CENTRAL WISCONSIN ENGAGEMENT | SARAH & PAUL

Kelsy & Butch McCartney October 16, 2015

Sarah & Paul visited us in Wausau for their engagement session this fall and we were so happy to have them here! Sarah is just as joyful as the image above suggests, and Paul makes her the happiest woman imaginable!! :) Spending the evening with these two was the absolute highlight of our week! They chose to make their engagement session into a romantic getaway by taking the day off work, Sarah getting her hair & makeup done, and Paul reserving a room at the Jefferson Street Inn to prolong their stay. They put so much thought into their outfits and looked absolutely fantastic!!

After photos along the creek with light making its way through the trees, they dressed up for part two of their session and we headed to Back When Cafe. Sarah & Paul love to travel and explore new restaurants together; what better way to incorporate that into their photos than at one of our favorite date night spots in Wausau! Sarah & Paul had the patio all to themselves as the sun went down, with twinkling lights behind them and an amazing glass of wine in hand. We could have photographed these two all night long and cannot wait for their wedding in Appleton next spring with Cherry Blossom Events!!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Central Wisconsin engagement photos captured with Contax 645 and Pentax 67 on Fuji Pro 400H and Ilford 3200 film.

FALL WISCONSIN WEDDING | MAGGIE & DJ

Kelsy & Butch McCartney October 13, 2015

Maggie & DJ's wedding fell on a truly perfect early fall day in Wisconsin. The colors were just starting to show, and sunshine followed them all day long! After their fall engagement session in Wausau last year, we couldn't WAIT for their wedding day to arrive!! Maggie & DJ are simply the kind of people you can't wait to see and don't want to leave. They're high school sweethearts as well, and that makes us love them even more. :)

Without Maggie or her parents knowing at the time, her Grandfather started a private account when Maggie was born to gift her with a wedding dress. Although her Grandfather passed before she and DJ became engaged, Maggie's Grandma presented her with this sweet gift which allowed him to have a special part in their wedding. And, Maggie's stunning Allure Bridals dress glistened!! With her beloved hair and makeup artist team from her pageant days, she enjoyed a morning of being dolled up and was an absolutely radiant bride!! Meanwhile, DJ and his gentlemen enjoyed a relaxing morning and couldn't wait for the day to begin.

Music is a huge part of Maggie & DJ's relationship (he plays guitar and she plays piano/sings), and they incorporated this shared passion into their ceremony by having talented loved ones sing. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as they both started tearing up while Maggie's brother sang! After an emotional ceremony, Maggie & DJ hugged each of their guests in the First Presbyterian Church's charming, ivy-covered courtyard. With a rich, romantic color palette of navy, oxblood and gold, they set the scene for a joyful evening surrounded by everyone they love most!

Maggie & DJ, your happiness is infectious and we couldn't be more thrilled for the two of you! Thank you so much for the honor of photographing your beautiful wedding day!

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Fall Wisconsin wedding photos captured with Contax 645, Pentax 67 and Hasselblad 500cm on Fuji Pro 400H, Ilford XP2 and Ilford 3200 film. Developed & scanned by Fast Foto.

OSHKOSH NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY | CLAYTON DANIEL!

Kelsy & Butch McCartney October 12, 2015

One of the most amazing things is seeing some of your best friends go from husband and wife to mom and dad!! Through our years of friendship, we've chatted countless times about becoming parents and starting a family. All of the questions and concerns of how do you know when the time is right and are we ready or not were common topics of discussion between the four of us, especially in our recent get togethers. And when Anna & Paul shared their excitement with us earlier this year that they were expecting, we both EXPLODED with joy for the two of them!! We've had the true blessing of being able to photograph Anna & Paul from their engagement session & wedding all the way to family portraits, just-because sessions and, just this summer, beautiful Door County maternity portraits... But this newborn session has an extra special place in our hearts!! :) As soon as we arrived to their charming home (in a renovated barn!) and set our eyes on little Clayton Daniel, we completely melted. We loved seeing them so tenderly care for Clayton and shower him with love. From his sweet nursery to their patio, we couldn't stop photographing the three of them! :) After seeing Anna & Paul as beaming new parents, we couldn't get enough Clayton snuggles and can't wait to see him grow!! Come visit soon, friends! We couldn't be happier for the THREE of you!

