Hi, Sam.

Thank you for being here.

Of course.

I'm happy to be here.

I'm nervous a little bit, too.

Don't worry.

I always tell people, I'm like, this is, like, a good, first podcast, I feel like.

Mm-hmm.

We just, like, hang out.

It's nothing, I don't know.

I don't consider myself super, like, professional when it comes to podcasts.

I'm just like, hang out and tell some wild stories, and I

know you have your fair share.

but before we get to that, can you kind of start talking about

how you got into storytelling, and just a little bit about you?

okay.

I love telling stories.

I think that I'm very, like, charismatic and over the top,

and I've always been accused of being, like, dramatic, you know?

But it's just because you have to put emphasis on things.

Like, the story's boring if somebody's talking in monotone.

so even from a young age, I would, like, write books,

telling stories, all that stuff.

The content creation portion of it came during, I don't know, probably, like, the

end of COVID, where I was just bored and I started telling stuff about, experiences

as a bartender or as a server, and it kind of just, like, slowly built up.

And but when that whole thing with, like, the couple and the

Coldplay jumbotron went viral-

Yeah

… I posted a video just being like, as the wife of somebody

married to the CEO," right?

And I worded it in a way that people would think that I was also married to this man.

I wasn't, I was just talking about narcissists.

Yeah.

That's when it blew up and people just finally found my page and

started following me and stuff.

But, I do it for fun.

I do it as, like, a little side gig.

Just something where people write in and they tell me their crazy

stories and I tell them, so.

Yeah.

And you talk about working- Yeah … in the restaurant industry.

I worked in the restaurant industry years ago when I was in college, and

I think my, first job ever when I was 16 was in the restaurant industry.

I feel like that alone you could probably tell stories for, like, days on end.

Forever.

… people are wild in the rest- like, you have to deal with so much working-

Yes … in a restaurant.

Yeah.

And that's like, it's so funny to me 'cause people are like, "This

isn't real. It's gotta be made up."

And I'm like, " No." Like, "This person really did throw their coffee at me while

I was pregnant." these are real stories.

Oh

my gosh.

People are crazy.

Do you tell a lot of your own stories or do you get, like, a mix of, your

stories and then people send you stories?

mostly my own.

I won't lie, I'm running out, because, yes,

I just turned 39 the other day, and I started working in the industry when

I was 15, so forever essentially.

Mm-hmm.

So a lot of them are my own.

maybe about 25% come from followers, and then the rest are just mine.

Or, I'll write stories, and then I'll, hashtag skit so

people know that it's made up.

Yeah.

But- Oh my gosh

… yep.

It's funny, we were just talking about before recording how, like, we'll post

a story and people are like, "There's no way this could happen," you know?

And, like, wondering, like, if we know it's true.

And I always like to say, too, it's like when someone sends in a story,

you're only getting, their perspective.

So it's like-

Mm-hmm

… I could go to the store and a woman could look at me, and in my mind I'm like, "Oh,

she's giving me a weird look." But then in that lady's mind, she's like, "Oh, well,

that woman's looking at me…" You know, like, everyone has their own perspective-

Yeah

… of, like, based on their own experience or how their day is going.

Yeah.

So I'm like, if we get a story from a bride, she could tell us, you know, " Oh,

all these people were horrible to me." But then we could get a story from, someone

was at the wedding and they're like, "No, this bride was super weird." You

Yeah.

So- Yeah … I feel like we always have to take with a grain of salt when we

get stories and when we share them, 'cause it's like, yeah, there's truth

to every story, but there's also, like, some exaggeration or something-

Yeah

good, making it a more interesting story of course.

But yeah, it's just interesting.

But that's the fun of it all- Mm … in my opinion, 'cause, like, you can

hear the story where the bride was awful, and maybe she wasn't that bad,

but maybe to some people she was.

Yeah.

So I like the more, exciting stories.

if that bride was crazy and she was cussing people out, I'm

gonna tell it in that version.

Like- Yes … I'm gonna cuss with everyone else too.

Exactly, yes.

And okay, so back to you had someone throw a cup of coffee

at you when you were pregnant.

Working?

Yes.

Okay, so I had gone in,

Do you have kids?

Yeah, I do.

I have one toddler.

Yep.

You know how they do the glucose testing and you have

to drink the orange, like, ugh?

Yes.

So I failed my glucose test, so then I had to go in for a three-hour one.

And when you go in for a three-hour one, they poke you every- They

do that too … I think it's, like, every hour or something.

Yeah.

Yes.

So, yeah.

I had to go in for that, and I have, there are, like, surface veins, and

they roll really easily, so when they try to poke me they're boiling veins.

I'll leave a room, this is graphic, but it looks like a CSI crime scene

I'm just, like, bleeding everywhere.

Mm-hmm.

So I'll bruise horrifically.

And I was at work the following day, and this lady, I was taking her coffee

order, and I rolled up my sleeve 'cause it was hot, and she saw my bruises.

And she grabs my wrist and pulls my arm towards her, and she's like, "No,

no, no, honey. You can't be doing this, not when you have God's gift growing

in your belly," and all this stuff.

And I'm confused what she's talking about.

Mm. And then I looked down at my arm and I notice she's talking about my bruises.

And there are two paths I could have taken.

One could have been, "Hey, no, that's actually from blood work,"

and then the other is, " Okay, you're gonna assume that I'm using-

Right so I'm gonna play up on that."

So I was like, "Oh, it's the only way I can forget how horrible my husband

is to me," and all this stuff, and just playing along with it because

you're being judgemental in my opinion.

Yeah.

So you're gonna learn a lesson really quick.

Yeah.

I bring her out.

She's like, "I'm gonna pray for you," and, "God loves you," all this stuff.

And my coworker calls out her coffee and she hands it over, and the lady's

like, "Oh, please take care of Samantha over there. she needs help and she

needs somebody who's gonna bring her to rehab," all this stuff, like, going off.

And my coworker, her name's Amanda, Amanda's like, " Sam?" Like, "Oh, no,

she had blood work done yesterday.

that girl could not get blood drawn to save her life.

She bruises like crazy." This woman's personality switched like that.

She was just like, " F you." Like- Oh … "What a horrible person I

am." And I'm sitting there, I'm like, " You assumed." Mm. You're the one.

Like, I just kind of… Right.

This is your fault.

And she ended up throwing her hot coffee at me-

like, while yelling at me about the fact that I shouldn't

have made her feel that way.

I should have let her know immediately- Oh my- … that it wasn't.

I was like, you should have just known that's what it was."

And why was that her first thought?

Like- I don't know.

That-

go, I'm like, it-

is a wild assumption.

I would never see that on someone's arm and be like, "Oh my gosh,

they must be using." that would- Right … never be my first thought.

Mm-mm.

And so-

No, and even if it was, I don't think I would say it

And I would ne- yes, I would not say… But, like, in general too,

I was just talking to someone about how people, when you're pregnant and

when you have kids, the things they say that's just like- Maybe not.

no joke Mm-hmm … this just happened yesterday.

I was outside the library with a friend of mine, and our

daughters are around the same age.

They're just running in the yard, whatever.

This older couple is walking by, and this lady turns and she goes, " Oh,

there's her mother." She's like, "I thought she was alone for a second.

I got excited." No joke, said, "I got excited.

I thought she was alone." Oh, really?

Yes, 'cause we're standing there talking and our kids are,

like, kinda up in the field.

and my friend just kinda, like, looked, and she just smiled.

She's like, "Yeah, she likes running off." And then she walked away, and I

go, What did she just say?" And she's like, " I didn't know how to respond to

it 'cause it happened so quickly." Mm-hmm.

And then this older- they're walking by, and they keep looking over at her.

not like I think they're actually gonna do something, but why say

something so… Like, you're gonna kidnap her because she was 11?

Like- Right.

What does I got excited mean?

it was

the weirdest thing.

Oh, kids are so freaking weird.

Yes.

So weird.

