It’s hard to believe that we’re already two months into 2019. So much happened in 2018, but I swear that Gregg and I blinked and the year was over!

This January marked our first full year as residents of Jasper Studios. Those of you who’ve visited our space, have experienced first-hand all the dreamy natural light that spills in through our soaring factory windows. That light was our “aha’ moment, the thing that made us realize this was where we wanted to be and it’s been a great source of day-to-day joy as well as an asset to our business. Thanks to this light-filled loft, we’ve been able to grow the studio photography arm of our business— we’ve hosted so many heartwarming family sessions and beautifully empowered boudoir sessions!

Outside the studio, there were plenty of weddings to photograph. We loved revisiting some of our favorite Philadelphia venues— Barley Sheaf, Glen Foerd, Waterworks, The Down Town Club, The Olde Bar, Cira Centre, Cairnwood, Appleford, Terrain, The Kimmel Center, The Union League, Pomme. And thanks to our wonderful couples, we also got to experience some new ones like Parque, Mallard Island Yacht Club, The Ashford Estate, and Ryland Inn. We even got to travel for a few gorgeous destination weddings! There was the fairytale fete in Boston at the Boston Public Library. The romantic and quintessentially “Cape Cod” wedding at The Wychmere Beach Club in Harwich Port. And our dear friend Sara, of Sara Rea Design, asked us to spend the weekend in Maine capturing her sublime coastal wedding in Bar Harbor!

Several of the weddings we photographed were featured in print and online. We’re so grateful to see our work included in the pages of publications like Philadelphia Wedding Magazine and The Knot as well as on the blogs we love to follow like Martha Stewart, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Chicks, Ruffled, Inspired By This, and more! Last year was also special because we saw a number of editorial features including a spread in the first issue of Modern Luxury and a feature in Philadelphia Wedding Magazine.

Of course, none of our what we do would be possible without the work of some of the best wedding pros in the industry. It’s always a privilege to document their amazing work at weddings and styled shoots. Our partnerships, our relationships, our friendships with these creatives mean the world to us and we carry immeasurable gratitude for this supportive and collaborative community!

We also feel a deep sense of love and appreciation for all of the amazing people who invite us into their lives. The people who trust us to document such significant milestones in their lives. There is awe and wonder in watching your stories unfold. To witness a couple’s families grow— to capture images of an engagement session, a wedding, and then a newborn session— is truly amazing.

Perhaps most of all, we have to say an enormous thank you to our team! Gabby, who’s been with us for more than 7 years, has continued to impress us with her dedication to our clients and it has been wonderful to see her work flourish. As we’ve expanded with our new studio, Lauri has stepped up to help us take on the increasing number of family sessions. We feel so lucky to have this Mama of three whose heartfelt approach is such a wonderful asset. So many of you know Nick, who is frequently my second shooter at weddings and invariably brings out the biggest smiles and laughs in our clients and their guests. We get so much feedback about how much you guys love him, and we totally get it— we love him too!

We’ve also had a number of new folks join the Emily Wren Photography family. Anais joined us as an intern last year and is now our new studio assistant. We also had four new associate photographers join the team in 2018— Haley, Matt, Ashley, and Sarah. You’ve seen some of their work featured on the Associate’s Instagram and you’ll continue to see more in 2019! And we did say goodbye to one member of the family— our studio assistant, Jess. While we’re sad to see her go, we’re thrilled to share that she’s pursuing a full-time role as a wedding planner with our friends at Clover Event Co and we look forward to working with her in this new capacity!

2018, what an incredible year! There were so many spectacular moments, and the thrill of bearing witness to all of the happy occasions continues to be an unending source of wonder and satisfaction. It’s impossible to choose favorites because each milestone is so uniquely personal and carries its own incomparable beauty. As we continue on into 2019, we look forward to giving our very best, collaborating with incredible wedding pros, and getting to know our new and remarkable couples!