Our Wedding Photography Story

I shared this post almost two years ago, but wanted to repost this today for many of you as you sift through the many ideas and dreams that come with wedding planning: Back in 2004, when I was engaged and planning my wedding, I did not make photography a priority. I know, so crazy huh? If you know anything about me, I am super practical. I had a budget for our wedding and in my logical mind, photography had to fit in that budget, no matter what the cost: even if the cost meant giving up my dream of having amazing wedding photos that would last the rest of my life.

No one told me to think about this differently.

So, I hired a friend. Someone who loved photography, had a great camera and the best of intentions. This person was excited for the opportunity and I was excited about the price break. Can you even believe I said that? Yes, it was true. I wouldn't have to break the bank for wedding photos and that made me and my family happy.

But not forever.

While I am so thankful for the hard work that our photographer put into on our wedding day, he lacked some very important things. Important things that make a huge difference. Important skills that would have given me wedding photos I would hang on my wall for decades to come.

I made the wrong choice.

Looking back, I don't regret very much about the choices we made for our wedding day. I don't regret anything about the decor or the food or the drinks. I don't regret anything about the people or the time of year. Kenny and I got married -- we had our family and friends around us and we had an incredible wedding day. But I do regret this: I regret that we don't have amazing photos to help us remember the day. I regret that we don't have beautiful portraits to display around our home.

I wish someone would have told me.

So I encourage you to learn from our mistake. Don't simply dismiss a photographer because of price. Meet with that photographer. See if you truly appreciate their work, and be convinced that this vendor is worth investing in. I would have worked ten, twenty, fifty more shifts to earn my wedding photos. I would have compromised something else to pay for amazing and lifelong wedding photos.

I really wish I would have invested in a good photographer.

That's our story. I hope it is helpful and thought provoking for you. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Wednesday friends! K and K

And as for photos -- we took this on Sunday evening in San Diego, where we attended a wedding :) That's right, we were guests and we had a blast!!

Downtown Chico Wedding: Rob and Jessica Tease...

Totally honored to be a part of Rob and Jessica's wedding day yesterday. While the couple and so many of their friends and family came from the East Coast, Chico felt like home for all of us as we gathered to celebrate!Can't wait to share more soon. Happy Honeymooning friends! Say hi to the Bahamas for us!

A Chico Wedding: Jarrett and Megan

I know I say this a lot, but we may have done the happy dance, when Megan and Jarrett chose us to photograph their wedding. Once again, they had a sweet story and we wanted to be a part of telling it. Once again, we were blessed with amazing clients. Megan and Jarrett were meant to be. As the first line of Brad Paisley's song says: "I remember trying not to stare the night I first met you, you had me mesmerized." It's almost like they knew from the moment they met. Jarrett had a feeling he would marry this girl and Megan knew she would marry him. And so as they danced to Brad Paisley's song for their first dance, it all made sense. You can tell that they quickly grew close, they trust each other and they are good friends. Megan respects Jarrett and Jarrett adores Megan. And the quiet exchanges that they share don't go unnoticed. We were all touched by the way that they love each other.

Thank you so much Jarrett and Megan. Looking back, I am just so thankful that you decided to call us and so thankful that in the end you chose us to photograph your wedding. Can't wait to see all that you will do together in this life. We are very grateful to know you.

Much Love, K and K

Vendors: Venue: The Palms Pavilion Florist: Meghan Barker Catering: Special Times DJ: Elite Sounds

Each girl wore these beautiful pieces in their hair.

And she was just so happy like this, all day...

Megan, you are gorgeous...

The first look...

Such a sweet bridal party:

And all of the small details just came together so well... Many thanks to Meghan Barker for the beautiful floral design.

The ceremony took place on the lawn of the Venue.

The details at the reception were elegant and one of my favorites of the season. Mindy and the team from Special Times Catering, don't miss a thing when they set and prepare for a wedding. It is always beautiful.

These two have such a great family and friends. Which made for a really fun reception.

Once again, the dances always tend to make me cry. Megan's dad is one of a kind. They have a lot of fun together.

Love this shot of Megan with her brother, Mark. Who also happens to be the owner of Elite Sounds DJ here in Chico. His team of people is just so good at what they do and professional!

Megan's Grandparents have been married for sixty plus years and happened to win the anniversary dance.

And the party was a fun one!!

