MK Design Studio had the privilege of working with the joyful Lainie Arnold on a custom brand and website design project for her photography business. Lainie is a wedding photographer based in St. Louis, Missouri with an extraordinary ability to capture the authentic love story of each of her couples. She came to MKDS ready for new branding and a website as she was beginning to go full-time in her photography business.
MKDS developed a brand and website for Lainie that is thoughtful and refined. In the beginning, Lainie shared with us her love of orange, and although it isn’t a usual color used for a high-end photography brand, we were able to integrate it in an elegant way. Lainie now has a brand and website that fully represents her and her photography business, and we especially love the color palette and the floral elements.
Continue reading to hear what Lainie had to say about her experience working with MKDS.
Why did you choose to work with MKDS for your project?
When I decided I needed a serious branding and website facelift, I reached out to my friend Tracy, of Tracy Parrett Photography, to ask about her experience with MKDS. She couldn’t stop raving about working with Mary, the smoothness of the process, and the final result that so perfectly captured her essence as a brand. Since I was choosing between a couple of different designers, Tracy’s endorsement was just what I needed to feel confident reaching out to Mary to see if we would be a good mutual fit, and I’m so, so glad that I did.
How did you feel before working together?
I was initially really nervous – I had a lot of faith in Mary, however, I wasn’t confident in my own ability to pinpoint my brand. Thankfully, during our initial consult call, Mary was able to share more about the process (which was incredibly thorough), so I didn’t have to worry that we’d “get it wrong.”
What’s your favorite part of your new branding?
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE!? If I truly had to narrow it down, I can still only distill my favorites to a tie between the color palette and the initial logo. For the color palette, I love that it feels true to me, fun and joyful, while still feeling elegant (and Mary never once got nervous when I shared my favorite color is orange!!). And for the primary logo, I love the intentional use of a flower representative of my region. It’s simultaneously thoughtful, simple, and beautiful!!
What’s your favorite part of your new website?
Again with the difficult questions here!! I love my entire website!! She absolutely knocked it out of the park, it is such a stellar feeling to be proud of the little corner of the internet where I can showcase my work and my heart. I love how my website design feels like an extension of me – the floral elements, handwritten accent font, and a small pop of burnt orange are fun and joyful. The header fonts and subdued palette throughout are classic and elegant.
What was your favorite part of the brand design process and working with MKDS?
I had NO IDEA how to capture my brand in visual elements (colors, fonts, logos, submarks, etc), so I was endlessly grateful to be walked through such a thorough design process. The lengthy questionnaire that Mary had me work through as part of my “homework” was an incredibly helpful exercise for my own growth and understanding of my business and allowed her to work her magic.
What was your favorite part of the website design process and working with MKDS?
Getting my first draft and each revision as we fine-tuned the website was so fun. Every time I got that email with the link to the site, I was ecstatic to check it out, and every time it felt more perfect!!
Did we successfully accomplish your goals for the project?
Absolutely!! My goal was to build confidence and authority in my branding as a wedding photographer, and I know we did that! Mary worked so hard, and she absolutely knocked it out of the park.
How do you think this updated look will impact your business?
It definitely already has! Our update went live in January, perfectly timed with my announcement that I would be going full-time with my wedding photography business. I know that the outcome of all our hard work helped instill confidence in my clients that I know what I am doing.
What advice would you offer someone who is on the fence about investing in custom website design?
I would tell them that it is worth it!! I am so thankful that I took the plunge and decided to invest in professional branding + web design early on in my business life, rather than trying to do it myself. Mary is a pro at listening, getting to the heart of you and your business, and figuring out how to present that to the world visually. I don’t know HOW she does it, but she rocks!!
How would you sum up your experience with MKDS? Would you recommend me to a friend?
I would, ONE THOUSAND PERCENT, without hesitation, recommend MKDS to a friend!! Working with Mary was an absolute blessing, I can’t imagine where my business would be without her help. She took the time to get to know me, my goals, and my business and worked her heart out to use her gifts. It was hard work, but I couldn’t be more grateful we got to do it together!!
Lainie Arnold – Photography Branding & Website Design
It was so much fun creating the custom branding and website design for Lainie Arnold Photography, especially with her love of the color orange. Are you ready to update your brand and website design? Contact us today to get started!
