mthree studio

Please Pardon My Dust...

2009-01-12T09:40:00.005-06:00

I've been a bit light on posting this last week because I was working on a BIG Surprise.....

I HAVE A NEW BLOG!

New year, new blog. This little ol' blog on Blogger has served me very well. But I needed a change, needed something more fun, with more features, more ability to move stuff around, and well, something overall sexier. Oh and something that let me post BIG pictures that everyone can see all of, without any clipping. All things that sadly Blogger couldn't offer me without an extensive education in html code. Never fret, this blog will stay up along with all of it's posts - but I'll be transferring them to the new site as well.

So, point your browsers to:

www.mthreestudioblog.com

and join me there. Go ahead, update your links and blog readers, I'll wait. Go ahead, I'm waiting......Okay, are we good now?

And as a reward for the extra clicking today, I've got a new wedding post going up over there, as well as two other posts.

Enjoy the new diggs and tell me what you think!

Cake and Candles all around

2009-01-07T12:06:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to take a quick minute to say Happy Birthday to the love of my life - Ken (known to all of you as "Hubby"). The picture above is an old one, but it demonstrates well how he takes the most ordinary moments and makes them funny. Just one of the many things I love about him.

He always gets super excited about presents (giving them more than receiving them to be fair) and somehow always talks me into letting him open early. Last night I compromised and let him open up his Birthday gift from Ringo (a membership to the Harley Museum), but told him he had to wait until today for mine. He slept in this morning and so there wasn't time before work and now I know it is killing him sitting at work and not being able to open his gift. Hee Hee.

Happy Birthday Hubby! Enjoy every last minute of your twenties!

Miscellaneous Monday

2009-01-03T16:39:00.004-06:00

I watched a portion of the "wedding bowl" on MTV on New Year's Day (hey, having firmly committed myself to loafing all day, the options were limited) as part of their "Engaged and Underage" show. I knew it was going to be laughable, but it actually just made me sad. Here were these couples getting married in the MTV studios in Times Square, mostly with family that disagreed, and with constant interruptions from one of two hosts who were continually contriving moments for the camera and forcing "how do you feel" comments out of the Bride and Groom. It just made me sad. To see the beginning of a marriage reduced to a half-hearted spectacle that gave it no reverence, respect or uniqueness to the couple. Shame on MTV.

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Major props to Miss Champagne for featuring one of my engagement photos in her post about Winter Engagement Sessions on Wedding Bee. I love Wedding Bee and read it everyday, and it was all too exciting to be scrolling down and see one of my shots, and one by my friend Dave Jackson. I'm honored to be in the company of the photographer's work she pictured. Thanks Miss Champagne!

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Last week was Wedding Week on The Morning Blend. I know I've mentioned this service before, but if you haven't taken the time to check out The White Box, you really should. Monica Gill (the owner of The White Box) was on The Morning Blend talking all about how the boutique can serve a bride and also about their new White Line - which is a number you can call with any wedding question at all and get an answer - totally for free (just like The Box). Check out her segment here to get a feel for it yourself. With a new year and I'm sure many a long to-do list in the hands of my brides - I urge you all to take advantage of The White Box. It really is a free, fun, and easy place to visit and get much of your wedding woes and questions worked out and answered. You will be so grateful you stopped in. Monica and Meghan are fantastically nice and beyond helpful - no sales pitch or pressure involved. If there had been a White Box while I was planning my wedding, I would have literally taken up residence there.

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I've been monitoring comments on the blog here for awhile to guard against spam (which happens all too frequently) and I have a pretty open policy about what I let thru. I love comments, they truly make my day. I want the comment section of this blog to be an open forum for discussion. However, I will not post negative comments unless you have put your name to it. It is much too easy to hide behind the anonymity of the internet. If you really do feel a certain way about something I can have respect for that, but only if you are willing to stand behind your words. The only exception to this is if your comment is hurtful to one of my clients - even with your name on it, I won't let that go through (this has never happened, but just to be clear). I just wanted to state the policy once and for all, so that everyone is aware because I received such a comment last week from "anonymous" and I didn't want the poster to think I only post "yeah for Molly" type comments.

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The first Mthree wedding of 2009 is already in the bag. Hard to believe isn't it? Congratulations to Katie & Aaron who tied the knot at the Milwaukee Art Museum on January 2nd. Watch for the pictures later this week.

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I finally jumped on the Twitter bandwagon (thanks for that push, Monica) and I'm already addicted. You can tweet and follow along with me at : http://twitter.com/mthreestudio

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I read this amazing story yesterday and was so moved. Here is this art student from the same college I went to, and he managed to pull of this amazing feat - getting two stateless women from Thailand into the states for a college education so that they can go back and help others in their country who are forced into the sex trade - and now it might all fall apart. I don't know if anyone out there can help them - but may you can, or you know someone who can, or you are willing to put the story on your blog. To Joseph Quinnell - you are an inspiration, and the real embodiment of UW-Steven's Point.

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I know many are returning to work today after the many breaks of the Holidays. That is true for me too. Have a great week!

Hello 2009!

2009-01-01T20:30:00.003-06:00

To: Carrie & Andrew, Stacie & Alex, Kara & Joe, Amanda & Andy, Macaire & Bill, Jill & Chris, Katie & Chris, Calie & Erik, Pagette & Jason, Julie & John, Sara & Brian, Emily & Jeff, Amanda & Curtis, Kristen & Griffin, Adrienne & Chris, Jena & Thomas, Lisa & Steve, Megan & Dan, Meghan & Kyle, Nicole & Justin, Jen & Eric, Carolyn & Greg, Stephanie & Jonathan, Maggie & Peter, Emily & Steve, Kim & Mike, Katie & Aaron, Becky & Alex, Erin & Dennis, Jennifer & Eric, Krista & Ray, Sarah & Corbett, Holly & Eric, Maggie & Steve, and Morgan & Jose -

Welcome to the year of your Wedding. May it be every bit as wonderful as you imagined. I am honored to have been chosen to share your day with you and I'm more than looking forward to what 2009 holds for each of you!

Happy New Year!

- Molly

The Assistants

2008-12-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

As some of you may know, I do not tackle a wedding day alone. Well, tackle sounds very brutish - how about I don't rise to the occasion of a wedding day alone? Yes, that is more like it really is. I have assistants, fabulous assistants.

(Katie hanging out during the ceremony at Heather & Chris's wedding)

One is my sister (who also helps me out here in the studio once a week), one is my best friend and one is my first full-fledged Mthree Studio bride. All are married and so they have been in the very shoes of my couples. Each has their own strengths and abilities, and I love experiencing a wedding day with them. I bring them along to help keep me on track, navigate maps, carry equipment and water, babysit equipment, fetch things, fluff dresses, fix flowers, keep me company on long car rides, and do just about anything that will help us stay on schedule and ensure a fantastic wedding day experience in both reality and in pictures. Sometimes they become the Bride's new best friend and sometimes they are just a fly on the wall. Along the way we have many adventures, which we often recount at the end of a long wedding day over drinks or the long drive home.

(Harmony helping out Lindsay during Bridal Party pictures)

I can think of several wedding days that would have gone much awry from my standpoint without their help and cool heads.
These ladies will do anything to make a day go right. Traipse through fields, carry twenty coats, run to my car a hundred times, rebustle a dress, buckle a shoe, help a staggering drunk groomsman walk... you name it and they have done it.

It is not always a glamourous job. Jamie assisted me with the first wedding I ever shot, more out Hubby's fear of me driving down to Chicago alone than any other reason. She was rewarded with a three-hour drive home in a snowstorm, and yet she keeps coming back for more. Katie followed not long after when I needed someone to assist me for Harmony's wedding and thank goodness it was her - after the ceremony I realized I needed more memory cards and she was cool-headed enough to find them, buy them and return within 30 minutes (now I carry enough memory cards for three weddings). Harmony jumped on board almost by accident on a Trash the Dress shoot and has been a faithful shooting companion for me ever since. It is a job you really have to do because you enjoy it.

(I only have one shot of Jamie this year. She is famous for getting caught in loooong conversations with guests)

As fun as I make it all sound, the job has a lot of down time. Once the dinner is over, I pretty much have things well in hand on my own and they are stuck with the avid sport of people-watching. As a result, they find themselves often hit on, asked to dance and the wallflower conversationalist. But they do get free cake. And, as Harmony puts it, I have more romantic candelit dinners with these three than my own Husband.

(Harmony doing what they do all too often - let me test lighting)

They have saved my hiney more times than I can count, and I hope I've given them many great memories in return. It is a rare profession where you get to enjoy it with your friends and family, and in this regard I know I am extremely lucky.

(Katie had run out of hands, so when I handed her my sunglasses, they went on her head with her own. Fashionable, this one.)

After a long wedding season at the very least, they deserve a virtual round of applause for all the hard work they have put in on behalf of my business. Ladies, I am standing and applauding right now.
Don't fret, I properly took them out to eat at Branded last week, where we drank wonderful cocktails and learned of the goodness that is white truffle potato chips. It was so surreal having all three of them in the same place at the same time, and the evening quickly dissolved into a review of all of our greatest bloopers, gaffs and shocking moments.

(Harmony holding all the purses and jackets during bridal party picture time at Carlyn & Dave's wedding)

I can't even tell you how much I am looking forward to all of 2009 weddings with this crew.

(a special thanks also to Monica Gill and to Hubby who were fill-in assistants this year too)

The Junk Drawer

2008-12-26T16:09:00.005-06:00

Thanks for tolerating my unannounced absense from the blog. I've been trying hard these last couple of days since Christmas to step away from the computer and do other things. I'm not a big fan of this time of year, inbetween an end and a new beginning. It feels like limbo land to me, and I hate limbo land. So, I gave myself a few days to decompress the year, to do other things beside sit on my duff and stare at 32 inches of artificial glow (oh, my lovely Mac, you know I love you).

One of those days I spent three hours cleaning our kitchen. An hour of that was spent cleaning out our junk drawer. Since it could no longer be opened or closed easily, it seemed it was time. You know you have one of these, everyone does. I think even Martha Stewart has one, though hers is likely much more interesting with great backstories for every item stashed within. I figure I proubably last cleaned out our junk drawer about a year ago - so the contents inside pretty much represent what gets tossed to the side of the road in a year of our lives. Looking at it that way, a junk drawer is pretty telling. And as I lined the items up on the kitchen desk, I couldn't help taking inventory. I'm not sure what it adds up to or what it all means, but I found it amusing. Here is a complete list of our 2008 "junk":

-Enough Culver's "Scoopie" points for two free custard treats. (!)
-A small bottle of magnolia blossom lotion from Bath and Body Works
-A tube of crazy clue (I can finally fix my kitchen shears now)
-A disposable mascara wand (?)
-An art eraser
-White out
-A maglite mini-flashlight
-$2.50 in Potowatomi casino chips
-1 box of matches
-My ipod from 2003 (that's right, first generation)
-A sheet of return address labels Hubby made (i've been looking for those!)
-A garage door opener (not for our house...)
-The adorable homemade dollar bill cufflinks Craig made for hubby as a groomsmen gift (those shouldn't be in there)
-The battery covers to two mysterious black plastic devices
-Two dog collars
-A blank christmas card
-A blank birthday card I remember purchasing for Hubby's Aunt and never mailed
-The adhesive for plastic window covering
-A post it note pad with a phone number written on it - no idea who's
-A spool of grey thread and two sewing needles
-Two u.s. calling cards, unused.
-The remote control for the outdoor snowman that Hubby's parents gave us the first winter we lived here
-Two keys that match, but I have no idea what they belong to (I'll bet Hubby does)
-Double stick-tape
-19 various pens and pencils (and yet, we can never find one)
-9 refridgerator magnets
-A miniature "7" billuard ball
-A receipt from Lucille's Rockin' Pianos for $27.21 (apparently I was a cheap date that night).
-A financial calculator
-Three different versions of Hubby's business cards
-Spare keys to Hubby's truck
-2 cent stamps
-A mysterious roll of exposed film (should I get it developed? I can't even remember the last time I shot film)
-A roll of tape
-Extra blades for a box cutting knife
-Touch up tooth whitening gel
- A night light
-A mini-crow bar
-A trailer lock
-Three markers
-Hubby's old driver's liscense (he looks soooo young!)
-12 free movie passes (still good! score! )
-A box of glow stick necklaces left-over from Craig and Jamie's wedding.
- 83 cents in change

HO...Ho...HO!

2008-12-24T11:39:00.002-06:00

I know it is a total cop-out, but I'll try to get some pictures of Ringo on Christmas morning with his real santa hat on for you all. He got a haircut yesterday and is looking mighty cute - we've taken to calling him itty-bitty because he looks so skinny. I've been shopping and wrapping like a mad-woman the last three days - with Jamaica, finishing up editing the weddings, and Hubby dealing with a nasty cold, there hasn't been much time for Holiday preparation in the Michel household this year and I've jam-packed it into the last 72 hours. I just have food to make left on my list today. That, and proubably snowblowing since it hasn't stopped snowing in the past three days either.

Have a Happy Holiday! Be safe, be warm and be jolly!

Deb & Tony | Wedding

2008-12-21T14:45:00.004-06:00

This wedding was special for me in a couple of ways. First, it was my first Destination Wedding, which I loved, adored and couldn't have been more excited about the change of scenery for. Second, it was the marriage of one of Hubby's oldest friends, someone he has known for over twenty years, since elementary school. Third it was a most unique experience getting to know all of the guests for several days before the wedding, which made shooting all the more fun. I miss so many of them and all of their comedic antics. We also got to spend time with some of Hubby's friends who we hardly ever see, so that was a big bonus too. Oh yes, and it was also the first time Hubby got to actually assist me for a wedding, which was actually lots of fun. So, enough about how I felt about it, on to the story of Tony & Deb's wedding in Jamaica.

The wedding was held at the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay. Most people think you have to use the resort photographers if you are getting married at an all-inclusive - Not So! All you have to do is ask to bring in your own photographer.

Deb (like Racheal) is also an event planner in her professional life. Much went awry on this wedding day, but I think her experience helped her handle it with a cool, calm and happy demeanor. In the end they were married and everyone had a great time - what more could you really want?

Tony waiting for Deb, they did a first look:

We spent some time grabbing portraits while we waited for the minister...

A few minutes from the start time of the ceremony, and still no minster had been seen. So, Deb placed a call to the resort's wedding planner. I think her face in this shot says it all as she is told he is stuck in traffic...

So, guests had to be notified (as they were all sitting on the beach, and we had to rearrange the schedule a bit. But, he did show up and the wedding did go on, just a little later than planned. But the upside of that was some gorgeous sunset light.

Island tradition says to wave to a plane as it leaves. Since Sandals-Montego Bay is right next to the airport, we waved a lot, even in the middle of the ceremony:

I think this shot is hilarious. Tony's brother on the right is all zen, Pat is happy and attentive, and Phil, well, Phil looks worried. Hubby tells me that Phil always looks that way, and that it wasn't a reflection on the ceremony (just kidding Phil, you know we love you):

Look to the right in this shot and you'll see how close we were to regular sunbathers on the beach. There were 3-5 weddings a day on the beach, so you could watch them from your chair easily.

We also snuck in a few pictures before the sun completely set:

The reception was right on the beach too making for a wonderful, laid back party atmosphere:

Hubby took this one. That is his drink in my hand (one, I don't drink at weddings, two, I don't like pina coladas)

Mmmm... Baked Alaska, in a pineapple:

Tori and Guida, I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist:

Possibly one of my favorite reception shots ever - does it get any better than a Bride leading a conga line in the ocean?

After it started raining, the party moved to the Piano Bar next to the pool:

Tony and Deb- I know I speak for both Hubby and myself when I say we were more than honored to be witness to your wedding. To see two friends come together amongst so much love warmed our hearts greatly. We wish you all the best in you future together. And a HUGE thank you for having us along to photograph your day!

Check out the slideshow for a shot of Hubby with four drinks in hand (there's one of the groom double-fisting it), a good recording of what too many fruity drinks can do, more lovely shots of the ceremony on the beach and of Tony and Deb before and after, some fun drunk/dancing shots, Hubby and his friends in a sing-along, the wedding planner who had the couple stab the cake, the cat who befriended Tony's Dad and Stepmom to the point where they let it stay in their room, the staff who joined in on the fun at the reception, what happens when I let Hubby change my camera settings (you'll know when you see it) and more island antics.

Racheal & Jason | Wedding

2008-12-20T15:25:00.004-06:00

Racheal and Jason's wedding day was perfect. I always worry when the Bride is an event planner - they tend to put more pressure on the success of their wedding day. But all of those planning skills came thru and the day went beautifully. I've known Racheal & Jason since a few months before they were even engaged, and it has been such a joy to watch them through this whole process and a real privilege to be there on their wedding day to capture it.

This little one, I just have to tell you about her. Racheal calls her "monster", which is a name she got even before the family discovered that she can growl. Like, seriously growl like a monster. It is soooo hilarious! This is obviously a quieter and sweeter moment with her grandma:

The ceremony was held at Jason's family church. Most churches, especially in winter are DARK, in a way you can't even believe. This one was too, except for the front, which was expertly lit with some well hidden stage lighting. To me, this was total salvation (pun intended). Look critically at the lighting in your church, it can make a huge difference.

The groom's look:

Racheal studied abroad and her "London Mom" flew all the way from England to be there for the wedding:

We headed out to downtown Milwaukee for some picture time, and then on to the SafeHouse for some fun time:

And then it was off to the Venice Club for the rockin' reception. While on the bus, the groomsmen devised a game for the guests to play in place of clinking the glasses. The decided that if people wanted the couple to kiss, they would have to sing a song with the name "Faulks" in it (the new married name of the couple). I have to be honest, I figured one, maybe two people would actually do it. When we were on song number ten or twelve during dinner, I knew we were in for a fantastic reception. These two little guys definately gave the cutest delivery:

This one was just too funny not to post:

Racheal's Dad was diagnosed with cancer shortly after I met her. He has fought a long and hard battle with it, and recently has found himself cancer free. I know it has been a tremendous year for him and the family, and when Jason asked for a round of applause in respect for this battle here is what I got:

A great shot of Jason's mom:

I have no explanation for why I love this shot. It is one that would normally get deleted. But there is something about the way Racheal is burying her head in Jason's shoulder and his expression that I can't stop looking at:

Loved this shot of Jason's sister and her family watching the first dance:

I have to confess, this wedding was made a whole lot more fun by the fact that two of my aunts were there (one as a bridesmaid and one as a guest). They are such a barrel of fun:

If you remember Racheal & Jason's engagement story, then you'll catch on to the theme of their wedding:

Racheal & Jason - a thousand congratulations. I know the road ahead for you is bright and happy. Thanks so much for inviting me into your life to capture this special day.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Ordinary Moments

2008-12-19T12:23:00.005-06:00

from google images

Sometimes in the most ordinary moment I am struck by how much I love my husband and how incredibly lucky I am to have this partner in life. It happens at nearly every wedding ceremony I shoot, but in every day life it comes at the oddest moments.

