Two weeks ago, when my brother Matt calls me up from Raleigh, NC informing me Chatham County Line will be performing in Madison, I hit their site to find the where, when, and how much of their visit. Lo and behold, I discovered one of the coolest things of my 2012 – Farm & Home Concert Underground. What is Farm & Home you ask? Only the coolest thing since a monkey in a bacon tuxedo rode a Pegasus. The venue is a renovated barn complete with an ambiance so warm and nostalgic you’d swear you were in yesteryear. On top of that they were hosting one of my favorite bluegrass groups – Chatham County Line. Knowing they seldom come this far north into the Midwest and the uniqueness of the venue I was beside myself. The evening began with friendship and fellowship in the lower part of the barn and moved soon upstairs to the hay loft to hear the sweet, opening sounds of Daylight in the Swamp. Suds, song, and the setting sun surrounded everyone and prepared us for the evening’s crescendo – Chatham Co. Line. From the opening four part harmonies of “She” to the closing of the show with “Chip of a Star,” the performance was amazing to say the least. I cannot begin to say enough good things about Farm & Home Concert Underground and their fantastic venue or about my first experience there seeing two groups of fantastic musicians. If you are a fan of great bluegrass or even great music at that, check out both Chatham Co. Line and Daylight in the Swamp and be sure to ‘Like’ Farm & Home Concert Underground on facebook. Support for this venue will help it grow and bring more great music to the area.
Happy birthday to my wonderful husband! Steven, I don’t know what I would do without you. I’m very lucky to call you my husband. You are so very special and deserve a very special day. Here’s to another year – let’s celebrate! Love, Sarah
Another lovely September wedding. Fall in Wisconsin. One of the best times of the year to tie the knot. From our first meeting with Elisabeth to the wedding we’ve had an immense pleasure working with and getting to know both her and Jeremy. We loved that the two were animal lovers (Elisabeth is a vet in the Burlington area) and incorporated that aspect of themselves into their engagement session. During our first visit our pups, Monty and Mona, even gave a wagging tail approval:) Learning the days events were to take place at the beautiful Hawk’s View Golf Club in the Lake Geneva area we were ecstatic and beside ourselves. Not only does the club boast stunning scenery and picture perfect backdrops, it was also the venue of one of our first wedding we shot almost 8 years ago. The day wast perfect. Whenever we have the pleasure to shoot outside in weather like Saturday’s you can’t help but enjoy yourself. Elisabeth chose a unique sweetheart dress that was simply gorgeous to walk down the aisle in. Even the details reflected their personalities and the joining of two families. Both Jeremy and Elisabeth’s mothers helped in creating the details that set the backdrop to the day. Is that a fish in one of the center piece’s you may ask? Well on one of the couple’s first dates, Jeremy did what any red-blooded man does for the woman he loves at a fair – spend an exorbitant amount of money to win his lady a fish and impress her. Love those little touches that remind people why they fell for each other. Elisabeth & Jeremy, congratulations!
The chemistry between these two was absolutely magnetic. The couple picked a location close to their hearts – the Milwaukee lakefront. During our shoot with them we learned they love to fish together! On their first date, Jeff took Alycia fishing – she’s been “hooked” ever since. We simply cannot wait to capture this handsome couple on their wedding day next year. Thanks for an awesome shoot Alycia & Jeff!
It’s great working with past clients again. Hard to believe it’s already been two years since we first worked with Billy. We captured him along with his younger brother Here. During this shoot we enjoyed hearing about Billy’s love of music and travel. His trip to Alaska sounded amazing! Reminded us of our own trip, Here and Here. Best wishes to you Billy – this last year of high school and beyond!
If we had a nickel for every time a bride has contacted us concerned about what to do in the case of a “rain delay” we’d have like ten dollars or some ridiculously low amount. All joking aside rain doesn’t stop us from doing our job – creating amazing images for our couples. Take Katie and Manny for instance. Due to their scheduling and living three states away we had to get their engagement session done while they were in town. We were more afraid of them getting wet and having to photoshop a thousand rain droplets on their clothing than they were of a little rain. Since photographers can be a hard-headed group of individuals we made the executive decision to take them to two of our favorite rain locations. Needless to say, the locations were only a tenth of what made this engagement session incredible. Both Manny and Katie are crazy photogenic and have a wonderful chemistry together in front of the camera. It was plain to see the adoration for each other in their eyes. Their willingness to let down those barriers and show open emotion and love in front of relative strangers with cameras jammed in their face astounds me. After our shoot we felt an overwhelming excitement for what would be in store for us next year when we have the honor of capturing them tying the knot. Can’t wait till then!
