Milo's Senior Portraits at the Allen Centennial Gardens

milo’s senior portraits at the beautiful allen centennial gardens were perfecT!

We absolutely could not have asked for better weather (especially with the heat wave that came in just after we did these portraits), and the blooms at the gardens were gorgeous as well. We also got to enjoy a musical performance as we wandered the gardens, and then we eventually branched out into other areas of campus to take advantage of the beautiful ivy-covered buildings, before finishing up with some sweet photos of Milo and his mom! Enjoy the photos of this awesome and chill senior session!

—Sam

 
 

Amy + Anne: A "Two Moms, Two Bumps" Maternity Session!

Bean & Squishie arriving in july!

When Anne + Amy contacted me about a maternity session and shared that they were both due in July, I could not have been more excited! They had a beautiful Sun Prairie wedding in 2024, so what better way to celebrate almost two years later than with their maternity session in the same location!

With ultrasounds of both Bean and Squishie, as well as some ADORABLE tiny shoes (honestly, who doesn’t freaking lose it over tiny shoes), we walked around Sun Prairie in the same places where they celebrated their wedding and got to celebrate the upcoming additions to their family!

Help me wish these two a BIG congrats (x2) and enjoy the photos!

—Sam

 
 

Morgan + Justin: A Beautiful Summer Wedding Day at Cave of the Mounds

Justin + Morgan had A beautiful queer & covid-conscious wedding day celebration!

These two became friends as physics majors in college and a few years later decided to give dating a whirl, ending up at the live-action Dora the Explorer movie as their first date night! Over the years they’ve made a life for themselves full of adorable little creatures to care for (like their cats, Rutabaga and Kiwi), wonderful friends, and supportive family, all of which culminated in a gorgeous and sunny wedding day in Wisconsin!

Having a COVID-conscious wedding day was important to both Justin (they/them) and Morgan (they/them), and so while indoors, guests were masked (folks had some ADORABLE mask bling!!!), but most of the festivities took place outdoors on the grounds at Cave of the Mounds (which if you haven’t been, it’s heavenly)! Their wedding day was full of big and small touches that made the day even more meaningful and important. In lieu of presents, Morgan + Justin asked their guests to contribute to one of 3 charitable causes that are near and dear to their hearts. They had Morgan’s grandmother’s polaroid camera for guests to enjoy (that we got to take some photos on as well - y’all KNOW how much I love polaroids)! And they also had a beautiful remembrance area dedicated to family members who are no longer with them.

The day was sunny, fun, and full of joy! Help me wish these two a big congratulations, and enjoy the photos of their wedding day!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Cave of the Mounds (Grounds & Visitor Center)

Officiant: Lu (friend of the couple)

Hair: Rebel Hair

Jewelry: Brilliant Earth

Gown & Veil: Bon Bon Belle Bridal Boutique & Belle Botanical Creations

Gown Tailoring: Anna’s Tailoring Studio

Suit: Generation Tux

Desserts: Miggy’s Bakes

Catering: RedBarn Catering

Unity Glass: Hot Shop Glass Studio & Gallery

 
 

Mary Alice + Alex: A Romantic Spring Engagement Session at Tenney Park

Can there be a perfect engagement session?

I don’t know, but this was about as perfect as they can go! Mary Alice + Alex chose to begin their engagement session at Tenney Park by reading heartfelt vows to each other beneath the shade of a gorgeous tree, and if that wasn’t awesome enough, their dog, Winnie, was also dressed as a princess for the session 😍 (Special shout out to Brea for being an awesome dog wrangler and a quick-draw on the peanut butter!)

As we traipsed around the park, we saw all manner of wildlife (which feels auspicious), including a bunny, ducks, a baby Robin (with it’s family making a ruckus around us about this wee one’s first flight), AND A FREAKING BEAVER, which we originally thought was a muskrat until we got a better look. Truly this session could not have been more magical if one of us had been Snow White lol.

Enjoy the photos of this super sweet couple, and their shamelessly adorable dog, Winnie, as well as some of the wildlife we spotted along the way! And help me wish them a BIG congrats on their engagement!

—Sam

 
 

Ariah + Alyssa: A Surprise Proposal in the Peonies!

Ariah planned a romantic surprise proposal in for alyssa at a peony farm!

Alyssa’s favorite flowers are peonies, so Ariah knew a picnic proposal in the flowers (at the gorgeous Ovans Peony Farm in Beaver Dam, WI) was going to be the perfect spot to pop the question (and she was right!).

Alyssa had suspected a proposal might be happening, but she was convinced it was going to be the following weekend, and so the surprise proposal really was a surprise! Ariah had a custom-made blanket that said “Alyssa Will You Marry Me?” on it that she rolled out for the picnic (see the pics, it’s adorable!) along with the cutest picnic basket you’ve ever seen, complete with snacks (thanks for the cookies, they were delicious!), sparkling wine and wine glasses!

Alyssa said yes (if it wasn’t obvious by how madly in love these two are), and they celebrated with a toast and some frolicking in the flowers, then headed off to dinner with their families (another surprise Ariah planned for Alyssa) to celebrate more!