Today I was outside, clearing the front walk with my mini snow-thrower (we got 13 inches here) and I got hit by the snow caught in the wind from his snowblower down at the end of the driveway. I looked up to protest and instead I saw him and I was struck with a reminder of how much I appreciate and love him. This year has been a particularly interesting one with many ups and downs, twists and turns. We are, admittedly, tired. But when I think of what we can accomplish together and all that lies ahead for us, I am instantly re-energized. So today, for him, I give you the lyrics to one of our two wedding songs, to remind Hubby too:

"You and Me"
by Tom Petty

Take a look
at what i've got
I can't promise
you a lot
but you and me
and the road ahead

I can't save
you from yourself
you got to want it
all that's left
is you and me
and the road ahead

wherever that wind might blow
wherever that river rolls
you know i will go with you

looking over
the mountain's crown
the water roars
and tumbles down
like you and me
and the road ahead

wherever that wind might blow
wherever that river rolls
you know i will go with you

just you and me
and the road ahead

Kelly & Alex | Wedding

2008-12-18T13:26:00.003-06:00

Kelly and Alex had a very chilly wedding day - weather-wise. Experience-wise it was all warm and fuzzy though. It was only fitting too, since this wedding was supposed to be this coming June. When Alex got a job offer and had to move, so did the wedding, and before anyone knew it, all the plans had been moved up seven months.

Ceremony: St. Jacobi, West Allis
Recetion: Mount Mary College Alumni Hall
Flowers: Petals

The guys started their day off with a brave game of catch in full tuxes out in the cold (see the slideshow for that). Over at the church, the girls gathered in the nursery to get dolled up. Score one for Mthree Studio when we saved the day with our sewing kit (always in my assistant's bag) so that a seriously incorrectly altered bridesmaid dress could be fixed.

Kelly and Alex opted for a first look, which in winter months is really smart. They got a special moment all to themselves and we also got the opportunity to shoot a few portraits in the sunlight, which is all too scarce this time of year.

The ceremony was simple and heartfelt:

Then it was off to Mt. Mary (Kelly's alma matter) for a few pictures and the reception. Thanks to the incredible cold, no one was in the mood for much time outside, so we had to get really creative with indoor options and brief moments outside.

I love the family feud feeling of this shot.

Party time:

I'm really loving the black and whites for this wedding.

The Details:

Kelly and Alex actually chose one of the songs I use in wedding slideshows as their first dance song. So with this slideshow, the song choice is all theirs. Enjoy!

Shopping Headache....SOLVED!

2008-12-16T19:01:00.003-06:00

Tired of the malls, the crowds, the lack of parking?
Have someone who is so hard to shop for you find yourself desperately searching Gift Guides for help?
Shopped high and low and still need that perfect gift?

I've got it.
Give them memories.

Just for the holidays I'm offering special rates on portrait sessions to give as gifts. I really do think that the gift of photography is a unique one that can be appreciated by so many people - Mothers, Mothers-in-law, Fathers, Sisters, Friends, Bosses. And they will never expect it. There is no better gift to give than one that captures forever the love between a family or a couple. So check all of those hard to buy for people off your list, your shopping is done!

Each session is presented with a gift certificate nestled in an adorable silver gift box tied up with a bow.

Family Session - $200 ($100 off!)
A 1.5 hour session at the location(s) of your choice. The session will result in approximately 50-70 finished, edited and retouched images to choose from. All images will be available in an online gallery for viewing and ordering. Just for the holidays, I'm throwing in an 8x10 print.

Encore Session - $200 ($50 off!)
Encore sessions allow you to get all dressed up in your wedding dress and suit again and hit some fun locations and do some things there wasn't time for on your wedding day. No dress has ever been truly trashed in a session. Perfect for the engaged or recently married couple. This includes a 1.5 hour session at the location(s) of your choice. The session will result in approximately 50-70 finished, edited and retouched images to choose from. All images will be available in an online gallery for viewing and ordering. Just for the holidays, I'm throwing in two 5x7 prints.

Childrens' Sessions - $200 ($50 off!)
Incredible lifestyle portraits of your children that will capture who they really are at this moment in time. This includes a 1.5 hour session at the location(s) of your choice, with up to three children (additional kids are $50 each). The session will result in approximately 40-70 finished, edited and retouched images to choose from. All images will be available in an online gallery for viewing and ordering. Just for the holidays, I'm throwing in an 8x10 print.

Anytime Sessions - $200 ($50 off!)
An anytime session is just that - perfect for anytime in your life with your loved one, or just on your own. Perfect for couples, anniversaries, professional headshots, a shoot with your best friend - whatever you need.
This includes a 1.5 hour session at the location(s) of your choice. The session will result in approximately 50-70 finished, edited and retouched images to choose from. All images will be available in an online gallery for viewing and ordering. Just for the holidays, I'm throwing in two 5x7 prints.

Gift Cards in Any Amount
Perfect for an existing client of Mthree Studio - a gift card in the amount you choose can be put towards prints, portrait sessions, albums and canvas gallery wraps. Stock up now for a bridal shower gift for that special Mthree Studio bride in your life, or even as a wedding gift or holiday gift. You can also buy these in conjunction with a session card to allow the recipient to order more pictures.

*All prices quoted above are for Milwaukee area sessions. Other locations can be piggy-backed onto existing work in the area or subject to a travel fee.
*Session must be scheduled in 2009.

This special holiday offer ends on December 23rd, so get your order in soon. Please contact me at the studio to place your order.

Just a Taste

2008-12-16T08:36:00.004-06:00

The results of cookie day are still on our kitchen table and where they need to be is under lock and key. Why? Because I keep getting up and going into the kitchen for "just one" or "a taste". Which is all fine and good if you don't get up 76,894 times during the day like me. Do they make cookie safes? We need one.

I thought maybe you all would like a taste too. (If only I could pass cookies thru the internet) Here is a sampling of the three weddings left to be blogged for 2008.

Kelly & Alex

This shot reminds me of those vignettes on Family Feud that started off the show (am I dating myself here?), and so it totally cracks me up. When I took it, I meant for it to be kind of tongue and cheek in that way.

Racheal & Jason

This was completely the bridesmaid's idea. Those guys are actually from another wedding (thanks to my friends Miranda & Adam for letting us steal them for a brief moment just minutes before the ceremony) and the girls thought it would be funny for our bride to jump in with these other guys, hence the bridesmaid's expressions. It was a funny moment, and one that wouldn't usually get a highlight so I thought it was a good taste for today.

Deb & Tony

One of the last shots we took on the beach that night, just minutes before the sun disappeared for good. It is getting harder to imagine it being warm enough for a barefoot couple with the freezing temperatures we have had here lately.

Have a great Tuesday!

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-12-15T08:49:00.002-06:00

Is it really only ten days until Christmas? How did that happen?

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Pretty much everyone in my family has all of their shopping done, or very near it. Hubby and I have three people checked off our list. Much, much to do. How are you doing with your shopping? I'll be announcing my big solution to your shopping list tomorrow. I know I've been hinting at this for a couple of weeks - but I swear it will be ready tomorrow.

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Ringo thinks it is too cold to go outside today. I can't say that I blame him, it is like 7 degrees or something.

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Yesterday was Cookie Day. I blogged about it last year, and so I didn't bring my camera. Much to the disappointment, it turns out, of my mother. She would like everyone to know how sad she is that Cookie Day 2008 will not be blogged about with its own post. I don't bring my camera to as much as you would think I would. Sometimes I just plumb forget it, and sometimes I choose to experience rather than record. Regardless, Cookie Day was a big success, and Hubby is loving the results (four containers of Christmas cookies sitting on our kitchen table). I even learned how to properly roll out dough. We made eight different cookies yesterday, with the last batch coming out of the oven just before seven o'clock. I love cookie day.

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After years of going hog-wild with gifts for each other on Christmas, two years ago Hubby and I imposed a new gift-giving system (we had just bought a house, so hog-wild wasn't an option). Now we buy each other an ornament, a book, stocking stuffers and then we put a budget on another gift or gifts (giver's choice). It makes gift-giving a fun challenge. And for the record, Hubby always overspends, and I always stick to the budget.

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Look for the weddings of Racheal & Jason, Kelly & Alex and Tony & Deb this week. I'm determined to get them all finished and edited so I can enjoy the holidays a bit next week (despite the mountain of other work I have to do).

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Hubby and I were flipping thru my folder of "Personal Photos 2008" last night and I realized there are so many things I said I would blog about and never got around to. With the first three months of the year being a bit slow wedding-wise (there are only six weddings in those three months for me), you'll hopefully be seeing all of that.

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I've been slowing putting together a new and improved "Best of 2008" contest, which will debut right after the start of the new year. Get your voting fingers ready because the prizes are going to be better, and we are going to do multiple categories.

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Only those in Wisconsin can truly understand this one. But, doesn't it seem like the Packer's season is largely ignored this year? I'm lucky if Hubby mumbles if they won or lost on a Sunday night, and it used to be that the whole day revolved around a Packer game. My Dad was watching it while we baked yesterday, and I swear he didn't say a word the whole time. Do we just not care anymore? Curious...

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Well, I have much to do today, so I'm low on thoughts for the blog. Have a great Monday and a great week!

Amber & Araya | Wedding

2008-12-12T14:31:00.005-06:00

Amber and Araya were an unexpected addition to the calendar this year - booking just a month or so before their wedding when their original photographer moved. What was unexpected turned out to be one of the most intriguing couples I had the opportunity to meet this year. Amber is from Madison and Araya is from Ethiopia. To further twist their tale, Araya's family moved to Atlanta when he was a boy, Amber did missionary work in Ethiopia and found a deep love for the country, and then on a visit to see her best friend in Atlanta, said friend set her up with Araya on a blind date. Success between the two was instant and that is how a girl from Madison fell in love with a boy from Ethiopia. Pretty fascinating.

I owe a big thanks to the staff at the Madison Club for recommending me for this job - thanks ladies! This is my second wedding there, and they are top-notch, all the way.

Ceremony: Press House
Reception: Madison Club
Dress: Premiere Couture

Both the guys and the girls got ready at the hotel - in adjoining rooms. I have to be honest, for me, that was a dream set up. I was able to pop back and forth between the two groups quickly and not miss any of the anticipation, without scheduling anyone or rushing anyone along. Loved it!

Araya's dad has one of those faces where you just want to put him next to a good window and let him talk while you snap away. He did share some wonderful stories about what it was like to marry Araya's mother in Ethiopia.

I usually try to keep myself out of the pictures, but it was hard to avoid for this one:

A very touching moment back with the guys:

The girls got dressed at the church ( I guess I went a little overboard with getting ready pictures for the blog this time. I just loved the classic nature of Amber's dress and veil, I couldn't help myself):

The Ceremony. Something happened at this wedding that I have never seen before. I'm going to chalk it up to a cultural difference, and it had most of the guests laughing. If you watch the slideshow, you'll see shots of these events. There were five of Araya's relatives at the front of the church, standing in front of the groomsmen and even at one point, next to the minister, taking pictures and video. There were also about ten or more in the seats standing and snapping away. It was the most amusing family paparazzi I had ever seen. It was amazing what they would do for a shot. It continued all day too, right thru the reception. These people were serious about their pictures. But it made for some amusing moments to say the least. If you look at the second picture following here, you'll see one of them behind the groomsmen (he was usually in front). I did my best to herd them away from the front as they were pretty distracting, but they were ambitious.

Afterwards, it was crazy cold outside and dark, but Amber and Araya were super good sports about it:

The Reception:

The Details:

Thanks to Amber and Araya and to their families for letting me in with open arms and sharing their day.
They didn't know it, but I had a very different sort of assistant along on their day. Monica from The White Box of Wedding Design was masquerading as an assistant so that she could shadow me for a day and get a sense of what a wedding day is like from a photographer's perspective. I agreed to this because one, it was wicked fun to have her along, and two because I knew she would be a great assistant even on the first try. I wasn't wrong. Though I still say that Amber and Araya's day was a bit out of the normal Wisconsin wedding for me, I think she got a good idea of how a day flows for me and the obstacles I encounter. She is going to be shadowing several other wedding vendor categories in the coming months. You can see Monica's perspective on this wedding day (as well as some very amusing shots of me shooting I'm sure) over on her blog. Check it out!

Enjoy the slideshow!

Carlyn & Dave | Wedding

2008-12-11T11:12:00.003-06:00

The first really cold wedding this year was Carlyn & Dave's. Though I have to say, despite the chilly temperatures and grey skies, everyone's joy and attitude made it seem one of the brightest, sunniest days.

Ceremony: St. Mary's Catholic Church - Waukesha
Reception: Milwaukee County War Memorial
Flowers: Sentry Meadowbrook - Waukesha
Cake: Sweet Perfections

Carlyn's niece (and nephew) consistently stole the show:

Carlyn just had to show me a hair style she was briefly considering:

A quick game of cards calmed a few nerves:

How adorable is Carlyn's grandma?:

Previously mentioned scene-stealing nephew:

Carlyn's former basketball coach gave the sermon, and he did a wonderful metaphor with the ball and the game as its center:

Always one of my favorite parts of a Catholic wedding:

Onto some fun picture time. Everyone was freezing, but the whole wedding party were real troopers about it. And all that shivering really paid off - these are some of my favorite wedding party pictures ever:

Dave bought all of his guys matching kicks:

We sent the wedding party off to the bar so Dave and Carlyn could get a few shots alone:

And of course, we joined up with them at the place where it all began:

Getting ready to walk into the reception, I caught this sweet moment:

Carlyn's mom and her three friends here all had their senior prom at the War Memorial - so they came prepared for the reunion with crowns and all:

Congrats Carlyn and Dave! You have a long, happy road ahead of you.

Enjoy the slideshow. If you look closely, you'll see a local wedding planning boutique we stopped in with the girls to warm up (and fix Carlyn's bustle) and a former bridesmaid from this wedding:

Miscellaneous Monday...On Island Time

2008-12-09T09:44:00.004-06:00

Island Time... yep, that is correct. Last night Hubby and I returned to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin fresh from six days in Jamaica. We were there to shoot Tony & Deb's wedding, and we built in a few days before and after the wedding for some relaxation in the sun. So please forgive my absence yesterday, today I'm making up for it with my list of:

Things we learned in Jamaica:

-It takes two stressed-out entrepeneur types a full two days to figure out how to "relax on the beach and do nothing".

-It takes us two more days to get restless and not be able to do that anymore.

-Just about every sentence can be ended with the phrase "Yeah Mon". And it is.

-Strawberry Daquiris with Jamaican Rum are goooood. Very goooood.
(So good that your hard-liquor devotee husband will find an exclusive, all encompasing love for them)

-Weddings at an all-inclusive resort are a breed unto themselves.

-Driving on the left side of the road, even riding on the left side of the road, is super strange. You constantly feel like you are going to get in an accident when your driver makes a turn.

-Police in Jamaica carry machine guns. Not rifles or pistols, machine guns.

-Hubby is not a fan of dried sand on his feet.

-Hubby's version of swimming is actually just floating in five foot deep water.

-Salt water makes you sticky. What it does to camera equipment I can not even describe.

-There are not as many tramp stamps out there as you would expect.

-Landscapers in Jamaica use a machete to trim the bushes.

-You can't go scuba diving the same day that you are getting on a plane.

-It is all too easy to adapt to opening up your door and walking right out onto the beach and seeing the Caribbean sea in front of you. All too easy.

-The Jamaican airport security has never seen a camera lens before. And furthermore, they are convinced that if they peer into it just right, they will find drugs.

-Apparently, I am a "princess". Of course, so was every other female that the "get happy" men tried to attract on the beach.

-They have American TV down there.

-Some Europeans will go topless anywhere.

-The milk in Jamaica is horrible. The water however, is fine.

-Spending several days with your clients and their families totally rocks.

-Your pedicure doesn't stand a chance.

-Flip-flops are a necessity.

-I need to own more than one swimsuit.

-Life vests are soooo not a good look on Hubby or myself.

-There is a bird that is capable of making a constant, reliable sound that emulates a slightly - out of whack grocery cart.
Said bird can make this sound all night long.

-Wedding receptions are not ruined by rain.

-Jamaicans are exceedingly proud of two things to a level you can not even imagine: Bob Marley and the Jamaican Bobsled
team.

-Just about any song can be re-recorded as a Jamaican sounding song. And they do.

-Shooting a wedding in another country is such a blessing and such a delight. I hope I get to do more destination weddings
in the future!

I have many more pictures and stories to tell, but I'm going to save it for later posts. To tide you over, I have one picture - a stitched together pan of what it looked like from my beach chair on Sunday. (You might have to stretch your browser or click on the image to see the full thing).

Have a great week. I'll be working like mad to get all of 2008's weddings edited and posted before the Holidays so stay tuned!

PhotoBooth Craziness

2008-12-05T10:14:00.001-06:00

I've been meaning to post this for awhile and I just keep forgetting. And this morning I figured, what better way to send us into the weekend than some photobooth craziness?

Kristin & Joe had PartyBooths at their reception in lieu of favors. Trust me, this was the best favor ever. The guests couldn't have had a better time with this "toy". There was usually a line and every table was scattered with the results of their craziness. So of course, just before we called it a night, Harmony and I jumped in with the Bride and Groom:

I've been toying with the idea of adding a photobooth experience to the Mthree Studio offerings. Mine would be a bit different than what was used here I think- what do you think? Would that be something that you would be interested in? What features would you want, wouldn't want? Fill up the comments and let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend!

Katie & Rob | Wedding

2008-12-02T21:11:00.004-06:00

Katie and Rob's wedding day was everything and more than I hoped it would be. They are such a hands-down awesome couple, and I couldn't wait to witness them become husband and wife. The day did not disappoint. The rain/drizzle let up long enough for some pictures, the chapel was beyond gorgeous, the family was incredibly welcoming with their friendliness and open hearts, the emotions were free-flowing and the reception was off-the-chain ( I have no idea what that actually means) fun.

Ceremony: Old St. Joe's - St. Norbert College
Reception: The Meadows
Flowers: Grapevine and Ivy
Dress: Tie the Knot Bridal Boutique

We started the day at the salon, where Rob's little niece stole our hearts:

Then it was on to Katie's childhood home for some makeup time and brunch. Katie's dad left a message for her just where he knew she would find it:

We peeked in on the boys getting all handsome too:

Before we knew it we were at the church to get dressed with the girls:

And then it was time...Old St. John's looks like any other church on the outside. But inside, oh my, the gorgeousness can not be described.

I knew Rob was going to be emotional, and it turned out everyone was:

Have I mentioned before how much I love Catholic ceremonies? For one, the symbolism and rituals are beautiful, but my real reason is that they are long. So long that people have to sit, move around and be up there for awhile. All that time means I have lots of opportunity to catch awesome moments from everyone. Quickie ceremonies are stressful from a photography standpoint.

It was cold that day - quite cold, and about to start raining any second. But the wedding party were real troopers, traipsing all over the St. Norbert campus in the name of good pictures:

We did show some mercy and headed to Lambeau Field for a few more shots (along with five other weddings apparently) and some time at Curly's Pub.

When we got to the reception and we were waiting to make the grand entrance, I mentioned to Katie & Rob that they needed to cut their cake. Being Katie and Rob, they proceeded to ham it up as much as possible and "posed" for me, almost refusing to cut the cake itself until I snapped several "classic" poses of them. Turns out they didn't really care about the cake, but the fun that it brought on was all good.

This one requires a little explanation. Earlier in the day Katie's Dad had shown me a certificate he was going to give them during his toast - for a Goldendoodle puppy! Apparently they had been pining for one, and so as a wedding gift, Katie's parents were going to make it happen. The following two shots are their priceless reactions:

Dance fever quickly took over:

The Details:

In the slideshow look for some more fantastic dancing shots (even break-dancing), a shot of me with a few groomsmen snapped by a guest, and a family of pumpkins I spotted next door that just looked so much like something Katie & Rob would create with their kids one day. Thanks so much for an excellent time Carivous and Kostacs!

