Number One Tip for Planning Your Own Wedding

“You don’t need eyes to see, you need vision.”

— unknown

With the average cost of a wedding in Texas being $30,200 it’s no wonder why so many couples are choosing to plan their own wedding to save money - especially during a pandemic. Personally I love the small, quaint weddings that I have had the pleasure of photographing this year. Most of the couples I have photographed this year had larger, more elaborate weddings planned, but instead took a step back and kept things much smaller and simpler. It’s amazing how each couple accomplished this as they all did it differently.

Jacob and Hannah

April 10, 2020 was a day that many were anxiously awaiting. This was the day that Jacob and Hannah would exchange vows in front of their family and friends. The anticipated wedding was originally going to take place at a stunning venue in Axtell, Texas, however something completely unexpected happened - COVID-19. Everyone hoped for the pandemic to be over by this date. But that did not happen. The venue cancelled, along with many of the vendors. This wedding was definitely going to happen on April 10th - no matter what!

There was a change in plans.

Jacob and Hannah had a small ceremony outdoors with their family and closest friends in attendance.

Mike and Mysti

Mysti contacted me asking if I would photograph their wedding. Of course I said I would love to! During 2019 the plan took off in many directions as they explored all the awesome venues - one was even an old caboose! At one point they decided on an elopement on a cruise trip, but Mike’s family would not be thrilled about missing their big day. As their plans changed so did their family’s plans. One of the daughter’s was going to join the navy after graduation and they definitely wanted her to be in the bridal party so they made plans for a backyard wedding in Mexia, Texas before she left for the military. But then the completely unexpected happen…COVID - 19!

Texas was suddenly under a shelter in place order and no one knew how long that would last. The days turned into weeks. The weeks turned into months. How much longer could this possibly go on?? Slowly the state began to reopen, but there were still restrictions in place. One such restriction was the amount of people in one gathering. That definitely put a damper on wedding plans!

One day Mysti messaged me and said she was so over all the planning and waiting on restrictions to lift that her and Mike decided to have a simple family wedding before her daughter left to the navy so instead of the typical wedding photograph she wanted to trash her dress. And that is exactly what we planned - complete with a cake fight (after sanitizing hands) and lots of toilet paper!

Mike and Mysti’s wedding day was definitely not what they originally planned, but they definitely created crazy memories to cherish forever!

Michael and Dana

The Fourth of July was a very hot day in Satin, Texas where Dana and Michael would exchange vows in front of their family and a few close friends at Moon River Ranch. The venue was absolutely picture perfect! The wedding was so special with all their thoughtful touches to make the entire evening about their strong relationship surrounded by the love of God and the love of their family. Many happy tears were shed, as well as lots of shared laughter.

Their pastor officiated the ceremony. Their counselor led them through braiding the three stands. Their parents sat in the front row fully supporting the union. Their children surrounded them as they were the bridal party. The ring pillow was made by Michael’s mother. Michael wore his grandfather’s bolo tie. Dana had her grandmother’s broach fastened to her bouquet. Sparklers sent the newlyweds off. Flags were waved for their love of America. But perhaps the most moving part of the entire ceremony was when the DJ played a song Michael’s daughter sang, the cover to Ocean Eyes. She could not be in attendance due to COVID travel restrictions. For that entire song, everyone just listened.

Their wedding is truly one to be remembered.

Michael and Dana had a small, intimate ceremony surrounded by family and friends. Since it was a smaller ceremony they were able to spend so much time dancing and enjoying their special day.

John and Lori

Lori and John met casually as she knew of his family and she was a Facebook suggestion of his. Due to COVID-19, their first date was at John’s father’s house. They grilled steaks and watched a movie while they started to learn more about each other. This first date, although casual, was the start of something beautiful. Eventually John proposed to Lori on a rainy day in the post office parking lost in Mexia, Texas.

The shelter in place order provided both of them with lots of time together. They were able to drive around and check cattle during the day and in the evening cuddle up on the couch to watch some television together. The soon discovered that they are each other’s Twin Flame!

