On an overcast and misty morning, Courtney and Adam prepared for their Friday winter wedding. Courtney’s close friends helped her get ready and put on her stunning gown, while Adam’s close friends from college, brothers, and soon to be brother-in-law pumped up for the special celebration. Family members and friends gathered at Life Church in Green Bay, eagerly awaiting the ceremony.

When a new wedding venue comes to town, it is important for the venue to procure updated wedding images that show off the space even before there is a real wedding in the books. A stylized shoot is also a fantastic opportunity for a practice wedding-day-run for new owners to work out the wrinkles in a calm and fun environment. Even for well-known venues, organized photo sessions are a great way to update photos if changes have been made. In this case, we had the chance to celebrate the grand opening of the Vickery Village Venue!

Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton is a gorgeous, magical place even in winter. When Kirsten and Kevin wanted their engagement session to be amongst the pines at Bubolz, I was so happy to document this step in their journey in such a beautiful place full of amazing texture and contrast—truly a photographer’s playground.

We couldn’t have asked for better fall colors on the day of Crystal and Gabe’s photo session. It was perfect sweater weather as KLEM Studio’s associate photographer, Krista, walked around Voyageur Park taking photos of the very much in love Crystal and Gabe.

I couldn’t imagine a better way to start 2020 than with a beachfront wedding in Jamaica. This all-inclusive island getaway provided a luxurious and adventurous location for Kaylynn and Shane’s destination wedding. It was a special celebration of love with friends and family on the picturesque tropical shores of Jamaica.

Green Bay is a great place to start a new relationship, and even fall in love. There are lots of different first date options worth checking out. Here’s the breakdown of a couple of different categories.  

For all my outdoor peeps, I’d recommend going on a hike for your first date. What better way to get to know someone than hiking under a canopy along a creek? Fonferek’s Glen is perfect for just that. There’s a waterfall, a creek, and different pathways to hike up and down that are not too strenuous. For a date plus a furry friend, Baird’s Creek is great for walking dogs. A stroll along the Fox River Trail offers miles of scenic hiking.

The perfect place to elope and a photographer’s dream landscape, Denali National Park has a plethora of magnificent backdrops for anyone’s wedding. On a clear day, the tallest mountain in North America can be seen all the way from Anchorage. Denali’s snowy peak high amongst the Alaska Range is a breathtaking sight to behold, but the park also incorporates fabulous fall colors, crystal clear glacier waters, majestic lakes, and furry friends. This captivating terrain absolutely is one to consider for your elopement. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

On one of the coldest November days in Wisconsin’s history, Ella and Zach snuggled up for their engagement session. Having their engagement session by the water was important to Ella, just as being outdoors was important to Ella and Zach, as it represents them as a couple. The nineteen-degree weather (not including the wind chill!) at Bayshore, Wisconsin brought out how caring and supportive Ella and Zach are.

People often ask me how my photography journey started, but I don't think it can be pinpointed to one specific moment. Perhaps it was growing up in my childhood home, looking at the big, beautiful black and white Ansel Adams landscape prints on our walls. Or maybe it was when I was gifted a camera for Christmas and went through a whole roll of film that night. Or maybe it was when I was in college and I had completed the Intro to Photography course, but I wasn't sure if it was for me until the professor who taught the remaining black and white and digital photography courses convinced me that I had found my home.

On a perfect day for a fall wedding, Erin and Dave got ready to say I do. Erin had her maid of honor, her mom, and her grandma surrounding her. Before the ceremony, we tried to take photos with Erin’s kitty, but Luna was not having it! Instead, Erin’s supportive group of women helped her into her beautiful, long-sleeved dress from David’s Bridal. A-line shaped, with some vine and floral detail, the dress looked stunning on Erin, its light blush tone accenting her gorgeous red hair. Erin admitted she was a little nervous as her favorite ladies whisked her out of the house for the ceremony!