Help me wish these two a BIG congratulations, and enjoy the photos!

—Sam

 
 

Ashley + Ayla: A Surprise Anniversary Proposal!

Ashley planned a beautiful surprise anniversary proposal for ayla at the Allen Centennial gardens!

The proposal happened on their 5 year anniversary (June 6th), and even more adorably, Ayla had also planned a surprise proposal for Ashley (with another awesome local photographer Nat Erlin - https://www.naterlinphotography.com/) for the very next day in the same gardens! So there was a lot of joy to go around that weekend!

First, Ashley had two friends (pictured below) that were sneakily in disguise to keep the “proposal bench” clear of anyone for an hour before the proposal happened, and they did so good AND their disguises were *chef’s kiss*. Once we got the word that it was going down, the two co-conspirators hid inconspicuously behind some bushes (that’s dedication), and I pretended to be a flower photographer for a bit until the magic started!

These two were so obviously and deeply in love it made me smile ear to ear despite the 99.9% humidity and the glaring sun trying to bring my vibes down (nice try, humid Wisconsin early summer, love wins)! We excitedly chatted about birds while walking around the gardens and the UW campus for couples portraits after the proposal. It was a beautiful day with an even more lovely couple, and I am so honored and excited to have been able to celebrate with them! Help me wish Ayla + Ashley a BIG congratulations and enjoy the photos of this super sweet couple!

—Sam

 
 

Ann + Sam: A Romantic Maternity Session at the UW Arboretum

And baby makes three…

Ann + Sam (who you may remember from such weddings as this one) are having a baby! (Ann is doing all the hard work, obvs). These two decided to have their maternity session at the same place they had their first look on their wedding day, and it could not have been more beautiful! Enjoy the sweet photos of this even sweeter couple, as they look forward to welcoming their little Squidling in July!

—Sam

 
 

Pree + Nic: An Intimate At-Home Wedding

y’all know we love micro weddings, and this one was so sweet and loving and just perfect!

Pree + Nic had a beautiful and relaxed wedding day at their home Mazomanie, WI, surrounded by their closest friends & family (with Pree’s mom, Anu, joining them via a video call from India)! I love at-home weddings and portrait sessions because of how deeply personal the place is for each couple. Nic + Pree had loads of favorite hidden spots around their property that were perfect for photos! Their wedding vows literally brought tears to the eyes of their guests (and themselves), and it was a pleasure to celebrate with these two! Help me wish them a big congratulations!

—Sam

 
 

Anne + Adrien: A Cozy Lifestyle Couples Portrait Session

Home is where the heart is

And also where your dog is, yeah? Especially when your dog is as cute as Maggie! Anne + Adrien wanted to have couples portraits taken in the apartment they’ve made a home in together before some big moves that are coming their way, and the session couldn’t have been cozier or sweeter (though, not pictured is the Tornado Warning in the middle of the session that had us chilling in the parking garage for 30 minutes under the building, which was exciting, if less cozy lol). Enjoy these relaxed portraits of this awesome couple and their fur child, Maggie!

—Sam

 
 

Emma + Nate: An Intimate Downtown Madison Wedding 1.0

Emma + Nate had a beautiful wedding day celebration, almost a year ahead of wedding 2.0!

They wanted their legal wedding ceremony to be small and intimate and joyful, and it was! They’ll have a bigger celebration next year, but this wedding day was as lovely as it was fun, and the food was delicious! Enjoy the photos of these sweethearts and help me wish them a big congratulations!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony Venue: Wisconsin State Capitol Building

Reception Venue: Lucille’s

 
 

Freya + Rowan: A Surprise Proposal at Tenney Park

Freya planned a beautiful surprise proposal for rowan at a place special to both of them

These two often head down to Tenney Park to draw and enjoy the view of Lake Mendota, so it felt like the perfect place for a golden hour proposal (spoiler alert: it was)! The proposal was as lovely as can be, as are these two! Enjoy the sweet photos of this even sweeter couple, and help me wish them a big congratulations!

—Sam

 
 

David + Alex: A Big Gay Downtown Madison Wedding!

This wedding was fun, colorful, and very gay, all of which we love!!!

You might remember David + Alex from such engagement sessions as this one (does anyone still get Simpson’s references??? If so, please know that I’m saying that in Troy McClure voice.) I’ve been so pumped about this wedding since even before the engagement session, and it was even better than I’d imagined!

From the grooms’ immaculate complementary suit colors to the Pride flags available for all the guests to wave during the recessional, to the Pokemon pinball machine for guests to enjoy, this wedding was amazing in every way! The appetizers? Wisconsin-inspired cheese & meat boards all the way! The photo props for the selfie-station? Team groom, obviously. The dance floor? Fun as hell!

Enjoy the photos of this super sweet couple and their closest friends & family having a blast and being in love, and help me wish these two a big congratulations!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Officiant: Megan Kessler (friend)

Hair & Makeup: Soulful Artisan

Jewelry: Rings by Lux

Suits: NL Suits

DJ/Band: Shane in Flux

Florist: Cosmic Gardens

Wedding Coordinator: Kyley with OSO In Love Events

Pinball Machine Rental: The Kickback Bar