I’ve been putting writing this recap off and I’m not sure why… I think maybe because 2025 feels a little like a blur, and I definitely didn’t get the things done that I wanted to. I’m still wrapping my head around that not being a “bad” thing because I still accomplished a few things. I also am feeling more energized going into 2026 than I have in a few years. 

2025 was…what even happened???

It could be that I had a sinus infection for the majority of the year. It could be the major life changes that I didn’t necessarily see coming that changed my priorities (in a good way!).

It was a year of celebrating, helping my longest friend marry the love of her life, along with other close friends getting engaged and married and having babies. It’s so fun to transition into new life stages all together. 

I spent so much time with one of my favorite people, my brother Weston. We podcasted, wrote websites, and really pushed ourselves over at More Than Creative Co…and we also cried when he moved from Wilmington. He’ll still be around because part of being his sister is dragging him along from venture to venture but I am so proud of him for taking a leap and love watching him fly.

It was a year of playing, especially with dancing and music. From Nashville bars to downtown Wilmington rooftops, to camping at Bonnaroo and falling in love with the EDM / rave scene, I was movin’ and groovin’ all over. This is also where I met the most considerate, intentional, loving man who makes me feel so cared for and free to be myself. (I’m keeping him mostly to myself for now but you will be seeing him a lot more in the future, hehe.)

I adventured into new mediums and projects by exploring film, different types of cameras, family and newborn sessions, approaching the wedding day more imperfectly, and content creation. I’m excited to see how those continue to shape and evolve in the next year. These explorations have me the most excited for this upcoming year. 

Highlights from 2025:

• Nashville girls trip with Kinsey and Meghan to see Kelsea Ballerini 
• Photographed my best friend Allie’s maternity photos
• Had a sleepover with my childhood best friends (this deserves to be mentioned because getting us together is no small feat!)
• First all-flash engagement session for Hannah and Brin
• Got into a solid rhythm with the More Than Creative Co. Podcast (plus guest podcast episodes on The System For Everything and So Here’s The Thing)
• Bachelorette trip to Charleston for Rachael, along with taking her bridal portraits
• Attended The Creative Educators Conference in Dallas
• Photographed the annual Elia Disco Rodeo
• Filmed our first “commercial” for More Than Creative Co.—a really eye-opening project!
• Got my first tattoos!!
• First year offering two college mini session days (a huge success!)
• First camping festival at Bonnaroo…then had it cancelled 🙁 
• My cousin visited NC for the first time in years and brought her baby
• Lots and lots of home-cooked meals a la Webster
• Saw Blink 182
• Breakaway Festival—got to see John Summit!
• Personally-curated food tour around Wilmington for my birthday
• Weston and Katharine got engaged! 
• Camped in the mountains for Hannah and Brin’s wedding
• Two funny Halloween costumes
• Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania
• Decorated for Christmas and held annual Christmas Cookie Painting
• Played with film (personally and professionally) and explored different types of sessions

Wins: What Worked In 2025

• Putting myself outside of my comfort zone
• Living by the motto: “Good or bad, hard to tell”
• Assigning self-designated challenges
• Incorporating film into photo galleries
• More intentional and thoughtful approaches to documenting
• Communicating directly, confidently
• Questioning why and not being afraid of the answer
• Wireframing website copy before building them
• Live music and lots of dancing
• Creating more opportunities to play with photography (like at concerts)
• Collaboration with strong vision and also owning the entire strategy, instead of bits and pieces
• Self-publishing (doing this for clients but need to do more for myself)
• Letting go of a goal that no longer serves you and accepting a change in priorities
• Being more playful
• Verbal processing and introspective reflection
• Checking the facts (and the numbers)
• Using point-and-shoot cameras and being able to move faster / leaning into “the art of noticing” 
• Friend traditions and scheduled dinners
• Less posing replaced with more time just hanging out and feeling natural
• Making the phone call, even if it’s only for 20 minutes

Challenges: What Didn’t Work In 2025 

• Productive procrastination and functional freeze
• Cluttered spaces
• Being to anxious to share the messy middle
• Not making the time to write and process and share
• Not prioritizing refining and maintaining systems and routines
• Being sick all year long
• Getting distracted…and then overwhelmed
• Not sharing even the finished work
• Questioning the value I bring
• Rain and weather delays
• Ironcially…lacking consistency and a plan (word for the year)
• Losing track of time and not checking in

LESSONS LEARNED: WHAT DID THE GOOD AND BAD TEACH ME?

• Good or bad, hard to tell. The situations are always changing and so are the impacts.
• Camping isn’t that bad if you’re prepared.
• Wanting routine requires both intention AND follow-through.
• Film shows there is beauty in imperfection.
• The less there is of something, the more meaning it will have (this is a good thing).
• You don’t need that much to eat with there’s adrenaline.
• What’s easy for you to do for others can be really hard to do for yourself.
• It’s okay to pause on a goal or a project if the end result or priorities no longer serve you. Just don’t use it as an excuse.
• Friendships eb and flow with the seasons of life and that’s not a reflection on your loyalty.
• Challenges and not knowing if you’ll succeed IS the excitement.
• Every day I connect more to my inner artist…and sometimes she’s in direct conflict with my business brain, but there is magic in both.
• Podcasting with your brother is a great way to bond.
• We should bring back camcorders, but we need an easier way to watch and archive them. Keeping up with tech is hard.
• There is benefit in the artistic “purge publish” of releasing work into the world so there’s room for new inspiration without shame or guilt. 

So I guess like usual, after spending some time recapping, I’m reminded of how everything is working as a part of my big picture. This was a huge foundational year, but not in the ways I expected. It taught me the need for balancing both work and play, and 2026 will be about putting that into practice in a way that serves both myself, my community, my businesses, and my clients.