We are no longer booking weddings or portrait sessions at this time, thank you for your understanding.






Business

How COVID-19 will change your wedding

Maryland Photographer

Now that the state of Maryland is starting to reopen from COVID-19, I wanted to open a conversation about our business moving forward. Obviously, there is new information coming out weekly of how businesses can get back to "normal", but our normal, may not be normal for the next business. This pandemic has changed the way we think about health and safety. By laying this out, we hope it encourages our couples, current and future, to start a dialog with us. We know this is stressful, but we also know everyone wants to be smart and informed. Should weddings be considered "large gatherings"? I know that weddings are, by definition, considered a large gathering. It's important to point out that they are different from other sorts of events in that group. At a lot of large gatherings that would include over 100 people, there's not the focus on just two people. At community gatherings, festivals, or conferences, there's a natural sense of distancing that can take place as people stick to their own group. There's not a pull to be close to two particular individuals, or the strong feeling of uniting and reuniting of families.  During a wedding, no one wants to be distanced from the wedding couple. They want to express their congratulations, hug, kiss, dance with them. The wedding couple is a celebrity that EVERYONE in attendance of their day wants to get close to. It may sound dramatic, but at this moment that's...

How to take headshots with your phone while in quarantine!

This is going to be a pretty candid blog post. For over a month, we have not been able to take any sort of photos. Our last session was March 8th, and since then, I've just been trying to get a grasp on this changing landscape due to COVID-19. I very recently had a couple of people reach out about at home sessions and, unfortunately, I'm not opening up my calendar again until (hopefully) July. It really is heartbreaking to tell people I cannot take their photos until possibly the middle of summer. That's extremely weird, uncomfortable, and downright depressing. However, I RECENTLY (4 days ago) started trying to make the best of it. I want to give business owners the opportunity to still get photos to update their website and social media. Photography as a tool is absolutely necessary, even though phtoography as a career is considered non-essential. With that in mind, I started thinking of ways to help people take their own headshots from the comfort of their homes and with the ease of their cell phones. I was inspired to create this post by a photographer named Graceful Designs Photography. She gave amazing instructions to new parents on how to take their own Fresh 48 photos while we are all currently social distancing. I wanted to kind of expand on that for entrepreneurs, which is why I created a quick step-by-step post that will hopefully keep your website updated and social media game strong! Turning your...

My Experience with The Big Fake Wedding

Advice from a Photographer

I've gotten a lot of people asking for my experience at the The Big Fake Wedding. I participated in the Baltimore event in May. It was something I didn't think I'd be doing at the start of 2018, but I am very glad I did it.  When you are going through the day, you have to remember that there are a lot of key players. You are not the only vendor participating, and often times you aren't even the only photographer, florist, stationery designer, etc. on the scene. A few of the vendors may share your same passion, which is something completely different from a typical wedding day. The benefit, though, is that you get to experience a really unique evening that will make you excited for your business and the new friendships you'll develop. This post is in no way affiliated with The Big Fake Wedding. They did not ask me to write this post, and they did not supply any of the information enclosed. This post is 100% my own take on the day.  What is The Big Fake Wedding? In short, it's a giant party! For guests of the day, you'll get to witness a sweet vow renewal type of ceremony. You'll also get to interact with wedding vendors and see them in action. There's so much to see, lots of good food, and dancing! For vendors, you get the chance to really show off what you got. There's no such thing as "...

Custom Wedding Party Invitations With Basic Invite

Guest Post

This week's post is a very special one from Katie at Basic Invite! She contacted me about doing a little guest post, and I immediately jumped at the chance. Basic Invite is such an awesome company to chat with; I've been communicating with them for a while now and it's been such a joy. They also allow you to create some pretty gorgeous paper products! I'll let Katie tell you all about that!  Spring is here and wedding season is not too far away. That means wedding plans and wedding parties galore! This is such an exciting time of year for many, whether you’re a bride or groom, a friend or family member of the former, or someone in the industry – wedding bells are definitely ringing right now, and you should all be looking forward to what’s coming… I know I am! There are quite a lot of plans ahead and that comes with a long to-do list, but that’s okay because I am here along with the stationery experts over at Basic Invite to help you out by giving you ideas and inspiration for all of your wedding parties! So, if you’re ready to gear up for engagement parties, showers, bachelorette celebrations, and rehearsals you’ve come to the right place. When it comes to wedding parties Basic Invite is stocked up on styles to suit every couple’s theme and style to make sure the pre-wedding invitations and celebrations are on point...