Columbia River Wedding: Dante and Brittany

Dante and Brittany met in college -- both of them working as Resident Assistants in the dorm. They are very compassionate people, with a lot of similarities and their differences will only make their marriage stronger. At first, we weren't sure whether or not we could be a part of their day, but we made it work, thanks to having the best family in the whole world. We photographed a wedding in Chico on Sunday afternoon and then our sweet sister drove us through the night to Portland where we were able to photograph Dante and Brittany on Monday.

It was a backyard style wedding held at the Riverview Restaurant right on the Columbia River. And just like always, the Northwest didn't let us down. It was a beautiful September day. Dante and Brittany had so many sweet moments and they wear their heart on their sleeve, which we love.

Brittany and Dante, you are such caring and kind people. We know that there is so much in store for you both. Thank you for letting us be a part of your day. For inviting us into all of the special moments. We are really grateful.

Much Love, K and K

The first look...

Stunning...

The ceremony was held on the lawn at Riverview and began as Brittany and Dante washed one another's feet, a symbol of love and honor.

Right after the ceremony, we stole the couple away for a few more portraits. We found this amazing spot right across the street from the venue...

Brittany had put a lot of thought and time into these details... And the florist did such a good job with this bouquet. Each wine bottle was painted with chalkboard paint so that their guests could write them messages. Instead of a guest book, each guest signed a cork...

The Reception was an afternoon affair and they started with their first dance right here on the deck of the venue.

Thank you so much Dante and Brittany. Blessed to be a part of your day...

Willows Memorial Hall Wedding: Mike and Andrea Tease...

There wasn't an empty seat in the house at Saint Monica's church in Willows last weekend. So many people came to show their love for Mike and Andrea, two high school sweethearts, destined to be together. It was a great celebration and once again we are just amazed that people would let us be a part of their day. Thank you so much Mike and Andrea!

More soon and Much Love, K and K

And yes, she is such a beautiful bride.

Chico Wedding: Alex and Alicia

I remember their day so well. It was the Sunday of Labor Day and I was actually having a really rough morning. I remember being in tears on the way to their wedding, as I was overwhelmed with some things in our life. And so we stopped. We pulled off the side of the road and we prayed. Kenny gave me a pep talk and together we promised to give this wedding our best. And this wedding blew me away. The people were some of the kindest we have ever met. The families so sweet. Alex and Alicia could not stop smiling -- they are smitten and we absolutely LOVED working with them. You can just tell the spirit of the day by the people. These people knew how to have fun and they embraced us with open arms. Just amazing!

I am so grateful for this wedding day. It is days like this, that make me realize how blessed we are to do something we love together. And just like this wedding, we are inspired by our clients, people like Alex and Alicia.

So thank you both. Thank you for choosing us to photograph your wedding. We had a blast -- loved every moment and think the two of you are going to make an incredible team for life.

Much Love and Gratitude, K and K

Vendors: Venue: The Palms Pavilion Catering: Chico Catering Company DJ: Elite Sounds Makeup: The Powder Room Photographer: K Stone Photography Floral Design: Chico Florist Cake: Upper Crust Jewelery: Ashley Menza Designs

Love working with Ashley, from the Powder Room. She is the best!

The first look. Don't you just love how excited Alex is? I am telling you, they were just Smitten...

Alex and Alicia met in Chico, but live in Monterey -- so they wanted the historic Bidwell Mansion as a backdrop for some of their photos.

Such a sweet Bridal Party...

I am a big fan of this shot :)

The wedding ceremony was held on the lawn outside the Palms Alicia's parents. Enough said.

Married :)

We took some time to photograph a few more portraits before the party started.

The details at the reception were ubnderstated, and just pretty. Once again, Upper Crust, did a wonderful job with the cake.

This might be one of my favorite "cake-cutting" of all time :)

Love when we are in just the right spot for a dance move like this :)

A Chico Wedding: Jarrett and Megan Tease...

Kenny and I always prepare before a wedding day by talking through our vision of the day from a photographic perspective. We think about what our priorities should be, depending on what the bride and groom have expressed to us. With Jarrett and Megan, we knew that their day would be elegant and that we wanted to capture really timeless photos. Let me just tell you, they made our job look easy. Aren't they just stunning?

Thank you so much Jarrett and Megan. We loved being a part of your wedding day! Much more soon, K and K

A DIY Chico Wedding: Mitch and Amanda

Amanda and Mitch are down to earth people. The kind of people who think of others first. They have known each other for years and together, watched many of their siblings and close friends get married: Unsure when their turn may come. This last fall, Mitch totally surprised Amanda by asking her to marry him while they were visiting friends near Seattle. Amanda was so excited! And together, they started planning a fun wedding, centered around the people that mean so much to them.

