FAMILY, LOVE & POLKA DANCING!

Isn't it wonderful how as you grow older, your family members truly become your best friends? We've been blessed with the most FUN, genuine, entertaining, and loving families we could imagine!! From trips to Door County to cookout with Butch's family to adventures in Wisconsin's Northwoods or a beach-filled trip to New Jersey to visit with my (Kelsy's) family, we hold those moments extra close to our hearts. Especially when we don't get to see them all the time, especially when the room is filled with laughter & story-telling all from your closest family, and ESPECIALLY when polka music is involved! ;) Just a few weeks ago we were "off" on a Saturday, and it wasn't just any ordinary Saturday. It was my Grandma & Grandpa's 60th wedding anniversary party in Glidden, WI, and we weren't going to miss it for anything!!

After visiting with everyone in the room and cutting the cake just like they did on their wedding day, my Grandma & Grandpa let us give them a little mini photo session, and these images already hold SO much meaning! Photograph two people who have loved each other for 60 years and brought so many awesome people into this world set my heart on FIRE! It was adorable seeing the two of them love on each other in front of our cameras and I couldn't help but think, I can only hope that Butch & I are this adorable when we're celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary!! :)

Next came a fun surprise for Grandma & Grandpa: a live polka band and, of course, a room full of Hoppe's ready to hit the dance floor!! There's just something about the polka. It automatically brings giant laughs & smiles, and we had so much fun hopping around all night!

Life is short. Squeeze the ones you love, and take pictures all the time!!

Love | Kelsy (& Butch)

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H // Camera: Contax 645 //

FLOWER SHOOT!

How absolutely gorgeous is this lovely lady!? :) We had so much fun photographing Christina in our studio – she was such a natural in front of our cameras and we just couldn't get enough of the looks she was giving us!! Shawn of Design Lab asked us if we'd like to photograph some of his creative bouquets, and we couldn't have imagined a more beautiful bride to pair them with! Thank you both so much for the fun playtime :)

Love | K&B

// Film: Fuji Pro 400H // Camera: Contax 645 //

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY!!

If you know us, you know that there are several things that we especially love: time with family, good wine, and everything California! Last month we were able to enjoy six days packed full of exactly that :) Before our wedding season kicked off, we snuck away to wine country and soaked up some CA sunshine with Butch's parents, sister Stevi, and her boyfriend Charles. After a few days of winery hopping and lots picnicking, we mixed it up a bit by photographing Stevi & Charles all around West Dry Creek Road and the property where we stayed. Really, does it get any better than a couples session in wine country?!

Without a hint of doubt, one of the highlights of our trip was our visit to Storybook Mountain Vineyards. We were given a private tour by one of the five people who runs Storybook, and found ourselves blown away by the intimate feel of this winery! After walking the land, we headed into one of the oldest wine caves for our tasting. WHAT an experience! We couldn't help but ship a few bottles back to WI and can't wait to share them together!!

It's hard for us to look at these pictures and resist the urge to hop on a plane and scoot back to Sonoma rrrrright now, but we are super thankful to have these images to remember our trip by. We cannot WAIT to get back for our next visit, and until then we'll enjoy decorating our home with prints & canvases! ;)

Love | K&B

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

SNOWY FILM FUN IN WAUSAU & DOOR COUNTY!

It's that time of the year (or maybe even passed that time of the year?!) where everyone is beyond ready to see green grass, feel the warmth of sunshine, and hear happily chirping birds through their windows. But before all of the snow melts and our boots are put away for the season, we wanted to share some of the snowy fun we enjoyed with our family this winter!

Over the years, our parents & family members have really become our best friends. We look forward to cook-outs, holidays, dinner dates, and weekend trips with them even more now that we are grown-ups ourselves (when did that happen?) and value family more than anything! It just so happens that our families mesh together seamlessly, and Martin-McCartney get togethers are always filled with SO much laughter, yummy food & drinks, stories, and great company :) It always leaves us looking forward to the next time we can get both of our families together!!

A snowy hike on Rib Mountain & homemade pizza night at our house was our most recent get together, and we're hoping for another significantly less snowy cook-out soon! We wanted to share a few laughter-filled film images of our pizza night/hike mixed in with snowy images from our most recent trip to Door County! Now that we got these images out of our system, we're ready for Spring... when ever it decides to arrive ;)

Love | K&B

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

DENVER COLORADO | A MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE ON FILM

A Valentine's Day in the Mountains. Really, could it get any more perfect than that!? We were beyond thrilled to spend a day exploring the massive Colorado mountains we were surrounded by! After grabbing a coffee at a little shop we fell in love with and "adopted" as our own for the week, we hopped in the truck and headed West. Evergreen was calling with giant snowflakes slowly floating down from the sky, and with loaded cameras & excitement running all the way through our toes we were on our way to answer! The mountains have a way of rendering us speechless, so we would love to share a peek (ha! no pun intended ;) at our lovely Valentine's Day surrounded by the Rockies!! Love | K&B

PS - Wondering what we did with the rest of our days in Denver? Check it out over here! :)

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