Wow. As I sit here and try to find the words to go along with this blog post, I have to say… this is not an easy post to write. This year has been incredible in so many ways, but it has also been challenging. It was, by far, my busiest year yet with 65 total weddings – 53 shot by me and 12 shot by my fabulous associate photographer, Emily. While I struggled personally with loss, depression, anxiety + relationship issues, I count myself lucky to have had my work to distract me and give me some purpose in 2016. I am eternally grateful to every single couple who has trusted me with preserving the memories of their wedding day this year. Without them, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am and I can’t thank my clients enough for believing in me and allowing me to play a small role in your wedding days!!
I also have to say thank you to my incredible team. Emily + Sloan… my squad… I’m so so lucky to have you both on my team!! You guys keep me sane, help with my crazy workload, give me peace of mind, and serve my clients so well. Thank you hardly seems adequate. Kelly, Ramsey + Sydney… thank you all for assisting me this year as well. Even though you may feel “bored” at times during the wedding day, just know that having an assistant there with us is a HUGE help!! To everyone else who second shot with me this year – Caroline, Jenna, Alyona, Kate, Molly, Shannon + Amy – THANK YOU for stepping up and helping me on days when I needed strong, reliable second shooters. You all are so very talented and I can’t thank you enough for shooting beside me! A big thank you goes out to my editors, Melania + Doug at Eclectic Pixels. Love love love them and definitely wouldn’t be able to shoot as much as I do or deliver images as quickly as I do without them!! Lots of gratitude goes out to Wanda + Kristin, my fabulous bookkeepers; Rebecca, my amazing contract lawyer; and the ladies at Align Album Design. Without their help, I’d be lost.
Notable milestones + highlights from this year include shooting my 150th wedding, working with Jen Olmstead on my rebrand + new website/blog, having one of my images chosen for the Summer 2017 cover of Charleston Weddings Magazine, hosting a workshop aimed towards educating second shooters with 4 of my closest photographer friends, shooting the very last wedding ever at Brookland Pointe Plantation, shooting the very first wedding ever at The Dewberry, and winning The Knot’s Best of Weddings award for the 4th year in a row!
In 2016, I saw my work featured in print in Southern Weddings V9, Charleston Weddings Magazine and The Knot: Carolinas Magazine. I was also featured online on Borrowed + Blue, Southern Weddings, The Knot, The Wedding Row, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled, The Black Tie Bride, A Lowcountry Wedding, Something Turquoise, Every Last Detail, Virginia Grace Social, and Intimate Weddings.
But it always comes back to my amazing couples… the ones who allow me to live this dream and trust me to document their wedding day. I honestly can’t thank my #dcwbrides and #dcwgrooms enough. Thank you thank you thank you for being so incredibly fabulous. I love each and every one of you so very much!!! Here’s a look at all of my fabulous couples from 2016…
Christel + Justin // January 2, 2016 // Confederate Home + No 5 Faber
Amy + Marc // January 16, 2016 // Sea Pines Resort
Taylor + Joe // February 26, 2016 // William Aiken House
McKenna + Matt // February 27, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Eliza + Ben // March 5, 2016 // Gadsden House
Gabby + Pedro // March 12, 2016 // Lowndes Grove
Stacey + David // March 13, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Samantha + Brad // March 25, 2016 // Cottage on the Creek
Catherine + Ted // April 2, 2016 // Brookland Pointe Plantation
Chandra + Andrew // April 9, 2016 // Thomas Bennett House
Kayla + Scott // April 22, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Amber + Scott // April 23, 2016 // Daniel Island Club
Sara + William // April 23, 2016 // Pavilion at Patriot’s Point
Hali + Eddie // April 30, 2016 // Wexford Plantation
Maegan + Eric // April 30, 2016 // River Course at Kiawah
Beth + Chris // May 6, 2016 // Creek Club at I’On
Lindsay + Bryson // May 7, 2016 // Old Wide Awake Plantation
Megan + Jamie // May 12, 2016 // Zero George
Erin + Jason // May 14, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Lea + Cooper // May 14, 2016 // Private Residence
Aimee + Thomas // May 19, 2016 // Lowndes Grove
Melissa + Michael // May 21, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Sara + Seth // May 21, 2016 // Harborside East
Julia + David // May 28, 2016 // Old Wide Awake Plantation
Alyssa + Conor // May 29, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Sarah Margaret + Stephen // June 4, 2016 // Oak Pointe Plantation
Brittany + Brian // June 9, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Anna + David // June 11, 2016 // Thomas Bennett House
Meaghan + Chris // June 11, 2016 // Legare Waring House
Kate + Mike // June 17, 2016 // Rice Mill
Cara + Jon // June 18, 2016 // Thomas Bennett House
Alyson + Scott // June 25, 2016 // Island House
Alex + Michael // July 1, 2016 // Lowndes Grove
Katie + Adam // July 2, 2016 // Legare Waring House
Libbie + Kaleb // July 10, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Stephanie + Josh // July 16, 2016 // Creek Club at I’On
Mary Kate + Beau // July 16, 2016 // Daniel Island Club
Natalie + Tim // July 29, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Lauren + Ryan // July 30, 2016 // Sea Pines Country Club
Casey + Kyle // August 4, 2016 // Cottage on the Creek
Ashley + Channing // August 7, 2016 // Rice Mill
Kristy + Charles // August 27, 2016 // Champions Retreat
Kristen + James // September 4, 2016 // Old Wide Awake Plantation
Carrie + Ryan // September 10, 2016 // Lowndes Grove
Kiersten + Kevin // September 17, 2016 // Colleton River Plantation
Brantley + Joe // September 17, 2016 // Alhambra Hall
Kira + Brent // September 23, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Debra + Travis // September 23, 2016 // Creek Club at I’On
Anna Beth + Adam // September 24, 2016 // Pavilion at Patriot’s Point
Tanya + Ed // October 1, 2016 // Creek Club at I’On
Lauren + TJ // October 1, 2016 // Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory
Caitlin + Matt // October 15, 2016 // Old Wide Awake Plantation
Lauren + Bill // October 15, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation
Wendy + Stephen // October 16, 2016 // Boone Hall Plantation
Whitney + Nick // October 22, 2016 // Thomas Bennett House
Mollie + Jeremy // October 22, 2016 // Rice Mill
Wesley + Lansing // October 29, 2016 // Oldfield Club
Megan + Rick // November 4, 2016 // Gadsden House
Alex + Zach // November 5, 2016 // The Dunes Club
Casey + Mason // November 5, 2016 // Charleston Rifle Club
Stephanie + Brett // November 6, 2016 // Middleton Place
Georgia-Leigh + Brian // November 12, 2016 // William Aiken House
Emma + Justin // November 13, 2016 // The Dewberry
Shelby + Cameron // November 19, 2016 // Middleton Place
Suzanne + Joel // April 12, 2016 // Magnolia Plantation (my only elopement this year)
It honestly was such a big year and I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store!! Cheers to a fabulous 2017!!
With a well-worn passport in hand, and an affinity for a good cocktail, Dana works with fun-loving and kind-hearted clients around the globe.
meet DANA
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