When we got to Fairlane Station, I was surprised to see our friend (and wedding planner extraordinaire), Amanda Reed, there with this beautiful table scape full of lovely flowers, delicate china, and my most favorite cake. Miles and Max were fully in their element; they took photos for about two hours, and gave us an amazing product of hundreds of beautiful and interesting images and perspectives. Miles actually told us that he shot the day in a more documentary type style, and that lended amazingly to this photo compilation.
All of this to say, I almost wanted to cancel the whole shoot because of my insecurities leading up to that day. Delyn wouldn’t let me (thankfully). When we looked through all the photos, I was initially a little sad. I have to admit that. It had nothing to do with the photography. They did a BRILLIANT job. It was all in my head. It’s hard to see every angle, every blemish, every extra pound. But you know what? Very quickly, I realized that I had to stop beating myself up over the images I didn’t like. Instead, I flagged the ones that I did like and focused on those. And then I realized how stinking beautiful those photos were.
Why do we judge things so harshly? Why do I get so hung up on things that don’t matter? I don’t need to keep looking at the photos I don’t like of myself. Instead I need to focus on the dozens of BEAUTIFUL ones. I think that’s a really important lesson, guys. How many times are we our own toughest critic? How often do we let silly emotions dictate how we value something? I’m writing this for me, but I also believe someone else out there needs to hear it. Enjoy the moments. Schedule that photo shoot. Don’t wait until you are in the best shape of your life. So you might get a handful of photos that aren’t your favorite... so what? But I promise, you’ll also get a handful of photos that blow you away. I can honestly admit that the photos I highlighted are the most flattering. And that’s okay. They make me happy. And ultimately they remind me of a really awesome day. And at the end of the day... that’s ALL that matters!
Now let me brag on the creatives behind the shoot:
Photography: Miles Witt Boyer + Max Grubb (Miles Witt Boyer Photographic Collective)
Scene: Amanda Reed (Bates~Reed Brides)
Hair and Makeup: Olivia Yeager (Dead Swanky)
CAKE: Shelby Lynn's
Venue: Fairlane Station
Dress: Rent the Runway (SUPER impressed with the renting experience!)