Long distance couldn’t keep Joy and Matt from starting their relationship and dating until they finally lived in Colorado together. Once they got engaged, Matt and Joy knew they wanted a destination wedding on a beach somewhere! Already a special place for Joy and Matt, and a place they loved visiting, Fort Myers Beach in Florida quickly rose to the top of their list. Lovers Key State Park provided just the place for them, and they decided that would be the location for their beachfront wedding.

Allison and Trevor are such a fun, amazing couple. I happened to meet them adventuring out in Zion National Park on the day they got engaged, where I offered to document their engagement with a spontaneous session up in the canyon. They are super adventurous, and Allison and Trevor’s lives crossed paths so many times in the past, weaving their journeys together starting at Virginia Tech where they actually had a class together, all the way to Madison, WI where they worked for the same company. It was in Madison where Allison and Trevor knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Kate and Andrew knew they wanted an engagement experience that resonated with them and who they are. Originally, they explored the idea of a destination wedding, but they wanted all those close and important to them to be apart of their special day. Instead, Kate and Andrew compromised with a destination engagement session. Kate and Andrew are the best people to travel with. They know tons of places to go and hike, and Kate knows even more places to eat! Kate has such a wealth of knowledge about food! If anyone is ever traveling, Kate is definitely the one to talk to about places to go, hotel experiences, hiking trails, and restaurants.

Friends and family gathered at Thanh and Amy’s home near Appleton for their Sunday morning ceremony honoring their Vietnamese background. KLEM Studio’s Associate Photographer, Krista, had a chance to photograph their first ceremony of the day, exposing Krista to a new aspect of Vietnamese culture she would have otherwise not been exposed to. After the beautiful ceremony, guests traveled to Hotel Northland in Green Bay for Thanh and Amy’s westernized ceremony.

On an overcast, and windy day, Maryellen started her engagement session prepping and getting her hair and makeup done by Angela Marie Makeup Artistry at her grandma’s house in Sturgeon Bay. Maryellen had been visiting this house since she was a child, and she shared memories about growing up, visiting her grandmother and reminiscing about how special that house is to her and her family. Maryellen and Ryan knew they wanted to have their session in a place they really loved and visited often.

Having won my wedding package giveaway last year, Kristin and Shawn knew they wanted fall engagement photos, so we waited until October of this year to start their session in Ripon. These two love wine, so the gorgeous Vines & Rushes Winery was the perfect place to start before venturing to a waterfront park on Green Lake. Kristin and Shawn are both Supernatural TV show fans (as am I!), and are connected with someone who has an old, vintage impala just like Dean’s car, “Baby,” from the show! Although the car had different interior and exterior colors from the show, Kristin and Shawn had a lot of fun taking pictures with the gorgeous car.

When KLEM Studios associate photographer Krista asked Christina and Kyle why they decided to start their engagement session at Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery, Christina and Kyle explained that it was a spot where they felt connected. They love tasting the wine—they truly just love wine—and experiencing the atmosphere as they spend quality time with each other. Definitely not used to being in front of the camera, Christina and Kyle enjoyed a bit of wine and chatted about their excitement for the session and their wedding, while we enjoyed savory cinnamon rolls.

It was a perfect autumn day as Joanna and Derek prepared for their big day. Full of jitters and excitement, Joanna stood at the very top of the stairway, while Derek stood at the bottom to partake in their first “not look” before the ceremony. Joanna beamed, asking, “How are you? Are you okay? I love you, I miss you!” making sure Derek was supported. Derek brings out the most beautiful smile to Joanna’s face, the one where her nose wrinkles and her eyes light up. The love and consideration Joanna and Derek have for each other radiates pure, joyful love. After their first “not look,” they were practically shaking with happiness, and crying a bit as Joanna and Derek were whisked off to walk down the aisle.

An army of mosquitoes couldn’t keep Andrea and Jordan from prepping for their wedding ceremony in the courtyard at Rock Garden as close friends and family gathered on the sunny, fall day. Andrea and her bridesmaids cried with excitement and emotion as they marveled at Andrea in her gorgeous sequined gown and amazing shoes. Before walking down the aisle, Andrea shared a first look with her dad, giving him a handkerchief and saying she will always be his little girl.