Check it out:

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-12-01T08:50:00.004-06:00

If you didn't see Darcy & Bryan's wedding, which I posted late on Friday, scroll on down. Go ahead, I'll wait.

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The next six photography posts will all be weddings - just a little Holiday treat for all of you!

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Ringo is not a big fan of the snow. I thought maybe today, with 10 inches of it or so laying on the ground he would finally get the chance to run around and play in it. But alas, he is quite skeptical of it and really doesn't appreciate the cold and wetness of it. I'm going to try again at least one more time to get him to play in it.
My mom bought him these adorable little boots and he does the most fantastic circus trick in them. I'm going to try to get a picture before I describe it to you though... yes, I tease.

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I love the morning of a freshly fallen snow - everything looks so beautiful with it sticking to trees and the pristine whiteness of it all. Today marks the two year anniversary of Hubby & I buying this house. December 1 was our first day in it two years ago, and it snowed over a foot that by the time we woke up that day - last year it snowed a few inches, and today it has as well. It has become an anniversary tradition. The first year we didn't have a snowblower though and it took us hours to shovel ourselves out. It is hard to believe we have been here so long - the place still feels new to me.

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I met with someone last week who despite using the exact same laptop I have was mysteriously unable to bring up my actual website. When she was on the launch page, where you choose the website or the blog, she would click on the website and it would go to open, but then just never did (choosing the blog worked fine). Very strange. Is anyone else having this problem? I have no idea what is causing it. If anyone has an idea, please, please share. I find the website stuff entirely too maddening!

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I've got something fantastic in store for you next week (maybe this week if I really get on things!). A hint: It has to do with the holidays, and it might just solve all of your gift giving woes with those really hard people on your list.

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The fact that someone died on Black Friday by the actions of greedy shoppers is so appauling I don't even know what to say. Someone died because someone else needed a good deal on a tv or some other material good. How insane is that? My BF Jamie's sister had two exchange students from Spain with their family on the holiday and they took them out shopping at 4am with them. Reportedly they found all of us Americans quite amusing and even took pictures of our shopping frenzy. I can only imagine what they thought when they saw the newscast about shoppers trampling a store employee. American consumerism at its best for sure.

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For the first time in years I didn't shop on Black Friday. I didn't (and don't) have my list together and nothing really struck me in the ads. And I had way too much work to do. The crazy thing is I didn't even miss it. One advantage of being self-employed is I can shop during the middle of a weekday when there aren't any crowds. Woot!

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Have a great week, and if you are in SE Wisconsin, enjoy the snow!

Darcy & Bryan | Wedding

2008-11-28T15:21:00.006-06:00

Darcy & Bryan's wedding day teetered on winter - it was almost cold, there was almost no leaves left, but the weather and the colors hung on just long enough for their day. And what a lovely and fun day it was!

Ceremony: Carrol College Humphrey Chapel
Reception: Silver Spring Country Club
Flowers: Petals Floral Design

As a fellow curly-haired gal, I have to admit, I totally loved Darcy's fantastic 'do.

The Ceremony:

Time with the fab wedding party:

Bryan listening to his Best Man's speech:

This bridesmaid got engaged at the airport when she arrived in Milwaukee! (Her fiance surprised her by picking her up) How awesome is that ?! Her super fun fiance and the craziness they brought to the wedding reception was fantastic. I'm secretly hoping I get to photograph their wedding too:

The details:

The dance floor was really rockin' (thanks Mad Cap!) - check out more reception craziness in the slideshow:

Jenn & Eric | Engagement

2008-11-26T08:45:00.004-06:00

He believed in signs. The kind that tell you where you are or where you are going in a larger sense. Walking to the coffee shop, he saw many signs along the way. He tried to let himself naturally notice them, but he knew in his heart he was searching for the ones that said "yes". It had only been a few months ago that he had met her in Chemistry class. Fun, smart and filled with an infectious laugh, they became fast friends. But despite the many hints and signs he tried to send her way, she seemed to not see them. So he had asked her out. Their date had been just seven days ago. He was pragmatic and had been rather blunt at the end of the night. "So, are we boyfriend and girlfriend?" he had asked her, hoping that this one audition date had been enough to seal the deal after months of friendship. She had surprised him with her response. "I'll let you know in seven days". So level-headed was the response, he worried that the answer was going to be a no. Who needed seven days to decide such a thing? And why seven? As he walked on he wondered if she had known before the seven days was up or if it took her all of them to decide.
Passing a mailbox, he noticed a bumper sticker stuck haphazardly on the side. "Vote Yes on Prop. 7" it read. That had to be it - that was the sign. She was going to say yes. The coffee shop was just around the corner and he picked up his pace. He opened the door and there she sat near the window, sun shining on her blonde hair. She looked up and smiled at him. He walked over and didn't waste any time. "So?" She laughed. "Yes, the answer is yes!"

Jenn & Eric had the last engagement shoot of the year on what must have been truly the last day we could expect any fall color anywhere. In fact most of the landscape was spent and brown, but I found a small pocket near the lake that had vibrant color going on. We shot on Halloween and managed without intention to find an abandoned house and a graveyard. And a mysterious mailbox in the middle of the woods, nowhere near any sort of dwelling. It was a fantastic session, and I can't wait to shoot their wedding. Much thanks to Ashley for referring these two!

Enjoy the Slideshow!

Kristen & Steve | Siblings

2008-11-25T12:56:00.002-06:00

The way that Kristen and Steve found me and my photography is a bit round-about. Kristen was doing a research project for a class on small groups in a social studies class. Her focus was on brides and grooms. In that research she came across me and my blog, and has been a fan ever since. Then she had the idea to do a shoot with her brother as a birthday gift for her mom. And so, there we were on one of the truly last nice days of fall taking photos of these two siblings. I love it when people think this far ahead and put this much effort into surprises for others. How many Moms would LOVE up-to-date photos of their kids?

Kristen is in the middle of her college experience, and Steve is just a breath away from becoming an architect. I think nothing shows where they are at this moment as people than this shot:

Thanks for a fun afternoon guys and Happy Birthday to your Mom!

Erin & Dennis | Engagement

2008-11-25T10:00:00.001-06:00

Unpacking her swimsuit from her bag, a little bit of sand spilled out on the bedspread. She reached down and ran her fingers over it, remembering the vacation she had just returned from. "It will be fun, just us girls!" her friend had pleaded. And it had been fun. But it hadn't been just the girls. The dress she pulled out next was the one she had worn the night that they had met the boys. Cruise ship dinners were either painful or wonderful, and it all depended on who you sat with. When they had entered the dining room, she had quickly zeroed in on two guys sitting at a table alone, drinks in hand and laughing hard. "They look like fun!" she had said to her friend, and they quickly approached. By the end of dinner the four had become fast friends and headed of to the bars and dance clubs for an action-packed night. The days that followed found the group stuck together for trips ashore, games of shuffleboard on the deck, lounging by the pool and nights at the clubs. She pulled a yellow linen shirt out of the suitcase and examined the faint pink stain on the front. A stain that Dennis had accidentally caused on a midnight stroll on the deck, fruity drinks in hand. It was the night that she realized she had really found something, found someone. Now here, back in Wisconsin it all seemed a little too unreal. She shook her head and continued to unpack, throwing the yellow shirt in the laundry pile. She had told him to call her when they returned. But he probably wouldn't. It had been fun while it lasted, she thought to herself, brushing the sand off the bedspread and zipping up the empty suitcase. And then, just as she was headed down the stairs, the phone rang. "Hello?" "Hi, Erin? This is Dennis. Are you home yet? I couldn't wait to call any longer"

Erin and Dennis's shoot was on a chilly fall day at Seven Bridges. We had a great time exploring the woods and looking for pockets of color as I listened to their story. I think it is pretty unusual to have met your mate on a cruise ship, especially when he was travelling with a friend who did the same thing. They have done things a bit unconventionally ever since, even having a daughter before they were engaged. As Erin put, she knew Dennis was it, and given that he is a cop, she wanted to be sure she had a piece of him should something happen. Now that is thinking ahead! Their wedding is next year and I can't wait to see their little tyke walk down the aisle!

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-11-24T09:12:00.004-06:00

First, I've heard a couple of reports of people who have contacted me (presumably thru the contact form on my website) and they haven't heard back from me. If that is you, then I didn't get your email. Please send it again, directly to me, or give me a call. I respond to ALL inquiries, without fail. I've had this issue looked at a few times, and there seems to be no malfunction, yet a few still slip thru somehow.

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Ringo got to experience snow for the first time today! I've been anxiously waiting for this, so I made Hubby get out of bed this morning and take him out with me so we could both see his reaction. He took about four steps onto the sidewalk and turned around to go back inside initially. But we took him out anyway, and despite his shivering (I need to buy him boots) he was pretty curious about it. Of course, I took pictures:

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Last weekend was a double whammy with weddings on Friday and Saturday. Major kudos to both wedding parties who braved the cold, if even only briefly for a few outdoor shots. Monica from The White Box shadowed me on Friday as my assistant to get a photographer's perspective on a wedding day, and I'm very curious to see her blog post about it. There are only two more weddings left for me this year. The past sixteen weeks of my "gauntlet of weddings" has been incredible, and I can't believe it is almost over. I have loved each and every wedding, but I'm looking forward to my three weeks "off" (the quotes elude to the fact that I won't be shooting, but I'll still be working my tail off) over the holidays before the first wedding of 2009 on January 2nd.

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Hubby was deer hunting this past weekend, but saw nothing and therefore got nothing. He was also extremely disappointed that his iPhone didn't have signal in the woods, and so he could not google-earth himself. My friend Paul called me from the woods on Friday ( I think) for our annual talk because he is bored sitting in his tree, but I was shooting and so I couldn't chat. Sorry Paul!

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Why does everyone want to get married in September and October of next year? I've had soooo many inquiries for those months, it is really incredible. In fact my email just went "bing" with another inquiry for October as I was typing this ( I kid you not!).

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Thanks to everyone who sent recipes and suggestions for Thanksgiving. I've always loved this game local radio dj's Bob & Brian play. It is called "Where are you going and what are you taking". So, please let me know in the comments - where you are going and what you are taking.
I'll start - we are going to Franksville, Racine and the Racine/Kenosha County Line (yep, that's right, three thanksgivings) with sweet potato souffle, harvest sangria, and Ringo for entertainment.

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I'm pretty sure I hear a snowblower right now. Wait, it is in my driveway - Hubby's Dad must be here. The man has the week off - and what does he do? He comes and snowblows the inch off of our driveway. So nice!

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Well, I should get to work- much editing to do! Up this week on the blog will be Erin & Dennis's engagement, a brother and sister session for Kristen & Steve, a engagement session for Jenn & Eric and hopefully Darcy & Bryon's wedding.

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Have a great Monday!

Emily & Jeff | Engagement

2008-11-20T10:22:00.004-06:00

The wind whipped thru her hair as she steered the boat around the lake, driving fast. She liked the feeling of going fast, it made her feel in control, something that was truly a luxury lately. Finding a teaching position had been more than trying. Trying to move forward was all the more difficult because Jeff had found a job over an hour away. So now here she was, wondering what the future held for her, she was starting to think that maybe it was different that what she had planned. They came to the middle of the lake and she slowed the boat down so they could talk. A few minutes later they were deep in conversation as she lazily kept an eye on the steering wheel. It was the same conversation they had every week, reviewing the prospects she had found, the possibilities. She leaned against his chest as he talked, listening admittedly, a bit half-heartedly. A few minutes later she realized the conversation had taken a bit of a turn. He was saying things like "don't worry" and "I'll take care of you". She sat up and turned to look at him. "What are we talking about here?" she asked. He smiled and then went down on one knee, pulled a ring out if his pocket and looked up at her. "We are talking about getting married, aren't we?" he asked. She stared at him in disbelief. And then the question, the all important question escaped his mouth and suddenly her path seemed sure, correct and completely on course.

From the first meeting I had with Emily and Jeff I have known that they were a classic Mthree couple. The kind who feels more like friends than clients, and after their engagement shoot that is absolutely the case. We had such an awesome time on their shoot - laughing, telling stories, dodging park "rangers" and bracing ourselves against the cold. Thanks for a great shoot Jeff & Emily - can't wait for your wedding!

Enjoy the slideshow!

Kristin & Joe | Wedding

2008-11-17T19:22:00.005-06:00

Kristin & Joe's wedding day was fantastic. It is one of those days as a photographer that I dream about. Amazing light, peak fall color, an emotional family that welcomes you in with open arms, beautiful venues, a fantastic Bride and Groom, a sassy and fun wedding party, a smooth schedule and beautiful details. Really, it couldn't have been any better. This is a quintessential Mthree wedding couple. There are tons of photos here, because I just couldn't help myself. Sit back and enjoy!

Ceremony: Schlitz Audobon Nature Center
Reception: Polish Center
Flowers: Four Sisters Floral

I love this look Joe's Mom had when she saw Kristin dressed for the first time:

Kristin and the girls entered across this bridge:

I knew Joe was going to be a teary groom, and he really delivered in this second shot:

Did I say how fabulous the color was?:

this little cutie wanted to be my apprentice:

These are "just the ushers" as they so dubbed themselves. Three of the most fun ushers I've ever met. They deserved their own shot:

First Dance:

Even the band was uber fun:

The Details:

One more thing, just for Kristin & Joe: "Kishka!"

Enjoy the slideshow:

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-11-17T10:03:00.005-06:00

First, if you haven't seen Holly & Eric's Engagement session that I posted late on Friday - be sure to check it out below.

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Optimus was over playing with Ringo last week, so I took the opportunity to get a shot of their matching sweatshirts. Dog photography is really hard - especially with two of them, so please excuse the unfabulousness and Jamie's knees in the background (she played dog wrangler). How cute are they though?

And you can see just how skinny Ringo really is - his bulk is an illusion created by fur.
In other Ringo news, he has been working hard at protecting Hubby and I from all of the blowing leaves in the yard (which are present despite my persistent raking). It is quite hilarious. If you follow my facebook, you know that he also has a mean battle going on with blowing trash cans in our cul-de-sac. I really should borrow Hubby's camera and video it for you - quite hilarious!

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If 2007 was they year of Brides named Kate, then 2008 will be the year of Grooms named Eric. I have five.
Two of which are marrying a "Jen". :0)

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Hubby is looking forward to google earthing where he is in his tree stand while deer hunting. Google Earth is a new toy for Hubby. I wonder if there is an iphone app that will help him find a deer?

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Speaking of Hubby, he has mentioned every day this past week that I didn't do Misc. Monday last week. I said he was attached to it, didn't I?

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Last weekend's wedding reception was at the War Memorial. I tell you, the pictures on the internet do not do this place justice. It is pretty cool, and when handled correctly can be quite the venue.

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If your Mom is anything like mine, she is already hinting at needing a Christmas List from you. (to be fair, mine hasn't asked yet, but I know she will at Thanksgiving) This year, I got smart and I've been using Wishpot to keep track of all of the cool stuff I see that I like while playing on the internet. If you haven't discovered Wishpot for yourself yet, check it out. You can make it a little button on your browser even, and then when you see something you like, just click "add to wishpot" and it does. You can organize stuff into categories, rate it by how much you would like it, etc. Ringo even has a wishpot. And, you can share this list with anyone you want via email or even Facebook, making holiday shopping painless. If only everyone on my list was a Wishpot user. Ahhh, well a girl can dream.

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Last week I launched the Mthree Studio Holiday Cards, which have been quite a hit. Email me if you want the info. I know it seems early - but these things take time! I've got more holiday goodness coming your way soon, so stay tuned!

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If you haven't seen this yet, you are missing out! LOL!

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Anyone have any ideas on what I can bring to Thanksgiving? Last year I attempted my first pumpkin pie - it went pretty well. Hubby's family is so big that all dishes are already covered a few times over, so I can bring almost anything.

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Was anyone else surprised to see that TRL is done? I was never a big fan ( I like to watch the whole video, thank you very much). But it seems like an institution of MTV has died.

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I fear I have become the crotchety old person I hated as a teenager. I just don't get the clothes I see them wearing. Seriously, I participated in the '80's. It was ugly, cruel, and all in bad taste. Why revive it? I saw a girl in metallic pleather tights with an oversized frumpy sweater and colored ugg boots a couple of weeks ago. It was hideous. I swear I saw someone with one of those t-shirt buckles where you slide it thru and gather it to the side last week. Leg warmers, biker shorts under skirts, oversized tops that show no shape, plastic jewelry. Not all eras need to be revisited. Let's just leave this one behind, shall we? I thought we had evolved. My friend Jamie says she heard stirrup pants are back. You will NOT be seeing me in those again. Jamie is a middle school teacher and she confirmed for me that, indeed, they are all dressed like it is a Back from the Future casting call. Let the ugliness stop!

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Have a great Monday!

Holly & Eric | Engagement

2008-11-14T19:36:00.002-06:00

Click....click....click....type....click. "Babe! Come here, I found it!" she cried from the office. Eric came into the room and leaned over the computer. She hit the zoom button and the glow of the computer screen illuminated his growing smile. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her shoulders. "You're right, it is perfect." he said. They looked at each other mischieviously and put her mouse over the BUY button. Click. "Well, I guess we better pick a date now" he said, going back to the stove to check on dinner.
"I'll get the calendar!" she said joyfully.

Holly and Eric were pretty sure they didn't have a story, at least not a good one. They met while Freshman at Beloit College and Holly vividly recalls that their first conversation was about sales tax in New Hampshire - there isn't any. Their friendship grew into a courtship, and then that courtship grew into the assumption that they would marry. The decided that they would a year before they chose the date, and bought Holly's conflict-free vintage ring.

We had a great time on their engagement shoot, and Holly's mom was nice enough to bring their dog Fenway (named for the ballpark) to the second half to join us. She was so well behaved, and this is easily one of my favorite shots of the day:

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Carolyn & Greg | Engagement

2008-11-13T12:59:00.003-06:00

Dinner had been wonderful and now as they walked back towards their resort she could feel the relaxation setting in. This was going to be a wonderful vacation. So well deserved, so needed. They had only been among tropical breezes, swaying palm trees and paintbox sunsets for a few hours and already she didn't want to leave. And so they walked, hand in hand along the sandy boardwalk, savoring a few minutes alone. Her sister and brother-in-law would be along soon behind them. Those two had stayed in the restaurant for dessert, but Greg had insisted that he and Carolyn leave to take a walk. He had in mind a different kind of dessert, he thought to himself. Now here, with the night stars twinkling overhead and the beach breeze around them, he paused on the path. Carolyn looked back to see what was holding him up. He dropped down to one knee and looked up at her. She gasped, he smiled, she giggled and he asked his question.

Carolyn & Greg have an awesome coming together story. They were both acquaintances in High School, with Greg having a very good friend that Carolyn had dated. Not long after high school, that friend died. In an effort to work thru the tragedy, Carolyn and Greg organized a get-together for many of the mutual friends. Expecting to find comfort in old stories, jokes and memories, instead they found each other. They quickly became good friends, best friends. Then a few years later the pieces fell together and they realized they were in love. I'd like to say that friend had a hand in it, they would like to believe he did too.

I know this one looks like something that would normally end up in the reject pile - but the expressions - it is just so Carolyn and Greg.

