2013 YEAR IN REVIEW | WEDDINGS

Wow!! Can you believe it’s already 2014? We most definitely can’t and it will probably be June before we get used to writing the date correctly, but in the meantime we want to look back at everything that 2013 brought our way. This might have been the fastest year of our lives but, speedy or not, 2013 was filled with genuine laughter, moments of growth & learning, and fulfilling relationship-building with our clients. We truly feel so lucky to do what we love and to have the support of our wonderful clients, friends & family!! Without all of you we wouldn't be able to live our passion, and that is something that we are endlessly thankful for. THANK YOU!!! :) As we look back through the beautiful moments and celebrations of love that we had the giant honor of photographing, we can't help but smile at all of the fun, sweet & thoughtful faces on our computer screen! We've had this problem over the last few days as we attempted to pull together a collection of images that represented our 2013, so you can only imagine how much our cheeks hurt! ;) We are blown away by the planning and thought that you all put into your wedding day and sessions with us, and cannot thank you enough for choosing us to be a part of your lives!! Creating heirlooms for families to pass on for generations is something that fills our hearts to the brim!

We cannot wait to see what 2014 holds - personalized wedding celebrations across the Midwest, new faces & couples who we can't wait to connect with & get to know, and continuing to capture sweet families as they grow!! Cheers to a wonderful 2014!

Love | Kelsy & Butch

Stay tuned for two more 2013 posts as we share some of our favorite engagement & portrait sessions soon!

THIS YEAR

When we sit down and think about where this year went, we don't have an immediate answer. It truly flew by faster than any other! Amidst the craziness of bouncing around the midwest to photograph weddings & engagements, we also had some pretty awesome milestones in our personal lives!! Parker James joined our little family on Valentine's Day and he has since been the source of 90% of our smiles! Not long after we became puppy parents, we decided that our little man needed a house! After years of searching for the perfect one, we purchased our first home at the very beginning of wedding season in May. Upon further review, this may not have been the most ideal time to move and make our new house a home, but we wouldn't have it any other way!! We tend to dive in head first and follow our hearts without looking back -- that is exactly how we decided to take our photography business full-time four years ago, and apparently how we make all major life decisions ;)

We also tend to pour our hearts into our photography. The connections we make with the remarkable couples who come our way make it especially easy to get wrapped up in the emotions of their day and be completely invested in them! This year brought so much clarity and change into the way we are photographing weddings, engagements and portraits alike. Falling in love with film all over again has revolutionized our hearts and our business, and for this we couldn't possibly be more grateful!! 2012 really was a giant leap for us, our business, and our little family of three. The relationships & friendships we've made this year alone make us feel absolutely blessed to do what we do, and we cannot even wait to see all of the goodness that 2013 has lined up!!!!

With SO Much Love | K&B

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H & Portra 400 // Camera: Contax 645, Hasselblad 500cm & Nikon F100 //

NICOLLET ISLAND PAVILION MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING ON FILM | HEATHER & JOE

If there were ever a wedding that we didn't want to end, Heather & Joe's would be it! We are still captivated by the beauty and genuine emotion we had the honor of photographing at the always lovely Nicollet Island Pavilion. The incredible, romantic, and perfectly classic style they brought to the Pavilion with the help of Sarah from Lasting Impressions Weddings came together into a day that fit the two of them perfectly!  Beginning to end, Heather & Joe's wedding was filled with smiling faces, soft details, and thoughtful touches. Heather & Joe are two of the most compassionate, driven, and sincere people we have ever met. We LOVED getting to know them, along with little Liam, during their engagement session at one of their absolute favorite places in the Twin Cities: Lake Harriet. They even started their wedding day in that exact spot during a special 5K run with family & friends around the lake!

Every wedding day is beautiful and special, but there was truly something unique about Heather & Joe's wedding day. Their smiles somehow manage to shine even brighter when the other comes close, and the energy they share is an absolute inspiration!

Thank you, Heather & Joe, for welcoming us into your lives and for opening your hearts to us! We feel blessed to have photographed your love story and are so happy for the three of you!

Love | K&B

PS - Be sure to take a peek at the slideshow at the end to see more of Heather & Joe's wedding day :)

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H // Cameras: Contax 645 / Nikon F100 / Nikon D800 //

Ceremony & Reception: Nicollet Island Pavilion  |  Wedding Planner: Sarah Trotter of Lasting Impressions Weddings  |  Florist: Violet's Flowers  |  Hair Artist: Kathy O'Connor, friend of Bride  |  Makeup Artist: Emily J  |  Bride's Wedding Gown: SAKS NYC by Monique Lhuillier  |  Bridesmaid Dresses: SAKS NYC  |  Men's Suits: Men's Warehouse by Michael Kors  |  Custom Bride & Bridesmaid Hangers: Delovely Details on Etsy  |  Invitations: Bella Figura from Judy Paulen Designs  |  Programs, Place Cards, Table Names Stationary: A Milestone Paper by Sarah Glad  |  Photo Booth: Traveling Photo Booth  |  Chalkboard Artist: Carole Bersin  |  Wedding Signs: Our Hobby to Your Home on Etsy  |  Drink Stirrers: Beau Chic Prints on Etsy  |  Transportation: Minnesota Coaches  |  Videographer: Rob Kopp of Viking Videos  |  Band: PopLuxe

DOOR COUNTY BASEBALL THEMED WEDDING | KIM & STEW!

