Happy Birthday, KSP! Oh friends, I had happy tears as I started writing this post last month. I’ve had so many thoughts as I’ve put these words to (digital) paper. Now that I have a couple of rare weekends off before wedding season picks up again, I am excited to press publish and share this milestone with you!

Last year on July 29th, I shared my logo in an Instagram post, a milestone that I consider to be the first *official* day of KSP. The roots of my business date back to 2014, when I first started gaining first-hand experience in the wedding industry. Those roots began to grow even more as a newlywed in 2017 when I bought my first camera and shot my first wedding. You can read more about my story in this series (which I plan to finish writing this year!). But I will forever and always mark July 29th, 2021 as the day when I decided to jump in with both feet and pour every ounce of my effort into building KSP. Now, one year later, I am overwhelmingly grateful to celebrate this milestone.

I remember sitting outside on a mild July evening as the sun was low in the sky. I had my MacBook perched on my lap as I wrote this post and my heart was so full. It is the post that marks the shift from life before to life with KSP. I had so much hope in my heart and such a long road ahead of me. At the time, I could only dream of building the life that I am now living. There has been so much to celebrate along the way. Today, I’m excited to share some of it with you!

Happy Birthday, KSP!

In the past year, I have served 33 couples on their wedding days as either the lead, second photographer, or assistant. I have photographed every single one in some capacity and have a growing portfolio that I am so proud of.

I have formed invaluable friendships with photographers I admire (hi Annmarie, Kendal, Jess, Alisha, Alyssa!), serving as their second shooter and leaning on them as I grow. So much of my growth and the opportunities I have can be attributed to these sweet friends. I’ve learned the value of community over competition and am so grateful to grow this business alongside them.

I have welcomed dozens of couples and families to the KSP family, clients-become-friends who are so dear to me! Every single person who invites me into their life to capture their joy means the absolute world to me. It is not lost on me that I am quite literally helping them to preserve their legacies for future generations with every click of my shutter.

Over the past twelve months, I have had so many adventures! I have visited 26 new venues (favorites include Belle Mer, Galley Beach, Willowdale Estate, Briar Barn Inn, Harbor View Hotel, Crane Estate, Cliff House, Boston Public Library, Wychmere, and Fairmont Copley). Along the way, I traveled to four states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, and Connecticut). I have taken six ferry rides and packed my bags for four hotel stays. In my first year of business, I photographed my first proposal (which also became my farthest portrait location to date) in Kennebunkport, Maine. I visited Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod for the first time. I have clocked 7970 miles in my little CR-V (it’s the perfect KSP blue!) as I’ve driven to weddings and portrait sessions. And I’ve listened to hundreds of hours of Spotify along the way.

Over the past year, I purchased every single item on my gear wishlist. In doing so, I’ve built up a collection that I’m proud of (which I’ll share in an upcoming post!). My gear equips me to create the dreamiest portraits that will withstand the test of time. This process took months of patience as I saved up to purchase each piece with cash. I’m so glad that I’m committed to running this business debt-free because financial freedom is worth every bit of patience!

Thank You to Each and Every One of You

Last but not least has been the impact that KSP has had in inspiring others to build their dreams, too. In the past year, I have had countless people reach out to me and share that they’ve been inspired to pursue their dreams as they’ve watched me build mine. I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the people who have done the same for me. I’ve learned that it takes grit and grace to pursue your dreams. There have been days when I have been on top of the world with thankfulness and days when I have faced discouragement. But there has been beauty and growth through it all and so many wins along the way! Thank you to each and every one of you who is cheering me on along the way. It takes a village and I couldn’t do it without you!

Happy Birthday, KSP!