JENNA & NATHAN | NORTHERN WISCONSIN COUNTRY CLUB WEDDING
Northern Wisconsin Wedding Photographers
North Central Wisconsin Senior & Portrait Photographers James & Katie Stokes Located in Medford, Wisconsin // Wedding // Page 4
Northern Wisconsin Wedding Photographers
Sometimes you just know. I think that was the case with Justine and Josh and I know it was the case for us. When I first met them atop Rib Mountain, I knew they were the perfect fit for us and would celebrate their love and union in a beautiful way. Well, that was such an understatement. Rothschild Pavilion served as the perfect wedding venue for their winter nuptials and reception.
Their wedding was the best way to start 2014 and we were so honored to be a witness to their vows amidst the ‘Winter Wonderland’ and the sea of friends and family. With Christ as the center of their marriage, Josh and Justine, instead of lighting a unity candle, painted a heart together. It was such a unique and touching example of how two become one.
Justine, with the help of her sister, mother, and dear cousins arranged all the decorations. Many of the creations were DIY projects and the bride herself created nearly everything. There was so much thought and talent that went into the details of this wedding. The bouquet was hand-made and was by far one of the most beautiful. The programs were made to look like the literary works of Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author and poet, who served as inspiration for their fairy tale themed wedding. Justine’s beauty truly is legendary it was hard to not want to photograph just her the entire day. Josh made the perfect prince Charming and in every way is the classic gentleman young girls dream of marrying. All around, their story and their wedding is straight out of a fairy tale and we can’t wait to see how their journey continues in the many years to come!
Josh and Justine were able to suffer the cold for a few short minutes together outside for some warming couple shots while guests enjoyed a hot chocolate and a potato bar. Vegan and gluten-free cupcakes, cookies, chocolate goodies, and more was bestowed upon all who were in attendance. With the #jjhappyeverafter guests could help document their day via instagram. I personally thought this was sheer genius and the alternative to leaving cameras on the tables. It is incredible to see how things have changed in such a short time. Will our children discover our digital past and will our Facebook timelines become the new family album?
I hope this couple will cherish these images always and create hundreds of photographs from these digital images, but more importantly value each other and be reminded of the day they gave each other to the promise of fidelity and marriage.
Thank you for allowing us to capture your first day as husband and wife,
J&K
Caterer: A Spoonful of Batter, Rockman’s Catering
Dress Store: Brandi’s Bridal Galleria
DIY or Handmade Goods Designer: Tailor Made Stamps
Looking back over this year’s work has caused me to stop and think of where I want to be a year from now – 5 years from now.
We have grown over the past three years and as we embark on our fourth year as full-time husband & wife wedding photographers we want to be certain that we’re headed in the direction of our dreams. One of those goals for this next year is to showcase images that really speak to who we are. We see thousands of photographs each day and in a sea of photographers we want people to know instantly what makes us different.
In reality, most photographers use the same cameras, shoot the same glass (lenses), and edit with the same software and presets, but when it comes down to it – it is the person behind the camera that makes the difference. Our personal preferences, our likes and dislikes, our inspiration, and our experiences are all part of the images we take. Hundreds of thousands of times our shutters have allowed pulses of light to pass onto our sensors and very small fraction of those captures are seen. Not because they were necessarily ‘bad’ images, rather they simply didn’t fit the story we want to tell. The luxury of having two people capture a wedding day is that at the end of the day we know we will walk away with images that speak to the true nature of how we see the world. Our personalities are fused into our work and often it is in the chaos of documenting a wedding day that our personal strengths are both tested and utilized.
As Katie and I continue to work together we see how very different we are – how very different men and women are! For that we are thankful. We fall in love with each other’s work. The more I begin to see life through Katie’s eyes, the easier it is for me to relate to her on a more intimate level as a person and as her husband. I get her. Sometimes. I think marriage is a lot like that; a dance of sorts – where we sometimes lead and sometimes follow. But most often we just trip over each other’s feet and laugh. That is us, in a fun non-catastrophic way. We don’t pretend to be perfect and the remarkable people we photograph aren’t either. They’re real, down-to-earthy people like us.
