We are a husband and wife wedding photography team in York, PA but where did it start? Well, that is what today’s post is all about! My business started in college. All through college I began photographing friends and family and people slowly began hiring me and then one day, the wedding invitation came. I was working with a consultant who had a friend who was OK hiring a college girl with NO EXPERIENCE to shoot her wedding. Yes, this lovely woman was brave and super kind. I had barely assisted but had done lots of sessions myself so I went for it, and it was great. What made it so great?! Peter!
Peter came with me for the 3 hour car ride, to hold my stuff during the wedding day, and keep me company. All through out the reception people kept saying, “Wow, this can’t be your first wedding, we really like you, you are fun!” Then the photos came and the bride and groom were very pleased. I felt a burst of motivation and started doing friends weddings and it has grown from there. Peter came along and started second shooting with the groom getting ready and some of the ceremony, at first it fit well for us but it was still MY business. We got married right after college (3 years after starting shooting) and that is when I hit a dead end. To be exact, it was tax season and I imploded. Peter to the rescue! He started going through my accounting COUGH and realized this was not my gift. AMEN! Now, Peter is very smart and academic and enjoys the challenge of numbers which I do not. He also understands taxes and banking and, I do not. If I had to, I could learn it but Peter stepped in and became my “finance guy” and it was a great choice for everyone. The year went on rocky because it was still MY business with my husband as my non-paid employee.
2.5 years ago I felt God really speaking to me about taking my business in a new direction. We were in York, PA and loved the area but felt there was a great opportunity so, new name, new look, and new philosophy. What made it so new you ask? Well, primarily in our hearts it would be OURS. My old business name was Leigh K.M. (yeh, I know it doesn’t flow, no one can pronounce it, and people say “lee-kum” instead of Leigh K M.) well, no one can say my name anyway, by the way it is pronounced LEE, not LEEA… sorry, off my name soap box. So we decided since I was the one primarily communicating with the clients, doing portrait sessions, and began it, it should stay Leigh BUT we changed to Leigh G, got a new logo, and became an official husband and wife team.
SO, what does Peter DO?! Peter is our business manager and my wedding 2nd shooter. We don’t charge our clients extra for having both of us which they love AND I get to work beside my husband all day :). Peter takes care of all of our accounting, booking, taxes, and manages our client database. He also orders supplies, equipment, manages our file backups and computers, cleans and packs our equipment, AND drives me to weddings. Ok, now before you role your eyes, Peter would much prefer driving because he says I am a led foot, NOT TRUE …well maybe ;), BUT it allows me to review schedules before the wedding on our way.
I am so grateful for my husband, beyond grateful. I hear from so many lady photographers who are shocked that Peter is willingly my business partner and I have to say, it’s the only way we could do it. With us both working full time jobs in addition to our business I would not have a life and the quality of our work would suffer. We have had the most amazing year and an incredible 2016 ahead of us because we stand together Mr. and Mrs. Grames! SO, how did it happen – I had to ask him for his help. I had to delegate to Peter and let him own processes. For example, Peter sets up all of our lighting and is the primary shooter for most of the reception because he is so great at lighting. He also shoots family formals while I greet the families, group them with our family formal list, pose, and straighten bouquets ;).
Overall, Leigh G Photography is both of us and I can’t ever seeing it being just Leigh or Peter. As York wedding photographers we are a package deal and I am so, so glad because we wouldn’t want to do it any other way!
Enjoy some behind-the-scenes images of a few weddings together from 2015!
So we photo bomb each other…and brides!
So Here I go testing light with Peter is testing light…that star burst is allllll his awesome skills. Love it!
Corey ROCKS the english gentleman face! Straighten that bowtie sr.!
That list in his hand is the way family formals goes on without a hitch! He is ready!
HAHA…I had to post this because this is aDJ from this season but we are shooting his daughters wedding this year so now he is a father of the bride. ha!
“So we are cutting cake is 2 mins” geesh…so unattractive.
SO, I LOVE my Kelly Moore bag and this blue dress HA. I didn’t realize how much I wear it until this post. It is SO comfortable :). p.s. the dress is from Old Navy!
So do you think it would better here or…
HERE? we did both AND Peter killed his model face and look down the ground on the side 😉 
I was telling them a joke NOT bossing them around promise ;). Amy, thanks for being entertained hehe…
OK, It’s raining BUT this is going to be great pep talk time!
PROOF! Peter shoots formal and I have the list. We have upgraded from paper to the tables oOooo…thanks business manager haha…
Ring around the family…
hehe…
So, true story, I had a bride book us that attending this wedding and she loved that we were prepared because I wore rain boots. HA! Ladies, DO NOT wear rain boots without socks – you will get blisters 🙁 BUT your feet will be dry!
So we had a lot of rain this year and it was perfectly fine because Peter held umbrellas over me outdoors for pics, THANK YOU HONEY!!!
Kelly Moore bag promo?!
And lastly, I LOVE TO DANCE! I dance at every wedding, seriously… see you on the dance floor!
