BALTIMORE MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | AKP RETREAT | HOME STATE WORKSHOP

BALTIMORE MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | AKP DASHING RETREAT

“Sometimes home is where the creative heart is..”

This year has already been filled with so much excitement. We haven’t yet made it to the end of January and we have nearly closed out registration for our first event of year! I can’t wait to take a group away to Nashville, TN in March. It will be one of our furthest trips from home yet, and the attendee group that has signed up has already proved to be amazing. As we close the sign-up chapter that is the Country Retreat, I have been looking ahead at future opportunities.

We originally started the year with a full tour. It covered some great locations across the United States, and we spent weeks curating teams that could potentially travel along to educate guests. Everything on paper looked so great. Then, the holidays came.

I’ve mentioned here and there that the holidays were a hard time for us. For many reasons, I was left to re-evaluate so many of my choices, relationships, and where I had invested my energy. There was a moment where I hit a low. Confiding in some of my creative friends, I began to see that I wasn’t feeling joy about the retreats anymore. I was under so much pressure to constantly be talking about & marketing for multiple workshops, to pick dates that worked for everyone, to plan for the next “it” spot to ensure interest, and to find a balance between the educational side of my business and my brides. I was trying so damn hard to please everyone. It was exhausting.

To me, the Retreat has always been about providing an amazing experience. Though travel is a big part of what we do, my real goal has been to attract attendees because they were excited about what we had to offer.. not just where we were offering it. This was all heavily conflicting.

After a suggestion from a squad member to reflect and really go with my heart, I removed the entire tour from my website. I put all of my energy into Nashville and really getting to know the girls within our nearly 650 member strong group (Shutter Socialites). What I found is that these women just genuinely want to be heard and to feel part of something. They are searching high and low for the girls they can call their tribe; the girls they can cheer on who will cheer right back. Focusing on them and their needs, I got to work.

We’re connecting local photographers to one another, enabling referral programs, we rolled out a fitness program, one of our girls is running a group-wide 365 project, and we are also planning a couples retreat in Key West for later in the year! We are uplifting the mommas who stay at home with kiddos while they run their business, the gal who just got started and needs help finding her voice in the industry, and all the hard working boss babes who’s passion is driven by the every day hustle. No matter what kind of entrepreneur, I realized that my mission.. my JOY.. was to simply to serve these real women as best I could.

So, I asked them what THEY wanted.

Nearly 80 women from the Maryland and West Virginia areas asked for a local workshop. I was blown away by the response! So astonished, that I have searched high and low for the perfect venue to host such an event.

Good news! I’ve found it!

Public registration will launch next Friday, January 27th but here are a few preliminary details:

1. The event will take place in Deep Creek, Maryland!
2. It will be August 4th through 6th!
3. Lodging and meals will be included!
4. You can save $200 by being one of the first five to sign up!
5. It’s going to be EPIC!

Intrigued? I hope so. :)

While we will be launching FULL details in a week, feel free to leave a comment below and you’ll be the first to receive information before it goes live!

Hope to see you in August!

-Ash

Photography | Ashton Kelley Photography

Tote | Dreamstate Shop

Watercolor Sign & Confetti Popper | DIY by Ashton

Calligraphy Tag | Sincerely Amy Designs

Pocket Mirror | Modern Girl Blitz

Floral Crown | Love Sparkle Pretty

Tumbler | Discountmugs

“Take the leap” Print | Lara Casey Shop

“Make it Happen” Notebook | Lara Casey Shop

Flamingo Print | Laura Hooper Calligraphy

Sequin Linen | CV Linens

Macarons | Baked by Cari

Earrings | Kate Spade