A Peek at The Wonder Years Retreat March 2025

The Wonder Years RETREAT

Last weekend four photographers joined my team and I on the first ever Hello Jude Wonder Years Retreat! It was such a sweet time of teaching, photographing, and connecting with each of the women present. Their passion for photography and heart for serving others was so apparent and it was a joy to be with them. It is a great honor (and a little scary!) to share the knowledge I’ve gained over the past nine years with other budding photographers. The only way I have grown is through those who so graciously shared their invaluable insight when I was a young photographer and so it’s only fitting that I do the same!

The Group

Rachel, Ashley, Sarah and Karen were a dream to have as the attendees at our first Wonder Years Retreat. During the retreat we figured out that we are all moms and have 21 children collectively between the eight of us (four attendees, four from the Hello Jude team). Their commitment to caring for their clients was apparent through their questions and the way they interacted with the families that came for sessions. With an eagerness to learn and grow, they asked such good questions during the teaching time and shared plenty of valuable nuggets themselves! They were able to put their newly learned skills to the test with four different sessions throughout the weekend; a maternity session, newborn session, 6-month milestone session and a 1-year birthday session. 

The Schedule

The retreat started on Friday afternoon with everyone arriving to the Airbnb by 4pm, followed by some chill time to chat, do introductions and get to know everyone. With a full schedule ahead we then dove right in with the first lesson on “Connecting with Clients for an Elevated Experience”. After dinner we all hoped in a couple cars to go to a nearby lake for a gorgeous evening golden hour maternity session, modeled by our very own Studio Assistant, Sydney, and her family! Upon arrival back at the Airbnb, there was dessert, debrief of the session and lesson 2: “Pricing for Profit and Setting Boundaries”.

Saturday started strong with a breakfast of crepes during lesson 3: “ Newborn Safety and Posing”. The attendees quickly put their newfound knowledge to the test during the newborn session that followed in the Hello Jude studio. Lunch at a local favorite was next and then it was back to the studio for lesson 4: “Client Wardrobe”. After traveling back to the Airbnb we had an in-home 6-month milestone mommy and me lifestyle shoot including baking cookies, bath time, and snuggle time. Snuggle time was such a success we got the privilege of the sweet little boy taking a quick snooze, making for some special photographs. Dinner was next, followed by lesson 5: “Embracing your Own Style and What Sets you Apart”. After the lesson it was time for some dessert with a mini celebration honoring Karen’s 3rd business anniversary! 

The next morning, we headed back to the studio for a birthday cake smash family session. As our time together drew to a close, my heart filled with gratitude for the whole weekend. Sweet hugs were had as we said our goodbyes and I immediately started thinking, “When can we do this again?!”

What some Attendees have to say about their Experience "Bailey and her team were incredible. The Airbnb was absolutely gorgeous and the meals her team made were amazing! There was so much thought put into this weekend and it was very organized. Upon arrival, her team gave each of us a "Wonder Years Retreat" journal so we could follow along with the lessons and take notes. We had four different sessions where we were able to shadow Bailey and see how she communicates with her clients throughout the session. It was great to experience a different perspective and see how she conducts her sessions. The lessons were very detailed and she answered all the questions we had. It was also so fun meeting other photographers from around the country and connecting through a shared passion. Bailey is a phenomenal at what she does. She is incredibly knowledgeable and I feel lucky to have learned from her! I highly recommend this retreat and hope to attend another workshop/retreat in the future!" Ashley "Attending this retreat was truly worth the investment! Bailey’s talent and passion for what she does are undeniable, and it was an absolute honor to learn from her. She pours so much love and care into teaching, which was evident in every aspect of the retreat. I walked away feeling completely spoiled! Her transparency and willingness to answer every question made the experience even more valuable. I left feeling refreshed, inspired, and more confident than ever in applying everything I learned to my business!" Karen

What's Next We are so excited to announce the next Wonder Years Retreat August 1-3,2025! We took all the notes from the first retreat and are ready to make it even better for the next group of photographers! To learn more or grab a seat, follow this link!

https://book.usesession.com/s/xZYGDG4SV5