In the thick of wedding season, I'm taking time to celebrate FOUR YEARS of business for Jill Doty Photography!! Now it's not really fair to say it's been four years. I was hustling hard working two jobs when (with sweaty palms and a rapid heart rate) I created a website, a Facebook page, purchased thousands of dollars worth of gear, registered an LLC and begged family and friends to let me photograph them before this was ever a full time venture. I have loved photographs and what they can represent my entire life... that part was easy. Starting and running a business was a bit harder and definitely not always much fun, but when I decide to do something I usually dive in head first. It is incredibly nerve-wracking to make yourself vulnerable and put yourself out there in a creative industry. I have been blessed with family and friends that believed in me long before I did and 72 couples (and counting) that trusted me with one of the most important days of their lives. Thankfully, whether it was actual ability or timing or pure luck (or a combination of all of those things), I get to do something I love for a living and that is pretty incredible. So CHEERS to no term limits on wedding photography and hopefully many more years to come for JDP! I couldn't do it (and wouldn't want to) without my tribe that continues to help me grow in life and in business!

...and now I think it's time to invest in a few more jumpsuits. 

Some wedding days just don't go according to plan, despite careful planning and a wonderful vendor team. After all, you can't control the weather. With a crazy thunderstorm drenching all of Atlanta and knocking out the power to the church, most couples would have panicked, but Kayla and Matt rolled with the punches and were just excited to celebrate with a ballroom full of their best friends and family! And let me tell you, their amazing friends and family KNOW how to party, they were all so much fun!! I think it's because Matt went to Georgia Southern (maybe I'm just biased) but I will say, it was awesome to have "HAIL SOUTHERN" chanted as they made their exit for the night! 

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Alyssa and Austin in Piedmont Park for their engagement session. It was an incredibly busy week for me as we had JUST gotten back from Greece and reality + jet lag is no bueno. However, spending the evening walking around the park with these two made a crazy week SO much better! Alyssa and Austin are just the kind of people you can meet and feel like you've known them for a lifetime. I loved how they could tease each other back and forth but were also obviously so in love. Plus they had a hard time NOT smiling together, so I knew my job would be easy. I absolutely cannot WAIT for Alyssa and Austin's winter wedding at Montaluce... maybe Herschel (their cat) will get invited this time. 

Madeline and David had the epitome of a classic southern wedding that started with choosing to get married at Peachtree Presbyterian and dance the night away in the stunning Biltmore Ballrooms! Gorgeous white bouquets popped against the bridesmaids' long gray dresses and the soft pastel tones of the ballroom were perfect for this spring wedding. All of their details were thoughtfully chosen to reflect their style, but I think the guest favorite - DONUTS!!! Ok, maybe it was my favorite, but they were so delicious! Madeline and David were both just so excited to spend the day together, celebrating with the ones they love most. Their day was full of so much joy and it was absolutely contagious!

It doesn't take much to convince me to go to a winery, but I was extra excited that Caroline and Darryl chose to shoot their engagement session at Montaluce Winery in Dahlonega because I have two weddings there this year and it was my first time visiting! We started our road trip early in case traffic was a little crazy, thankfully it wasn't too bad and it gave me time to get to know these two. I don't always get to have as much quality time with my couples and I had so much fun! Caroline and Darryl were a little nervous about the whole process but were total pros within minutes! I'd like to think it was my directing abilities, but it's also possible (and more likely) it was the wine.  Caroline and Darryl are obviously smitten with each other but you can tell they are also amazing friends. I cannot WAIT for their wedding next April! Maybe I'll get to meet their dog, Noodle, then?! Caroline and Darryl - thank you so much for a fun road trip and showing me one of your favorite North Georgia wineries! I hope you love these as much as I do!