I love getting to photograph growing families, especially when your paths have crossed through major life events. Keith and I met in the Air National Guard. He’s my realtor and he helped me find the home my girls and I currently reside in. He’s my go-to person when it comes to business questions and it was such a pleasure getting to meet his wife, Cryssy, and their adorable daughter. The family will be welcoming a sweet baby boy in the next few months and I can’t wait to meet him!
‘Tis the season and LOVE is in the air! I was never one to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but the girls love it and, well, I love them. So here we are-buying heart shaped earrings, t-shirts and getting flowers delivered for the big holiday. If you’re coupled up, here are some fun things you can do together during the month of February (and really all year long) that don’t involve a Netflix binge!
- Make a fancy Dinner together. I love to cook. So anytime I get to cook for someone else, other than my kids, it brings me happiness. I like to either look up a recipe or order a meal ready to prepare from one of the meal delivery services like Blue Apron. (not an affiliate link, it’s just one of my favorites!) Have kiddos at home? Make them a special kid friendly meal earlier in the night and off to bed they go so that ‘date night in’ can commence.
- Make a Playlist together. Have a road trip coming up or planning a night in? Make a playlist to go along with your activity. My partner and I use Spotify to make playlists for car trips together and it’s so fun to see what each of us adds to it. You can learn a lot about someone through their music choices!
- Start your own bookclub. I saw this idea on one of the Peloton instructor’s Instagram page, so I can’t take credit for it, but I loved the idea! You each take turns reading a different book, switch mid-month and talk about the 2 books at the end of the month. I thought this was such a cute idea. Reading not your thing? You can also do this with audiobooks!
- Turn The TV off. Talk. Challenge each other to Wordle. Play a game. It’s so easy to sink into the couch and binge a show (it can be fun too!), but try and take at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted time to chat about your day, or anything really.
- Keep a running list. Last year, I got the best invite my organized, little heart could’ve ever desired…An invite to a google spreadsheet called “Cool Shit”. I had met my match. A list of date ideas, restaurants and other fun things we want to do together. I love discovering new restaurants and bars and adding them to our list. That way, when it comes down to the dreaded question, “Where do you want to eat tonight?” We consult the list!
What other date night/couple ideas do you have? Sound off below!
Am I making time to blog right now?! You bet I am and it feels so good to be back, doing what I love to do: WRITING! As some of you know, I was deployed late last summer into early Fall. When I got home, all I wanted to do was snuggle my girls and catch up on life and all that I missed, so that meant limiting my Fall sessions. I can’t wait to see all of my favorite families soon, but for now I’ll share the goodness that is my sister and my sweet niece. Aren’t they adorable?! We found the best field near our house and had so much fun!
As much as I would love to take all the weddings and photo sessions, (believe it or not) I am only one person. A lot of times I get multiple inquires for the same dates and I have to refer them out to other photographers. Enter this blog post. Below are some of my all time favorite photographers in the Milwaukee area. I’ve either worked with them personally or have heard wonderful things about them through other industry leaders.
Mo Schultz. I’ve known Mo since middle school, so we go way back. She has photographed my family and when I was interested in photography and weddings, she took me under her wing and trusted me to second shoot a GORGEOUS wedding with her without any prior experience. She is talented and loves on her clients with her whole heart. A true Enneagram 2 to her core 🙂
Hannah Toldt. I was introduced to Hannah through a mutual friend of ours and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to photograph her beautiful face multiple times. She truly is a joy to work with and brings so much FUN to her sessions. She is wildly talented and brings such good energy to everyone around her.
The Uttkes. An incredible husband/wife team, who I’ve heard nothing but great things about. While I’ve never actually met these two, I feel like know them pretty well. Social media plus having mutual friends will do that. They’ve referred a few amazing clients to me which I’m grateful for. They’re a fun couple and I admire their photography work. And they have a really cute kiddo!
Naomi Love. Through the power of social media, I found this beauty through mutual friends, photographers, and our hairstylist. Naomi has second shot with me a few times this year and I’m forever grateful for her and her talented eye.
Stephanie Koppa. I’ve worked with Stephanie quite a few times and it’s always a fun time. Stephanie is sweet, funny and has a great eye for capturing those in between moments. I love working with her and I find her work so refreshing.
Sarah Glick. I met Sarah at a networking event and we became fast friends. Sarah is real, loves on her clients, and captures a wedding day in such an artful way.
Stephanie Sanchez. A natural visual storyteller. I found Stephanie through a friend of mine and she’s done family photos for me and my girls. Stephanie is wonderful to work with and her photography work is beautiful beyond words.
Chelsea Matson. Another photographer who I’ve never actually met, but we chat quite frequently on Instagram. Her work is real, emotional and something to be admired.
Jen from Dogs of MKE. If your fur baby is the center of your photoshoot (and your life), I cannot recommend Jen enough. I’ve known Jen for a few years now and I had the pleasure of photographing her family to include her Goldendoodle, Gino. She’s truly amazing at what she does. And if you don’t have a dog but love them, you should just follow her Instagram for an instant mood boost.
