As many of you know, MJP has been in search of a new office manager for a number of months. To be completely honest, it has been a tough and emotional road for me. I have come to rely so heavily on Sara over the past 3 1/2 years and it was so hard for me to imagine replacing her. Sara has helped grow MJP into what it is today and as many of you know who have had the opportunity to work with her in some capacity -- she wears MANY hats. And she wears them all with a cute smile on her face, always giving her best effort to each task, and caring for the people she comes in contact with well. She is so special to me and will be GREATLY missed in the office.
But I'm SO excited to announce that we have found a new, brilliant office manager to take the torch from Sara and forge new paths that are undoubtedly in MJP's future. I'm SO thrilled to introduce you all to Alaine! I could go on an on about both Sara and Alaine, but I thought it would be better to hand over the blog to them for this torch-passing ceremony. So here we go, starting with a note from Sara:
I’m going to try to do this without crying. Ha.
When I first started working for Melissa 3 1/2 years ago, I was lost but motivated. I never expected she’d offer me a job that day I asked her out to lunch. I just wanted to pick her brain and seek advice, like so many photographers do. But in that moment, sitting across the table from her, I felt my world shift. I no longer felt lost and was beyond excited for the future. At one point, I even told MJ that this was a dream job. And it was. It still is.
Which is why this is so difficult for me. I have loved working for Melissa and with all of our amazing associates. I feel so connected & intertwined, proud & accomplished for all the changes & growth we’ve made over the years. But unfortunately, I never had any intention of working in the wedding industry long-term. I am a strong believer in taking risks and not living your life in fear. It’s never easy, especially when you’re comfortable & valued as much as I have been. But it’s a necessity in life if you want to continue growing. There are other passions that I feel compelled to pursue – the kinds of passions you lose sleep over because you can’t stop thinking about them. And you can only ignore those feelings for so long before they start to consume you.
The first time I shared these feelings with Melissa, I cried. And those weren’t the only tears I’ve shed throughout this transition, because how do you leave a job you love so much only to pursue the unknown? How do you let go when you’ve been so connected and intertwined for so long? It’s just a job, right?
No - it’s not just a job. And I guess that’s what makes this different from any other job I’ve had before. Melissa has become family to me – an older sister that I look up to and have tried so hard to emulate. She has given me endless advice – both personally and professionally – and she’s been there for me during some pretty tough times. But at the end of the day, I have to be true to myself – be myself – and listen to my heart’s desire for a new journey.
I’m beyond thankful for these past 3 1/2 years. I have learned more than my brain could hold at times, haha. I felt incredibly valued and appreciated. And even though the day-to-day has always just been MJ and I in the office, I’ve had the great pleasure of working alongside and building friendships with SO many wonderful human beings – from our associates, wedding vendors, sponsors, workshop attendees, to the photography community as a whole – but most importantly, our clients. It has been an absolute honor getting to know all of you!
To our current clients, whose weddings I will not be here to experience, I wish you all my very best!! And I promise I'm leaving you in good hands! I’m super proud to be passing the torch to one of the most thoughtful, most understanding, and best of all, most bubbly personalities I've had the pleasure to meet! I’ve taken everything in my brain and given it to her. Mix that with her own amazing skill-set and background, and she’s been a dream to train! I trust that she will, without a doubt, take great care of all your needs.
With that said, I'm SO happy to introduce to you MJP's new office manager, Alaine! To help you get to know her a bit better, we decided to do a fun little Q&A session:
Hi Alaine! So I'm sure everyone is curious to know - how did you get connect to Melissa?
Hi! Well, a few months ago, Kindra Hall, a college friend/previous co-worker of mine, knew I was looking for a new opportunity, and texted me with a link to Melissa's blog post about her ongoing search for an office manager. I'd admired Melissa's photography for years (ever since Kindra & Michael's wedding, in fact), so I looked into it. A flurry of emails and a lunch meeting later, and I was pretty sure I'd found a great place to work ... one that has cool people to connect with, gorgeous pictures to work with, and a cute dog to play with. Who wouldn't love that?!