Lots of Love, Kelsy & Butch

Oshkosh Newborn Photography captured with Contax 645, Pentax 67 and Hasselblad 500cm on Fuji Pro 400H, Ilford XP2 and Ilford 3200 film.

GORDON LODGE DOOR COUNTY WEDDING | KATHERINE & ARNAB

Kelsy & Butch McCartney October 7, 2015

Katherine and Arnab's wedding day was nothing short of amazing! It was an absolutely perfect early fall day in Door County, with bountiful sunshine and a crisp autumn breeze. They had friends and family visiting from around the globe to share in their wedding celebration, which was planned in large part by Katherine's Mom, Carol. She beautifully combined rich Indian-inspired hues of gold & red with teal accents to tie in the water tones of Door County's 300+ miles of shoreline. Arnab's parents traveled for 18 hours by plane to be a part of their celebration, and his Mom wore two stunning sarees. Vibrant, punchy florals by Helene at Flora and red bowties for the gentlemen laced color through every inch of their wedding day! Katherine paired her dress with classic Kate Spade heels and a custom-made necklace; she and Arnab were such a timeless bride and groom!! We were lucky to capture gorgeous portraits with the two of them and their families along the shore at Katherine's parents property in Ellison Bay. Their portrait time was so relaxing and joyful, we could have spent the entire day there with them! But, of course, a beautiful reception awaited them at Gordon Lodge! :)

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour with a view of Lake Michigan as the sun set while they shared hugs & laughter and enjoyed savory passed appetizers. Once the last drop of sunlight shined on the patio, heartfelt speeches and toasts spoke volumes to the genuine, caring personalities and giant hearts that Katherine and Arnab each have. Throughout dinner, loved ones took turns singing songs with the word 'love' in them to pull out Katherine & Arnab's smooches. :) And, finally, the new Mr & Mrs first dance was a choreographed number to Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors." With Katherine's bustled gown spinning around the dance floor, she was the belle of the ball while she & Arnab kicked off their party with their awesome band, Random Maxx!

Katherine & Arnab, we couldn't be more thankful to have been your photographers! We're so happy for the two of you :)

Love, Kelsy & Butch

Door County Wedding Photography captured with Contax 645, Pentax 67, Hasselblad 500cm and Nikon F100 on Fuji 400H, Kodak TriX 400 and Ilford 3200 film.

WAUSAU ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY | KASEY & MIKE

Kelsy & Butch McCartney October 5, 2015

Kasey and Mike's love story sounds like it is straight out of a movie. They knew each other in high school, he liked her but didn't act on it, they went their separate ways for college, and a few years later were set-up by a mutual friend who knew of those high school feelings Mike had for Kasey. Despite distance and Kasey wanting to live in a larger city they were soon both living in Wausau, as if they were meant to be here together the entire time! :) These two are planning a 2016 wedding and we cannot wait to see everything they're dreaming up with Evolutions in Design come to life!! In the meantime, we love how much creativity and thought Kasey put into her and Mike's engagement session!

There's a stunning property in Weston that we drive by every single time we go to Target (which as you can imagine, is quite often!) and every single time we pass it, we comment to each other how much we simply LOVE the property and would be ecstatic to photograph a session there. With its grand driveway perfectly lined with trees and a forever-long white fence, it looks straight out of the South and has all of the charm you can imagine! After chatting with Kasey and Mike, we realized the property we'd been eyeing up for all these years belongs to Mike's Aunt & Uncle. Isn't it amazing how the universe works sometimes?! :) Needless to say, Kasey & Mike were completely up for having their engagement session there, and we couldn't wait!

Candles galore, a tucked away spot on the water, Mike's classic pickup, their cute-as-can-be mini goldendoodle pup, Harper, and a perfect early-fall sunset. It really doesn't get any more lovely than this!! :) Kasey & Mike, thank you so much! We couldn't be more excited to be a part of your wedding and can't wait for our next Harper+Parker playdate :)

Love, Kelsy & Butch