Santiago Murillo. I’ve admired Santiago’s work for years. He’s extremely talented and does an amazing job capturing the wedding day in such an artist and real way.
Usually after a couple books their wedding with me, I receive an e-mail asking for other vendor recommendations. Florists are generally one of my top requested vendor referrals. If we’re Instagram friends, you know how much I love florals so I’m very excited to share 5 amazing florists who I have had the pleasure of working with!
- Bird & Bumble. I have personally worked with Rebecca a handful of times on a few creative endeavors and I’m so excited that we finally have a real wedding together this May! Her work is everything I love. We have similar personal styles and I think that carries over into our work, which makes working together so fun.
2. Wood Violet MKE. I love Emily’s approach to floral design. I had the honor of watching her construct floral centerpieces from scratch and turn them into something beautiful for our styled shoot. I was in absolute awe of her talent and skill. She even designed floral collars for the dogs!
3. Floral Alchemy. Liz was awesome to work with and Taylor’s wedding bouquet was one my favorites to photograph. She did an amazing job on the bridesmaids bouquets as well!
4. Courtney Joy Floral. I am a fan of anyone who can incorporate feathers into a bridal bouquet and a flower crown and have it look absolutely fabulous! Courtney brought boho to a whole other level with some of the floral elements in this wedding and I am honored that I was able to work with her. She’s so creative and incredibly talented!
5. Flowers for Dreams. I love this company and their mission. You can read how they got started on their website, but a portion of every bouquet sold goes to support a local charity. I had the opportunity to photograph their wedding work and I’ve also taken a Thanksgiving centerpiece arranging class at their studio. I’m looking forward to working with them again, both in the wedding space and personally!
My 2019 was one of my busiest seasons so far. I had the opportunity to photograph a destination wedding, work with some talented, local vendors, and check out quite a few of Southeastern Wisconsin’s best wedding venues. I also had the honor of working with some of the sweetest couples. From small and intimate to large and lively, I covered just about every type of wedding. Except a brunch wedding, I definitely want to photograph a brunch wedding! Here’s a run down of some of my favorite moments of the 2019 wedding season.
- Lake Tahoe. Getting to work with this couple in this location was the highlight of my wedding season. I love their adventurous personalities, impeccable style and the way they interact with one another. They are just that couple that everyone loves to be around. They bring the fun wherever they go!
- The floral Wallpaper at The Covenant at Murray Mansion. This wedding was small, intimate and gorgeous. I’m a sucker for mixing modern wedding decor in an old, vintage location. The Covenant at Murray Mansion did not disappoint. The mansion is beautiful and the coordinators are amazing to work with.
3. The Sanger House Gardens. As a little girl, I was a big fan of the movie & book, ‘The Secret Garden.’ This is kind of what this place reminds me of. John and Millie had a very small and intimate wedding reception here, hosting mostly family and a few very close friends. I can honestly say this was the only wedding that I’ve photographed where I actually cried. I’m pretty good at keeping my emotions in check! Millie’s touching speech about John and her daughters really hit home for me. If you’re looking for a mansion style wedding, definitely check out The Sanger House.
4. The ‘Til Death sign at The Ivy House. This place offers so many “Instagramable” photo ops but this one is by far my favorite. I’m so excited to be back at the Ivy House this May!
5. Dog-friendly venue spaces. When Kyle and Ali told me that they wanted to include their pup, Jax, in their wedding at Birch, I was all for it. I love dogs and I really do love when couples incorporate them into their wedding. I photographed two weddings this year where the couples incorporated their pups and I love that Birch is a dog-friendly venue!
6. Villa Filomena. Another Milwaukee mansion that doesn’t disappoint. I loved everything about Dave and Alexis’s wedding. The day was absolutely perfect and personal in every way. From the handmade hair piece to the game themed reception decor, this couple put their personal touch on every aspect of their wedding and they did it in a very tasteful way.
7. Carving out time for sunset photos. There are a few reasons I love when your wedding timeline allows for sunset photos. First, it’s my chance to pull you away for just a few minutes to really soak up your time as husband and wife. It gives couples a chance to check in with one another and make sure everything is going well, and many couples appreciate the “breath of fresh air” after visiting with lots of loved ones during the day.
8. Brides with a sense of humor. Cassaundra contacted me a few days before her wedding and explained to me how she wanted to play a practical joke on Craig, her husband to be. They were planning on doing a first look, but instead of seeing his bride when he turned around, Cassaundra worked with Craig’s best man to give him a good laugh and relieve any nerves he might have about seeing Cassaundra for their first look. The two enjoyed a “real” first look afterward and it was perfect.
9. Dessert Bars. Not everyone loves cake (I get it, but I don’t…). When you’re not big on wedding cake, hosting a dessert bar is another great option and Miss Molly’s does not disappoint. These brownies were the best I’ve ever had. I’ve worked with Molly for a styled shoot and now for a real wedding and I hear nothing but great things from anyone who eats these delicious baked goods.