And you could tell, people love them. The wedding day was about the people. It was about celebrating and enjoying each moment, as it unfolded. Their were so many details, most of them handmade by Amanda that gave the day a very personal feeling.

And we were honored to capture that. We loved seeing how happy Mitch and Amanda are; how much they adore each other. We loved capturing their friends and family. And at the end of the day, we know we are blessed to be a part of another really special wedding day.

Congratulations Mitch and Amanda. So excited for what lies ahead. You are wonderful, wonderful people.

Much Love, K and K

Vendors: Venue: The Palms Wedding Coordinator: In Joy Events Catering: La Cocina Economica Floral Design: Cambray Rose Florist Dessert: Marcie's Cupcake Kitchen Makeup: The Powder Room Shoes: TOMS Photographer: K Stone Photography

And let's just say, wearing a pair of TOMS on your wedding day -- now, that's a good start to a long day :)

Mitch gave Amanda this gift before the ceremony...

The details that were put into the ceremony were brilliant. The flower work designed by Pam at Cambray Rose Florist.

Love this shot of the flower girls.

Married...

Amanda had been working on the details for months. Seriously, so much of the details were handmade by Amanda.

We took a few more photos right before the party began :)

Loved the toasts and first dance... Definitely a tear running down her cheek...

Such a fun party!

Many thanks to the Palms Venue for providing the backdrop for this wedding day.

Columbia River Wedding: Dante and Brittany Tease...

On Monday, we had the honor of photographing Dante and Brittany. They were married in a beautiful setting along the Columbia River. I would say, these two are sweet. They are kind and they are loved well by the people around them. So glad to have made the trek to Portland and thankful to have captured their love. Please say hi to Kauai for us, friends! Congratulations you two!

K and K

A Chico Wedding: Alex and Alicia Tease...

I know for some of you, the weekend may seem long gone, but for us, our weekend ended late last night after arriving home from Portland after a whirlwind of a weekend. I would say I may be a bit delirious today, but not without a very thankful heart. We started the weekend on Sunday photographing Alex and Alicia here in Chico. I haven't even begun to sort through all of our work, but LOVE these frames because their excitement is just contagious! Thank you so much Alex and Alicia! You two are wonderful people!

K and K

Chico Vintage Backyard Wedding: Anders and Ashley

Every once in awhile, you get the chance to photograph friends and that is one of my favorite things in the world. Now don't get me wrong, we LOVE all the weddings that we photograph, but there is something special about knowing a family well and being invited into their day, like we were with this wedding. To say we were honored, is an understatement. The Lundbergs are our friends. They were some of the first people that we met when we moved here and they have become like family to us. Embracing the good and the bad sides of us -- they love us well. Getting the privilege to photograph Anders and Ashley's wedding meant that perhaps we could serve them, because they tirelessly serve others ALL the time.

The wedding was held at the Shaffer Ranch, in North Chico. The day had a rustic, down to earth feel. And Anders and Ashley, well, they were just stunning. They were so happy to be getting married; so happy to walk back down the aisle as husband and wife, surrounded by 300 of their family and friends. I would say, the day was incredible.

Thank you Anders and Ashley. Thank you for letting us be there -- for being vulnerable and giving us the opportunity to photograph that. Thank you for being you. For being the kind of people that God can use to change this world. I know that you will have the opportunity to be even stronger, together. I just can't wait to see what God does through your marriage.

And thank you to the Lundbergs. Sometimes I don't know what to say, but thank you. Thank you for changing our lives; for the better.

Much, much Love to our friends and to people that we call family. We are so grateful not only to have been at your wedding, but to relive the moments here. And a huge congratulations to Anders and Ashley. This is just the beginning of something great!

K and K

Vendors: Venue: Shaffer Ranch Catering: Italian Guy Catering Photographer: K Stone Photography Dress: David's Bridal Floral Design: Alli Leduc Hair: Olivia James Hair Salon Makeup: Ashleigh Newport DJ: Kevin Reid

These two decided to see one another before the wedding -- and I am so glad that they did!

It was a very large and beautiful bridal party... Loved the details from the girls...

Ashley put on her veil right before the wedding. She is stunning...

The ceremony was held on the lawn at the Ranch. Aren't they so happy?

Moments after the wedding...

So excited to be married :)

There were some very special moments exchanged between family members, who we just love so much!

Such a cute flower girl...

