mhp

IN WITH THE NEW, and OUT WITH OLD FAITHFUL!

2010-06-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is the end for the old blogspot blog. We will miss you, but will always use you as a great reference for many weddings to come. Thank You.

NEW BLOG

Ryan and Becky

2010-05-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

We have known Ryan and his family for many years, and we have really enjoyed getting to know Becky over the past few months and getting to meet her family at the wedding. These two are the perfect match for each other. The wedding was a small ceremony and reception at our church here in Green Bay. We went down by the bay to do some photos before Ryan and Becky made their way to the honeymoon destination. Hopefully, by now they are enjoying some good r&r in Florida. Becky really needs it since she had strep throat for the wedding. Here is a peak at the wedding day. . .

Little girls twirling in their dresses make me smile.

Awww!

This was moments after Ryan first got a look at his bride.

and the honeymoon begins . . .

Ryan and Becky's Wedding Slideshow

Dustin and Jessie

2010-05-12T20:08:00.001-07:00

Dustin and Jessie's session started at their new home in North East Green Bay with their new dog Bella. Bella was adopted from the animal shelter, and I have to say she made me want a dog. So, after a few pics around the house...we took off for Bayshore. We rocked it out for an hour or so, and I have to say we came away with some pretty good stuff. Take a look.

How could you ever say no to those puppy dog eyes!

That is some nice bling!

Some puppy love.

Dustin and Jessie's Engagement Slideshow

Adrianne and Ryan

2010-05-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

You don't exactly dream of snow being on the ground the morning of your wedding in May, but that didn't interfere with an amazing day. Thankfully, the snow melted quickly and it warmed up a little. We started the day at Aloft which I absolutely love. It is a super cool modern hotel that is just a fun place to hang out. Kind of fresh for our typically traditional city. All you Green Bay people ought to check it out. It is a great spot to reserve for a small party or too visit in between the ceremony and reception, or just to stay. The ceremony was at Old St. Joes, and the reception at the Swan Club with a lot of stops in between. I loved all the personal details of the ceremony. Adrianne and Ryan said a prayer together which I thought was really special. These two are so perfect together. Here is a peak at the day.

The getting ready room and the honeymoon suite. I can safely post this because they are off to Jamaica by now!

I love getting to photograph the whole make up process. I love all that goes in to a bride getting ready for her wedding.

The rings on top the something old.

A few ceremony details

This is a great moment right as they were about to head down the aisle.

The beautiful bride

The cool groom

Another side of the groom.

A little lovin'

Some fun

Through the trolley window.

One of my favorites. Just a little glimpse of the love these two have for each other.

And this is a little glimpse at what I anticipate will be Adrianne and Ryan some years down the road.

Adrianne and Ryan's Wedding Slideshow

Sydney

2010-04-30T13:03:00.001-07:00

And now for a Sydney feature. . . . She was super excited about doing a photoshoot with just her. We went to the mall and we picked out a dress which she made the final decision on, and then she saw these sunglasses that she really wanted to have for the pictures. She has so much personality, and it always amazes me how different our two girls are. If someone, asks Sydney if she is a princess, she usually answers something like this. "No, my sister Riley is a princess, I only like princesses a little bit. " Truth be told, Sydney would much rather be digging in the dirt, running around, riding her bike, playing blocks, or doing gymnastics. She is also my helper and the very best big sister. I am already having anxiety thinking about her heading off to kindergarten next fall.

Sporting her new shades

That is a great face . . .

Love that smile

Her dancing skills, I think she got from me. A little too funny.

I love getting to just freeze a moment of that pure, unrestrained happiness!

Right after this, I was eating leaves

Riley Jean is growing up. . .

2010-04-28T21:59:00.001-07:00

It is about time one of the Hawkins girls got some blog love. Sydney will be featured in a future post, but we had a mini photo shoot with Riley tonight so here are some faves. It has been a little over 2 1/2 years that RJ has been a part of our lives. She never fails to bring a smile to our faces. Riley is convinced that she is a princess. And we pretty much agree. Mark and I saw this quote when we were in a shop recently that seemed perfect for Riley. It said, "I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world." For Riley, we would have to amend it to say "given a [wand] and a nice tiara . . . " since she is rarely without her wand and her tiara.

There is something about kids and dandelions.

Love that she is trying to blow dandelion seeds when there are no seeds yet.

She was trying to convince me that she was sleeping. Hmmmm?!

Love this series

Can you see why she keeps smiles on our faces?

Her laugh is contagious.

So she is running toward me to give me a great big hug!

Beautiful!

So magical and happy just like my Riley.

Ryan and Becky

2010-04-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Preface: So...I will be posting my resume up on monster.com if any of you high paying employers want to take a look! Why you may ask?...We'll Kelly has finally surpassed me in shooting ability. Check out how she cleaned house and took names on this engagement shoot. -Mark

Mark and I had such a great time doing this shoot with Ryan and Becky. I have known Ryan for a long time. He and his family go to our church, and he was in my high school chemistry class quite a few years back. And now he is getting married in just 6 weeks! It was nice to get to know Becky more. I am so glad that these two found each other. They are a great match and have so much fun together.

Here is the happy couple

We hung out at Bayshore park which is one of our favorite spots.

Bear hug

Overlooking the bay.

I love how Ryan looks at Becky.

And how Becky looks at Ryan.

Gotta love a little flare.

Doing a little exploration of the caves at Bayshore.

