We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole (Coley) Cook. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole (Coley) below.

Nicole (Coley), appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

I think that some of the biggest trends we have been seeing in the Wedding industry are thanks to that dark time none of us like to mention.. but Covid. I have personally seen a greater increase in smaller, more intentional weddings. I noticed before 2020 a lot of pressure was placed on couples to have large weddings and invite everyone from second cousins, to neighbors, to parent’s co-workers, and it could be very taxing. Yes, large weddings still take place and are awesome, but it seems to be less because of pressure and expectation, and rather because that is how the couple WANTS to celebrate.

A larger number of couples have begun having more intimate ceremonies and celebrations and I AM HERE FOR IT! Intimate mountain settings, out in the Utah red rock, on the elegant Salt Flats – I can’t get over how much I’m loving the small, micro weddings and elopements in nature.

So many couples have been more comfortable moving away from straight up traditional and tailoring traditions to something that is storytelling to their relationship and personalities. This year I helped photograph a stunning ceremony out on the Bonneville Salt Flats and then drove in to town to a tattoo parlor with the wedding party where they all got a Friday the 13th tattoo of their choice. Yes, that isn’t for everybody, but that’s exactly the point! It was totally on brand for that couple! The couple get a small tattoo every Friday the 13th (which so happened to be their wedding day), so they made it a whole thing! It was absolutely the best and the whole group (whether they chose to get a tattoo or not) were there celebrating and having an amazing time!

Last year we also helped photograph a wedding weekend, where the couple rented out a beautiful cabin for their closest friends and family to celebrate and be together in the mountains (their favorite place!) for a few days. They hiked, swam, played games, and had camp fires and cook outs together and closed it all out with a stunning, mountain view ceremony and a killer dance party.

Even the smallest changes to wedding and reception traditions have been embraced to be unique to the couple. Instead of cake cuttings we’ve seen cake pinatas, flower grandmas and flower guys instead of flower girls, t-shirt cannons instead of a bouquet and garter tosses, private first dances instead of a first dance in front of all of the guests, food trucks instead of a plated dinner or buffet, a wedding jumpsuit rather than a full length gown, and more. Couples have embraced the unique and gone for it!

It feels like couples have been able to take a step back and really realize what is most important to them, and not to expectation, is what should be focused on and brought to fruition. That is exactly what a wedding should be! Every wedding is different, and after seeing hundreds of weddings, I say the more the couple focuses on what makes them happy and not what a Pinterest board pretty, the better.

Nicole (Coley), love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Nicole and my nickname is Coley. I love going by my nickname because it feels more friendly and personal. Photography was not my first intentional career path, I just always loved it as an outlet and a creative hobby. My original intention was to become a Veterinarian, but I made a career switch to be more available for my family and kids. Turns out it was a really great choice!

My photography style is natural, timeless, candid, and colorful. I tend to be a really outgoing, goofy and playful person and that pulls strongly into my photography style and overall mood of a photo session with me. I like to remind my clients that it is completely normal and okay to not feel comfortable having your photo taken and to not know how to pose yourself. I’m here for you! A huge part of my job is being able to direct the posing and flow of a photo session so that you can have more natural and beautiful photographs that aren’t just pretty to look at, but have happy, fun memories associated with them that make them more than photos; it makes them tangible memories.

One of my favorite things about photography is the people. I love meeting new people, laughing with them, hearing about their hobbies and funny stories, and getting to share in common interests with them. It’s why I don’t just photograph landscapes or products. The human interaction is really my bread and butter and it fills my cup. I genuinely enjoy my job and being around other fabulous humans, such as yourselves.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe what helped to build my reputation in the market is my standing on “there’s plenty for everyone”. I feel that other creatives should be respected, given praise, and cheered on for their successes and hard work. With this outlook I’ve been able to make some amazing professional connections and close friends. We’re able to swap ideas, problem solve, cover for each other when another is in a bind, and improve our skills by talking about new ideas and things we’ve come to learn. I’ve been able to build trust and a good standing with many other creatives and so they can trust me with sending clients and referrals my way.

The same feels true for my clients. I can often help people feel at ease and help them open up during sessions. My clients love their photo galleries and that paired with the good time, plenty of laughs, and my willingness to help plan location, times, and outfits with them they often refer those they love to my photography business as well. There is no higher compliment than a genuine referral.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I know that this is a struggle for many, but I believe it is especially potent for a creative.

I speak of the devilishly mean “Imposter Syndrome”.

Running a business as a creative can deliver serious personal blows on your own confidence and ability to run your business. It is absolutely real and unforgiving. Your artwork is a reflection of your heart and soul and a representation of how you could do your best in that moment. When you put everything into it and throw it out to the world it is terrifying to think that it may not be received well.

So much of the marketing for creatives is done through social media and we are constantly seeing lives and work from those that we look up to, have higher followings than us, or that we feel we can never catch up to. In sets the Imposter Syndrome. That mean girl voice inside us loves to feed us bad intel that no one likes our work, we aren’t worth what we are charging, or that we are not talented enough to be running a business and getting paid. It leads to many creatives giving up or not charging what their time and talent are worth. Many burn out because the work and emotional load is high, but the return is low. It takes a lot of time and confidence for an artist to realize their art and place in this world is important and beautiful and that it is okay to be growing and learning still. If you aren’t where you want to be yet, then just keep going. Journey before destination my friends.

One note of courtesy from a creative to anyone else – if you ask an artist what they charge for a service and you don’t like the price, then say “Thank you, that is currently out of my price range, but I really love your work.” and carry on. For some reason people think it is their place to tell artists that their time, talents, and experience is overpriced and they could do it themselves. That is completely unnecessary behavior and feedback. We’re also trying to pay our bills and feed our families. Please do not feed the destructive Imposter Syndrome. We do it well enough on our own, thank you.

Contact Info:

• Website: ColeyCookPhotography.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/ColeyCookPhotography
• Facebook: Facebook.com/ColeyCookPhotography

Image Credits
All credits to Coley Cook Photography