Ericka + Jared | Downton Chicago Engagement Session | Chicago, Illinois

I had such a fun time exploring Chicago with Ericka and Jared! The session started near their home with their adorable pup, Apollo! Sadly we couldn't take Apollo with us for the rest of the session, but he was the cutest little model with his bowtie and I'm glad I got to meet him :)

From there we took a stroll by the river before Ericka and Jared got all fancy for the perfect view of the Chicago skyline! As you can see these two are just natural in front of the camera and so happy and in love. I cannot wait for their wedding here in Wisconsin later this year!

Theresa + Aaron | Sunrise Pope Farm Conservancy Engagement Session | Madison, Wisconsin

I am getting in full summer mode this week, so why not  feature more from this super gorgeous engagement session! Theresa and Aaron wanted to head out to Pope Farms when the sunflowers were in bloom and that is one of the few things I'm actually excited to get up before sunrise for! With such a popular place sometimes you have to go outside your comfort zone a little bit and get up early so you don't have to worry about having other people in your images, and the light at sunrise is just as dreamy as the light for sunset :) The moral of this story? Grab the one you love and lets go have an adventure somewhere and get epic images because going the extra mile (getting up for sunrise, driving a little further, or having to hike in) is always worth it!

Sam + Chris | Historic and Charming Engagement Session | Cedarburg, Wisconsin

Over the years I have really come to define and know my style of photography, and I can say without a doubt that my favorite thing to do is just to wander or go on an adventure and document two people that are in love. Couples that like to explore, laugh, cuddle, be silly, share a quiet moment together all while letting me document those moments and preserve those memories is really something special. I am so grateful to all of my clients for letting me do this for them!!

So, when I got to hang out with Sam and Chris a few weeks ago and do exactly that as we wandered around Cedarburg, I was super excited! The love that they have for each other is seen in the ease and comfort that they share and the way they smile and laugh with each other :)

Romantic Winter Engagement Portraits | UW-Arboretum Madison, WI

Lynnea and Brian's engagement session was just a dream! When Lynnea asked if they could split their time between and in-home session and outdoor winter portraits I immediately got excited and said, yes!! But then Lynnea to their engagement session to the next level when she got a gorgeous red gown from Rent The Runway. Their amazing style and crazy amount of adorableness together easily made for one of my favorite sessions! And I have to give a quick shoutout to their cat Bandit, how cute is he?!

Travel Bucket List | Destination Wedding and Portrait Photographer

People often ask what I do after wedding season is over, and while I wish I could say just sleep and travel, this is my time of year to not only take a break but to catch up on all of the tasks of running a business that get put off during the craziness of wedding season! Yes, I will be taking lots of MUCH needed time off, but one of the main things I'll be doing is gearing up and making changes for 2017.

Each year I try to make changes and take steps forward to having a photography business that not only serves my clients and gives them the best experience and images possible, but also feeds my passion, soul, and drive! One of the main things that does that is travel!! So, I've decided to just put it out in the universe that these are some of the places that I would LOVE to photograph people in. AND a special little deal for you, if you book a wedding, elopement, or portrait session in one of these places I will shoot it for free. FREE! 

I am not trying to discount professional photographers and what we do, this is just a personal goal of mine and my desire to photograph people in these gorgeous places is worth is to me to not make any money doing it. I still believe it is VERY important to value the hard work that professional photographers do and to pay for quality work, however I'm also a person that values experiences and I would love to capture epic portraits in these locations. Now, there is one tiny little catch, you would still need to pay for travel costs for me and my second shooter (airfare, accommodation the night before and night of your event/session, and transportation from airport) but that is it. 

I want to photograph adventurous and awesome people in gorgeous and epic locations. This is me officially saying it to the universe :) Where are these places that I will shoot for only travel costs? New Zealand, Iceland, Italy, France, Thailand, Australia, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa. Have a location that's not listed? Just shoot me an email and tell me more!