10. Vingettes and champagne parades. When your mom owns a rustic and chic decor and home furnishing store in the Third Ward, you better be ready for an amazing wedding day set up! Terry set up vignettes around their property for Alex and Garrett’s gorgeous backyard wedding. When I was photographing the details, I kept thinking about how I wanted to put some of the decor into my new home! This wedding was so wonderfully done in many ways, I can’t wait to share more from their day. Alex and Garrett also did something I’ve never seen any couple do before. They led a champagne parade from their ceremony site to where the guests were to enjoy cocktail hour! That’s definitely a parade I want to be part of.
Nik and Lindi were married this past summer in South Lake Tahoe. Their ceremony was held on the Nevada side at Round Hill Pines Beach Resort which overlooked the mountains and their reception was located at Basecamp. For a couple that loves to travel and being outdoors as much as these two do, (you can view their engagement session here) this wedding was very much “them”. The place where they decided to have their reception had a little Airstream on the property-very similar to the one these two own back in Wisconsin.
Nik and Lindi hosted an intimate wedding over Memorial Day weekend that was absolutely perfect. It snowed the morning of their wedding, but the sun came out just in time to melt it all away. Despite the small hiccup, the snow looked gorgeous on the mountains as they exchanged their very own hand-written vows to one another. The two of them are Air Force Pilots and wanted to incorporate that into their wedding without going overboard. Lindi folded some paper airplanes and placed them in the centerpieces and did a great job tying it all together.
Their wedding was perfect! Give me all the bon fire, s’mores and sparkler exits please! Congrats to you both Nik & Lindi! I am absolutely honored that you chose me to document your wedding and spend such a wonderful weekend with you!
Vendor Love: Ceremony-Round Hill Pines Beach Resort // Reception-Basecamp Tahoe South // Invitations-Pretty Little Paper Co. // Band-Lucky Devils Band //Florist-Helianthus Floral Design // Planner-Liane McCombs //Wedding dress-Wtoo by Watters at White Dress Bridal Boutique // Groom’s Suit-NL Suits // Videography- Little Wild
Anyone who has been around Brittany and Mike, know that these two were made for each other. The way they light each other up is refreshing to be around and they bring such a positive energy to everyone around them. I got to witness this firsthand at their engagement session and on their wedding day.
Brittany and Mike were married this past February at the Covenant at Murray Mansion located in Racine, Wisconsin. They had a small and intimate wedding that was absolutely gorgeous! The winter scene paired with the brightness of Murray Mansion made for a perfect setting on their wedding day. Their wedding was filled with lots of personal touches – from the special charms Brittany picked out for each of her bridesmaids’ bouquets to the individualized shot glasses for the guys, these two put their own personal spin on a lot of the details in their wedding.
Brittany and Mike, thank you both so much for choosing me to photograph your wedding day. I’m so honored that I was able to spend the first day of forever with you two!
VENDORS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE:
Wedding Venue: The Covenant at Murray Mansion // Florist: Flowers at the Inn (Julie Moyer) // Bride’s hair and makeup: The Vine Hair Salon // DJ: Silverspoon Entertainment // Cake: Country Rose Bakery // Wedding Dress: Eva’s Bridal (Kenneth Winston) // Groom’s Tux: Men’s Wearhouse
Nik & Lindi. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Nik and Lindi from our time together in the Air National Guard. I’ve known them both separately and as a couple and I have to say, together they bring out the best in one another. They asked me to be their photographer the night of their engagement and I was incredibly honored! And when they told me they were getting married in Lake Tahoe, I was pumped!
Their Story. Nik first saw Lindi in 2010 while he was on a base tour, but it wasn’t until their 2014 Guam deployment where their initial glances at one another became something more. While they were in Guam, they decided to get scuba certified and became scuba diving partners. They spent lots of time studying together, being breathing buddies, working on dive techniques and often times they’d come back from their dive to find that everyone else had gone out for the night, so it left a lot of time for them to spend getting to know each other without any other distractions. After Guam, their career paths changed. Nik was selected for a pilot position and Lindi shortly after. Their friendship grew from there. It started out by texting each other about training questions, talking about how nervous they were for their pilot training, and meeting up in Texas to watch their first rodeo together. Soon they were planning monthly weekend meetups, attending weddings as each other’s dates and it quickly became a friendship that neither one of them wanted to lose. The rest, as they say, is history.
Their Session. These two love to travel, they’re both pilots in the Air Force and proud owners of Lucy the Airstream, so for their engagement session we headed out to Moab, Utah to photograph inside Canyonlands National Park. Lindi really had her heart set on watching the sun rise over the Mesa Arch. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a morning person, but this view was well worth waking up for. Utah definitely exceeded all of my expectations (It’s GORGEOUS!), and this engagement session is one of my top favorites to date. After we spent some time getting all the shots, we took our rented Jeep Wrangler down Shafter Offroad Trail. I sat in the backseat terrified, but it was still a very cool and unforgettable experience.
Nik and Lindi! I can’t believe we’re nearly a month out from your wedding! I can’t wait to be there as you two start a brand new chapter in your lives together as a married couple!
