This post seems a little surreal to be writing! Remember that time we said we were selling the house that we had just built and we were moving, but we didn’t share why or where for like 8 months?!!! We were trying desperately to buy land that wasn’t for sale and get a building permit to build our forever home. We were also trying to sell our current house at the time, and that ended up taking over 10 months!!
It was QUITE an adventure. During the building process we got pregnant, I had some crazy medical issues, and then we had a baby three weeks after moving in! Somewhere in the craziness of this year, we started just trying to survive and we stopped dreaming about business ideas for the future! We moved into the house and then became PARENTS, and so I feel like I’m just now starting to realize that we’re actually LIVING out the dream that we had for so long!!! I’m so thankful!! One by one, we heard a knock on the front door and the most amazing group of our 2016 couples entered our new home! The boys played life-sized Jenga on the front porch and Bocce ball in the front yard. The girls talked about crazy wedding stories and sipped moscow mules on the front porch! It was so much fun.
My favorite part of our time together was getting to be with these “clients-turned-friends” outside of the “work” realm! I could have hung out with them for hours and hours. Emy fixed the most amazing meal and then we headed out to the land for sunset anniversary pictures! I’ve never shot 9 anniversary sessions at once, but it was actually really fun! These KJ couples remembered all of their Four Core poses and so we ROLLED through these shots!! I love them!!!
As the sun dipped below the tree line, we walked back to the house and I saw our couples just hanging out on our front porch and it made me so happy. I’m so thankful to live in the country, where parking isn’t an issue with our neighbors! . . . and I’m thankful for beautiful land to take portraits on, and for couples who want to stay connected to us just as much as we want to stay connected to them!!! What a gift this job is!!! This group of KJ Brides and Grooms are so special to us because I was pregnant at almost ALL of their weddings!!! They were a part of this crazy year with us and we’re so grateful for them!! Enjoy some pictures from our time together!
Ps. To ALL of our past KJ Couples… we’re dreaming up a way to have a MASSIVE KJ Reunion soon!!!! yaaaaay!!!
Homemade cookies from Emy!
Love these amazing KJ Brides!!!!!
Life-sized Jenga….
No idea….
David and Sally! They are so sweet and traveled so far to be here!! View their Army Navy Country Club wedding here!
Matt and Kylene! They still know their poses so well! View their Ritz Carlton wedding here!
Eric and Courtney! Just love these two!! View their Mill at Fine Creek Wedding here!
Rob and Heather are expecting their baby in just a few weeks! ah!!! View their King Family Vineyard wedding here!
Jen and Gino! They came all the way from Connecticut! What?! View their Mill at Fine Creek wedding here!
Ashley and Justin! Loving that dress Ash! View their Longwood/Hampden Sydney wedding here!
Justin and Megan! I was pregnant at their wedding and didn’t know it yet!!! View their Big Spring Farm wedding here!
Jessica and Scott! They had a *little* bit of rain on their wedding day and so they deserved these glowy portraits more than anyone! View their Riverside on the Potomac wedding here!
Kyle and Erin! The last time we saw them was in France after their destination wedding!!! View it Here!
This week, Michael is sitting down with me at the microphone to join me on the podcast! When we started our Acton Academy journey, we had big dreams and very little idea of the practical challenges that lay ahead. Today, in year three of running our own Acton Academy, Michael and I are thrilled to reflect on the incredible transformation we’ve seen in our learners, our community, and even our own perspectives on education.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Erica and Jon, two incredibly talented photographers and educators who have redefined their business and life by embracing change. From leaving a corporate career to transforming their wedding photography business into a thriving brand photography venture, their story is full of inspiration for anyone looking to take bold steps and live life on their own terms.
I run a Facebook group with over 20,000 photographers, and something I see constantly are people sharing their editing struggles, asking for critiques, or seeking advice on how to fix issues in Lightroom.
This is going to go down as the wedding day were we got lucky over and over again. Blair and Ashley heard that there was a chance of rain on their wedding day but we all wrote it off as nothing and kept moving on with all of our original plans.
In the fast-paced world we live in, finding purpose and intention in everyday life can feel like a distant goal. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a parent, a creative, or simply someone searching for more meaning, this probably resonates with you! If you’ve been a longtime follower of the Katelyn James podcast, you know it’s always been about authenticity, growth, and family. So, we wanted the podcast to represent just that. Welcome to Doing Life Differently!
If you’re looking to build a personal brand that genuinely connects with people, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a creative, or just someone looking for more purpose in life, I think these insights will resonate with you.