05/17/2026
Today I am “that” mom.
The one who waited until the last minute to schedule family photos. The one who pushed it right to the deadline. The one who gave wardrobe directions to my adult children and their significant others… but somehow forgot to figure out outfits for myself and my husband in the middle of the chaos of everyday life.
For the last 24 hours I have been stressing over clothes. My vision was soft neutrals, blush, sage, tan… easy, right? Except my husband and I mostly wear basic colors, and I practically live in black. This morning I was tearing apart my closet, completely overwhelmed, convinced these photos were going to be ruined because our outfits did not perfectly come together.
And then I was reminded of something I have told clients for years.
It is not about the outfit. It is not about the perfect location. It is not about everything matching flawlessly.
It is about the moment.
Tomorrow we take my youngest child to be sworn into the United States Marine Corps. Today is our last full family day together before life changes again. Between busy schedules, work, and him trying to squeeze in as many memories and adventures as possible before he leaves, today is simply about being together.
My husband. My children. Their significant others.
Our family.
And suddenly none of the outfit stress mattered anymore.
Years from now, I will not look back at these photos and think, “I wish we matched better.” I will not hide them because someone wore the wrong shade or because we looked a little imperfect. What I will see are the people I love most in this world, frozen in a moment that mattered.
So this is your reminder from a photographer who needed to take her own advice today:
Do not wait for the perfect outfits.
Do not wait until you lose 20 pounds.
Do not wait for the perfect location or perfect timing.
Just take the pictures.
Because in the end, the only thing that truly matters is the people in them. ❤️
