Chantel and Chris. Yo! It’s a wedding!

Chantel & Chris! I loved this Olbrich Garden wedding! I can’t quit talking about how beautiful Chantel was and her dress!!! Her dress!! Am I right?? yes. They had a beautiful ceremony at Olbrich Gardens & then we party bussed it around town. We stopped at the Capital, the Union, & then Olin Park where the dogs met us for photos. The reception was at the Madison Club. All around it was a great day. Chantel is super funny–but not like ha ha funny–but more like sneaky funny. I really appreciate this. We were also a great team. They trusted me. I loved them. Perfect!!! If you guys want to ever get married again count me in. oxox

Jessica & Philip get married on Lake Michigan!

I loved this wedding. Philip is kinda a big deal. He plays cello in a band and I think I overhead him tell someone that he was closing a show at the Red Rocks. BIG DEAL. Like I said. And I saw on the Facebook that Jessica was on the local news in her town. So I’m pretty much gonna go ahead and say this is the most famous couples wedding I’ve ever shot!

Jessica is a friend! and I’m gonna go ahead and say Philip is my friend too. What do you say Philip? Jessica is bff’s with my little sister. I’ve been to Colorado with Theresa (the sister) to hang out with J-dog. oh oh oh! and my first kiss behind the church was with Jessica’s brother Kris. That’s fun. I’m writing that in this blog. I sure am.

Ohmygosh. Jessica was so pretty. Her mom made her dress and she wore a succulent necklace. Jessica had the yellow bridesmaid dress gal, Linsey, do her hair. I loved the hair. It was so romantic. You’ll see. There’s something about shooting a wedding where the couple isn’t doing everything the “right” way that I love. and even more than that is when they didn’t even know what the “right” was. Before the ceremony I asked Jessica if she was going to hide so the guests couldn’t see her. She gave me a confused look and and said, “uh. no.” I then told her 96% of brides do this. The thought never crossed her mind. She just wanted to hang.

The other funny thing she told me was that getting the wedding shoes kinda stressed her out cause she kept thinking about the wedding shoes shot. Jessica–I got a really good wedding shoes shot!! it’s beautiful. She never put her shoes on. Barefoot all night. yeah.

The wedding was on Lake Michigan in Traverse City. The Great Lakes!!! It was beautiful. Good work on making a great wedding Jessica & Philip.

Beth ‘n Jamie 4eva!

Beth & Jamie got married in an intimate backyard weddings.  It’s the way I imagine most people start off thinking about how their wedding will be. It was cute and touching and heartfelt. Right? Don’t you guys think? After the ceremony we all headed to the Children’s Museum for a rooftop cocktail hour. I love the Children’s Museum roof–it’s so pretty and green. There are places to escape the crowds and chickens to pet. Mama Digdown’s Brass Band marched them in–people danced–it was wonderful.  When I met with Jamie and Beth at the two weeks before the wedding getting I told them how they might not get people to dance cause it wasn’t a huge wedding. They were sad about my news. Boy was I wrong. So. Very. Wrong. PEOPLE DANCED!!! They were sweaty when I left. The whole crowd. Jk. Just a couple dudes. Good wedding team. oxox sv

Katie & Kevin! Married!!!

Katie and Kevin get married like professionals. Nailed it.  KICK ASS WEDDING.

Katie and Kevin got married at Schusters Farm right outside of Madison. It is a magical place. I feel like the day just went so smoothly and it was perfect. Everyone got ready in Barn that was site–everybody seemed so fine about this which I really loved. I showed up at the farm on Friday to scope it out. I’ve never shot a wedding there….and while I was there Kevin & I (somehow) talked everyone into letting the goats stay in the field where the first meeting was going to be. There wasn’t that much talking anyone into anything. I was all blah blah blah this katie and blah blah blah that katie ….and she sorta looked up from what she was doing and said, “oh sure.” Normal brides would never go into a field of donkey’s on their wedding day!!! Amazing.

During the wedding party photos there were a few sprinkles and then a downpour. I loved it. I think everyone else did too. right?

There was talk of moving the wedding indoors. Lots of phone looking and talking. It stayed outdoors!!!!! Yeah!!!

During the vows Katie said some really cute things that almost made me cry (or maybe it’s when you watch someone else cry that it makes you cry…right?) and then Kevin called Katie babe-raham Lincoln. Man–I love that.

People talked, people ate, people laughed, people danced, people waited in the bathroom line.

My favorite-est dj Saturn 8 was the music. Andy & I would high five sometimes.

The talented Nikki Hanson second shot with me and I gal pal Andrea was my assistant. Thanks for all the hard work team! They got soaked. I’m sure they loved it. right?

The KUH family. yeah.

I shot the KUH family. and they are oh-so cute. I think I did their 1st or 2nd wedding anniversary photos and again for their 5 year. Can you believe these kids have been married 5 years??!! They are a true team. Each others best friends. The best.

