Some Wedding Photographer Business Insights

Recently I sat down with Jeremy Rivera on the Unscripted Small Business podcast to talk about my journey as business owner, my wedding photography business, and what it’s really like balancing it all.

What follows in this post is a written summary of our conversation. If you’re newly engaged and trying to figure out who this Terrence guy is behind the camera, this may help!

Creating a Wedding Photography Small Business

Jeremy started things off keenly, by simply asking who I am and what I do. So we’ll begin there…

I’m Terrence, the guy behind Terrence Irving Photography. I’m based in southeastern Connecticut, but I photograph weddings all over New England and beyond. I’ve had a camera in my hands since I was a kid thanks to my dad, who was always photographing and/or filming family events.

So my business officially started back in 2017. At that time, I was constantly driving around looking for picturesque locations, then selling with landscape prints on Etsy. Then someone asked, “Hey, can you take pictures of my toddler?” That turned into an engagement session. Then that couple asked me to photograph their wedding.

I was terrified. But I absolutely loved it.

The chaos, the timeline changes, the emotions, the challenge of having to be everywhere at once…it all clicked for me. I realized this wasn’t just a gig. This could be my thing.

Small Team, Big Ambition

On paper, my wedding photographer business is just me, a Black wedding photographer, a one-member LLC. In reality, I show up with a small team and a lot of gear. I’m also an engineer, so I’m the type who will absolutely bring backup cameras for my backup cameras.

With my photography style (which isn’t editorial), most weddings I photograph with an assistant, and many couples add a second photographer through me. I’ve documented everything from tiny two-person elopements with a Justice of the Peace, all the way up to 300-guest celebrations in big Rhode Island ballrooms and cozy New England spots like vineyards and lakeside inns. I love working with all kinds of couples and people who value diversity.

Whether it’s a 15-person micro wedding or a full ballroom blowout, my goal is the same: make sure you walk away saying, “We couldn’t have gotten this anywhere else.” So yeah, about more than just running a business as a wedding photographer.

Balancing Engineering, Family, and Weddings

Here’s an interesting twist: I still work a corporate engineering job. So when I talk about artistically-engineered wedding photography, I truly do mean it! The two halves of my brain work well together for my wedding work.

If I’m not at my 9–5 or hanging out with my family, I’m working on my couples’ weddings. And only a small slice of that is actually taking photos. The rest is editing, building timelines, answering emails, writing blog posts about venues, and making sure every couple feels taken care of.

One thing I believe strongly: if you’re paying thousands of dollars, you should hear from your photographer more than just a couple of times. I check in with my couples, help with timelines, do engagement sessions, and stay in touch afterwards. You’re never just a date on my calendar.

How Couples Find Me (and Why That Matters)

Most couples find me through my website, such as wedding venue blog posts, or word of mouth. I put a lot of effort into making my website good. Not in a cold, techy way, but in a “let me be genuinely helpful” way.

If you search for a venue, I want you to land on a post that actually helps you picture your day there and also shows you what I can do with that space. It’s marketing, yes, but it’s also me being a great candidate to become your wedding photographer because I know about that venue’s lighting, locations, and logistics.

Fun fact: I’ve even had couples find me through ChatGPT mentioning my name, which blows my mind a little. Jeremy and I had a cool discussion on that just before the seven-minute mark.

Where I’m Headed

Intentionally, I only photograph about 10–12 weddings a year. That lets me stay creative, present, and emotionally invested in every single one.

I’m not trying to build a giant studio with a dozen photographers. Rather, I’m trying to build long-term relationships with the couples who trust me with one of the biggest days of their lives.

Getting Noticed and Published

Getting published is cool sometimes! Here are a few of the places where my work has been picked up and/or where I’ve been listed over the years: