It was a glorious day for a trip to the zoo to see some penguins…

Emily had one thing she really wanted to do on her wedding day and that was to see some penguins in her wedding dress. It was about 90 degrees and humid but they hung out in their cute little cave in the background and made her penguin dreams come true!

I also had my dream come true taking photos of Michael and Emily in front of the giraffes! And boy did they come out to play! We got some great laughs walking around and hitting up some of the classic spots too. The one with the giant polar makes me laugh every time I look at it. It’s like he is watching over them with loving eyes! Hahahaha, awesome.

Their ceremony took place on the rooftop of Monona Terrace. As Emily and her father walked down the isle, I panned over to see Michael trying to hold back tears but by the time she got up there, it was full on. The groomsmen were also letting loose with the emotions. I love such a close group of friends and family. Everyone was so friendly and sweet and we just had the best day ever.

There were so many moments I could write about like the friendly guy giving us money at the zoo or the other very friendly guy giving Michael pocket snacks but the one that really stands out was during the reception. They had everyone sing happy birthday to Grandma and one of their close very friends, who coincidentally shared their birthday that very same day with my mom and brother! Both of them were very surprised and even more when they each received a special birthday cupcake! I definitely had a tear in my eye!

My favorite part of the evening was when my second shooter, Heidi, and I got to go up to the rooftop with the bride and groom for sunset. We had just enough alone time with them to get some truly beautiful and intimate shots. What an incredible place to have your wedding! In all my years of doing this, I don’t think I will ever get tired of taking photos on that rooftop. Cheers!

It was such a beautiful day and these two did an amazing job planning it. There were so many amazing vendors to make this day so perfect!

Venue: Monona Terrace  Ceremony on Rooftop and Reception in Community Terrace  //  Getting Ready: Hilton Madison Monona Terrace  //  Wedding Dress and Bridesmaid Dresses:  Elaine’s Wedding Center //  Grooms Attire: Nedrebo’s Formalwear //  Floral: B-Style Floral  //  Wedding Cake: The Looking Glass  //  DJ: Jukebox Bandstand  //  Hair and Makeup: Arch Apothecary  //  Travel: Wayne Ace  //  Second Shooter: Heidi Johnson

This beautiful fall day was perfect for Holly and Eric’s engagement session. We had so much fun together throwing leaves and watching the ducks swim around. Their love for each other was so evident and their laughter contagious. I am so excited for their wedding day this coming weekend at Aldo Leopold. I can’t wait to see what shenanigans we can get into!

Two of my favorite places in Madison, WI are right downtown

Olin Turville Park off of John Nolen Dr. and the Memorial Union have some of the most beautiful and meaningful locations in the entire Madison area. Most couples who went to UW Madison enjoy time together at the Union and these two are no exception. This session was really fun because Lindsay and Jimmy were willing and ready to go out even if it was raining! I always keep a couple of cute umbrellas in the car so busted it out for them so we could run around in it singing and dancing. Ok, well, maybe not the last part. It only lasted a little while  anyway and then we had such beautiful light afterwards! I would also like to take a moment and just say how incredible her legs are! Amiright????  Jimmy’s legs aren’t bad either 😉

Jimmy and Lindsay have known each other for over 12 years but finally realized that there was something really special between them. Friendships don’t always end up in the friend zone…They like to go out with friends, hit up many of the amazing restaurants around town and have been enjoying Wisconsin’s winter weather and the fun sports activities that come with it. Hopefully it doesn’t all melt this week and they can enjoy more of it!

I am really looking forward to their wedding this weekend and will have another exciting blog post for that in a couple of weeks. For now, enjoy this really beautiful couple and think about summer!

No jackets needed on this balmy 50 degree day in December…

Amelia and Zach were hoping for snow and but what we got instead was a 50 degrees, a little snow, and a lot of laughs. It certainly made me happy! We started off at Summer’s Christmas Tree Farm in Middleton for some cute outdoorsy photos. I just love this farm and their sweet little puppy joined us for a bit too! What a cutie! After spending a little time hanging out there, we then headed downtown to the Edgewater to take advantage of their gorgeous holiday decor. The ice skating rink was empty and waiting for us. It was meant to be!

Kendra + Robert

Sometimes you have to climb up a gigantic hill and take some photos at sunset to get that perfect photo for your engagement session! When Kendra first asked me if I would be interested, I jumped at the idea. I had not been to this particular location yet and always love going to new spots for photo shoots. It really keeps the inspiration and creativity levels at their highest.

Gibralter Rock is located in Lodi! Make this a must visit this fall. I’m sure the views will be amazing when the colors start to change too!

These two adventurous people are getting married tomorrow! I am so excited to capture their wedding day.