We recently connected with Jenny Jolley and have shared our conversation below.
Jenny, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered as someone who leaves people feeling better than they were before interacting with me. It may sound cheesy, but I honestly just want to be known for sharing genuine, bubbly happiness.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hi, I’m Jenny Jolley! I’m a wedding photographer that serves Kansas City area couples. I have the honor of delivering light, vibrant heirlooms to newlyweds that will last for generations! I began second shooting in 2018 and instantly fell in love with documenting love stories. On a wedding day, you’ll see me capturing candid moments, making couples and their favorite people (guests) feel comfortable in front of the camera, cracking lame jokes, and truly having the time of my life! My couples have told me that my attention to detail, care, and preparedness is what makes me stand out. It really comes down to the personal connection I build with my couples. By the wedding day, I consider the wedding as my time to photograph and assist two friends getting married! I am proud of my ability to make people comfortable in front of the camera and create a personal connection while also providing professional services. I want future couples to know that I am not just a vendor on a wedding day, I’m a friend who cares about you, advocates for you, and loves seeing you so happy as you marry the love of your life!
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I am excited to say that photography has become a full-time job for me, however, I still maintain a part-time job as a high school math teacher! So in a way, yes, I’ve gone full-time! You can always find me from the afternoon to later into the night working on photography (I may not have the best advice for work/life balance for this reason), but I still teach students in the mornings. I remember having the idea pop in my head to ask my boss if I could go part-time with teaching – I was very burned out and feeling trapped in the tight schedule I had every day. Financial stability is incredibly important to me and my heart still wants to teach, so I knew leaving the classroom was not an option. I remember that I sat down at my principal’s desk with information typed out, already prepared for any questions he may have. Luckily, my principal is very kind and understanding. I am very fortunate that the school district was very supportive of my transition to part-time! I have had the best time with the new career situation!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
It goes back to wanting to be remembered as a person that leaves people feeling better than before interacting with them. Whether it’s a client, fellow vendor, wedding guest, or stranger I’m standing in line with waiting for coffee, I love networking and learning about other people! I see the wedding industry as a community, not competition. There’s the terms “girl’s girl” and “boy’s girl” but really, I’m just a “people’s girl.” People know I’m cheering them on and supportive.
Contact Info:
- Website: jennyjolleyphotography.com
- Instagram: @jennyjolleyphotography
- Facebook: facebook.com/jennyjolleyphotography
- Youtube: youtube.com/@jennyjolleyphotography