Hello, thank you for stopping in to celebrate with me. If you are reading this, you are one of the reasons my business is growing and I am finding success chasing my big dream! THANK YOU! Relationships are why businesses like mine grow, and I can trace back every wedding I have ever shot to a friend (other than that one I booked from Instagram…that was just a lucky fluke). Seriously though, I am so grateful for the people who have allowed me to serve and love them and who then turned around and loved me by referring their friends. You Rock!

Today, I am celebrating two years of business! Sara Touchet Photography finally became real June 5th 2015 on the day I walked out of the classroom forever. It was the most difficult decision I had ever made. I was a high school English teacher and I LOVED my students, but I was exhausted, stressed, and sick all the time (like many teachers), and I was shooting weddings on the weekends as well. I was maxed and felt like a failure. Through meeting with other creatives that worked full-time, I found the guts to leave the classroom and pursue my dream of being a wedding photographer full-time. My life is radically different now! Below are some reflections on the year and my plans for the next!

 

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR?

Business Happenings:

·       I am one booking away from DOUBLING my weddings from last year! Oh and last year was a doubling from ALL the years before combined! Praise God!!! I am in constant awe as my calendar fills up. Running your own business is scary, but God constantly provides with the sweetest couples!

·       Because of my A-mazing couples, I was able to donate over $1000 to the Mount Moriah Children’s Home in Uganda. I am hoping to be able to donate even more over the next year!

·       I have refined the kinds of photos that I do. I am now specializing in weddings and couples, which is what brings me the most joy. Photographing couples is where I find the most creativity and passion in my work; however, I have a new genre that I will be revealing sometime soon that is really different. It will be something I probably don’t do as much as weddings, but…well, just a hint: Ladies will love it! It ties into my passion for making people feel loved and beautiful.

 

·       I am set to finish my Business/Photography program by the end of September. I am really excited to finally be finished. I have learned a great deal and it has changed everything about my business and how I shoot. 

·       Lastly, I was published by a blog this spring. Getting published was one of my goals from last year. LINK HERE

Personal Happenings:

•  I GOT MARRIED!!!! Yes, my handsome Indian prince put a ring on it and vowed (in the funniest way) to love me forever. I finally trapped him! Just kidding….but seriously. Being married is the most fun I have ever had. Natraj is an amazing husband and doing life with him is really my favorite adventure. I have been so blessed that the man that was just what I needed pursued and pursues me. God is so good!

• We moved into my parent’s home because they are moving to Africa! My parents and three siblings are moving to Uganda in July and will be living in the Mount Moriah Children’s Home with the orphans. Loving on them and making sure their needs are met. I am so proud of them for their obedience to give up their American lifestyle and go live in Uganda. They call themselves Team Touchet. Please check out their website to read more about their story HERE. Them leaving is the hardest thing I have ever experienced. We are a really tight family. I am sure I will blog more about this in the future. 

 

• ALSO…I turn 30 next month!!!! I feel so old and so young at the same time. I think that is what your 30’s are like in general, so I am starting early.

It has been an incredible year and I cannot wait to see what happens this next year. I believe in setting goals and living your life on purpose. I am maxing every moment I have on this planet, so with that in mind…

Here are some goals for next year:

Business

• Love on my clients even more! I have some fun ideas I am going to be implementing.
• REBRAND my entire business. I am SO excited to reveal the makeover of my website and logos
• Blog at least 3 times a month, but shoot for once a week.
• Print my bridal guides in magazine form for each of my brides.
• Book 4 MORE weddings than I did this year!
• Share and shoot the new genre (I am real excited about this one!).
• Raise more money for the orphans in Uganda as well as my family who is serving them.

Personal

• Learn to cook a little better…for my husband’s sake. 
• Manage my stress better by doing yoga and exercising more
• Spend more time reading the bible 
• Completely finish unpacking the boxes in our house
• Spend more time loving on people and building relationships
• Learn how to live life when the people I love are on the other side of the planet with spotty wifi.

 

Thank you for participating and supporting me as I chase my dreams. I am forever grateful! 

Here we go year 3!!!!