The KLEM Studios’ Blog
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Choose your wedding photographer based on experience and your priorities, not cost.
Hold Your Tribe Tight | Wisconsin Wedding Photographer
Do you have a “tribe”? A group of friends that just get you and are there to support you through the good times and bad? The ones that have got your back, are up for adventure, and love you for who you are–those people are solid gold. Having a tribe like this has been so incredible/crucial/life-changing/insert-other-awesome-adjective-here and I am SO thankful for these friends.
Erin + Dave's Engagement Session in Door County
Erin was totally calm and relaxed as she got her hair and make up done at our studio before her engagement session. She joked about how she had gone shopping for new outfits and tried to get her fiancé, Dave, to try a new look. She said they compromised and went with his signature blues and grays look. :-) Erin and Dave had just gotten the keys to their new house the week before their engagement session, and Erin shared how their home makeover projects have been going so far, while Claudia styled Erin to the nine’s. Erin is a hairstylist herself, so she placed a lot of trust in Claudia’s hands!
Alex + Corey’s Green Bay Wedding
The skies might have been overcast, but that did not stop Alex and Corey from taking flight on their wedding day. Close family and friends gathered together to witness Alex and Corey say I do. Corey and his best man knew each other from the military, and made the ceremony all the more special by organizing it in an airplane hangar! Clothed in a smile and her stunning wedding dress, Alex said I do hand in hand with Corey, a flight of planes providing quite the backdrop underneath a high ceiling. A sand ceremony and a joyous kiss sealed Alex and Corey’s union, as their family and friends applauded.
Klair + Troy’s In-Home Engagement Session
On an overcast, drizzling day, Klair and Troy welcomed KLEM Studios’ associate photographer, Sara, into their apartment. Klair and Troy met at a plastic bag factory, where she asked Troy out first. Although Troy remembers a mutual connection leading towards their first date! Sara captured their silly side, as they recalled Troy picking the movie for their date at the theaters: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Klair and Troy made each other laugh with no problems. They were silly together, and clearly showed their love towards one another, excited to document this amazing time in their lives.
Olivia + Laura’s Summer Engagement Session | Fonferek’s Glen, Wisconsin
After a rainy morning, Olivia and Laura started their engagement session with KLEM Studios. Olivia and Laura knew they wanted to have their engagement photos taken in an outdoor space that had a wonderful water feature. I suggested the ever-beautiful Fonferek’s Glen just on the outskirts of Green Bay. The park has fields, a lovely waterfall, a creek that runs through it, and it’s a picturesque place to explore, especially on a warm sunny day. Olivia and Laura happened to pick the very first day of Pride Month for their engagement session. We were so happy to celebrate their love and freedom to love one another. The sun began poking through the clouds and gave way to a beautiful warm and glowing late afternoon.
Drum Roll Please… An Even BIGGER Announcement
Okay, so I know that just last week, I shared a big announcement with you all (you can read all about the here), but I’ve got another exciting piece I’ve been cooking up for a couple months now. I’ve created a community called the KLEM Klub for people who are truly dedicated to celebrating and cultivating love in their lives and their relationships.
As a wedding photographer, I bear witness to so many amazing relationships and I get to experience first hand what makes those relationships work. Seeing people so deeply in love and working to grow their relationship is incredibly inspiring.
Kaylynn + Shane’s Wisconsin Winter Engagement Session
On a misty and bitterly cold winter’s day, Kaylynn and Shane stepped onto the freshly fallen snow at the Brown County Reforestation Camp for their engagement session with KLEM Studios’ associate photographer, Krista. Ever the fashionable couple, Kaylynn brought a number of outfits to the session. However, the centerpiece was the stunning red gown Kaylynn bought because she was so inspired by Witney Carson’s winter engagement session. Kaylynn and Shane knew that for their engagement session, they wanted to embrace Wisconsin’s winter beauty and wander hand-in-hand among tall pine trees (and some fresh snow wouldn’t hurt!).
Wedding Tips: Getting Creative with Your Budget
Planning the wedding of your dreams to celebrate the love that you and your partner share gives you the opportunity to show your friends and family all the cool and unique "things" that make the two of you so special as individuals and as a couple. As I'm sure you've figured out by now, creating your dream wedding can take a bit of money, too.
Some people might think it's taboo for a wedding photographer to talk to you about money, but I’m committed to being open and honest with you in order to give you the best wedding experience possible. I know that a lot of money gets put into planning your amazing wedding adventure.
How to Change Your Last Name After The Wedding
One of the big decisions you and your partner will make as you’re wedding planning is whether one of you, neither of you, or both of you will change your last names (by combining parts of both your last names). If you decide to change surnames, it's wise to include that information on your marriage license application in the state of Wisconsin.
If you include this information on your marriage license application, it will become your legal surname. That makes it easier to change your name after the marriage certificate has been signed and filed.
A Wisconsin Northwoods Engagement Session: Megan + Alex
There are some people in this world that are just made to be together for the rest of their lives. If you’ve ever spent time with Megan and Alex, you’ve experience just how perfectly these two fit together. I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Megan since high school when we were in choir together (#nerdsunite!). She is a sweet soul with an amazing personality that could charm the birds out of the trees. It would take an equally incredible person to steal her heart.
Enter Alex.
Green Bay Botanical Garden Wedding Proposal: Dave and Lauren
Dave reached out to me with his fall proposal plans a few weeks before he and his girlfriend of three years, Lauren, were going to be in Green Bay. They live in Chicago, but Lauren had visited Wisconsin often with family and friends while she was growing up. She loves this area, and Dave wanted to include this special place in his plan. Lauren thought they were going to be celebrating her new job with the weekend getaway, but Dave had more elaborate ideas. Dave knew that he wanted to propose at the Green Bay Botanical Garden in the Stumpf Belvedere.
Door County Engagement Photo Session: Johanna + Aaron
The waves of Lake Michigan crashed along the exposed cliffs at Cave Point County Park. A slight in the air, making brilliant fall colors even more pronounced. Johanna and Aaron wound their way through the trees and along the rocky shore, laughing as they walked. They had gotten engaged in Door County in January, and the area had captivated them so much that they returned for their engagement session.
Johanna and Aaron met on an online dating site, and they had instant chemistry.
Vendor Love: Hinterland Brewery
I love a wedding vendor who completely knocks the client experience out of the park. When it comes to venues, I look for an establishment that has amazing service, great food if they cater, a beautiful space, and lots of flexibility. I think the intro on Hinterland Brewery’s website says it best: “Whether you're looking for a storied and hand-crafted beer, or unique contemporary American cuisine with multicultural influences – we will inspire you to taste beyond your boundaries.
Wedding Tips: Finances for Engaged Couples
Did you know that in a past life, long ago, I spent about a year working in an office as the assistant to a financial advisor? While I didn't follow that career path, I learned so much about life finances that I never expected.
Second Shooting with Morgan Lynne Photography
If I ever have an opening in my calendar and a photographer friend is looking for a second shooter, I jump at the chance. Morgan of Morgan Lynne Photography was in need of a second shooter for a gorgeous October wedding, and I was immediately on board!
Restaurant Week 2016 In Review
Ah, Green Bay Restaurant Week. The time when some of the area's best restaurants offer tasting menus and feature some of their most popular or innovative dishes at a discounted price. Venues offer up to three menus: $10 lunch, $20 dinner, or $30 dinner. I saved up my pennies to dine out a bunch for this event, and boy did I have some fantastic meals. Here's the skinny (although now I'm not feeling too skinny!) on how this year's Green Bay Restaurant Week went down in my book: