When Lauren contacted me about her wedding, I was apprehensive. Weddings are a big deal!! So much bigger than a baby in a basket!

I had never photographed a wedding before. I’ve done just about everything else….but, a wedding? Nope. Not me. Not yet, anyways.

I knew by the time her wedding rolled around, I’d have  a few weddings under my belt. I recently joined the Big Star Studios team as their newborn photographer–and had been privileged to join them to shoot a few weddings.

Given Lauren’s tight budget, and my lack of past wedding-shooting-knowledge, I offered to shoot the wedding for free. I learned a lot from shooting just a few weddings with Big Star–but, this was different…I was on my own!

Before the big day, I rented a lens (I normally shoot babies and families…with prime lenses (they don’t zoom!), there was no way I could get away with using my regular gear!)–It was a nightmare! I had to jump through 80 hoops to get it delivered at my office on a Friday–if I wasn’t home to sign for the lens, I was out $100–the wedding was the next day, and I couldn’t wait for a second delivery attempt. But, all’s well that ends well—the hoops were well worth it for that amazing lens!

Overall, I think this was a great experience and a great outcome for my first solo-wedding.