Oh September how we love you. Your cool, crisp mornings give way to warm, sunny afternoons – our favorite wedding weather! This weekend brought us the privilege of working with Tim, Kristin and their families. We’d been counting down the days to this wedding since we first met the gorgeous couple on their engagement session. When we discovered both Kristin and Tim are instructors at the prestigious Fred Astaire Dance Studio we of course assumed they’d be coordinating some awesome, jaw-dropping first dance (we were not disappointed – more on that later). Their big day came within no time. The fabulous North Shore Country Club (NSCC) provided the perfect backdrop for Kristin and Tim’s nuptials. Not only was decor and detail well thought out, but the personal attention to the bridal party attire was amazing. The light gray suits they guys rocked out in true GQ style set off the tones of bright magentas, purples, and hot pinks in the bridesmaid’s gowns and flowers. Kristin’s main concern however was all about the bling. Not only did her jewelry shine and blind anyone close, but her shoes, as well as her daughter Chelsea’s were gemmed with Swarovski crystals. The wedding was not only visually stunning, but emotionally beautiful. Kristin and Tim’s personalized vows made our hearts melt and contained the perfect blend of sentimentality and entertainment. As with any NSCC wedding reception we’ve covered, the staff helped serve as the back bone for the festivities of the evening. There was amazing food, drink, and fellowship everywhere we turned. Two ice sculptures, one serving as a martini fountain and one as an oyster bar, welcomed the guests as they made their way into the cocktail hour. With all of the bling Kristin incorporated into her attire for the wedding it was only appropriate that the cake be adorned with gems as well. Wedding details and accents get jealous too. However, as my parents always taught me, it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. This cake was amazing. A Neapolitan flavored masterpiece accompanied by a personal ice cream pie sealed the deal for me and had me loosening my belt. To help rid the guilt that often accompanies such a delectable meal and sinful dessert, the Deja Vu Band got everyone’s feet moving and hearts pumping. To help rid the guilt that often accompanies such a delectable meal and sinful dessert, the Deja Vu Band got everyone’s feet moving and hearts pumping (anyone get the feeling of Deja Vu). With the band in full swing and the guests cutting various rugs, carpets, and tapestries, Kristin sneaked off to change into her second dress. The ensemble was a stunning ribbon accented dress designed to flow beautifully with her while dancing. As we mentioned earlier this couple are dance instructors. They met dancing, they fell in love together while dancing, so what better way to physically express the love they feel for each other than on the dance floor. This one was one for our record books. They were flawless and literally brought tears to our eyes photographing them. Their love and chemistry were evident to everyone watching in awe. We only hope our photography was able to capture a tenth of their perfection on the dance floor. A special thanks to Ann Engel at NSCC for her coordination of the day’s events and ensuring Kristin and Tim’s day went on without a hitch – you rock! Congratulations to Kristin, Tim and little Chelsea. You have such a beautiful family and wonderful circle of friends.
Last week we had the pleasure of meeting Danny and capturing his senior portraits. Though a little shy at first, within no time he came out of his shell and helped make this one of the more memorable senior sessions. Not only is Danny an avid sports fan, he also runs track in the Special Olympics. Like all of our seniors we ask them to bring along props important and significant to them in their lives. Danny chose to bring the football given to him and signed by his high school team while he was in the hospital. He volunteers with the football team and like any good team they support a teammate through the good and bad. To end our shoot we headed to our favorite field (such a great location for beautiful fall photos) and laughed with Danny the entire time. Steven, being the natural goof, had Danny rolling around in hysterics. Talk about saving the best smiles for last. Of course we had to get a quick shot with mom. The bond they share was so evident and very touching. We were so happy to capture these moments for Danny. Happy Senior Year!
From the good ole days of Organic Chemistry at UWM with Annie, to Grayson’s bump session, to the introduction of Beckett, its been fun watching Annie and Jeff create and grow their family. Grayson, the handsome young man in the striped shirt, is a huge fan of all things Fire Truck. So for his recent birthday shoot, we ventured over to the Franklin Fire Department with all the cousins and Grandparents in tow. The kids were such a blast to follow around and capture their excitement. It was such a hoot seeing them put on the gear and hop aboard a real fire truck. I was slightly disappointed I wasn’t able to don the hat and get into the driver’s seat. Thanks to Annie for thinking of such a cool location for this shoot and not taking no for an answer.