Enjoy the slideshow:

Jill & Jim | Wedding

2008-11-11T17:41:00.003-06:00

Jill & Jim had an intimate wedding day pulled together in just a few short months (hey, when you know, why wait?).
The ceremony was held at the wonderfully historic Irish Cultural Heritage Center and the reception was at the up and coming Ambassador Hotel. I'll let the pictures tell the rest:

They had a first look:

My first set of twins! Jill and her Maid of Honor/Sister:

Jill really understood good light, and so she was more than game for a few shots in this hallway that was flooded with gorgeous light just five minutes before ceremony:

The lighting at the ICHC makes for a very dramatic candle-lit ceremony:

After the ceremony we hit the Pabst Mansion for a few shots before walking to the Ambassador.

I know this one is part blurry, but I just love the profound joy:

How fab is the Ambassador?

A great "end of the night" shot:

A few of the fabulous details:

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Karen & Brad | Encore Session

2008-11-10T13:37:00.002-06:00

Karen was one of Sarah & Nick's bridesmaids, married just a month later. After seeing their Encore Session, she and Brad had to have one too. We had an incredible time chasing light and getting dirty, just days after they returned from their honeymoon. We even managed to hit the spot where they got engaged.

It's a picture heavy post folks - sorry, I loved too many to edit it down any more.

Calie & Erik | Engagement

2008-11-06T17:06:00.005-06:00

She hoisted another saddle onto the back of a horse, followed quickly by another child onto the saddle. It felt just like summer camp, she thought, yet it wasn't. She was here helping on a special weekend, walking in her own shoes in a way. Being here was so comfortable, she had spent so many summers here for so many years she didn't remember a summer that didn't involve this camp. It was easy to feel like a counselor again at this moment, but she wasn't - she was a grad student in Milwaukee. Her shirt said "green" but was actually yellow. Today was certainly a surreal experience. A few hours later, she and Eric had finished cleaning up the stable, had put away all of the supplies, put all of the horses in their stalls. The children had gone home with their parents and their friends had promised to meet them in the mess hall after cleaning up. They walked over to the hill at the edge of the horse area and sat down for a minute to relax. Looking over at Erik, she noticed he was just as sweaty and dirty as she was. The look, the feeling of fatigue, it was so familiar. Sitting on this hill was something they had done so many summer nights over the last two years as their relationship had started to solidify. She sighed with contentment and looked out at the sunset. He put his arm around her and then started talking. About halfway thru his second sentence she realized this wasn't like any other night relaxing on the hill at all. No, this was something else entirely. She had been duped so wonderfully. This was a proposal!

Both Calie and Erik say there was hardly a time when they didn't know each other it seems. They met at summer camp and had always just kind of been friends. Friends turned to more than friends, and next year they will return to the camp to marry where they met. How sweet is that?

We had a fantastic time exploring around the Third Ward for their shoot, accompanied by the uber-cute pup Frankie. And we ended the evening with a stop at a local sports bar for a beer and a friendly game of foosball and cornhole.

Enjoy the slideshow:

Holiday Cards!

2008-11-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. But in the photography world we have been hearing about Christmas orders for at least a month now. I've held off as long as I can, but November is the Holiday ordering month around here.

I'm proud to introduce my 2008 line of Holiday Cards!

Featuring your photo (you choose which image). Each one is a single-sided 5x7 card, leaving the back for your personal note or signature. They can be ordered in a glossy cardstock, fine-art watercolor paper or pearlized paper for a bit of sparkle. And, they come with envelopes.

Colors and text content can be changed to suit your needs.

If you are interested in ordering these, please email me at molly@mthreestudio.com for a pdf full of info. And Brides & Grooms - you can use your product credit for these!

Order soon!

Here are the samples:

Voting

2008-11-04T10:28:00.004-06:00

I had planned to go down to Franksville and visit my Dad the poll-worker and get a few election day shots for you, but he called me this morning and said no cameras were allowed unless I have credentials. I don't. Apparently being the child of a poll-worker is not enough, even in tiny Franksville.

So then I thought, well I'll do a cute picture of Ringo wearing my "I Voted" sticker. But then, they didn't have any at our polling place. I guess they aren't concerned about inspiring people to vote today.

The news is abuzz with polling place reports of people standing in line for hours. Hubby and I got up early (hey, 8 am is early for us) and went to our polling place first thing this morning, anticipating a line. It turns out, if you aren't already registered, you get to go to a special table, fill out your registration and then skip the line. Woot! We were in and out in 20 minutes, tops. Hubby says "It is almost worth moving again before the next election!". We did feel kind of bad for all of the people in line that we passed on our way out.

So that is my long excuse on why I have no Mthree created photography for this post. My find on google images will have to do.

If you haven't voted yet today, please do. It is your right as an American citizen. One that has been fought for, died for, wished for and lived for by so many before you. We take it for granted all too often or we bellyache about how our vote doesn't count. Imagine if you weren't allowed to vote - now that would be something to complain about. So, no matter how long the line is today - stand in it.

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-11-03T10:00:00.001-06:00

I've been nursing a wicked cold all weekend so forgive me if this weeks' Misc. isn't too fabulous.

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Sunday I found enough energy to FINALLY finish planting the last of the plants in our front yard. So, the project that I had hoped to have done by the start of summer, then when I got more realistic, by the end of summer, is finally done (save for the mulching) in the middle of fall. What frustrates me the most about this is I actually really like working in the yard, I just never have time to do it.

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Big kudos to Assistant Jamie for sticking it out this Saturday with the same cold I have for Darcy & Bryon's wedding. We were quite the pair - though luckily she is a few days ahead of me in recovery. We doped ourselves up good and made it thru without anyone realizing we were sick I think. Whew!

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Speaking of this weekend's wedding, we were grabbing a quick shot of Darcy & Bryon in front of these seemingly generic windows in a hallway and I got seriously excited about it because of the beautiful light. I had to show them the preview on the camera, and Darcy says "Yes Molly, we know, the LIGHT!" and laughs. I guess I talk about light a bit too much.... :0)

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I just looked at my calendar and realized that there aren't any engagement shoots scheduled for November. So if anyone was hoping to sneak one in before the holidays - now is the time to say so!

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Take the time today to figure out where your polling place is for tomorrow. Everyone needs to vote. Everyone.
For those of you in Wisconsin, here is where you can figure that out.

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Speaking of the election, my Dad is retired, and one of his favorite volunteer jobs is working the local polling place in Franksville. I'm hoping to stop in and get a few shots of him in all of his election-glory. I'm not sure if they allow that sort of thing, but I'm hoping so.

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There was this article in the Journal Sentinel on Sunday about the new energy saving lightbulbs. I had no idea that a law had been passed that by 2010 all lightbulbs have to be these awful flourescent things. I certainly hope by then they figure out a better way of approximating tungsten light (like we currently get out of incandescent bulbs), because the current results are ghastly.

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Since my outdoor project is done, my new project is the inside of our house. I've been planning for some time to make the house interior my winter project. I'm hoping to really get a great bulk of painting, lighting fixture replacement and decorating done this winter. We have lived here almost two years and still I feel the need to make excuses when someone sees our house for the first time. I swore I would never be that person, and yet here I am. I've been stewing ideas all summer for our bedroom, my office and the living room, and the spare room. Now I just have to get Hubby's input...

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One other project I have for the last two months of the year is to finish the stack of business books I have. I asked for all of them last year for Christmas and I am only 1/2 way thru one of them and 3/4 of the way thru another one. I'm determined to get thru them before the year mark. I know I can proubably finish two of them on the way to and in Jamaica (nowhere better to read than the beach!), but I'm going to have to devote a bit of each evening to reach this goal. And well, you know I've got a new list for this christmas...

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I'm off to the SEWPPA meeting for the day and then off to meet Meghan about her wedding photography. Have a great Monday!

Sara & Brian | Engagement

2008-11-02T18:52:00.003-06:00

He looked over at her as she carefully scooped dirt around the base of the new tree they had just planted. They had been planting all day on this piece of land he had been nurturing for years. Many a day had been spent working this land together; mowing the grass, planting corn, just walking thru it even. He laughed quietly to himself remembering how when he had asked her to come see it the first time, she had asked if she needed to bring the poop bags for her dog. Roughing it hadn't been a part of her regular life clearly. But here today, planting trees, she looked like a natural, and he loved her for it. Finishing up a little while later, he asked her to come sit on the hill for a moment. She protested, claiming she was dirty and tired and really just wanted to get home. He convinced her anyway, and so then here they sat, overlooking the landscape and their hard work. The air was still, the sunset was impending, and the moment couldn't have been more perfect. He pulled her in close and put his hand out in front of her. Opening his fingers, he revealed a sparkling ring. She gasped and he laughed as he asked the all important question.

Sara & Brian had a trying shoot by anyone's standards - but they had the Best attitude and we had a great time regardless. Our plans for a beautiful fall color shoot got dampened a bit by the sprinkling rain that turned to actual rain eventually (messing with Sara's fabulous blow-out). What was great though, and such a testament to their relationship, was Brian and Sara's ability to see past the rain and have fun anyway and adapt. For a couple planning a March wedding - when the weather can be anything but predictable - this will serve them well. Oh yes, and we can chalk this union up to another eHarmony success story as well! I'm continually impressed by the matches that come from that (or any internet dating) service.

Oh yes, I must not forget the third member of this family - Mandy. She joined us for part of the shoot and was such a little angel.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Lindsay & Ben | Wedding

2008-10-31T11:20:00.000-05:00

The light was down right amazing. The location couldn't have been more beautiful. The bride was the epitome of glowing and gorgeous. The wedding party was fun, playful and full of personality (and carrying two buns in the oven!). The love in the air was thick and warm. It was a perfect wedding day.

The ceremony was at Kohler Andrae State Park which was beautiful and I think, quite an unknown gem. Lindsay and Ben smartly chose to marry at just the right time of day for the most beautiful light filtering in through the trees.

Lindsay & her girls hand-tied their own bouquets that morning, and they were beautiful:
For a girl that stops traffic, the only appropriate shoe shot:

Remember what I said about the light?

Just before they are announced:

The only time I've ever seen the guests get the bubbles rolling perfectly:

The fantastic wedding party:

I was having WAY too much fun with the light:

The reception was held at Breaking Bread in Sheboygan.

It was a beautiful wedding day, the kind that everyone dreams of. Lindsay & Ben - I had a wonderful time capturing your day. Congratulations!

There were too many lovely shots to post individually on the blog, so be sure to check out the slideshow:

A message from Ringo

2008-10-31T10:47:00.002-05:00

Aaarg! Eye me mateys! I says you should have a Happy Halloween! Aaarg!

Maggie & Steve | Engagement

2008-10-29T13:56:00.004-05:00

The golf ball hit the cup with the familiar hollow sound and a slight rattle as it settled into the divot at the bottom. He crouched down in front of the hole and looked inside. Moving quickly, he pulled the ring box out of the front pocket of his coat and quickly substituted the box for his ball in the hole. He turned around to see if she had gotten suspicious, and found he was safe. She was blowing her nose again. She had been sick for days. He almost felt bad about dragging her out of the house today when he knew she should be in bed. But time was marching on and he had to do this before their one-year anniversary or she was going to start expecting it. And he had put together such a good plan, and darn it, he was determined to make it happen, whether she was sick or not. He had already delayed the whole scheme by a few days. He stepped aside and she smiled, lining up her ball and club. With a calculated and confident swing she hit the ball. It rolled towards the hole, hovered just on the edge for a second and then fell in. She walked over, scooped up her ball and turned away towards the next green. He was incredulous. She hadn't seen it! Now what? Well, he thought, the plan had fallen apart this far, why not just scrap it all together and just go for it? He called out to her - "Wait! There is something in the hole!". She turned around, and he pointed it out. She picked it up and hit one knee.

Maggie & Steve are another eHarmony success story. Their first date had been at a mini-golf course, so Steve's carefully calculated engagement plan had been quite fitting, even if it didn't go according to his plan. And plan he does. We had a very specific plan in mind for their engagement story, and at the last minute we changed those plans to downtown Cedarburg. It ended up being a blast. I don't know that it would have mattered where we shot in all honesty - Steve is constantly cracking jokes and making light of the situation. And Maggie is constantly cracking up in response.

I put them in front of this green wall and gave Steve instructions to make Maggie laugh. In response, he did what is affectionately known as the "yoder dance":

And a little halloween fun in honor of the season:

Enjoy the slideshow!

Adrienne & Chris | Engagement

2008-10-28T18:35:00.002-05:00

The water was calm, the crickets were barely chirping, there wasn't even a wind - just a slight, slight breeze. Even Adrienne was calm, relaxed, happy. Yet he stared down at the camera in his fingers, hands trembling, sweat beads forming on his forehead. He took a deep breath. This moment right here, it wasn't the hardest part. He knew she was going to say yes. So many other things had been harder. Telling her he loved her. No, that had only been hard for a second. Asking her out for the first time. No, that was easy. Spending 4 and a half years apart. Well, not much beats that. Well, not much except hearing "Sit down, son." come out of what he hoped was his future father-in-law's mouth. They both knew why he was there. That had been a moment to sweat. And sweat he had. But this, this was just a formality almost. He knew the outcome, didn't he? Giving his head a quick shake, he wiped his hands on his jeans, set the camera down, hit the record button and ran back over to Adrienne who was waiting to take their picture in front of the lake. When he reached her, she smiled, and instead of turning back at the camera with her to smile he got down on one knee.

I love this shot. Adrienne and Chris met in gym class in high school, during a dance unit. Here they are trying to show me the crazy dance that brought them together:

We had a ton of fun on this shoot. Adrienne and Chris had lots of ideas as we explored, and we discovered (well, I discovered) that Adrienne has a strong fascination with birds. You'll see what we found in Anthropologie that she was pretty stoked about in the slideshow.
Enjoy the slideshow:

By Special Request - A Birthday.

2008-10-28T09:37:00.014-05:00

Since this particular honoree never got a birthday post last year, by special request I am bringing them out of retirement just for her (and then they are going back to days of no schedule, McDonald's coffee and naps on the couch).

Monica has been an absolute force in my life from the moment I met her. As the story goes (and I assure you it is entirely accurate) Monica emailed me in September of 2007, back when she was the owner of J. Cricket Events and asked to meet with me, well to basically evaluate me for use with her clients. I took that meeting, thrilled to make a connection with a planner and figured I would get a few weddings from it hopefully. I had no idea how much that simple act of saying yes to a meeting would impact my business and my life. A week later I walked into a Starbucks, sat down after a friendly handshake and neither one of us stopped talking for the next three hours. We quickly discovered that our meeting was more than serendipitous. The pictures of her wedding at the Lake Park Grand Staircase had inspired and solidified the ideas for my own, our husbands are eerily similar and our tastes are too. Sometimes you meet people who you just instantly click with. By the time I left that Starbucks I knew that this girl was my friend.

I have no brief meetings, no short conversations with Monica. You will often find us sitting in a car, chatting away for hours, having gotten there in the first place with intentions of one of us dropping the other off for the end of the day. We have leaned on each other over the past year plus as both of our businesses have taken off. We have pushed each other, held up the mirror of hard reality and been the ear to listen. I know I wouldn't be where I'm at without the support and incredible un-ending flow of encouragement she has given me with my business. Monica is always the first person to remind you how fabulous you are, how amazing you are and give you a hug. I am so very grateful for this wonderful woman who I call my friend. I am someone who has been blessed with an amazing set of friends, and Monica is definitely one of them.

So... Happy Birthday Monica!
Head on over to her blog and drop some birthday love on the girl!

Response

2008-10-28T09:31:00.008-05:00

Hmmm.... suggest the mere idea to take away Miscellaneous Monday and suddenly you all have emerged! Thanks for all of your wonderful comments. It is so nice to know others are reading the blog and enjoy it. I love comments and got such a kick out of having so many yesterday!

Hubby (and Ringo) did a little victory dance last night and Hubby kept walking around, shaking his fist in the air and declaring "The people have spoken....and Hubby is right!". Miscellaneous Mondays are here to stay.

I have two more posts coming up today, maybe three. So hang on to your seats.

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-10-27T09:29:00.009-05:00

Does anyone read the Miscellaneous Monday posts (besides Hubby)? I get the feeling that these aren't a popular feature, and I'm happy to steer the blog more towards what the readers want to see. Let me know in the comments today if you look forward or even enjoy the Misc. Monday feature, or if you would prefer something else. And a clue as to what that something else is, or what you do like - would be most appreciated. Because really, if Hubby is the only one reading them - then I can just email it to him every Monday.

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This last weekend was my one weekend off from the Wedding Guantlet that started 10 weddings ago and continues on from this point for seven more. I'd like to say I spent the whole time in a spa or lounging on the couch - not so much. I did get a bunch of work done (meaning more shoots are edited than have been blogged about (!). And I got to spend some time with a few neglected people in my life.

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My BF Jamie and I took our dogs out for a nice long walk in adorable Greendale. When we both went to put their sweatshirts on (it was pretty chilly) we discovered that we had both bought the same one for each of them. It was totally hilarious, and so indescribably cute. Chasing them thru the park we both thought this was a great foreshadowing of our lives to come - I can just see us dressing our kids alike and chasing them in a park one day. Ha!

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I got spend a little time today with my Mom and we baked her signature chocolate chip cookies. She is famous for them in the family, and though they largely follow the recipe on the back of the toll house bag, she has her own touches that make them uniquely hers, and very, very hard to copy. I love cooking with my Mom, well because for one, she is an excellent cook (and Lord knows I could use a little of that), two because she has a great way of teaching without making you feel dumb, and three because cooking or baking with her always comes with great stories of my Grandma, who taught her to cook. That is most definately a person I miss very much, and many of my memories of her revolve around cooking too, so I love hearing my Mom tell these stories.

The cookies came out perfectly. I must make my notes so I can attempt them on my own next time.

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My Brother-in-Law's mother is in the hospital with a sudden illness. Get better quickly Liz!

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Our niece had a Birthday this weekend - and we missed the party. I know I've given up the birthday posts - and I have a policy against doing them for those under 18, but since we missed her party, I wanted her to have a little shout-out. Happy Birthday Jordan!

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Some claim to have seen fleeting glimpses of snow today. Anyone who says they have is crazy in my book. I'm still trying to enjoy the falling leaves and not mourn the loss of summer. Snow is a bit pre-mature at this point. Can we at least get past Halloween?

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A bunch of people I know were at the New Kids on the Block concert this last week. I find it hilarious that a group I adored as a 6th grader (and my first concert - remember that Christie?) is now popular again in some odd way. Jamie reports that the concert was really good. I am skeptical.

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Ringo can't wait to show everyone his Halloween costume on Friday. Yes, I have become that person.

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I've got something new I'm launching later this week. Can't wait to show you all!

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Almost forgot: Starbucks now has signature hot chocolate. The caramel one with salt tastes just like you are drinking the heavenly truffles from that Bride & Bloom feature I was telling you about last week. The salt really makes it. Heavenly!

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Have a good one!

Heather & Chris | Wedding

2008-10-25T12:32:00.008-05:00

Heather & Chris were a bit of a last-minute booking for me, about six weeks before their wedding. We didn't have any time to fit in an engagement session for these two since they live in Ohio, so that is why you haven't seen them before. No matter, their day was fantastic.

The ceremony was at the gorgeous Gesu on the Marquette Campus, which really can't be beat for drama and beauty:

Chris had his Dad serve as his Best Man. I thought this shot shows a great "like father like son" moment. Almost identical mannerisms:

We headed out for some picture time with the wedding party and their parents:

This little guy (the ringbearer) was so awesome for the camera. He just looks fantastic, I swear he is a child model, or at least he should be ( I tell you he did this pose all on his own). To his Mom - if you are reading this - I would be happy to take more pictures of your little man. He was a joy to work with!

