My Story: A Candid Look at Why I Opened Prohibition and Pearls at Home

If you know me personally, you know that I am also a photographer. It's a business I've been building steadily for about four years and it is my absolute dream job. To me, there is nothing better than forming relationships with people and documenting their memories in a beautiful, artistic way. 

This year was going to be a landmark year for me. I had the most weddings and sessions scheduled than ever before when the pandemic happened. Couples were forced to reschedule their weddings, I had to cancel several days of studio sessions, the list goes on. This is not a complaint by any means because I am so thankful that we are healthy, safe, and that I didn't lose my job completely; it was just something unexpected that happened and, like many business owners, forced me to pivot a bit. 

Another thing to know about our family is that I have a little boy with a complex congenital heart defect. He has been through three heart surgeries and we've had a challenging road, but he is thriving now and we are so grateful for his health! Keeping him safe is of the utmost importance so, while I would love to continue photographing big weddings and studio sessions, it's not something I am able to do while the pandemic is a concern. Making that decision was incredibly difficult because big weddings were the majority of my income (and what had always been passionate about photographing), but I know it was the right one as long as my family is safe.

Here's my Oliver:

Now enter: Prohibition and Pearls at Home. 

I had actually looked into starting a hybrid online + brick and mortar home décor shop back in October of 2017 and even went as far as looking at possible retail space in my downtown area, but it just wasn't the right time. My son was so young and we hadn't finished working on our home yet (do you ever really finish, though?). I made a decision at that time to give everything I had to photography and, while I have no regrets, starting the shop was always in the back of my mind and something I knew I was going to do at some point.

I began the process of opening the shop in August 2020 and officially launched in December. My ultimate, long-term goal is to grow the business, help provide for my family, encourage sustainable living practices by stocking eco-friendly items in the shop, provide ethically-sourced goods, support fellow women in business, and bring joy and comfort into your homes. I would also love to have a physical shop at some point, but if that happens, it will be a (very) long time from now.

Now that the store has launched, I am having so much fun. I spend an absurd amount time finding the perfect items to stock and it should come as no surprise that my favorite part of this whole process is photographing the products and thinking of creative displays. I feel so happy and fulfilled even though I had to give up something I really loved with my photography business. This venture allows me to keep my family safe, provide for them, and have an emotional paycheck with my work knowing that I'm bringing warmth and joy into your homes with the items you purchase.