Meet the Vendors: Anna Sawin Photography
Every week we are interviewing one of our My Mystic Wedding Preferred Vendors to get to know them and their businesses, and today we are chatting with one of our Preferred Photographers, Anna from Anna Sawin Photography! Anna lives in Stonington, Connecticut with her husband, two boys and dog, Nellie. She offers engagement shoots, wedding photography and family photo sessions, and she is so incredibly talented and truly wonderful to work with!
We asked Anna a variety of questions about her business, weddings, and what she enjoys doing in her spare time, and also asked her to share some photos, which as you will see, are amazing! Enjoy!
How and when did you start your business?
After college, I worked at Middlesex School, Williams College, Mystic Seaport and Wheaton College on college admissions, communications and public relations. One of my favorite parts in communications was working with photographers to illustrate our magazine articles and marketing materials. I had studied photography as a hobby, and as I had children and wanted to improve my ability to capture their milestones, I sought out some of those photographers as teachers.
I began by taking portraits, but I knew. My first wedding was an elopement on Nantucket in the rain, followed by a beach wedding in full day sun on Cape Cod - despite all that, I knew I loved it, so I plunged into more training and practice. My first wedding at Saltwater Farm Vineyard was a winter day in January 2009, and I've been delighted to do weddings in our gorgeous area ever since!
What do you love most about being a wedding photographer?
I love that I am creating their first family portraits, through their engagement and wedding photos. I love that I get to show them parts of their day that they might not even have seen, and that all the parts of their day, from the most important and sentimental moments to the loveliest elements of their decor choices are recorded so that they might someday show their children what their wedding day looked like.
What is your favorite part of a wedding day?
It's hard to choose! I think I most love the genuine relaxed moments when I get the couple outside for some portraits after the ceremony, after the cocktail hour and after they have greeted their loved ones. The day moves from excitement and anticipation to celebration and joy, and I love witnessing the transition to their realization that they are married!
What is the most commonly asked question you receive from brides and grooms?
Can we get in all the photos we want and still enjoy our cocktail hour? (The answer is yes - your photographer is the person to help you sort that out!)
What is your best piece of advice for brides and grooms when planning their wedding timeline?
Talk to your photographer before you print your invitations! Your photographer is a wealth of information about the best times and locations for photos, probably even at your venue, and they might have insight into a ceremony time or getting ready time that you hadn't thought of.
What is the last book you read?
I am a huge reader, and manage to read lots by always carrying my Kindle in my bag, so when I have downtime waiting somewhere I dive back into my book. I just finished “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” and started “Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World.” Jury is still out on whether I can recommend the experience of reading that one now!
What are the top three places on your travel bucket list?
Well, this summer was meant to include almost two glorious weeks in Italy, from vacationing at a villa on the Amalfi Coast with friends to watching our children play soccer in northern Italy, so hoping for a re-do next summer! I also would like to make it to Australia and New Zealand, and I guess I just used up my three! But in short, just about anywhere new has value to me, and I hope I have a long life of travel opportunities ahead of me!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Cooking, baking, dining, travel, reading, boating, spending time with family, walking or running with my dog in our beautiful seaside village.
Thank you so much for sharing, Anna! If you’re looking for a photographer for your engagement session, wedding day, or family photo sessions, visit Anna’s website for more information and to contact her. And be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and visit her blog to see more of her beautiful work!
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MMW Photographer: Anna Sawin Photography