I'm going to skip ahead for a moment and say the same about this little munchkin too. She looks fantastic on camera - so photogenic. I'm not sure if they are siblings or cousins, but they did dance together. (Same offer to her parents):

Awesome Bouquets:

It was hot:

Fantabulous wedding party:

After we sent the wedding party back to the trolley and headed down an alley for some time with just Heather & Chris, two groomsmen came walking up (see the slideshow) with these shackles. I thought they had made them just for the occasion, but it turns out they borrowed them from a nearby construction site. Seriously, two of my favorite shots from the day. I am in their debt:

Then it was off to a fantastic reception at the Eisner Museum:

Check out the slideshow for some serious guest antics and more beauty from the ceremony:

Kim & Mike | Engagement

2008-10-22T11:18:00.004-05:00

"I have the perfect girl for you" his friend declared. With a bit of a cocky air, Mike thought. He had been set up before. It had always been a disaster. And it always started off with 'I have the perfect girl for you'. Funny how those that had already found their someone were so confident they could find that person for their friends so easily. Mike rolled his eyes and thought, what is one more try? "Okay" he said, "lay it on me". Later the next day he found himself walking into a mexican restaurant, somewhat begrudgingly, on his way to meet the "perfect girl". He nodded at the hostess and turned the corner to walk into the bar. She was supposed to be wearing blue. Scanning the bar tables, his eyes stopped on a gorgeous creature swirling her margarita and shyly glancing around the bar. And wearing blue. He paused where he was, not so much out of his own decision, but out of the fact that his feet were suddenly glued to the floor. The rest of the room seemed to fade away into a melted mess of color and the upbeat spanish music became a low mumble in his ears, barely audible. Minutes passed, but they felt like seconds. This is what it must be like, he thought to himself. This is what is like when you see her. The one. She looked up from her table and met his gaze. He managed to unglue his feet and the room around him came back up to speed again like someone had turned the power back on. Walking over to the table he laughed to himself. Just when you are sure she isn't out there.... "Hi, I'm Mike, you must be Kim".

Well, it might have been love at first sight for Mike, but Kim admits it took her a couple of months. After spending a couple of hours with them, I can see that about them. Mike is much more impulsive, much more the type to jump in feet first, and Kim is much more the type to wait, watch and make a informed decision. Which is proubably part of why they complement each other so well.

We hit up the family farm of my good friends The Nelsons (thanks again guys!) and had some fun dodging sheep, exploring fields and swatting bugs for this session. I also took them out to this tree that I have had my eyes on for years, it is just so cool, and the perfect expression of two people like this coming together and coexisting as a unit.

Kim and Mike really brought it for their session. They look fantastic on camera.

The Mthree Signature Portrait:

Check out more of our fun in the slideshow:

Published......in a National magazine!

2008-10-21T12:40:00.004-05:00

I've been meaning to blog about this for awhile.

Mthree Studio has been published in a national magazine!

Run to your nearest Target store and pick up the latest issue of Bride & Bloom:

Turn to page 58 and you will see my photographs showcasing the fantabulous work of Monica of The White Box of Wedding Design, who was selected to design her version of a "Hollywood Glamour" wedding:

The magazine does this little challenge every issue, with three different wedding designer/planners. And not to be biased, but Monica totally blew the other two out of the water. Her design and concept are fantastic, and beautifully executed. I was honored to be asked to photograph the work for the magazine. If you remember me mentioning in a Miscellaneous Monday post about being barefoot in Bacchus, this was why.

Monica wrote a wonderful little recap on all of the behind the scenes action. Click here to check it out.

And for all of you Brides out there, Bride & Bloom is a nice magazine to add to your reading. It is more about the plan, feel and look of your day, and less about what dress to wear or what deodorant will work best. More about design and guest experience. Check it out!

Nancy & Eric | Encore Session

2008-10-21T09:00:00.005-05:00

Yeah, I changed the name again. "Repeat Performance" suggested that something went wrong the first time. At the moment it is an "Encore Session". No matter what you call it, it is a trashing of the dress, light on the trashing this time.

Nancy and Eric bid on an Encore session from me in a charity auction and won, and so two weeks after their wedding, we hit the streets of Racine (my hometown) for some fun in their wedding day duds. Okay, well Eric wore a suit, but he looked great anyway.

Since it was a session won thru an auction, I presented the option to Nancy and Eric of opening it up to other photographers as well. They were game, and so my pals Scott Patrick, Nat Devauer and Mia Stevens joined in on the fun. Having other photographers there obviously changed the way I shot the session. We were all calling out direction to Nancy and Eric at once (well, we took turns), and so there are plenty of set-ups I wouldn't have thought of, or locations I wouldn't have seen normally. It is always fun to stretch outside of the proverbial box. If you want to check out someone else's interpretation, you can see Mia's version here.

Feroche, again:

I hope Nancy gets some of these of her printed up beautifully for Eric as a gift.

Nancy brought these fabulous pink shoes as an alternate choice and we, as photographers, were completely obsessed.
You have never heard a group of people tell a bride "lift up your dress a little so we can see your shoes!" so many times, trust me.

I hope that Hubby and I look this good when we are parents to an 11 year old (which these two are).

Nancy & Eric, you rocked the camera for all of the sessions I had with you. Hope you had fun!

Sarah & Jim | Wedding

2008-10-20T10:00:00.004-05:00

Sarah & Jim had a gorgeous wedding in Lake Geneva. Everything came together for a spectacular day - a relaxed bride, fun wedding party, gorgeous colors, loving families, tears of joy and tons of laughter.

Feroche:

When Sarah got Jimmy's card and gift - it was a little hard to hold it together. Check the slideshow for a fun reaction:

The guys' getting ready routine is always more truncated, but Jim and his men milked their morning for all it was worth by fitting in a great round of 18. And being a former "drink cart girl" I jumped in a golf cart and found them out on the course for a few shots.

Before we knew it, it was ceremony time:

Jim's face as Sarah came down the aisle was one of the best I've seen:

And then it was off for some fun:

The reception was held at the Geneva National, and that is also where everyone got ready that day. I must say, the service there was impeccable. The staff was quick, attentive and light on their feet. When Harmony and I showed up in the pro-shop to see what hole the guys were on, no only did they know exactly where they were, but they had a golf cart waiting for us before we even hit the bottom of the stairs. Top notch. I don't usually gush about venues, but this one deserves it!

And, lest you think I forgot - here is the details board. Sarah did such a beautiful job pulling it all together.

You can check out more of Sarah & Jim's day in their slideshow. We had the lucky chance of some of Baraboo's circus wagons being on display next to the lake, so we took full advantage, and Sarah & Jim even found one to make fun of. And, watch for the one "troublemaker" groomsman (there is always one). He'll be the one with the pizza in his mouth.

Congratulations Sarah & Jim!

The Best Location.... Ever.

2008-10-17T10:35:00.008-05:00

Sometimes I marvel at how much fun I have with my brides....

When we arrived at the girl's holding room at the church for Sarah & Jim's wedding - Sarah and I immediately zoomed in on these ultra fabulous, vintage-chic chairs. The look on her face was clear - we must have a sassy shot on these chairs!

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I kid, I kid. They were horrible, and gross. And really the rest of the room was just as uninspiring. But Sarah's level of humor was high, so we had fun with it.

We thought they were so awful, we couldn't help doing a fun shot on them just for the blog. This is why I love my brides.

Of course, Sarah, this means that I'm working on your wedding images today.... !!!
More to come, of the usual {actual} fabulous nature.

Jenn & Mike | Wedding

2008-10-16T09:26:00.004-05:00

Okay, so you know with a starter picture like that, this must be an off-beat wedding, right?

And it was, in a way. A morning ceremony at The Polish Center, followed by a brunch style meal, complete with chef prepared (as you order) omelets. Pretty fantastic really. It was all food, mingling and laughter, and then by mid afternoon - it was over.

Jenn asked if we could do something a bit different for their picture time following all of the celebration, and so she suggested a bowling alley and a coffee shop. The idea definately got us some looks, but it was also crazy fun, and resulted in some memorable images.

I have no idea why I chose so many black and whites for this post - must have been my mood.

Enjoy the slideshow:

New Galleries!

2008-10-16T01:16:00.004-05:00

I just finished updating all of the galleries and other images on my website. The changeover was long overdue and I finally got it done. Granted it is after 1am, but oh well.
It is just so hard to get the selections down to a manageable number. I still think there are too many images in the galleries - but I just couldn't cut out anymore tonight.

Check it out please and let me know what you think.

And there is one brand-new never-before-seen image from Lindsay & Ben's wedding hanging out on one page, just waiting to be noticed. I couldn't resist using it even though that wedding hasn't been edited yet - it was too perfect!

Okay, time for bed now.

Darcy & Bryon | Engagement

2008-10-14T10:51:00.003-05:00

He nuzzled her cheek and she giggled lightly and looked down. There on her finger was a sparkling diamond, catching the glow of the streetlights and dazzling her with the little lightshow. It seemed so bold - but then Bryon had always been a bold one. Bold, she thought, when he had walked up to her at that college party and asked her to dance. Bold when he had asked her out not long after. And thru the years that followed, she had shed some of her shyness and taken on a little of his boldness. They had bought a house together, found happiness in the ordinary, in the everyday. She loved how he made more out of the ordinary than what she saw. How he took her shyness and turned it inside out. And tonight he had done it again, had just took an ordinary moment and made it extraordinary. He had gotten up to go to the bathroom at the restaurant and when he returned, he didn't sit down, but took one knee instead and the world had stopped, just for a heartbeat, only picking up speed again when she said "yes!". Yes, she thought to herself, leaning on his shoulder and breathing in his scent, yes to being his wife, yes to their future, yes to more of extraordinary.

Darcy and Bryon are a joy to shoot. They are up for just about anything and tolerate my goofy excitement over good light. And their connection is so apparent. I can sit them down and within seconds there it is - just ready to be captured.

Their wedding is in just three weeks - can't wait!

Enjoy the slideshow:

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-10-13T08:55:00.003-05:00

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Yesterday one of my brides said that she can't see the entirety of pictures on my blog. I mentioned she has to stretch her browser over - and she said that doesn't work. Hmmm... this led to "Are you a mac or a pc?" She's a PC, I'm a Mac, I can stretch my browser to solve the problem, she can't. This was disturbing to learn - that all of this time so many of you are viewing chopped off pictures possibly. Is this true? Do you know any solutions? Please, please chime in!

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On that same note, if you see something wonky on my blog or website - don't assume I know about it - please tell me! Thanks!

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I watched the season premiere of The Starter Wife, and I'm sad to say I am deeply disappointed. I loved the mini-series last year. And all of the previews for this now weekly series indicated it would be more of the same. What a let-down! They changed one of the key characters - her ex-husband - so much, he isn't even the same character. Not only is a different actor, but his personality, behavior and trajectory are totally different. He was such a great sleaze ball in the mini-series, and now he is just this pathetic loser. It really lowers the interest factor big time. One of her friends is totally missing - the fun, exciting one, Cricket. The big studio executive she was sort of flirting with - totally missing. The daughter is different too - though that seems to have worked out. The cool security guard from the Malibu compound - missing. Call me crazy, but seems that this token black character has been replaced with the wife of a pro-baseball player. What, the starter wife can't be friends with a security guard? Where are these great characters? They were such a big part of her transformation from trophy wife to independent woman in the mini-series, and now they are just gone? I'm giving it one more week...

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We have an outdoor ceremony this Saturday - everyone please cross their fingers, toes and whatever else you can in support of Joe & Kristin - let's hold on to the good weather just long enough for them!

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Ryan Braun's homerun is on the new iphone commercial, which talks about this cool MLB app that is available. Hubby downloaded the app immediately. Pretty cool for our stadium to be shown in a national ad.

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Why don't people call you back? Like in general? If I leave a message with someone - why don't they return the call?
Or, when someone, a professional someone, says they will follow up on such and such a date or time - why don't they?
Why have I come to expect this behavior and am instead delighted when someone does as they say they will?
Just a general "Ugh" I've been pondering lately.
(this item not meant towards anyone in particular)

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I'm off to an engagement shoot in morning light - life is good!

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Have a great Monday!

Julie & Tom | Wedding

2008-10-10T00:12:00.002-05:00

Julie & Tom had one of the loveliest, most heartwarming weddings I have ever seen. The type of wedding where you feel honored to be sitting in that seat witnessing it, to be there at all. Their self-written vows were heart-stopping. I distinctly remember Tom talking about how he hadn't expected to find anyone in life, how he had planned to go it solo, and then he met Julie and suddenly he had a reason to be a better Tom. The love, and the appreciation these two have for each other is worth emulating.

The attitude of this Bride and Groom throughout their day was also worth emulating. So carefree, so blissfully happy - even family formals were a blast with this group!
But first, the first look:

The style of this wedding was most certainly non-traditional, but so well edited and chosen at the same time.
Take note of the coordinated men's ties on all of the guys above (found on etsy Julie tells me), and Julie's dress was certainly anything by typical - a gorgeous Nicole Miller that suited her personality perfectly. Here is a little detail eye-candy for you:

This little munchkin was beyond cute, and she loved the camera:

But her sister was the flower girl (in a custom "twirly" dress made by grandma) and had her own brand of cuteness going on:

Ceremony:

A couple of portraits:

Reception:

Julie & Tom - Congratulations!
I was honored to be the one to record your memories of this day.

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Lisa & Steve | Engagement

2008-10-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her hair. Tonight they had celebrated seven years together. Seven years. It had been so long, and had gone so quickly. She looked down at her hand, now newly adorned with a sparkling diamond and the promise of the future. She looked again at the woman staring back at her in the mirror - quite different from the girl who had giggled and flirted her way through that Admirals Game where they had met. She laughed to herself now too, thinking of how strange it was that they had attended school together for years, one never really knowing about the other until that day when they happened to sit next to each other at the game. A few years later when it became clear that Steve was the one, her college roommate had scoffed at her, replying "Don't be silly Lisa, no one meets the love of their life in High School".
Maybe they do, she thought to herself now, looking down at the ring again and remembering the sweet words he had used to propose, the glowing candlelight all around them, the warm feeling that had washed over her. Maybe they do...

Steve was the one who contacted me. In all honesty, I take notice when I hear from grooms, it is fairly rare for them to be the ones in charge of finding a photographer. Once I met them both, it was clear that Steve was just trying to do his part to keep wedding planning from overtaking their lives, and from increasing Lisa's stress level. How sweet! They were a blast to shoot with, always joking and smiling and laughing. We had fun chasing light along the lakefront, swapping stories and telling tales. And, I have to admit, I have a special soft spot for any couple that got engaged after dating seven years - that was Hubby's and my magic number too.

Enjoy the slideshow:

Jill & Jim | Engagement

2008-10-06T21:39:00.004-05:00

I am in love with the blow-out on the above picture. I've been wanting to do something like that for awhile, and the sunny day we spent shooting Jill & Jim's session was perfect for it. So don't bother emailing me about the blow-out on my highlights - I know - it was intentional. :0)

The pub they had wandered into was full of energy. A cacaphony of different conversations swirled around them, punctuated by cheers for the football game on the television. The walls were covered in old photographs and memorabilia, reaching back at least a hundred years. It was exactly as you would imagine an Irish pub to be - old, musty, full of "regulars" and good times. He ordered them a couple of pints and they chose a table near a window, next two two french woman chatting away. It was a delayed anniversary gift, this trip, six months of waiting for the date to finally arrive. But now that they were here, it was perfect, he couldn't have planned it better if he had tried. Six months ago it wouldn't have been nearly a much fun, he hadn't loved her this much. Their beer arrived and they both took a long slow sip. savoring the new flavor. She leaned back in her pub chair and looked out the window. The fading daylight caught her face just right from his vantage point and he thought, here in this moment, she had never been more beautiful. And there it was, all of a sudden, an urge had popped into his chest and without further thought or delay he grabbed her hand and burst with a question, "Will you marry me?" She laughed and cried out "Yes!" and they immediately jumped up from their seats to embrace. The French women next to them began talking excitedly and taking pictures. He hugged her closer and realized he would never love her as much as he did right now, it would always be more.

Jill & Jim met because of Jim's dog, Jarvis. Some mutual friends (unbeknownst) had recently bought a dog as well, and met Jim because he had gotten his at the same time. Those friends introduced Jim to Jill and friendship quickly turned into courtship. So it seemed only fitting that Jarvis come along for part of the shoot. He was fun, and such a good sport about traipsing up and down the many trails - even when we got lost and looped back twice. I took him from Jim for a moment on the beach so Jim could adjust his sleeves - assuring him that I was stronger than I looked and I could handle him. Ummm, no. I was wrong. Jarvis is crazy strong - and I was seconds from ending up in the lake with him when Jim grabbed the leash back. Note to self - do not become a large dog handler.

Jill & Jim's wedding is this weekend! They planned the whole shindig in four months. It should be a blast, so watch soon for their wedding pics.

Enjoy the slideshow:

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-10-06T15:38:00.002-05:00

I know that they lost, but I still say GO BREWERS!
What an amazing season. Hubby and I were able to make it to the playoff game on Sunday and it was so exciting to be there and be a part of it. There is nothing like looking across the stadium and seeing 48,000 other people banging their thunder sticks in unison to a beat, all to support their team.

I don't for a second think that any of the players read my blog - but guys - THANK YOU for a great season. As fans, we feel only gratitude!

Oh, and by a true moment of serendipity - Hubby and I ran in to Resl and Tim from The White Box on the bus to the game. How awesome is that!

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In other sports news it was a rough weekend if you are a Wisconsinite - both the Badgers and the Packers lost (in addition to the Brewers losing their chance in the playoffs). Rough, very rough.

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We turned on the furnace last night. I guess it is officially fall. Which we all know is only a slippery slope into winter around here. We actually had a frost advisory the other night. I know this is getting old - but what the heck happened to summer?!?

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Someone asked me last week about my blog posts - how do I decide what to say about each couple, and do I write about each one. In all honesty, I don't have a formula. I write about what struck me about them, what I observed, or sometimes how I felt as a photographer on their shoot. Let's be honest, often I spend whole paragraphs talking about how awesome the light was. Sometimes the posts are long, sometimes they are short. Sometimes I'm super busy and they are really basic. Sometimes it is 11pm at night and I could go on for paragraphs. It really is a bit of a crap shoot. Hmmm....
Oh and yes, every couple does get a blog post about their engagement and their wedding. No one gets left out.

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The art installers were here today finally hanging my anniversary gift, hubby's anniversary gift (more on that later) and a number of other pieces that we have been meaning to hang up. It is so weird to see stuff actually on the wall. It is like we live here or something...

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I found out two more {professional} friends are pregnant last week. That brings the total of pregnant women in my little circle of the world up to five. Is there something in the water? Isn't it weird how this stuff seems to happen in waves?

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Sorry I don't have much content today - I've got to get back to business. I've lost most of today with the mac guy here fixing some things with my system and the art installers... Have a great Monday!

Details...

2008-10-03T15:15:00.003-05:00

A little eye candy for your weekend. I finally sat down and made details boards for the last three weddings I blogged about.
I designed and made all the paper goods for both Kates - something I used to do, but no longer offer.

