Confessing this week: Hanomaly Photo

Summary

Our conversation explores the journey of becoming a photographer, the challenges of navigating business conversations, and the importance of understanding pricing and client education in the photography industry. We discuss personal experiences, industry trends, and the emotional aspects of photography, emphasizing the need for legitimacy in business practices and the balance between creativity and business constraints. We also explore the challenges and triumphs of photography, particularly in the context of weddings. We highlight the importance of authenticity, the need to unlearn structured approaches, and the journey to profitability in the creative industry. Our conversation also touches on the significance of making weddings personal and the value of finding one's unique voice in photography. Additionally, we share insights on what couples should prioritize in their wedding planning and the upcoming workshops designed to foster creativity and education in photography.

Takeaways

Navigating awkwardness is part of the business journey.

The journey to becoming a photographer involves overcoming self-doubt.

Industry trends can influence personal preferences in photography.

Understanding pricing is crucial for photographers.

Legitimacy in business enhances creativity and reduces anxiety.

Creative freedom can be stunted by business constraints.

Misconceptions about photography can lead to poor client experiences.

Handling difficult situations at weddings requires professionalism.

Client education is essential for setting realistic expectations.

Defining personal style is key to standing out in photography. It's hard to untrain people from a structured mentality.

Finding authenticity in photography is essential.

Profitability requires unlearning overthinking and scarcity.

Curated moments can sometimes feel inauthentic.

Lowering expectations can lead to exceeding them.

Weddings should be about the couple, not just aesthetics.

Creating a comfortable environment for clients is crucial.

Workshops should focus on personalized education.

Splurging on photography can enhance the overall experience.

Emotional deja vu is key to capturing genuine moments.

Keywords

photography, wedding photography, business, pricing, client education, emotional photography, industry trends, creative freedom, business legitimacy, misconceptions, photography, wedding, authenticity, profitability, workshops, creative process, unlearning, couples advice, curated moments, personal growth, Idaho Bride Magazine, Idaho Wedding Vendors, The Vendor Confessional, wedding vendor podcast

Here's where you can find us!- Saturday January 3rd - Spokane Bridal Expo at the @doubletree_spokane hosted by @swae_weddings - Booth 8 - DM Me for free tickets! 
- Saturday January 10th and Sunday January 11th - Spokane @bridalfest at the @spokaneccenter - We'll be at the @wed.ni and @Swae_weddings booths
- Saturday January 17th - Post Falls Bridal Tour hosted by @pfparksandrec - We'll be at the Trailhead Event Center
- Sunday January 25th - @nspirewedding Show at the @cdaresortweddings - TBD.
Links to Bridal Shows — https://linktr.ee/lilygarland?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bioLily Garland Coleman
[email protected]
www.lilygarland.com
@flowersbylilygarland
208.495.6680

This week on The Vendor Confessional Podcast we go behind the lens with BTS x Bridal - a boutique wedding content-creator who is redefining how couples capture their special day.

You’ll hear:

    •    What “behind-the-scenes” content creation actually means (think candid moments, raw emotion, and the real memories that photos sometimes miss)  

    •    Why BTS x Bridal offers next-day delivery of photos & video (iPhone + Super 8 film options) - perfect for couples who want instant keepsakes or social-ready content.  

    •    The client experience: preserving raw, intimate moments while allowing couples (and their guests) to stay present - no phone-handoffs or awkward Snap-sessions.  

    •    How this kind of “real wedding documentation” is changing the vendor + bride dynamic - and why more couples and vendors are leaning into authenticity over perfection.

Whether you’re a vendor, a planner, or a couple dreaming up your perfect day - this episode will give you a fresh perspective on documenting love as it happens.

Check them out at btsxbridal.com and listen now you might hear things you didn’t even know you needed.

The Vendor Confessional Podcast, the behind-the-scenes podcast for wedding vendors, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want the real story of the wedding industry - no filters, no fluff.

Hosted by the founder of Idaho Bride Magazine, this podcast features raw confessions, unfiltered industry truths, and proven business strategies from photographers, planners, venue owners, florists, designers, and top wedding professionals across the country.

