so i was thinking the other night about disney world, of all places haha. i was thinking about how i miss it terribly and would LOVEEEEE to go back. i remember when i went to disney world for the FIRST TIME. it was a dream come true! i was in fifth grade and on top of the world. i remember arriving to the park that day and a smile took up residence on my face for the rest of the week. even in the pictures from that week, i looked like a beaming little chipmunk haha (because of my chipmunk cheeks). it was quite a sight. it got me thinking, though, about what a true experience felt like.

when we went to disney world for the first time, i believe we had the true “disney experience.” we stayed at the park, ate at the different restaurants, and even took the bus transportation to and from the parks. it truly was magical. i remember how awesome each restaurant was and how the servers were all unique and did their best to make sure you had an unforgettable time there. everyone at the park was so friendly and went out of their way to be nice to you. at the hotel they would leave us special treats and make us cool towel animals that played with our stuffed animals. for a kid, that was SO COOL! we even had a bus driver that told us cool stories during a ride! that is a memory i will never forget. that experience is permanently embedded into my brain.

speaking of experience (like how i made this tie in together? hehe), it got my wheels spinning about a photography experience. a wedding photography experience, if you will. when i get married (whenever that day in the far off future happens haha), i want it to be UNFORGETTABLE! i want it to be fun and a good time. i don’t want stress. i want it to be a great celebration. because a wedding is something that is a big deal, i want it to be special. i’m not saying i’m gonna spend a million dollars on it haha (i work at a preschool and i’m a photographer – ain’t gonna happen haha), but i do want to invest in certain areas. i want it to be a great experience! not only for me, but for everyone there. it’s important!

i also want to have something to hold onto after that day that isn’t just a memory. for me, i am going to splurge on photography – shocker, right? haha. it’s something i know i will treasure for years to come. i don’t want to skimp on that and regret it down the road like so many brides have before. while i want the food to be yummy (come on, i LOVE me some food!) and the music to be a blast, i know that after it’s all said and done that fades away at the end of the night. i don’t want to settle on photography. i want something i can remember for the rest of my life. being a photographer also helps me see how things go down on a wedding. as a photographer, you are with the bride and groom more than anyone else that day. you spend time with them even during their most intimate moments. a lot of vendors don’t get that special relationship. i value it so much. i LOVE that connection between me and my brides and grooms. it’s amazing and i wouldn’t trade it for the world. by spending so much time with them throughout their special day, i want to make it an unforgettable experience.

now, i’m not walt disney by any stretch of the imagination haha. BUTTTTTT i would love to make my clients feel as special and wonderful as i did on my trip to disney world! to me, THAT is how you should feel on your wedding day. it should be your dream come true. you should have a smile glued to your face because of the pure joy you are experiencing that day. you should be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy everything on your wedding day! why? because as your photographer i want to capture every valuable moment for you to relive over and over again. i want you to feel comfortable, because you feel like you’re hanging out with a friend. i want you to be able to laugh at my lame jokes, because they help you not be as nervous on your day. i want you to have FUN!!! i want you to look back at your wedding day and feel the same way i do about my experience at disney world. i want you to be able to look back at pictures from your day and remember all the wonderful things that happened. i want you to have that same goofy smile as i did. 🙂

now, i’m not saying you need to have me as your photographer to experience all of these wonderful feelings haha. i just want you to find someone who fits. someone who you feel will add to your wedding day and create a wonderful experience for you to look back on. i strive very hard to create an unforgettable time for my clients. i want them to have fun, feel special, and not worry about everything. i try my best to make them feel amazing and i hope they feel the same!

so what was all of this rambling for anyway?

here’s quick recap:

-go to disney world! 😉

-find a photographer you love

-if you’re a bride, go for that unforgettable experience

-if you’re a photographer, GIVE that awesome experience

-don’t settle, these are your memories after all

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i hope this helps someone out there! here’s to creating a wonderful experience for all to enjoy!

and if you have a moment, i would LOVE to hear your opinion:

if you’re a bride-to-be, what are some things YOU feel your wedding photographer should bring to the EXPERIENCE on your wedding day?

if you’re a photographer, what EXPERIENCE do you feel YOU should bring to their special wedding day?