First Presbyterian Church of Florence | Morgan's Bridal Portraits | A Florence, SC Wedding Photographer

I have known Morgan since she was a freshman at Clemson and I have many fond memories with her! Morgan is an amazing person and I have learned so much from her through many coffee dates and conversations over the year. Morgan is such a genuine person and her love for the Lord and joy in Christ is very evident. I was so excited when her and Matt started dating and it has been a joy to watch them get engaged and get married! I can’t wait to share their wedding pictures with you!

Today I’m excited to share Morgan’s bridal portraits with you! Morgan wanted her pictures done at First Presbyterian Church in Florence, SC where she got married. One sweet and unique part of her session was that her mom wanted a baby bonnet she gave her when she was born to be photographed. The bonnet came with a poem that explained that she was to use it on her wedding day. So sweet! Here’s a few of my favorites:

Friday Feature: Julie Poole with Juliepatoolie's

Welcome to my "Friday Feature" blog series highlighting female creative small business owners! I hope these posts will give you insight into what these women do and what their lives look like. I also hope you'll find these posts helpful if you're in the creative industry, you run a small business, or you're thinking about starting a small business. You can catch up on the "Friday Feature" series here:

Randi Russell with Carry Your Heart Events
Emily Guyer with Justified Paperie
Katy Osborne with All About That Hair NC
Julie Poole with Juliepatoolie's

Photo by Sara-Anne Photography

Please introduce yourself and your business.
Hi my name is Julie Poole and I own Juliepatoolie’s in Burlington.

Why did you start your creative small business?
I started my business five years ago because I saw a need in Burlington and wanted to fill that. I wanted to be a different type of invitation business. Today’s bride wants something that fits the atmosphere that she has created and wants the invitation to be an extension and statement piece of her wedding. Typically you go in and flip through albums and pick ABC, 123 - I enjoy sitting down with brides one-on-one and creating unique invitations.

What does an average day look like for you? What things/responsibilities are you juggling?
An average day for me starts out following up with any messages left the day before then I jump into either quoting or designing for all sorts of events including wedding, anniversary, birthday, baby, etc. In between designing I am helping clients that come into the shop. I’m a one woman show so I’m also doing all of the day to day business chores as well.

What has been a struggle for you as a creative small business owner?
One struggle that I deal with is creating a good work-life balance. It is so hard as a one person business to get everything done and still try to have a normal social life, without feeling guilty every minute that I’m not at the shop doing something.

Photo by Sara-Anne Photography and Styled by Delightfully Chic

What has been a joy for you as a creative small business owner?
It is always a joy hearing from clients and being able to be small part of their big day. I love working with them and watching their face as they see the final product.

What productivity tips do you have for my readers?
I will probably need to take my own advice more than anyone - but I think setting a schedule for your day is a good tip. This is something I have just recently tried to put in place. It is so easy for me to see the mail alert and want to immediately jump over and answer it - but that slows me down and distracts me from what I am currently doing so I have tried to create a routine for the day as far as checking emails, voicemails and updating social media.

Photo by Sara-Anne Photography and styled by Delightfully Chic

What resources or tools have helped you in your business?
I would say other business owners - most people are willing to help you with networking or referring you to someone who can help you with a specific problem. One of the best things I did when I opened my business was call another business similar to mine on the West Coast (California) - they were willing to share some of their knowledge on vendors, tips they learned and how they set up their store. Since we were not competitors they felt they could share everything with me. That was a wonderful resource for me and actually made me think twice about some of the vendors I was going to use.

We’ll end on a light note: What is your favorite clothing store?
I love TJ MAXX - I have a problem - I probably go three-four times a week. You never know what you are going to find! 

You can see more of Julie's work and follow along with her on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Bald Rock | Ronnie & Allison's Maternity Pictures | A Greenville, SC Photographer

I love this sweet family! I have known Ronnie and Allison for several years from Crosspoint Church and I've enjoyed watching them date, get married, and now have their first baby! Ronnie and Allison wanted maternity pictures together with the newest addition to their little family: their dog tiger! As we were discussing locations, I suggested Bald Rock (a spot I've been wanting to take pictures at for a while), and thankfully they were on board! We met up bright and early for a sunrise session and Bald Rock could not have been more perfect! It was a clear, sunny day and the view was simply breathtaking! I hope this will be the first of many sessions there! Ronnie and Allison, thank you so much for letting me capture this special time in your lives!

Georgetown | Alexa & Dan's Engagement Session | A Washington DC Wedding Photographer

Alex and I had the opportunity to shoot Alexa and Dan's engagement session while we were on our anniversary trip this past weekend and we had so much fun! Alexa and Dan are so sweet and their love for the Lord and for one another is so evident. They showed us around the cute streets of Georgetown and then took us to Georgetown University's AMAZING campus. Growing up in Annapolis, I frequently visited DC and Georgetown has always been my favorite part of the city! Georgetown is also special to Alexa and Dan because it is where they went on some of their first dates. In fact, the bench they're sitting on at the end of their session is the bench where they sat together on their very first date. I am so excited to shoot their wedding in downtown DC in November!

Burke Manor Inn Wedding | Sally & Eric's Wedding | A Gibsonville, NC Wedding Photographer

I've really enjoyed getting to know Sally and Eric! I've had the privilege of taking their engagement pictures, sally's bridal portraits, and now shooting their wedding! Sally and Eric had a lovely, classic, and intimate green and white wedding. The ceremony was at their beautiful church in Graham, NC and the reception was at an adorable bed and breakfast called the Burke Manor Inn. I absolutely loved Burke Manor and the staff their were great! We were also able to get some beautiful pictures during the golden hour just before sunset that I'm in love with! Brides and grooms, I highly encourage you to consider stepping out during your reception to get some pictures during the golden hour...it's so worth it!

Sally and Eric, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day!!

The Vendors Who Made this Day Possible:
Ceremony Venue: Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Burke Manor Inn
DJ: Big Boy Productions, Chris May
Florist: Roxie’s Florist
Cupcakes/cake: Emily’s Cookies and Cakes
Bridal Gown: Bridal Mart
Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal
Tuxedo: JoS A Bank
Hair: Jordan Ott, Hair Refinery Salon
Second Shooter: Sammi Evans Photography (Check out her new website y'all...Sammi is an amazing photographer and always a HUGE help and blessing to me!)