Daily Inspiration: Meet Mary Catherine Flynn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Catherine Flynn.

Hi Mary Catherine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I first got into filming back in middle school, making YouTube videos with my friends just for fun. In college, I took some video production classes and did video internships at summer camps, which gave me more hands-on experience behind the camera. After college, I was a retail manager for several years and ended up managing a bridal shop in Atlanta. Working closely with brides every day, I began to learn more about the wedding industry and fell in love with it, which inspired me to get back into videography by filming weddings!

I officially launched my wedding videography business in May 2022 as a side hustle, and it grew quickly through social media and word-of-mouth. By May 2023, I was fortunate enough to turn it into my full-time career. I’m deeply passionate about this work because it combines two things I love most- serving others and being creative. Each year, my business has grown beyond what I imagined, and I’ve had the honor of working with a wide range of couples with all kinds of beautiful weddings.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While my business has grown quickly, I’ve definitely faced challenges getting to this point and continue to face them as a small business owner.

Weddings themselves are very high stakes and there are no do-overs. Couples and their families pour so much time, energy, and money into planning them so there’s a lot of pressure to capture it well. In the early days of my career, I made my share of mistakes, whether it was dealing with technical issues, missing a key moment, or not asking the right questions during planning. Every single wedding presents new opportunities to learn and grow, and thankfully, having 60+ weddings under my belt now, I feel very confident in how I run my business and my ability to handle the unpredictable nature of wedding days!

Another ongoing challenge has been navigating pricing as demand for my work has grown. I understand firsthand how expensive weddings can be, so it’s not easy knowing my rates may not be attainable for everyone. However, I’ve learned the importance of valuing my time, experience, and the investment I’ve made in education, equipment, and developing my craft.

Lastly, it’s difficult not to get into creative ruts, especially during long stretches of editing. I find myself watching other videographer’s films for inspiration, but it can be hard not to compare. Early on, there was a temptation to try emulating other successful videographer’s styles but I’ve learned over time that my best work is made when I’m true to my own style and focus on creating films that are unique to each couple.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in wedding films, but I also love capturing other meaningful moments like proposals, baby announcements, save-the-date videos, and branding content. I’m particularly proud of my wedding films because I invest deeply in each one, not only in the editing room and but also before the camera starts rolling.

Before the wedding day, I take the time to really get to know each couple. I take the time to get to know their personalities, values, love story, and the feeling they want their wedding day to have. By the wedding day, I have a strong understanding of each couple which allows me to be a warm, supportive presence on the day itself and also to craft a film that feels deeply personal and true to their unique relationship.

Some couples are playful and full of energy, resulting in a film that feels joyful and vibrant. Others are more soft-spoken and romantic, leading to a more sentimental tone. I carefully select music, color-grade with intention, and weave together audio and visuals to reflect the emotional essence of the day.
My ultimate goal is to create a film that not only brings the couple right back to their most cherished moments, but also tells their story so authentically that even a complete stranger can feel the depth of their connection.

Any big plans?
My hope is to grow a more diverse portfolio of clients, venues, and weddings styles across the Southeast. While I’ve been fortunate to travel both internationally and to other parts of the U.S. to film weddings, I truly love working in Georgia and I’m eager to continue building my business locally. You really get it all here- chic city venues, mountains, wineries, lakes, beaches, ballrooms- you name it! Atlanta, in particular, is an inspiring place to work in a creative field, with countless opportunities and a great community of fellow creatives. My focus is primarily on the wedding industry for now, but I’d also love to collaborate with local small businesses to create branding content and tell their stories!

Pricing:

• My pricing for weddings starts at $5000.
• Other types of projects require a custom quote.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marycatherinefilms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marycatherinefilms/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marycatherinefilms9306
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@marycatherinefilms

Image Credits
the first three headshots of me were taken by Andrea at Heirloom Foto. Everything else is by me.