We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mallory Smith. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Mallory, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work I have a ton of hobbies that make my life full of joy! My go-to creative hobbies are currently working on a knitting project, creating stained glass art, or playing around with hand building ceramics, I also find incredible joy in the outdoors and take frequent walks with my husband and dog each day! Trail running, gravel bike riding, and skiing are also cathartic ways for me to feel myself after work! I feel I really split my time between all of these activities that bring me joy- I’m a ‘variety is the spice of life’ kind of person!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Mallory (she/her) and my husband and I run an elopement wedding planning, photography, and videography business in Colorado! We call Boulder, Colorado our home, but we travel all around the state capturing elopements for nature loving couples who want a wedding day that feels more like them. Eloping is special to us because we really feel that couples should do whatever they’d like to do on the day they marry the love of their life.
It doesn’t have to look the same for everyone, and that’s the fun of it: you can make it whatever you want it to be! Hike up to an alpine lake where you had your first date, enjoy a pizza in the woods with a few loved ones, jump in a river in your wedding dress- truly whatever you want to do. We’ve been capturing elopement weddings for 5 years and never once have had a bad time out there with a couple. We pride ourselves on being a dynamic duo that can be your local guides, specialists, trail buddies, as well as your photographer and videographer.
Within one week we also edit all of a couple’s photos and videos from their elopement day and give them to the couple- something you can’t find anywhere else!
We love what we do and are always stoked to be out there capturing such beautiful love stories.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Maybe a cliche answer here, but my parents have absolutely taught me the most about work! Both of my parents run their own businesses (maybe entrepreneurship was always written in the stars for me?!) and learning work ethic from observing them taught me a great deal at a young age.
Also, the way they raised me instilled a need to work hard and do a great job on the things you devote your time to doing. For me, it was key to have parents I could look up to who value hard work and show you that value even more than just telling me about it.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I’ve been afraid mostly of becoming stagnant throughout life. I am the type of person who loves change, even thrives in it. I remember as a kid, I would move the furniture around in my room just for things to feel a bit different and that’s what you have control over as a 10 year old! I’m constantly evaluating what is feeling solid and great in my life and seeing what might need a breath of fresh air in it.
I think my constant itching for change is definitely a super power of mine – I’m always learning and unlearning and trying new things – but it can also hold me back from finding beauty in routine and the more mundane aspects of life.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version is totally the real version of myself! When creating content for our YouTube page or Instagram or even our website, I feel it’s important to be authentically myself.
By having the public version of myself be truly myself, couples we work with are able to know me and feel comfortable around me even before we capture their elopement! Not to mention that the public version of me can be caught dancing to the tunes in grocery store, chatting with strangers about any and all things, and walking around singing and smiling in my hometown!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
I LOVE to dance and I’d say I am actually currently tap dancing to work! This has been quite an exciting season over at Castlehouse Videography! As a newer entrepreneur, there were an incredible amount of new skills in the first year or so. It was a constant stream of learning and diving into different aspects of running a business, which was completely necessary and extremely helpful to master, but not always the most fun! The business went through a website rebrand, I jumped head first into SEO and content creation and any of the other non-sexy, behind-the-scenes business aspects that are always happening.
But now we have a constant flow of couples whose elopement wedding day we are capturing and that is why I got into this in the first place! Capturing elopements is pure joy and such a wonderful way to exercise my creativity alongside creating legacy photos for the couple to have forever. The business side of course is something that will always be there and have things I’m working on, but it now feels more balanced and all truly exciting because the work is paying off!
This year has so many elopements I’m genuinely looking forward to capturing and being a part of so I’m hoping to bask in this tap dancing recital of work for a long while!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.castlehousevideography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castlehousevideography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradoelopementvideography
Image Credits
Image credits: Castlehouse Videography
