Your website doesn’t need to be perfect before you launch. But it does need to exist!
Let me give you the inside scoop—we’re deep in a rebrand that’s been a long time coming.
For those who’ve been with us from the beginning, you’ll know TYME Photography is our original love story. It’s the brand we started 16 years ago. It’s seen luxury weddings, destination shoots, and hundreds of couples over the years. And it’s also where our photography education has lived—teaching aspiring photographers how to build beautiful, sustainable businesses.
Then there was Creative Barn (remember her?). That side of our business housed all the tools and products we wished we had when we started—styling surfaces, backdrops, and props that make content creation easier and better for creators.
Now? It’s all under one roof: TYME Collective.
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TYME Photography now (Collective) is still going strong, though we’ve intentionally slowed down—moving from 6–8 weddings a month to a much smaller, more curated schedule. These days, most of our energy is spent teaching, mentoring, and helping others master their craft.
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TYME Collective Creators is the entrepreneurial arm. It’s where we pour into creators, product-based businesses, and small brands—with styling tools, visual storytelling resources, and systems that support sustainable growth.
But here’s the hard truth: we’re currently in the thick of merging our two websites into one, all-in-one home for TYME Collective. And we’re building it ourselves using Showit and a Tonic Site Shop template. If you’ve ever rebranded or rebuilt a site, you’ll know—it’s not a “weekend project.” It’s more like… a six-month-to-a-year odyssey with caffeine-fueled detours and “why is this mobile menu doing that?!” meltdowns.
So while we’re working behind the scenes to bring everything into one beautiful, intentional space, we’ve cobbled together a system that works for right now. It’s not perfect. But it’s live. And that’s what we want to encourage you with:
You do not need a flawless, custom-coded website to show up professionally.
You just need something that works today.
Here’s our honest, behind-the-scenes take on the best website platforms—what we use, what we’ve learned, and what we’d recommend depending on your business goals.
1. Shopify — Best for Selling Stuff (Like, Actual Stuff)
If you're selling physical or digital products (like our rollable styling surfaces), Shopify is hands-down the gold standard. It’s built for ecommerce—inventory, shipping, payments, customer accounts, email... it does it all. Plus, it plays beautifully with Pinterest and Instagram Shopping.
💡 We use Shopify for our TYME Collective Creators product store and love how intuitive the backend is.
Pros:
It has serious e-commerce power
Huge library of apps and plug-ins
Easy to scale as your product line grows
Cons:
Monthly cost is higher than basic platforms
The designs are limited unless you dive into custom themes
💸 Price: $5–$39/month for standard plans (more for advanced features)
2. Showit — Best for Creatives Who Want Full Visual Control
This is the platform we’re currently using to build our new all-in-one TYME Collective website—and we are OBSESSED. Showit is like Canva for websites: fully drag-and-drop, zero coding required, and complete design freedom.
💡 We’re building our new site with a Tonic Site Shop template and finally creating a unified home that reflects both sides of our business—education, services, and products—all in one place.
Pros:
Total creative freedom
Blogging powered by WordPress
Beautiful templates and design tools
Cons:
Slight learning curve
Not built for full-on ecommerce (but integrates well with Shopify Lite)
💸 Price: $24–$39/month + template if you choose one
3. Squarespace — Best “Just Get It Done” Option
If you want something beautiful and functional without spending weeks tweaking fonts and padding, Squarespace is a solid choice. Everything—from hosting to email—is included, and it’s super easy to launch quickly.
Pros:
Sleek, modern templates
All-in-one functionality (blog, shop, domain, email marketing
Great for small service-based businesses or consultants
Cons:
Less creative flexibility than Showit
Templates can start to feel same-same
💸 Price: Starts at $16/month
4. Tonic Site Shop — Best for a Luxe Look Without a Designer
Tonic’s templates are Showit-based and stunning. They’re bold, high-converting, and built with strategy baked in. Bonus: they include copywriting prompts so you’re not staring at a blank screen wondering what to write.
💡 We’re currently using a Tonic template to bring TYME Collective to life—it gave us that high-end, custom feel without hiring a designer. Absolute game-changer.
Pros:
Gorgeous, scroll-stopping templates
Copy prompts included
Made to convert
Cons:
Higher upfront cost
Requires a Showit subscription
💸 Price: Around $750 once-off + your Showit plan
5. Pixieset — Best for Photographers Who Want Simplicity
Pixieset started as a gallery delivery platform and now includes full website functionality—ideal for photographers who want a clean, image-forward online presence without much tech fuss.
💡 Our wedding portfolio and client galleries currently live here. It’s perfect for showcasing visual work and keeping things streamlined.
Pros:
Built for photographers
Integrated store, bookings, and galleries
Easy to use and launch
Cons:
Limited custom design flexibility
Not suited for content creators or product businesses
💸 Free plan available; paid plans from $8/month
So… What’s the Best Website Platform?
Here’s the truth: there’s no “best.”
There’s only what works for where you are right now.
If we waited until everything was perfect before launching or rebranding, we’d still be stuck in “draft mode.”
Our advice? Start now. Get something live. It’s okay to build the plane while you’re flying it.
Our Current (In-Progress) Setup
We’re in the middle of consolidating everything into one unified TYME Collective site. Until that’s done, here’s what we’re working with:
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Shopify — for our TYME Collective Creators shop (styling tools & digital products)
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Showit + Tonic — for the all-in-one TYME Collective website we’re building now
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Pixieset — for our TYME Photography wedding portfolio & client galleries
Is it perfect? Not even close. But it works. And it’s moving us forward.
Need Help Figuring Out Your Own Setup?
We share behind-the-scenes updates, tools we love, and no-fluff biz tips in our weekly newsletter: TYME Collective for Creators
If you're navigating a pivot, juggling multiple parts of your brand, or just trying to get your site live without losing your mind—this one’s for you.
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