Becky & Andrew- Married!

Another Kraus wedding?!?! Seriously I have to be one of the luckiest photographers around. Not only did I get to enjoy the company of this incredible family for Betsy's wedding, I got to join them again at the end of the year for her sister Rebekah's wedding. I'm starting to feel like just one of the girls!

Becky & Andrew.. I have been so excited to post these images for you! I am seriously in love with so many of them. But as the newest Kraus sister I had to play fair and be sure to narrow it down to exactly the same number of photos I posted for Betsy. :) Thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day. Becky your smile is truly infectious... it's no wonder Andrew fell in love with you so quickly. It's hard not to respond to that thousand watt smile that stretches clear across your face. He was a goner before he even had a chance to collect his thoughts. Hold tight to one another always and I'm certain your beautiful smiles will only multiple from here on.

Love to you both! I hope Hawaii was incredible.... insert jealous smile here!

Checking her sassy self out...

 

 

Becky's smile was so beautiful and it never stopped all day long. 

 

 

Kind of in love with this ring shot... 

 

 

I'm not gonna lie.. pretty proud of these next two images. It was so dark! And yet we made magic out of the situation. :)

 

 

First dance 

 

Love me some mother/son moments...

 

and my newest favorite photo... the 4 Kraus sisters! So blessed to have photographed all three of these beautiful ladies weddings. 

What was the most memorable part of your day?
Becky: Everything was memorable, but the one thing that stands out was when our priest asked us to turn around and  look out at all of our family and friends who came to celebrate with us as we got up to the altar. It was truly wonderful!

Andrew: Seeing Becky for the first time.

What is your funniest memory from your wedding day?
Becky: The Big Heads of me, Andy, and the Marquette Eagle—and Andy’s cousin auctioning them off for us :) Also, Andy carrying me over his shoulder to the dance floor during the Grand March.

Andrew: My Best Man kissing me…… 

Any advice you’d share for future couples getting married?
Becky: Don’t stress over the little things, it will all come together! Make sure you have someone the day of to take care of any problems that may arise so that you can enjoy the day that you spent many months planning.  Don’t forget to take in the moments of your wedding day, and relax and enjoy it!  It really will go fast! 

Andrew: All the work and stress is worth it!

Would you change anything about your day if you could?
Becky: Absolutely not! It was an amazing day!

Andrew: Not a thing!

What songs did you use for your:
First Dance – Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley

Father/Daughter Dance- My Little Girl by Tim McGraw

Mother/Son Dance- A Song for my Son by Mikki Viereck

Grand March- Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night by Black Eyed Peas

Where did you go (or are you going) for your Honeymoon?
Hawaii- Oahu and Maui.

How did you two meet?

Online first, then we met in person at Starbucks in Red Arrow Park downtown Milwaukee.

How long have you been dating?

2 years.

5 words to describe your bride:

Funny, confident, smart, pretty, happy

5 words to describe your groom:

Handsome, loving, giving, supportive, amazing

Who were your Vendors?

Florist – Garden Party

Cake Baker – Simmas

DJ or Band – Sound by Design
Videographer – Lighthouse Media

Ceremony Site – St. Lawrence Catholic Church
Reception Site – The Legend at Brandybrook

Any great vendor experiences to share?

Our photographer was absolutely amazing!  You truly went above and beyond and we are so excited to see our wedding photos!

Lori from Garden Party was also amazing, and we received so many compliments on our flowers. She truly captured the atmosphere we were looking for and was so great to work with.

Sound by Design did an amazing job and kept the dance floor full to the very end!

Our ceremony site was also very beautiful and Father Tom was very helpful and supportive.

Our Videographer did a great job and the Green Screen was a big hit with all of our family and friends.

Simmas made our cake more beautiful than I could have imagined, delicious too!

Last, but certainly not least, was Risa from the Legend.  She was so great to work with, so supportive of our ideas, and went above and beyond to make sure our reception was all we could dream of. She truly made our lives easier and I would recommend the reception site to anyone! It was absolutely beautiful!

Sarah & Damon- Married!