Love this scene

One thing I haven't mentioned is that Ryan is very, very tall. Becky gets to stand on her tiptoes a lot.

Perfect end to a great time.

Enjoy the slideshow. We are looking forward to the wedding.

Ryan and Becky's Engagement Session

Amber

2010-04-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

So we took a drive up to Pembine to hang out with Amber and her family for some photo fun. Amber's family is a lot like my own in their history of moving up to Pembine so her parents could attend Northland. Amber's dad is an electrician/pastor like my own dad...so I immediately felt like we had something in common. I thought the session went super smooth, and the pictures are pretty cool. Check 'em out!

My thanks goes out to Dave Jackson for my lighting inspiration!

What can I say...Kelly love's the weeds...not weed...weeds. Gotta please the wife too!

I was talking to Amber's sister, and when I turned around she had this pose going on...totally natural.

This is my style of family photo.

Amber's Senior Pictures

Franny and Aaron

2010-03-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend, we flew down to the great city of Omaha to shoot Franny and Aaron's wedding. The whole trip was a whirlwind, but we had an amazing time. These two are perfect together and so much fun.

The dress was beautiful.

Loved the shoes

Franny reading Aaron's card before the ceremony.

The ceremony was at the cathedral at Creighton University where Franny graduated from.

Downing some mouthwash to mask the cigar smoking before the ceremony.

The church was gorgeous.

Love this portrait in the stairwell of the church right after the ceremony.

Love this of Aaron. He is a fun guy to be around.

Franny was absolutely stunning!

Some fun on the trolley

Couldn't resist posting another one of Franny.

The trolley took everyone to several bars and around the Dundee area of Omaha where Franny and Aaron met and were engaged.

Thanks so much for having us! It was such a privilege to be a part of your wedding.

Aaron and Franny's Wedding

Maddy part 2 - Kelly's First Solo Session!

2010-03-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Kelly blogging today. Back in the fall, Mark did phase 1 of Maddy's senior pictures. Maddy you will remember takes care of our kiddos often while we are out on photo adventures or maybe catching the occasional date night. I am trying not to think about Maddy graduating because it is going to be very bittersweet. (She is headed to Virginia for college.) This past Friday the fog was thick and I thought it would be fun to take Maddy out around town for some pictures. We had a great time. I always shoot along with Mark for most every wedding, and a lot of other photo ops, but I never really get to do a photoshoot all on my own like a big girl so this was a lot of fun for me. Thanks for being up for it Maddy. It is kind of fun calling the shots now and then!

One of my favorite spots to shoot is a great field (really any patch of weeds will do.)

One of my favs

Through the gate

The fog was awesome. It was so fun to shoot in.

My favorite

Maddy's Slideshow

Chris and Kim

2010-03-09T22:26:00.001-08:00

When you plan a wedding for March in Wisconsin, you never know what you are going to get. Visions of snow or mud or both come to mind. However, Saturday dawned the most beautiful day with a truly beautiful couple. I so enjoyed watching Kim and Chris interact throughout the ceremony and the rest of the day. Their love for each other was evident. We had such an awesome time at the wedding. The day was a little bittersweet as Chris and Kim are moving to Singapore in just a few days. I know they will be missed. Here is a little peak at the day.

The church was St. Phillip's

The stunning bride

The stylin' groom

The two flower girls were as sweet as could be . . .

Dad giving away his daughter.

There were some touches from Singapore such as the bamboo centerpieces.

Everyone got to take home some lucky bamboo.

This was an emotional first dance. I can totally see the magic between these two.

Chris and Kim's Wedding Slideshow

Travis and Gina

2010-02-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

What a great wedding we had a Saturday! We finally got the opportunity to shoot at the Ballroom in the atrium of Lambeau field, and boy was it decked out! Travis and Gina are a super fun couple, and know how to party in style. We started at Gina's house, and went to the church in Kaukauna. Then we tore off down the back roads to Green Bay, and Lambeau Field. FUN, FUN, FUN; but as the dude from Reading Rainbow used to say, "You don't take my word for it..." see for yourself."

A peak at the dress. Loved the lace.

Getting dressed

Excited I think!

Over looking a snowy Lambeau Field. This is the sweet one.

And this is the crazy one.

This wedding was loaded with lots of amazing details and it was pink all the way.

Love the table settings with the view of Green Bay lit up in the background.

That is a lot of ring bling!

One of the biggest hits of the night was the ice sculpture/ martini bar. Very cool.

There is something really great about getting to see the picture right away.

The first dance.

One of my favorites.

So sweet!

Gina and Travis's Wedding

Happy Valentine's Day and a Happy Birthday to Mark . . .

2010-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

So it's Kelly posting today, and I just wanted to wish all the lovebirds out there a happy Valentine's Day. It is such a great job that Mark and I have-- getting to work with couples at that amazing time in their lives when they are making a lifelong commitment to each other. We just did a fabulous Valentine wedding with Travis and Gina yesterday in which I was reminded of that. More on those two later. Most importantly today, I want to wish the love of my life a very happy birthday. He is such an amazing husband and father. Today has probably not been the greatest birthday on record for him. We were up most of the night last night with a pukey sick Riley. Mark was right there changing the sheets, making up a bed in our room for her, etc., etc. Consequently, we were both pretty tired today and my big plans for making his day extra special went on the back burner. So just wanted to express my love and thankfulness and best wishes for another great year over cyberspace. Happy Birthday to Mark and Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!!!!

