Here is a little place to write some welcome text to your blog Here is a little place to write some welcome text to your blog
Wow! I am SO glad this was my first 2018 wedding! My nerves are always on overdrive for the first wedding of the year and this one definitely squashed those nerves within minutes of arriving!
Victoria and James are some of the most genuine & laid-back couples I’ve ever met. The moment I met them, I realized that this day was going to be an absolute blast and a joy to document. Their day was full of excitement, HUGE smiles, loving family members and one of the best parties ever (thanks Massetone DJs and Time Well Wasted Party Bus!) This type of wedding-day is what I wish for all of my couples. Weddings (and the months/days leading up to it) can be a whirlwind of stress and nerves, but Victoria and James were so great! The whole day was very “go with the flow” and turned out so perfectly.
The day started off at the beautiful St. John’s Methodist in Davenport with a reception following at Stoney Creek in Moline.
I always feature some of my favorite images on my blog from each wedding . . . but this wedding? Holy smokes! There were far too many favorites, so stay tuned for part 2 of this blog a little later!
Dress: Hope’s Bridal
Hair: Image Design
Makeup: Erica Diaz
Flowers: Shannon Lokas
Cake: Olde Town Bakery
Mens Suits: Ducky’s Formal Wear
Catering: Hy-Vee
Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog!! You do NOT want to miss the party bus and the reception!!
If there was ever a wedding in which my skills as a photographer were challenged to the max, this was it! My goal is to never let weather or lighting conditions mess with a couple’s photos. I REFUSE to let it happen and that’s why I’ve focused heavily on using extra lighting in all of my wedding work.
It literally poured the whole day & natural light was basically non-existent…..but let me tell you, we made it happen! Kodie & Jesse had a beautiful location tucked into the woods which was surrounded by beautiful fall color. Considering the rainy conditions, Kodie remained positive and calm the whole day…even when she had to make the decision to just get married under the tent and move to an alternate location for the reception.
Regardless of weather or unpredictable events, I love rolling with the day and capturing the story. Please enjoy some of my favorite images from this wonderful day!
Adam and Jill’s wedding day on the Celebration Belle was definitely a day to remember. Adam & Jill traveled all the way from Texas and many family and friends traveled a long way as well!
As Jill put it: “This wasn’t just a wedding… it was a family reunion with stories.”
Please enjoy these photos & I hope you can see all of the love and laughter that this day was made of.
Wow!! That’s all I can say about this amazing wedding.
Kayla & Shaun had a beautiful ceremony at Faith Lutheran Church in Eldridge, IA & reception at the iWireless Center (am I the only one who still can’t call it TaxSlayer?!)
Kayla’s beautiful dress was from my very favorite bridal shop, A Storybook Ending & flowers from Melanie’s Flowers by Design
There are so many wonderful words I could say about this couple. From our first meeting to the engagement session, to the wedding, they were so patient, kind and passionate about their photography experience. (You may remember their epic water engagement session!)
This is one of the largest wedding galleries I’ve delivered & also some of the best reception/party shots I’ve captured. This wedding celebration is so full of love, fun and laughter which is the heart of what I aim to capture. At the end of the day, the photos are truly what my couples will have forever . . . and I don’t take that lightly!
It was wickedly hard to narrow down my favorites from this wedding, but here they are!
Sara & RJ’s magical wedding day couldn’t have been any more perfect!! We had a little bit of rain and a little bit of fog, but for anyone who knows me, we ALWAYS take advantage of the magic mother nature gives us!
The day started out at Preemption Methodist Church and ended at the Establishment Theatre in downtown Rock Island. Please enjoy Sara and RJ’s Quad Cities Wedding Story!
Beautiful flowers by: Mary at Forest of Flowers
After being in the wedding industry for a few years now, I have seen it all (well, maybe).
Part of the reason my clients recommend me, is that I’m not *just* your photographer. I have been through dozens of Quad Cities weddings and can quickly offer advice on timelines, vendors and many other aspects of your day. I also don’t just deliver your images and say “see ya.”
Recently, one of my brides asked me: “Kelly, what is your best advice for my wedding day? I don’t want to screw this up.”
My immediate answer is:
Unless you are working with a planner, my top priority as your wedding photographer is to be sure your timeline is solid. It may seem that the most obvious reason for this is to be sure I have enough time to capture the epic photos you see in my portfolio . . . however . . . YOUR wedding isn’t just about ME.
For most couples, their weddings have been in the works for many months or even years. It’s a big deal and being prepared is vital for your sanity. On a wedding day, the most stressful moments happen because of a badly planned timeline or poor vendor choices. This is almost always the case when things go wrong and a bride or groom (or momma) starts freaking out. Unless you’ve been married before, you don’t know how to budget your time, or know what “most people” are doing.
Perfect example: One of the first weddings I shot, a bride severely underestimated the time needed for one hair and makeup artist to work on seven bridesmaids. (The hair/makeup artist was also inexperienced and did good work, but did not do well under pressure). Needless to say, the timeline ran really behind and everyone was legit freaking out.
Another time, a bride chose a very inexperienced videographer. Not only was he rude, but he slowed down the timeline in a huge way. His inexperience and lack of “people skills” left many people in the bridal party stressed and annoyed. That is definitely not the experience anyone wants to have on their wedding day.
That saying “you get what you pay for” isn’t always just about the quality. You are also paying for the experience and a professional who knows how to deal with the challenges and time constraints of a wedding day. As a photographer, I know I must be able to work quickly. This is true for your other vendors as well. Remember that you aren’t just paying for a service, you are paying someone who you get along with, who cares about you, and is experienced in the wedding industry.
After learning quickly about the wedding industry, the timeline is now something I cover with my brides . . . and you know what? I almost ALWAYS find mistakes in the initial timeline. There are so many little tidbits of time people can’t account for, because, well, they just don’t know!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve suggested to a bride that she move her wedding ceremony to an earlier time, or start the reception a bit later. You would be amazed at how an extra 30mins here, or an extra hour there can make a WORLD of difference in how your wedding flows. At the end of the day, YOU are in charge. I can only suggest what works, what doesn’t usually work, and how to be as stress-free as possible.
My other piece of advice? Only hire professionals for all of your vendors. Any professional who has been in business for awhile will know the wedding drill and you shouldn’t have to worry about them messing with your timeline. It may seem tempting when you run across a vendor with “too good to be true” rates, but remember, you may not be hiring a professional or someone who deals with weddings. Nowadays, all someone needs is a Facebook page and they have an insta-business. Cheap rates are a dead giveaway that they probably aren’t paying taxes, probably aren’t licensed, and definitely not insured with liability. That’s scary.
In conclusion, I take my weddings very seriously and treat my wedding couples how I would want to be treated. Plus, I firmly believe that the better working relationship we have, the better your day and photos will be.
After all of your planning, you 100% deserve the best. It’s time to have fun! Let’s get you on my calendar.