John and Lori exchanged vows at Springfield Hall in Groesbeck. Their small wedding was full of classy details that were evident throughout the venue.

Antone and Sarah

I loved every bit of their wedding day, but my favorite part was the first look. Sarah really wanted to have a first look portion of the day and felt strongly that it was going to be just the two of them enjoying each other for a brief moment during their busy day. We decided that Sarah would be in the barn and Antone would be on the front step just outside the front door. Sarah would slowly push the doors open and walk up to Antone, cover his eyes and slowly turn him around so he could see her in the dress as his gorgeous bride. As she slowly spun him around and he looked at her, his eyes began to swell with tears. It was truly an emotional moment shared between the two of them.

Afterwards they moved onto family and bridal party portraits before the ceremony. This would allow them to be a part of their reception from the very beginning. These two put so much thought into the flow of the day. Everything was planned with intention.

Antone and Sarah had the largest wedding of the year at Leatherberry Oaks in Aquilla. These two focused on their guests and making sure the day flowed well to maximize the time they could spend with them.

Luis and Alena

On October 10, 2020 Alena and Luis would tie the knot and officially become Mr. and Mrs. Guzman at Springfield Hall in Groesbeck, Texas on a very warm, sunny day. The wedding was decorated in purple, lavender and white with many small touches to make the event very classy.

They had a backdrop set up for a photo booth, complete with props. They had several yard games for guests to enjoy - corn hole and connect four to name a few. Their guest book was a “Jenga Guestbook.,” in which painted blocks were written on for stacking. These two thought of so many details to make their big day truly enjoyable for all in attendance!

Luis and Alena had a small wedding at Springfield Hall in Groesbeck. They personalized so much for their big day and showed their guests just how much they appreciated them.

Number ONE Tip

As you can see, each and every one of these weddings kept things simple, yet classy and unique. No two weddings were the same, yet they were alike in one way.

Each of these couples took the time to create a vision. They had an idea of what their wedding should look like and how the day should flow. They took it a step further. They put things out and moved them around to make sure everything was perfect. They stood back and took a second look. A third look. Many more looks! Each time looking for anything that was a distraction,. They made sure that everything was in a place that made sense, flowed well and would look beautiful in the photographs.

When planning your own wedding, draw a simple map taking into account how you want the day to flow. It’s up to you to direct your guests where to go. At each area (guest book, cake, alter, etc.), step back and make a square with your fingers, imagining that you are taking a photograph. What do you see? Is it as beautiful as you envisioned? Or is there something distracting the viewer?

When in doubt, ask the professionals that you have hired…like Smith Family Photography :)

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7 Tips for Working From Home (and homeschooling) That ACTUALLY Work

Spring Break finally arrived in early March and I was really looking forward to hanging out around the house, sleeping in, staying in pajamas until noon and not driving the kids to and from school. I know the kids were looking forward to it as well. As much as they enjoy school, they also welcome the breaks throughout the year. It’s definitely a time to relax and unwind as we spend more time together. Towards the end of spring break we received notice that school would not resume for at least one more week. At this time I was honestly happy as I wasn’t ready for those relaxing, carefree days to come to an end quite yet. I was naive in thinking that the virus would pass within one short week. By the end of that week we received another notice saying school would not resume for another week. Soon after that, the governor spoke and closed schools. Then later he closed them for longer. And then later he closed them for the remainder of the school year.

During this time at some point many parents began working from home as well. At this point, roughly two months later, many parents continue to work from home while homeschooling their children. As a small business owner I have worked from home for almost six years now. I had a daily schedule of what had to be done (and this schedule definitely took awhile for me to figure out). Now the kids were home. And they had packets of school work to be completed and turned in. My schedule quickly flew out the window and I was freaking out! How can I possibly get my work done PLUS help my kids get their work done? Weeks went by and my stress level was raising by each passing day. Finally I got to a point where I said, “I cannot do this anymore. I have to put some systems into place.”

