Confessions of love, worth and it taking a village

Confession?  I don't do this job alone.  Sometimes it might feel like it's just me when the editing has piled up and there are so many emails to answer but this job is made possible by so many people who have believed in me.  And sometimes I don't thank them enough.  You see, several months ago I had the privilege of planning and photographing the wedding of two amazing ladies, Rita and Angela.  It was crazy, but it was something I had done before and I knew I would need a small village to pull it off.  So I pulled together a team, crossing my fingers that things would go as planned and the day would go off without a hitch.  

And that is the furthest thing from what happened.  From issues with the venue, making appetizers for 100 people, vendors showing up late and of course, the POURING rain, it was madness.  But every time I look at their wedding photos, I can't help but tear up because there were so many people that came together to make that day, inspite of the madness, utter perfection.  From Kristin, who was hired to do hair, cutting flowers and setting up tables because she got there early...to her sweet wife who just did whatever was needed...to Lesa for watching our dog and keeping an eye on our house while we were gone...to my best friend Ashley staying up late and waking up early and working all day long making things perfect....to my sister for cutting, popping, slicing, cooking and everything in between...to Simon for rolling with the punches and being the most amazing bartender and bringing in Jackson to help...to Heather for constantly giving me options, smiling and cleaning so much...to Emily for making everyone look amazing...to Sharon for being an incredible second shooter, a calm prescence and there to do whatever was needed...and last but not least, to Jordan who put up with all my craziness and worked her ass off that day, and really, every day.  It took a village.  And it took two people who believed in me to bring that village together to create the perfect wedding day.  

But isn't that the best way?  So often I find myself trying to do it all - and I know so many of you are right there with me.  We tell ourselves that we can do it!  That we are strong enough to do it all.  We are told that the best business are the ones who are able to do it all and do it perfectly.  Asking for help is often one of the hardest things we can do because it makes us feel as though we don't have it all together.  But here is a confession for you.  We don't.  We almost never do.  And when we allow others to help, to love us, and be our village, we can do SO much more than we can alone.  If it weren't for the help of all of those people...that wedding would have been a vision in my head, not an actual event that took place.  

If you find yourself struggling, in work, in things around the house, in anything really, ask yourself when the last time you asked someone to help you.  Have you admitted that on your own you aren't doing all that you want to?  Are there people who are around you who you would call your village but you haven't asked them for help in awhile?  I would bet that those that love you, want to help and that you'll feel better with them helping you achieve the things you want to.  

To my wonderful village...I love you all.  Thank you for being the best vendors, friends, family and team a girl could ask for.  And here are a few of my favorite behind the scenes photos of that perfectly unperfect wedding day!