My 2025 Year in Review

Last year I started a new tradition – my Year in Review. I’m excited to continue that tradition again with my 2025 year in review! I find that writing about all the incredible things that happened in the past year is a much healthier way (for me, personally) to start the year ahead. Rather than feeling guilty for not accomplishing goals or resolutions, I can instead reflect on all the amazing things that have happened! This only makes me more excited for the opportunities that lie in the year ahead.

So here we go again. 🙂 My 2025 year in review!

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Personal

• Once again, I spent nearly 3 weeks back in Minnesota with my family in August. I got to go to the MN State Fair twice(!!), photograph my first ever micro-wedding at the Minnesota State Capitol (gorgeous!), brought my boo to Valley Fair which I hadn’t been to in what feels like decades, and spent some quality time up at my parent’s cabin. Of course photoshoots and visits with friends were sprinkled in there as well. It was so lovely and rejuvenating. I’m really loving this new tradition I’ve started.

• This is going to sound really silly but I’m including it anyway…we got a Nintendo Switch. 😂My partner technically got it for me for my birthday. He knows I loved playing Zelda on Nintendo64 growing up so he got the Zelda game for the switch. Needless to say, it’s been a lot of fun playing it again! My partner is more addicted to it than I am, haha.

• I got back into my running group! Like – consistently! I joined Marin Running Club shortly after I moved to the Bay Area 10 years ago!! It was one of my ways of making friends and getting to know the beautiful trails around Marin. I was a regular attendee at those runs for years, but after I moved to SF I became lazy and didn’t go as often. This past year I went pretty consistently and it totally made a huge difference in my mental health! I’m so happy that I re-committed to making it a regular part of my week when I can!

• Two of my sisters and I surprised my other sister for her 40th birthday! Myself and Whitney flew back to Minnesota and literally jumped up from behind my other’s sister’s couch and yelled, “SURPRISE!” It was a thing. 🙂 We had SUCH a fun weekend!!! We saw Hounds of Finn live at a bar (in the pouring rain, haha), went to a Minnesota Frost Game(!!), and just had the best time ever. It was such a great idea on Whitney’s part and I’m so thrilled we could make it happen for Mallo!

• Went on some really amazing camping trips.

• My mom and dad came to visit (with the dogs!) for a couple days. It’s always so fun when they come to visit my brother and I in California. I love showing them around all the amazing places we love to visit!

• Got to watch two of my cousins get married and even was a second photographer at one of their weddings!

• Ran the DIPSEA with a buddy! Not the race. We just did it together for fun and training purposes. It totally kicked my arse but I’m so glad I finally ran it!

• Went to Ashland, OR with my partner for Thanksgiving! We had talked about visiting Ashland for a long time, and Thanksgiving finally felt like a good opportunity to make it happen. We rented the cutest little apartment at an Inn and spent five 

• My partner and I switch off every year who’s family we visit over Christmas, and this year was my family’s turn. So we spent almost two weeks in Minnesota over the holidays and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. There was actually snow on the ground, I got in a few days of skiing at Afton Alps, hot tubbed and sauna’d, went sledding with the nephews, ate delicious food and enjoyed my family’s company. It was marvelous. 

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Business

From a business perspective, this 2025 year in review feels especially significant.

My business grew by 81%, and for the first time ever, I hit six figures from photography bookings alone. No associate work, no print sales, no extra income streams. Just my photography. I am so incredibly proud of that.

If you’re reading this and feeling behind, please don’t give up. It took me five years to reach this milestone. The comparison game is brutal, especially on Instagram. I’ve found that unfollowing certain accounts, not out of resentment, but out of self-preservation, has helped my mental health immensely. Focus on your path. You’re doing better than you think!!

2025 was also the year I took a deep dive into weddings. (I know I said I did that back in 2024 but my wedding growth was significant in 2025). I booked 27 City Hall weddings and 15 other weddings (some for 2026), and weddings made up over 70% of my income! That still blows my mind. I once swore I’d never be a wedding photographer, and now here we are. I am honestly so excited to see where my business takes me in 2026. 🙂

While I didn’t attend any photography retreats or anything like that in 2025, that’s okay! My partner and I have been intentionally saving for our wedding coming up this April, so my priorities shifted a bit. Thinking about writing my 2026 Year in Review and getting to say “I got married!” is giving me goosebumps. 🥰 This year is going to be incredible – I can just feel it!

Enjoy some fun iPhone photos from 2025!

And because I’m feeling inspired (and following your own rules are optional 😜), here are a few aspirations for the year ahead:

Skyler’s 2026 Aspirations

• Get back into running consistently!! Continue participating in my running group and get my stride back! (Pssst, it’s back right now! I just hope I can maintain it!)
• Get clearer with my marketing strategy and develop better systems in my business. This is an area I’ve always struggled with and have felt very inconsistent in. 
• Hit some financial goals. I’m not going to go into personal numbers, but I do have some “buckets” in my savings account that have goals on them. I want to hit those numbers before the end of the year!
• Keep growing my business! 2025 was the year I hit six figures. I don’t just want to hit six figures again – I want to grow even more! 

Alright, I’ll leave it there for now. I hope the start to your 2026 has been wonderful despite the horrors happening across our country right now. Stand together. Stay strong. Sending love!

Big Hugs,
Skyler

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