Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Marie.
Hi Ann, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Myrtle Creative Co. began with a love of photography and storytelling, but over the years it has grown into something much more personal and intentional. I started my photography business in 2015, photographing weddings while learning every side of what it takes to run a creative business. What began as a passion project gradually became a full-time career, and along the way I discovered that what I loved most wasn’t simply creating beautiful images—it was being part of the experience and helping couples feel truly present in their day.
Today, Myrtle Creative Co. is centered around that idea. I take an experience-forward approach to weddings and elopements, combining thoughtful planning, calm guidance, and storytelling that captures not only how the day looked, but how it felt. I’ve photographed celebrations throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond, from intimate elopements along the Oregon Coast to mountain adventures and full wedding weekends. After more than a decade in business, I’ve become especially passionate about working with couples who value the experience as much as the photographs—creating space for connection, quiet moments, adventure, and all of the in-between moments that make their story uniquely theirs.
The business has certainly evolved since those early days, but the heart of it remains the same: creating meaningful photographs while giving my couples the freedom to be fully present in the moments they’ll remember for years to come.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a perfectly smooth road, and I think that’s true of most small businesses. Building Myrtle Creative Co. has meant learning how to wear a lot of hats—photographer, business owner, marketer, bookkeeper, customer service, and everything in between. There have been seasons of uncertainty, slow years, unexpected changes, and plenty of moments where I’ve had to step back and rethink what I wanted the business to look like.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning not to measure success solely by how busy I am. Early on, it was easy to say yes to everything and everyone because I was simply grateful to have the work. Over time, I’ve become much more intentional about the couples I work with, the experience I want to create, and the kind of business I want to build. That shift has taken patience and a willingness to let go of what no longer fits.
There have also been plenty of industry changes over the years, from the way couples find and choose their photographers to constantly evolving technology and social media. Rather than trying to chase every change, I’ve learned to stay grounded in what has always mattered to me: creating meaningful work, taking care of my clients, and building genuine relationships. The difficult seasons have ultimately pushed me to become a better photographer and a more thoughtful business owner, and I think Myrtle Creative Co. is stronger because of them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Myrtle Creative Co. is a wedding and elopement photography business based in the Pacific Northwest, specializing in artful storytelling for couples who want their wedding experience to feel as meaningful as the photographs they take home. I photograph everything from intimate Oregon Coast elopements and mountain celebrations to refined weddings and full wedding weekends throughout Oregon, Washington, and beyond.
What sets my work apart is the emphasis I place on the entire experience. I’m not there simply to show up, take beautiful photographs, and leave. I’m involved in the planning, timeline development, location scouting, vendor recommendations, and all of the little things that help a wedding day feel calm and intentional. On the day itself, I’m part photographer, part timekeeper, part problem-solver, and part hype woman—creating space for couples to actually enjoy what they spent so much time planning.
I’m most proud of the trust my couples place in me. After more than a decade in business, and all the weddings and celebrations I have been trusted to capture, the thing that means the most to me is hearing that couples felt comfortable, cared for, and genuinely able to be themselves on their day. I want my photographs to tell the whole story—not just the grand, beautiful moments, but the quiet glances, the laughter, the people who showed up for you, the landscape surrounding you, and all of the in-between moments that made the day yours.
Ultimately, I think what sets Myrtle Creative Co. apart is that I care just as much about how you experience your wedding as I do about how I photograph it. Beautiful images are important, but so is having a wedding day you actually get to live.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as a natural risk-taker. I tend to think things through, weigh the possibilities, and make sure I understand what I’m getting into. But I’ve also learned that some of the most meaningful opportunities in life require you to take a chance before you have everything figured out.
Starting Myrtle Creative Co. was certainly one of those risks. Turning photography from something I loved into a business meant giving up the security and predictability of traditional employment and betting on myself. There was no guarantee that it would work, and especially in the early years, there were plenty of moments when I questioned whether I was making the right decision. Building a business also meant investing time, money, and energy into something before I could know what the return would be.
Over the years, I’ve continued to take smaller risks by evolving the business rather than staying comfortable with what was already working. I’ve changed my pricing and positioning, become more intentional about the clients I want to serve, invested in new offerings, and allowed Myrtle Creative Co. to grow into something that reflects who I am now rather than who I was when I started.
I think my perspective on risk has become less about being fearless and more about being willing to move forward without certainty. Sometimes the bigger risk is staying somewhere simply because it feels safe. For me, taking a thoughtful chance on myself has opened doors I couldn’t have imagined when I first started, and I’m grateful I was willing to take that first step.
Pricing:
- Wedding Photography begins at $4000
- Elopement Photography begins at $3600
Contact Info:
- Website: https://myrtlecreativeco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myrtlecreativeco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myrtlecreativeco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyrtleCreativeCo
