographer
and dj, and the one photographer was
talking about this wedding she went
to where they treated her like scum.
They were like, I was not allowed

(38:01):
to be sat in the same room
as the guests and the bride.
They shoved me in a room, no chairs,
no tables, and had me sit on the
floor and I got like a leftover plate.
You said that was the photographer?
The photographer was telling
me this and she's like, I got
treated horribly at this wedding.
I couldn't wait to go home.
I was like, that's awful.
And I've heard this like drama on

(38:23):
social media where it's like, I
don't know if it was another vendor
talking about it, but she was like,
I was at a wedding once where they
did not wanna pay for me to eat.
And I said, if you don't like allow
me to sit down and get like a little
tiny break, I'm gonna have to leave.
They're like, well, you can leave
and get something and come back.
so they were like.
I don't know.
I don't get that of like, yeah,
well even your fir, like you said

(38:44):
that photographer was telling you
like they put her in a back room.
It's not even like that.
She was gonna mess up the
aesthetic of the pictures 'cause
she's literally the photographer.
Like, exactly.
That makes no sense to me.
That is crazy.
I
know, and like my photographer
had I typically, 'cause I had a
buffet at my wedding and she's
like, I'll go up, know, with the
other vendors like right after you.

(39:04):
she's like, 'cause you don't want
photos of you eating anyways.
And I'm like, yeah.
so like I'll eat while you eat
and then when you're done by that
point it'll be speeches and I'll be
like ready to take pictures again.
I was like, that makes perfect sense.
Yeah.
And I literally kept telling her,
I was like, and take your time.
I'm not gonna be like on you or
crazy like, oh you're eating more.
Like please eat.
yeah, that's what it's here for.
And like I wanted my
vendors to feel as like.

(39:24):
A part of the day as like anyone
else, like when we had breakfast
delivered in the morning, I was like,
here, grab coffee, grab a sandwich.
Like whatever you want, because
they're there to make your day.
Beautiful.
Why treat them like they're like
horrible people or Yeah, like scum.
Like I don't, yeah,
well like even some weddings that
I've done, like if I know the
caterers, I've worked with 'em before.
I'm like, can y'all make me a
plate and just set it to the side?

(39:46):
Or like, I've done some weddings like
where I've known like the family and
like the bridesmaids and the groomsmen.
Like my whole life actually I've done
that this summer, is my cousin was one
of the bridesmaids and I was like, can
you make me a plate when you go up there
and just set it to the side somewhere?
And she's like, yeah, I'll like you one.
Yeah.
I love that.
Okay, so this says, so we're back at,
dinner, dancing and reception went

(40:07):
perfectly until they ate her food, right?
Still I was having the
best time of my life.
As the sun began to set, our photographers
took us outside for sunset photos.
We also planned to take sparkler photos
once it got dark, but right as we
set up, the wind picked up sharply.
The sky turned green and
the downpour returned.
Oh,

(40:27):
like when the inside stuff's happening,
we're gonna have great weather.
I know.
And if you just
don't wanna go outside, it's just
like, no, don't come outside.
But I was like, at first I was
like, Ooh, the sky turned green.
That could be, yeah.
I was like,
maybe that'll look good.
Yeah.
Later we found out that a
tornado had touched down less
than a kilometer from the venue.
People say, rain on your
wedding day is good luck.

(40:48):
But what does a tornado mean?
To this day, we joke about the terrible
storms that they're our favorite
part because they remind us of our
wedding like we were talking about.
And the chaos didn't end there.
After the wedding, we learned
that one of the groomsmen.
Got two of the three
underage guests drunk.
My 90-year-old grandfather
took a wrong turn and ended up
driving across the venues lawn.

(41:10):
Oh no.
Why is the 90-year-old grandfather
driving after the wedding?
Yeah.
That
he needs a caretaker.
Somebody the least driving.
Yes.
let's take care of
Grandpa.
and several guests who had been cut
off by the bartender decided to go
upstairs and crash another wedding.
Oh.
So there's multiple weddings
going on at this venue?
I
have never heard that.
Like multiple weddings at the

(41:30):
same day, at the same venue.
I've never heard that.
I'm trying to think.
I've been to one, really big one in
the city in Chicago and I wanna say
it was, oh yeah, it was connected
to a hotel and they had like two
or three weddings at the same time.
But it was huge.
So you didn't even know
the other one was going on.
but.
To where it's like easily accessible.
Yeah.
I go to go upstairs
and crash their wedding.

