Top photographer KT Merry managed the enviable task of turning her passion into a successful business. Not only has she been ranked as one of the top wedding photographers in the US by Harper’s Bazaar, Martha Stewart Magazine, and The Knot, KT is also the owner of KT Merry Print Shop, an online destination for purchasing beautiful art. Even more, this savvy boss has used her skills to make a difference. As the founder of Render Loyalty, the animal lover supports wildlife conservations to protect threatened species. That’s a cause we can definitely stand behind. KT has spent the past decade capturing love and chasing beauty across the globe–and when she’s not living out of her suitcase, she resides in Miami with her husband (and business partner). Curious how this artistic entrepreneur spends her night? Scroll below.
6:30 P.M. I try very hard to finish work before 6 pm. I love working from a home office, however, I have learned how important routines and boundaries are. Now, once I leave my desk at the end of the day, I don’t return until the next morning – mentally, I’m closed for business. When I’m done with the day’s work, I tidy up my desk, push in my chair and head into the kitchen to begin the evening. Since I always exercise in the morning, my evenings are about unwinding, relaxing and enjoying some time with my husband, Chad (who also works from home) or friends. I recently read that people who read books for 30 minutes daily live an average of 23 months longer than non-readers or magazine readers and that it can also affect empathy, social perception and emotional intelligence. I had fallen out of the reading routine and recently we got back on track with a nightly ‘reading happy hour’ where we sit outside for a minimum of thirty minutes with our books and enjoy a glass of wine. There is something about pulling out a long stem wine glass and pulling that cork that lets me step away from the stress of the day. I love Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadet.
7 P.M. After catching up on daily reading we head into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. We are both vegetarians and at home cook mostly vegan. I love experimenting with recipes (I keep my favorites on Pinterest), cooking with others and truly appreciated a home cooked meal – especially since we spend so many days traveling. I love to put on some classical music, French jazz or reruns of Friends (if I need some comic relief) for background noise. I also always light a candle, it kind of means it’s time to unwind and there is something about it that makes it feel homey. With the wine poured, music on, and candle lit, I catch up with Chad on his day and talk our way through preparing dinner.
8 P.M. We live on the bay in Miami and have a great view of the water. Our place is tiny but we have an outdoor dining table and when the weather allows I love to eat dinner on the porch. I am a terribly fast eater so I love an ambiance that encourages us to linger and continue the conversation and have another glass of wine. After dinner if we both cooked we clean up together. If one of us cooked, the other cleans; a house rule we live by.
8:30 P.M. This is normally about the time we would head out for our evening walk with our lab mix, Axl who passed away in early March after battling cancer. He was a very big part of our routine and down time, something we are still trying to adjust to. It’s made us grateful for the past 12 years he grounded us in a routine of getting outside and strolling the evening away together. We still foster for the Humane Society and love having animals in our lives, something we’ll remedy when the time is right.
9 P.M. I’m always pretty happy when it’s time for sweatpants and I love my Lululemon black joggers. That and an oversized tee and I’m ready for the nightly face routine. I am washing my face with Aesop Parsley Seed cleanser, it has lactic acid and I leave it on for a bit to let the natural exfoliation do its thing. About 2-3 times a week I use a mask and right now I’m loving Beauty Counter’s Balancing + Charcoal Facial Mask. My cousin introduced me to this brand which is cruelty-free (love) and also doesn’t use all the bad chemicals found in so many beauty products. I’m also using Beauty Counter Toner Pads which help with pores, breakouts and melasma (something I’m always battling). I always use an eye cream and love Shiseido Benefiance which goes on super rich feeling, something I love for eyes. I finish off with a night oil and rotate between Luna Sleeping Night Oil and Beauty Counter Brightening + Vitamin C.
9:30 P.M. I’m not a huge fan of TV in general but I will watch Netflix. Lately, we enjoyed Shameless and I also love Billions and when we are truly just looking to veg and laugh, our go-to is reruns of Friends. I think I’ve seen them all 5 times. 🙂 When it’s time to turn in I blow out the lit candles and always make a wish, or just put something out into the universe. I brush my teeth with the electric Sonicare toothbrush and Marvis whitening toothpaste, floss and head to bed. If I’m early to bed and not dozing off the second I hit the pillow I read a little or write in my Five Minute Journal. I set my alarm (normally for 6:00 am) and make sure I have a full glass of water at the bedside. I always give Chad a kiss and say I love you and almost always fall asleep two seconds later.