Meet Joe and Shannon Terrell | Wedding DJ & Photographer Duo

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe and Shannon Terrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Joe and Shannon, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I (Joe) started DJing weddings about ten years ago when I was in college. I had a lot of friends getting married at the time, and I saw it as a way to help them save money. I literally had no business plan, but solely by word of mouth, I eventually went from doing friends’ weddings to friends of friends’ weddings to strangers’ weddings. Maybe because I initially didn’t view DJing weddings as a “serious” career path, I felt free to experiment with how my DJ shows looked and felt. On my own accord, I’d bring glowsticks, fog and bubble machines, sound-activated lights, and confetti cannons to the weddings I’d be DJing to provide a unique and engaging experience.
In 2016, I married my wife (Shannon), and my DJing was really starting to pick up. It wasn’t uncommon for me to do two weddings on the weekend. And that was great, for a while, but as a newly married couple, we’d much rather be spending our weekend nights together. Shannon’s always had a passion for photography, so we started looking for ways to incorporate that into my DJing. First, we offered photobooth services as an add-on to booking me, but that didn’t allow for much creativity on Shannon’s part. Shannon’s much more of a dreamer than myself, so it wasn’t long before she built out a new website, set up a client management system, and taught herself the ins and outs of wedding photography. Not long after that, we started offering officiating services, as well. Our grand vision for Century Tree Co is to be a centralized hub for couples looking for a more relational experience with their vendors without sacrificing the quality of service. And, since we’re both very relational people when you hire us, you get us – not a random employee. You can book us separately (as DJ, photographer, or officiants), or you can bundle it all with one of our packages.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I (Shannon) didn’t start taking photography seriously until my mid-twenties. Before then, it was just a hobby. I’ve spent a lot of time overseas, in beautiful places like Austria, Iceland, Germany, and Japan, and a camera was never far away. But taking pictures of gorgeous landscapes is a lot different than taking pictures of people. When Joe and I first started talking about including photography services to Century Tree Co, I knew I wanted that photographer to be me. For one, it just made sense – my husband was already spending a lot of time at weddings DJing, so why not find a way to join forces with him? However, I knew I had to build up a portfolio to be taken seriously as a wedding photographer. And there’s the challenge many budding wedding photographers face – how do I book weddings to gain experience when I don’t have experience?
Luckily, by the very nature of being a DJ, Joe knew many recently married couples. So, I reached out to them and began offering what I called “After Sessions.” As I portrayed it, an After Session is Mr. and Mrs. photos that happen after the wedding. I framed it as an opportunity to get dressed back up in wedding clothes and take more adventurous and creative pictures. It’s a shame because most people will only wear those clothes once or twice, and without the stress or time constraints of a wedding day, most couples I photographed during these sessions were more willing to take creative risks. It was beneficial to everyone involved – the couples got fun and adventurous photos, and I bulked up my portfolio with some really stunning images of people dressed as if it was their wedding day.
To this day, I still bring the spirit of those early “After Sessions” to my work. Choosing a wedding photographer requires a considerable amount of trust, and I never want to take that for granted. But, as an artist, I want to capture the adventurous spirit of two souls in love. And that may mean taking some creative risks (or waking up before sunrise). But the rewards are worth it.
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?
We moved to Colorado Springs in 2019, and the pandemic really affected our ability to “discover” our new city, but we’ve been able to discover a few hidden gems in recent months.
Favorite Food: Tapateria in Old Colorado City. Nestled between downtown Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, Tapateria is our go-to spot for date night. An incredibly diverse menu and laid-back vibe make this one of our favorite places to take visiting friends.
Favorite Bar: Allusions Speakeasy. Hidden in the back of Rooster’s House of Ramen (which is also fantastic, by the way), Allusions Speakeasy changes out their theme and cocktail list every quarter to offer an immersive pop-culture experience (featuring everything from Harry Potter to Jurassic Park). Better yet, the presentation of every drink you order is absolutely Instagram-worthy.
Favorite Local Trail: There’s no shortage of hikes in and around the Colorado Spring’s area (including the infamous Manitou Incline), but one of our favorite little hikes to help visitors “acclimate” to the altitude is the Rampart Reservoir Via Rainbow Gulch Trail in Woodland Park. Not only does it feature some staggering views of the backside of the Front Range, but you follow a rushing creek amid beautiful aspens and wildflowers to a small reservoir.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
One of the things we love the most about the wedding and events industry is the collaborative nature of work. If you’re a lone wolf or don’t play nice with others, it’s probably not the right place for you. We recently moved our business from Texas to Colorado, and that was a huge shift for us in a lot of ways. We’d built up a wonderful community of vendors, artists, and venue managers, and we knew that if wanted Century Tree Co to take root among the Rockies, we needed to find and cultivate a new community of new creatives. And, to be honest, it was a little humbling at first. But with vendor friends like Becky and Aaron Nuttall at ClAY Venues in Colorado Springs, KAE Floral & Event Design, and photographers like Brenna Skattebo, we’re beginning to feel more encouraged and immersed in the local weddings and events scene.
Website: https://centurytreeco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centurytreeco/
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Anni Graham Photography All other photos by Century Tree Co