Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Addy Lehman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Addy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
It was the summer of 2020, I had somewhat just finished my freshman year of college in the midst of a global pandemic. I was living with my best friend in a small winnebago 5th wheel- The “Minnie Winnie” if you will, that sat in the front yard of a beautiful home located in a quant mountain town. Occasionally the ever so daunting question, “what am I going to do with my life” would come to mind but aside from that I was living in bliss. I spent my days on the river and evenings on my mountain bike.
Re wind to when I was 14- My family got a go-pro and I brought it everywhere. I was hooked on capturing moments and turning them into what felt like a movie of my life. Family ski trips, concerts, pool parties, everything. It was a big creative outlet for me throughout high school. Eventually I had a family friend ask if I could video her wedding and yes, you guessed it, I filmed it on the go pro ( and that’s on “you gotta start somewhere” !!) This was when the idea of becoming a “Wedding Videographer” fell into the realm of possibilities. I think from that point on it was my dream job but I pushed it to the side, not knowing when or how to get there or if it was even attainable.
Finding a college was no walk in the park and in heinsite that was probably due to not needing a degree for the carrier I chose. I made a last minute choice (like a 2 weeks notice last minute choice) to ditch my plan of going to play college basketball for a school in Virginia to instead attending a university in western Colorado and studying film. As soon as I made this decision I immediately googled wedding planners in the area, sent them the 2 wedding videos I had and informed them I was an aspiring videographer new to the valley. My first semester of college consisted of filming a beautiful wedding in Crested Butte, CO, driving to Salt Lake City, UT to shadow a wedding videographer, becoming a lift operator (aka lifty) at mt. crested butte, and fighting with everything I had to stay awake for an entire lecture. And second semester a global pandemic! Basically I knew something had to change and I really began to feel that as that blissful summer I mentioned earlier was coming to an end.
after taking mentoring courses from a wedding videographer, I felt like I had all the tools in my back pocket at that point to become one. I just did not feel capable of taking the big jump of dropping out of college to pursue a carrier as a creative. I began feeling lost and like I needed direction and I needed it fast!
This is when I experienced the goodness of God and just how close he is to us. A rainy day in August, I’m crying in the cute little camper I call home, staring out the window at this giant beautiful mountain, feeling small and lost. And I cried out to the Lord for direction. I then proceeded to pick up a pin and paper and map out a 3 month plan on launching this business start to finish. I stood to my feet, began pacing back and forth saying out loud “My name is Addy and I am a Colorado wedding videographer” and I would then proceed to recite it those next 3 months until it came true.
I moved back home for those 3 months and set the goal of launching, what was at the time called “Addy Mullin Film Co.” in October of 2020. I took out a loan to buy a camera and began building my portfolio. I did this by reaching out to numerous couples and photographers and offering my service for free. I was very fortunate in that I had a handful of couples allow me to video their wedding as well as many photographers that allowed me to join in on their sessions and elopements. I think this is the key to getting started in anything as a creative- offering your service for free. It obviously is not ideal but it is the quickest way to build a portfolio and gain experience. If I wasn’t in my room editing or driving on I-70 back and forth between Colorado and Kansas, I was on my knees praying that all this would actually work. I remember this season of life being hard. I missed my friends. I felt alone and honestly the fear of it not working out lingered over me. But I pressed on and I prayed, I held onto hope and I continued speaking affirmations over myself.
October rolled around and there it all was infront of me. My website, head shots, pricing and packages, and a portfolio I was so proud of, all launched onto the internet for the world to see. I remember receiving my very first inquiry and jumping for joy thanking God. Then the next and the next and the next.
I filmed 36 weddings across Colorado that first year. Walking into every venue introducing myself- “Hello, Im Addy, the wedding videographer”. It quickly became my reality. A reality that I am so grateful for.
Since then I have filmed 117 weddings, gotten married, and built a home far out in the country. It has not always been easy and there was a time where I did expierince major burnout. I even stepped away from it all for a while but I learned that distance truly does make the heart grow fonder because I missed it all terribly. Every wedding brings a strong sense of adventure and that’s what I missed the most.
I have a full wedding season ahead of me, consisting of 25 weddings that I could not be more excited about. I do feel that it is my gift to film weddings. Like I am doing what God created me to do and glorifying him through my work. I am so grateful for the journey that it has been and wait with great anticipation at what’s to come.
Addy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Hello! My name is Addy Lehman and I am a wedding videographer! I am 24 years and I have been filming weddings full time since I was 2o years old. I live outside a small town Kansas with my husband, Ethan, and our Labradoodle, Aero! I market myself as a “Colorado Wedding Videographer” as that is where I lived the past 3 years as I established my business and where I seem to still get a large majority of my clientele. We spend wedding season, May- October, living in Summit County, Colorado and the other half of the year in Kansas, where all of my family resides. It truly is the best of both worlds.
