A year is made up of small moments, I truly believe in being grateful for all of the moments… the good the bad, all of it.   Even my not-so-great moments have helped pave the way for the BIG moments.   I’m going to share some of these big moments, that were actually small, but meant something big to me.

– In February I received and email from Two Bright Lights that I was a recipient of the 2014 Editors Choice Award.   I didn’t see that coming!  I can thank Tatiana and Kevin for that with their DIY Farm wedding at the top of my publish list.

-In March, 4 months postpartum, I ran a half marathon!   While I didn’t run it as fast as I used to, it was a huge accomplishment for me physically and mentally.

-Also in March, I went to the CLIC Conference.   This was a game changer.   Not only what I learned there, but I came home and I read the books recommend to us by some of the different speakers.   (I’m going to do a blog post on my favorite reading list in 2015!) I started really reading and spending more time educating myself.  By business was taken to another level because I started thinking in a different way.

-May 3rd I shot my first wedding of the year.   Amy and Andrew’s wedding just solidified my love for shooting weddings, especially a DIY beach house wedding.   I realized I wanted to specialize in more weddings like this.   That wedding was a game changer in how I started marketing and branding myself.    Plus they were just completely adorable, and I loved every minute of working with them!

-Bailey and Anthony’s wedding was an emotional one, it reminded me of WHY this job is so amazing, and SO important.   And even after loosing her dad, Bailey smiled and had the best time, she was so brave.   Bailey was an inspiration to me and I felt lucky to be her wedding photographer.    Seeing Anthony dance was pretty awesome too!

-Here comes June….  June is when I met with Tyler and started planning the promo video. I know why is this promo video such a big deal??   Well it is a big investment, and it really meant that I was serous…. like dead serious about this job.    For me it was more than “just a video” this was a commitment to my dream.    If you want to read more about WHY I chose to invest in a promo video you can read that here.

-July we started filming, and July also came Brittany and TJ’s wedding!   I loved this beautiful classic Williamsburg Wedding.   These two are so sweet and have already sent me two more weddings.  Really…. word of mouth is the biggest compliment I could ever get, I’m so so so so lucky.  I love what I do, and just being their wedding photographer makes me so happy, but sending me more awesome brides…. this isn’t real <3

-July also is when I kicked off my Small Business Series!   This has really let me to a whole new direction that I’m taking in 2015 and I’m SOOOO excited!    Be on the look out for all of my LIVE HAPPY stuff.   I’m so inspired and really feeling so lucky that I have met 6 amazing business owners already.   My next post will be Wednesday!!!!

-September came Kallen and Kyle’s wedding.   EEEEEE this wedding was so fun, beachy, causal, filled with love.   This wedding is my FIRST PRINT FEATURE!   EEEEK!  I’m going to blog more about it… but to be able to see and touch my images in a magazine… wow.  I don’t even have words because every photographer dreams of that feeling.   I got the magazine in my hands YESTERDAY, New Years Eve!    What a way to close out 2014.

-October came my last minute Bride and Groom Tara and Ryan…. Tara hired me right after Brittany’s wedding.   I was so glad to add her to my 2014 brides!  I will always remember Tara and her mother in the bathroom getting ready…. priceless moments, and I get to not only witness them, but capture them.   amazing.

-October we shot our STYLED SHOOT!!!  It was such a success and was published on Artfully Wed yesterday!   Make sure you check it out!  And I will also be sharing some of my favorite images from that next week!

-November came Shannon and Cole’s wedding.   OMG these images, their engagements and their wedding, I’m so in love with SO many pictures.   I mean it could be that their love is simply adorable, or that Cole just looks at Shannon in that magical way every time…. or maybe its that I have known Shannon for so long.   Whatever it is is magic and epic every time my camera is around them.    These two were so freaking kind to their vendors…. like for real.   Every time I turned around Shannon was checking on us to be sure we didn’t need anything.   God bless her sweetness.

-November I also got in FRONT of the camera….a very special photographer, Sharon Elizabeth…. I have been in love with her work since I started this crazy journey.   This was a big moment… a moment I was waiting for.    To see myself in her beautiful artwork….The experience was awesome and I can’t wait to mentor with her in January!!!

-December I traveled down to the OBX to assist my mentor Amanda Hedgepeth with her winter workshop.   This was a big deal… she trusted me to help her, I didn’t care what I did, carry her bags, get her coffee…. I was just honored to learn and follow her around for two days!   I met some really sweet ladies and it was just the winter inspiration I needed!!!  I love learning and no matter what these new years and new moments bring, I will always get excited about learning!

There were so many other moments this year, I second shot for some amazing photographers and friends…. I had some awesome engagement sessions to really kick off 2015, I’m SOOOO excited about these couples.    I had some exciting publishes and features, but at the end of the day, I have happy clients, and there is nothing more gratifying than that.    Seeing my work in magazine is awesome, it really is….. but I would never trade that feeling for the feeling of a bride loving her wedding images.   I know how cheesy that sounds, but I being a photographer is more than a business….it matters.    The bigger pictures, the biggest moments….

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, to ALL my clients, family, and friends.   2014 was amazing, truly amazing.  Yes I put it the hard work, but I would’t have any of it with out YOU.

I’m getting all mushy and stuff, that means I might have to think about some 2015 giveaways 🙂