GORGEOUS DOOR COUNTY ENGAGEMENT | KATIE & NICK!

The moment Katie & Nick first reached out to us about their wedding photography, we did a little happy dance, and knew that we simply had to be a part of their day!! You see, Katie joked that she and Nick were often referred to as the "old married couple" among their friends. And you know what that meant to us? That we weren't the only ones who were happy staying in and playing board games or watching a movie with (or without) friends/family! :)

Leading up to their session we bounced ideas back & forth, and decided that the Lakeshore was the absolute perfect spot to start their session. Katie was absolutely gorgeous with her classic berry colored dress and professionally styled hair/makeup (thank you Jessica!), and Nick was so handsome too! We were completely blown away by the romantic light surrounding the two of them and it made for such a dreamy setting!!

While we were home in Door County staying with Butch's parents the day before, we noticed how absolutely perfect their property would be for the second half of Katie & Nick's session!! If we're being completely honest, we had been longing to photograph a sweet couple in Butch's parents' purple field for years. Not even kidding – YEARS!! It just so happened that this was the opportunity to do so, and we were thrilled that Katie & Nick were up for heading over to meet the McCartneys and use their gorgeous property too!

Traveling is a huge shared interest between the two of them, so when Katie & Nick thought to include their passports & a giant map into their session we knew that nothing could be more fitting. Just days after Nick proposed they headed to Hawaii for a long visit (how amazing is that?!), and their travel brought such an element of fun to this session :) We cannot WAIT for Katie & Nick's October 2014 wedding in beautiful Door County!!

Love | Kelsy & Butch

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H // Camera: Contax 645 & Hasselblad 500cm //

OUR BRAND NEW BRAND!!

This wedding season marks our fifth as a full-time husband and wife team. In late 2008 & early 2009 we decided that this is the world that we were meant to be in, and there wasn't ever going to be a better time to dive in than right then! We sort of just took a leap, and we haven't looked back since!!! Thinking back now, it wasn't even so much a "decision" to be made – there was no question or thought that we wanted to do anything else. We simply followed where our hearts were telling us to go!

Our look has been steadily evolving from the beginning, while always staying true to who were are. Our style is classic, organic, bright & happy, and having a brand that reflected that has always been a priority! Over the last 3 years, we felt a shift in our "look" that was heading even deeper in the direction of classic and organic! The color palette that we've been striving towards in our photos has been increasingly soft, pastel and airy. Part of that is because of our switch back to film as the medium in which we capture our photos, and part is us striving for a particular fine art style that we've completely fallen in love with! It feels like this change has been a year in the making, but we are SO excited to show off our new look!

Searching for an artist to help us bring our ideas to life was a process in and of itself! We wanted our new look to be created as a hand made piece of art, but also reflect our style and compliment the images that we create. When we found Hazel Wonderland we wholeheartedly fell in L-O-V-E!! Meredith is a true artist; she creates her work by illustrating, painting, calligraphy, design and visual composing. We were immediately head-over-heels with her soft watercolor work and beautiful calligraphy style!! With the biggest smiles on our faces, we reached out to Meredith and began working with her early this year, and the process had us sprinting to our computers & phones everytime she had something new for us to look at! What you see above is the final Creative Palette that our brand will be molded around. We have had so much EXCITEMENT to share these past few months that keeping our mouths shut has been SO HARD!!! AHHH!!!! So here you have it! We only felt it right to compliment our fresh coat of paint and new brand with updated wedding & portrait galleries, and even put on our fanciest clothes and smiled at the camera for our favorite photographer, Laura Ivanova! We hope you feel that this look fits us as much as we do!! Please look around and send us a message with your thoughts, we would LOVE to hear from you!!

Love | Kelsy & Butch :D

OUR LITTLE FAMILY :)

The very moment we knew our branding was about to change in a huge way, we immediately reached out to Laura Ivanova. Not only is she a great friend of ours, she also happens to be a crazy-talented photographer who we're able to be ourselves in front of!! :) If you've seen any pictures of us on our website EVER, Laura is the lady who captured them. So planning another session with her was a no-brainer!!