I

when I was, super pregnant, 800 years essentially is what it felt like-

Yeah

… I was at the grocery store with my dad, and this lady came up

and she starts rubbing my belly.

That's another thing I don't understand- No … is like, this is still my body.

you can't- Yeah … just touch it because there's a baby in there.

It's such a weird concept.

And- Yeah

… it is.

And she's, like, rubbing my belly, and She looks at my dad, "Oh,

you must be so excited. You must be so excited for this baby."

Again, two paths I could choose.

One, I could say, this is my dad, or two, I could play up on this.

And I've worked on it.

I didn't have a verbal filter when this was happening.

I was only 21.

And I was like, "Yeah." But I'm like, "I just don't know if I get to be the

mom or the sister this time." And she goes on, I'm like, "This is my dad."

And she lost it on me.

Like, "I can't believe that you wouldn't tell me this is your dad." I'm like,

"I can't believe you came up here touching my belly and then just assumed

that this 50-year-old man I'm with is, is the dad." Like, it's so weird to

me the things that people just say.

I just look younger for my age.

I don't know if that's the case now, but when I was 21,

I definitely didn't look 21.

So when I had my son, everybody's like, " Oh, you must be the babysitter.

You must be the nanny." I'm like, "No, this is my kid." And there was a time

where I was grocery shopping and he was in the cart, like, I don't know, from me, two

feet away, and I was grabbing something off of one of the bottom shelves.

This woman starts freaking out.

" Where is this kid's mother?

He's here alone." He's, like, maybe eight or nine months, and she's, " Where is…"

And I'm like, again, I could say That's my baby," or I could go off with this.

And I was just like, "Oh my God. Somebody left their baby here

unattended." And this woman and I walked around the, grocery store looking

for the mother of this baby until

Until he ran into my mom, 'cause I was grocery shopping with my mom,

and she's like, " Samantha Anne, you tell this woman right now that

this is your son, and stop it." Oh.

She got mad at me too, but I don't know.

I'm a firm believer that if you're gonna make stupid assumptions,

I'm just gonna play along, and-

That's kind of-

you're gonna leave feeling dumb … a

good idea.

See, I would… And that, it's funny.

I was saying to my friend yesterday, I always, like, when things happen,

after the fact, I'm thinking of all these things I could have said or done.

In the moment- Mm-hmm … I'm so bad about, thinking quickly.

' Cause I would- Mm-hmm

always have the, comment of, like, " Are you sure it's not twins?

You sure it's not twins?" Oh,

I had, like, close, family members that would say it here and there,

but I'd just, like, let it slide.

But then I remember getting my, pedicure, the week before.

I was 10 days past my due date.

That's horrible

… yeah, and they were like, No, you're definitely having twins.

Like, you're huge.

You're definitely having twins." And I'm like, I'm short.

I got a short torso.

I assumed I was gonna get pretty, big, but it's just wild the

things that people will say.

And they're like, "No, there's has to be twins in there." Yeah.

And I was like, "Well, I guess if I have two, I'll be double the joy

in there. I don't know." Right.

But I'm like, They've checked multiple times.

I'm pretty sure it's just

one.

I don't understand, the audacity.

I'm like, where are people finding all of this?

do you find the audacity that you have?

I need to know.

I need some more.

Yeah.

So

I don't know if I have, like, RBF or something, Luckily, I never had anyone

come up… I think one time I had someone come up and touch my daughter's

foot when she was really little, and I kind of just, like, moved the stroller.

I'm like, "Hey." Mm-hmm.

But for the most part, I got no one that I didn't know touch, my belly.

Mm-hmm.

And I'm like, I don't know if I was just like, don't come near me." it is

such a weird thing that people just feel okay to touch someone else's body.

Yeah.

Like, that's just so odd to me.

I always say it's probably where I grew up, because, my hometown, it

was questionable where we grew up.

So-

even, like, when I tell the stories about the restaurants and the

bars, people are like, " That's not true." I'm like, Go visit, okay?

And then you're gonna see it is true." Like-

Yeah So you said when you, started to go viral when you shared p-

pretending to be like Coldplay,

Yeah

… debacle, the wife of the CEO.

yeah.

It was just the way… I, did, like, a little, wording.

I said, "As somebody who was married to the CEO of whatever."

Yeah.

actually, you know what?

I said just the CEO.

" As somebody who was married to the CEO, kudos to her for getting out." Something

like… Or, "Coldplay did her a favor."

Yes.

So this was a year ago.

And I had been making content for a while, but never with the intent to

actually have a following and, I would just talk about my time at the gym.

It was more like a diary than anything.

And then maybe a few- Mid-July, 'cause I posted it on my birthday

too, so it was July 18th of last year-

Funny

… that I posted the whole Coldplay thing.

But maybe, like, end of June, early July, I started using the format

that I do now, where I'm just talking to my camera, telling stories.

but that one with the Coldplay, I think I got, 10,000 followers off of it.

It was just a quick little two-second thing.

I took my camera, set it up on my car, so it was just me, for

a quick second showing my face.

And It was so funny, because people were like, " You weren't

really married to the CEO.

Like, you weren't his real life, or his real wife." And I'm like, " I know

this," like.

But- Some people do not get satire, no matter how much you

put- Mm-hmm … hashtag satire, this is satire, like anything.

' Cause I even did, you know that, like, current trend where it's,

five things worth the money?

Yes.

And someone- I saw your video.

Did y- Okay.

Yeah, where I just, like, for anyone listening that hasn't seen it, I was

like, "Oh, it'd be so funny to…" ' Cause I've seen a s- few influencers do

it, where it's, like, so out of touch.

Yeah.

Like, they're like, " Oh, this…" And I'm like, The things they

mention cost thousands of dollars.

That's not relatable to people.

So I was like, "Oh, it'd be really funny to do it as, like, an

out-of-touch bride," and I just had a bride story about this bridezilla

that wants, these outrageous things.

So I was like, "Oh, it'd be really funny just to, like, list, like, Oh,

a helicopter ride to your reception.'"

And I had people that were like, You know what?

You're focusing way too much on things that don't matter.

You should focus on the marriage." And someone else was like, "This

is just ridiculous." And I had to reply, I was like, "This is satire.

I-

Yeah … don't

recommend any of these things." Yeah.

"I can't afford any of these things." so it was just kind of funny how, like,

people take things very seriously before reading the caption or just, "Wait a

second, would someone actually come on and say you should do this?" I don't know.

Right.

I'm sure that you probably have followers who are like, "Hey, this is actually

just a joke. this isn't something she believes," and stuff like that, and

they comment back for you in a way.

Yeah.

I've found that upsets the original commenter more.

Yes.

I have noticed that.

it doesn't make sense to me, 'cause, somebody will be like, There's no way

this story is real," and it will be some crazy thing. I'll hashtag the

word skit or story time or something like that and it's, like, known on

my page that's a fake story. and they'll be like, "This isn't real.

There's no way." And they're going off on me about, I don't know, they'll just

name call or say something stupid. And then people, like my original followers,

will be like, " Actually, she hashtagged the word skit And then they're mean back,

and I'm like, " We're not gonna be mean to each other. we're just gonna delete

these comments." I feel like a moderator for my comments section sometimes.

Yeah.

And I just don't wanna deal with it.

… my page, I want it to be, like, happy and fun.

I don't want people being mean to each other.

Yeah.

So I'm always, like, removing stuff where people are being

mean or commenting negatively.

I was just gonna say that.

'Cause sometimes I'm, like, the mom in the comments or, like, the moderator,

too, 'cause, like, there was one time where someone commented something, and

I don't think they meant harm by it.

They were just like, "Wait a second." And I felt like people

were, like, dog piling on them.

So then I went in- Oh

and I was like, "Oh, I totally understand what you meant here." ' Cause I felt bad.

I was like… 'Cause you could tell then she was, like, trying to,

like, " No, I didn't mean it like that." 'Cause I think she was, like-

Yeah … trying to play into the satire or something. And I was like, "Hey, guys.

It's all good here.

We're f- just having fun.