Here is something to make you smile!

Josh

2010-02-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time for another senior session around here with all this wedding and engagement stuff I've been shooting! So Josh and his family are good friends, and Josh is a fellow lover of all things wood with strings...so we get along just fine. Did I mention he is in the running for the best young classical guitarist in the world...he is incredible. All you brides out there who want some sweet music for your wedding... So, I hope I didn't over do it on the guitar and uke shots, but since I had the chance I shot it up. I really enjoyed these images.

This head shot was...

taken in this shed at the Home Depot...I love my job!

Here we are at my favorite alley off Broadway.

Kavarna...

Fire Escape off broadway...

Storage facility...

Josh's Senior Pictures

Mike and Maureen

2010-02-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

So we headed down to Chicago this weekend and brought the whole family. The girls were so excited to stay in a hotel and go "wimming" as Riley says. I met up with Maureen and Mike downtown. We had not actually met until Sunday, but we caught up fast. I got a great tour of the city, and ended up in Wicker Park. The place where they met was on the tour.

In front of The Violet Hour where Mike and Maureen met.

On the water . . .

A view of the city

One of my favs

Love all the nice backgrounds that the city provides

These two are so cute together.

Mike and Maureen's Engagement

2010-01-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

Back in Titletown for an authentic Green Bay wedding complete with some time at Lambeau and some frozen Tundra. We had an amazing time on Saturday photographing Shannon and Aaron and meeting all their family and friends. These two were so happy to be together and getting married, and we are so excited for them.

The handsome Aaron

The beautiful Shannon

A little love from both mom and mom to be

An emotional moment when Shannon was given her "something old," her Grandmother's wedding ring.

The little girls getting ready to walk down the aisle.

The ceremony was at Celebration Church, and there was snow for Shannon and Aaron to walk down the aisle to. Very cool!

Silhouettes are always sweet.

I caught Aaron updating his status right after the wedding. I think he was a bit excited.

The reception had some beautiful details and really had the winter wonderland effect. Shannon and her mom did an amazing job on the table decor.

Some dancin'

Had to post this series. This little cutie was making me laugh.

Shannon and Aaron's Wedding Slideshow

Baby on the Beach

2010-01-19T14:28:00.001-08:00

This is the last installment of our Mexico trip. The Novaks are good friends and clients of ours, and they are the reason for Christine booking us for Mexicio. So I did this little prego shoot since Lindsey is about to have a baby. This was my first belly session ever, so I hope you like it.

I was actually going to delete this out of focus image, but I love taking an image that is lacking technically and making it better.

MEXICO - THE WEDDING!!!

2010-01-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

Well, here is the wedding we have been working on all week. There were a lot of great images to choose from and that is what has made this task so hard. So anyway, I want to thank Chris and Christine for giving us the opportunity to shoot their wedding in beautiful Mexico. We had an incredible time and have images that will take us back for all time. Make sure you watch the slide show posted at the bottom of this post... cause it ROCKS! All I have to say about the whole experience is VIVA MEH-HEE-CO!!!

Appropriate footwear for a beach wedding

the dress made it safely in an overhead luggage compartment

the jewels

there was a lot of coral where we were so this was a fitting representation of the day

Christine showing off her long locks

Chris getting ready

This was a fitting portrait to represent an ultra laid back relaxing wedding day.

Ceremony on the Caribbean

There were some interested onlookers dressed in the typical appropriate wedding attire such as bikinis and swim trunks.

The girls (This was 100% their idea; we were not going to be responsible for tipping canoes!)

The guys

The beautiful couple

Mexican dinner of course

Chris and Christine's Wedding on the Beach

song is Sweet Thing by Keith Urban

MEXICO part 2

2010-01-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

When Christine approached us with something like "I just want to sink my toes in some sand and say I do, and we want you to come along and photograph it," we had to really weigh the pros and cons. I mean it would involve missing an entire week of frigid temps and snow here in good ole Wisconsin. But after giving it a lot of thought, we agreed. Truthfully, we didn't really have to think too hard at all. We had tons of fun photographing Chris and Christine and all their friends and family that came along for the trip. We did a couple mini shoots throughout the week--one on the beach and one in Playa del Carmen. So here is a peak. Also a few from the rehearsal dinner.

The resort has these great beds down by the salt water pool so Chris and Christine snuggled up.

One of my favs

Love it. Perfecto!

The rehearsal dinner was outside overlooking the lagoon.

This little guy caused quite the stir when he ran across the table at dinner.

Here is Christine trying out a Cuban

One of the things that I love about Mexico is all the bright colors. No beige allowed.

Muy bien.

MEXICO

2010-01-11T20:54:00.000-08:00

We spent the past week in the Riviera Maya for Chris and Christine's wedding. It was such an amazing trip. After going through 100 gigs of pictures, we are ready to share a little bit of the sights of and some details from Riviera Maya. There will be much more to come on the wedding and other things of interest over the next days so check back.

panning with the pelicans

Flamingo

One of the highlights of the trip for both Mark and I were visiting a few sites of Mayan ruins. We learned so much about the history of the Mayans. This photograph is of the main temple at Tulum.

We also visited the ruins at Chitchen-itza. This photo gives an idea of the scale of the temple by checking out the workers in comparison. The Mayans are known for their advanced calendar and understanding of the sun. One example is there are exactly 365 steps on the structure representing the 365 day year. Absolutely, amazing. I could go on and on.