Aww, agreed!! Do you have a background in photography?
Not at all! I'm one of those people who doesn't even own a camera; I have to rely on my phone for capturing important moments. My degrees are actually in Communication Studies, and my previous work experience hasn't gone near the wedding or photography industries. So this is a whole new world for me! Luckily, you have been working hard to get me up to speed, and Melissa is great with explaining her business and brand. It's exciting to be learning so much, and I'm touched to be trusted with such an important role.
Because you're now surrounded by all things wedding related, I must ask - are you married yourself?
I am! My husband Michael and I have been together since high school. He helped me make friends when I was the new kid in my junior year, and then he sent me flowers and asked me to prom. That was over 19 years ago. We have one son, Gabriel, who will be turning 16 soon. He enjoys being taller than I am waaaay too much. If you ever hear me say "my boys," I'm referring to Michael and Gabriel.
What do you do when you're not working with Melissa?
I read a whole lot. I have a lifelong love of fairy tales, mysteries, and historical novels. I even write my own tales of derring-do! I enjoy crafting resin jewelry, talking with friends, and roaming the Valley with my husband and son. And I spend way more time than the average woman decorating my nails with different colors and designs. They're like ten little canvases that I take with me everywhere. So fun to paint!
What are three interesting things about yourself that people wouldn't guess just by meeting you?
Ooh, difficult! Three interesting things about me:
1. I was born in Germany. My dad was stationed at Rhein Main Air Force Base, but I was born in Wiesbaden. When I was 14, we moved back to Germany, so I spent two years attending Frankfurt American High School. It was amazing! My swim team went to Italy and Belgium, and my drama club went to London. It's been two decades, and I'm still astounded by how huge America is in comparison to most European countries!
2. I worked at Walt Disney World after high school instead of going straight to college. It was such a good choice for my first "grown up" job! I learned tons about customer service. There was a lot of job flexibility, so I got to transfer around to different parts of the resorts. And there was a real sense of community; my husband and I still meet up with one of our Disney co-workers in California every year. Most importantly, it taught me the crucial skills of drawing Mickey Mouse's face and forging his signature. :)
3. I am the queen of no-sew family costumes! My husband, son, and I dress up together for Halloween every year, and sometimes for geeky occasions like Phoenix Comicon. If you ever desperately need to sculpt a platypus bill mask, I'm your girl! From Jedi to comic book villains to cereal box mascots, we have had a blast creating our costumes together every year.
This is MJ again! See what I mean -- SO talented. Costumes and Mickey Mouse's signature. I hit the jackpot -- haha! No, but seriously, Alaine has been training with us for 6 weeks now and she has impressed me so much. She has tackled every task put in front of her and picked them up much more quickly than I could have asked for someone who has not been in the photography or wedding industry before. She's already a color-correcting pro! And she is so kind-spirited. I can't wait for our clients to get to know her!
Sara, I have been so blessed to have you on my team for the past 3+ years! Thank you for your friendship and everything you've done to make MJP a success! And Alaine -- welcome!! I'm thrilled to have you join our team and can't wait to see what the future holds for us!
This is the top of my monthly e-newsletter that I sent out in June. We send these out at the end of each month to re-cap what has happened in the past month at Melissa Jill Photography.
For the past 8 years I have blogged an average of 3-4 times per week. I put a TON of work into my blog. And it's well worth it -- blogging has done wonders for my business. I've taught entire workshops on how valuable it is. But only about 50% of Americans read blogs. How do we as photographers reach out to those who aren't in the habit of following blogs and keep them connected and engaged with our brands?