Yeah … it's not

that serious."

Yeah.

why are we getting mad at people in the comments?

Right.

And on top of that, I feel like if people follow you enough, they understand

that you have a personality and that you wouldn't appreciate somebody

being mean- Yeah … on your behalf.

Yeah.

You know what I mean?

Exactly.

Yeah … but anyway, yeah.

But I have to say, you have such a, captivating way of telling stories.

I remember the first, Oh, thank you … time I saw your video,

like, do you memorize these stories or do you kind of just, go with

the flow and see what happens?

you just pull people in.

Like, it's almost, mid-sentence.

So then people are like, "Oh my gosh- Yeah … what is she gonna say?" and you, speak at

such a good pace, where I feel like people are like, "I don't wanna miss anything."

You just do such a good job of, well-

telling these stories.

I appreciate that.

You're making me blush over here.

So do you, like-

I, um-

… do you practice or what's, like, your, like, set up for doing that?

So I'll wake up in the morning and I'll go have coffee with my partner

and I'll be like, "This is the story I'm gonna tell." And I'll, tell him

in detail, so that way it's kind of, like, in my brain all the key points

that I want to have- in my story.

there are some of them where I'll put the bloopers at the end, ' cause

I try, doing it all in one take.

I hate pausing it.

I hate doing all of that.

But I'll get through, half of a story, like 30 seconds in, and I'll be like, "I

really hate the way I sound right now."

Restart the video.

Or I'll get the full way through the story and be like, "I just feel like I wasn't

energetic enough. I feel like I didn't emphasize these points enough." And it

usually takes about one to two takes for me to get it all the way through to the

point where I really enjoy it myself.

if I were to see it, I'd be like, "Okay, cool.

I'm stopping to watch this." the story I posted, the bride

one that you messaged me about-

Yeah

… that was my first take on that one.

But it was easy because I had the email pulled up on my screen to read.

and then the one I told today, I, posted one right before hopping on this, that

one I just did in the one take ' 'cause I was like, boom, we- I knew it.

Because once I read the story, I was like, there's no fricking way this happened.

But I had to get through it so that I could be like… My

genuine reaction to reading it is like, I would've gone to jail.

Like, if this were like me, I would've gone to jail.

Yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

Okay.

So I know you said before coming on that you had a story that you wanted to share.

You get tons of stories.

so let's just jump into that story you wanted to share.

which one?

The photography one?

Yeah, let's do the photography one.

okay.

So feel free to stop me and ask any questions and- Okay … just because

I'm sure that there are gonna be parts where you need clarifying.

I had a couple contact me.

They lived three hours from me, and they wanted me to do their engagement photos.

They came to me to do their engagement photos.

They loved them.

so they hired me to do their wedding, and we signed a contract

to be there from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

and again, three hours away, so I wake up at, like, 4:00 AM, drive there, start

the whole, taking photos of the bride getting ready, the groom getting ready.

It's just craziness.

At the reception, I ended up staying until 11, because it was just such a

fun wedding, and I loved the bride.

She was so sweet, so kind.

Same for the groom.

He was, very chill, down to earth.

at 11:00 PM I couldn't find the bride.

I could only find the maid of honor, and I let her know, like, "Hey, I'm

wrapping it up. I gotta go. I have all the photos I need." 'Cause at this

point people are just drunk and dancing.

Yeah.

There's not much you can capture in these moments.

and she's like, "No, no, no." Like, "She wanted to talk to you really quick.

Let me go find her." So the bride comes over and she's like, "We just

want you to stay for a couple more hours." And she's like, "We'll pay

you extra, and we'll pay for a hotel room, so you can spend the night.

You don't have to drive home."

So I quickly revised a quick little contract for an extra

two hours, had her sign it.

she said she was gonna pay me the two-hour fee and then do a hotel room.

At 1:00 AM I leave, and I decide I don't actually wanna spend the night.

I just wanna go home to my family, wake up with my family,

not have to deal with this.

It was, 8:00 o'clock in the morning, the bride calls me.

She's like, "Hey, we're all down in the lobby. Can you come down here with

your equipment and meet us so that you can take pictures of my husband and I

because it's our first day married?" And I'm like, no, because I'm home.

I'm three hours away now."

She, started yelling at me, cussing me out, demanding a money back.

she didn't even pay me yet.

we just signed a contract that she was gonna pay me extra.

Demanding that I give her the two-hour fee back, demanding the, extra money

for the hotel room back, and I was like, "I'm so confused what's going on."

She's like, "Well, we got you a hotel room so that you could be here in the

morning to take photos of all of us." it wasn't specified that if she had

been like, "Hey, we're gonna pay you for a hotel room and then give you extra

so you can come down in the morning"-

Yeah … sure.

I would've put that in the contract.

But she lost her ever-loving mind.

The maid of honor kept calling and texting and calling and texting

because she was so pissed off.

She couldn't believe that I left.

Like, how dare you?

And I had a baby at home.

I think my son was, maybe a year at this point.

Like, I didn't wanna stay-

Yeah

… three hours away.

But yeah, it was bad.

It was to the point where, my lawyer was involved, and my lawyer was

trying to get a, restraining order.

so the cops were gonna be involved to get the maid of honor to stop contacting me.

' Cause I had, like, my work line and she had my personal

number, and she was calling me.

It's wild that she just flipped from, like, super nice, super kind

bride, and then was like, "Wait, Cause that doesn't even make sense.

I would never think that all of a sudden, they own your time then.

It's like- No … no, you paid for two more hours at night, not anything- Mm-hmm

in the morning, and just because you got a hotel room from me doesn't mean

you, again… cause it's like, what?

If you stayed in the hotel room if at, 3:00 in the morning, does

that mean she could call you to take photos at 3:00 in the morning?

that doesn't even make sense.

Didn't make sense.

And I will say they tried to contact me to do their maternity photos.

two years later.

I was like, "No."

No,

I don't wanna deal with the hormonal you.

What?

I said I don't wanna deal with, like, a hormonal version of her.

No.

And wouldn't she think, that's weird?

after how she- Fine … treated you

You would think.

You would think

Yeah But- But I also wouldn't show up for something like that, 'cause what

if it was, her just to, like, yell at you or be like, "Try to get for free"?

Oh, for sure.

" Oh, you owe me for my wedding."

Yeah.

people are wild.

even within the wedding photography that I've experienced, like the moms

of the brides, you would think the bride would be the worst, but it's

actually the moms- Mm-hmm … that are the worst, and it's like I had

one mom, She had me sit with her.

So it was, the bride's mom and dad, and then the groom's mom and

dad, and then the grandparents.

I'm a photographer.

I usually just sit over in a corner if I'm eating something or taking a drink.

I'm not with people.

Yeah.

And she had me sit at the table with them, and she would, bark demands at me.

Like, Go take a, go take photos of Uncle Tim," who the fuck is Uncle Tim?

I don't even know who Uncle Tim is.

I'm not a part of your family.

I don't know- Yeah … what's going on.

the same mom would, like, pick up my camera and start going through the photos.

No.

And be like, I don't like this one.

You need to redo it.

go get this." And like, they were children, I think they were, like, 18

or 19, so they're absolutely, like, shit-faced, and they're like, " Get them

together and take photos of them all."

And she's yelling at me and cussing me out, and I'm like, "First of

all, stop touching my stuff."

Yeah.

Second, the, the bride didn't even want me taking photos.

She literally, the bride, I'm gonna call her Allie.

She's like, "Can you please just leave me alone?

let my mother know that I'm done with photos.

I don't want any more.

Just leave me alone." But I'm like, "Okay." Yeah.

That's

wild, wild

… wild.

I don't even get that, because it's like you are interrupting,

what the photographer does for their business, for their job.

Mm-hmm.

And like you're trying to, like, overstep as if, they don't know what

they're doing, and it's like you're actually just making it worse and,

just trust that they know what they're doing.

I don't know.

Yeah.

I don't get that.

Yeah.

That's-

Leave them alone.

