A few years ago, I was taking an advanced training class at my old job. Walking in, I met a fairly newer employee and we began chatting. Bored during our classes, we emailed back and forth a bit and decided to meet for lunch. And that is how I became good friends with Charlie.
I remember thinking what a nice guy Charlie was, and hoping that someday soon he’d meet the right girl. He’s just one of those guys who deserves a great girl, ya know? So when Charlie told me he had met this girl named Rachel, I was curious! As soon as I met her, I knew she was the right one for my good friend Charlie. And now, just a couple days ago, here we were in the UW Arboretum shooting their engagement portraits! YAY!
Before we get to the cutesy couple pics (and let me tell you, they’re CUTE), there’s an important introduction to be made. Meet Cthulu:
Cthulu helped Charlie pop the question. See the ring on his little arm?
According to Wikipedia, Cthulu is a hideous & gargantuan creature that evokes incredible terror. This little guy pictured here is neither hideous nor gargantuan, and he certainly evokes more of an “aaaaw” from me than an “eeeeek.” But his place in the story of Rachael & Charlie is definitely monumental! He came along with us on the engagement portrait adventure.
The UW Arboretum is in full lilac bloom right now. Along with the sunny & warm weather, the blossoms made it an incredible spot to shoot at!
Right away, Rachael knew I’d have a ball finding all kinds of things to shoot through.
She knows me far too well…
One of the things I love about Rachael & Charlie is their laughter & dialogue. Seriously, these are two very fun & light-hearted minds, and their banter together is entertaining, intelligent, playful, and constantly in sync. They barely miss a beat with one another!
They’re also not afraid to crawl into small spaces. In fact, you’d think I instructed this spot, but it was Rachael who found it and planted herself there, with Charlie close behind!
Aaaaw, so cozy & cute!
They were also prepared for my shoe shots.
Rachel claimed she doesn’t have any cute shoes, but I like these ones!!
This light was just delicious.
And it just got better as we continued shooting!
I just love the light, summery feel of this whole session.
I love that Rachael had no problem rolling around on the ground in her white top. No grass stains!
It was a lot of work to get them to hold a straight face… But it was worth it. I love this shot, and the white blossom background.
Can you tell that I loved the movie “Secret Garden” when I was little?
Goofing off!
This is one of my favorite shots of the day…
I could have shot in this location for hours and hours!
Rachel is very bendy…but sometimes she falls over.
After I was able to pry myself away from the beautiful scenery at the Arboretum, off we went to Brennan’s! They were kind enough to let us shoot there a bit. Why Brennan’s? Well, these two are fantastic cooks! I have to say that Charlie’s stuffed pizza with home-made crust is one of my favorite pizzas ever.
We had nice, even light in the greenhouse outside. Love the strawberry crates…
I’d bet that Rachael & Charlie’s regular trips to the grocery store are filled with fun & laughter!
Yes, folks, we are in Wisconsin…fresh cheese curds abound.
And they live happily ever after!
To Rachael & Charlie: I had so much fun shooting these portraits of you guys! I’m excited to be a part of your wedding day, because I know it will be one of those days where my jaw hurts from smiling nonstop. See you at dance lessons!!
And thanks again to the fabulous Crystal, who came along on this shoot and got some great stuff I’m looking forward to editing.
For details about hiring Red Gecko Studio as the photographer for your upcoming wedding, please use the Contact section of this blog! Red Gecko Studio proudly serves weddings and special events in Madison, Milwaukee, and southeastern Wisconsin. Travel to any other location in the world can always be arranged,so don€™t hesitate to ask about your destination wedding! Thanks for visiting, and please take a moment to leave your thoughts as a comment!
by Mandie Haberman
8 comments