Meet Molly Peach | Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly Peach and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Wedding photography fell into my lap in a way. After having shot many portrait sessions, a few friends asked me to photograph their day. I never saw this as my future, even after a handful of weddings under my belt. It felt uncomfortable, and I fumbled through a lot of the day since it was still so new to me.

After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design from Chapman University, I was determined to work in the design field upon returning to Nashville. Less than a year went by, and I realized working for myself may be a lot more enjoyable (and more lucrative, flexible, creative… the list goes on). Having shot 10 weddings at this point, I figured I could make it work. I ended up taking on 15 in 2018, and have been shooting primarily weddings ever since.

I’d say originally my thought process to start my business was a selfish decision. I wanted a job that felt more conducive to the lifestyle I wanted to lead. Now, if I were choosing this all over again, a huge reason would be the curiosity and meaning behind weddings. I think they can come across as pompous, cheesy, or artificial. In reality, they’re such delicate, intimate, and sometimes stressful events. Being able to show up and experience this in such a unique way feels really special. Each wedding comes with its own story and is totally different from the last, minus the component of two lives committing to one another. I think that’s a really cool thing to be a part of.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m really proud to have created an experience for my clients that feels natural and fun. I think creating photographic art really depends on couples opening up to me, as having your photo taken is quite intimate. Some couples are shy and quiet; others are loud and unbothered. My goal isn’t to get clients to act differently, but to show me the truest version of themselves. This is a skill that’s taken me forever to even begin to master. Every relationship is different, and I hope that my images are able to hint at the intimacy in each one. Combine that with interesting light and composition, and it creates really special art.

Professionally, I think I’ve been able to get to this point by refining my personal style and just being nice. I have a theory that being nice is way underrated when it comes to getting where you want to be. People enjoy working with people they enjoy, and sometimes it’s that simple.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to not compare myself to others that are currently in the same field as me. It’s fine to admire the work of other wedding photographers, but now I try to take inspiration from photographers from the past. They’re legends for a reason, and there’s a lot to learn from them. A few include William Eggleston, Helen Levitt, Bill Eppridge, and pretty much every photographer found in “Weddings and Movie Stars,” a book of iconic wedding images edited by Tony Nourmand.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For activities, my go-tos are hiking at Percy Warner Park (the white trail is my favorite), vintage shopping at East Nashville Antiques and Gas Lamp, and exploring May Hosiery Co-Op.

I’m a huge foodie, so my food and drink list is thorough. Cinnamon rolls at Spread Market, coffee at Living Waters, happy hour at Cafe Roze, and pizza at Folk are all musts. Lyra, Mas Tacos, and Henrietta Red are other favorites. Tailor has this incredible seasonal menu, and their chef Vivek offers a really special dining experience. It’s my favorite restaurant in town right now.

The outskirts of Nashville are also really charming. Leiper’s Fork and Downtown Franklin are great day trips to take, and they’re only about forty minutes outside of the city. Overall, Nashville has a lot more to offer than just Broadway. I always encourage people to explore outside of downtown.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Huge influences in my journey have been the crew behind the All You Witness retreat, along with John Dolan and the folks behind Ritual Collective. Most recently, I attended a workshop with John in the summer of 2022 (Shakerag in Sewanee, TN) and felt like the world of weddings was reintroduced to me. I left with fresh eyes, an appreciation for the quirkiness of weddings, and a commitment to staying humble and working hard. I learned that weddings can be a space to create true art, so long as I stay curious. I highly recommend diving into John’s work if you aren’t familiar with it already.

I also made a close group of photographer friends at Shakerag (two of my closest being Malorie Kerouac and Michaella Jelin-Till). Though we live in different states, we stay in touch daily over texts and voice memos. We share inquiries when already booked, joke about our editing queues, and give advice when needed. I think having a community that pushes me out of my comfort zone and offers up honest advice is so important. These two have been a key part of my growth, and I’m really grateful for that.

Website: www.mollypeach.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mollypeachphoto

Image Credits
Molly Peach