2024- The year of change

2024 wedding season has come and gone. I am amazed at how fast the year has come and gone, but I'm aware that this phrase is used quite often. In this current moment, my body in sinked into a dove-grey plush couch, sheltered from the crisp and fridgid cold of Buffalo, NY. Staying at my dear friends house for the next couple of days (Michelle Godfrey Photo), I have some time to reflect on this previous wedding season, chat about our success and growth edges. At my feet, my nephew Dachshund nudges insistently, a well-worn tennis ball clenched between eager jaws. His eyes, bright with anticipation, pleds for my attention in our timeless ritual: throw, retrieve, repeat-endless yet never enough for this long haired wiener.

Amidst the fetching, relaxing, and the ongoing challenge of quieting both the wiener dog and his older brother, Chewy the Yorkie, we humans manage to tap away on our laptops, focusing on our future business goals.

Being a smaller business, I am humbled and grateful for the couples who invited me into their lives for their celebrations. Here are some of the highlights of my 2024

1. I stopped wearing as many hats.

In June, I left my job of 3.5 years. This change gave me more freedom in my daily routine, allowing me to concentrate on myself, my husband, and our dog Chloe. By mid-July, we packed up and moved to Charleston, South Carolina, looking for a fresh start. We weren’t driven by a fresh start for any specific reason; we just wanted to live by the coast, and the housing market was in our favor.The move had its challenges—Chloe was not a fan of the car ride—but we were excited about our new life in Charleston and all it had to offer. Between unpacking boxes, figuring out what colors to paint our new home and wedding season, I am truly unsure how it all got done in such a timely manner. But this house is slowly starting to become comfortable and a place to welcome our visiting guests both local and out of state.

The wedding season theme: travel and train

This 2024 wedding season was full of plane rides, layovers, and figuring out if I packed my toothbrush or if I needed to go to the store to pick up shampoo and conditioner. I am grateful that I got to be roommates (or what we liked to call it "basement troll.") with Michelle Godfrey and work with her during her wedding season as well. Buffalo's summer and fall season did not disappoint.

2. Acknowledging growing pains- It’s hard to admit when I’m not at my best. With so many hours invested in my work, one can assume that my well-being was compensated to achieve that distorted praise of overworking. This acknowledgement has come with several failures and successes. I’m happy to say that I’m on the uphill of that.

Boundaries are a beautiful thing in all aspects of life. The realism of presenting myself as best as I can for my own well being & for the well being of the humans I serviced. Today, this is helping me recognize what I want in my career- both in photography and in social work.

3. Welcoming the comfort of being uncomfortable

It’s safe to say the past few months have been challenging. Between preparing for my licensure exam, stepping back from my full-time career, and navigating the wedding industry here in Charleston, it hasn’t been easy. But despite the challenges, I am incredibly grateful for the warm and welcoming communities I’ve found here. The people I’ve met in photography, volleyball, and beyond have truly embraced me—every bit of who I am—and for that, I’m thankful.

With the 2025 wedding season kicking off Memorial Day weekend, I’m filled with excitement for the couples I’ll have the privilege of working with. While I’m thrilled about the upcoming season, the main focus for me remains consistent—staying mindful and present. Since picking up my camera in 2018, this mindset has guided me, and I plan to carry it forward in the years ahead.

(Here’s to hoping I blog more regularly this season!)

Your favorite social worker who happens to be a photographer,

Britney