I will say, though, that was my very first ever wedding,

and I told them repetitively.

I didn't even wanna do it.

I had done their engagement photos, the mom loved the engagement photos,

so she wanted me to do the wedding.

And I was like, I don't do indoor photography.

You don't want me doing this." Yeah.

Like, "Don't hire me." And, it went back to wanting an expensive

wedding, but a cheap photographer.

since I had never done a wedding, I didn't know what to charge her.

And she's like, "I'll give you $500 for two hours."

And I'm like, "Okay, whatever." She calls me at 8:00 AM the morning of

the wedding, yelling at me, asking where I am, why I'm not there yet

to take pictures of everybody.

And I'm thinking to myself, like, "You hired me for the ceremony.

You didn't hire me for all day."

Getting ready.

And I ended up being with them from probably 9:00 AM till,

I wanna say, 9:00 PM, when I finally was like, " I'm leaving.

I am so done with this.

I can't do it anymore." But-

So do they only pay you for two hours, but then they wanted you extra time?

Yeah.

And then I ended up giving them the money back, and I had to get a

restraining order against the mom.

And my,

lawyer had to-

Yeah

What?

she was wild, because the mom lost her shit.

she hired me for the wedding.

I, even in the contract, I said, like, "I'm not a wedding photographer.

I've never done this." Like, You don't want me," is essentially,

like, what I kept saying.

And she was like, "No, what my sweet daughter wants, my sweet daughter gets."

It was awful.

And after all was said and done, because the bride and groom were like, "No,

we're done," like, "You don't need to take any more photos." it was like

this, like the doom and gloom outside.

It was so dark, and when I get to where the ceremony was, the priest, pastor,

Father, whatever it was, came up to me and he's like, "No flash and no external

light in here." "You can't use anything.

You just have to use natural lighting." Oh. And it's, like, one of those, dark

buildings with, like, the big, tall painted windows, and the chandeliers

are- Mm … nine million feet in the air. There's no light for me to work with,

and I told the mom right then and there, "These photos are not gonna look good.

I can't use the lighting, and I don't have enough light coming in."

And she was just like, "Oh, no.

We love you.

We love your work." that flip again, where they love you so much while you're,

like, kissing ass, trying to be nice, and trying to be patient, and the moment

you stand up for yourself, they're like, "Oh, we don't like you anymore."

Yeah.

it was like that.

I wanna say it was a solid year of being harassed by this mother before I

finally, got the cops involved and had to have a restraining order against her.

What

was she trying to like… She just kept, bugging you for more stuff?

Or just trying to like-

Well, as, like, a thank you to the couple, I did photo books.

Like, I printed photo books, and it wasn't a part of the contract.

It wasn't anything that we agreed on.

I just, as a gift to the couple-

Yeah

… I printed a photo book, and I put a photo of them kissing at the altar, just

really cute photos throughout, little quotes about love, all this stuff.

The mom contacted me, and she didn't like the cover image I chose.

She didn't like the big pictures I chose.

she wanted me to put, inserts from their vows and I'm like, "This was just,

like, a gift." this is a free gift.

Make

your own if you don't like it.

Right.

God.

So then, she was mad about how warm and grainy the photos of the ceremony were.

there's no way around it.

the photo's gonna have, like, that pixelated texture look to it-

Yeah … because of how dark it is.

my camera's trying to absorb light, which is gonna cause a yellow, grainy-ish

look, especially with, the stained glass.

she was like, "You need to edit this.

You need to change this.

This is the photo I want for the layout." And just as, like, a way to appease

her, 'cause at this point, I do outdoor photography, and I don't want something

indoor to ruin my business over here.

Yeah.

I'm going with it.

I get her another set of, picture books, send them over.

She hates them.

And then she starts demanding, the raw photos so that she can

edit She wants, every single photo I took of the wedding day.

She doesn't want just the ones that I picked to edit.

She wants all of them, and I was like, "No. It's just

not gonna happen." It works.

No.

And then, yep, nope.

Gosh,

that- And the company I used for the books, they bound them themselves, so

it wasn't, a mass production thing.

It was, like, a very, intricately done, beautifully pieced together book.

And again, just a gift, which was probably, like, 100 bucks, honestly.

Yeah.

So out of the 500 you gave me, I gave you a $100 book, and then I ended

up giving them all the money back.

I was like, "Stop contacting me." Like-

Please

… " Here's your 500.

Leave me alone."

That's, like, someone that doesn't understand photography either, 'cause

it's like where it starts off is she's like, "Oh, will you take photos?

And you're a photographer, so you can do wedding photography." It's

like, wedding photography is very different than, like, maternity- Mm-hmm

or engagement or still shots.

Like, they're all different- Yeah … skillsets.

And yes, while some people do all of them or eventually get there, it's

doesn't necessarily mean you have the equipment for a wedding when it's-

Right … like, in a darker church or when it's, That's someone that just- Yeah

you said, like earlier, like they just saw like a price tag and

they're like, "Well, let's just do this price tag." And it's like-

Yeah

… well, you're paying for the equipment, you're paying for the

ti- you know, all that stuff and-

Yeah.

And then the time to edit the photos too.

Mm-hmm.

' Cause like these beautiful photos you see, before they go into, production

or editing, they don't look like that.

Yeah.

They look like a photo that you would take with, just your camera and your lighting.

these effects of like sun rays and stuff like that, that's done post.

that's done in the production process, but people don't see that.

People don't understand that.

They just think that's how it came out of the camera I wanna live in

that level of delusion, honestly.

Yeah, that is wild.

Okay, one more story before we get to this week's story submission that someone sent.

you said you have a story from your own wedding with your- Yes

… mother-in-law that you wanna share.

Oh, my… First of all, this woman, she's not my mother-in-law anymore.

I've been divorced for 12 years, 13 years.

But I went no contact with her four years before I even

left him, 'cause it was awful.

First of all, her dress to wear as the, groom's mom was

a very pale champagney color.

Okay.

I

was like- I

knew that was coming

pretty much white there, babe."

Mm-hmm.

this isn't okay with me.

I grew up on a big property, like a farmhouse type deal, so

we had a big yard, which is where we were gonna have the wedding.

I'm like, "We'll just have it on my parents' property," and that was,

my parents' contribution to it.

So my mother-in-law was like, "Well, I wanna contribute. what can I do?" And

I'm like, "Honestly, I can't think of anything you can do. We're good." At

this point, I had already hired a baker.

I already had everything, like catering and stuff, ready.

We were set.

And she contacted my ex-husband, threatening to, self-harm herself if I did

not allow her to make the wedding cake, and I was like… "Okay, well, I don't

want that to happen, so she can make the wedding cake." I canceled with the baker.

I'm like,… "My mother-in-law is gonna make it," all this stuff.

And I go to my mother-in-law with, my vision board of what I wanted, which was

just very basic cake, naked cake with, fall decor, 'cause it was a fall wedding.

and you know, like, the naked where it's like the frosting is on it

but scraped off- Mm-hmm it's very, very, very, like, not really there?

Yeah.

That's what I wanted, and I just wanted it simple.

I wanted a chocolate layer, a vanilla layer, and then

carrot cake for the one year.

Like, you know how you have your cake in the, one-year anniversary.

I wanna say it was maybe a week before the wedding.

She calls me and she's like, "Hey, do you wanna come try the cake?

Like, I have it ready." And I was like, "Sure, yeah.

Oh, d- Back, rewind.

She wanted to make a marble cake.

She thought it would just look so divine if she had pitchers with one

that had chocolate, one that had vanilla, and then you pour it in at

the same time so it swirls together.

And I was like, "Cute idea, don't want that.

I want it to just be very specific, one that's one and whatever." And she's

just like, " Well, I mean, it would just look really cool and all this

stuff." And I was like, "I don't want it." And I was, like, very adamant.

Boundaries, right?

Mm-hmm.

So I go to sample the cake, try it out, and of course it's this pitcher idea that

she had where it was all marbled together.

And I tried the cake.