The monthly e-newsletter is a great solution. It's my way of delivering the goodness of my blog in a pretty little package straight into their inbox. I've been sending out monthly newsletters for 7 years now and I still get people commenting on a monthly basis that they receive them and love them. This simple tool is SO valuable for keeping you and your business at the forefront of people's minds.
If you're a photographer, it may seem like just one more thing to add to your list of things to do. But here's the secret: There is no unique content in my newsletters. It's all basically copied and pasted from my blog posts that month. So people who read my blog on a regular basis will be bored. But, it's not intended for them. It's intended for the people who DON'T read my blog.
Throughout the newsletter, I give small teasers along with beautiful images, all intended to entice the reader to click on the links that direct them to the full posts on my blog. My hope is that they catch up on my blog once a month and then find themselves checking in on the blog on their own -- without the nudge of the newsletter. It's all about creating blog readers and customer evangelists out of those who have shown interest in me and my business.
There are a number of great e-newsletter services out there. We have used Constant Contact and Emma in the past, but currently use Infusionsoft -- and really love it. The great thing about Infusionsoft is that it does SO MUCH more than just email newsletters -- it's a super powerful tool that I'll try to share more about in the future. Infusionsoft allows you to easily format your email newsletters to fit your branding. All of these services help you organize your database and also make it easy for people to opt-out of receiving your emails if they'd like.
If you don't already do so, I'd highly recommend sending out a monthly newsletter. It's a great thing to do to maximize the reach of your blog, build your brand and increase and solidify your network. If you'd like to sign up to receive my monthly newsletter, you can do so here!
One of my talented associate photographers, Tina, recently shot a beautiful Pakistani wedding that I love and I'm so excited to share it with you! Doug and Asma were married at the beautiful Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale and I love how Tina captured their day! A huge thank-you goes to Monica McQueen of Tres Chic Weddings and Events for the amazing job planning this gorgeous event.
Here are some of my favorite photos:
Such a fun day! Great job Tina!
To find out more about our associate program and see more of Tina, Michelle, Mary, Janelle, and Rachel's work, click here. If you are interested in hiring one of them for your upcoming wedding, please fill out our contact form!
I am going to be in the San Diego/Coronado area next week from July 15-19th and I am opening up a limited number of beach portrait sessions and mini sessions! If you're going to be in the area, and want to celebrate your love with a couples shoot, get updated photos with your kids, or even include fido, I would love to help you capture some one-of-a-kind memories that you can cherish forever!
Full sessions start at $500 and mini-sessions begin at $250. Please email me at melissa@melissajill.com for more details and to schedule your session!
Frivolous: playful, lighthearted, trivial; the little things in life that should be savored.
Highlight of the week: Worshiping God in the mountains of Colorado at Deep Camp. This was my second year in a row heading up there and it was beyond amazing once again! I felt so blessed to be surrounded by people who love the Lord so deeply and I walked away thirsting for more of Him.
Yes, I did this:
1 -- Stepped foot in three states in the span of four days.
2 -- Facetimed Dixie
3 -- Ate WAY too much camp food.
Celebrating: Exciting times ahead! This week I hammered out a new brand and the bulk of a new website design in 2 days flat with the help of Promise Tangeman & the Sitehouse team. The website still needs to be coded, but I CAN'T WAIT to unveil it to you!! Here's a small hint: It's SO different than what I have now. Everything is changing. Can't wait to share!
While I was in California, I got to snuggle on Parker, Promise's Goldendoodle. He is SO cute, but SO different than Dixie. I finally got him to sit still so I could pet him for a minute. I wish I had even a fraction of his energy and vertical leap! What a character! We bonded over some fun walks and games of fetch. I am SUCH a dog-lover and it never ceases to amaze me what unique personalities each dog has.
Feeling Blessed: Happy 4th of July everyone! How blessed are we to live in a country that values freedom so highly? I'm thankful for the many men and women who have made great sacrifices for what we enjoy today. Hope you all have fabulous weekends full of fireworks, family time, BBQs and rest!
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