Emily Dean Photography » Lifestyle & Family Photographer | Based in Birmingham, Alabama

We’ve been friends since the 8th grade.

I’ll never forget the moment she walked into the gym with that bleach blonde hair teased up a mile high, wearing scrunched athletic socks with birkenstock sandals.  All the girls thought “Hmph. Who’s the NEW girl??”

“I’m Kim…I’m from Muscle Shooooals,” she said in that deep country drawl.

Little did I know that new girl would become a sister to me…my best friend.  We were attached at the hip.  We would talk for hours on the phone the way only 13 year old girls can do & pass notes in class that said things like “for your eyes only” and “hey! what’s up? not much here” while sitting only a few feet away from each other.  I still get tickled every time I think about the 1st time she spent the night at my house and my sister walked into the bathroom to find me dying Kim’s hair for a modeling interview the next day.

We’ve been through everything together.  The highest highs, the lowest lows, the worst of the worst and the best of the best.  We moved out together at 18 years old and were roommates until she got married 5 years later.  I cried like a lunatic on her wedding day because, even though I was incredibly happy for her, I knew things were changing….and oh boy, did they ever change! Not between us, but for her life in every amazing way possible.

We are still the best of friends and I don’t ever imagine that changing.  Even though we don’t see each other nearly enough, she is my sister…my family…we will always be a part of each other’s lives, no doubt about it.

Kim amazes me.  I am so proud of her and the woman she has become.  I stare in disbelief at her strength & courage and am in awe.  God has worked in her life in such an incredible way.  Kim and her husband, Josh, recently adopted 2 adorable little boys from Sonrise Baby Home in Uganda, adding to their already full house of 3 little girls.  Some people might think they’re crazy, but I just think they’re incredible.  They’ve opened up their hearts to the love God has for them & they’re sharing that love all over the world.

If you would like to read more about their journey, as well as the amazing mission work they continue to do in Uganda, you should check out their blog here.

Meanwhile, take a look at my incredible friends, Josh & Kim Moody and their amazing, beautiful, hilarious & rambunctious crew.

(Ella & Avery~twins, 8 years old; Addi~5 years old; Steven~3 years old & Mark~2 years old)

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Last year, when I decided to give this whole photography business thing a try, I made a list.  I listed all of the things that I needed to do, fundamentally, to start a business.  Things like get a business license, open a separate bank account, write a business plan, a marketing plan, a mission statement, a vision statement, blah, blah, BLAH!  Then, I made another list.  A list of things I needed to do, creatively, to start a busisness.  Things like create a website, start a blog, curate my online portfolio, etc, etc, etc.  At the end of the year, I looked back at that list & I’ll give you 1 guess what got done & what didn’t.

I’m pretty embarrassed about it & I can’t believe I’m telling all of you, but there it is.  I put off all of the scary stuff because it’s…well, SCARY, and then one day I woke up in a panic, thinking “Why haven’t I done ANY OF THAT STUFF?!!?”

I’m going to fail miserably if I continue to put off the not-so-fun things all of the time.  It’s never going to work if I keep hiding from the things that terrify me.  I might as well quit right now if I’m not going to grow a pair {that’s right…you can imagine that to mean whatever you want ;)} and start doing what I gotta do in order to do what I wanna do.

So, this month, I have dedicated myself to the scary stuff.  I’ve given myself a deadline & I’ve committed to doing all of the things that should’ve been done months ago.  So far, I’m on a roll.  I’ve finished all of the legal mumbo-jumbo & am almost ready to file my taxes {UGH!}.  Next up: write a business plan, a marketing plan, a mission statement, a vision statement, blah, blah, YEAH!

Luckily, I’ve found some pretty amazing resources & friends to guide me along the way.  Jasmine Star’s reSTARt course was just the kick in the pants I needed & Lara Casey’s Making Things Happen 2013 is helping me put it all into perspective.  WHEW!  So thankful for these ladies and their amazing talents & willingness to share their knowledge so freely.

Look out scary stuff…you’re not so scary anymore.

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Clearly, that is me…not being afraid of the scary stuff.

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Over the past year I’ve spent a lot of time on the internet looking for inspiration.  Not just photography inspiration, but mostly photography inspiration and what I’ve discovered is that I LOVE WEDDINGS.  I’m constantly drawn to lovely images of brides with thick bouquets of ivory & blush or vibrant sprays of hot pink, orange, green & purple.  I love the intricate, vintage-inspired details as well as the elaborate sparkly, crystal tablescapes.  I swoon over intimate, romantic, candle-lit ceremonies and get excited to see a unique and vibrant celebration.

Basically, I love it all & I love looking at and reading wedding blogs.  They always showcase the most gorgeous images & provide the most amazing inspiration and advice for all of you brides-to-be out there!  Since I’ve noticed a huge influx of newly engaged couples lately, I thought I would share my favorite wedding blogs with you to help start your planning off on a fabulous foot!

 

If you’re planning a wedding, you should definitely check a few of these out…they’re fabulous and will be sure to give you tons of inspiration and tips for planning your big day…and if you need a photographer, wellll….I might know one 😉

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Yesterday I told y’all about the 10 step process I’m working on to help me Make things Happen in & plan for 2013.  Well, part of that process is listing out all of the things that I am grateful for.  I have a pretty long list, but the #1 thing I am thankful for is my family.  They are the best & the most supportive & I couldn’t do this without them.

I’m so grateful.

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above: My sister Libby and niece Ellie…they live in Jacksonville, FL so we often get cute self portraits like these via text message 🙂

below: Me and my brother Sam…we’re the hilarious ones of the family.

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Me and Sam…again…& Me and Ellie

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Aunt Bannie (aka Sanny Canny) and sweet Mamaw Dean (I’m named after her!) LOVE THEM!

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Apparently Sam and I like to have our picture taken together….a lot.

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Happy Days from the Nathews’! (Me, Dad, Aunt Bannie, Mamaw Dean, Sam & Papaw Zane (He is 91 years old…looking good!!)

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Me & Ellie at Chipotle…and now I want Chipotle.   Mom chillaxin’ in the gorgeous water of Seagrove, FL.

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Me with my sister & brother-in-law on New Year’s Eve…party animals.

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Mom & kids!  I’m probably going to get yelled at for posting this picture….but, I’m ok with it because it’s not often that I’m allowed to take pictures of my mom or my sister and I think we should be taking pictures like this every time we are together, no matter what we think we look like.  Life is too short and images like this should be cherished.  Amen.  The End.

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Siblings fun day.  (Minus the eldest sister, Libby because she’s taking the photo)…Me, Calyn, Bailey, Sam and our niece, Ellie bo bellie!  And, me and Calyn (aka Tootie) rockin’ the ‘stache!

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Well, that’s us.  My family is awesome and now you know it too!!

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