Get excited, it’s time to meet the lovely Monica Mendoza, owner, and photographer of MJ Mendoza Photography! Continue reading to learn all about Monica in the wedding industry and a sneak peek into her side business, boudoir.


What makes you or your business stand out and why should a couple hire you?
I’ve found over the past years that the main reason why my couples hire me is because they love the bright & colorful, timeless style of my photography and they instantly feel a genuine connection with me! I strive to give my couples an easy photographic experience which goes beyond just taking photos. It’s being a support to my brides and giving advice and my opinion as needed, going above and beyond to make sure that everyone is comfortable in front of my camera for effortlessly fun and natural photos that truly feel like THEM.

What’s your favorite thing about working in the wedding industry?
Getting to see how my couple’s wedding vision comes to life with so many different teams of incredible vendors! Every wedding is different and has unique circumstances, families, personalities and a vendor team to come together with our various strengths to make their wedding dream come true!

What’s your best piece of advice for couples planning a wedding?
Hire a wedding planner! It is truly one of the best investments a couple could make for their wedding day. Planners handle all the behind the scenes to make sure everything and everyone is working together, handles any hiccups that arise and can just make the planning experience a more enjoyable one for their couples.

What’s your favorite moment during a wedding?
I LOVE first looks. They’re my all time favorite moment of a wedding day. A really close second is the parent dances because I just can see my children sharing a dance with my husband and I on their wedding days.

What are your favorite wedding trends right now?
I am really digging champagne towers & unique/colorful floral installations and tablescapes!

How do you de-stress?
I really like to go down to a local cafe and after enjoying an iced coffee, going to explore local boutiques and so some antique/thrift shopping!

What would your perfect Saturday be like?
Besides photographing a wedding? 😉 I’d be in DC, getting brunch, then hitting the museums all day. Probably stopping to find a bowl of Ramen but mostly having the flexibility and freedom to visit my favorite museums then maybe head into Georgetown for some small boutique shopping!

What’s the coolest thing you’re working on now?
Working with film! I picked up my old film camera last year to capture some personal work and I LOVED it. So I’m shooting rolls of film here or there, not expecting anything but fun. I find it helps fuel my creativity and helps me slow down in my work, to be intentional about what I’m photographing especially since I only have 36 captures in a single roll versus the unlimited captures I can get on digital. Plus whenever I wait for the film scans to arrive, it feels like Christmas. I don’t know what I’m going to get until I open the email!

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
Hands down, OneRepublic’s Native tour from years ago! I found out they would be back in town just days before their concert in DC and I was SO disappointed I already had the date busy. Now I’m keeping my eye out for another OneRepublic concert near me in the future!

 

What’s your favorite family tradition?
It’s a tradition for the majority of my life but eating my mom’s cheesecake for breakfast and watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade on tv Thanksgiving day morning. Even when we lived away from family and in North Dakota, I made sure to make a cheesecake so I could eat it and watch the parade on Thanksgiving morning. It’s a simple tradition but Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without it!

Anything else you want our followers to know?
That not only am I a wedding photographer, earlier this year I launched the boudoir side of my business and it has been a thrill! I’d been asked for years if I did boudoir to turn it down time and time again but got curious and decided to just go for it and I’ve been wondering why I didn’t just go for it sooner! My boudoir style is much like my wedding style: timeless, refined, romantic. It’s a perfect wedding gift to your partner but primarily, it’s such a wonderful empowering experience for YOURSELF.

Book your wedding AND boudoir shoots with Monica soon before her calendar fills up!

Email: hello@mjmendozaphotography.com
Website:  http://www.mjmendozaphotography.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/mjmendozaphotography