It is often the flaws we see when we look in the mirror or stare at a photograph of ourselves. We search through old albums hoping to find a memory that didn’t involve braces and bulky glasses. In Katie’s case baggy t-shirts and stirrup pants. Mercy. Adolescence was not kind growing up in the 90s. We survived and so did our ability to laugh at ourselves.
We rejoice in what makes everyone unique and it is often those flaws/quirks/ idiosyncrasies that really remind us of how special we are and that we do have a story worth documenting and remembering. Some day your kids will ask to see what you wore to the prom or what your dress looked like on your wedding day. And when you can pull out your wedding album and show them how stunning you looked and how grandpa cried as he walked you down the aisle you will remember and emotions will come flooding back. The same way it does when you forgot it was picture day in third grade. Katie and I were petrified on our wedding day and it took every ounce of our being to make it through without shaking or crying from sure nervousness. We made it through and you will too. We own those awkward family photos, they’re a token of successfully surviving adolescence and a testament to our implausible neediness.
So what makes us different from all the rest?
We like to think that it is our outgoing personalities coupled with our impeccable photography skills. But really it is our love for serving others. Many have passion for photography or for storytelling, but for us it is more than that. It is more than just taking pretty pictures and showcasing beauty – it is about investing in the lives of other people. Our calling is to serve, whether that be taking photos of missionary families or devoting our free time to help better community outreach. This is how we measure success, not when we’re so busy that we aren’t able to give of ourselves when we’re needed and not when our bank account is padded and the bills are all paid. The indicators of our success isn’t measured by the amount of weddings we book each year or whether we shoot a destination wedding in some pacific paradise, rather it is visible in the lives of those we meet.
We want our clients to feel like they’re family and not the kind you wish would just stay in the backwoods, the kind you really hope come home for Christmas. The kind of family you want to spend the most time with on your wedding day.
Many years from now, when the flaws become more visible and life’s journey has left its mark, we want you to get butterflies when you brush up against each other unexpectedly and relish the opportunity to share an afternoon with your great-grandchildren. We want you to kiss like you did on your wedding day!
I had the pleasure of meeting Joshua and Erica a few months ago via our engagement shoot. I learned very early that photographs are very important to them. These two set a side a good portion of their day to be photographed together, more so than we have ever had with another couple.
Joshua is a talented musician whose friends from Australia made the long trip to Central Wisconsin to officiate & celebrate with them. A highlight may have been during the ceremony when both sets of parents came on stage and prayed for their children as their started their journey in Christian marriage, such an incredible honor to be apart of such an intimate moment. Their entire day was filled with these moments and we can’t thank you both enough for allowing us the opportunity to capture your day!
Katie and I were fortunate enough to find an abandoned building in Colby, WI, which served as the perfect backdrop for a few of these images.
The Abbotsford Library served as another uncanny location for a few intimate portraits before their reception. Their entire day was filled with beautiful moments and we can’t thank you both enough for allowing us the opportunity to capture your day!
Blessings,
J&K
I simply couldn’t hold on to these images any longer! These two had such an incredibly day surrounded by the fog of an early October wedding. I don’t think I have ever been at a wedding with so much emotion. These two have a great deal of respect and reverence for their family and the people who have shaped them into the fine people they are today. Kayla’s day was filled with personal components that made their day especially theirs. Her dress was simply stunning with a long veil that made for epic bridals. Kayla wore her late grandmother’s dancing shoes, which were also something blue. We couldn’t have been more pleased with how the weather cooperated for us, giving us a beautiful diffused haze surrounded by Portage County fall color. From the first time Justen and Kayla stepped in front of our cameras to now, we have grown to know this couple and their families, it helps we grew up in the same town, but Katie and I truly felt like friends with cameras at their wedding, which made for great fun with their dynamic bridal party and loving family!
Thank you both for allowing us to capture your day! We can’t wait to see where life takes you.
Blessings,
J&K