Hurrah! I have actually researched, decided, and booked something! You may remember my previous struggle to find a wedding photographer. My search began on The Knot, which, while it does have many beautiful ideas and pictures, should really be called “KNOT going to fit in your budget.” Can you even blame them though? Since every bride searches The Knot, these vendors get tons of publicity and site traffic, and can get away with charging out the wazoo for whatever services they are offering. (But can they sleep at night? …probably…) I sent emails to a few of their “Knot Pick” photographers. Here is an excerpt from an email I received back:

And so began my hunt for alternative options. Why would I even need that much stuff?

Enter Craigslist. I have used good ole Craig many a time, so I should have thought to look there sooner. Through the years, Craigslist has helped me find our dog, find both of our last 2 houses, sell and buy many concert tickets (i’m currently selling a lawn ticket to Friday’s Rascal Flatts show if anyone’s interested!), find both my mom and myself jobs…

The list goes on. I was pretty excited when I stumbled on the “event services” section that I had never noticed or explored before. What a gem! Hidden in between lots of posts for things like lawn decorations, hot dog carts, and hiring clowns, are a number of artists and musicians getting started in the wedding industry. There were tons of ads for wedding singers, photographers, planners, and more. I ended up finding a few photographers that claimed “budget pricing” and also seemed to take decent pictures, but nothing that got me overly excited.

And then I found Shannon.

I don’t know what it is about her photos, but I just love them. Her style is exactly what I was looking for. Also, her ad wasn’t like the others – filled with cheesy posed photos and sappy romance quotes. She simply stated that she was a photography student out in Washington (State), moving back to Ohio in October, and hoping to get more wedding experience. We emailed a few times, and I told her what Casey and I were looking for in a photographer. Really we just want someone to follow us around and capture the day – not so much to take posed photos. She emailed me back with her price quote, and I literally jumped around the living room. I emailed her back immediately and told her to mark her calendar for May 9th.

I haven’t met her in person or seen her photos in print, but I sent her a $100 deposit without a second thought. They say with weddings, you just know when it’s right. Usually this in reference to choosing your future bride or groom. Well I knew that was right, and I know this is right too. Welcome aboard, Shannon!