Each season dives into:

    •    What it really takes to build a profitable wedding business

    •    Pricing, burnout, boundaries, and scaling

    •    Marketing, SEO, social media, and client experience

    •    Vendor drama, lessons learned, and growth stories

    •    How to stand out in a crowded wedding market

Whether you’re a new wedding vendor, a seasoned creative entrepreneur, or building your personal brand inside luxury weddings, The Vendor Confessional gives you the honesty, strategy, and confidence you won’t find in polished highlight reels.

The Vendor Confessional: Entrepreneurship, Family Dynamics, and the Realities of Wedding Business Life

Meta Description:

This week Ivy sits down with Kate from Rags Photography and Jason from Pro Photo Box & Hill Photography to discuss the challenges of entrepreneurship, family business dynamics, and work-life balance.

Takeaways:

- Entrepreneurs often work longer hours than traditional employees.

- The biggest misconception is that entrepreneurship is a smooth, predictable journey.

- Entrepreneurship involves massive emotional ups and downs.

- Working with family can be one of the hardest professional experiences.

- Balancing work and personal life is a constant challenge.

- An influx of clients can lead to feelings of isolation.

- Questioning one’s purpose during tough times is common.

- Using a planner can alleviate some stress in event planning.

- Family dynamics can complicate business relationships.

- Support from coordinators can make the entrepreneurial journey easier.

Show Notes:

In this episode of The Vendor Confessional, Ivy sits down with Kate of Rags Photography and Jason of Pro Photo Box & Hill Photography to unpack the realities of running a wedding business. They discuss common misconceptions about entrepreneurship, the emotional highs and lows that come with it, and the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance.

A portion of the conversation explores the complexities of working with family members in business, highlighting how personal relationships can add layers of difficulty. Guests also share actionable advice for managing client overload, staying grounded during emotional roller coasters, and leaning on support systems like planners and coordinators. This candid conversation is a must-listen for any wedding entrepreneur navigating both personal and professional challenges.

Keywords:

entrepreneurship, misconceptions, emotional challenges, family dynamics, work-life balance, The Vendor Confessional, Idaho Bride Magazine, Idaho Wedding, wedding vendors, Idaho vendors, Idaho Bride

If you enjoyed this episode of The Vendor Confessional, don’t miss a single conversation with Idaho’s top wedding vendors. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform to stay inspired and get insider tips for planning your dream wedding. We’d also love your feedback, leave us a review and share your favorite takeaways. Your support helps more couples discover our show and connect with the vendors who make weddings unforgettable.

Confessing this week.

Confessing this week: Gage Horne Studios

In this episode of The Vendor Confessional, host Ivy sits down with Connor, the talented nail artist and owner behind Claws by Connor, to talk about creativity, confidence, and connection in the beauty industry. Connor shares her inspiring story of building a successful nail business, the rise of custom nail art for weddings, and the balance between artistry and nail health. Together, Ivy and Connor explore how education, technique, and intuition shape both business and bridal beauty.

Perfect for brides-to-be, wedding vendors, and beauty professionals, this episode offers insight into the evolving trends in bridal nails, the realities of small business ownership, and how to build genuine client relationships in the wedding world.

Keywords for SEO:bridal nails, Idaho wedding vendors, nail art trends, small business podcast, beauty entrepreneur, wedding beauty, wedding nails, The Vendor Confessional, Idaho Bride

Originally Aired: 10/08/2025

Confessing This Week: Here's To UsMeet Sarah, the DJ and coordinator behind Here’s to Us LLC, where every timeline meets a perfect beat. Based in Idaho, Sarah brings her dual talents to wedding days that balance precision with pure fun. She’s the one cueing first dances, calming nerves, and keeping the dance floor alive long after the cake’s been cut.Her journey hasn’t been all smooth transitions. From navigating unexpected life happenings to reviving dead dance floors, Sarah’s learned that behind every effortless wedding is a hundred tiny adjustments no one ever sees. She’s seen cocktail hours turn magical with just the right playlist and witnessed how a DJ’s energy can shift an entire night.The turning point? Realizing that weddings aren’t about control, they’re about connection. Sarah started focusing less on perfection and more on manifesting positivity, building real relationships with vendors, and creating space for joy. Her blend of coordination and DJ services became a lesson in teamwork, authenticity, and collaboration over competition.For couples planning weddings in places like Coeur d’Alene or McCall, Sarah’s story is a reminder to trust your vendors and let the professionals set the tone. The right DJ doesn’t just play songs, they curate the atmosphere that holds the whole day together.Because every “perfect” wedding hides a few confessions, and Sarah’s spinning them all. Tune in, laugh a little, and if you’ve got a story worth telling, confess it. I am listening.