I was like, "This cake is really good. on the wedding day though, I don't

want it like this. I want it chocolate vanilla carrot cake." I can't even

tell you how many times I said that.

Like, I literally for the longest time didn't even wanna eat cake because of

how, stupid I sounded telling this.

So I was like, " This is what I wanted." And she's just like, "Well, if you want

it that way, you're gonna have to buy me the ingredients to remake this cake."

So now this thing that's meant to be a gift is causing me stress and anxiety.

Days before my wedding I'm running around, getting all the stuff that

she needs to remake this cake.

The day of the wedding comes.

she pulls out the cake, and, I wanted a circular cake, but it was this big,

rectangular, giant freaking thing.

I have tried so hard to find photos of this, but one of the things I did when I

left, I was, deleting that from my memory.

I was like, "No wedding photos anywhere.

Nothing.

Everything…" so it's a big rectangular cake that has so much frosting on it.

I'm talking, like, an inch of frosting and- Oh my gosh … piping and swirly

things, and she has red ribbon piping.

I don't know what it's called.

And then there's, like, this blue color.

It's a fall wedding.

I felt like it was a Fourth of July cake, honestly.

And I was like, thank you for doing this for me.

This isn't what I wanted." She lost her mind, started scraping the cake off,

because I asked for a naked cake. She's like, " You want a naked cake? You're

gonna get a naked cake," yelling at me.

I'm, like, about to get married.

I'm pregnant, so I can't go inside and take a drink.

Like, I have to just sit here and, like- Oh

my

gosh … deal with it, you know?

Mm-hmm.

So she's scraping my cake off.

My poor mom is, walking around the yard, picking up actual leaves to make it fall.

She's, she's putting, like, for real leaves on the cake, and I'm like, we

don't need to do this." anyways, I end up trying to cut the cake, sorry.

The bottom layer, the chocolate, is styrofoam.

And I was like-

Oh

… I'm like, "Oh." And I'm like, "What is this?" And she's just like, " Oh, you

know, I thought about what you said about wanting chocolate and vanilla, and that

really didn't make sense, so I just used the cake I made the other day, so you're

gonna have to cut the middle layer."

So she used the marble cake, which begs the question, where did all

the extra ingredients I bought you-

Yeah

… what were those for if this is the same cake that you had me test a week ago?

Oh-

Anyways

… my gosh.

So we cut the middle layer.

it was the marble thing, and I'm like, whatever.

Like, we're gonna let it go.

I'm just not, I'm in a noncon- confrontational mood.

And then she comes over to cut the top layer because my husband's,

well, husband at the time, little brother wanted carrot cake.

He didn't want, the other cake.

So she cut the top layer, which is meant for the one-year anniversary layer.

Mm-hmm.

And she cuts it, and she gives the kid a piece of it, and she's just

like, "Well, that's what he wanted."

And I'm like If that's any idea what my relationship was like.

Yes, I can only imagine how the rest of the y- many years went.

Yeah, that is wild.

That's like one of the things, too, like I have so many stories where

like family members insist on like taking photos, or they insist on

being the DJ, or they insist on-

Mm-hmm

things.

Like, "Oh, it's not hard," and when like maybe they don't have a legitimate

business, or they have only done it one other time for a birthday party-

Mm-hmm

… or something.

And so many times it just goes bad because-

Yes

… they don't have the experience, or for example, if they're like a photographer

for a wedding when they're not an actual photographer, then it's like they- Mm-hmm

lose photos, or they don't have a backup drive, all these things where

it's like- Yep … it's so hard especially if the mother-in-law is

like threatening, like, "Well, if you don't let me do this," that's

scary.

It, it was that, that was her threat for everything.

It's like a heightened state of anxiety- Mm-hmm … all the time because she

wanted to be in the delivery room, which I ended up having an emergency C-section,

so nobody was in the room, thank God.

But not like… You know what I mean.

Yeah.

But she was threatening self-harm because she wasn't in the room,

Yeah.

And then she shows up maybe an hour or two after I had him, and I'm still out.

I'm still under anesthesia, and she's like trying to hold the

baby, but my mom won't let her.

She's like, "No. No, you're not holding him before Sam can hold him." Yeah.

Like, that doesn't make any logical sense.

Yeah.

And honestly, that's why I went no contact with her.

I was actually pregnant with my middle when I went no contact with her.

I was like, "I can't. I can't do this." It's like an emotional rollercoaster.

Mm-hmm.

And It's like a constant, almost like you're in a vice grip.

Yeah, like you're stuck.

Mm-hmm.

And I was like, "I can't do it anymore.

I can't do it." Can't do anything right, can't do anything like,

everything's just wrong probably.

you can't win with someone like that 'cause it's all

based- Mm-mm … on control.

It's like if they don't have it their way at their time, then, yeah, you have

to go no contact with someone like that.

I can't even- Yeah … imagine, especially when it comes to having

kids around someone like that.

Yeah.

Oh- … you

made the right choice … yeah, I

just don't feel safe with it.

Yeah.

Yeah, she used to, go off on me because I would let my mom take my son,

but I wouldn't let her take my son.

Big difference

honestly.

Like-

It is

… I heard about my husband's childhood.

Like I don't, don't wanna give you my kid.

Yeah.

You're like, "No, thank you."

But- Wow … oh, she tried suing me for grandparents' rights

after I left him and everything.

Like, she It was a nightmare.

But yeah.

Oh

my gosh.

She's, we have a whole- Can't believe she did

that

I know.

I know.

I think it's been 17 years since I talked to her, and in that time, like, she's

reached out here and there, like asking how the kids are and asking for photos of

the kids, and I'm just like, "Nah. No."

Someone that-

But-

… like that, you just don't even wanna give them access because it's gonna just-

No

explode No.

for real socials, I don't post my kids on TikTok or anything like that,

but on my, personal Facebook page, it is so locked down that you're not

gonna find anything on there anyways.

good luck.

And if you do find a picture of them, I'm proud of you

because that shit is so private.

Yes.

Oh my gosh.

Okay.

All right, let's

hear this one.

Let's get to this week's story submission.

Here we go.

Two of my best friends got engaged around the same time.

Emma was my maid of honor when I got married and is truly

my best friend in the world.

Lily is also a close friend and was a bridesmaid in my wedding.

We all share the same friend group, but Emma and Lily were never especially close.

In fact, Lily wasn't even sure if Emma would make her guest list since her fiancé

and Emma had butted heads in the past.

Emma and her fiancé, Ryan, are a bit older and got engaged about a year of dating.

Lily and her fiancé, Noah, had been together since college and

got engaged after five years, about six months before Emma.

After Lily got engaged, she started asking me questions about Emma's

proposal and her dream wedding.

I told her Emma was hoping for a fall wedding later that year As wedding

planning began, Emily's uncle became terminally ill, which delayed things

while her family focused on him.

Once his condition stabilized enough for her to step away, Emma

and Ryan found a venue they loved.

However, they had to shift their timeline to the following spring

because Emma works in sales, and fall was both too busy and too soon to book.

Meanwhile, Lily secured her venue for April 18th.

Emma later told me she was considering April 2nd … Oh

gosh, I know where this is going.

There's gonna be some- I'm waiting for

it

friend beef.

Yes.

she was considering April 2nd or the end of May, depending on venue availability.

She asked if I thought April 2nd, just three weeks before Lily's

wedding, was too close since there were mutual friends in both weddings.

I told her it would be fine.

Both weddings were local, and from my own experience as a bride, I knew how

limited venue availability can be.

Sometimes you just have to do what works.

A few weeks later, I saw Lily at another friend's party.

She asked how Emma's planning was going.

Since I was Emma's maid of honor, I casually mentioned

the dates Emma was considering.

Lily immediately made a scene.

She said it was incredibly disrespectful for Emma to even

consider a date less than a month before hers without asking permission.

Like you own the whole month.

But also, wasn't she not even sure if she was gonna be a

guest at the wedding anyways?

Yeah.

