Good afternoon everyone!

I hope you’re all doing well and having a good week so far! For this weeks blog post I wanted to dive into my experience with my first Styled Shoot last month – Love Letters in the Spring – earlier last month. I truly had such a blast putting this event together and learned so much from this, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the entire experience. This week we’ll go through it all together! From planning, to the day of, to the weeks following up until now – I want to share with you all everything I’ve learned and how my processes will change moving forward.

As always – grab a warm blanket, your coziest seat, and your fave morning bevvy – and let’s reflect on all things Love Letters in the Spring together!

Planning LLITS

For my first Styled Shoot, I really wanted to go as big as I possibly could. Not only did I want to challenge myself to create something truly beautiful, but I also very strongly believe no good event is held without multiple fun amenities and take-home goodies. So, I got to work on messaging as many people as I could to plan all of the different vendors and such who would be willing to help me bring my Styled Shoot dreams to life. For those who may not know, I’m intentionally starting all of this from the ground up. Meaning, everything I put together is planned, paid for, and executed solely by me. Also meaning, I regularly find myself having bigger eyes than my wallet can handle LOL

Still, I was so lucky to get in touch with several incredibly kind Vendors who were more than willing to work with me on budgets and payment plans so I didn’t have to pay so much out at one time. By the end of the planning process, I had a list of about 15 total Vendors ready to join me for the event. I was so incredibly excited to see everything come together. All that was left to do was some fine tuning – including coordinating hair, makeup, wardrobes, and the setup planning with the Venue (The Skyroom in Moncure).

Days Before the Event Debut

After weeks of being on Cloud 9 and incredibly stoked to see everything, meet all the new faces, and watch the day unfold – came the challenges I was scared to have to work around. All within a week or two of the shoot, I started receiving messages from some of the Vendors stating they could no longer make it for several reasons. Now – here’s where I remind everyone that two things can be true at the same time. If you’ve ever planned an event, you’re probably familiar with the feelings and to-do’s that come along with last-minute changes and cancellations. We’re all human, and things pop up, emergencies happen, etc. That’s part of life and happens to everyone at some point. However, it can definitely be a bit stressful trying to find replacements and plan around the changes – especially the closer you get to the day of an event.

Nevertheless, I got to work on researching other options, messaging other Vendors, etc. to try to find businesses who would possibly be available so close to the shoot. Unfortunately – my options were very slim and mostly out of my budget capabilities. On to Plan C I went: to make it happen anyways.

The Final Countdown

I woke up on the morning of the shoot with so many emotions. Equally grateful, excited, and happy as I was stressed, tired, and overwhelmed. When I say I truly put everything I possibly could have into this event – from start to finish – I really did. Did I think it was going to be exactly what I had envisioned, doing it all on my own and having to adjust to Vendor cancellations? No, I knew it would be a much different experience than I had originally planned for. Was I still incredibly proud of what I was able to put together and all of the challenges I had overcome up to this point? Absolutely, and to make it all better – I knew I was still surrounded by such amazing and understanding people, who truly kept me grounded throughout this entire process!

Once we got to the Venue, though, came more surprises and obstacles. For privacy and out of respect for the Owners of The Skyroom – I’ll be keeping the situation to myself. Just know a morning was had LOL

Other than that hiccup, though, we had a blast getting ready for the shoot. It was so incredibly nice to be able to sit down for a moment and soak in all of the feelings that came with watching the girls get ready, decor being setup, and all of my amazing (remaining) Vendors setting up to do what they love. You could feel the creative energy pulsating through the place – it was truly such a magical feeling sitting in that getting ready space.

Showtime has Come

I’ll be honest and say from this moment on – the day went by in such a blur. The attending Photographers arrived and from there the time flew. While there wasn’t a *huge* turnout by any means, I actually really enjoyed having a smaller crowd there for a much more intimate feel. I think it made a huge difference in how well the Photographers were able to work with each model without being overwhelmed with multiple callouts/poses/people to work around/etc. I personally think that kind of shoot is so fun as well – something about the chaos of a busy Styled Shoot is a blast to me – but I also definitely see the value in Photographers getting to work with models one-on-one or in more controlled, smaller groups.

Once the Photographers were paired with their first model(s), it basically was like clockwork from there. After a short Welcome Speech from me, the Photographers were all paired with their Models and it was officially Showtime!