Pet Lovers Rejoice: Furever & Fur Always is a MUST for Your Wedding

Guest Post

Anybody who has been following my blog, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook should know that I love animals. Shawn and I absolutely cherish our little dog, Pony. We also love the special pets that we have the pleasure of photographing for our wedding couples. Normally, we only get to see these bundles of joy for engagement sessions, prancing around Susquehanna State Park or relaxing in the shade at Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (or even just a kitty relaxing at home while everyone is busily getting ready). Every so often, a couple wants to include their furry friend in the wedding, much to the delight of everyone. Unfortunately, this option is often overlooked for even the biggest pet enthusiasts. The logistics of handling, accessorizing, and chauffeuring the furry loved ones can be big hassle. Luckily, Furever & Fur Always is here to fill that gap and ease your concerns! About Furever & Fur Always Tiffany and Tehya (or, T-n-T as they affectionately refer to themselves) work all around the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area as a Wedding Day Dog Care service. This duo solves absolutely everything with your adorable pet on your big day. They safely escort your puppy to and from the venue, manage accessories, and chaperone. They coordinate just about anything you need! These two don't even just stick to weddings, also handling overnight stays, engagement sessions, and more. This concept is so lovable, I reached out to ask if I could find out more about their service...

Sample Album Magic!

Shiny New Product Spotlight

Waiting on new sample material has to be the most exciting and nerve-racking experience. I recently got in my brand new sample album, and it just feels like a new chapter in product satisfaction. My previous sample album was incredibly outdated. I had graphics and borders, and the image placements were a little wonky. Getting this update was something I have been waiting for. Through updating my website and my pricing for 2017, I just knew I needed to boost the quality in my products to match what is coming very soon, and I'm so happy with the results. Before I dive in, I want to give everyone a little glimpse into the life of Britney. I'm not the only one that loves getting packages in the mail; we all know the feeling. The delivery truck arrives, the person finds your package in their truck, they come up to your door to drop off the large box. Meanwhile, you're peeking around the corner until they're gone because it's 3 pm and you're still in pyjamas. When you finally retrieve the goods, you run back into hiding- I mean - the house and begin unboxing. With my sample album, it was like unwrapping gold. The quality is magnificent, the design hits all my simplicity love buttons, and the smell is on point (yes, I'm a weirdo that smells her books). The Album Stats For my updated sample album I used RedTree Albums (thanks for the referral, Marlayna!). They're a fabulous...

What Do We Do in the Off Season?

A Little About Us

During the off season, Shawn and I like to take some time for ourselves. We usually spend a few days after the holidays relaxing in our pajamas and binging Netflix (I've watch The Crown twice already). However, we do have to get back to work at some point. Shawn goes back to the lab (literally), and I start making lists for the 2017 season. I plan website updates, restructure our pricing, and find some different business workshops to sign up for. The off season is absolutely not the most exciting time for anyone looking in from the outside, but for us, it's a time to dream big. In last week's post, I talked about our goals for 2017. Both personal and business aspirations were briefly listed, but there wasn't much said about them. Three of the biggest things I am looking forward to from that list are making improvements to the website, creating a newsletter, and unveiling the client lounge. Design elements make me the happiest to think of, and those three items are huge for us. They make me giddy to think about, so I definitely want to share them with everyone. The BCP Website With every passing year, there are new trends and updated styles. Over the course of 2016, I got really inspired by other creative uses of web space, and I began planning my own changes. Now, the updates I have in mind are not a design overhaul or anything crazy. I have plans for a...

2017 Goals to Elevate Our Business

Happy New Year!

Is it seriously time to start writing a new number on everything? I feel like 2016 flew by, and I'm not really sure I'm ready for the new year. I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter if I'm ready, because it's here. The time cannot go backwards, so it's time for me to think about my 2017 goals. I'm not really a fan of making resolutions. They terrify me and I feel they are counterproductive. You set a resolution once for the entire year. When the countdown hits zero, you either succeed or you don't. Even if you came close, you still feel the crushing defeat which is very demoralizing. Any deviations are just "excuses" for not accomplishing your predefined resolution. Basically, a resolution motivates by guilt and the negative feelings associated with anything short of success. That's not a healthy mindset when trying to grow and improve, since it's harder to take big risks when you have the fear of failure. Instead, I prefer to set goals for myself, which are similar but different than resolutions. Goals aren't all or nothing. You can come close to completing your goals, and still feel accomplished. They can adapt to any changes in lifestyle or priorities without having to feel like you failed and started over. Also, I feel like it's much easier to exceed your goals but keep going without putting your work down and feeling like you're done. Goals are just a nicer concept that - given the...

Why We Do Weddings

Hint: Because We Love You

The off-season always gives us time to reflect on our business. It gives us the opportunity to invest in our education and really dig deep while there's less on our plate. To answer the questions of how to improve, we have to first consider our foundation. For this reason, I've been spending time lately exploring about why we do weddings. No, I'm not suffering a quarter life crisis, and I'm not planning to do anything but grow, but thinking about our why helps me as photographer and entrepreneur. I've been photographing weddings since 2011. While I enjoyed what I was doing back then, I never gave it much thought into why I was doing it. I certainly did not envision my business going this far, either. It wasn't until 2016 that I felt the strong urge to relax my brain, take a minute to unwind, and figure out my photographic drive. Shawn posted an article about a Groom's role in his wedding a few months ago, and I felt a fire light underneath me. I realized after reading the post and having more discussions that we've always focused on not just the bride but both people in the relationship. We strive to make both sides feel important because they both are. We have been in their shoes, and know what it's like going through the wedding process. It's natural for us to be empathetic to all the love, concerns, stress, and gratitude that goes into such an important event. Feeling...