I tried many things. Most did not work. I saw other parents on Facebook posting awesome charts to keep their family on a perfect schedule with wonderfully decorated home school areas for their kids to work with a nearby work station for the parents so they could all work harmoniously together. Yeah, that’s definitely not my house! I need to work free from distractions. My phone is set to not make any noise and I have silenced all notifications besides texts or calls from my immediate family. Suddenly I had kids that need me so much more than they ever did before! I started reading lots of articles and really trying to find a system that would work for our chaotic family. I came up with seven tips that worked for us - our far from perfect family.

7 Tips for Working From Home (and homeschooling) That ACTUALLY Work

To schedule or not to schedule. That is the question!

Some families need a definite schedule. Nearly everything is a set time dictating when an activity begins and ends. Other families are more flexible. Everything has a rough starting and stopping time. Only you know your family and know what will work. Go with that! For my family, we fall into the more flexible category. If you know me, I show up to things around a certain time rather than a certain time. Once I realized that a set schedule does not work for our family, I embraced the fluidity of all things that did not require a specific time. For example, today I had a Zoom meeting for my advocacy work. This started at 10 am. I was sure to arrive on time for the meeting as that is what was expected of me. However, this is also the time we are every so slowly working through school work. I had to let the kids wander off and find their way to YouTube after their Discover Education video ended so I could participate in the meeting. After the meeting I just reeled the kids back in and got them busy on the next assignment.

Expectations. Productivity looks different for everyone.

If you normally work outside the home your work day is typically eight hours long. It’s understandable why working eight hours is often viewed as being productive. You will most likely have to change your perspective about productivity when you work from home. Begin by prioritizing the items that MUST be completed that day and let the others fall into the “work in progress” category. When I finally stopped trying to accomplish every single task on my list and began each day as a new day and focused on the tasks that were the most urgent, my stress level decreased dramatically. The same with the kids’ school work. Each day they have reading, math, writing, science, social studies, music and physical education to complete. Hate to say it, but physical education work rarely gets done. Why? Because that can be incorporated into so many other things that I don’t feel I need to follow a specific lesson. The kids can go outside and play softball, tag, go on a hike or walk, jump on the trampoline. Sure it’s not a structured lesson, but they’re receiving physical education. The only thing that changed was the expectation.

Be an early bird or a night owl.

Are you an early riser? Or are you a night owl? Whichever you are, own it and be productive! Some parents like to wake up early before everyone else and get that uninterrupted time to get some work done. Others, like myself, prefer to stay up late after everyone is asleep to get work done. I find there are less distractions and I’m more creative late at night. Take advantage of the time of day you are most likely to be able to focus to tackle your work.

Boundaries MUST be set.

When the homeschooling began I found that I was suddenly choosing to make my phone calls later in the afternoon when school work was done for the day. However, some days the school work goes quicker than others. Some days took hours. Literally. Like four painstakingly long hours! This would put my calls on hold until the late afternoon. Not the best time to make calls in my opinion. I had to set some boundaries because the lack of them was driving me absolutely crazy. One day I simply told them, “I have to make a phone call. You work on x, y and z and do NOT interrupt me or be noisy.” Much to my surprise, they actually followed directions! When they did start to get loud, I just put up my finger (which is a signal for them that they better fix it). It was like magic!

Do I dare say it…but consider relaxing screen time.

As parents we hear about limiting screen time frequently. There is definitely a stereotype for the parents that use an “electronic babysitter.” While I’m not saying let them play on a screen all day every day, perhaps relaxing your normal rules so you can get some extra work done for the day. There are lots of educational apps (many are free during this time) that the kids can be “working on” while you’re working. It’s a win, win situation!

Food. Do they EVER stop eating?

Consider making snacks and drinks easily accessible to the kids so they don’t have to interrupt you every single time they are hungry. Seriously though, when did they start eating so much? Now I don’t buy lots of pre-packaged snacks or drinks because they are expensive and my older kids eat like five at a time. Instead we have fruits, yogurt and sandwich items they can easily consume with little to no help from me while I’m working. Some parents choose to put together snack kits the night before. Cups are on the bottom shelf so they can easily pour themselves a drink of milk or get some water. What are some ways your kids can be self sufficient when they get hungry or thirsty?