Are you ready for some incredible images of a beautiful intimate fall wedding?! Well then you are in for a treat. Sarah & Damon had what I would describe as the perfect intimate affair. Their flowers... stunningly gorgeous. The location... magazine photo perfection. The vows... heartfelt and tear jerking. (all I can say is thank God for autofocus!) And the bride & groom... so in love... truly makes me love LOVE even more! There is simply nothing I enjoy more then seeing two people vow to love & cherish each other and knowing with every fiber of your being that they deeply mean every single word. Like I said.. autofocus. ;) 

Sarah &  Damon your wedding day was such a blast. Thank you for your trust, the invitation into your lives & special day and most of all for your friendship. It truly felt like I was just hanging out with friends. Much love friends! Enjoy your sneak peek. 

Sarah's beautiful mom...  

STUNNING.... 

 

LOVE this photo of you Damon &  the guys... I think the fits of laughter were just two clicks behind this shot. 

How much fun are these two??

Call me crazy but this is one of my favorite images of your day... just love it. 

What was the most memorable part of your day?

Sarah: Although it is hard to pin point just one, the most special and memorable moment for me would have to be when Damon spoke his vows to me.  They were so heartfelt and absolutely beautiful.

Damon: Watching Sarah come down the aisle

What is your funniest memory from your wedding day?

Sarah: When Damon and I polka danced to “The Bears Still Suck”, although some of our Bear fan guests that were there weren’t too thrilled about the song  I absolutely loved it, it was a blast.

Damon: The interaction between my groomsmen and Jennifer and Courtney.  The banter was borderline inappropriate (from the guys) and most likely crossed more than a few lines, but you guys rolled with the punches and gave as good as you got.  Loved it!

Any advice you’d share for future couples getting married?

Sarah: Don’t stress, easier said than done, I know.  However everything will come together.  Also make sure you make decisions that make your future spouse and you happy, it is YOUR day and no one else’s.

Damon: Make your wedding your own, it’s your day!  

Would you change anything about your day if you could?

Sarah: Nothing, it was an absolutely amazing day.  I couldn't have imagined a better wedding.

Damon: Not a thing!

What songs did you use for your:

First Dance – I Want to Know What Love Is by- Foreigner

Father/Daughter Dance- Song for You – by Michael Buble

Mother/Son Dance- Colorful – by Verve Pipe

Grand March- We had two songs – for the bridal party is was Safety Dance and for Damon and me it was Jump Around

Where did you go (or are you going) for your Honeymoon? 

We will be going to Las Vegas

How did you two meet?

Sarah: Damon was bartending at a bar in Oshkosh, WI and I had joined a dart league at the bar with some girlfriends of mine.  We were short a dart player on the first night and he filled in J

Damon: Sarah’s dart league night at the bar I was working at.  She asked me to fill in and I guess I made an impression!

How long have you been dating?

3 ½ years at the time of our wedding.

5 words to describe your bride:

Stunning, radiant, confident, (shockingly) calm……PERFECT J

5 words to describe your groom:

Supportive, Fun, Handsome, Loving, Amazing

Who were your Vendors?

Florist – Floraby Jamae

Cake Baker – Exceptional Catering – Todd Dukes

DJ or Band – High Energy DJ 

Reception/Ceremony Site – Badger Farms

Any great vendor experiences to share?

Well I have to say all of our vendors were great, but some went above and beyond.  First and foremost we had the most amazing photographer and cannot wait to see the final product. 

Our cater Todd did an absolutely wonderful job and went way outside his normal duties, by making sure the cake was perfect to helping with other things and minor obstacles that came about that day, he was there all day. They guys were all enthralled with the pig being roasted on site and couldn't ask enough questions or make enough comments.  Also, the food was absolutely amazing!  Finally, Todd took it upon himself to box up our top layer of the cake and made sure we had it to take home, even though it was not his responsibility.  The guy was outstanding!

The florist Jamae also did a great job, the flowers were perfect.

Last, but certainly not least was Betsy and Dave Muehl from Badger Farms.  They did such a great job and were a huge help from set up to take down.  The venue was amazing and I definitely recommend it to any bride and groom looking for a unique setting for their wedding, such a great day :) 

Betsy & Andrew- Married!