She said she wasn't even

sure- How

Invite them … Lily didn't even think Emma was gonna be a guest at her wedding.

Yeah.

Okay, sorry.

So I feel like it has to do with her competing with this friend and thinking

like, " Well, I don't want my same friend that's gonna be a bridesmaid in my wedding

to like have to worry about hers first."

You know, like competition or something.

Yeah.

Y- your attention belongs to me, no one else type deal.

gross

Oh my gosh.

I calmly explained that I didn't think it was a big deal, especially since

both weddings were local and wouldn't create a burden for shared guests.

She snapped back, accusing me of only taking Emma's side

because I was her maid of honor.

I stayed calm, but I definitely was frustrated.

I gently pointed out that Lily wasn't even sure she was inviting Emma to her wedding.

Oh, gosh, here we go.

She was?

So at this point, Emma didn't know.

it didn't make sense to expect Emma to check in, with her about dates.

That didn't go over well.

She started asking random people at the party for their opinions,

but only sharing selective details to make herself look better.

This is just what we were talking about before recording, how when people

share a story, they're naturally gonna do it to make themselves look better.

Yep.

Yep.

And take out some details.

And then they do the thing where, "Oh, well, so and so agrees with me. They

feel the same way I do," and then they kinda like pit people against you.

Yes.

Oh my gosh.

Every time.

And I always like to think too, I'm like, so if, Lily would've sent this

story in, how she would- Mm … angle it versus this person- Yep … you

know, everyone's gonna change things.

Yeah.

I tried to deescalate the situation and show empathy, and

eventually things settled down.

In the end, Emma chose Memorial Day weekend, five weeks after Lily's wedding.

Oh, wonder if that was okay.

I let Lily know, thinking the issue was resolved.

But I could tell something was off A few weeks later, she asked to talk.

During the call she said it felt like a slap in the face that we had

even considered a date close to hers.

For one, it's not even though her friend considering it, it's the other girl.

me, she's a maid of honor.

She's not on part of picking a date.

why is she getting mad at

her?

So- so, why does she feel like she just owns, that six-month block?

she thought she was planning a fall wedding, so that's the only

time she's allowed to plan it?

Yeah.

So weird how entitled people become.

Yeah.

I think people get in their minds, like, yes, like, your wedding is this

great event and it's fun, but I feel like with, social media and, Pinterest,

they're like, "Oh my gosh, it's, my wedding's the wedding of the year-

Yeah … and everyone else lives stop when they're in my wedding or a part of it."

And so I think she's-

Mm-hmm

… thinking like, "Oh, my friend that's in the wedding, should be,

focusing on me and me only." Mm-hmm.

And it's like, no.

Like, Yes, it's the most important thing for you and your partner-

Mm-hmm

… but everyone else, their lives move on.

they still have to work.

Right.

They still have kids, they still have fam- you know, whatever that is.

Yep.

They can't just stop.

So if they have another wedding to go to, that's okay.

That's okay.

Yeah.

Exactly, it's okay.

It's like I always tell people, like, two of my best friends

got married the same year as me.

One was two months before me, and one was- Ooh eight months after me, and I

was the maid of honor in one wedding, I was a bridesmaid in the other.

Ooh.

So all of our wedding events overlapped, and it was so fun.

we did so many different things.

Yeah.

Like, we had a bachelorette party one weekend, we had a shower, and I loved it.

I'm as happy- Yeah … for my friends as you should be.

And I feel like you can also bounce ideas off each other, 'cause maybe you

like the idea of a bubble machine, and the other person's like, "No, that's

stupid," but that's cool for you.

You know what I mean?

Or maybe they see something cool that they like, but they don't

want at their wedding- Mm-hmm

but then they share the idea with you-

Oh, yeah

… and you like it.

We all, we all shared so many different decorative things from

our weddings, 'cause we all had a little bit- Yeah … of gold accent.

One of my friend's little sister got married six months before me, and

I was able to use her fake flowers.

we all- Oh, nice … like, shared each other's stuff,

and I'm like, I saved money.

it was actually, like, nice, but-

Sisterhood of the, wedding decor instead of the traveling pants.

Yeah, exactly.

Yes.

Oh my gosh, I know.

People spend so much money on that stuff.

I went to, like, Goodwill.

I, like, borrowed some stuff from friends.

Yeah.

I'm like, it's fine.

Yeah.

And I bet it was beautiful, too.

Yes, exactly.

okay, so she said, I tried to explain that my opinion wasn't biased,

but that only made her more upset.

She said she talked to other people who agreed with her.

I mentioned that I had also spoken to my mom and my sister who had been

in multiple weddings close together, and they felt that brides don't need

permission from others, especially if they're not even in the wedding party.

That's when she lost it.

She accused me of airing out her business-" Oh, God "… even

though she had just told me she did the same thing." Right.

Total hypocrisy.

she is seeing herself as the main character.

She's the bride.

It's only about her.

Yep.

Everyone else's- Yep … opinion doesn't matter

Wild.

Then it got worse.

She told me that I was clearly siding with Emma.

Maybe I should step down as her bridesmaid because she didn't

think I'd have time for her.

Okay.

Wow.

I'd be like, "Okay, well, you made it y- your choice." Thanks

for bringing all that up.

Yeah.

Thank Saving money on that dress.

Now I can really focus on her thank you.

I was worried about it.

Yes, thank you.

I did feel like I was pulled in opposite directions, so- Yeah

… that's wild.

And that just tells me that this person, always had some kind of…

easily drop you from the wedding-

Yeah, yeah

tells me that they already ha- always had some kind of animosity.

I

wonder if she was, an extra body.

So she's like kind of a friend, and her fiancé had seven groomsmen, so

she just- Mm-hmm … needed an extra.

Yeah.

You know what I mean?

'Cause you don't drop a friend from a wedding.

I'm saying that as somebody who was dropped from a wedding-

but then re-in the wedding.

Oh.

It was wild.

That's like a whole different story.

Anyways, it- that's what it sounds like to me, is that person was an extra body.

that person was just there to fill the shoes- Mm-hmm … because

there were too many groomsmen in comparison to the bridesmaids.

Yeah.

So it's like not gonna like affect her day, so she's like,

"Whatever, just-" That's wild.

I reminded her of all the ways I had supported her and made

sure she felt celebrated, but she was too angry to hear it.

Eventually, I was able to calm her down, and she brushed the whole

thing off like it wasn't a big deal.

But it honestly shook me.

I tried to move past it, telling myself that the wedding stress can make people

act out, but it still felt like a lot.

Thankfully, everything eventually worked itself out.

We are on good terms now, and ironically, Emma and Lily are

actually closer than ever.

But being stuck in the middle of that situation, absolutely wild.

Gosh, what do you make of all that?

So unfair.

Like, okay, so for me, that's so unfair for Emma Just because she has…

They're all in a friend group, and she's close to both people, that's

so unfair to make her feel like she has to choose one or the other.

Mm-hmm.

Emma and Lily are the- Yeah … friends, and then the OP is… We don't

have a name, I guess, for her.

Oh, okay, Yeah I thought Emma was…

Okay.

So whomever… we'll say her name is Lauren.

Yeah.

Lauren- Perfect … feel like she's choosing between the

two, that's so unfair to her.

Yes.

because- Why

can't it be yes

… the

honor

over here, obviously, like, that would indicate to me that

she's closer to this person.

Mm-hmm.

Which could potentially make Lily upset because, how dare you

have a bester friend than me?

Mm-hmm.

A besterest, bester best.

Besterest, yeah.

Bestest friend, yeah.

yeah.

When I think Lily, Who got engaged first?

Oh, they got engaged around the same time, and then, but Emma was

her maid of honor, so then Lauren would've been Emma's maid of honor.

And Emma was gonna originally be married in September or fall-ish,

and then uncle had health problems, Like, I can understand it because Lily

asked when is she getting married.

She knew it was fall, so then she planned for spring.

Right.

But you can't, like, plan if a family member's sick.

Yeah.

