I've watched The Office too many times to count, and I'm not apologizing for it.
I feel genuinely lucky to have seen Billy Joel, Elton John, and Stevie Nicks in concert.
I've been a Taylor Swift fan since I was twelve, so much so that I've named my wedding packages after my favorite songs.
I'm a sucker for rom-coms and romance books, basically any love story, I'm in.
I love traveling to places where my favorite shows and movies were filmed (yes, I've done the Game of Thrones pilgrimage)
Thankfully for the friends I used to make perform in wigs for the camera, I’ve learned that non-fiction makes for far better viewing. I opened Willow Film as a solo venture in 2018, turning a lifelong hobby into something I still can't believe I get to do for a living. In 2021, I brought my best friend Mel along for the ride, and we've been documenting love stories together ever since.Thankfully for the friends I used to make perform in wigs for the camera, I’ve learned that non-fiction makes for far better viewing. I opened Willow Film as a solo venture in 2018, turning a lifelong hobby into something I still can't believe I get to do for a living. In 2021, I brought my best friend Mel along for the ride, and we've been documenting love stories together ever since.
I never thought this would be my career. I went to college and got a degree in biology, then began to pursue a job in the medical field. After years inside a window-less lab, I thought rekindling my videography hobby would scratch my creative itch. If there's one thing to know about me, it's that I love love. I love rom-coms, I love silly little romance books, I love it all. So naturally, I started to film weddings. I wished and hoped and prayed someday I could make it my career. I still had this huge passion for filming and editing, and now I was able to pursue it as my career? What a wild thought.
Meet Gretchen
Meet Gretchen - the face behind Willow Film
Wisconsin Wedding Filmographer
the prologue --
We’ve been inseparable since age five, when she crawled up to me in a McDonald’s play-place and asked if I wanted to be her friend (a very ’90s meet-cute). Somehow, I lucked out and my bestie’s passion also happens to be filming. Mel coming to join me was a win-win because now it meant I could pursue my other lifelong hobby: photography. As a team, we're able to film and photograph weddings, a dream come true!
When Mel’s not behind the camera, she’s soaking up life with her husband, her three-year-old son, baby girl, and their two dogs. Mel brings the same warmth, calm energy, and thoughtfulness to a wedding day as she does to her own life and you can trust her to guide you, support you, and capture the moments you didn’t even know were happening.
In 2021, I brought my best friend Mel along for the ride, and we've been documenting love stories together ever since.
mel
meet
When Mel’s not behind the camera, she’s soaking up life with her husband, her three-year-old son, baby girl, and their two dogs. Mel brings the same warmth, calm energy, and thoughtfulness to a wedding day as she does to her own life and you can trust her to guide you, support you, and capture the moments you didn’t even know were happening.
I give my couples permission to actually live their wedding day instead of performing it. You don't need to worry about hitting your marks or remembering to smile at the camera. You can get lost in conversation with your best friend, spontaneously decide to skip the cake cutting, stay on the dance floor until your feet hurt. I'll be there capturing it all while you're busy actually experiencing it.
Freedom & Presence
Every film I create is completely different because every couple is completely different. I'm not following a template or recreating what I saw on Pinterest last week. I'm paying attention to how you interact when you think no one's watching, the inside jokes that make you crack up, the way your dad's voice breaks during his speech. Your film should feel like opening a diary, not watching someone else's highlight reel.
Authentic Storytelling
I want you to watch your film three years later and have to pause it because you're crying too hard to see the screen. I want you to feel the champagne buzz from golden hour, remember exactly how your grandmother's hug felt, hear your best friend's laugh and be transported right back to that table. That instant nostalgia, that full body emotion, that's what I'm chasing in every frame.
Nostalgia & Emotion
From the moment you book, you have unlimited access to me. Timeline planning at 9 AM, panic texts about your timeline at 11 PM, sharing TikToks that made you think of your wedding vibe. I want to know your dog's name, your family dynamics, which songs make you cry. By the time your wedding day arrives, I know you. And that makes all the difference in how I tell your story.
Elevated Client Experience
The Willow Film Values
The Willow Film Values