I truly had a blast throughout the entire event. I wish I could have broken myself up into several people so I would’ve been able to watch everyone from start to finish, but I had so much fun running around, getting content, directing the rotations, and so on. Everyone was so kind and, like I said before, it’s almost like you could reach out and physically touch all of the creative energy running throughout the entire Venue. As of today, I still haven’t seen many finished images from the attending Photographers, but I just know some really amazing content will be shared soon!

Vendor Shout-Out

Before I get into the aftermath of Love Letters in the Spring, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the amazing Hosts, Vendors, and Models who showed up to make the day as beautiful and fun as it was for not just myself – but everyone who attended that day.

To Jen and Mark (Owners of The Skyroom) – I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the two of you for allowing me into your space and telling me about your story and how The Skyroom came to be. As you know, I think your Venue is truly so beautiful and I feel so incredibly lucky that I had the privilege of hosting my first Styled Shoot alongside you there. The way you have and continue to put so much into your Venue and Clients (including myself) is amazing, and you should be so proud of all that you’ve built together. Meeting you was an absolute pleasure and I really hope to return to you all very soon. I appreciate you both endlessly and will never forget this experience.

To my Models (Sam, Lauren, Christine, & Aundrey) – You all will hold a special place in my heart and memories forever, regardless of if we were to ever work another Styled Shoot together again. Sam – my first Senior associate client. You and your family have become such beloved extensions of my career in Photography and I appreciate you so much for your willingness to try your hand at Modeling to help me make LLITS happen. Lauren – my sweet, hot mama of a Model! Your assistance not only with Modeling, but also helping me put together and brainstorm certain decisions and your reassurance throughout the whole event and thereafter has done more for me than I could ever explain. I cannot wait to work with you in the near future and am so grateful I got to meet you! Christine & Aundrey – the two of you are one of the most beautiful couples I think I’ve ever met – both in physicality and in the way the two of you carry yourselves and shine even more around one another. Having you for this Styled Shoot was such a privilege, and all of your help in making sure everything ran smoothly and that no stone went unturned meant more to me than I could say, and I’m so glad I finally got to meet and work you. I appreciate you all so very much, and I truly believe that everyone who was meant to be there, was. I couldn’t be happier with the people who took part in this shoot alongside me.

To Kash & Zach (Haven Coffee) – Not that it was a surprise, but you both are absolutely amazing people who make equally amazing coffee. The fact that you went out of your way to create a custom menu and design just for my Styled Shoot gave me all the feels, and it meant so much to me to see how much the two of you were looking forward to the event as well. Thank you for helping me make sure my Attendees and other Vendors had such amazing options to choose from, and for giving so much of your genuine time and energy to make the whole process all the more meaningful. I am so glad we got to work together for this shoot, and I will continue to look forward to having and seeing you at any and all future events I plan or attend!

To Alexa (Grace & Blooms) – From the start of our interaction to the very end of the day of my Styled Shoot, I knew I had chosen the best person to assist me with Florals for this shoot. You have been so incredibly helpful, informative, and reassuring throughout the entire process and I can’t say how much I appreciate how much energy and passion you put into not just your work, but the people you work alongside. It’s so incredibly obvious how much you enjoy what you do and am so grateful that you were the one who said yes to helping me execute these floral designs and props. As you said to me, “everyone who was meant to be a part of this shoot, is” and that includes you! LLITS wouldn’t have been what it was without you, and I am forever grateful to have you as someone I can lean on – not only as a Vendor, but as a friend!

To Mikayla & Alaina (Hair & Makeup) – The two of you are some of the most kind and talented individuals in hair and makeup that I’ve ever met, even since my own time in Cosmetology school over 10 years ago. Both of you hold such kind and gentle spirits, and it really was such a dream to get to work with the two of you for my first Styled Shoot. The way you both held strong through all of the surprises and challenges – especially the day of the shoot – meant the world to me (and the Venue owners as well, I’m sure) and I will always be so grateful for this experience with the two of you. Mikayla – you are an amazing makeup artist and an even more incredible and strong human. It’s so obvious how hard you work on a day to day basis, and you really do deserve the world for all of the comfort and confidence you bring to the table and pour into your Clients. Alaina – Hearing your story and how you came to do hair was such a fun experience and I absolutely loved getting to meet and work with you for this Styled Shoot. You brought such a calm and composed energy to the room (much needed on a stressful event day) and have continued to be such a kind and patient person throughout the entire process, even to this day. I truly couldn’t be more grateful for either of you, or the time and energy you gave to LLITS.

