As I sat at the dining room table at my parents' house, hairdresser cape around my neck, I couldn't help the butterflies in my stomach. According to the schedule, I had to be in my wedding dress and out the door in less than an hour. Was it really today? My wedding day? We'd planned for it for over a year, and it finally arrived! I could count down the minutes until I got to see my fiance dressed up and prepared to walk down the aisle - I could hardly wait!

One of the more transformative things I could do for my business as a wedding photographer was experience it all from the other side, not as the photographer but as the client, the bride, the person who spent months planning what must be the perfect celebration of love. That perspective check has been just the thing to kick-start me into the new year! September 5, 2015 was a hot, sweaty, Indian-summer wedding, complete with 300 guests and the most epic dance party of my life (and I've been to a lot of dance parties!). And did I forget to mention Cold Spring Bakery donuts? Shame on me ;) They were amazing, wish you were there! On the business side of life, I had the pleasure of shooting 7 weddings last year (in addition to all our friends getting hitched as well!) - honestly, such a blessing to play such a unique role in my clients' biggest day ever! How did I get so lucky to do this?! I photographed in Sacramento, Milwaukee, Chicago, Eau Claire, my hometown of St. Cloud, Redwing, Bemidji...yeah, so pretty much all over the place! I absolutely love to travel, so I am excited to see where this next year takes me. In the spirit of exploring new avenues, I have been scheduling in-home sessions for families with newborns, and I am SO excited about it! It's a completely unique stage in life, watching these new parents navigate having a new tiny being in their life. Those days are especially fragile and slip away so fast, so I really encourage parents to take the time, make the investment, and capture some of these sweet moments. Sounds sappy, but I stand behind this 100% - you don't want to forget when your swaddled bundle of joy relied upon you completely, and when your arms were the safest place in the world for them! As a business owner, I am looking forward to a new year, excited about growth, and totally passionate about the "why" of what I do. Why am I a photographer, why is it that I do what I do? I believe that the way I see life through the lens is unique, and my passion for building relationships with my clients is something that sets me apart. I love every opportunity to increase my skill, learn new things, and to get to know the hearts on the other side of my lens. What are you looking forward to in this new year? Where have you been seeing success already, and how can you renew your sense of motivation to accomplish your dreams in 2016? Let me know, I'm excited to hear what you are working on! Sincerely, Clare

#weddingphotographer #newbornphotography #newyeargoals #minnesotaphotographer