Sorry, I feel a sneeze coming on.

It looks like I'm crying.

I swear it's allergies.

I'm like, I swear to you, the story's not that bad.

Like, it's okay.

It's not your friends that are getting

married.

No.

No, like, my allergies are so bad since, like, the wildfires and stuff.

That's, hard, and I feel like it's, like, this, friend competition and, like- Mm-hmm

… I guess it's that they're friends now, but I would still, I feel hold a little

bit of resentment for how the girl- Oh,

for sure … how she treated her

' cause I'd be like, " Dude, you put me in a odd spot.

I'm not controlling their wedding over here.

I'm just the maid of honor- Right … and I'm supporting my friend.

Don't come at me.

I'm the one."

But also, I feel like as Emma to now be friends with Lily, if I were Emma, I would

think that she was really fake, It would be a very superficial friendship for me.

Like, one of those, surface level where you know enough to feel like we're

friends, but at the same time, I see what you can do to people you care about,

so I'm not letting you close to me.

Yeah.

That's how I would handle it.

Like, there's no way that you caused my best friend so much, grief-

… and then I'm gonna be friends.

And- I, I can- can't

… yeah, it makes me wonder if, the OP, like Lauren that we're calling, I wonder

if- Uh-huh … she told Emma everything.

You know?

Oh, same.

Mm-hmm.

I'm thinking, like, if I were in two weddings at the same time and that

happened, I'm like, I don't think I'd wanna stress out this bride- Yeah

and be like, "Oh," Or make them feel like they have to change their date.

So I'm wondering- Yeah … if she didn't tell her or maybe

waited to tell her until later.

Later.

I'd almost hope she wouldn't tell her 'cause then I'm like, don't put that

on her 'cause if Emma's like- No … a really nice people pleaser, then maybe

she's like, "Oh, okay, I don't wanna…"

Yeah

… it sounded like Emma was actually concerned.

She was like, "Oh, do you think it's okay?" Or would she be upset?

Yeah.

Yeah.

She

had a feeling, like, you know, 'cause I think it would probably cross everyone's

mind, If maybe I knew someone was getting married, ' cause I got married in March,

like if I knew someone close to another friend was getting married in April,

I'd be like, " Oh, is that too close?"

But I mean, I don't know.

Yeah

… for the most part, if you have different friend groups

and, it doesn't really matter.

No

… only 12 months in a year

And on top of that, like… Right, and it's just like I actually think that

I would like having weddings back to back because you get to celebrate.

I'm like, don't wanna get remarried, but I love weddings, and I always get emotional.

Like, I was, as a photographer, I'm, crying behind my lens for

somebody I don't even freaking know.

But I love weddings.

I love love, you know what I mean?

Mm-hmm.

So I think that I would love it if it was, back-to-back weddings where I get

to celebrate people that I'm close to.

Yeah.

it's weird to me that people would be like, no.

the one story you shared where, the person couldn't get

married in their wedding year.

Mm-hmm.

What are we talking about?

Like, what?

Ugh.

Don't you wanna be happy- Like, what the hell?

… and celebrate other people?

Like, I'm the same way.

Like, I love weddings.

Would I wanna plan another one for myself?

No.

I had so much fun with it, but I love weddings.

I love going to them.

Mm-hmm.

I just found out two of my friends just got engaged, and they're getting

married next year, and I'm like, "Yes." We haven't had a wedding, a

year with two weddings in a long time.

Yeah.

I can't wait.

That's so exciting.

Um, and it's been a while 'cause, my age group, my friends group are all

married, It's like siblings, younger siblings- Yeah … and, stuff like that.

and so I'm just like, I can't wait 'cause I love going to weddings.

Yeah.

It's just such a fun event- It's exciting … to go to, and it's

exciting and, maybe you can excuse some wacky behavior around weddings.

Yeah.

Like, okay, they're stressed.

But things like that, I I would remember how someone treated me.

Going off on me- Yeah

at someone else's wedding, I'd be like, "Eh, that's a bit odd."

Yeah.

"Okay, so this girl's wedding is on the 2nd. I actually want mine on the 3rd."

sure, be a little bit, peeved about that, but if it's, like, a couple weeks after-

Right … really no point in being upset.

Yeah.

unless you guys are in each other's wedding and getting married on the exact

same day- it's really not that deep.

we- Yeah … can just calm down.

Like-

Like, it'll

be- I always tell people like that need to eat a Snickers.

Like, you know the commercials where they're, like- Yes

hangry?

Yeah.

Go eat a Snickers.

Go eat a Snickers.

Go chill out for a bit.

Yeah, relax.

Calm down.

You'll be fine.

Yeah.

Um-

when I was a server, completely unrelated, I carried fun-size

Snickers around in my, apron.

So when people would give me attitude, I'd be like, "Oh, you

little, little snacky over here."

Uh,

have a Snickers.

You, you need something to hold you off before,

Yeah.

… your fumes.

Yeah.

That's a good idea.

People do need that.

Okay.

No, that's wild,

I always like to end these episodes with confessions.

Ooh.

So here's what people said.

We asked, "What's something you wish people understood more of?"

this person said, " How you treat people is how they'll treat you.

If you don't give more, don't expect more." I actually love- Mm … this

because I've been thinking a lot about, like, mom villages lately, and how

everyone's like, Where's my village?" And it's hard to find a village.

But I feel like to have a village you have to kind of be the village.

And that goes like, when you're a bride, too.

Like, we wanna relate it back to weddings.

these brides that maybe weren't there for their friends when it was their time, and

then they're like, "Where is everybody?" And it's like, well, you- Right,

right … weren't a good friend to them.

You know?

yep.

It's the energy you put out is what you get back-

Mm

… is how I always look at it.

So the effort you put in is the effort that comes back to you as well.

Yes, absolutely.

Yeah.

not being able to do things because you have kids.

That's what… Okay, she wish- more people would understand that.

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Yeah.

I can get that one.

I understand that one.

Yes.

let's see.

I can fix them is not true.

They have to put in the work.

You can't make them see their flaws.

I think that's-

Yeah

… mostly true, yeah.

I hear it.

this person just says, "No, I don't want kids there." So I don't know if

they're talking about weddings or s-

Yeah.

I always struggle with that because I've been to weddings where kids were

in attendance, and it was totally fine.

Like, you would've never known.

But then I've been at weddings where, there's a screaming toddler just

running amok, and you're just like, Why is it running across the altar right

now?" while they're doing their vows.

Right.

Like, so I understand not wanting that.

Yes.

But at the same time, if you want to invite a person and the person has

kids but they can't make it 'cause kids aren't allowed, then you have

to be understanding of the fact that they are not there because of that.

it doesn't mean that they don't like you, it doesn't mean they're a bad

friend, it just means that they can't go.

Right.

yeah, when my cousin got married it was no kids, and my son was, like,

two months old, three months old.

So I had a babysitter for him.

'Cause it was m- like, everybody was going.

It was my cousin, so like my mom was there, my dad was

there, my sisters, everything.

So I had a sitter for a couple of hours, and she was so upset that

I didn't stay for everything.

And I'm like, " I can't." this thing is nursing.

Yes.

It's like, looking for me.

I gotta go.

Like- Yes

Yeah, that's hard.

It's hard, like, people need to like understand, once you have

kids, things change a little bit.

Yeah.

I totally understand people not wanting kids there.

Like, I don't get- Mm-hmm … offended if people don't invite my daughter.

I get it.

Right.

And I think, it's just people want different vibes for weddings.

Sometimes they just don't want kids there.

Other times it's like just immediate family members.

and I think a lot of times too, like, Or if they don't know your kid,

they're not gonna invite your kid.

we have like- Yeah

friends that invite us to a wedding before they even knew, before we had kids.

I'm like, I wouldn't expect them to just, add her on the list.

but yeah, I know.

I think it's, interesting.

People get like very offended over it, both sides.

People get offended- Yeah … if you have to leave early if you have kids, and

people get offended if you invite no kids.

