You know what’s one of the coolest things about my job as a wedding photographer? The friendships made. When my couples and I find ourselves having lengthy conversations, emailing with exclamation points, texting about wedding day details, and making plans to hang out post-wedding, I know I’ve found some new friends. 

One of those new friends is Maureen! And if you’re a blog regular, you probably saw her last week! I first met Maureen two years ago when she and her fiancé Tom were planning their September 2017 wedding and hired me as their photographer. Throughout the year and a half of their planning, Maureen and I became close and started hanging out on the regular. (Canoe On The Run for lunch, anyone?) We live just five minutes from each other and are both “Accidentals” with a strong love for Garrett County. We also often find ourselves excitedly pursuing new ideas and having conversations about big dreams for the future. We have a lot of in common and Maureen is basically good for the soul. 🙂

Maureen is also very clever when it comes to wedding planning, and was quite passionate about it when she was planning her own. Combine that with her knowledge and love for this beautiful corner of Maryland, as well as her writing talents, and I knew she’d be a fine contribution to the JFP blog. 

So the first Monday of every month will feature a new post from Maureen! Monday Musings With Maureen: Ideas, Tips, and Reflections from Garrett County, to be exact. With a focus on weddings and the Deep Creek Lake/Garrett County area, we’ve got topics like weekend activities for your wedding guests, finding live music in Garrett County, and even ideas for Valentine’s Day dates at the lake on our list! I’m so excited about the local love, unique flare and helpful information she’s going to bring to this blog…and I hope you will, too. 

This gal deserves an official intro…I mean, just look at her cuteness. 🙂 Here are some fun facts about her: 

-She and Tom only knew each other for one month before getting engaged!
-Originally from Gaithersburg, MD but found her love for Garrett County and the lake as a kid during ski trips
-Parents taught skiing at Wisp Resort and you can still find her dad there today!
-Dog named Parker
-Favorite wine is a big, bold, dry red (I like white and sweet wines, but we’re still friends 🙂 )
-Enjoys a bold lip color, too (see above!)
-Irish dancer for 14 years
-One bucket list item: Tell a story on the Moth Mainstage
-Loves most about Garrett County? The people!
-She also loves to watch live music anywhere in GC
-Has hiked the Maryland Highpoint three times

Read Maureen’s first official musing and we’ll see you on February 5th (this Monday!) for her next post! Remember, it’s the first Monday of every month! Hollerrrr!!!