Hieroglyph at the Chitchen-itza arena. This was a representation of one of their ball players. Long story short--the "ball" game ended with one of the captains getting their head cut off!

Two sides of the main temple were left unrestored. All the bricks at Chitchen-itz are the same bricks made by the Mayans.

Some warm sunshine

Shopping at Playa del Carmen. Mark loved negotiating prices.

One of our favorite shops was this amazing candle shop in Playa called Artevelas. I would have loved to have loaded up a lot more from had we not had to worry about those pesky weight restrictions on baggage.

Some more cool details

Lizards were everywhere. One even ran across the head table at the rehearsal dinner (not this big). That caused a little bit of a stir.

In addition to all the amazing animal life, we enjoyed photographing all the plant life as well.

We visited the marina after all the fishermen were coming in with their catch.

Gotta love the Mexican food!

And the Mexican sunsets!

Here is a little sneak peak from the wedding. More to come soon on that subject!

We wish you a merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T12:01:00.001-08:00

Christmas wishes from our family to yours. Just one more sleep 'til Christmas!

Bryce and Nicole

2009-12-21T21:32:00.001-08:00

These two drove down from Marquette, Michigan to do an e-session over at St. Norberts. They are both from the UP, and that is what I am attributing their ability to handle the cold! We grabbed some jo and headed back out for a few more shots in DePere. We are super stoked to do their wedding up in the UP. Enjoy the last shoot for 2009! The first shoot of 2010 will be quite the contrast from the Wisconsin winter wonderland to sunny Mexico. Stay tuned. Have a merry Christmas everyone!

Love the red on green for a little Christmas spirit.

These two are so cute together!

Love this series . . .

Nicole and Bryce's Engagement

Melissa and Scott

2009-12-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

I got to head down to Manitowoc to hang out with Melissa and Scott in the first day of our cold and snowy weather. We walked all the way out to lighthouse and then headed to a couple of bars for some pool photos...these two are sharks...alas, one bar was closed and the other had their tables pushed up against the wall. So, anyhow, we made out just fine.

Compared to what Wisconsin looks like today. This little dusting was nothing.

Never a bad time to snuggle on the beach.

We had to settle for fooseball over pool.

Enjoy the slideshow.

Scott and Melissa's Engagement

Dave and Maria

2009-11-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

I have been getting my fare share of Alterra coffee this fall. We actually met up at the one in the third ward in downtown Milwaukee. I love the historic third ward! We took a little tour of the board walk on the river, and headed over to the water and my favorite park. So anyway, take a look at these lovely pics...

What a sweet old truck we found behind an old building.

Maria can be pretty serious!

I totally dig silhouettes.

Maria and Dave's Engagement Session

Jason and Kara

2009-11-12T21:32:00.001-08:00

I sure am getting a lot of use out of the old gps these days! I got to visit the Suring, Wisconsin area to hang out with this awesome couple...who, by the way, drove up from Chicago to do this shoot. We visited some local fields, the local campground, and a local cabin...Jason's parents to be exact. I think these are pretty sweet...hope you enjoy them.

A series in silhouette . . .

I love the farm background.

I like the casual portrait.

This arm wrestling thing is a full blown engagement shoot ritual now.

Oh yeah, they have a super sweet dog.

Another amazing sunset

Jason and Kara's Engagement Shoot

Jesse and Kerri

2009-11-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

Who out there knows where Pipe, Wisconsin is? Well it's on the east coast of lake Winnebago, and there is a super cool park with a lookout tower. We toured the local marina and a nice little bar/restaurant. Oh yeah...let's not forget Putt Putt the puppy...very cute. Putt Putt was the deliverer of the ring to Kerri. Not only did she get a ring, but also a brand new puppy. What a guy!

So of course we had to get a shot of the handsome ring bearer . . .

This is how he delivered the ring.

These two are a lot of fun together.

An old crane provided a great photo op.

The rugged Jesse

The stunning Kerri

Love this one

They did a remarkable job launching in unison and getting some air.

After the park, we checked out a sweet bar in the town of Pipe. This is Kerri's drink of choice.

A sunset really doesn't get prettier than this. Probably one of my favorite silhouettes.

Kerri and Jesse's Engagement Shoot

Maddy "Part 1"

2009-11-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

What can we say about this girl! People ask us every weekend at various weddings--who has your kids? Most of the time they are in the care of Maddy. Maddy and her family regularly take care of Syd and Riley. They are my kids home away from home. They make so much of what we do possible. Maddy's graduation is going to be bittersweet! She is super smart and heading to Virginia for college next fall. We can't thank her enough for being the best babysitter ever and giving so much to our family. Check back for part 2 sometime this winter when the snow flies.

Love these detail shots

laid back for sure

Hopped aboard some trains to get some cool pics

Love Maddy's unique sense of style. My girls are always coming home with interestingly colored fingernails.

Converse complete with gum on the bottom.

Love this one

We are so proud of you, and we love you lots. Enjoy the slideshow.

Maddy's Senior Session

Chris and Christine

2009-11-02T19:28:00.001-08:00

I Love Milwaukee! We took off to Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon to hang out with one of our January wedding couples. These two are taking my wife and I down to Mexico with them to shoot an awesome wedding on the Riviera! Needless to say...we're super stoked! We really did get a good tour of Milwaukee on this shoot. See for your self!

