What a year this has been! So much incredible change and blessings have come my way this year. I have the clients of my dreams, an elopement under my belt, and a STUDIO OFFICE! If you would have told me this time a year ago SCP would be where it is today, I wouldn’t have believed you.

There are endless people to thank, but first and foremost, thank YOU! Simply by visiting my new website and reading this post you are supporting me and my business. My clients have seen me through a tough but incredibly rewarding year. Here’s a quick recap from such an incredible year!

WEDDINGS

Over the past year I have had the honor of photographing 27 weddings in multiple states like Arkansas, Colorado, North Carolina, and Georgia. Coming up in 2022 I have a total of 30 weddings with three of them being elopements and two out of the country! I have dreamt of being able to travel for my job for as long as I can remember and getting to do so is a dream come true.

THE STUDIO

In late April of this year, I had two friends send me a link to the same commercial space up for rent in East Hill. Sure I had discussed my hopes of a studio office in the future but never did I think it would be feasible for me as soon as it was. I took the leap and with the help of countless friends and family members I began to turn this little old cottage from a hair salon into a photography studio! I had plans to open multiple times, but the Lord had other plans. I know the Lord’s timing is perfect. 

Come July, Bryce and I headed to Colorado to photograph the most lovely, intimate elopement in the mountains of Crested Butte. On our last day I tripped (yes, I hiked, ATV’ed, all of that and didn’t hurt myself) on the sidewalk and fell straight down on both my elbows, snapping my right arm in half. After an emergency surgery that night in Colorado I had a 3 month recovery ahead of me. I was out of work for nearly 3 months and during that time of forced rest I realized how vital it is to care for yourself BEFORE your business. Your business is only as healthy as you! Being forced to slow down and further delay the opening of my studio was a hard pill to swallow but thanks to my amazing friends, family, clients (and my surgeon and physical therapist) I was able to return back to work in September and got to work planning my grand opening.

It was very important to me that the studio opening involved some of my favorite local makers and business owners. We had LeDough out front serving the best of the best (and of the coast–multiple times in a row!) donuts and other goods, Kate’s Cakes yummy and beautiful customized cookies, The Hippies Greenhouse set up with all of their amazing finds, Whim  Cotton Candy serving up the most creatively thought out cotton candy flavors and Blushing Balloons with the most UNREAL balloon arch that I have ever seen. I am endlessly grateful to all of these businesses for their support and cannot wait to hopefully have them all back for a market in the near future.

BEST OF THE COAST

To make this year even more incredible, the week of my opening in October I was awarded Best of the Coast’s Best Photographer for the second year in a row. Excuse me what?! In addition to that I placed runner up for Best Person or Business to follow on instagram and was even MORE surprised! To know that my work is seen and valued means more than I can explain. Accolades may come and go, and they certainly do not define me as a person but I feel so honored and blessed to have received these awards. 

This year has simply been one big “pinch me, I’m dreaming!” moment. The Lord’s faithfulness in the valley and on the mountaintop has been revealed to me time and time again over this past year and I know that he will only continue to do so in the year to come. Here’s to 2021 and 2022 to come! Let’s do the dang thing y’all. 

Xoxo,

Sarah