Today I booked my fifth wedding for 2015. While that may not seem like a lot to some, and I’m sure other photographers have many more booked than me at this point… it’s a big deal to me. I look back at my records from last year, and at this point in 2013… I had just two weddings booked for 2014. And now I have 21 booked for the year and have exceeded my goals. When I decided to go full-time into photography last June, I unsure. I was scared. And I didn’t 100% believe that I would be able to make it. But with the encouragement of multiple industry peers (who I now call friends), the support of my amazing friends and family, and hours upon hours upon hours of hard work along the way… I can happily say it was the best decision of my life. Almost a year later, I couldn’t be happier. I am one of those annoying people that LOVES their job, and I am literally living my dream.

There was a moment a few weeks ago when I was walking down Michigan Avenue going home from my shoot for The Tasting Panel Magazine when it all hit me. I just finished up shooting for a national magazine, photographing a delicious 3-course meal (and hello – I LOVE food), and I thought to myself… how is this my life? How did I even get here? Do I even deserve this? And in that moment I breathed in the fresh spring air, looked up at the gorgeous city buildings around me, and just smiled because I was reminded how incredibly blessed I am to have this life.