Check it out:

Kate and Andy:

Kate and Bobak:

Nancy and Eric:

Nancy & Eric | Wedding

2008-10-03T10:08:00.005-05:00

Nancy and Eric had a fantastic wedding day full of laughing friends, emotional moments and beautiful blue skies.

We started the day off at the salon. Nancy's daughter Mariah just couldn't stop smiling - she was so excited:

Nancy was pretty giddy herself:

Eric is always on his cell phone. He was getting minute-by-minute updates on where all of the girls were from his hotel room:

His Dad was super cute - so excited, so happy:

Adorable shoes:

Nancy had the most vibrant and brave color palette - burnt orange with purple. And she pulled it off in fantastic fashion throughout the day.

One quick smile before meeting her dad:

Receiving line in the courtyard:

The girls were so fun:

Check out this sky:

Ring shot on the fountain at the end of the night:

All in all, their day was great. I've had a few couples with kids this year, and I love seeing them incorporated into the day. Nancy and Eric reserved a special moment to speak to Mariah privately during the ceremony and they even had a special ring just for her. And in probably one of the craziest things I've seen at a reception- the wedding party rode in on giant tricycles for the grand march. Watch for that and other antics in the slideshow.

Enjoy the Slideshow:

You haven't seen the last of these two yet. They did a "Repeat Performance" session a week after they returned from their honeymoon - so watch for those pictures soon!

Kate & Andy | Wedding

2008-10-01T09:39:00.005-05:00

Today is Kate & Andy's one month anniversary - Happy Anniversary guys! I couldn't think of a better gift than to see your pictures - so I've been waiting a few days to post this.

Kate & Andy were married at Bishop's Bay in Middleton on a incredibly beautiful day. The small country club is beautifully situated on Lake Mendota, with the Capitol visible across the water. This is another one of those weddings where there is just so much to tell you about, so hold on to your seats:

Kate's beautiful Paloma Blanca gown:

The ladies had a great view of the ceremony starting to take shape from the getting ready room:

Andy, waiting to walk out the doors:

I love that you can see Kate peeking thru the doors behind Melissa here:

I took a risk and got a different vantage point on this bridal entrance:

They had their rings in a small (real!) bird's nest and it was passed around thru the guests so that each could bless them before they exchanged the rings:

Kate's flower choices were so gorgeous - the color combination was entrancing. I took my cue for editing from this selection actually - clean, crisp and vibrant:

The lakeside ceremony had so many incredibly personal touches, it was really a great one to be part of. They had several people responsible for delivering a message about marriage as it related to a certain body of water (which had been significant to Kate & Andy). They each had a vial of this water, and combined them as they spoke, forming one larger vial of water, which Kate & Andy used to water a fig tree for their new home.

We took just a few minutes in the pine trees and on the lakefront to grab a few shots:

Before we knew it, it was time for the reception to begin:

Their first dance was an upbeat Aretha Franklin song - and they totally improvised and had fun with it:

They had the most heartwarming speeches. Kate's Dad even got up I think three times because he kept remembering something else he wanted to say!

The dancefloor was packed like I have never seen before. At times there was no room for anyone to join in - check the slideshow for a shot of that. Kudos to Celebrations DJ, they did a great job!

Kate really enjoyed the dancefloor, and her hair totally took the hit for that. I have never seen a bride do this - but where there is a need, there is a solution:

Andy's mother's family all huddled in the corner of the tent and I overheard them discussing how best to ambush Kate. I kept an eye on them and they ended up all forming this group around her and singing this wonderful little version of "consider yourself one of the family" at the top of their lungs. It was a huge hit:

And, because all of this fabulousness wasn't enough - they had an after party of pizza and beer pong. Dartmouth beer pong to be exact, which I found was totally different from Wisconsin beer pong. Their friends even made custom wedding beer pong tables in their colors with pics of them decopaged on them.

The ring shot. Points to whomever can figure out where I shot it:

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Alex | Two Years Old

2008-09-30T09:40:00.004-05:00

You might remember Alex from his One Year Old session. I had the honor of shooting with him again this year for his 2 year old pictures. He has grown so much, I don't even know if I can describe it.

One thing is for sure, chasing a two year old during a shoot is way harder than when they are one! He is so willful and full of his own ideas now, I had to just follow his lead and see where he took me instead of directing him.

There was one common theme to our shoot though: Ball. It was the one word Alex really knew well, and it is his one obsession. Seriously, the kid loves balls like most love their security blankets. We played golf, tee-ball, watched some tennis, but all Alex would say was "Ball". If we tried to distract him from the balls, he would look at what we were pointing at, think a second, then look up at us and say "Ball". This shot, where he is hugging a ball he found, I think demonstrates the depth of his love:

And just to show how much he has grown, here is last year's walking away shot, and then this year's (below):

Let the cuteness begin:

The quintessential "I'm 2!" shots:

Alex "hung" for the first time from these parallel bars on our shoot:

Alex, I'm really looking forward to being your annual photographer. I had a blast, I hope you did too.

The Barbers | A Family

2008-09-29T12:31:00.002-05:00

I squeezed in this family shoot right after a double whammy weekend in Madison and right before an engagement shoot. The Barber's were super understanding about my fatigue because well, they are my cousins. And they were so kind to let assistant Jamie and I spend the night at their house after the wedding that doing a quick family session for them was a no brainer.

I do wish we had more time, it was less hot (it was like 90 degrees that day) and that I hadn't been so tired. Zach and Morgan had more than enough energy to make up for the rest of us though:

Thanks Guys!

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-09-28T09:34:00.004-05:00

GO BREWERS! GO BREWERS! GO BREWERS!
Please configure your playoff wins and losses so that you are playing on Sunday - that is the only day that Hubby and I can use our playoff tickets.

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I don't get it when people don't use the word "and" or the symbol "&" while blogging. Why is this cute? For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, say you were me blogging about a couple. Instead of writing Sue & John, you would write Sue...John. I don't get it, and actually I find it quite annoying.

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As the weather turns colder (curse the words) the mice are back in our stove exhaust fan duct. This year though, we have Ringo to bark incessantly at their arrival. (A joy we don't fully appreciate for sure) I think Hubby and I might have finally found how they are getting in, so hopefully we can put a stop to the invasion. In finding the possible solution, it is clear that something is living under our deck also. >sigh<

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I shot at the infamous Gesu this last weekend - gorgeous...gorgeous...gorgeous. And not all strict and particular like I had heard. It was really interesting seeing a full-blown serious catholic ceremony. Very different from what I usually see at weddings.
A lot of sitting.

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I've been watching this artist's work for awhile, and it always brings a smile to my face. Check out the daily street installations for yourself on his blog: Little People
One day when I go to London, you can bet I'll be trying to find one of these little installations.

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That's all I've got today - I'll be spending the whole day editing, as per usual these days. :0)
Watch for two weddings this week!

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Happy Monday!

Krista & Ray | Engagement

2008-09-25T15:17:00.004-05:00

Looking out the monorail window, he watched the scenery of the themepark slide by. Snow covered mountains, screaming rollercoasters, twinkling lights and floating balloons. Not the most sophisticated of locations for sure, but definately fun, and a little surreal. Kind of like the last couple of years had been. With a couple of clicks of a mouse he had found her on the internet. A few conversations had led to their first date on New Year's Eve. That had been brave, he thought to himself now - kind of a big night to possibly ruin with a sour first date. Ahh, but it had been sweet he recalled, smiling to himself. The road from there had been so obvious, they started dating, bought a home together, adopted a dog...now what? A few minutes later they were strolling up the main street towards the castle. The warm light of dusk illuminated their faces and she pulled ahead of him in a half-run to get to the castle. He pulled back on her arm, and she spun around, wondering why he was stopping her. In one smooth motion he went down on one knee and pulled out the ring they had chosen. The people all around them stopped in their tracks and paused to hear her answer. "Yes!" she cried, and he swung her around in a big bear hug. This was no fairytale ending, it was only just beginning.

Krista & Ray brought their dogs along for part of our shoot, Miles and Kobe. I can't believe that I actually caught Kobe making this face at Miles:

Krista & Ray are another successful Match.com story. We had such a great time on their shoot - we hit more locations and they changed outfits more times than any couple I have shot. When Krista told me about their ideas for the shoot - I warned her that we might be biting off more than we could chew. She said Ray's motto is "go big or go home" and I knew instantly that I was going to like him - Hubby and I embrace that motto whole-heartedly. They were awesome to shoot with and I'm really looking forward to their wedding next year - it is sure to be a fun-filled, relaxed backyard affair.

Enjoy the Slideshow:

Amanda & Curtis | Engagement

2008-09-24T08:34:00.001-05:00

The chug, chug, chug of the ski lift left an echo hanging in the air above them. She hit her fist against the palm of her other hand, trying to encourage blood flow and warm them up. He swung his skis back and forth below them - a move he knew made her nervous. She looked over at him playfully, fully aware he was trying to get her going with the ski swinging. He smiled and adjusted his gloves. She reached over and squeezed his arm. It had been thirteen years since they first made the trip up this same ski lift on their first date. He had changed so much, and so had she. They had grown together and apart, and then back together again. They jumped off the chair and onto the top of the mountain with a soft swish of the snow. There weren't many others out here tonight. They had made a tradition of coming back year after year to ski this mountain. He looked over, she was adjusting her boots. So much is the same, he thought. The air, the cold, the place, the time of year. And he was about to change it all. She scooted over to where he was and looked up, smiling impishly. This little spot was also part of their ritual - it was where they had their first kiss, and year after year, they had kissed again and then plunged down the mountain, racing each other to the bottom. She really wanted to win that race this year. He smiled at her, and then he took off his gloves. In his hand was a ring, hanging in the air above them now was a question and an answer...

Amanda and Curtis were an absolute pleasure to shoot. We had such a great time chasing light all over Lake Park and the beach.
And the light - it was a particularly great day for light. These two were so great to work with, so open, so comfortable with each other and such a delight to talk to. I think we could have sat on that beach and talked for hours if it hadn't started getting a little chilly. I can't wait for their wedding. It will be such an honor to see such a solid couple come together officially, and Amanda is going to be a stunning bride.

Enjoy the Slideshow!

Kelly & Alex | Engagement

2008-09-23T08:51:00.003-05:00

They strolled thru the gardens hand in hand. They came here a lot to hang out. It was quiet, and there was always something new to discover. A gentle breeze blew her hair and she turned to look at him. So often when she did look at him, she thought he looked the same as they had when they met at 16. The same sweet boy who had offered to share his grape cotton candy, though she could tell he really didn't want to. The same sweet boy who had spent all summer riding his bike 15 miles to the fast food restaurant where she worked, just to leave flowers on her dashboard, everyday. The same young man who came home almost every weekend to visit her that first year of college. The same young man who had answered the phone in the middle of the night to listen to her latest academic crisis. They went down a few rocky steps and she thought about how he was still so much the same as all of these memories, and yet, so different in ways she could have never anticipated. They sat down on a bench overlooking a large expanse of field and trees, all brilliantly colored by autumn hues. She breathed it in and closed her eyes. He whispered her name and she turned to him and in that moment she realized, here he was, the same young man who was now proposing.

For Kelly & Alex's engagement shoot, we returned to the scene of their engagement at the Boerner Botanical Gardens. You couldn't have asked for a better day, the weather was perfect. And we had a fantastic time running around the gardens, finding hidden nooks and even doing cartwheels.

Thanks to a new job for Alex, these two have moved their wedding date up eight months and will now be tying the knot in November.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Maybe it was the wedding cake...

2008-09-21T09:24:00.002-05:00

Maybe it was the wedding cake I had last night (oh, sooooo good!). Or maybe it was the combination of wedding cake and the Topper's Original Cheesestix that I ate at 12:30 this morning.

Somehow, something came together and gave me a crazy dream early this morning. The kind of dream where you wake up and you still feel that it is your reality. The kind of dream where you remember vividly what you said, did, and how it felt. That kind of crazy dream.

And this dream was scary - though it wasn't a nightmare. I was married to someone (not Hubby, that part was clear) who had a bunch of teenagers that I had acquired thru this marriage. I was in our house and these teenagers were so very disrespectful - having friends over without permission, doing whatever they wanted, not going to school, etc. In the dream I was walking up to them one by one and cleaning up the situation (mystery husband, it felt like, was off at work or something). I got rid of the ten kids the boy had brought over because he didn't ask permission (amazing thing was I explained this to him, and he listened, and made his friends leave), I got the girl to change her clothes to something more appropriate and to clean up the mess she had left everywhere. These little 'shake ups' went on thru a few more kids - it felt very much like I was whipping the house and family into shape and doing a whole "new sheriff in town" kind of routine. And then, I opened the door to a new room, having just put all the teenagers straight, and found two small children (like, toddlers). These two children were mine, that I knew. And they were so fully neglected. I know that in the dream, it was standard practice for me to stick them in this room and leave them there all day to entertain themselves. One of them was not even two, and it was so clear he was having developmental problems and needed much more attention. There was someone else in the room - a nanny type who was minimally caring for these two little ones it seemed, and who looked at me with disdain as she picked up the older one and walked away with him. In the dream there was this weird sense of regret, loving and panic all at once as I realized I hadn't even thought of these two children for a couple of days. My mind was racing with the realization that any reversal of this huge oversight was going to take so much time and dedication, and I was panicing inside because I didn't have that kind of time. I had so much else I was supposed to be doing. In the dream I remember trying to formulate a plan - I could get my work done for a few hours in the morning, spend a few hours with the youngest one, have lunch, play with the older one, get more work done, etc. I remember the feeling of panic rising as I closed the door to the room behind me (with these kids still left inside) and this thought of I'll deal with that later in my head. I woke up not long after that, still trying to formulate a plan in my head for caring for these two children properly while still getting everything else done.

It took a few nose bumps from Ringo (who got to sleep in bed with us last night b/c Hubby is a softy) to bring me back to my real life.

But then I wondered, was that my real life?

I've been feeling a need for several weeks now to get a handle on my business. It is going so well, and has taken on such a life of it's own almost. I'm happy and proud to have gotten this far with it so fast, but it is definately swallowing up my life right now. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, I am grateful for every one of my clients! But I do feel that so much else is falling by the wayside - Hubby, my family, my friends, my own pursuits, our house, and even somewhat my goals for the business and for my clients, the list goes on and on.

I've always been fairly self-aware ( or so I think ) and I have been aware that if I don't get a handle on this thing I've made it could really take over my life, and our lives in a way that squeezes so much else out. I've been happy to let it do so in the beginning, because it should and needs to. But already my friends have come to expect that I am "too busy" to do things, and so has much of our family. Already, Hubby isn't fazed when I spend all evening (after spending all day) in front of my computer. Already, we have come to understand him on his laptop, and me on my computer as "time together". I don't want it to be that way. Life should be well-rounded, or at least oblong.

I went to a seminar given by David Jay awhile back, and he verbalized a few things that I had been thinking about. Mainly, why do we define success as being too busy for our real lives? Why, when someone asks me how my business is going, do I not feel that I have given a positive answer unless I can say that I'm buried by work? Why isn't success about having balance - being able to have many facets to your life? My work should serve my life, or at least a more 50/50 arrangement of that.

This morning's dream was kind of a kick in the pants. Call me hippy-dippy, call me fruity, call me anything you want, but I do believe that our subconscious communicates with us occasionally thru dreams. I know mine has before. And I think the message I was being given this morning was pretty clear. I'm not going to play the game of who represented what in this dream. But I think my brain, which has been chewing on this want to round out my life as I end my first full calendar year of business is telling me that it isn't just a want, it is a need. And if I don't start changing some things, I won't be able to.

I've taken a few steps to move towards this goal already in the past few months, and I am planning to implement more. I need to work smarter, not necessarily harder. I need to have time for my husband, my family, my friends, my other interests (shocking, I know, but I do have them). Any changes I make are going to take awhile before I see results, but at least I can move towards them.

I'm sharing this today, well because this blog is as much about my life as it is about Mthree Studio. Afterall, the two are often one and the same. But also because I know I have friends who are also in small business or even in very demanding jobs who are reading this. I hope each of you takes a moment to step back today and truly access your "roundedness" and decide if maybe you need some tweaking of your priorities or perspective too.

Have a great Sunday!

Stacy & Doug | Wedding

2008-09-16T11:21:00.004-05:00

Stacy is my sister, and I shot her second wedding. So this post is going to be far more personal than it is professional. I learned a lot of things shooting Stacy & Doug's wedding. Mostly I learned that trying to be the impartial observer (photographer) at the wedding of your sister who you are close to is very, very hard. There were lots of occasions where I found myself forgetting I had my camera in hand because I had jumped into sister mode. Right before the ceremony started I had to kind of mentally step out of that headspace and into "photographer" for fear that I would miss key moments. And there were definately moments missed later in the day when I put the camera down here and there and just enjoyed the wedding, being with my family and the day. That part at least, was to be expected.

So, as you read this post, things might start getting confusing. Let me explain. Stacy is my sister, full and 100% in my heart, but in reality she is my half-sister, and so is Shelley. We share the same dad, but not that same mom. Our dad was married to their mom before he was married to my mom. And since Stacy and Shelley are older than me, I have been an aunt since I was ten years old. Okay, I hope that clears that up.

Stacy getting ready above, and my niece Kayla seeing her Mom all dressed for the first time, below:

Their wedding was a charming backyard affair held at Doug's parent's home, complete with tent, live music, bug spray and a fireworks show (provided by Hubby). Our father served as officiant, something that was awesome to see, and that he was so honored to serve as. Their marriage officially made them a family of seven. Doug has three girls (19, 16, and 8, I believe) and Stacy has a son (19) and a daughter (16).

Doug's youngest daughter, Jordan:

One of my favorite shots:

Now this, this is joy:

My nephew Logan is a Marine serving in Japan, so he couldn't be there:

The extra sheet cake had this comical topper on it:

Doug's father:

Stacy and my beautiful niece Kayla:

This is my whole immediate family in one place for once. From left, my two new nieces Morgan and Cassie, My parents, Doug, Jordan (new niece), Stacy, my niece Kayla, my brother Christian, my sister Katie (some of you know her as an assistant here at Mthree), her husband Jake, Hubby and Me, my niece Chelsey, my nephew Chase, my sister Shelley and her husband Rick. The only one missing is Logan. Whew!

And this is the real us. Quite possibly my most favorite family formal ever, most especially because it is my family.

The sisters:

I did steal Stacy and Doug away for about three minutes for a few shots:

Their first dance:

Stacy had two father-daughter dances. One with Ed, her stepdad. This one was especially poignant because Ed is currently battling terminal brain cancer. But he did his best to cut a rug and I was so glad I could capture that for them:

His face in this one is so funny:

And then of course, with our dad:

This little peanut and her brother were two of the cutest kids there:

The sunset was beautiful:

Here is Shelley, Ed and Stacy:

The kids lost their ball in the pond and my brother-in-law Jacob valiantly tried to retrieve it, much to the dismay of his jeans:

My dad and his brother, Jerry:

It is not often that my camera bag gets adorned with a corsage:

Doug is definately part of the laid-back set:

So, in order for me to be in some pictures, Hubby picked up my camera periodically during the day and here are his best shots, starting with one of himself:

Me and my Mom:

Himself and Jordan:

Jordan and a very scared Joey:

And here a couple my brother Christian snapped:

It was a great day, and so much fun.
Congrats Stacy & Doug!

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-09-15T16:57:00.006-05:00

Hubby apparently gets quite upset when I skip this little weekly ritual. So here I am.

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I had a double header at the Polish Center last weekend. It really is a lovely venue that I think isn't on a lot of couples' radar screens.

