Tips & Tricks for The Pregnant Wedding Photographer

Filed under: Posts I never thought I’d write. Ever. 

When Andrew and I found out we were pregnant, we were so dang excited. We had been talking about starting our family for awhile, but as a wedding photographer, there just really isn’t a “good” time of the year and that was stressful. We decided that if we tried to plan it around every wedding that we would never start our family. So we trusted God knew when it was the right time for us, and thats exactly what He did.

To my surprise though, the start of my pregnancy journey would be right at the beginning of the busiest wedding season we’ve ever had. We had 17 weddings, two workshops and countless sessions on the books between August and December. While my first trimester could have been much worse symptom wise, I did have 24/7 nausea that put a damper on things. But guess what – I survived! I adapted as things changed and I was able to give my clients the love and experience they deserved. Keep reading friend, I’m sharing some tips for how I did exactly that!

Be Prepared – Bring Snacks, Water, and More Water.

In my never ending battle with nausea, having snacks and drinks in my bag was key to getting through a 12 hour wedding day. There wasn’t much that agreed with me in the early weeks, but I found some bland snacks that I could keep on hand – Triscuts, Belvita Bars, Apple Sauce, etc. I kept a large stash of these things in my bag and in my pockets. More importantly, I kept my Yeti with me at all times. When I started to feel waterlogged, I switched it up with iced tea or La Croix. Staying hydrated is priority, especially in the warmer months!!

Preggie Pops

Let me introduce to you these individually wrapped pieces of heaven – Preggie Pops. Preggie Pops are hard candies that help alleviate nausea and they are amazing and taste delicious. I wasn’t introduced to these incredible bits of goodness until about 11 weeks and I feel like I totally missed out. Once they came into my life, they went with me EVERYWHERE and they really helped battle my 24/7 nausea! Get them. You won’t regret it.

Protect Your Time

Balance has been a big focus in my life over the last year, but now it is more important than ever. In that first trimester (and beyond), a daily nap is necessary so I’ve been very intentional about blocking afternoons so I can rest if needed. I also blocked as many days before and after wedding days as I could to allow myself to prepare and rest for the long work day. I also had to protect my time by saying no to things I used to say yes to. Things like coffee dates and networking events are great, but don’t feel guilty about giving yourself a little space. You are experiencing so many changes physically and emotionally during this time – it’s perfectly okay to say no and focus on you!

OUTSOURCE!!

I’ve always been a huge fan of outsourcing, but this became a pure necessity when those first trimester symptoms took over. My editor Kelly helped me stay on track with all 12 weddings and I was able to maintain my quick turn around thanks to her. Andrew and I also budgeted for a bi-weekly housekeeper, and she is absolutely amazing! Don’t be afraid to seek opportunities to outsource certain tasks. Whether thats editing, laundry, culling, blogging, album design, or house cleaning – it will make a big difference when you aren’t feeling 100%!

PS: Kelly is now editing full time (yay!) and is taking on some new clients! If you’re looking for an amazing private editor, shoot her a message!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help

My girl Jess from Jessica Chole Photography has always been my right hand gal, but in my first trimester, she was nothing short of a godsend. I shared my pregnancy news with her as soon as I found out, and she was by my side for every wedding possible. She made sure I had water, she encouraged me to take breaks, and she helped me in any way that she could. She even covered for when I had to step away to get sick – like that one time that I couldn’t handle the sweet smell of cake during cake cutting. Jess, I am so thankful for you times a million.

Moral of the story, find yourself a Jess. Find someone that you trust who works with you often, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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