Pheasant
Branch Conservancy

What a wonderful late fall season for a couples shoot. T & C are a lovely couple to work with, throw in a cute little boy and we made some magic with some stylish and heartwarming photos.

Now I have to say working with younger children
requires patience and being ready to take a photo at a moment's notice, as there may only be a split second where the right shot happens. He was not having it sometimes, who can blame him ha-ha. The couple took great attention in going for a look that complimented each other well. I absolutely loved T's hat, it conveyed style and grace which epitomizes her to a tee. C's outfit was confident and a GQ quality ensemble. It was evident by how many people stopped by on the trail to compliment them on how lovely they all looked together. They definitely came prepared for a great shoot and were a pleasure to work with.

Did you know the building that Lucille is located in used to house a 1900's era bank? Earlier this December, I had the pleasure of an impromptu wedding ceremony to capture two separate kind and loving families coming together as their respective parents tied the knot. This being their second go-around, it was a casual and joyful day.

The day started at the Capitol Hilton Hotel where there was a first look for the bride and groom to be. Both sides of the family stood by and watched as Mark laid his eyes on his lovely lady Greta. It's always something to see a man speechless and realize the impact of the moment when he sees the bride and how radiant she looks. As he got down on one knee to present the engagement ring to her, their smiles lit up the room, the family and friends, their hearts couldn't be fuller or happier for the couple. We did some portrait shots of the family, all getting good face-time to strike a pose and look stunning for the camera.

And just like that, we were off to Lucille’s. Now available good light is what we all as photographers look for, so when I was told the ceremony would be in the 'vault' of Lucille I knew what they meant as I had visited Lucille before and peeked downstairs. The vault is a small and intimate room where the couple stood ready to say their vows by the large mirror at the end of the room with family and friends seated comfortably around the cozy area. I had to use off-camera flash (discussed prior with the couple) to light up the room to what I felt worked great to capture the moment. Vows were spoken, rings exchanged and what always felt like one big family of the two was officially one family now! The emotions came through and I felt so lucky to be there to witness and capture each hug, tear and smile! With all this emotional energy, it was time to eat, drink and celebrate upstairs for the family. Now if you've ever been to Lucille you know their food and cocktails are spectacular. A lovely toast was given by the daughter of the bride and my day was done. 

What a fun night out at the Ingleside Hotel. Having been there many years back, I remembered it as a great venue and was looking forward to taking photos for the lovely couple, Jenna and Samuel. The hotel was easy to get to from Madison, located right off the interstate in Pewaukee.



Jenna and Samuel tied the knot a year prior, but due to the lockdown were looking to share their reception and celebration with all their friends and family who missed out. There were so many beautiful smiles and story sharing amongst the crowd that it made it quite easy to find happy faces aplenty to photograph. The ladies were dressed in their best and the men were looking very dapper, you knew people were ready for a night of fun and dancing.



The layout of the ballroom was very elegant and provided plenty of space for the large party to move around. I darted from table to table to make sure every guest smiled their very best for me :D. Soon toasts were given and then a silent moment for the loved ones who were no longer there in body but very strongly there in spirit. It is such a privilege to be a part of these moments with people, you can feel the love they share.



It was time for food and to satisfy the appetite before burning those calories on the dance floor. The couple had put out a great side table for sweets and treats which many people made round trips to haha. Soon the DJ was getting the attention of the crowd; the happy couple, who met in high school had all former alumni out for one large Milwaukee Pius photo. It was time to dance! I got up close in people’s faces for some interesting shutter drag perspective, to get that vibe that you were there in the crowd feeling the music, lights, and energy. And just like that, it was time to call it a night, say my goodbyes to the happy couple and drive home for a nice long hot shower.