My videos are different than most, with a much more candid, modern yet timeless flare. They are true to color, authentic to each couple and are a true reflection of what the wedding day felt like. My work typically has a more light-hearted, energetic feel. Weddings are of course romantic, and I love highlighting that, but I find that more than anything they are full of so much joy and that’s what I feel most inspired by while editing.
I consider myself a visionary and If I am not editing a wedding video I am listening to music, mapping out the video in my mind. Music is a huge part of my job and finding the right music can be one of the most time consuming parts of putting together a video. Somedays my work day consists of driving around for hours or going on long walks just shuffling through songs until I find the one! Not only do I want the music to reflect the couple but I also want it to reflect the moment and how it felt. And feel like a movie of course!
I really cannot believe this is my job. Full of really good wedding cake, beautiful places, nostalgic nights jamming out to live bands, heartfelt vows, the cutest most chic & swaggy outfits, so many down to earth couples, amazing vendors I get to work alongside, visions brought to life, and more than anything delivering videos that couples can hold onto and cherish forever. I have so much gratitude toward every couple that I get to work with, It really is such an honor to be part of peoples wedding day.
Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
A few stories!
One time I showed up to a wedding that was about 4 hours away from where I lived. I arrived at the venue, was introducing myself to the bridal party as they were getting ready, looked down at my camera bag and realized I forgot a camera lens. Just sitting there staring at my lensless camera and internally freaking out. I quietly snuck out the back door, floored it to a camera shop bought a brand new lens, floored it back to the venue and walked back into the bridal sweet cool as a cucumber right before the bride go into her dress. Wayyy to close for comfort!
Another close call, this one just a close call for my well-being- it was the summer of 2022 and I was in the midst of a very busy wedding season. I was single at the time and shot every wedding solo. I spent many hours on the road, filming weddings all over the state. I was driving home from a wedding, late at night, I want to say it was about 12:30pm. It was a 4 hour drive in total and I was about halfway when by back left tire quite literally flew off of my Jeep. So picture this, it is the middle of the night, I am in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains, I have no service and I am sitting on the side of the road in my 3 wheel Jeep. I tried calling 911- nothing, no service. I can’t remember if I had a spare tire or not but it didn’t matter because I didn’t know how to put a spare tire on anyways. At that point I had probably been taught how to change a tire 3 times but let me tell you, that is something that simply does not stick with me. I’m just a girl!! So basically I had two options. #1 sit in my jeep in the middle of nowhere all night with no service waiting for some random person to pull up and offer to help. or #2 run until I have service to call 911. I ran. Now I understand there is healthy amount of people who would suggest option #1 but the reality was I was more scared of people than I was of animals. My maps read that I was 12 miles away from the nearest town. So I figured at most I would have to run 12 miles and I ran cross country my senior year of high school so surely I had this one in the bag, right? I began running and every time I would see headlights I would jump into the ditch on my stomach so no one would see me. Okay this sounds so crazy in heinsite but for whatever reason I was so scared of someone kidnapping me okay. I was running, praying, jumping to the ground hiding, get up, run, pray. I remember thinking “what is my life?!” Anyways- I was 5 miles in when I got service. I called the police, they came and picked me up and I slept on a couch at the police station until 6am when the first cafe opened in town. The police then dropped me of at the cafe where I ate a giant breakfast burrito and called a tow truck. WILD!
Okay last one! My craziest wedding story! The ceremony had just ended and the whole wedding party boarded a pontoon. We were out on the middle of this beautiful lake, everyone is dancing, singing and having a great time. The problem was everyone was dancing, singing and having a great time at the FRONT of the pontoon. The pontoon proceeds to take a nose dive, fully submereging under water. Luckily I was standing in the back of the boat holding my camera, actually scared. The wedding party sprints to the back of the pontoon leveling the boat back out but the poor groom went overboard. Tux and all. Luckily he was laughing along with everyone else on the boat. But I would say it was more of a nervous laugh as we then turned the boat around and headed directly back to shore in shock. WILD!
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
That “more” is “better”. When I first started videography, I thought the more weddings I booked the more successful I would feel. My first year I booked 36 weddings and my second year, 33. This led me directly to burn-out, so much so that my third year I only booked 9. I remember that third year being hard because I had unknowingly put so much worth and identity into basically being some sort of “boss girl” if you will. I didn’t feel like I was “as” successful anymore and I even began questioning if my work was even good. It was just a mess and there was so much growing to do! What I did learn is that “less is more”. In every aspect of life. My current affirmations are “a little less less less for a little less stress stress stress!” and “I have everything I need”. Lastly, I hold on tightly to “the 6 luxuries in Life” time, health, a quiet mind, slow mornings (meditating, journaling, stretching etc), ability to travel, and a house full of love. I love these and when I first read about them it began to truly rewire my brain. Now, 25 weddings seems to be the sweet spot for me which is what I have booked for 2025! That was my goal for the year- “25 in 2025”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.addylehmanfilms.com
- Instagram: addylehmanfilms_
- Other: Vimeo- Addy Lehman Films
Image Credits
Macy Heist Photography