Outside the Frame: A Podcast for Wedding Pros to Be Better Humans in Business + Life

In this episode, we had an amazing, honest, and reflective conversation with Meg Cooper, an elopement photographer based in northern California. We talked about:

• how she began her work as a photographer in the wedding industry
• her own mental health journey and recognizing signs of depression - even when life seemed "great"
• the process of learning more about herself through lots of self exploration, therapy, and her diagnosis with ADHD
• insight and advice she has for anyone else who may be struggling with similar feelings and challenges she went through
• giving yourself compassion, empathy, grace, and self-care, even when you don't think you deserve it

And we also wanted to drop a few of her top book recommendations that had a huge positive impact on her life and mental health:

• Your Brain's Not Broken by Tamara Rosier
• A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD by Michelle Frank and Sari Solden
• No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz
• ADHD for Smart Ass Women by Tracy Otsuka
• Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin
• The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control by Catherine Morgan Schafler

On today's episode, we share a great conversation with Officiant Jimmie - who's famously known for "Seal It With A Shot" as well as getting out of the way for a couple's first kiss . . . even if that means jumping into the water of a freezing cold lake.

We get to hear more about how we started his wedding officiating business, as well as:

• being authentically yourself (especially in your business)
• how authenticity allows us to better connect with others more deeply
• his process for writing truly personalized wedding ceremonies for couples
• being a person of color + a black man working in the Pacific Northwest
• why we should speak up about what we believe in, such as personal and political values, even in the wedding industry
• the importance of showing kindness, support, and love to everyone we meet
• and of course, all the usual humorous anecdotes and pop culture references that comes with having a conversation with Jimmie

On today's episode, Kaitlyn + Kaylyn have a heartfelt conversation with Jenn Tai of Jenn Tai & Co, one of Seattle's most established wedding photography and portrait studios in the region.

We chat about a variety of things, including:

• being an immigrant and her move from Malaysia to the States
• being a parent as a wedding photographer, which often means feeling regret for the days missed while working weddings in the busy summer season
• longevity in the industry, with her 18+ years working as a wedding photographer
• the power of saying "yes" to opportunities when they come your way, while also setting boundaries
• abundance mindset with networking and building a community

In this episode, Kaitlyn had a conversation with Jennie of Jennie Crate Photography on the LGBTQ+ community, queerness, and making the wedding industry more inclusive. Jennie is also manages LGBTQ I Do, an online wedding resource for queer couples searching for inclusive and accepting wedding vendors in Colorado. In this chat, she also talks about how she co-founded the Queer AF Engagement Party in Colorado, a unique wedding showcase featuring queer and allied vendors in Colorado.

You'll here us talk about:

• Jennie's brand journey to niching down to queer weddings and LGBTQ+ couples
• her own queer journey
• the Queer AF Engagement Party she co-founded
• ways vendors in the wedding industry can be more inclusive and welcoming to couples of all kinds
• why inclusion should still be important when couples choose vendors, even for if they're straight
• and a touch on another great resource for wedding pros: the Equally Wed LGBTQ+ Inclusion Certification Course

In this episode you'll hear from Hannah Paukstis of The Hummingbird Event Co. and co-founder of Emerald Hour, an organization based in Washington for wedding vendors who want to become more sustainable in their businesses. The Emerald Hour directory can also be used as a resource for couples who want to have a more eco-friendly wedding day.

We get to hear a bit more about:

- Hannah's backstory

- the impact and carbon footprint the wedding industry has

- how wedding vendors can learn to be more sustainable

- simple swaps couples can make to have a more eco-friendly wedding or event

In this episode, we connected with Kelly Lemon, a one-armed wedding and elopement photographer, inspirational speaker, and adventure seeker based in the Pacific Northwest.

You'll hear:

• all about Kelly's story, from the car accident that left her right arm permanently paralyzed to her passion for photography and determination to learn how to use a camera with one arm
• how Kelly felt after a teacher said "photography is a two-armed art" and overcame the challenge anyway
• surprising life lessons, like why we all should "just ask" or "just try" even if something might not work out
• how to talk with your couples when personal setbacks come up
• mindset, honesty, resiliency, health, and so much more!

In this episode, we invited Elizabeth (Liz) Mae of Embr Films to come on the show and share her story.

We talked about:

• her experience going through a divorce while working in the wedding industry
• the in-depth rebranding process for her videography company
• dealing with mental health challenges while still working to make your couples happy
• self-reflection and self-discovery
• being a part of the LGBTQ+ community + how other wedding pros can use more inclusive language
• ...and more!

In this episode you'll hear from our guest Katie Fletcher of Katie Fletcher Photography, based in Colorado.

We invited Katie on to the show to talk about:

• her experience working in the sustainability field
• how she brought values like sustainability and inclusion to the forefront of her photography brand
• how other wedding vendors can start being more sustainable in the industry to reduce waste
• practical tips on how other wedding pros can start weaving personal values into their own business

In this episode, you'll hear from both Kaitlyn and Kaylyn about values:

• why values are important to share as a small business (especially for us in the wedding industry)
• what our own values are as business owners + humans
• how we're bringing our values to the forefront of our businesses
• some initial thoughts/tips on how you can do the same

Introducing Outside the Frame Podcast with Kaitlyn of Skyewater Photo + Film and Kaylyn of Wandering Wildflower Films. In this premier episode, you'll hear:

• each of our unique stories
• how we got into the wedding industry
• where the idea of this podcast came from
• our "why" behind Outside the Frame
• and what you can expect from us on this podcast

Here on Outside the Frame, we're creating a supportive and meaningful space for a variety of voices to come on and chat with us about social and personal issues that impact wedding pros. Our hope is that collectively, we can bring more of ourselves and the things that matter to the forefront of our work in the wedding industry.

We hope this helps all of us be better humans in business and life, and that we can all gain a little more courage to focus our businesses around who we are and what we care about most.

Be sure to follow Outside the Frame to get access to all our future episodes as soon as they're released. We're so excited for you to join us on this journey.