Oh friends, today’s post is dear to my heart. I partnered with my friend Emily from Of Light and Letters to bring some encouragement to our fellow wedding industry friends. For those who are not involved in the wedding industry: please know that the 2021 season is unlike any other. Wedding professionals are working harder than ever before to serve their 2020 and 2021 couples all at once. Imagine trying to fit two years of work into one. These professionals are incredible. They are tired. They are fulfilled. And they are most certainly making a difference! For those in the wedding industry, I see you. The work you do matters and the letter below is written straight from my heart to yours!

Dear Wedding Industry Friends,

As a wedding photographer who is in the earlier days of building her business, I have a unique vantage point to this unbelievably busy and unique wedding season. My calendar isn’t yet filled to the brim with couples of my own, but it is fuller than it’s ever been, no less. I’m with you and I see you! Week after week, I see you working harder than you ever have before. I see it in-person when we’re shoulder-to-shoulder on a wedding day, and I see it virtually on Instagram when you are burning the midnight oil along with me. We’re all in this together!

I see you…

• fitting two seasons of work into one
• revising design plans, navigating changing guest counts, and wearing all the hats when nobody’s looking
• encouraging brides and grooms who have had to move their date (again)
• navigating restrictions, considering the safety of your clients, your family, and yourself
• culling and editing into the wee hours of the night to stay on top of your workload
• doing everything you can to make every detail of your venue perfect for the sweet brides and grooms and their loved ones who are so eager to gather together again
• staying up extra late so you can send out a sneak peek in the morning
• managing cancelled shipments and thinking outside the box in a pinch
• smiling big behind your mask even if nobody can see it
• bringing a bride’s vision to life so she feels more beautiful than she ever has before
• delivering meticulously-created galleries and eagerly waiting for your couple’s response
• arriving early or staying late to do everything you can to make the day everything they’ve dreamed of
• revising and reprinting your designs to reflect new dates and details with care
• making yet another trip to the flower market while the world is still dark to gather what you need to bring your client’s dreams to life, navigating the change of what’s in season as wedding dates have changed
• carefully choosing songs that will shift the energy in the room in an instant
• grabbing a protein bar and hydrating between locations when there’s no time for a proper meal
• staying up to charge batteries, back up cards, and make sure everything is ready to go out and do it all again in the morning
• feeling guilty for stepping away from your inbox to take a much-deserved rest day
• wondering if this is all worth it

But more importantly, I also see the way…

• your couples light up when you enter the room
• they whisper to their friends and family that they can’t believe they get to have YOU as part of their team
• you pause to encourage and support fellow professionals, reminding them of how great they are as you work alongside each other
• the parents of the bride and groom stand in awe as you navigate portrait time with finesse
• each guest marvels at how beautiful their name looks in your perfect calligraphy
• the bride smiles down at the designed-just-for-her bouquet you made, taking in each detail and wanting to preserve it forever
• you create hope through joyful experiences in the midst of heaviness for so many
• you are attentive to the needs of your couples and their families, grabbing them water between sets and having tissues on hand to blot happy tears
• your playlists are prompting the best, most long-awaited dance parties for your couples and their guests
• the guests marvel at your beautiful design, as though they’ve been transformed into a dream
• your bride shows off the sneak peek you sent her as though it carries the significance of her entire gallery, proud to show it to anyone who will look
• you show up with a smile and an eagerness to serve, even on your hardest days

The work you do matters

You’re working tirelessly, harder than you ever have before.

You’ve fought for your businesses through a really difficult time and you’re still standing. It’s still here, and you’re changing lives and legacies with it each day.

You’ve stepped up to the plate to serve your couples in bigger ways than ever as they carry big emotions – all while caring for yourself and your family and navigating your own emotions surrounding the state of our world.

The work you do matters.

Remember the blessing that this work can be

In the midst of such trying times, you also have a front-row seat to some of the most joyful days in your couples’ lives. In a weary world, you are helping to create joyful experiences, incredible memories, and bring LIGHT and LOVE to your couples and their loved ones. You are not expected to maintain this pace forever. This season is only temporary, long as it may seem. Remember why you started. What drew you to this work in the first place? Come back to that when you need a reminder. Save the encouragement you receive from clients. Screenshot encouraging texts, save handwritten notes and file them away to look back upon. Come back to these on hard days and remember that the work you do matters. Take a moment to call out the good in someone else. You might just be the push they need to keep going.

You are amazing. Your work does not go unnoticed. Keep doing what you do best. You are helping to write legacies and create joy with every single step you take. The work you do matters and I’m cheering you on SO big!

Love,

Kyla

A Gift from Us to You

Emily designed a beautiful hand-lettered art print for you to download, print, and display in your studio to remind you that the work you do matters! The print is available as a PDF in three different colorways below, so simply choose your favorite and enjoy, or share it with another wedding professional who could use a little encouragement!

Download the print HERE

Of Light and Letters is a New England-based calligrapher and stationery designer who creates the prettiest designs! Be sure to follow along with her on Instagram and Facebook!