Ireland has always been on my list of places to travel and when I saw that Twig & Olive was hosting a wedding photography workshop in Dublin, that gave me the push I needed to make my dreams of traveling to Ireland a reality.
The first half of the workshop was packed with lots of information about building your business and defining your brand. Bobbi and Doug also talked about tools that have helped make their business successful and things to streamline in your business to help things run a little easier and more smoothly. Halfway through the day we all went to lunch together where we continued to talk. After lunch, we boarded a train and rode about 25 minutes to Howth Island, our shooting location. If you ever get to Ireland, make sure you visit this cute, little city. It’s GORGEOUS and they are known for having amazing seafood.
The second half of the workshop was a styled shoot along the cliff walks at Howth Island. The scenery was everything I pictured Ireland to be. It was beautiful! The cliffs, the water, all the greenery…everything was on point. The sun doesn’t set in Ireland until around 10pm in the summer time, so we had a lot of time for shooting and the lighting was perfect.
After our shoot, we headed back to the hotel in Dublin to talk about their editing process and to give us the chance to ask any last questions. If you ever get the chance to take a workshop from Twig & Olive, I’d HIGHLY recommend it! Bobbi and Doug are so nice and well versed in all aspects of running a successful photography business. They’re also great at answering questions after the workshop is over. Thank you Bobbi and Doug for hosting such a wonderful workshop and for choosing an amazing location for our shoot.
Dresses: Free People
Lace Wrap: The Vintage Llama
Flowers: Appassionata Flowers
Boy Ring: Tiffany & Co.
Girl Ring: Tacori
Kacie & Justin knew each other in high school. They were two grades apart from one another and it wasn’t until after Justin graduated from high school that their paths crossed and a relationship blossomed. Justin decided to propose on the coldest day of the year. He had carved in an ice patch behind their house, “Will You Marry Me?” and had to do some strong convincing to get Kacie outside. After some resistance, she went outside and was so surprised at what Justin had done…in the freezing cold weather.
These two are meant for each other. They light each other up and we laughed the whole time during their session. Kacie wanted to do their engagement shoot at her parent’s horse farm where grew up in Southeastern Wisconsin. We had so much fun walking around her parents’ land and finding all sorts of random things. These two will be married next July and I can’t wait to celebrate the beginning of this new chapter in their lives together.
The rain didn’t keep us from having a fun family session at Boerner Botanical Gardens. The trees provided a lot of coverage and the girls had an umbrella to keep dry. Todd and Liz, your girls are adorable!
To find a love like Kyle & Taylor’s is rare these days. These two started dating the summer going into 8th grade. Kyle asked Taylor out three times before Taylor finally agreed. They were voted ‘cutest couple’ by their 8th grade classmates. A title that still proves to be true. These two are absolutely adorable together. The way they look at each other is how I imagine they looked at each other in those early days of dating, they are still wildly in love with one another.
Kyle proposed to Taylor with a unique engagement ring: a champagne sapphire stone set in a rose gold band. They had just come from fishing at the lake. Kyle claimed that they had forgotten something for his dad and that they had to go back. He got her back to the lake and popped the question! She of course said, “YES!” and the two will be married this July. I’m so excited for their wedding. I know the day will be wonderful.
Melissa & Victor have been on the blog before and this more than likely won’t be the last time you see them. Melissa is due with my NIECE in July and I can’t wait to photograph that little bundle of joy. For their maternity shoot, we chose Hubbard Park in Shorewood, WI. I couldn’t wait to photograph here and play around with the tunnel. A few weeks ago, Victor contacted me asking me for my opinion as to how he should pop the question. He threw around a few ideas, one being at her maternity shoot. I said it would be perfect and I knew exactly how I wanted to set up the shot. It took a lot for me to keep this secret and I did my very best not to let anything slip. I’d say I did a pretty good job 🙂 The ring is absolutely gorgeous and neither one could stop smiling all morning long. It was adorable. Congratulations Melissa & Victor! You both have so much to look forward to and I can’t wait to be there right beside you both.
I’ve had the joy of knowing little Preston’s mom (Jen) since middle school. We worked with each other through various restaurant jobs in our younger days but drifted our separate ways shortly before college started. Thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook, we were able to stay connected.
I was thrilled when Jen reached out to me asking me to capture Preston’s 1 year. It’s such a change of pace for me when I get to photograph a family that has little boys. I have two girls, my sister is about to have a baby girl and my female cousin has a daughter. So you can kind of get what I mean when I say it’s a welcomed change of pace.
I have to say Preston did very well in front of the camera. There were no meltdowns and we had fun exploring the park! He can hang out with me any day!
Luke and Lynda welcomed baby Carmen into the world on April 5th and she could not be any more sweeter. I was overseas when I heard that Lynda had her baby and I was hoping that she would contact me when I got home to take pictures of their sweet little girl. Luke and Lynda are such wonderful, caring people. Their love and affection for each other is palpable and they were completely natural and comfortable in front of the camera. Little Carmen is extremely blessed to have such two loving parents. I’m looking forward to capturing more family photos of them in the near future.
Melissa and Victor. Two of my favorite people. Melissa is my younger sister and Victor is her boyfriend. Melissa has always been my biggest supporter and cheerleader. Whenever I have expressed any self-doubt about what I was doing in life, she was the one to set me straight. She’s honest, has the biggest heart of anyone I know, and is the greatest sister in the world.
I was excited when she told me that she and Victor wanted to a couples’ session in the Third Ward. We originally were trying to hold out for snow, but Wisconsin had a pretty strange winter this past season, so we worked with what we had. A couples’ session turned baby reveal (yay!) back to where they had their very first date: Milwaukee Public Market. I’m so excited that these two found each other and that they will be giving me a niece or nephew come late July!! They’re perfect for one another and they will make amazing parents. They are already a wonderful Aunt and Uncle to my two little ones and their baby is going to have the best smile ever.
When I was 18, I joined the Air National Guard. My two big reasons for joining were to get college paid for (check!) and for the travel opportunities (check, check!). While it hasn’t always been easy (leaving your family for an extended period of time never is) the people I’ve met, the relationships I’ve built, and the experiences I’ve had along the way have made it worthwhile.
On my latest adventure overseas, we made a little pit stop in Spain. While we were there longer that we originally anticipated, it still wasn’t long enough. There’s so much to do and see. I will definitely be going back.
These photos were taken right near our hotel in El Puerto de Santa Maria. El Santa Maria is about 6 miles Northeast of the providence, Cadíz. It is best known for being the port from which Christopher Columbus made is his second voyage to the Americas.
