As we were shooting over here, Brooke was leaning on the rail, looking my direction. Then all of a sudden, this man walked around that corner and came up behind her. She was startled and definitely freaked out. I wish I had gotten a photo of her reaction, but I was just as startled. Then I realized it was my soon-to-be father-in-law! He was having a beer with an associate at the brewery we were in front of and spotted us. He came out to mess with us and say hi. Thanks, John.

Sure, a five-star wedding would be amazing, but not everyone can or wants to pay for that. It boils down to what you and your partner want, not what everyone else expects. Which is exactly what Garrott and I are doing. As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen a lot of tricks to make your wedding appear fancy, but remain on a strict budget. Here’s a list of some of the best:

I take photos, and have since I was eight, because I want to tell a story, find beauty in the souls of people, and connect with people emotionally. So what better way to do that than start the conversation with my own vulnerability and quirks? I’m human, and probably a weird one, but that’s ok because we’re all weird in our own way. That’s what makes being human kickass.

So, all of this to drive this point home: photography is a creative passion, a way to connect with and create some change, and it is my very enjoyable job.