And I'm like-

Right

… people are gonna do what they want.

It's okay.

Like-

Right

you can't get up in arms about

it.

And it's okay to realize that people are different.

Just because you would have kids at your wedding doesn't mean that

they should also feel that way.

Yeah,

It's like a chocolate versus vanilla.

Not everybody likes chocolate and not everybody likes vanilla.

Right.

It's okay.

We can all get along.

Yes.

this person says, "No phones at the wedding."

I agree with that as a photographer, as somebody… I think I

did, 20-something weddings.

The amount of times I would be taking a photo down the aisle of, the first

kiss, and then you have, like, Aunt Susan leaning in with her camera taking photos.

So then you have to go through the hassle of either trying to edit her

out completely or cropping the photo so it's not as aesthetic, just to

not have their phone in the photo.

And, like, sometimes you watch, the bride walking down the aisle, and everybody's

like this, staring at their screen.

And, like, the event is happening in front of you, and you're missing it.

Mm-hmm.

You're… Like, it just, it, frustrating.

That's like concert video that, like, really bother me.

And it's like I get, like, filming your favorite song or here and there,

but the people- Yeah … that the whole time at a concert are holding

up, I'm like, " Be freaking present.

We have such a hard time- Be present … with that now." It's like- there's

nothing that will compete with your actual eyesight and your senses.

especially when you're at a concert, how many times are you

gonna go back and, like, watch it?

Like, how-

I know, I know.

Or, like, 4th of July fireworks.

Yeah, when they

post it.

Nobody cares.

Nobody or even when you're watching the concert videos back and you can

hear yourself singing- I feel like that's a reason enough to not do it.

Like, listening to yourself shout the lyrics, like, no.

Yes.

I know.

I always like to remind people, it's like, especially at a wedding, they paid

good money for a great photographer.

Let them do that.

if you wanna get- Yes … like, a selfie of you and the bride later if

she has time- Yeah … sure, do that.

Yeah.

But, being involved in weddings, I love taking pictures of,

like, little details and stuff.

Mm-hmm.

But you better believe my phone is away.

When I'm sitting- Yeah

in my chair and I'm watching, my phone's away, 'cause I know I can't

do better than the photographer.

I know that for a fact.

Right.

Yeah.

But yeah, like Uncle Bob over here, he thinks his iPad is better

. Yes.

Oh, I did one wedding one time, I think it was the grandpa or, like, a

great uncle or something like that, was recording it with the flash on-

Ugh

the entire time.

So, like, everybody's trying to watch, and they're, like, blinded if he's,

turning the iPad their way, and it's just like, " Put it away, bro." Yeah. So,

like, I have all these people photos with this bright light out of nowhere over

here, and I'm like, "This is fantastic.

This is great." Mm. "Love this."

Wild, wild, wild.

All right.

Well, thank you so much for coming on.

That was-

Of course … it

was fun, like, going back and forth with different stories and stuff

'cause, like, I'm sure you have so many.

We could probably do, like, a two-hour episode with different kinds of stories.

I have so much, dude.

That's why when people are like, "These stories are made

up," and I'm like, "Mm, no."

Not at

all.

One thing I think it's, Okay, so from, a young age to probably about

20 or 21, I was very meek, very quiet.

I was in an abusive relationship, so you kind of shrink yourself

to be palatable to people.

And when I left that I was like, you're all in for a treat now because

I don't have a verbal filter."

Yeah.

when you're willing to speak your mind, you tend to piss people off

a lot because they're not used to being called out on their behavior-

Mm-hmm

… which intensifies their behavior.

I end up with, like, crazy stories.

Even, like, we were out to dinner the other day, and this mom was

sitting there berating her daughter.

And of course, I'm at another table, I'm like, "Hey, you're doing good over

there. Love that you're making her cry and that you guys are just sitting

here eating." And it's just like, stop.

Stop being shitty people.

Yeah.

I don't know.

Yeah.

But my mouth will get me in trouble eventually.

It just hasn't yet.

Oh, my gosh.

I love it.

It's so funny.

Mm-hmm.

so where can everyone follow you for all your content and

anything fun you're working on?

I recently started a Facebook.

I don't know why I was steering away from that, but Facebook, Instagram,

TikTok, and YouTube are all the same.

It's the @miss.Samantha.bee, so missSamanthaBee.

But if you see any others without the little dots in between, it's not me.

It's a fake person.

We don't like that.

I love those fake people- … out there.

One thing I never thought I'd have to deal with.

It's wild, but…

So I don't know why I was not on Facebook.

I think it's 'cause I have so many friends and family over there.

There's still a part of me that's, like, embarrassed that I make videos,

and I don't want people watching it.

Yeah.

But I came across a page of, I think it was, like, 100 of my videos,

and they had over 3,000 followers.

And I'm like, " This isn't me." So then I had to start a Facebook, get

it verified, in the Meta thingy, and now, I'll report their videos 'cause

mine will post first, then they'll steal it, and then they post it.

Yeah.

So I've gotten, like, 20-something of their videos taken down, and just

yesterday, they had my profile picture.

They just removed the profile picture, so now it's just, like, that little

icon of, like, a silhouette of a person.

Mm-hmm.

but I'm hoping that that means the entire page is being taken down 'cause-

Yeah

I will make time to get it taken down.

Yeah.

Like,

but- Like, you will

not be imitating me anymore, thank you.

No.

No, thank you.

Also, I'm so terrified and I don't know if you deal with this,

somebody stealing all of your videos and posting like they're you.

What if they start commenting like they're you, but commenting

things you would never comment?

to me, that's like one of my biggest fears is like what if this person

makes me seem like an awful person, and they're just really mean?

Yeah.

No, I had- Because someone- … someone that, I think it was on TikTok, was

pretending to be me, and they like took my picture, and they messaged a follower

like, " Oh, I'll do like a reading for you," which I was like, "I don't do

those, obviously, on my page- Right

or anything." And she messaged me on Instagram, was like, "Hey, just so you

know, this is what just happened to me." She's like, "I thought it was you at

first, and I got all excited 'cause I'm a big fan." And then we were like- Yeah

… chatting, and then she like, asked another question." I was like, "That's creepy."

It's so weird.

We- I will never just message someone and say, "Hey, can I do a reading for you?"

Or oh, and then the person tried charging.

They're like, "Here's my… Oh, yeah, it's, I do this part for free, but

then this here's my Venmo." And I was like, "Girl, I don't even use Venmo."

No.

So please don't-

Yeah

… ask me.

How wild.

Yeah.

It's-

But people will fall for it.

People will do it.

'Cause like- Mm … I hate using the term parasocial relationship, but you

do feel like you know these people, and you get excited to contact them.

and they would do it.

They would be like, "Oh, hell yeah, let me Venmo you for this."

Yeah.

And just like, " Oh, stop me."

That's why it's so good to get verified on Instagram and Facebook because

I always tell people, I'm like, "If there's no blue check mark, It's not me."

Yeah.

Which I always was like, "What's the point of that?" But now I'm like,

okay, now there is a point to it.

Now I get it.

Yeah,

It's impossible to get verified on TikTok too.

So I had another page that recently it got flagged for impersonating a business.

I'm like, " Bitch, do I look like a business?" Like I'm a person.

Like- I'm a real person … but I got, flagged for impersonating a business,

and I kept trying to appeal and trying to appeal and trying to appeal.

And it was like, service error, temporarily unavailable, and maybe 10

days later my entire page was gone.

Wow … like all the followers I had built and stuff over there were now gone.

So- Mm … I think I have maybe 20,000 right now, but that's not even a portion

of what I had before it got removed.

So it's like- Ugh.

Oh

my God.

All that work, yeah.

Like- That's annoying.

Mm-hmm.

Well,

thank you so much for coming.

It was so nice to meet you.

But- I- Of

course

… I love your content.

Me too.

You do great storytelling, so everyone needs to go check you out.

And- Thank you … thanks for being here.

Awesome, thank you.

I really appreciate it.

It was nice to meet you.

You too.