A Year in Review as a Madison Wisconsin Photographer
I know this is late, but better late than never, right? Here’s my official year end review as a Madison, Wisconsin Photographer and micro-wedding venue owner at Guilded Grey Events.
I closed out the year with the most amazing double header wedding weekend. A New Year’s Eve wedding at The Lageret followed by a New Year’s Day wedding at The Edgewater. Two very different days, two very different couples, and both absolutely unforgettable.
Weddings
When you work for yourself in an industry built around once in a lifetime events, there is always a quiet question in the back of your mind. What happens if I cannot make it? What if I get sick? What if I am in an accident? What if something completely out of my control happens.
Very intentionally and unselfishly, I have spent my career building real relationships within the wedding industry. My New Year’s Eve wedding happened because another photographer needed help when the cards fell the wrong way for her. I stepped in, and the result was one of those nights that reminds you exactly why community matters.
It was a last-minute wedding, but it never felt rushed. I walked into a room full of love, warmth, and people who welcomed me like I had been there all along. We clicked instantly. Those are the weddings that stay with you.
Knock on wood, I have not yet had to cash in that favor myself. Not because it will not happen, but because it has not happened yet. In more than twenty years of photographing weddings, I have never missed one. I know that someday I will need help, and when that day comes, I know I will have a network ready to step in. That peace of mind comes from years of showing up for others.
My New Year’s Day wedding was just as meaningful. The couple both work for the Army, which holds a special place in my heart. My husband Jon and my sister both served. They initially reached out about an elopement at the Capitol, with an open to ideas plan for afterward.
Being New Year’s Day, options were limited. Restaurants were closed. Staffing was thin. I immediately sent them a full list of ideas, made some calls, and started problem solving. That led us to The Edgewater, who was able to pull together the most perfect wedding dinner, after party, and day of celebration. It was one of those situations where everything lined up exactly how it was meant to.
I love what I do. Weddings are only one piece of the much bigger picture of where my time, energy, and heart go, but they are a meaningful one.
This past year, I had the privilege of photographing eighteen weddings. Every single one mattered. Every single one left a mark.
Madison, Wisconsin Portrait and Family Sessions
This was the first full year of the greenhouse, and I could not be happier.
This project exceeded every expectation I had. In 2024, I had to make some big decisions, and investing in a dedicated shooting space was one of them. Instead of continuing to spend thousands each month renting space, we took out a HELOC and built a fully temperature controlled greenhouse.
It changed everything.
Having a space where I could photograph more posed sessions year round, especially during subzero Wisconsin winters, was a complete game changer. It pushed me creatively in ways I had not felt in years and allowed me to work more intentionally.
In a very unexpected and wonderful way, I photographed 318 sessions this year. People found me. I found them. Families returned. New faces showed up. It felt organic and full and exactly right.
Guilded Grey Events | Madison, Wisconsin Greenhouse
As the space evolved, we took the steps to properly zone it for small events. Covid shifted the wedding industry in a big way, and I found myself falling in love with intimate micro weddings.
Jon and I, and Sloan too, opened up our home and our hearts to non-traditional weddings, elopements, and small gatherings. We have hosted a handful of deeply meaningful celebrations, and each one has meant more to us than I can put into words.
We truly have a little pocket of paradise where we live, and being able to share it with others has been life changing for our family.
Madison Club | A Year of Weddings as a Madison WI Wedding Photographer
I always knew I had strong relationships with venues, but my relationship with the Madison Club exceeded anything I expected.
Each month, we host two drop-in headshot days where members and non-members alike can stop in without an appointment and get a professional headshot. It has been such a natural and successful collaboration.
If you are looking to host a wedding or event, the Club is an incredible option. If you are not a member and want more information, you can reach out to me for info or connect with Annika directly.
For more information on drop-in headshots, click here!
WACDL
I would be remiss not to mention my work with WACDL. The Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has been a huge part of my life, and in my spare time I serve as the Executive Director of the organization.
When I am not doing Executive Director things, I am photographing law firms, attorneys, and headshots. My work with WACDL and my photography business have blended together in the best possible way. My love for lawyers goes back decades, and if you know, you know.
NACE
Last year, one of my closest friends in the wedding industry, Geoffrey from Celebrations, convinced me to join NACE, the National Association of Catering and Events, Madison Chapter.
I found my people.
What started as helping with Secretary duties quickly turned into stepping into the Vice President role. NACE filled a hole in my heart that I did not know was there. The relationships, the collaboration, and the community have meant more to me than I ever expected.
Looking Ahead
It has been such a good year.
I photographed families in 10 states and weddings in 4 countries. To be able to keep doing what I love, photographing people, for another trip around the sun is humbling beyond words.
Cheers to another year. I cannot wait to see what 2026 brings. 🤍
