Where do I even begin with this blog post?

To be 100% honest, my heart HURTS.

The minute I got wind of what was going on and how fast our world was about to flip upside down, I knew I needed to reach out to some of my sweet 2020 brides. For most Wedding Photographers, we have certain months out of the year that are considered to be our “peek seasons” - mine are usually April-July (Spring/Summer) and September-November (Fall) but with the breakout of COVID-19, that has changed COMPLETELY. Most (but not all - ELOPEMENTS ROCK ) of my March, April, and May weddings/sessions have been postponed and/or rescheduled.

What to do if you are a wedding client/bride-to-be who’s worried about postponing or rescheduling?

REACH OUT TO ALL YOUR VENDORS (IF THEY HAVEN’T ALREADY REACHED OUT FIRST). Nine times out of ten they are already coming up with a game plan and opening up new dates for you to choose from JUST IN CASE. We all know this is a scary time and we are all trying to figure out what the best route to take is and how we can make your dreams come true but also keep everyone safe in the process.
REMEMBER THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. A lot of my brides who have had to make their big weddings into small elopements are still as happy as can be!!! I know it gets tough when you have to completely change what all your hopes and dreams have been while planning your beautiful day, but I promise - when you walk down that aisle (or pathway, driveway, sidewalk, staircase, etc) it will be magical because YOU GET TO SAY I DO TO THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE!!! JUST IMAGINE the joy and the overwhelming peace that’s going to bring you and your NOW SPOUSE!
TRUST YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER. Just wanted to add this one in here because if you’ve booked the right photographer - I promise, we can make an intimate backyard wedding look like a million bucks. All jokes aside though, we will represent your day well and make sure you still receive BEAUTIFUL images. It’s all about the angles, details, and joyful faces in the photographs. With all of those in mind, oooooooooh the wonders we can create!
PRAY ABOUT IT. You’re about to make a lot of decisions that might hurt a few family member’s feelings - what I mean by this is….you’re going to have to pick a group of 10 or less for your wedding day coming up and it’s going to upset a few people. Guest lists are shrinking from numbers as high as 300 or 450 to now a whopping 10. TEN. I know, it stinks. But I find in times like this - praying makes my heart feel less stressed and overwhelmed with the unknowns.
PLAN A BIG CELEBRATION FOR LATER ON. Ya’ll, when I say we will ALL be ready to celebrate when this pandemic is under control, I MEAN IT. Have a reception/DANCE PARTY planned for later in the year or even 2021! What better way to say HOORAY to being married AND being able to see all of your loved ones in one place? I mean, come on! You can’t beat that!!! This is just a suggestion but I’ve had almost all of my Spring/Summer 2020 brides that needed to postpone/reschedule - choose this option - and I seriously can’t wait to be there for all of them TWICE! Most venues are being so kind and understanding during this craziness so definitely ask about this option if you’re wanting it!

My job as a Photographer is to be there for my clients and make sure their happiness comes first - ALWAYS - so I’ve been working hard trying to make everything absolutely perfect for them, even through this storm we call the Coronavirus. I've opened up new dates on my calendar, talked to a variety of vendors, comforted some of my sweet brides who cried on the phone with me, played wedding coordinator & reached out to multiple family members/venues, created a new elopement package in case my later-in-the-year 2020 brides can’t have their big ceremony when/where they want to (fingers crossed that this route doesn't have to be chosen but it's better to be overly-prepared than under-prepared), and so many other things including self quarantining/social distancing myself which is already hard enough (Target/Chipotle-aholic over here). The last few days have consisted of MANY ups and downs but knowing that all my clients are taken care of and feel HEARD/SEEN has been so rewarding for me! God has definitely placed me in the right job field, for sure. How do I know that, you might ask? Because of moments like these, where everything feels so scary and full of uncertainties, yet JOY still finds itself at the end of changed plans/long phone calls (or emails).

Before I go, I wanted to share a few worship songs that have really spoken to me in the last week or so. I have always been a HUGE music person and when times get tough, that is one of the first things I turn to! I make a playlist and BLAST it - which always brings me so much peace and comfort - so here is a list of a few songs that have really meant a lot to me during this time. Enjoy! :)

Not In A Hurry - Will Reagan/United Pursuit | Be Still - Bethel Music | Waymaker - Michael W. Smith/Vanessa Campagna | So Will I (100 Billion X) - Hillsong Worship | You’re Gonna Be OK - Brian & Jenn Johnson | I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe | Peace Be Still - Lauren Daigle/The Belonging Co | If We Are The Body - Casting Crowns

Praying so so hard for our world, our community, our families, our AMAZING healthcare workers, and our worry-filled hearts during all of this.

Be safe, be smart, & be kind.

Love always,

Juliette B. | Jett Photography