To Harlyn (Content Creation) – Oh goodness, my appreciation for you is truly never ending. What started with me being your Client as you second-shot with Emily at my wedding – to helping me bring my very first Styled Shoot to life. Between the pep-talks, recommendations, to the Content you gathered at my shoot – I feel like I owe you my life at this point. You have always been such a kind and giving person, and so willing to go the extra mile to help make things happen. I know you put so much into all that you do, and it was such an honor to be able to have you take part in my first event ever. I will always have so much appreciation for you and all that you’ve done for me over the last year or so, and I look forward to working with and alongside you for years to come!

To Cass (Dress Rental) – Your talent is absolutely astonishing, and it means the world to me that your kindness and patience seems to go on for miles. As someone who has literally never rented a dress (or any other article of clothing for that matter), you truly made the whole process from start to finish an absolute breeze – while also being willing to make your own suggestions and brainstorm certain details with me. I love working with people who truly take part in the creative design process and the fact that you were so passionate about giving an option that truly fit the vibes of the shoot tells me so much about you and the level of thought and consideration you put into the work that you do and service you provide for others. I’m absolutely obsessed with you and your work, and couldn’t be more excited to continue to show off your beautiful designs!

Each of you held such an integral part in making Love Letters in the Spring happen, just as each of you have become so special to me for not just what you’ve done for me and the business you’re running – but more importantly, the kind of person that’s behind it all. I am forever grateful for each and every one of you! Thank you endlessly – for everything!

What I Learned/The Process Moving Forward

LLITS was truly a dream, and such a fun and beautiful day – especially for my first event ever. I found myself pulling back tears every so often, because I truly cannot imagine anything I enjoy more than putting together these events and getting to meet so many amazing new faces in the creative industry. However, with each challenge that fell on my plate came a learning experience that I will never take for granted. Here’s a little about the changes I plan on making for future events, to hopefully improve the experience quality for all Vendors and Attendees. Going forward;

• All Vendors will be required to sign a contract confirming attendance and agreeing to terms regarding finding replacements/last minute cancellations/etc. This will hopefully deter any uncertainty when it comes to Vendor attendance and what the expectations are if something happens to come up last-minute that could affect said attendance.
• In addition, the contract will include all of my intentions as the event host – including any balances, content, photos, etc. owed in return for the Vendors service. If possible, this will also include any applicable due dates for such things on both ends.
• I will also be doubling up on Vendor options, so we can do our best to have good replacement options if anything were to come up affecting a certain Vendor’s attendance or their ability to find a comparable replacement.
• I will be making more of a conscious effort to communicate with all Vendors and attendees following each event. When mine and my families’ illnesses and other personal issues came along, I definitely could have made a better effort to keep everyone updated on changes to the timeline for when content and photos were to be delivered. My goal is to never make anyone feel left in the dark and to ensure *EVERYONE* is aware and updated about any emergencies or anything else which could effect my side of what is expected.
• Vendors, Models, etc. will no longer be listed on any Styled Shoot announcement posts moving forward. Part of what left me feeling so overwhelmed and confused between details (and more to-do’s on my plate) was having to go back and re-create and edit my announcement posts to properly reflect who would be taking part in LLITS. I could tell it was starting to confuse potential attendees as well. From now on, only pertinent information about non-negotiable and non-changing details will be shared in the announcement posts. (i.e. instead of listing a specific company, I’ll just list what they’ll be providing/what their role is – in case of the need for a replacement)
• Additionally, if there are any changes to any of the details listed above – I’ll be sure to notify all other Vendors and Attendees in a timely manner, along with the plan of action to resolve whatever the change was. This was implemented at LLITS, but I do want to make the callout of my intentions to ensure this happens as quickly as possible.

Closing Thoughts

Regardless of all of the challenges that came with planning and executing my Love Letters in the Spring Styled Shoot, this is an event that I will always hold close to my heart – for the rest of my career in Photography and Styled Shoot Planning/Hosting as well. Through all of the times I second guessed myself, got overwhelmed with all of the details and hurdles, all while dealing with health issues between family members and myself – I couldn’t have imagined a more fruitful experience all around. I learned so much, met so many amazing new faces, and worked alongside people I’ve dreamt to work with since the start of my business. I’m so incredibly grateful for this day and all of the people who were involved in making it happen and bringing it all to life!

Talk soon!

Katelynn | Ruhe Liebe Photography | Ruhe Liebe.Concepts