This weekend went by in such a whirlwind…actually this YEAR is going by in such a whirlwind…I can’t believe wedding number 4 of my 2014 wedding season already came and went! It was an absolutely beautiful celebration with a Parisian theme (because that’s where the couple, Emily and Alan, got engaged!) and we could not have asked for more perfect weather. The great thing about the venue we were at is that it has a phenomenal view of the Richmond skyline. It’s actually an old industrial building that was renovated and it’s one of my favorite Richmond restaurants…there’s a patio with a gorgeous view off of the reception room where my second shooter, Brittany, and I sat and scarfed down our vendor meals (but really we’ve learned to eat so fast at weddings so that we don’t miss anything!) and took in the view.

And thinking back on that moment, I realized that these are the things that my dreams are made of. I remember standing on that patio three years ago when I was there for lunch with my family and thinking about how cool it would be to photograph a wedding there one day (this was before I even officially had a business mind you…) and now I just have to be thankful…and I thought I’d take this post to remind you to think of things that you once thought were so far off that have happened and to celebrate them! Even if it seems silly to celebrate like finally having a good system for keeping your files organized (which I’m also celebrating today!) or booking your first client, or losing the first 2 pounds of your goal to lose 20. It’s easy to neglect the little victories when you have big dreams! But BIG joy comes from  rejoicing over little things daily.

On another note, the Banana Republic dress I wore to this wedding on Saturday was possibly the most perfect dress to wear for shooting in. It’s funny because I saw one of my favorite mentors, Mary, instagram that she wore a new Banana dress to shoot in last week and that it was fantastic, so I had high hopes for my new cobalt blue dress and it did not disappoint! They have a lot of longer styles and the material is quality + thick but still breathable. Loft is my usual go-to place for dresses, but I might have a new favorite!

Aaaand I will leave you with a few sneak peeks from the wedding…I can’t wait to share!