There is a sailboat way out there on the lake...crazy people!

This was a super cool tree, but I could not figure out what kind it was!?

Super sweet lighthouse!

This would normally be a reject because of no flash on the couple...but I like it.

On the break wall with the art museum in the background.

We went down to the historic third ward, and did some alley shots.

Chris and Christine's Engagement Session

Justin and Jenni

2009-10-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

In spite of rainy forecasts for this past Saturday, Jenni and Justin got a gorgeous wedding day. We were up in Peshtigo for the ceremony and Marinette for the reception, and lots of interesting stuff happened in between. These two did a great job not sweating the small stuff, and enjoying their wedding day.

Lovin' the dress in the nice window light.

Jenni looking out getting ready to walk down the aisle.

I love the smile on Justin's face as he watches Jenni come down the aisle.

So after the ceremony, the wedding party piled into the bus and was planning on heading to Marinette to hang out by the water and go to Murray's which is a really classy bar across from the marina. Unfortunately, the bus had other plans. A bus breakdown landed the party at a country bar in the middle of . . . well . . . the country.

We went across the street from the bar where a farmer was kind enough to let us take some pictures on his farm.

Love this detail of Jenni

The cute couple

The bridal party managed to have some good times while the bus was getting fixed.

When we got moving again, we were able to make our intended destination right at sunset.

cake

cake feeding

the aftermath

first dance

Jenni and Justin's Wedding

Jason and Kristy

2009-10-25T22:05:00.001-07:00

So we are getting a little closer to catching up our blog to reflect all the shooting that we have been doing lately to catch those last brief moments of fall foliage extraordinaire. Mark hurt his knee on the last engagement shoot, so I came along to back him up?! We met up with Kristy and Jason down at Doty Park in Neenah. It was a gorgeous day. We really couldn't have payed for better color and light. I am so glad I could tag along on the shoot and get a chance to know these two who are tons of fun together. Mark is such a baby!

I have this fondness of weeping willow trees and Doty park is filled with them.

I can almost feel the sunshine.

Love this one of Jason

Kristy is going to be one beautiful bride.

some ring bling . . .

Cute . . .

After the park, we visited the big town of Neenah for a little variety.

Kristy and Jason's Engagment Slideshow

Adrianne and Ryan

2009-10-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

We'll it's back to Appleton this past Sunday. We started off in our old standy Copper Rock, and took to the streets. We walked to down to the park below College Ave. , and then down to the river. We ended up at Peabody Park down river. Adrianne and Ryan were a blast to shoot, and I hope it shows.

This is where the two were engaged.

I love this black and white series.

Got to love the hairlight?

We were shooting this over a open grate above the fox river. Needless to say Adrianne was a bit nervous. It was all okay.

Nice.

Ryan and Adrianne's Engagement Slideshow

Nick and Lauren

2009-10-20T14:35:00.001-07:00

Blue Skies!!! We had a great day with Lauren and Nick at Heritage Hill, then at the reception at the Bemis Center on SNC campus. The colors were great, the family and friends were awesome, and the food was excellent. What an awesome day...I LOVE MY JOB!

This is the Bridal room at Heritage Hill.

Kell pulled off this awesome shoe shot!

What can I say?

Nick is generally a happy guy, but seeing Lauren made that smile a little bigger!

That's not hair on his arm, it's a tat!

Can you see the tears?!

Laurena and Nick's Wedding

Josh and Jackie

2009-10-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

I could write a whole lot here, but this is a photo blog not a reading blog! Jackie is a great friend that heads up the events over at Heritage Hill here in Green Bay. When she got engaged not to long ago, I got a phone call. This shoot was a lot of pressure because I had a shoot earlier in the day, and I wanted Jackie and Josh to have awesome images...let me know how I did.

This is probably my favorite photo location in the world. It always produces.

The last leaf.

Not too shabby Josh!

This whole shoot had great light.

What can you say about this shot?

I had never beek to Captains Walk winery, but this place is super cool. They also have these rooms you can "rent", for a party or business, by buying a couple of bottles. Here is a shot in the barrel room.

This is in one of the cool rooms upstairs.

Jackie and Josh's Engagement Slideshow

Aaron and Shannon

2009-10-17T21:39:00.001-07:00

There's something romantic about a winery in the fall. We spent the afternoon in northern Door County...touring the Simon Creek Winery and a local show and tell Dairy Farm. We had a great shoot, and even got Mimsy (Aaron's dog) in a few shots. It is tough to get a bad picture of these two. Can't wait for their wedding in January.

Ahh, grapes.

Rolling down the hill at the winery. Nutty kids.

A cornfield maze at the dairy farm made for some really cool shots.

Nice.

Aaron and Shannon's E-session

Aaron and Franny

2009-10-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

Would you drive 600 miles for a photo shoot...well this crazy couple did. Omaha, Nebraska; that's where the wedding is...but I'm flying, not drivin'! So everything worked out perfect to do this shoot in Appleton on Sunday...a little brisk, but nice.
We rocked it out for a couple of hours all over the downtown area, and then just as quick as it started...it was over. Hope it was worth it!

Franny has several smiles...this is the real one.

Aaron has an awesome smile too, but this is the way I see him.

Again, natural smile.

Yellow light...mmmmmmmm good.

Okay, so there was this office chair sitting by a door; so we borrowed it to do a physics lesson with Franny being the object propelled. She ended up on the cement. Physics sucks.

