I'm Anna B.
I'm a mid-west wedding expert, photographer, podcaster, entrepreneur, speaker and educator.
Very into: friends, good scotch, renaissance fairs, plants, empowering women, living life on my own terms and books. All the books
BELIEF #1
Weddings are way more stressful than anyone will ever admit.
BELIEF #2
Friendships are hard to make and even harder to keep. Protecting quality friendships should be taken very seriously.
BELIEF #3
Life is to short not to have fun while living it.
How it started
While my first job was detasseling (It's the job that most midwest teenagers first have!), my second job at just 16 was a wedding photographers assistant. I would have been shocked if you told me then that the industry I was learning when I was a teenager would be the same industry I would still be in 24 years later.
With some starts, stops, twists and turns along the way I have staid in the wedding industry and surprisingly what I have learned the most about is relationships!
I have been a wedding photographer, wedding coordinator, wedding planner, bride, bridesmaid, and Maid of Honor. All these roles have allowed me to see people at their best (and worst!) on one of the most memorable days of their lives.
How it's going
After hundreds of weddings what I can tell you is this. Weddings put a huge strain on relationships. Which ones? It can depend wildly on the wedding but in every wedding there are always multiple relationship that get tested.
As I have gotten older and friendships have gotten fewer and harder, it distresses me when I see a friendship strained by a wedding. While I know there are always exceptions, many of the issues that I see pulling a bride and her friends apart are issues that could easily be addressed or even prevented given the right information.
I set out to create a guide to help brides and their friends protect and even strengthen their friendships through the wedding process. In that quest the Maid of Honor Manual was born! By focusing on helping the Maid of Honor know how to communicate and set boundaries while providing her with step-by-step guides and resources, we hope to help both the MOH and the bride have more fun and less stress during the wedding process. All of the pieces of the Maid of Honor Manual go together to help strengthen and protect that all important friendship.
While weddings are a lot more stressful than social media would lead you to believe, the process will always be easier when your best friend is solidly by your side.
A few of the different hats I wear:
Entrepreneur
As the daughter of an entrepreneur I always knew that I would end up owning my own company. I started my first business making and selling greeting cards at 12 years old and never looked back!
Speaker
When I realized I could combine my extrovertedness with my love of talking, I was hooked on public speaking. Getting to share on everything from social media, to women's empowerment is always a thrill.
Mom
I have had the joy of raising two sons, one who is out of the house and the other who is so busy it seems like he gone! It certainly hasn't always been easy but it has been rewarding.
Wife
Meeting my husband was one of the luckiest days of my life (and if your lucky I'll tell you how we met, it's entertaining!). We have been married 6 amazing years and he still keeps me laughing!
Reenactor
This is the one that surprises most people! Going to renaissance fairs has gained me a large community and a found family. It's a side benefit that now I can sword fight!
Aspiring Author
My happy place has always been reading, it's a natural progression to start writing. While I am not published yet I enjoy working on a historical fiction, thriller series for the middle grades.
Have you ever been a bridesmaid?
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