(41:51):
Like it's like are y'all
mingling on accident?
Like it makes me think too, like
is there multiple bathrooms?
Is there a bathroom on each floor?
Are y'all having to go
up and down the steps?
Yeah.
I have never heard of that though.
Yeah.
Learn something new every day.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Despite everything, we're still happily
married and about to celebrate our
eight year anniversary with two kids.

(42:12):
You can't control the weather
or the random drama but it sure
makes for an unforgettable story.
I love that.
I know too.
No, that was a really good story.
I feel like for especially having you as a
photographer come on and like react to it.
'cause it has to do with
like photos and stuff.
Like what do you think you
would do in that situation if
it just started down pouring?
Uh,
I know like most venues

(42:33):
that I've like shot at.
Done weddings or like even like
content days or anything, have
some type of like, either it's just
like almost like a garage type.
It's just got a roof on it.
That way you can still let the nitro
lighting in or we can even go inside
to like the groom suite or the
bride suite and we can make it good.
I've got the external flash

(42:54):
on my camera and stuff.
you are gonna have good pictures
is what I'm trying to get at.
It might not go exactly how you
planned, but I mean, does any wedding
have no drama and nothing happened?
I feel like No, exactly.
I know.
I was just saying, I'm like.
Someone told me before I got married,
they're like, something's gonna go wrong.
It might be big, it might be
small, but something will go wrong.
And you just have to like deal with it.

(43:14):
Like at least I think someone
said like, three little things
will go wrong, whatever.
Mm-hmm.
So I went into the day being
like, something's gonna go wrong.
It is what it is.
And someone like little things
happen, which I can't even, I'm
sure if I really thought about it,
I could think of something, but
like there was nothing so major that
I was like, oh, it ruined my day.
Yeah.
And I think it allows you to also
be like, you know what, nothing
is a hundred percent perfect.
It's not gonna be like,

(43:35):
sunshine and rainbows all day.
There are some things that are
gonna be like, oh, that was, that
sucks that happened, but whatever.
So I think her attitude says everything.
she was like, you know what?
It is what it is.
I'm gonna fix up my hair and makeup.
I'm still marrying the love of my life.
Yeah.
We're gonna have a beautiful day.
And now they look back on it
and they're like, that's pretty
funny that that happened.
Yeah.
And we're gonna have these funny photos
of like, maybe our hair was a mess.
Maybe there was some tears shed

(43:57):
that she didn't talk about.
But at the end of the day.
It was an awesome day.
Yeah.
Well, bouncing off like what you
said, I feel like you want your
weight, obviously to go as good as
it can go and like how you wanted it.
But like you said, it's about you and
your groom and the love that y'all
share and that you're continuing it.
Like if it rains, if this happens, if
that happens, it's about y'all too.

(44:17):
You know what I mean?
Yeah,
I feel like a lot of these stories, like
people get hung up this is not saying
like the big drama with like family.
I get that's, that's a lot to deal
with and it's very complicated.
But some of the drama that I read
about people get hung up on little
things in Let it ruin their day.
And it's like, it really does
come down to like your attitude.
Like focus on what's the goal of the day?

(44:38):
Are you surrounded by family and
friends that you love, that love you
and support you and your partner?
Are you, happy that someone was
able to fly and like focus on
the things that you are like.
Happy about in the day.
Mm-hmm.
And then the little things, won't
matter if you're like a little behind in
schedule or maybe someone couldn't make
it to the rehearsal or, whatever it is.
It's like, it really does come

(44:58):
down to like, some of that
stuff just doesn't matter.
Like of course, if there's someone
being disruptive and being rude
and trying to ruin your day, then
like, yeah, let's deal with that.
Yeah.
But for the most part, little things
I think we can like just let it brush
off and focus on what's important.
I agree.
I loved that story.
Okay.
I always like to end these

(45:18):
with confessions that
people send me on Instagram.
So this is for DIY weddings edition.
Have you been a part of any DIY weddings?
I'd say the one that I was kind of, or
I was the maid of honor was kind of DIY.
Like she bought a lot of her
stuff at like, I guess like.
I don't know what you would call 'em.

