"One thing I would love for you to blog about is how you get ready for a wedding. We see the amazing product of your preparations, but I want to hear about the magic behind the scenes!" - Amity

my preparation for a wedding begins the day before - i clean my lenses & charge my batteries!  i make sure all my memory cards are dumped and that i have all my bodies, lenses, pocket wizards, flashes, light stands, strobes, extension chords, etc. etc. etc.  the next morning i pack up my car and head to the reception site first, to set up my lights.  then i'm off to the place where the bride is getting ready, and i always try to show up before she does.  (i like to scope out the facilities & ceremony site.)  i photograph the preparation & details, then visit the groom for a few minutes as well.  before the ceremony, i take portraits of the bride & her bridesmaids, and the groom & his groomsmen.  (this cuts down on portrait time between the ceremony & reception.) when the ceremony begins, i have both cameras w/2 different lenses ready to go.  then i just worship with them as i take the pictures.  afterwards there are family portraits, wedding party portraits, and alone time with the bride and groom.  as soon as those are finished, it's off to the reception we go.  the rest of the evening, i enjoy myself, making sure not to miss the cutting of the cake, the garter toss, the bouquet toss, the toasts & the exit.  (at the last wedding i photographed, i was in a bathroom stall when i heard the band announce:  "all single ladies make your way to the middle for the bouquet toss!"  i immediately gathered myself & my equipment & ran out to the floor!  when we finished the bouquet & garter toss, i headed back to the bathroom!  haha, i didn't want to miss anything!) as soon as i arrive home, i back up the images on my computer.  then i can rest easy!

"I would love to see a post in your new blog about where you see yourself personally and professionally in five years." - Joey

What a great question!  In my personal life, in 5 years I'd love to be living in Raleigh, enjoying a well balanced life with my husband, family, and friends.  I'd love to own our own home.  I hope to have a role in my church where I mentor younger girls as well as help with the worship team. I want to be more in love with my husband than I am right now. (Not sure how I can top it, because I love him to death!)  I would love to be better at exercising and eating healthy.  I want to make sure that a Minki trip is taken once a year for the next 5 years, and for every year after that until forever! I want to be a fun get-away home for our nephews & nieces to visit.  & I'd love to start planning for a family of our own!

In my professional life, in 5 years I would love to have my own office & studio space, preferably in-home.  I want to be teaching photography workshops, whether it's by myself or with a few of my photography friends.  I'd love to have an employee or two.  I hope  that I will have been featured in the Knot, in Weddings Unveiled, on Green Wedding Shoes, and in Southern Weddings.  I want to achieve balance.  I'd love to be shooting 30-40 weddings a year.

"In the near future, I would like for you to blog about several things… Harper as a big sister, the boys all smooshed up & cozy together, and how I can put a name or logo on pictures to prevent people from stealing photos off my blog. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve heard it can definitely happen." - Mary Lindsey (aka Sissy)

Well, firstly I do believe I have blogged about Harper as a big sis, & the boys all smooshed up & cozy together!  You can read that again here. : )  To answer your question about stealing photos, it's a bit difficult to give a simple answer.  When putting a logo or copyright symbol on your photos, it's called a "Watermark."  This marks your photo so that no one will really want to steal them, but it doesn't mean they can't.  Usually, there is no harm in people stealing your photos.  For the average person, you share your photos because you want others to see them.  For a professional, it can hurt your business if people are stealing your copyrighted photos that are meant to be professionally printed, and that is truly the purpose of a Watermark - for professionals.  So I wouldn't worry too much about people stealing your photos, because most likely, your family and friends are the only ones who will see them and want to share them too.