Next we started thinking about outfits and this process took a bit longer. Being on the other side of the camera is SUCH a great experience for us because it really puts us in our clients shoes! For weeks we were trying to find and decide on the perfect outfits & styling that were complimentary and visually interesting yet really felt like US. Can we say thank goodness for online shopping?! We played the online shopping game and had dresses & ties arriving on a weekly basis until two pretty options presented themselves ;) And you know what it made us think? If only we were as cute as Parker, then we wouldn't have to worry about fancy outfits!!

Fast forward to our photo shoot and we were both excited/a little nervous at the same time as we headed to Minneapolis. Those little nerves quickly faded after Laura fired away her fifth frame, but it made the entire "client experience" feel very real! After being photographed around Wayzata's piers and beach, we were blessed with the most beautiful sunset and were so happy the four of us could enjoy our little picnic & a glass of wine to round out the session :)

Laura, we cannot thank you enough for these images!! Giant smiles (and even some laughter!) takes over as we pour over them, and we love them SOOOO much!

Love | Kelsy & Butch

A huge thank you to Julie Lam for hair & make-up, too! :)

YOUR WEDDING ALBUM

The wedding industry has changed – we’re in a digital world and the importance of a printed photograph is often overlooked. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to pull out your phone/iPad wherever you are and share your wedding photos with friends at lunch, or post a favorite image from your wedding on instagram and reach hundreds of friends in an instant. Can you picture our parents walking around with their 10 pound wedding album to show off how great of a time everyone had at their reception? Nope. Us either. These changes are exciting & fast, and they have completely redefined the way we interact & share.

But where’s the romance? We LOVE being able to physically hold our photos! What’s better than picking up your parents’ album and swooning over how young they were and just how beautiful their celebration was? And sitting next to them while asking “who are all those fun people you were smiling & laughing with?” Holding a print in your hands is an experience that almost puts you into the photo. It makes you feel, and that is so powerful! It’s a beautiful first-hand experience, as opposed to a battery-powered one.

The number of couples asking for just the digital files is growing with each wedding season. Having those digital files is great but if you can manage it, go for that wedding album! You invest so much time & careful thought into your wedding day. Pouring your heart into all of those details and then living through so many beautiful moments, only to remember it by a disc that sits in a drawer is a bit of a let down. Make that album a centerpiece in your home – one that represents you as a couple and all of the family you were surrounded by on one of the most exciting days of your life! Digital images simply cannot hold a candle to a 12×12 handmade album that, page by page, tells the story of YOUR wedding day.

In a time where everything is fast-paced, isn’t it nice to slow down with the ones you love? Flipping through your wedding album and reliving memories in print is a perfect way to do just that! The story that an album tells truly brings your wedding to life through emotion-filled images and artfully captured moments.

We were recently featured on I Love Farm Weddings talking more in depth about this very topic, check it out!

xoxo, Kelsy & Butch

BACKYARD WAUSAU WEDDING ON FILM | ROBIN & JOHN!

Robin & John's wedding day was more beautiful than any words we could possibly use to describe it. In every direction, faces were smiling, friends & family were giving one another huge hugs & warm embraces, and the most heartwarming wedding day was being celebrated! Robin & John's gorgeous home and property on Wausau's West side served as the perfect backdrop for their wedding day. What better place to promise all your days to the one you love than your very own yard, surrounded by everyone you adore?

Randy and his amazing Evolutions in Design team played the role of wedding planner, stylist, coordinator, and of course, florist. Every inch of Robin & John's property was adorned with beautiful blooms, sweet treats, and cozy gathering spaces for their wonderful guests. After a delicious meal prepared by one of Wausau's finest, Michaels, the dance floor filled quickly and Stoney Acres Farm began preparations for mouth-watering late night brick-oven style pizzas on the patio!

Words cannot express how grateful we are for being invited into this family's celebration. The impression this family leaves with you is one of warmth, happiness, and love. Robin & John, thank you so very much for the absolute privilege of photographing your celebration!

Love | K&B

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H, Ilford HP5 & Delta 3200 // Camera: Contax 645, Nikon F100 & Hasselblad 500cm // with a few late-night Nikon D800 images ;)