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I'm really starting to get upset with the total lack of warm weather here. As much as I love fall (and I do), I never really felt like we got a summer this year, and so I'm in full protest. Ringo would be too, if he wasn't shivering. The other night he couldn't seem to get warm, so I put this little coat I had bought for him on clearance at the beginning of summer on him:

I have to say, if cooler temperatures means cuteness like this, I might be convinced.

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Entourage is back! Yeah for good TV! (another reason why fall is good I guess) I can't wait for all of our old standbys to start returning. Though seeing some stars from shows we liked last year popping up in new pilots does make me sad when I realize it means that old show is proubably cancelled. >sigh<.

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Attention all photogs in the area who read my blog - I'm having a Trash the Dress shoot-out this weekend. If you didn't get an invitation, you are more than welcome. Please email me and I'll send you all the info.

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I saw this picture on Oh Happy Day today and I have fallen head over heels for the print hanging behind the crib. I must, must have it for my future (one day - no one out there needs to get excited) child's room (and one day, when said kid grows out of it I will happily hang it my office). I'll just add this gorgeous print by Robert ParkeHarrison to my list of things I will pine for, for a very long time...

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The wedding gauntlet has officially begun. As of September 6th, I am shooting a wedding (sometimes two!) every weekend until the last one on December 6th. Lend me your strength dear readers, it is going to be a long and exciting ride! And hold on to your blog readers, because a flurry of posts are coming your way. Not only do I have weddings from Nancy & Eric, Julie & Tom, and Jenn & Mike to blog, but also engagements from Kelly & Alex, Amanda & Curtis, Krista & Ray, and Darcy & Bryan. Plus there is everyone who has yet to be shot (yikes, that sounded kind of harsh - photographed I mean). And there are a few families, kids and "repeat performances" coming your way too.

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I owe Kate & Bobak a details board. I know, I know. I'll try to get to it tonight or tomorrow. And I'll post it seperately so you don't miss it.

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Alright, I have to go pick up Ringo from Doggy Day Care. Have a great week!

Tony & Deb | Engagement

2008-09-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Dinner had been wonderful. She had ordered her favorite dish and it had come to the table in a cloud of simmering perfection.
It had been a stressful couple of weeks. Work had been more than taking over her life, and he had been putting in extra long hours on a case he was at trial on. Two days before when he had suggested that they make an effort to take some time out, she had been torn - so much to do, and yet, a break was more than what she needed. He had let her pick any restaurant she wanted and she had selected one of her favorites. The waiter brought the check and balanced the leather folio on the edge of the table. He picked it up and reached into the inside of his suit coat. She took a sip of her wine and looked out the window. The end of summer was always so lovely she thought to herself, falling into a small daydream. "Deb?" He said from across the table, snapping her back to the present. She looked back at him and saw he wasn't paying the bill at all, he was holding out a ring across the table, and a question was following...

Deb and Tony are yet another successful Match.com pairing. They had their first meeting at a coffee shop and it was quite brief. So much so that Deb figured for sure that this was one match that wasn't going to go anywhere. Little did she know that Tony just had a method to meeting people for the first time; Keep it short, Keep it sweet and make your decision about seeing them again later, after you have had a couple of days. In this case, a couple of days found Tony on vacation, but he called Deb from the beach anyway, and set up the next date. And now, a couple of years later, they will get married on another beach, in Jamaica.

Tony and Deb are pretty practical. When I asked them when they knew the other was 'the one'. Both of them pretty much said it was just the next step. Sometimes it is just so natural, you don't have to think about it. Either way, I was stoked to bring out their playful side:

To come totally clean, Tony is an old friend of Hubby's - like 'known over twenty years' old friend. And we are more than thrilled to see he has found a partner in someone as sweet and charming as Deb. I've only known Tony only as long as I've known Hubby of course, but I'm especially honored when a friend asks us to not just attend their wedding, but capture it also.
Congrats Tony & Deb! We can't wait to witness you come together in marriage in December.

Enjoy the slideshow:

A little sunshine for a rainy day...

2008-09-13T07:58:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Julie & Tom's wedding and it was so wonderfully unique and heartfelt, everyone felt so honored to be there to witness it - including myself and Harmony.

It looks like today's couple is going to be bestowed the luck that comes with rain - no matter we will make it work (to quote a favorite of mine, Tim Gunn). This double header weekend is all at the same place for me - the Polish Center, which has a beautiful indoor ceremony space, so I'm stoked in spite of the rain today.

Congrats Julie and Tom!
(watch for the full post on their day in several days...)

Have a great weekend!

Kate & Bobak | Wedding

2008-09-11T19:32:00.007-05:00

It doesn't get better than this.

I just doesn't.

I don't have any other way to put it. Kate & Bobak's day was gorgeous, perfect, harmonious, elegant, in short;envious.
It was packed full of the most gorgeous venues, perfect weather, loving family, joyous friends, amazing details and unique moments.
It is easily my favorite wedding to date - both to attend and in my work that resulted. I learned the joys of creme brulee. The bride provided "dancing shoes". We completely rearranged our shooting schedule in the middle of the day on the fly and it still came out perfect. I could go on and on.

There are way too many pictures in this post. I've warned you, so don't say I haven't when you are still here much, much later.
This is another wedding that I think I could tell the story entirely in black & white if I had the guts. But alas, the colors are beautiful too...

I'll do my best to take you thru the day and to do it justice. Here we go...

We started off with Bobak's "Bachelor's and Babies Brunch", which was a hoot - all of the guys and all of their babies. Two of which were Kate & Bobak's niece and nephew, who they are more than enamored with. Then it was off to the capitol and Kate getting ready...

Her amazing dress by Justina McCaffrey:

All of the flowers were by Daffodil Parker:

We went up to the top of the Capitol for their "first look":

Two lawyers getting married in the State Assembly Chambers at the State Capitol, it doesn't get more appropriate or more beautiful:

I love these next two shots. I took Bobak away for a few minutes to get a few shots of him, and we left Kate alone on this bench. We were within sight and we turned around to see this - a bride so joyful she couldn't stop smiling sitting there all alone:

What a great looking wedding party:

I have no idea why they all looked down, but I was happy I snapped the shot:

Back to the Assembly Chambers for the ceremony:

My love for this shot knows no bounds:

Bobak said about one word of his self-written vows and completely lost his composure. It was my favorite moment of the day. This guy who is always serious, so matter of fact, just turned to pudding. Kate immediately grabbed his hands and lent him her strength. It was awesome.

And then seconds later, the ring wouldn't go on and we all got a moment to laugh:

It was straight to reception at The Madison Club. It was within walking distance so everyone just took to the street.

Kate's grandpa stared me down for this one, and I love it when people are unafraid of the camera like that:

The two toasts were so well written and thought out:

They had this cool Norwegian cake that was actually stacked cookies. Watch for what it looked like later:

They had a band, Wall of Sound. They were great!

Little William Kian woke from his nap and was hoisted into the crowd. The little guy loved every second of that:

Kate came running into the dancing area to show me this sign. It had caught fire on one of the tealights and one of her guests had seen the flames rising on top of the baby grand piano and put it out. Her look says it all : "My wedding almost burned down!".

Here's that Norwegian cake at the end of the night:

The night finished with about 45 minutes of Persian dancing (Bobak is Persian). It was so awesome to watch. I really don't have any words to describe the incredible energy that was there and the lovilness that was the dancing:

At the end of the night Kate & Bobak simply walked home:

There is so much more to tell you, I'm just going to have to list it:
-They had their quartet play Tom Petty songs. This was so incredibly cool I couldn't stand it. Made me want to re-do our wedding right then and there.
-Kate's father was the officiant. He told her he would have to stop being her father the moment they got to the end of the aisle, and just be her pastor for the next twenty minutes. His composure was remarkable.
-Kate's Mother and Bobak's Father sang as she entered. It was gorgeous - they are opera singers (imagine that!) and the sound was so beautiful in the assembly room. I still can't believe they pulled it off.
-They used a persian poem for the front of their programs, a poem by a Minnesota poet for their menus - a nod to each of their heritages.
-They used the dresser that Bobak had created to propose with to hold their personal history slideshow at the reception.
-Kate made adorable "cake stands" out of overturned antique glassware and plates. She credits Martha.
-There were gorgeous gladiolas everywhere.
-Kate had custom boxes made for the ringbearers to carry.
-Kate's purse was to die for, I really must get the maker of it from her.
-They incorporated a small persian tradition into their ceremony of tasting honey, and served persian sweets along with the Norwegian cake.

Enjoy the slideshow:

When I hug my clients goodbye at the end of the night and I feel like I'm hugging a friend, I know I've really done my job. Such was the case with Kate and Bobak. Best of luck to you both in Minnesota with your new careers, new house and new married life! I will miss you.

Seven Years... wow.

2008-09-11T16:47:00.005-05:00

Seven Years.
It is really hard to believe it has been that long since the world got set on it's ear.
Anyone within the collective conscious of 9.11.01 has earmarked their lives with where they were when.

Me, I was in California. 9/11 was my first day of Graduate School (that should have been a clue right there about what was to come in the next two years) at CalArts. Hubby (then my boyfriend) called and woke me up and told me to turn on the television. I remember being a bit annoyed that I had been woken so early ( I was still adjusting to west coast time), and thrilled that he had called all at once. And then I saw it. I flipped the channel and a plane flew straight into a huge building. It was definately a 'wipe the sleep from your eyes' moment as I asked Hubby what was going on. As he filled me in I was struck by the realization that in my grad student apartment of 5 people, I was the only one awake for sure, possibly one of the few people awake in the whole building, and three of these new roommates who I had just met two days before were from New York (as was about 40% of the school in some way). I remember promising to call Hubby back as I left the phone to go wake them.

It was a scary time to be in LA. Some of the initially missing planes were speculated to be headed to LA. Lucky for me, my school was 30 minutes north of actual Los Angeles, something I remember assuring Hubby of a few times. Suddenly Milwaukee, Wisconsin seemed like the middle of nowhere - which I realized was someplace incredibly safe. My roommates and other classmates had a much tougher time of course - many of them lived near the WTC and many had friends and family they were frantically trying to gather information on. The school put up a giant sheet of paper in the main gallery and people added information about those they knew in New York to it so anyone could check it for an update. Every news report and presidential address was screened live in the school's movie theater. People camped out in there, riveted to the screen. School was cancelled for days. We all wandered around, not sure what to do. Bomber jets flew over the school several times a day, but nothing else. Everything was on lockdown. In the days that followed 9/11 as we turned towards war against our new enemy, I remember wondering if this is what it was like when our grandparents entered WW2. One day you wake up and your country is being attacked. It is like an alternate universe that you never leave. In retrospect, seven years later, I think they had it much worse. But at the time, I remember thinking "this is it, this is our war" and wondering if my generation was up for it.

In some ways, I can't imagine life without this benchmark. 9/11 has made us such a strong country in so many ways. We are united in a way that I don't think we were before. Yes, many of the problems we have now can be linked to that day, but I think a lot of good things can be too. And me, I'm a glass-half-full kind of gal, so I'll focus on those positives. One of those positives is that today is also my sister-in-law's birthday. So as much as today is an anniversary of tragedy, for us it is also an anniversary of Karen joining the world. Happy Day! I'm sure there are tons of people with a birthday today, with a birthday of that day, with a wedding anniversary today. If we let the tragedy rob of us letting this be a normal day, well then we are still losing.

I would love to hear where all of you were seven years ago today.

I also wanted to share this poem that Becker posted on his blog today - I thought it was perfect for today:

"Do it Anyway" by Mother Theresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, some could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Sara & Nick | Repeat Performance

2008-09-09T12:12:00.003-05:00

Still not sure on what to call these sessions.. but for now I'm taking Claire up on "Repeat Performance". I like the idea of the name eluding to it being the last time you wear these clothes, and implying that it comes after the wedding, but I'm just not 100% on anything yet for a final choice on the name.

I love doing these sessions because there is no stress, the couple is still blissfully full of newlywed glow and we get to have a ton of fun. And, yes, the dress does survive just fine. A trip to the cleaners and no one is the wiser.

Sara and Nick rocked their session like no other. Sara was a little nervous about getting her dress dirty - but she got over it pretty fast, much to her credit. And Nick, I am convinced he was a male model in a previous life.

I'm super stoked to share these shots with you. Hold on to your seat, because there are a lot of images coming your way...

My love for this shot is endless:

Sara asked for this one:

Nick showing off his super strength:

There is still plenty of time to get a session like this in for you if you've been considering it. I have a few booked for this fall already, only one of which was one of my brides originally. And yes, you can do it without your groom. And wouldn't it be fun to do it with your bridesmaids and "trash" all the dresses? Now that is a bridesmaid's gift!

Kristen & Russ | Wedding

2008-09-05T08:15:00.008-05:00

He swirled the last dregs of his drink in his glass. The conference had run long, he was tired and more than ready to go home. Looking up from the cocktail table he saw a bright spot in the sea of colleagues. She stood out like a beacon of hope; blond hair, stunning good looks a smile that could light up a room. Walking over, he realized all had not been lost at this conference after all. They talked for hours, she about her young son and family back in Wisconsin, he about his love for boating, skiing and his friends who were a family to him in Chicago. He surprised himself with the energy that he found to describe his life to her. It seemed so important to him to lay it all out, every detail, every desire, every wish. When they parted that evening he watched her walk away wistfully and hoped it wouldn't be the last time he saw her. The next evening he found himself again at the cocktail table, drink in hand, a desire to return home in his heart. "Excuse Me," he heard behind him. He turned around and it was her, his face lit up. "What you described yesterday, I've given it some thought, and I think that sounds pretty good to me. In fact, I think it sounds great." she said with a coy smile. And there it was. He had unconsciously screened this woman as his perfect mate, and she had turned out to be exactly the one. He held out his arm, she linked hers thru it and off they walked, out of the conference and into the future.

I'll be honest, I took a lot of liberties with that story, but it is based on a few comments Russ made during his toast at the reception about how he met Kristin. It is all I have to go on since I don't actually know their story, and my memory being what it is, I did have to embellish some. Kristin booked me for their wedding just four days before it occurred when she suddenly found herself without a photographer, so there really wasn't time to learn about them beforehand. How lucky I was though to get to spend their lovely morning wedding with them, followed by a lunch reception at the Town Club in Fox Point.

Regardless of our brief relationship, it was still a joy to meet Kristin, Russ and their family. It was clear that in their hearts they were already wed, and their desire to cement their families together with their union was palpable. Their joy was everywhere. In every step, smile and gesture. The pastor was careful to include vows for not only the couple, but also for Kristin's son Nicky and Russ's daughter Lani as well. He even had their immediate families stand and vow to support, love and encourage them in their relationship. I've never seen that done before, and I loved it. Afterall, it is the shoulders of those who have married before us that we stand on when we are up at that altar ourselves, they who we look to for guidance, example and solace.

Nicky behaved beautifully throughout the ceremony, but I was thrilled to catch this impatient moment:

Kristin's grandparents were cute as a button:

Enjoy the slideshow!

Miscellaneous...Wednesday?

2008-09-03T16:19:00.002-05:00

Is it really Wednesday? I haven't fallen off the face of the earth - sorry for the big gap in posts over the past several days. Labor Day weekend kicked my butt, what can I say? I've got a few thoughts for today and then we'll hopefully be back to regular fabulous blogging tomorrow.

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The 105th Anniversary celebration for Harley was more than awesome. Hubby and I are partied out (Hubby more than me)! We took some pics throughout the weekend with Hubby's point and shoot, he promises to download them for me, so I'm going to save the meat of any post about this whole experience for when I have those to illustrate. I will say though, it is events like that which make me love and appreciate the city of Milwaukee and where I come from. We are so freakin' lucky to be here.

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Kate & Andy's wedding went off without a hitch. Gorgeous weather, fabulous guests, beautiful couple. Couldn't have been better really.

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We had a technological meltdown on Saturday morning here at Mthree Studio. The internet in our home decided it deserved a labor day vacation and my editing system went down. Simultaneously. I was suddenly unable to access my photos, unable to empty memory cards and unable to do much about it without internet access to schedule appointments or look for solutions. The whole ordeal was BEYOND frustrating. I was without email contact for just about three days thanks to what was a busy weekend anyway for us. I camped out at the Apple store Tuesday morning and now we are almost back to normal. They fixed the editing system problem, the internet has mysteriously repaired itself in my absence, and we made several upgrades to the studio also. In truth we had been contemplating these upgrades for some time, but the near meltdown on Saturday gave me the gumption to do whatever was needed to prevent this from happening again. So, I am blogging this post from my brand-new-freakin'-huge-iMac desktop computer. I feel like I'm working on a giant movie screen from the front row. My trusty laptop has now become the secondary computer and will soon be used by a new assistant which we are hoping to add to the Mthree team soon, and also when I'm on the road or want to work on the couch, or when Hubby puts on his CFO hat. I'm kind of sad, as the laptop has seen me thru a lot in the past year plus, but I needed something faster and after much deliberation and consultation, this seems to be the best solution. I gave it a little test spin with editing this morning and it blew me away. I'm not sure I will ever get used to the incredibly huge 24" screen after my 17" laptop (which seemed SO BIG when I bought it).

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We have an outdoor wedding at Villa Terrace this weekend. Please keep your fingers crossed for a pocket of sunshine for Nancy and Eric - rain is predicted all weekend.

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I added the slideshow to Jen & Eric's engagement post below. Please scroll down and check it out - I feel bad that they got slighted a bit when the internet problems began around here on that issue.

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One note I would like to make to all those considering Mthree Studio for their wedding photography: I am 3/4 booked for 2009 already. Get your inquiries in, dates are filling up fast!

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Have a great day!

Jen & Eric | Engagement

2008-08-27T12:45:00.004-05:00

"Someplace tropical" he had told her when she asked for some hint as to this mystery vacation so she could pack. She had given him one of her trademark quizzical looks and smiled. He had smiled back, with his own trademark 'I've got you fooled' look and reaching into his pocket, had checked for the umpteenth time that the ring box was still there. When they reached the airport the destination was let out of the bag at the ticket counter. She had gasped and turned to him smiling, "Hawaii!" she squealed and squeezed him around the middle. He just smiled and checked his pocket again. Several hours later, here they were, toes in the sand, walking along the water, beautiful Hawaiian sunset all around them. It was a gutsy move he was about to pull, proposing on the first day of a vacation. But, he reasoned, he had been meticulously planning this proposal for a year and he was sure she was going to say yes. He was also sure she had no idea what was about to happen, and that was the best part. He took in a deep breath of the salty ocean air, slowed down their walk and stalled for a moment to look out over the water. She leaned in close and he reached into his pocket one last time.

These two are an awesome couple and we had such a blast on their shoot. Eric has this confidence and swagger about him that is so fun to work with, and Jen, well, Jen laughs at just about everything Eric does. He has her in stitches with just about any comment. They were up for any challenge I threw at them ("Go stand over there in that pile of garbage") and took on every one on with gusto. Their comfort with each other is palpable, no awkwardness or false fronts here.