Confessing this week: Ever After Idaho.

Some people stumble into their calling, but for Miranda, owner of Ever After Idaho, wedding planning found her in the most personal way possible: through the messy, beautiful, and emotional journey of her daughter's own wedding. Now she spends her days calming jittery couples and transforming venues into immersive experiences where love stories come alive. With Ivy in the booth, Miranda opens up about the behind-the-scenes truths of an industry that is equal parts magical and chaotic.

Her path was not paved with perfectly arranged florals or flawless timelines. Miranda admits that family dynamics can be the trickiest detail of all, harder to manage than any seating chart or last-minute vendor cancellation. 

Misunderstandings happen, tempers flare, and unexpected curveballs like weather or missing rentals can throw even the best-laid plans into disarray. Yet it is in those moments, she explains, that the real stories are born, the kind couples laugh about later and remember forever.

One of Miranda’s biggest turning points was realizing that planning is not just about orchestrating an event. It is about guiding people through one of the most emotional experiences of their lives. She learned to balance empathy with professionalism, to adapt when the unexpected strikes, and to remind couples to fight for their vision instead of caving to outside pressures. That resilience, she says, is what makes the best planners more than coordinators. They are part coach, part therapist, and part magician. 

For couples tying the knot in places like the Treasure Valley, Miranda’s perspective is both grounding and inspiring. Her stories remind us that weddings are not supposed to be flawless. They are supposed to be personal. Rentals can elevate the aesthetic, but the most unforgettable moments often come from the unplanned. Her advice is simple: stay flexible, stay true to your vision, and trust the team that is there to bring it to life.

At the end of the day, Miranda’s confessional proves that weddings are more than one-night celebrations. They are emotional journeys that leave everyone changed, including the planner. And that is why her story matters: because behind every seamless celebration is someone who is quietly carrying the weight, adapting, and reminding us what it means to celebrate love. 

So consider this your invitation into the booth. Tune in to hear Miranda’s confessions, laugh at the chaos, and maybe rethink how you see the person holding the clipboard at your wedding.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/@thevendorconfessional

When it comes to weddings, everyone notices the flowers, the dress, or the venue. But what about the people who capture it all so the memories last longer than the cake? In this episode, host Ivy sits down with James from James Dallin Films to dive into the world of wedding videography and photography, revealing the stories and quirks behind the camera.

James’s journey is full of unexpected moments. From the caffeine rituals that keep vendors moving to the chaos of destination weddings in Idaho, he has seen it all. His perspective highlights just how much work goes into making everything look seamless for couples, even when timelines stretch thin, attire expectations vary, or surprise hiccups appear right before the vows.

What stands out most in James’s story is his focus on trust. Couples often overlook videography in favor of photography, but James reminds us that film captures emotion in a way still images cannot. He shares lessons on how couples can maximize their investment without breaking the bank, how trends sometimes prioritize social media over genuine memory-making, and why hiring a planner can make every vendor’s life easier.

For couples planning weddings in places like Boise, Sun Valley, Coeur d’Alene, or Stanley, James’s experiences are both relatable and practical. He shows how collaboration among Idaho vendors is shaping the industry, how pre-wedding rituals help everyone perform at their best, and how humor can turn funny mishaps into cherished memories. His confessional reminds us that behind every polished video is a hardworking team fueled by caffeine, grit, and a whole lot of passion.

James’s story matters because it reveals the human side of wedding media. It is not just about cameras or edits—it is about trust, connection, and honoring the fleeting moments that couples want to remember forever.

And here’s the confession: videographers like James might never tell you how much chaos, caffeine, or quick thinking went into your perfect highlight reel. But that’s why The Vendor Confessional exists. Tune in, laugh with us, and maybe even share your own behind-the-scenes story. Because in this industry, every vendor has a confession worth telling.