Earlier this month we had the distinct honor of photographing Kim & Stew's wedding in Door County, and it is one that we have been dying to present to you! Kim and Stew just returned home from a honeymoon in the Bahamas, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome them back as Mr & Mrs with a huge preview of their wedding photos!! Kim and Stew are two of the most charming, laid-back, and fun-loving people we know! When it came to their wedding day they were non-stop smiles and an absolute JOY to photograph!! To be honest, it didn't really feel like we were "working" at all, but more like we were friends who played an important role in their big day.

Kim had two familiar faces helping prepare her hair & make-up as she transformed into a stunning bride. Tom Preston & Lee Ann Perrine also took care of her as Miss Wisconsin 2010 in the beauty department and, to no surprise, they did an Amazing job -- Kim was absolutely Striking!! With no exaggeration, Stew had the BEST reaction when he set eyes on his bride for the first time as she walked down the aisle of St. Joseph's Catholic Church on her Dad's arm!!! We are quite sure you will know exactly what we mean when your eyes come across the images below ;)

K&S not only brought their love of baseball to their Door County engagement session, but also to their wedding day which was complete with ticket-styled invitations, a jersey guest book, and Cracker Jack favors!! With help from Alliey of Sash & Bow, Kim & Stew infused Stone Harbor Resort with a touch of America's pastime, and lots of class. From purple uplighting & elegant chair covers to the incredible shores of Door County, Kim and Stew's wedding day was a gorgeous escape!

We are SO excited to have photographed not only Kim & Stew, but the entire cast of their friends & family!! From the bottom of our heart, thank you two for including us in your celebration!!!

Love | K&B

Ceremony: St. Joseph's Catholic Church  |  Reception: Stone Harbor Resort  |  Planner: Sash & Bow  |  Bouquet Florist: Maas Floral  |  Reception Flowers: by Connie Larsen, Mother of the Groom  |  Cake Artist: Cakes by JoAnn  |  Hair & Make-Up Artist: Tom Preston & Lee Ann Perrine (Miss Wisconsin hairstylist & for the current Miss America)  |  Bride's Dress: Anjolique from Tie the Knot Bridal Boutique  |  Bridesmaid Dresses: Charlotte's Bridal  |  Men's Suits: Concept's Bridal & Formalwear  | DJ: DJ Michael Ray (Michael played guitar & sang at Kim's parents' wedding in '82!)  |  Videographer: Miller Studios  | Lighting, linens, chair covers & pew decor: Sash & Bow  |  Ceremony Vocalist: Constance Albert  | Ceremony Pianist: Joe Stawicki  |  Dinner to Reception performers: Aunt Edie, Uncle Ben & Lily, sister of the Groom  |  Jersey Guest Book: FLS Banners  |  Custom signs for escort cards & Guest book: We Have a Great Notion on Etsy

JUST PLAIN THANKFUL

Amidst the craziness of our day-to-day life and constant efforts to grow both personally and in our business, it is easy to get so caught up that we don't slow down and recognize how amazing right now truly is. On a typical weekday morning we wake up around 7:30/8am, take Parker out, share a pot of coffee, respond to sweet client emails, prepare print orders, cull/edit our latest portrait session or wedding, design wedding albums, prepare + send out lovely packages to our clients, meet with newly engaged brides & grooms to-be, share images on our blog + social media, connect with our favorite wedding vendors, reach out to high school seniors, and of course sneak in a trip to Starbucks for our daily fix among all of these things... because, you know, that is a must in order to make our way through to-do lists. ;) But in between those check marks and exclamation points (yes, these lists are sprinkled with !!!), our days are also filled with some of my favorite moments: quality time spent with our puppy, smooches & tickle tortures with my hunny, non-stop smiling at the computer because I am so inspired by our clients and excited about the images we create together, listening to Butch sing along with every other song playing on Spotify, and watching over downtown Wausau from our new studio (which we have still yet to officially announce!).

The little things are not just highlights of any given day, but our favorite moments and the ones we are especially thankful for! This, in combination with our pure excitement for the incredible clients we have the honor of working with, is what inspires us and makes us want to create images that reflect couples in their natural state, energetic high school seniors, and wedding day moments that if uncaptured risk being lost forever. In both our personal lives and in our photography, this is what we shoot for -- unscripted out-takes filled with genuine emotion!

On that note, we wanted to take a trip down memory lane back to 2010 to share some of our favorite moments from Jody & Chris' University Club wedding in St Paul. We would love to hear what your favorite moments are... feel free to share :)

Love | K&B