Still smiling after being thrown from the chair.

This is a good use of flash.

Nice.

More Nice.

This is the tat the Aaron got the night before the shoot.

Nice horizontal!

Franny and Aaron's Shoot

Makayla

2009-10-11T12:37:00.001-07:00

This little cutie just celebrated her one year old birthday on Friday. My girls love Makayla who Riley affectionately calls "Kaya." Her older brother and sis have been featured on the blog a few times so it is about time that Makayla makes her debut. Lots of love, hugs, and best birthday wishes from Mark, Kelly, Sydney, and Riley.

Makayla playing in her kitchen set.

Love the smile complete with eye wrinkles!

Just chillin' out.

I love this face.

And this one. Those cheeks are so kissable.

Curiosity . . .

Those eyes are gorgeous.

Pucker up.

Makayla's Baby Session

Jason and Olesia

2009-10-06T23:53:00.000-07:00

I learned some Russian!!! Kinda...okay, I sorta learned the word "congratulations"in Russian. I wanted to tell my bride and groom congrats as they were coming to the back of the church, but I kinda murdered it. Anyway, the Guba family is from Russia; and I got schooled. The wedding was another great Heritage Hill wedding, with a Rock Garden reception.

Love the hanging the dress outside.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes...

Grrrroooooooom.

Beautiful Bride.

Allah.

Slava...Olesia's dad.

Nice.

When I called for the Guba family photo, this is what magically appeared before my very eyes. I did no arranging or ordering around...they are just that good.

It was cold.

The Voyager Park hill...long time no see.

This was behind Brew Moon coffee in DePere.

Bernie does it again.

Jason and Olesia's Wedding

Ben and Danielle

2009-10-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

I had a super sweet shoot out in Clintonville in the RAIN!!! All the way there, I was questioning our decision to go ahead with the shoot, but as you can see...we rocked it out. I really did enjoy exploring the Clintonville downtown area.

This was in a car wash...no joke.

This is a super cool bridge at the local park.

Nice!

You gotta love silhouettes...they're just cool.

Yup...an acorn shell.

Nasty old seat from a van...soaking wet = prime shooting material.

This was some private property we decided to use...which I think belonged to a police officer since the car was parked around the barn.. it was just to good to pass up.

A great way to end a great engagement session.

Ben and Dani's E-session

Katy's Family

2009-10-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to get to see a couple and their family a few years after the wedding. We have very fond memories of Katy and Kelley's wedding from a few years back and getting to know their families. Well, Katy's family have been wanting to get some family photos for some time so Mark met up with them at Bayshore this past Sunday. And of course it was a crazy windy, rainy, and chilly Wisconsin day. But everyone braved the weather, and here is a peak at some of the pictures.

Katy's grandparents

A nice portrait of the two of them. My own grandparents are about to celebrate their 60th. I love to see couples who have been together for many years.

Speaking of . . . Here are Katy and Kelley just two years after the wedding looking great as ever.

So after a while they headed over to Katy's aunt's house to get a break from the wind and open a bottle of wine. Here are a few family portraits of the different families.

Josh and Mandy

2009-09-28T20:52:00.001-07:00

Mark and I just had a fantastic time at the wedding on Saturday in the wonderful town of Wausau. Wausau just has one of my favorite downtowns to visit. It has tons of character. Every time I head to Wausau, I try not to miss a stop at one of my favorite shops, Evolutions. Evolutions did the florals and centerpieces for the wedding which I loved. It was evident that Mandy and Josh put a lot of thought into all the details of the wedding. These two are an awesome couple who just had a beautiful baby boy named Brayden. I don't think I have ever seen so many adorable kids at one wedding, but Mandy comes from a big family and has lots of nieces and nephews.

All the girls had ribbons on their shoes

Here is the little best man Brayden's tux.

Mandy looking gorgeous.

Josh is a brown county deputy. I think this photo captures that police officer tough guy look.

The rings in some nice light

These three are triplets and they have 3 older sisters!! They told some interesting stories. Mandy's sister Megan on the left is due to have a baby in less than a month.

The bridal party hanging out

During the cocktail hour, there was a polka band. These guys were awesome and very entertaining. Mandy's dad is an accordian player and they grew up with a lot of polka in the house. He even joined in singing a few songs.

Not only is it fabulous to look at but I think if it is possible, it tasted even better. This was a cheesecake and traditional cake. Artistic Cakes and Cookies out of Kimberly, WI

Some dancin'

The grand march was quite entertaining with a police inspired theme.

Josh's parents

Mandy's parents

Mandy and Josh went outside for a few shots on the city streets. This is in front of the Jefferson Street Inn.

Mandy and Josh's Wedding Slideshow

Teryn and Brent

2009-09-15T22:19:00.001-07:00

You may remember these two a few weeks back jumping off a cliff during their engagement session. Well, they made it to their wedding day this past Saturday. And a great day it was. This was a beautiful wedding. The details were fabulous. I have lots to say about those throughout the post. Peggy from Seize the Day Events helped with the planning and did a fantastic job.

The ceremony was at St. Francis Cathedral

There was a funeral going on inside the church when we got there so we snuck the dress outside for some pics.

Brent and Teryn decided to see each other before so they had a little more time for pictures. I think the real reason was so there was more time for partying in between the ceremony and reception. Isn't this church amazing?

Brent chillin' with the guys

I love this moment where Teryn's dad is putting her hand in Brent's and the look between dad and his soon to be son-in-law.

