The lovely Adriean of Bella Lucia Photography who carpooled with me to the event!(& to Burlap Booth for having a photo booth at The Event!)

Oh. My. Goodness. Yes the pauses in that sentence were completely necessary!

The Event was AMAZING!! Not only getting to see these phenomenal photographers outside of their pretty Instagram squares was encouraging enough on it’s own but getting to soak in all their wisdom was incredible.

My day didn’t start off too well; I couldn’t sleep the night before due to a swollen and running painful eye (yay contacts!) I woke up at the time Adriean and I were supposed to be leaving Easton to head to The Fillmore in Silver Springs, MD. Whoops!

Once I ran out of the house into ten degree weather with soaking wet hair to start my car, there was a dreadful exclamation point on my dash. I purchased my Kia Optima only a few months ago and I have not recognized this icon before! All I could think was something is wrong with my engine but I am going to do my best to make it to Silver Springs as I was NOT GOING to miss The Event. Turns out it was just low tire pressure due to the low temperature. I wasn’t used to the high gadgetry my new car offered. My last car, a 2005 Scion TC didn’t even have tire pressure gauges so this was a new world for me.

Well, I brushed off this mess of a morning and have finally made it to the bay bridge- yay! Almost there! The next thing I know, I heard tires squealing and break lights light up in front of me. I swerve and barely miss the van in front of me. Ahhh, got to love sudden break usage on the bay bridge. Regardless of my heart beating incredibly fast and my sweaty palms, I just knew attending The Event would make my day worth while. Oh boy, I have never been more right.

HoneyBook has been one of the best investments I have made for my business.  They even mail you gifts for joining!

Adriean and I are sitting there anxiously waiting for the conference to begin. Admiring all of the pretty around us and eyeing up the booths of vendors. Being surrounded by all items, software and people who share the same passion as well as drive is mesmerizing. Tick, tock, it is finally 10:30am. Mary Marantz emerges on stage and brings the crowd in to start the conference.

There is not a peep in the audience. We are all too occupied soaking up every bit of knowledge our speakers have to share with us. We are all like little worker bees, or even Santa’s elves. Quietly working away at writing notes. The wheels are turning in our creative heads to apply what we are hearing to improve our business and OURSELVES.

Break time… selfie time! Puffy eye and all. This girl is feeling FABULOUS! I felt like these speakers were flaking off layers of worry, doubt, guilt and stress. I can speak for Adriean on this too because I know she felt the same way!

I believe in love. With my whole heart I believe in love.  Because I was first loved and I have loved in return.

– Justin & Mary

My favorite part about The Event was the focus each speaker had on making sure we fill ourselves up as PEOPLE, not just photographers. To remember the spirit of why we started, what we stand for. To not fall into a burnout that is almost impossible to get out of. We learned so many tips and tricks such as marketing advice, flash tactics, posing/gesturing and even knowing to say no to things that will not help our growth. This conference was not just about the newest flashiest techniques in wedding photography but a great reminder that we all have moments of struggle. The only constant is change.

I couldn’t thank Justin & Mary Marantz enough for putting together this event with all of these amazing speakers!! Their willingness to share and enlighten others is so inspiring. The Event has been enough of a push to finally get my mentoring program started! I am enough. 😍 (These heart eyes are real, Mary!)

If you are a fellow photographer or creative reading this post, leave a comment below about what you would like to see included in my mentoring program or a topic you would like to see me touch on in my blog!

A HUGE round of applause and THANK YOU TO:

   Mary Marantz

  Justin Marantz

  Natalie Franke

  Jennifer Olmstead

  Abby Grace

  Hope Taylor

  Elle Danielle

  Ashley Scobey

  Jenna Kutcher

  Katelyn James