Chris Kellum and Tyler Yaw welcome back wedding photographer Leigh Roberts for a candid conversation covering sobriety, wedding industry trends, photography hot takes, and what happens when a wedding professional plans her own wedding. Leigh shares her journey of being sober for one year and seven months after a major health scare, discussing the lifestyle changes, nutrition adjustments, supplements, and daily habits that helped her regain her health. She also reflects on her decision to elope after spending nearly 14 years photographing weddings, explaining why she and her husband chose a small, intimate celebration that cost roughly $6,000.

The conversation dives deep into the realities of modern weddings, including rising costs, vendor pricing, wedding-industry politics, and the trends Leigh believes should disappear. She discusses everything from polka-dot wedding aesthetics and intentionally crooked photos to preferred-vendor cliques, DJ choices, and the pressure couples face when planning their big day. Leigh also shares practical advice for couples navigating family dynamics, vendor relationships, and wedding-day expectations.

On the photography side, Leigh offers strong opinions on delivering RAW images, the importance of editing, flash photography, second shooters, drone coverage, venue lighting, and the ongoing Canon versus Sony debate. The episode wraps with memorable wedding horror stories, discussions on AI's impact on photography, and valuable insights for anyone planning a wedding or working in the wedding industry.

Timestamps

00:00 Meet the Guest Leigh

00:53 Sober and Holistic Reset

02:04 Vaccine Injury Recovery

04:37 Lifestyle Changes and Food

05:45 Backyard Gym and Cooking

07:15 Eloping After 14 Years

09:33 Wedding Trends Pet Peeves

12:26 Wedding Costs and Pricing

15:19 Gen Z Vendors and Identity

20:45 Music Choices and DJs

25:03 Preferred Vendor Cliques

28:46 Shot List Hot Takes

28:58 Dress Shot Debate

29:55 Venue Lighting Matters

32:46 Second Shooters Strategy

35:00 Wedding Horror Stories

41:14 Trends, Flowers, and Cake

43:42 Flash, Film, and Gear

47:25 Canon vs Sony Switch

53:58 Pricing RAWs and AI

01:00:53 Family Dynamics Checklist

01:02:27 Wrap Up and Goodbye

Key Takeaways

Why Leigh chose to elope after nearly 14 years of photographing weddings.
The wedding trends she believes are overrated and ready to disappear.
How sobriety and lifestyle changes transformed her health and daily life.
The truth about wedding photography pricing and vendor costs.
Why professional editing is a critical part of photography.
Her thoughts on second shooters, drones, flash photography, and venue selection.
Canon vs Sony: which system she prefers and why.
Real wedding-day horror stories and lessons learned from years in the industry.
How AI may change the future of photography and creative work.
Practical advice for couples planning a wedding without unnecessary stress.