They put on their wedding clothes for a canoe around the Yahara. I loved this whole shoot with my whole heart. I think they wanted me to leave like an hour before I did….I was having a great time. One of my favorites was when I shot them on the canoe looking down. I sat up on the railroad bridge. I think Greg said to Emily, “Kuh! you got your phone? oh geez. SV be careful!” I’m always careful and never fall. Emily–would Greg say “geez”? That’s what I heard. Some of my favorite photos were when Emily put on her sweatpants at the end and they were just sitting around with that Penny kitten adventuring around the yard.  oxoxo 

MMOCA::Hair Affair

I shot the Hair Affair at the MMoCA this year! It’s a fundraiser program they put on every 2 years. The hair that the hair stylists do is crazy town awesome–it’s got to take them hours and weeks to get ready. It’s full on. I think there are rules that all the hair used has to be real hair. Am I making this up? During the runway show these newscaster gals had lots of stories and facts about the hairs but when I’m taking photos I hear maybe half of it. I’m in the zone. The hair photo taking zone. 🙂 Yep. That’s right.

Annie & Jon::CANOEING ENGAGEMENT SHOOT!

Annie and Jon canoe! Not just for the shoot but pretty much all the time. They know all the canoeing hot spots. Doesn’t the word canoe start to look weird the more you type it a lot? Yes.
I loved this shoot! I’ve been trying to do more shoots where there is an activity–most people want natural looking & not posed shoots and what a better way to do this by doing an activity!!! Yeah team! I loved hanging out with you guys. If I remember correctly Annie was pretty nervous about the shoot but she (they both were) fine. Relaxed. Easy. Perfect.
I did this shoot last fall and kept putting off the blog cause that’s what people do. I’ve been emailing Annie about wedding stuff recently and talked about how I still was going to blog about it and this is what she said, “No worries about the blog. I would never be able to keep up with something like that and would always just feel guilty about it, so if you just decide you have other things you’d rather do with your life than blog our engagement shoot, it is 100% okay. Seriously, as long as you come to our wedding and bring a camera, you’re good with us.” That’s all it took. OH YEAH ANNIE? i’ll show you. I’ll blog the shit outta your engagement shoot. Ha! and here I am–blogging.

Super excited for your wedding!!! oxoxo

oh and one interesting fact about Annie and Jon that i’m sure you will be delighted to know. Jon’s pinky finger is the same size as Annie’s thumb. These are facts. All facts. Proof below.

Kimberly and Brad. I like you guys.

I SHOT A WEDDING IN CALIFORNIA IN FEBRUARY. It’s a Wisconsin gals dream come true. The other good news is that Kimberly & Brad are really awesome and really good at getting married. I loved meeting their family & friends-by the end of the wedding I felt like I was a guest. Sorta sounds like I was slacking….thinking i’m a guest & all. 🙂

The wedding was in the beautiful Carmel Valley on a vineyard. VISTAS! BEAUTIFUL VISTAS! I feel like I said this 100 times during the wedding. I think I only said it in my brain. Brad was so so cute about learning his vows. He carried the vows book around all morning. And he nailed those vows. So did Kimberly. Excellent job guys.

My friend Q was nice enough to come down from Oakland to second shoot and got some great shots!!  Brad & Kimberly! Thanks for having me shoot your wedding–so fuuuuuun! Soooooo California. oxox

I have just been loving shooting family photos this year. ::FAMILIES 2014::

Pretty much after every family photo I think to myself, “Man, I can’t wait to blog about this.”  Did I blog about any family shoots this year? Mmmaaaybe one. Blogging is just about the last thing that I do sometimes. It’s not the blogging—it’s the more computer time.  I spend so much time in front of this damn computer getting work done it’s hard to sit here and do “extra” computer work. So so so I thought I could do one blog post of my favorite family photos! I have just been loving doing the family photos this year—doing a little bit of a different approach. (I’m sounding all professional now) I try to get the everyone smiling at the camera cause people like that & then I’ve been doing some hanging out. Man. I am good at hanging out.

I am loving the kids and their eye rolls. And I love the kids who ham it up and I love the kids who hide. Sometimes parents tell me good stories but mostly they seem pretty busy. More family bike photos! That’s fun! Who wouldn’t want to hang a family bike photo on their wall? I love it when the kids crawl all over the parents. I do not love the crying but I guess it just happens. I love the breastfeeding breaks. Hey! I need a break too—this coffee sure isn’t going to drink itself.

You should have me shoot your family photos. I’ll be good at it if you are nice & that’s good because most people really are nice (at least the families I get to shoot)!!! oxoxo

It’s a fashion shoot!

I did a shoot for Shopbop! They used the photos in some emails. My photos were maybe in your gmail “promotions” folder! It was fun–I love adventure photo shoots. We had a whole team there for the shoot. There were 2 stylists, a make up gal, a photo assistant, and the beautiful model Veranika. Go team!!!