Buckle up, because this is a fun story (for me to share at least)! Let me start by saying, owning a business is hard. There are always so many things that go on behind the scenes that others never see. But, all the hard work is so worth it!
Here’s how it all began. It’s 2020 (yes the year our world was turned upside down, yet somehow also the year that sparked my newest endeavor). I’m super stressed and overwhelmed in the middle of nursing school. My then fiancé, now husband, Austin encourages me to find a hobby to help relieve stress. I had always enjoyed making videos of things I did with friends & family. So, I decided to invest in a handy-cam and start filming.
I decided I wanted to try and film weddings. But how do you start in an industry so large with such talented people? I didn’t let the overwhelming thoughts linger. I just knew I needed to start somewhere. My favorite quote I held on to while starting my business was “you do not have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” I had my younger sister, April, dress up as a bride & I created a short film of her. I made social media pages and I named my business Radiant Film NC. I chose Radiant Film because I wanted my films to bring happiness and joy as people watched them.
I got my first wedding opportunity a couple months later. I was fearful because I had no idea what I was doing, but excited to have this chance to get my foot in the door. I think I charged around $300 for the wedding. I filmed the entire day on handy-cam & a cheap borrowed camera from my twin sister, Monica. I edited the entire thing on iMovie and created a 4 minute highlight video. I look back at that film today and part of me cringes at things I see that I could have done so much better, but another part of me smiles, happy with the nostalgia of what my beginning was.
I knew nothing about weddings. I knew nothing about cameras. I knew very little about editing a film. I always thought I had to choose a job that was practical. Something I could do in Clinton, North Carolina that would provide me with decent income. I never thought being a wedding videographer was even an option as a career. At the time there were no wedding videographers specific to Clinton that I was aware of.
I finished out nursing school (barely). I failed with one semester to go in the RN program and dropped down to LPN, which I completed, and obtained my nursing license. I started full time working at Howerton Family Medicine as an LPN. I enjoyed it there, but my heart was with my wedding videography business. I chose nursing because it was practical, and what I thought the Lord had for my life. My business was more of a hobby to me. That is, until it wasn’t.
In 2020 I filmed 3 weddings. In 2021 I filmed 17 weddings. In 2022 I filmed 26 weddings. I knew after that year I could not do full time nursing and be a wedding videographer to the capacity I was. I had to make a choice. I love practicality and safety. I didn’t want to lose my nursing job, because what if wedding videographers were no longer needed one day? Nurses were always needed. I also worked WAY too hard for my license to just give that up. But people were interested in my work, and the business was there. I had built something, and I couldn’t just leave it behind.
So, after speaking with my husband, Austin, we decided full time videography and part time nursing would be best. Luckily I have some pretty amazing bosses, and the Howerton’s let me go part time at the doctors office. So, I now work there part time while I edit/ film weddings the other days of the week. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to follow my dream and do what I love. I never would have guessed this business would turn into what it is.
Let me wrap this blog up by being real. You may see my prices and think I am making a ton. If there’s one thing this business has done, it has given me a new appreciation for small business owners. I’m going to be 100% transparent here. I bring home roughly 20% of what I charge for a wedding. So, if a wedding is around $3,000-$4,000, I bring home around $600-$800 per wedding. This is for roughly 8-10 hours of work day of and around 40 hours of editing post wedding, not including the beforehand prep. You may ask how in the world are you only pocketing 20%?!? I’ll break it down. Roughly 40% is set aside for taxes (yes the government takes a ton and I pay them properly because I’m a rule follower and type A.) 10% goes the the Lord, because it’s His to begin with and He has blessed me abundantly. Around 10% goes towards paying my second shooters that help me day of. 10% goes towards investing back into the business for equipment upgrades, upkeep, etc. The last 10% goes towards retirement, which I guess you could say goes towards me, but it’s not in my hand now so I’m not counting it lol. This leave me with the 20% mentioned. Thankfully I have a supportive husband and I don’t have to be the breadwinner in the family. I have the opportunity to follow my dreams and do what makes me happy because of him. I am forever grateful to him for that blessing.
Success is not measured by the amount of money in your bank account, but by the true joy you have in life. The joy in your relationship with the Lord, the joy in your family, the joy in the friends you have, the joy in the career you are a part of. I’m not the richest business owner out there, but what I do truly brings me joy. It’s crazy to look at where I began and compare it to where I am now. I never would have imagined myself being where I am and this business being what it is now. I thought I knew what my life would be. Become a nurse, work my way up to a management position, maybe further my eduction, build a house, and have a cute little family. Never on my list was it: start a business. But the Lord knew what he was doing and what would bring me true joy and life. So, that’s how I started and that’s how I got to where I am today.
Images from a recet wedding at The Bradford.
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