Full Circle:

The Moments That Changed Everything

From the Publisher’s Desk: Jessica Burke Reflects on 30 Years in the Wedding Industry

Thirty years ago, if you had asked sixteen-year-old me where life was headed, I never would have guessed I’d still be in the wedding industry.

In fact, I very distinctly remember writing a journal entry during those early days when I was working as an assistant for my uncle, Roger Gibson who was a wedding photographer, that was something along the lines of: “This is interesting, but I don’t know if I see myself doing this for the rest of my life.” 

Looking back now, I have to laugh.

At the time, I was standing behind the scenes, watching someone else tell the story. It wasn’t until December 17, 1997, that everything changed. That was the day my uncle handed me a camera and let me photograph a wedding for the first time. I didn’t really know what I was doing yet, but I knew one thing almost immediately… they couldn’t pry that camera out of my hands after that.

That single moment quietly changed the course of my life.

As I’ve reflected on these past 30 years, one theme keeps coming back to me: the full-circle moments.

I’ve realized that so many of the moments that shaped my career didn’t seem significant at the time. They felt ordinary. They felt random. But looking back, every one of them became another stepping stone leading me exactly where I was supposed to be.

One of those moments happened at a wedding in 2003.

I was second shooting for another photographer, and because the bride was running nearly an hour behind schedule, I found myself waiting at the church with the videographer’s husband, Julian St. Pierre. With nothing to do but wait, we spent the next hour talking.

That conversation changed my life.

Julian and his wife, Terry Taravella, invited me to their studio, gave me work editing videos, introduced me to photographers who needed second shooters and album designers, and eventually introduced me to Tammy Aguilar, the then owner of this magazine.

Tammy was looking for a graphic designer.

The funny part is… I wasn’t really a magazine designer.

I knew design. I knew photography. I knew albums. But magazines were a completely different world, and I had a lot to learn.

In fact, the very first issue I designed had enough technical mistakes that the printer charged Tammy over a thousand dollars to fix them before it went to press. Tammy never said a word. But after that issue was done, one of her daughters told me it was the first production cycle where her mom hadn’t cried putting the magazine together.

That has always stayed with me.

She saw something in me before I had fully grown into the role myself.

Five years later, she walked into my office one afternoon and told me, “I’m selling the magazine. Do you want it?”

Sometimes life doesn’t announce the moments that will change everything.

Sometimes they begin with a delayed bride, a conversation while waiting at a church, or someone believing in you before you completely believe in yourself.

Over the years, my role has changed many times. I’ve been a photographer, a graphic designer, a creative director, and now the owner and publisher of NOW Weddings. But through every chapter, one thing has remained the same.

I still believe this industry is filled with incredible people.

We’ve weathered challenges together that none of us could have predicted. From Hurricane Katrina to COVID and everything in between, I’ve watched wedding professionals support one another, share resources, encourage each other, and somehow find a way to keep moving forward. That’s one of the things I’m most proud to be a part of.

I’ve also watched trends come and go.

I’ve heard people declare print was dead. I’ve watched technology reshape how couples plan weddings. Today, I’m seeing a new generation rediscover the beauty of tangible things, printed photographs (and magazines!), meaningful moments, and celebrations that feel deeply personal instead of perfectly curated.

Some things always find their way back.

Because at the heart of every trend, every color palette, every beautiful table setting, and every carefully planned detail are two people choosing each other.

After photographing and publishing countless weddings over the years, I’ve learned that the celebrations I remember most aren’t necessarily the biggest or the most extravagant. They’re the ones that felt authentic.

One of my favorite weddings we’ve ever featured was a simple backyard celebration. Years later, what I still remember isn’t an elaborate floral installation or a lavish reception. It’s a photograph of the couple holding hands and each wearing the other’s sock. It perfectly captured who they were.

Their wedding wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

It was simply, beautifully, them.

I think that’s what I hope every couple remembers while planning their own wedding.

Yes, dream big. Celebrate. Have fun with the details. But don’t lose sight of the reason behind them. Plan a day that reflects your story, your priorities, and your relationship, not someone else’s expectations.

The details make a wedding beautiful.

The people make it unforgettable.

As for NOW Weddings, my hope has always been that when you pick up one of our magazines, you feel inspired. I hope you discover ideas that excite you, advice that helps you, and stories that remind you your own is worth celebrating.

I hope you see yourself in these pages.

Whether we’re featuring a breathtaking ballroom reception or an intimate backyard ceremony, our goal has always been the same: to celebrate love and the people behind it.

Thirty years later, I still believe weddings are magical.

Not because every day goes exactly as planned.

Not because every centerpiece is perfect.

But because for one day, family and friends gather to celebrate two people choosing to build a life together.

I’ve had the privilege of witnessing that thousands of times.

And somehow…

it never gets old.

Thank you for letting NOW Weddings be a small part of your story.

Here’s to the next chapter.

 

Jessica Burke

Publisher, NOW Weddings Magazine