Looking Back - My First Wedding
May 20th 2023. That beautiful day that Ed Hall and Summer Cook became Ed & Summer Hall. The sun was shining, it couldn't have been a more beautiful day. It was the most beautiful, special day of their lives, and at the same time it became one of the most important days of mine, too. They put their faith in me and trusted me to capture their wedding, potentially changing my life forever in the process. Did I mention that it was beautiful?!
To mark the occasion of their One Year Anniversary, I've been looking back to the big day, and it's beautiful to see how much growth I've made as a result of saying Yes. It's so easy in life, to just stay in your comfort zone and not stray too far from that. Change is scary. The risk of failure is even more scary! When my friend asked me if I'd want to shoot this wedding, my comfort zone was very much in taking photos of my fiancée in elaborate costumes in the woods! No audience. No time-sensitive moments. No pressure. But despite that, I said yes. "Sure, why not?" It wasn't until some time after that I realised just what I'd gotten myself into and a minor panic set in! Through study, practice and preparation, I made sure that I was as ready as I'd ever be and threw myself into the deep end, and you know what? I loved every minute. It was a long day, and the weeks that followed were longer still - working my way through over three thousand photos, narrowing it down to the ones that mattered the most, and then preparing those photos - but it showed me just what I can do if I accept a challenge and take a giant leap outside of my comfort zone. So, what I'm trying to say is, next time someone offers you a challenge that could change your life, just say yes. Don't overthink it. Don't talk yourself out of it. Don't question whether or not you're capable. Just say yes and figure it out later. You never know what will come of it. I feel like I gained more experience in one day shooting the wedding, than I had in the whole year before that. Not just experience, but confidence. Since then I've started to say yes a lot more and take on opportunities that I never would've dreamed of before. The first step is the hardest, but it's also the most important, as it's the one that starts your new journey.
I'll be looking to make 2025 a hallmark year with more bookings than ever, but we'll get to that in the coming weeks. Today is about looking back. Happy anniversary Ed & Summer Hall, I hope you have an incredible day as you celebrate your first year as Husband and Wife!
