We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annaleisa Veasey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Annaleisa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I was a couple years into a portrait business I started while in college. I was deeply curious about the wedding industry and honestly expected myself to not enjoy it or potentially be overwhelmed because it is a very high pressure type of photography.

Because I’m someone who suffers (and sometimes benefits) from having ADHD, I know that I accomplish the most when I go for things IMMEDIATELY. If I wait on ideas or actions, I usually forget about them because I’ll be distracted by the next thing. So when I had the interest in weddings, I reached out to about 6 local photographers whose work I admired and asked if they’d be willing to take me on as a second photographer, this is when someone captures key moments of a wedding day but is not the lead.

I was so honored a couple photographers were willing to work with someone who had never shot weddings before. I immediately LOVED the excited, chaos, and flow of weddings. I loved that every wedding was so different from the other and I was always learning new techniques and was kept on my toes… I still am!

I wanted to be really experienced by the time I started my own wedding photography business. I second shot for two years and finally said “let’s make this official!”

For starting a photography business, it honestly doesn’t take much to execute! For me, I went head on to pick a name, form an LLC, buy insurance, build a website. The rest you figure out as you go!

Annaleisa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I had an itching suspicion I loved capturing people after I had a few goofing off portrait sessions with my friends during my senior year of high school. It turned into a deep love of portraits and eventually I found my greatest love: weddings! After second photographing for other photographers for 2 years, my first season of owning Meraki was nearly fully booked and it has only grown since. I’m endlessly grateful to have built a brand I adore so much.

We offer wedding, elopement, and couples photography as well as occasional boudoir and branding sessions. My husband joined Meraki last year offering videography services.

We know there is a plethora of talented photographers out there but we believe connection is what sets us apart to stand out. Being in front of the camera can be a very vulnerable experience and we love our clients to not only feel confident but to feel like we are just pals hanging out. We use games, ridiculous prompts, and by the time you’re feeling so relaxed, you’re going to be shocked at how natural you feel getting photos that make you feel like a model.

We’re so proud to offer an inclusive space for all races, genders, sexualities, and all identities.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The wedding industry unfortunately always favors skinny, white heterosexual couples. In reality, ALL bodies, sexualities, and races are in these absolutely beautiful, inspirational relationships.

I remember going into the wedding industry and sometimes working with vendors who only ever posted that favored type of couple. It made me feel like I should be doing the same or that certain weddings wouldn’t be as “pinterest or instagram worthy” coined by so many photographers and wedding vendors. I was a queer vendor in a hetero, white relationship too and wanted to make. sure I wasn’t conforming.

I soon learned that what I loved about weddings wasn’t how well dressed or styled a wedding was. It was the love that was present and the stories that unfold during a wedding day. It fueled me to become a more inclusive photographer and I am beyond grateful for the couples it continues to bring me.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I could go on about this FOREVER! Most of my business, especially when starting out came from word of mouth from past clients or vendor recommendations.

If there are vendors you’d love to connect with invite them out for coffee or drinks! Give your clients and all of their guests an amazing experience so that guest that’s about to get engaged will be thinking about how fun you were. Send vendors who refer you a gift every now and then to say thanks. I don’t personally find networking to be the most authentic way to build business, I instead prefer to build real relationships and friendships with clients and vendors.

Finally, get on those reels, tiktoks, and instagram posts. Don’t hashtag to get followers, hashtag with your clients in mind. If I’m searching for a hairstyle I’ll see who is on #denverbalayage instead of #balayageinspo. Hashtag in a way your ideal clients would find you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://merakiphotoco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merakiweddingphoto/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@merakiphotoco