BREATHE!

This is an incredibly difficult time for families. Be gentle on yourself. It’s alright if things aren’t “perfect.” Be gentle on your kids. This is tough for them as well. I found that we need breaks from our house for our mental health so we go on weekly “field trips” and get our work done after we get back. Our field trips usually include visiting a local state park and going for a hike with the dog after a picnic. It’s a chance to forget about being home and enjoy each other surrounded by nature. And to be honest, my kids are learning a lot from these trips. We talk about our surroundings and visit places we normally don’t frequent. Today we are going to visit a peach farm. The kids are excited! Why? It’s just a peach farm, but right now that peach farm is something different than our house. I find that they appreciate these trips more than ever and therefore truly experience them. Even on days that we don’t go on a “field trip” we take breaks. We hit it hard for about 45 minutes and then take a small break just to reset before going back to work again.

“You are not working from home; you are at home during a crisis trying to work.”

— unknown

To read more about effectively building a remote working day with family and children at home, check out Jobsora, where you will find more tips on overcoming common stumbling blocks.

First Birthday Party on a Budget

A Guide to One Year Birthday Parties on a Budget

First birthdays are a BIG deal! It is truly a reason to party. While this once in a lifetime event will surely be a day to remember, you can definitely keep costs down to a minimum with a little extra planning beforehand. In fact, you can throw your little one an awesome party without breaking the bank AND special memories will be made. Here are some tips for throwing a budget friendly first birthday party!

1. Decorations. When thinking about how you’d like to decorate your party consider items that can be reused for other occasions. For example, a simple burlap banner is gender neutral and can be used for any age - young and old! Another great decorating idea is to print some of the photos from the little one’s first year and cake smash session. Afterwards you can use these to decorate your home.

2. Simple Themes. It’s easy to go overboard on everything associated with a theme. Instead, opt for a generalized theme. Many items can be made instead of purchased. Just tell yourself, you don’t need ALL the matching items! Choose one piece and then find other items that match colors instead of the specific theme.

3. Outfits. It’s perfectly fine if you don’t get your little one a special outfit that says “birthday” on it. In fact, if it doesn’t say “birthday” on it, they will be able to get more wear out of it.

4. Goodie Bags. To give goodie bags or not to give goodie bags. Either one is perfectly acceptable. As a mom, I honestly prefer for my kids to not receive a goodie bag. They were at a party to spend time with their loved one, therefore a goodie bag is not necessary. However, if you opt to hand out goodie bags, think about buying in bulk to save money.

5. Food. Let’s face it, your little one will not remember this party. This party will be remembered by you and your friends and family. This is where a bulk of your budget will be spent. After all, this is a day to be remembered! With that being said, you can save money by preparing the food yourself. Think sandwiches, salads, crackers and cheese trays, fruit and veggie trays - and don’t forget snacks for the little party-goers such as cereals and goldfish snacks. Here’s another tip with regards to the food. Schedule the party between meals so you won’t have to provide a full meal.

6. Invitations. Consider sending digital invitations as opposed to paper ones. It will save you time and money! It’s easier to keep track of attendees, better for the environment and often times they’re FREE!

7. Cake. Custom cakes are expensive. Consider baking your own if you like to bake. If not, the bakery at the local supermarket often provides complimentary smash cakes with the purchase of a birthday cake.

8. Venue. Ditch the expensive venues and use the local park or your own backyard. The only drawback to this is that you are responsible for the clean up, but it will save you a lot of money.

Remember, this is a party to celebrate your family and this milestone in your chlid’s life. Don’t forget to mingle and enjoy it!

Theme Ideas

Western Theme

Wild ONE Theme

One-Deer_Ful Theme

Berry First Birthday Theme

Elmo Theme