I am so blessed to have worked with Betsy and her family in the past at her sister Debbie's wedding. They are so sweet and welcoming it's a joy every time I get to see them again. Andrew is no exception.. he fits in perfectly, the missing puzzle piece that you didn't even know was ever not there to begin with.

  Unfortunately for Andrew and Betsy their wedding day did not start out quite the way they had planned. Andrew's mom ended up in the hospital just a few days before the wedding and Betsy's father was terribly ill the day of the wedding. For some couples one event would have been enough to send them into a wedding day meltdown.. let alone two. Betsy and Andrew handled it like true champs choosing to make the best of the situation and focus on what was truly important.. their love for one another. Through the use of a strategically placed ipad on the altar Andrew's parents were able to witness their son as he said "I do"... and Betsy's father pale, and exhausted was able to walk his beautiful daughter down the aisle. This was definitely a wedding where I found myself thankful for autofocus... it was hard not to tear up for the couple who would smile at each other with such tenderness all day long. Andrew and Betsy... LOVE you two to pieces!  Enjoy your sneak peek.

 

Note the ipad on the altar?? 

 

Betsy's uncle took his role as chauffeur very seriously... And I LOVED him for that very reason!

 

The fall colors that day were AMA-ZING!

 

 

Dancing with dad... he was such a trooper!

Thank you Betsy for indulging my ideas... LOVE this one!

What was the most memorable part of your day?

Betsy: My father was terribly ill all through the night before the wedding and nobody knew if he was going to make it to the ceremony.  My most memorable part of the day was standing in the entryway of the church just before the ceremony and peaking around the corner to see my dad sitting there, a cup of water in his hand, white as a ghost, waiting to walk me down the aisle.

               

Andrew: My parents were unable to attend the wedding and I was overjoyed that me and my brother were able to use Skype so that our parents were able to witness the ceremony.

What is your funniest memory from your wedding day?

Betsy: As part of the formal wedding ceremony, the priest asked if Betsy and Andrew were getting married of her and his our own free will.  I said yes, but Andrew said, “that’s what I was told”.

               

Andrew: During the ceremony, the priest commented that I had very nice eyes.  So, at the reception, my friends requested “In Your Eyes” from the DJ.

Any advice you’d share for future couples getting married?

Betsy: Don’t stress over every little detail – it will come together in the end.  In the end, all it matters is that you’re married.

               

Andrew: Elope.

Would you change anything about your day if you could?

That Andrew’s mother hadn't been in the hospital, that his parents had been able to attend the wedding, and that Betsy’s father hadn't been terribly ill.

What songs did you use for your:

First Dance: At Last (Etta James)

Father/Daughter Dance: My Little Girl (Tim Mc Graw)

Grand March: Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

Where did you go (or are you going) for your Honeymoon?

Door County, WI, to hit the little shops and enjoy the fall colors.

How did you two meet?

Andrew and Betsy met first in college, where Betsy stole Andrew’s seat in a psychology class and Andrew complained the whole time. The second time Andrew and Betsy met was when Andrew trained Betsy after she started a new job at a mental health program.

How long have you been dating?

6 years

Who were your Vendors?

Florist: Aztalan Fields

Cake Baker: Aggie’s Specialty Cakes

DJ or Band: Twin Spin DJ and Karaoke

Videographer: Visual Productions

Reception Site: CentralCoast

Ceremony Site: St. Lawrence Catholic Church

Any great vendor experiences to share?

Aggie with Aggie’s Specialty Cakes was very accommodating and provided cakes which everyone enjoyed.

Mary with Aztalan Fields provided excellent creative input and was very easy to work with.

Father Tom Coyle was very warm and supportive, especially when learning that Andrew’s mother was ill.  He was helpful and generous in allowing Andrew and Betsy to use the iPad of Andrew’s brother to Skype Andrew’s parents to witness the ceremony.

Jennifer and Courtney with Angelic Angles Photography were highly creative in their artistic expression not only through traditional wedding photos, but especially through Jennifer’s non-traditional wedding photos.  Jennifer and Courtney were very generous with their time and maintained a positive energy despite the cold temperatures during outside photos and long hours.  In short, Jennifer and Courtney were a pleasure to work    with, went above and beyond, and brought considerably creativity – which made Andrew and Betsy look good!