(45:38):
Like she got a lot of her flowers and
things from like Ollie's and Hobby
Lobby and she found a lot of stuff
at like TJ Maxx and things like that.
a lot of her decor and
stuff she done on her own.
I love that.
So I would say yes.
I mean, not all of it,
but yes, some of it.
Yeah.
And I was just saying this too,
like I feel like if you enjoy doing
that, by all means you should do it.

(45:59):
cause like I made a lot of my own
signs 'cause I love that stuff.
Yeah.
Like, I love, like using cricket, I
remember like handwriting, like our
table assignments, you know, and that
was like fun for me to be able to see.
And then I like painted the
backs of 'em, but I feel like
some people do it to save money.
And then ultimately the time that's spent,
and then it's something they don't enjoy.

(46:20):
It just becomes like a stressor.
Yeah.
So I feel like it's good to like,
know yourself in those moments
of being like, do I enjoy this?
Yeah.
Is it actually gonna save me money?
Is it gonna make me more stressed?
Do I have to pull in all family members
and bridesmaids and groomsmen to help me?
Or can I do a lot of it
myself or with another person?
cause I've been a part of those
too, where they just then expect
all family and friends to come in.

(46:42):
it's a big ask.
so you would just hope you
have like supportive family and
friends that also enjoy doing it.
Yeah.
Okay.
So this says, made all the food
the day before, 19 days after my
c-section, only for most people
not to turn up to the reception.

(47:04):
you have a, child, right?
I feel like you might be able to answer
this better because like 19 days,
like you're still, you're postpartum
that's literally what you are.
And to do all that and
then nobody show up.
one of my really good friends will
actually, the one I was talking about
earlier that just got into photography,
she had a baby and she had a C-section.
And like, I remember going and

(47:25):
seeing her like 19 days after
and I just couldn't imagine like
getting up and cooking just food.
Like I could not imagine it.
No.
And c-section is, the recovery
is so much harder I didn't have a
c-section, but I had friends that
had C-sections and you are I wanna
say six weeks is your full recovery.
they're cutting like you have a
dinner plate sized cut in you.

(47:47):
And so you're not supposed
to be up and down, you're not
supposed to be lifting stuff.
And so the fact that she
made all the food before.
That's just wild.
She's like superwoman.
Literally.
Literally.
It makes me want Or two.
Like who said they were coming
and then just didn't show up?
Is this Yeah,
I'm obviously, I'm sure if she's cooking
and she's, was it, 16 days postpartum?

(48:09):
19. 19. Like I'm sure it wasn't her
wedding, but like as the bride, I would
probably be mad too if they RSVP'd and
I bought all this food and then somebody
that I'm very close with cooked all
of it and then you just don't show up.
Yeah.
I don't know.
You bring up a good point.
'cause I read it as she was, the
bride, but you're probably right.
She might have just been
a bridesmaid or been Yeah.

(48:29):
part of the wedding in some way.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm like, who's asking a postpartum
mom that just had a C-section?
Unless she offered, I
guess that's different.
one of my friends had
a C-section and like.
I needed something done.
I don't think I would ask them or
I'd be like, don't worry about it.
Yeah.
Like, we're not gonna have
you up and cooking for this.
Yeah.
this one says, distant friends

(48:51):
started treating my family who
were helping set up as workers.
Ooh.
I feel like I'd have to say
something to that friend and just
be like, Hey, like just chill out.
just go with the flow,
it's gonna go how it goes.
Like if you need their help, ask,
but don't be bossing them around.
Yeah.
I've seen this happen at a wedding
and it's really disappointing
because the people that offer to

(49:13):
help do to other kindness of their
hearts, they don't have to be there.
It's not their kids' wedding.
And then when they're not properly
like thanked or like treated like
family or like treated like guests,
that's hard because they're like,
why did I go outta my way to help
when I'm not actually gonna be like.
Respected.
I don't know.
Or like Yeah, highly treated.
It's that like wait staff thing,
like if someone treats wait staff

(49:34):
poorly because they're a server.
Mm-hmm.
That's like a big red flag in my book.
Like, doesn't matter anyone's
job or position you treat Yeah.
'em with kindness.
that was my first job, was a waitress.
And it was just crazy the way
that people would treat me.
And I was like, I'm literally like, I
would never do anything, but I'm handling
your food and you're treating me like
I'm nobody like, you know what I mean?

