We were lucky to catch up with Reagan Suitt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Reagan, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

When one business fails, another gets a new name. That’s how we have Olive and Oath as it is known today.

I first started wedding photography back in 2019 under the name Reagan Suitt Photos. My style was lively, warm in editing, and mostly catering to a non-traditional elopement or intimate wedding. I was passionate for the DIY bride since I was one myself only a year prior. It was out of this love for the scrappy, frugal couple that I started a second business with a new industry friend, and business partner, called Olive and Oath. We spent a few months planning, building-up, and investing money into a wedding planning education company that was meant to equip the DIY bride with tools to plan a luxe wedding on a budget. We weren’t wedding planners, but we were a wedding tool to give practical organization, community with other couples, and professional advice from photographers who had been a part of over 100 weddings combined.

Upon our launch, which happened in the middle of our 2021 summer wedding season, we quickly realized that starting a new business as new friends was a lot more complicated and stressful than we initially planned. Life, both in business and personally for us, was rough in this season. After much consideration, my business partner had to pull out and I was left with a new LLC and more to-dos than a single person could handle. It was overwhelming to say the least. For three more months, I struggled. We had planned to launch a physical wedding planning guide and my overhead costs were quickly increasing. I found myself dropping the ball both in this new business and with my photography clients. Truly, I felt like a failure and knew that my breaking point was near.

One day in mid-november, as I was crying over feeling stretched too thin, I had to make a tough decision. This new business had to close. Wedding photography is my true passion and, while I invested a lot in this new business, my first business would fail too if I didn’t get back to investing everything I had to it.

From the ashes of this wedding planning company, I decided to take the LLC I had created and turn it into my photography business with a rebrand toward a different clientele. So much in my life had shifted in the year of trying (and failing) to start a second business, that it felt like a rebirth of sorts to honor what would have been by naming my photography business Olive and Oath. It has remained that name ever since and feels so fitting. Olive branches are a symbol of peace. Oaths are promises made to be kept. Both words are rich with symbolism in weddings and in faith, making it even more impactful as a name for something I hold very dear to my heart.

Reagan, 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?

I am a film and digital wedding photographer. My journey to the industry began in an unusual way, because I never owned a camera before starting my business. I am a christian and was talking with God in prayer about what the next season of life would hold. I felt very clearly that He said I would be a wedding photographer. From past experience, I’ve learned to be quick in my obedience to God’s direction. I bought a camera soon after. I learned everything I could from YouTube, free resources and local photographers kind enough to take me under their wing. Within 3 months, I photographed my first wedding. All glory to God, because He opened so many doors. In order to practice, I offered free sessions to anyone and everyone. You can only learn how to pose, shoot, edit, etc. by actually photographing people! Every single person paid me, even though I offered these sessions for free and was arguably horrible at photos in the beginning. The Lord also put in the path of a few people that were generous in taking me under their wing. I learned a lot from people already in the industry. There was not a single door that He left unopened.

Since those early days in 2019, I’ve grown my business into a six figure destination photography company. I service all of the United States with unique and artistic imagery focused on capturing the beauty of human nuance. People are important and at the core of everything I do in my business. This focus on people is more than simply photographing weddings. It looks like only offering full day coverage because no one should have to sacrifice the slow moments of the morning or high energy of the dance floor. It looks like giving a lot of support in timeline creation to make space to slow moments and presence with their guests, themselves and their significant other. Finally, it looks like creating unique imagery for every couple because each day deserves it’s own flavor to the gallery.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

I am currently in a moment of risk with my business, but for good reason. One of my many passions that has grown out of wedding photography, is the passion for second shooting luxury weddings. It’s a niche that allows photographers who maybe don’t want the time commitment of client management and editing to create magical imagery for other photographers while also paying the bills. As someone that has been a luxury second photographer for the last three years, I’ve noticed a deep need for more people to be trained in etiquette, style and expectations for a luxury wedding. In order to bridge the knowledge gap, I’ve created a workshop called Second Nature by Olive and Oath. This multi-day workshop, hosted for the first time this December 2025 in Carmel at Stonepine Estates, has been a huge financial investment from my photography business. We are putting on an entire luxury wedding to teach with hands on direction and expert guest speakers, how to photograph a full wedding from the second photographer perspective. It was a huge decision to start creating this and a gamble, since nothing like it exists, but I am confident that it’ll be a gamble worth it in the end.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

My business is rooted in presence and intention. This means that real connection with my clients is vital to creating the art that I create. I have met so many incredibly beautiful humans throughout my time as a wedding photographer. There is something sacred about being able to walk alongside someone as they prepare to become one with another. I get to pray for, encourage, listen to, and be inspired by the human nuances that make each couple who they are. Truly, there is nothing more rewarding that making people feel seen and beautiful and sharing the love of Christ through art that captures their essence accurately. I will never take the intimacy afforded to me for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oliveandoath.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/oliveandoath
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oliveandoath

Image Credits

Olive and Oath LLC