The bridal party at Jimmy Seas

A little kissing in the trolley

The reception was at Thornberry so we got a few pics before the reception started.

Thornberry looked absolutely amazing. I must say Jerad from Buds n' Bloom rocked the florals!

The grandmas were having some good times.

Dads have a way with daughters.

One of the big hits of the evening was the candy bar. Delicious and beautifully done.

Sweet moment on the dance floor.

Brent and Teryn's Wedding

Steve and Mehgan

2009-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

I knew that Meghan and Steve's wedding would be tons of fun cause that is just how these two are and I was not disappointed. Meghan has tons of style and a unique take on things which I totally love. The girl's were all done up with feathers in the hair when we got there. The ceremony was at the gardens in Appleton and the reception was at the Bridgewood Resort. The wedding party came from all over--Germany, Seattle, North Carolina, etc.

Some sweet getting ready details

Meghan's ring on a cool old Martin. Meghan's aunt and uncle were amazing musicians. They played guitar and sang.

This shot of Steve in the limo bus I love.

Meghan looking amazing.

Hill shot + silhouette = awesome

Love this one of the newlyweds in the garden.

Meghan and her grandma

Lovin' the birdcage veil

We hit a nice industrial area in Appleton for some cool photos after the garden.

shoe shot

The bobblehead cake topper was so making me smile. The cake even more so. The Cake Guru from Oshkosh did the cake. Check it out in the slideshow.

Meghan and Steve out on the golf course of the Bridgewood in some really gorgeous light.

some dancin'

Meghan and Steve are big Brewers fans. Steve surprised Meghan by inviting the "sausages" to come to the wedding. They were a big hit and it was one fun party.

Steve and Mehgan's Wedding

Ryan and Bridgette

2009-09-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend we were in Milwaukee for a gorgeous wedding at a gorgeous church. It was a gorgeous day, and guess what...pretty much every aspect of the entire day was...gorgeous.

I love these kinds of black and whites.

This is a super crazy sweet dress shot.

The flower girl Faith and the ring bearer Max are brother and sister...sweet.

Dad was a little emotional.

I love getting the grooms perspective of what's going on.

The priest having a little chit chat with the b & g.

I was going to grab a shot of the bouquets and Faith just happened to get in the way.

A good example of how good Kelly is getting these days.

This was taken at the botanical gardens where we did the engagement shoot

Rings on the putting green.

I think the father daughter dance is probably the most important dance. It's a pretty emotional few minutes.

The country club had a gazebo type setup on the roof, so we went up there to hang out and watch the sun set.

The dancing was nutz!

Can you tell who the crazy one is. Good luck you guys and have a good time in Mexico!

Bridgette and Ryan's Wedding

April and Steven

2009-09-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

This post is going up a little late due to a very unhappy encounter with food poisoning. On the contrary, it was one great big happy celebration on Saturday with April and Steven. April was fourteen when she started dating Steven so after six years, it was time to make it official. In spite of the rainy, chilly forecast, it was a great wedding. We met up with April at Perkins and then I went off to do some lingerie shopping with the girls, and Mark went to do some grand march shopping with the guys.

Some cool shoe and dress detail

Giving Grandpa a smooch!

Pilgrim Congregational is such a beautiful church to photograph in.

These two being serious at the exact same moment was such a rarity so this one kind of makes me smile.

There was a lot of wild partying going on.

Kissing under their umbrellas. April was prepared and bought black and pink umbrellas for the whole wedding party.

April watching her sister's toast.

Sweet moment on the dance floor.

That is the bride and groom doing the polka--they were quite good!

Grand march.

This is April's impression of Steven's dance toward her to get the garter. Pretty good I'd say.

Super suave.

Steven and April's Wedding Slideshow

Matt and Laura

2009-08-30T22:10:00.001-07:00

This wonderful couple flew all the way from San Fran CA to have me photograph their summer bliss in the big town of Ephraim, Wisconsin. Not Really. They did do a little wedding planning on the side between long walks on the beach. I wish you guys luck with the rest of your planning! I also hope you enjoy the larger blog images.

Laura and Matt's E-session

Brent and Teryn

2009-08-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome shoot on Sunday evening in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Back in the sticks on High Falls flowage, I got an education in romance in the woods. Wherever we turned there was good light (and good subject matter). We ended the shoot on a pontoon boat ride, and these two jumped off a cliff...literally.

Can't wait to shoot their wedding in a few weeks. I think it is going to be some good times.

So you are driving along in the middle of nowhere (the Crivitz countryside), and you come to an intersection, and their are somewhere around 100 signs. Great photo op.

The big jump!

Big splash

Grandpa captained the pontoon boat.

The fam.

Brent and Teryn's E-session

Jed and Lexie

2009-08-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

Why is it that the tough guy marries the sweet innocent girl. Jed comes across as pretty tough, but I think a got a unique view of his "softer" side. Check out these super sweet pics.

Comfy Slippers.

Check out this super awesome shot that Kelly pulled off.

I think Dave Jackson is starting to rub off on me.!

Kids...Kids...Kids...

I loved the colors.

I love grandparents with spunk.

Nice.

Okay, this is what it looks like every time I turn around...all day long.

I never do a black and white cake...here it is.

What would a wedding be without the dancing?