Eric is a guy with ingrained ambition. Jen was the sister of one of his good friends, and when they met at a party, let's just say Jen wasn't bowled over. She played a little hard to get, and Eric was up for the chase. He only knew where she worked and what her car looked like. And that she was it, so he better figure out how to date her. So, he left a note on her car one day. She called him back and after a few tries, he managed to get her out on a first date. The rest is history, as they say.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Kate & Andy | Engagement

2008-08-26T11:32:00.003-05:00

She approached the nametag table with trepidation. Would his name be there? They had encountered each other several times in the past several years, but never at that right moment. Here, today, she thought the timing might finally be right. She wasn't attached to anyone or anything in particular and hadn't really settled on her next direction. It might be nice to choose a path together. She scanned the plasticized badges for his name. With each row, her hope faded. His name wasn't there. Not ready to completely give up, she asked the woman checking in her fellow former classmates. The woman checked her list and looked up and shook her head. Kate let out a dissapointed sigh and turned to the dining room - it would still be a fun party.

He glanced at the clock on his dashboard nervously. He had only ten minutes left before he would be late. Would they let him in? He had originally rsvp'd "no", but this morning when he woke up he had the strange sensation that he should go to this reunion. He kept in contact with most everyone he cared to, so why he felt so compelled to go was a mystery. But here he was, speeding slightly and listening to his gut.

She was standing in a circle of friends, wine glass in hand, laughter in the air around them. The kind of laughter that comes from the somewhat bloated retelling of shared experiences. A cool breeze brushed past her shoulder and she looked up and glanced at the entry way.

He ran in to the building, just slightly out of breath and checked in at the welcoming table. Signing his name to a stick-on name tag he asked himself again why he was here. Deciding that he wasn't sure, he thanked the greeter and turned to enter the dining room. Scanning the crowd for a familiar face, his eyes rested upon one. She looked up at him at precisely the same moment. Ahh... this....this was why he had to come. They had met so many times, but this time, this time the moment was finally right.

I'm really loving this shot:

Theirs is a relationship ten years in the making. Ten years of chance encounters and bad timing until that one fateful Dartmouth reunion described above when the stars finally aligned for them. Andy was born on the day that Kate was due. She arrived awhile later. In hearing about their relationship, I think that has been par for the course - one was ready for something or off to do something while the other one waited or ran to catch up. They have followed and led each other all over the earth, across countries and states, thru law school and jobs. Since that meeting at the reunion, they have been carving parallel paths and this Sunday those paths will finally converge as Kate & Andy are married.

This is going to be a special wedding for me. Not only because she is the last of my three "lawyer Kates" to be married, but also because I've been working with Kate on so many of the details of her wedding for a year now. I did all of her stationary design, and thru that process I end up being a fly on the wall for much of the planning process. Kate is a constant revelation. You think you know her and what she is about, and then she will off-handedly mention something amazing, like that she worked in Tanzania, or that she was a consultant in Washington D.C., or that her family owns a winery, or that she has a Master's in Theology. I kind of tease her about it sometimes and say "Of course you do!" when I hear these things, because I've almost come to expect to learn about some new amazing facet of her life with each conversation. But this weekend I get to witness one of those facets for myself, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Enjoy the slideshow and I'll see you guys this weekend!

Miscellaneous Monday (Really Tuesday)

2008-08-25T10:29:00.003-05:00

I didn't want to step on Maya & Micheall's wedding post, so I delayed my Misc. Monday a bit this week.

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This past weekend was wedding free. As much as I LOVE shooting weddings, it was awesome to have a weekend "off". That's in quotes because of course my schedule was packed tight with a million other things. Editing, chief among them. All of you waiting to see your shoots - I'm catching up fast, hang on!

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It was a double baby weekend for us. Hubby and I found out that our friends Steve & Katie and also Kristin & Paul are expecting!
For Steve & Katie it will be their second (you might remember posts about their adorable daughter Allyson) and for Kristin & Paul it will be their first (they're having a boy!). Congrats to all of them!

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One of the reasons I had "off" this weekend was the Counting Crows and Maroon 5 concert. Hubby and I have had our tickets for awhile for this one and were really looking forward to it. They did not dissapoint. Go ahead and add Maroon 5 to your list of groups that sound better in concert than on their albums (we already knew that about the Counting Crows). It was a fantastic show, made all the more amazing by our third row seats (!). I took some pics with Hubby's point and shoot, I'll try to post them next Monday.

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Poo. The olympics are over - now all we have to watch is the presidential election. Ugh. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for my patriotic duty, but several months of mudslinging and negative campaigning, no thank you.

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Is anyone else surprised to see an add showing Hayden Panettiere modeling a leather Dooney & Bourke bag? In all honesty, I could care less, but I could have sworn she is some kind of big animal rights activist...

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Hubby and I are gearing up (sorry for the pun) for the big Harley Davidson 105th Anniversary celebration. I was all over downtown today and preparations are in full swing all over the city. By this time next week we will have seen Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, the Foo Fighters, Bruce Springstien, Sugarland and a whole bunch of other acts I can't even remember. Finally, or usual summer quota of concerts will be back! It is kind of hard to believe the 105th is here already. I was fortunate enough to be in town for the 100th due to a broken leg (I was living in California at the time). And not to be left out, managed to hit the block parties, crutches and all. And you know what? Those Harley riders were incredibly nice, parting crowds for me and offering to help left and right.

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I'm going to the doctor today to see if we can't get this asthma thing under control. I'm as surprised as anyone that I'm still coughing and still relying heavily on the inhaler. I would really like to get back to the gym too. Hubby has been going faithfully for weeks now and I'm really starting to get jealous.

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Have a great week!

Maya & Michaell | Wedding

2008-08-24T23:42:00.003-05:00

Maya & Michaell had a goregous wedding day with blue skies and beautiful weather in Middleton, Wisconsin. Their ceremony and reception was held in a location that was equal parts bar, restaurant, greenhouse, outdoor patio and art gallery. The combination made for a truly unique setting that suited the laid-back and fun feel of their day.

Quite possibly one of my most favorite pictures ever:

They had a "first look" so that we could take all of the pictures ahead of time:

This lovely lady on the right is Kate. Kate has been a bridesmaid for my lens before - in Harmony & Darin's wedding. It was Kate that suggested me to Maya & Michaell (thanks Kate!). I'm really hoping one day I get to shoot her wedding - she is super sweet and fun, and her boyfriend Landon (Maya & Michaell's best man) makes the best faces.

They really rocked it for their own picture time:

The Ceremony:

Maya & Michaell had written the most touching vows for each other:

Remember I mentioned Landon and his faces? Check it out:

Their first date involved a scrabble game. I loved that their cake was surrounded with the scrabble pieces and the two phrases that were pivotal for that first date "Kiss Me" and "don't trip" (which they had spelled out on the board that night) were also present there in the tiles, and also engraved inside their rings:

Don't think for a second that I was going to pass up the opportunity to shoot a ring shot on actual Mthree scrabble tiles:

Landon gave a wonderful speech. It was so well written, and he rushed it a bit because of the length, but everyone loved it:

It was an "ipod" reception, and Maya & Michaell told me they picked their first dance song about five minutes before they hit the dance floor:

Enjoy the slideshow!

Katy & Bryan | Wedding

2008-08-23T00:06:00.007-05:00

I witness couples coming together in marriage, well lets be honest, a lot. But it is a rare occasion, and a rare treat to truly witness a family come together. Such was the case for Katy & Bryan's wedding. Bryan has a son from a previous marriage and little Hunter was as much a part of their wedding day as the Bride and Groom were. In all the months leading up to the wedding, each conversation I had with Katy always turned to Hunter. Her concern for his inclusion and for this wedding to be a real start to their family was palpable. I hope one day he realizes how much Katy loves him, wanted him in her life, and couldn't wait to be his official step-mom. She may not have given birth to him, but he was most definitely born of her heart. It was a priviledge to watch Bryan with his son, being a kind and loving dad. To watch all three of them together throughout the day stole your heart.

I just love this one of the bridesmaids all prepping in the lone mirror:

Katy's mom wore a fantastic english-style hat:

In al honesty, I had a hard time figuring out the post-processing on this wedding. Nothing seemed to be needed, and everything I tried seemed to be too much. Sometimes, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. In the end, the simple honesty of black and whites seemed to speak to the day best, so you'll see a lot of those.

Katy's first sight of Bryan was the last straw on her composure:

Doesn't it just melt your heart?:

I just love this look Bryan threw Katy right before he signed the marriage liscense:

The legal stuff was a little boring for Hunter:

There's nothing like a little boy to ruin the romance of your first kiss with a hearty laugh from the guests:

My favorite shots of Katy and Bryan aren't the ones we took during portraits time, they are the real moments between them. This is a couple who really wasn't afraid to show their ardent eyes for each other:

But picture time went pretty well too:

Very, very yummy cupcakes:

First Dance:

We all know, if you stick out your tongue, it's going on the blog:

Enjoy the slideshow!

The Music Thing.

2008-08-22T17:50:00.004-05:00

Before I post another slideshow I wanted to take a quick moment and explain the music thing.

You may have noticed that all of my slideshows use the same music. There is a reason, and it isn't because I am lazy or unable to think of or even find another song. The reason is a legal and an ethical one.

It is illegal to use music in the slideshows, on my website, blog or in any other capacity without the permission of the artist, their managing group, music publisher, and everyone else connected to the creation of that piece of music. Buying the song on iTunes does not constitute this permission. When you buy a song on iTunes, or on CD or whatever, you are doing so for your own personal enjoyment. For me to buy that song and then put it on a slideshow that is then heard by how ever many of you it is that read this blog, is linked to those images in a way the musical artist did not approve of, and to essentially market my business with is illegal. And, in truth, it is unethical to do so. Just as I create images and they are copyrighted, and I don't want anyone using them to promote something else or using them without having paid for the right to use them, so is the case with music. Musicians are artists too, regardless of the fact that they get paid way more than wedding photographers.

Many people are using popular music and getting away with it. Why? Because they are the little guy and chances are the big record companies aren't going to come after them. But is it not wrong just because no one is watching? The answer is no. To use popular music involves getting a very complicated set of permissions and synchronization liscenses and paying thousands upon thousands of dollars for the right to use it. Something this little studio can't afford - and really, who can?

So, there is music out there that is "royalty free" and created for just these sorts of needs. That is the music you hear on my slideshows. The reason you are hearing the same songs over and over again is because even this music is expensive - between 50-100 bucks a piece, and sorry, I'm just not budgeted for new songs for every slideshow. Maybe one day I'll have a nice collection of royalty-free music to draw from. But for right now, you're stuck with what I've got. :0)

But, Mthree, you used popular songs a few months back. Yeah, I did. Twice I think. And I knew it was wrong. I saw colleagues doing it and thought "what the heck?". I'm sorry for it and if I could, I would take it back. I'm looking for a way to fix that karma.

Okay, there you go. Onto our regularly scheduled blogging...

Sneak Peak

2008-08-19T10:59:00.003-05:00

A little sneak peak of the wedding I'm working on right now..... Katy & Bryan.....

They were the sweetest couple out on the dance floor.

Dance with your special someone today - even if it is just a spin around the kitchen table while you go over the events of the day. You don't need music. Take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. You have my permission....

p.s.- I added that "barefoot in Bacchus" pic to yesterday's post....

Awwww....

2008-08-19T09:23:00.004-05:00

The ever sweet Aletha (that is her, above) over at Pearls Events just named my little ol' blog PHOTO BLOG OF THE WEEK!

I'm so stoked to be recognized! Aletha has her own fantastic blog, which is daily reading for me. Be sure to check it out for yourself. And to those coming over here from Aletha's blog: WELCOME!

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-08-18T08:16:00.005-05:00

Sorry about the lack of posts last week - it was a crazy one, and so work took precedence over posting. This week is equally as crazy, but I'll try harder to blog more.

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On Friday I was working on a very fabulous, but very secret project with the ever wonderful Monica and Victoria from The White Box and also the uber creativeSue (and her hubby Chris) from Fresh Design and the incomparable crew at Bacchus. You'll have to wait until October to hear what it is all about. But I will say this, I never thought the day would come where I would find myself barefoot in Bacchus. Monica has a picture of it, and I'll add it to the post later today when she sends it over.

A day late, but here it is:

and check it out - nearly perfect turnout! Though my position is a muddy middle-ground between first and second. I think Ree over at Pioneer Woman would be proud anyway.

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One of the truly "BIG" weddings (for me) of August went off beautifully on Saturday. Kate & Bobak had a wonderful day and I can't wait to get caught up on my editing so I can start working on their shots. And, Jamie and I got to try Creme Brulee for the first time - and we are big fans.

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Hubby and I took the night off a couple of weeks ago and saw Dark Knight. I keep forgetting to mention it. It was fantastic, in so many ways. GO. SEE. IT. Hands down the best Batman movie you have ever seen. And Heath, you won't even recognize him.

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Woot! Our wait is almost over. The Counting Crows and Maroon 5 concert is this weekend - I can't wait to see it all from the THIRD ROW! And, a weekend off from weddings - whatever will I do with it?

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Hubby taught Ringo a new trick while I was gone this weekend. Ringo wasted no time in showing me after I got home, either. After I apologized to him for being so tired and plopped myself down on the couch at 6 (where I stayed, comatose till after 9) he ran over and.... jumped up on the couch! He did it with such ease and pride. It was so cute. We've been trying to show him how to do it for months, and Hubby took Saturday night to work hard on it with him. He is so proud of himself everytime he does it now, it is very cute. He kind of looks up at us like, "Hey, did you see what I just did?" I'm a little sad though, because this marks just one more way he is not so much a puppy anymore.

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I just booked my 29th wedding for the year. My goal is to have shot 30 weddings before 2008 runs out. I believe in writing down your goals to cement them. So, I'm writing that goal down right here. And to help make it happen - I'm offering 10% off the package rate to lucky wedding # 30 for 2008. That is, if your wedding date is a 2008 date, and I have it available, and you are the 30th wedding to book this year, you will get 10% off your package rate.

Here are the dates left for this year:
September - 5 (friday)
October - 3 (Friday), 10 (Friday), 17(Friday), 24(Friday), 25(SATURDAY), 31(Friday)
November - All Fridays are open
December - 19 (Friday), 20th (SATURDAY), 27th (SATURDAY)

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And since I've already mentioned my rates today, I'm putting out a bulletin. They will be going up very soon. I'm anticipating within the next month. So, if you have been contemplating booking Mthree Studio for your wedding date (in any year) and haven't already, now is the time to get in at the current rates before they go up. This is the only warning I will give... :0)

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Have a great Monday!

Engagement | Kristin & Joe

2008-08-13T14:24:00.003-05:00

"You know, you are going to marry her right?" his friend said to him with sparkle in her eye and a huge grin. He looked over at the girl he had brought with him to this party, chatting with his best friend, the birthday boy. Kristin laughed and tossed her strawberry blonde hair and he thought of much earlier that day, when their date had started. He had arrived at her house, a tad nervous. They had never actually met before, only chatted on the phone and talked over email. Each conversation had been so comfortable. He had enjoyed talking to her so much he didn't usually want to hang up. For a guy who didn't care much for talking on the phone, that had to mean something. He had reminded himself of this as he approached her front door. And moments later he saw that she was as wonderful in person as she had been in his head. They had gone off on a Brewery Tour, out for drinks, out for dinner, and then out for drinks again. It was clear that neither of them wanted the date to end. And now, almost 13 hours later here he stood at his best friend's birthday party, still on a date. He had planned to drop her off hours ago and come alone. But when their date kept extending itself he figured, why not really put her to the test and introduce her to friends and family. She wasn't fazed by the idea and now here they were. "Oh yeah, she is definately the one Joe. Don't you let her get away." said another friend, joining the conversation. He looked over at Kristin again, and she met his gaze and smiled. Yes, it was all over, she had won.

Kristin and Joe are another Match.com success story. He checked into the website one day, sure he had a profile on there, only to discover it had disappeared. He quickly put one up and the first response was Kristin. She had been dating a few people she met on there, but no one had stuck. Joe was the first one she let pick her up, a relinquishing of control she didn't realize the significance of at the time. Some time later, he devised a deceptively simple engagement. He knew he couldn't put anything past Kristin so one night when he was walking her to her door, he asked her to turn around, and it was right there and then on the porch that he popped the question. One of the best parts of the story, is that a man was walking his dog across the street and saw the whole thing - and started cheering. Sweet, right?

I had a fantastic time shooting with Kristin and Joe. Some shoots you just really click with a couple, and this was one of those cases.

On these two - I really can't decide which one I like better. The first one, which is more or less, right out of the camera with a little sharpening, or the more artistically edited one (second). What do you guys think?

Check out the slideshow (all you reading via blog readers, click into the real blog to see it):

Miscellaneous Monday

2008-08-11T08:37:00.005-05:00

First and foremost, my older sister got married over the weekend. Hubby and I now have a new Brother-in-Law and three new nieces. The wedding went really well, despite a 20 minute rain shower that threatened to put a damper on our backyard festivities. I shot the wedding, and it was a real challenge trying to be a sister and also a documentarian. I was with my sister while she was getting ready and I found myself completely forgetting I had a camera in hand, I was wrapped up in being there for her instead. I'm sure there are a few missed moments b/c of that, but what are you going to do, right?

Three quick shots to share:
From the ceremony, that's our Dad officiating in the background:

Stacy & her new Hubby, Doug:

The wedding also marked the reunion of all of my sisters after five years. From left is Shelley, Stacy, Katie and Myself:

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If you know me personally, you know I've been sick for just over two weeks with a wicked cough. I have coughed so much lately that this morning when I sneezed I was taken by complete surprise by such an odd, new sensation. Late last week this mysterious cough (that responded to no prescription cough syrups) was finally diagnosed as asthma. Strange, yes. But I did start feeling better (during the day) on Saturday, and that has increased with each passing day. However, I'm still coughing for several hours at night and getting very little sleep. Ugh. I'm really hoping this gets better by this weekend - my poor assistant Jamie will not be too keen on tolerating my midnight coughing fits at our Madison wedding overnighter this weekend. That is to say nothing of poor Hubby's lack of sleep after over two weeks of this.

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Ringo's New Trick that I mentioned weeks ago: It has taken me quite awhile to get a shot of it, especially since he has kind of stopped doing it. And every shot is blurry - because well, the dog is fast, and as explained in the previous tidbit, I lately, am not so fast. So here you go:

What is the trick? Well, we have bell trained Ringo from the start - there is a bell hanging from the front door, and when he needs to go outside he rings it. Well, lately, when I don't get up right away to take him out, he starts bringing me my flip-flops. He seems to have figured out that flip-flops are part of going outside. It really is too cute, and oh so smart.

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Today is Harmony & Darin's Anniversary. I don't plan to mark every clients' anniversary, but these two get special treatment. Why? Because they were the first full-fledged clients I had officially as Mthree Studio (as in booked). So today is kind of an anniversary for me too. It is hard to believe that it has already been a year for them, and also that it has only been a year since I shot their wedding. I look back on it now, and I wish I could throw it all out and start over with they way I shot it. If you want to check it out, here is the link to a very early blog post about it: Click Here. It is kind of old school people - a post before I did slideshows or watermarks, or even knew how to host images so they could be bigger. And also a wedding shot on my old Rebel XT (small, but faithful and trusty) and maybe two lenses, no flash and all editing done painfully file-by-file in photoshop. My, how far we have come in one year! (What I thought I knew then....) Must have worked out though, I booked a good portion of the weddings I'm shooting now based on a slideshow of Harmony & Darin's.

Happy Anniversary you two!

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I have to admit, I'm dissapointed by the lack of participation in my little photographer's contest from Thursday. I know there are more of you out there - why you didn't give it a shot I won't ever know. Guess that is the end of such giveaways or contests. :0(

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I don't have much to say this week apparently. Have a great Monday!