BACK-UP PLANS | WORKFLOW WEDNESDAY | MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

I’ve imagined for months what this weekend would be like. The smiles on faces as each girl arrives to the conference, the excitement and laughter as we partake in silly activities, sharing stories, the gorgeous flowers, the yummy treats, and having over 40 boss ladies in one place for three days. You can imagine my disappointment as storm predictions continue to change and we see forecasts expecting somewhere between 0 and 30 inches of snow this weekend. I can just hear the Alanis Morrisette song on loop in my head…

“It’s like rain on your wedding day..”

And so it is. But, what do you do when you face a problem such as this? Here are some tips!

1. Look at it as less of a problem, and more of a challenge. Think of how great you’ll feel if you can not only solve the problem, but do so with confidence. It’s hard to beat stress, but creating a course of action can be a great start and keep you in control.

2. Have a plan, and have a back up plan. No one likes to think of the worst case scenario, but sometimes it’s good to consider everything. You never, ever know!

3. Stay optimistic! Communicating and uplifting those around you can really calm a panic if your circumstances have dampened the mood. You can gain a lot of trust in making people feel comfortable and forget about their own fears coming true.

4. Get creative. You’re likely not going to get the shots you ordinarily would anyway, so find a way to get excited about working within your means. Share that vibe with your clients and get them motivated to embrace their situation. You could learn something new or end up capturing something you all really love.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Use your resources!! Don’t be scared to reach out for advice or assistance. We often pride ourselves on being able to do it all, but sometimes life happens and surprises us, reminding us the hard way that we cannot. It’s okay to reach out to someone and make something a little easier on yourself. After all, you have to take care of you, too!

“You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.”

I want to give a special shout out to Kelly Broyles (who’s birthday is tomorrow!!) for all of her help coming up with a back up plan for our back up plan. She and all the other women who are risking their booties to come get snowed in with me are truly something to be grateful for. I know that no matter what the weather does, this weekend will be both educational and memorable. I can’t wait to share highlights from lectures, socials, and maybe even some snow fights!!

Wanna follow along this weekend? Find me on Instagram @ashtonkelleyphotography and check our event hashtag #reUNITEDretreat to see all the action!

– Ash