Lexie and Jed's Wedding

Matt and Alicia

2009-08-18T23:24:00.000-07:00

We had been really looking forward to this wedding, and of course we were not disappointed. Matt is brother and brother-in-law to Katie and Chad who got married a couple years ago now and just had a beautiful baby boy named Max. It was fun spending the day with Matt's family again and getting to know Alicia's as well. Matt and Alicia together are such a perfect couple. The wedding was at Our Saviour Lutheran and the reception at the Rock Garden. Thanks to you both for letting us share in your special day.

Gorgeous dress!

Matt reading Alicia's card before the ceremony.

Alicia reading Matt's card before the ceremony

Getting dressed.

One of my favs. I just love this shot in the limo.

Cool detail.

This was out at St. Norberts. These two took their shoes off and dangled their feet over the water.

Some partying at Fox Harbor

adorable

The first dance song was "The Luckiest." Before the ceremony, one of the things that Alicia kept saying is how thankful she was to have found Matt.

Matt and Alicia's Wedding

Denis and Kari

2009-08-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I kinda broke my one wedding a weekend rule this weekend, but this was totally worth it. I really tried to get as much as I could in the three hour window I had to shoot. We started at Old St. Joes and ended up at Thornberry. I'll let the images do the rest of the talking.

Some headshots of the bride and groom.

Old St. Joes is such a beautiful church.

Love these two of Kari and Denis laughing

Across the way

Coming in for the kiss

Sweet car!

Denis and Kari's Wedding Slideshow

Laura and Mike

2009-08-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, Mark just did Jeremy's senior pics. Laura is Jeremy's sister, and she called us up on Monday night to share the good news of her engagement . . . and to ask us to take some pics of them right away before Mike had to go back to Pennsylvania. Mark had just a little bit of time with them to get some sweet pictures. These two are so cute together, and we are so excited for them. They are looking forward to getting married and no more long distance relationship.

Some yummy light!

Ready, set . . .

Cute.

Love this series. These two are so funny!

The Hinze Clan

2009-08-14T13:01:00.001-07:00

Last night, we got to spend some time with some good friends and do some family photos for them out at Barkhausen. Aren't they a nice looking bunch? Here is a peak at a few of the pics.

Patti and I used to teach school together. Can you believe these two are grandparents?

Love this!

The Hinze brothers and sisters.

Jim and Tara-- Mark and my good friends. We took a fun trip to Chicago back in May with these two.

I think Mark asked them to kiss or something.

Tara and her oldest Tessa.

Tessa is one of Sydney's good buds. They crack me up when they get together. It is all giggles!

Tessa and little sis, Ava. Ava just started walking and that is all she wants to do.

Such a cutie.

Mehgan and Andrew

2009-08-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know how 10 hrs of shooting could possibly go by so fast. The longest part of my day was the drive down (Kelly sleeping) and the drive home (with Kelly sleeping)! We shot this great couple in the grandiose city of Madison, WI this weekend. It's really not the bad of a drive, I won't tell you how long the drive is...cause you'll call me a speeder! Anyhow, these two are in theater business, and have been making the best of a long distance realationship between here and there.

Here's how I found Drew when I showed up at the church. In all fairness he had a bad migraine, but we'll pretend it was a bad hangover.

This is how the migraine looks when it is having fun with your head!

This is what takes the migraine away.

Kissing helps a bad headache I hear.

What a couple.

This is a great series with the little boy looking on.

Some candids on State St.

Okay...not so candid.

Candid again.

Nice.

This is what good dance photography looks like. I won't show you what bad dance photography looks like...it would hurt my blog image.

Love this.

I also enjoy doing stuff like taking furniture to places where it doesn't belong...like in the street.

Andrew and Meghan's Wedding

Jeremy

2009-08-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

We go to church with Jeremy and his family so Mark had a great time getting to know Jeremy a bit better and doing his senior shoot. A few years back we did his older sister Laura's senior pics. Jeremy is the baby of the family so I imagine this is going to be tough year for mom. Next year it is off to college at Maranatha.

That is one awesome smile.

Jeremy plays baseball for Ashwaubenon.

Tough competition for the messiest room. I love the laugh.

The recyclables make a great photo spot.

Jeremy's Senior Slideshow

Riley is two and Sydney is four!!!!!!!

2009-08-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

This year has flown by and it is hard to believe that it is birthday time already. I am just so thankful for God's wonderful gift to Mark and I of these two amazing girls. We have a favorite show at the Hawkins's house. It is Super Why on PBS kids. It is super fun and the teacher in me totally approves because it works on reading skills and uses a lot of classic stories with a twist. So when it was time for the birthday this year it was Super Why all the way. Special thanks to Maddy who assisted with photos!

Here comes Princess Presto a.k.a Riley.

She totally stole these shoes off of Tinkerbell.

Wonder Red a.k.a. Sydney participating in the bean bag toss.

Some silliness. I love pics of my kids nostrils.

See what I mean!

Cupcakes in a cone.

4 candles!

Yum, Yum!

Not quite as messy as last year.

Sydney insisted I make chocolate.

Sydney and Riley's Birthday Slideshow
featuring songs by Alpha Pig

Summer fun

2009-08-05T06:10:00.000-07:00

So we have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus. We took kind of a light two weeks to celebrate an anniversary and two birthdays. The birthday post is coming next, but on the day of Syd's actual birthday she requested some sprinkler time. Mark couldn't resist getting some shots. My favorite pics of my kids are when they are doing something that just makes them crazy happy.