(49:56):
It was just crazy.
Oh yeah.
My first job ever, I was a hostess
and since then, I mean I done,
serving cocktail server and
bartender, but the hostess, oh my
gosh, people were so mean to me.
I was 16 years old.
And I had people like, come
get into my face and tell me.
I was like, purposely not
seating them like we were.

(50:16):
I worked at a busy Irish pub
and people would get into my
face, they would scream at me.
And I was like, I have a busy restaurant.
I don't know.
and servers too would yell at me.
They'd be like, you didn't
seat someone in my section?
I'm like,
I'm trying to go through the rotation.
Yeah.
Well, like I would have like
50-year-old men and women like
chew me out and I'm like, I'm 16.

(50:37):
Like, I'm sorry, just cut me some slack.
Please.
Yes.
I always like to let people know,
if I go to a restaurant, like I'm
not one that's gonna yell at you.
Like, my husband and I have both
worked in the restaurant industry
and if something takes long and they
come up, they're like, I'm so sorry.
I'm like, you are good.
You take your time.
You don't ever have to apologize to me.
I get it.
Or if at a coffee shop I've

(50:58):
had them be like, I'm sorry.
I'll get you in a minute.
You take your time.
Like seriously, we're not on fire.
We're not gonna decom bust
if you don't come to us soon.
You're safe here.
Yeah.
all right, we'll do one more.
My mom made her own dress.
The colors and the pattern were hideous.
I almost made her change.
Ooh, it's very DIY.

(51:18):
Yeah.
That's your mom and like, oh my.
Oh, I don't know what I would do.
I guess I would have to know the
relationship that you had with your mom
because like my relationship with my
mom, I'd just be blunt and be like, you
gotta change the pattern or something.
But like, I can see some people
just being like, oh, it's okay.

(51:38):
But yeah.
I don't know.
I feel like if you didn't see
it until the day of, there's
like not a whole lot you can do.
Yeah.
If she showed you before, like,
this is the pattern I'm gonna use,
and you're like, oh, maybe let's
try finding a pattern together.
Like you could really watch her,
but if she just comes out on the
day and like, I made this and you
didn't realize, kind of stuck.
Yeah, that is true.

(51:59):
Oh, I don't know what I would do, Dan.
And if, and if she's someone too that
like has her own style and makes her
own clothing, it's kind of one of those
things and you have a good relationship.
It's kinda those things.
I'd be like, you can look back on
photos and be like, that's my mom.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, like, I just read a story where
it was like the grandparents, like were
motorcycle riders and they came directly
from their motorcycle trip to the wedding

(52:21):
covered in denim and like leather.
And they're like, they didn't
bring clothes to change into.
I was kind of like.
That's your grandma grandpa style?
Yeah.
You just gotta let them own it.
I mean, yeah, it might suck for
some photos, but that's their vibe.
I have aunts and uncles that
like wear tie dye and I'm like,
that was always their vibe.
And I'm just like, I don't think
I would be like, go change.

(52:42):
Yeah.
I don't know.
Teach their own.
All right.
Well thank you so much for coming on you.
It was so great meeting you and I know it
was kinda like a last minute thing, but
I feel like I need to do stuff like this
more often because this was like so fun.
Yeah,
so I'm not much of a music listener.
I love podcasts and yours is one
of mine that's in my rotation.

(53:02):
Oh, yay.
I love that.
Yeah.
And I, so
I was so excited 'cause
like my boyfriend, like.
my phone always connects to his CarPlay
in his truck, and I'm listening to
your podcast sometimes, and I was
like, do you know this podcast?
I like, I'm going on it.
I love it.
Yay.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
No, I'm so glad this worked out.
And like I said too, having like a
photographer on, you're like, well in

(53:24):
the industry and so it's cool just to
like hear your perspective as well.
Yeah.
so no, this was awesome.
I'm glad it, glad it worked out.
And where, can everyone follow you?
What's your business name
and all that good stuff?
So my business name's Max Photography.
my Instagram is underscore
underscore max photography.
And then my Facebook is

(53:45):
just max photography.
Awesome.
And then I don't have
a TikTok or anything.
I have a personal one.
I need, I probably need to get on that.
Yes.
You gotta start making some TikTok
content for your photography.
'cause Yes, I need to showcase your
portfolio and I feel like that's the
best spot to go viral and all that stuff.
Yeah.
So much for.