As a Seattle Wedding Photographer, I love having the opportunity to look back over the year to see what has come my way. Last year, when I reflected on 2022, I said that the approach for the year was gratitude. It’s safe to say, that hasn’t changed! In fact, I’ve come to realize that gratitude is one of my core values. Not just as a brand, but as a mom, friend, and colleague.
One of the venues we had the pleasure of working at during 2023 includes Ray’s Boathouse, where Mariko & Chris were married. It’s a beautiful waterfront venue, and perfect for an intimate wedding in Seattle!
I love the ability to honor the couples I’ve worked with here on the blog and also on social media. But what I love about these year-in-review posts, is that I get to provide context on what happened behind the scenes. I can lift the veil on what went into getting to know my couples on a more intimate level. With that, I found that a big focus for me during 2023 was quality. The quality of the experience I provide, the quality of my relationship with my couples, the quality of service they receive, and of course, the quality of their images.
2023 Brought CBC a destination wedding in Portland! Jermecia & Jonathan came down the aisle together to be married at the Abernethy Center in Portland.
Keep reading for more of my behind-the-scenes perspective as a Seattle Wedding Photographer in 2023!
My focus on quality had me saying no to quantity. Instead, I spent my time niching down on my overall experience. Whether I was capturing a wedding at a courthouse, an elopement on the beach, a grand wedding at a luxury hotel, or driving to Portland or California, I wanted to make sure that every one of my couples received the best quality experience from working with me.
Marcus & Jenna are college sweethearts who tied the knot at Novelty Hill-Januik Winery.
However, what I didn’t expect was how much they would feed my soul in return. 2023 brought about some changes in my personal life as well. My knee-jerk reaction to this was wondering how I would face serving my couples while experiencing something so deeply personal and life-changing. Would I be able to smile and exude genuine joy for their marriage?
Chateau Lill is a little slice of Napa, right in Redmond. The lush gardens were impeccable and played host to Angela & John joining in marriage.
I felt the difficulty of these feelings on my heart side by side and wondered how it would take away from the quality experience I was now determined to delve into. So, I prayed over it. I asked for the room to be inspired by my couples who are celebrating this new milestone in their love story. What I found was that I had the honor of watching my couples experience pure love. In addition to that, I had a front-row seat to see them turn that into a beautiful commitment, and it filled my heart. It gave me the strength I needed to serve them better and it reminded me, time and time again, why I chose this industry. Being fulfilled by witnessing my couple’s love stories, while focusing on their quality experience, created the foundation for forming lifelong relationships with them.
Another destination wedding in the books for 2023! ‘Jo’ & Joe married in a sunny beachside wedding in California.
As a Seattle wedding photographer, 2023 also brought familiar faces back to me.
Clients who had long since tied the knot were now resurfacing to capture birthday parties and pregnancy announcements! This made me wonder, how could I best serve my couples after their wedding day? Once they said I do, what was next? And how could capturing that magic continue to write their story? I had previously offered mini-sessions. But to me, those always felt transactional, when my business model had been centered on connection and impact. So instead, I rolled out a new offering called ‘Client for Life’. Replacing a quick 15-minute session, with a more luxurious experience, that they can return to year after year.
Keep reading for more of my behind-the-scenes perspective as a Seattle Wedding photographer in 2023!
Steph & Lauren are an artistic couple who share a mutual love of cosplay. Their creative side curated an epic wedding day at The Corson Building.
As I began to roll out ‘Client for Life’, something struck me in a way it hadn’t before. The weather in Seattle is, well… if you know, you know! I have long been inspired by the landscape of the PNW. I found it incredible as a way to tell a visual story in a beautiful organic space. But, when it came time to work with a maternity client in the bitter cold, I knew something had to give.
So, with great intention, I set out to find a photo studio.
Demyla & Trunel said I do in 2022 at WithinSodo. They are now celebrating the upcoming arrival of their sweet baby girl!
I wanted it to feel just as organic feeling as shooting outdoors. What I found was an amazing space in Pioneer Square, right near where I grew up in the Central District. A historic area that my personal story was tied to and a space that embodied that organic feeling. I’m happy to announce that I’ll be there through the spring of 2024!
Kat & David’s wedding reception included a tattoo artist on-site, for any guests who wanted to get inked! They said I do at the Edgewater Hotel.
On the business side of being a Seattle wedding photographer, I found that 2023 brought so much my way!! I got a chance to see and work in several new venues which allowed me to build relationships with the venue owners and the amazing wedding pros on-site. Particularly, what I love about working at new venues is that it allows me to offer feedback to my couples. It also gives them certainty that I’m familiar with the landscape of the venue. That knowledge gives me the ability to provide them with the most amazing wedding photography experience. Leading it all back to my mission of quality.
Want to follow me along throughout my journey? You can find me on Instagram @capturedbycandacephoto!
The CBC team captured two beautiful weddings at Novelty Hill-Januik Winery. Alex & Jermaine were pronounced husband and wife on a beautifully sunny day at the winery in Woodinville.
I also furthered my desire to become a destination wedding photographer by traveling to Portland and California for my couples. I think it’s important to mention that my destination clients, have me for more than just the day of their wedding. My goal is to arrive early. This gives me the opportunity to work with them on their engagement session or even at their rehearsal dinner. Building a relationship with my couple, can’t happen on the day of their wedding. Emails and Zoom meetings are all fabulous ways of communicating until I get there in person. But, I want to see their love in action. Even more so, I want to see it in front of the camera.
2023 went out with a bang and I spent it capturing Courtney & Lexi’s wedding. One of the sweetest couples I have ever met who are each other’s best friends.
Lastly, I had been toying with the idea of moving into the business-to-business side of things as a Seattle wedding photographer who offers mentoring and expertise through speaking engagements. Being able to provide my insights & experience to other women in business felt like a tremendous way to spread gratitude. Needless to say, I crushed a major goal of mine! 2023 brought my very first speaking engagement. And I can’t wait to dive deeper into this space over the coming months.
That’s officially a wrap on 2023, I can’t wait to see what 2024 brings to Captured by Candace. To connect with me, you can find me on Instagram @capturedbycandacephoto.