We had the opportunity to take a few more photos afterward... Loved the mustang and the light :)

And, it's reception time :)

Ashley envisioned very simple decor, but wait till you see some of these little details... A homemade italian soda bar? Yes please :) An actual mailbox for the cards. Such a good idea... Salt Water Taffy on each table... with burlap and lace.

The floral design was beautiful work done by Alli Leduc.

Some sweet dances between family members...

A photobooth can provide some great photos for us too :) And just a few of the many candids taken during the dance party :)

Such a fun sparkler send off -- and dont you love this last frame? Cheers to an amazing wedding day!

The Palms Wedding: Mitch and Amanda Tease...

Congratulations to Mitch and Amanda! Saturday was such an amazing day -- with so many details that I can hardly wait to share. We are so excited for you and hope you have the best time ever in the Bahamas! Much Love friends! K and K

Chico Wedding Photographers: Ashley

Ashley, you are beautiful. And when you arrived for your bridal session, before the day of your wedding, I knew that a lot was whirling through your mind. In just two weeks, you would marry Anders. Your life would be forever changed. And while your life changed on Saturday, you didn't.

You will always know the love of Christ, which has made you even more beautiful. You will always be generous; with your time, your money and your life. Your laugh will always be contagious. Your loyalty will never change. You will always make a difference in this world, whether you know it or not. Your compassion will always be a part of who you are. You will keep wearing you heart on your sleeve, And smile, even when it is hard. You will keep serving people well, and making anyone you know, feel like a friend.

And, you will always be loved.

So grateful to get a chance to photograph you before your wedding day and then again last Saturday as you married Anders. It was an amazing day.

Thank you so much Ashley! Much Love, K

Is she stunning, or what?

Such a fun session!

Canyon Oaks Country Club Wedding: Josh and Megan

Sometimes, love just radiates from a person. And this was definitely the case for Josh and Megan. They adore each other so much. They love well. And we were absolutely blessed to share in their wedding day. The day was held at Canyon Oaks Country Club, here in Chico. And while it may have been one of the warmest days of the year, we hardly noticed, because we really do love our job. Megan looked so pretty in her dress, and both of them were just giddy with excitement to see each other and get married.

And it is days like this, that make us stop and realize how thankful we are for marriage. Marriage is a beautiful thing and these two showed that well.

Thank you Josh and Megan for inspiring us with your friendship and love. We are SO blessed to know you -- SO thankful to have been invited into your day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Much Love, K and K

Venue: Canyon Oaks Country Club Catering: Canyon Oaks Country Club Cake: Upper Crust Dress: David's Bridal DJ: Platinum Productions Florist: Flowers by Rachelle Photographer: K Stone Photography

Megan's Mom was so kind to us... Loved working with both of their families.

Josh, read this note from Megan right before seeing her for the first time that day...

Megan, you are a beautiful person, inside and out.

Their first look was so sweet. Can you tell they adore each other?

There were so many portraits, these are just some of our favorites...

The ceremony was held on the lawn of Canyon Oaks Country Club...

As Josh and Megan were walking back down the aisle, Megan stopped to hug her Dad....

Loved these few captured right after the ceremony.

They had some beautiful decor -- inspired by the color purple :)

Upper Crust created this beautiful cake.

The evening held a plated dinner with lots of laughter and toasts, and some special dancing...

I'll end here, because who doesn't love seeing Grandma on the dance floor?

Chico Wedding Photographers: Anders and Ashley Tease...

Our hearts are full. We got to share in this wedding day yesterday; a day filled with so many people that we are blessed to call friends. Thank you Anders and Ashley. Thank you to your family and friends who we love so much. Have the best time ever in Maui! We can't wait to share more photos soon... And as for today, we are resting from a very full weekend. So grateful for Monday's off with the best hubby a girl could ask for :) K

Chico Wedding Photographers: Wordless Wednesday

Our weekends are filled with weddings -- precious moments that we freeze in time and I am so, so blessed to do this. And while our life is very full, you have probably noticed that our blog is not. Mostly because real life is happening all around us and we don't want to miss a moment. So check in with our Facebook page, as often as you want -- we tend to post photos here and maybe even tell you a bit about our daily adventures :)

And because this might be one of my favorite photos of all time, I'll leave you with this frame, captured at Josh and Megan's wedding on Saturday...

Canyon Oaks Country Club Wedding: Josh and Megan Tease...

So blessed to capture Josh and Megan yesterday. We laughed with them and cried with them. It was truly an amazing day. Happy Honeymooning friends! Thank you so much! K and K

Chico Wedding Photographer: Ben and Lauren

We first met Ben and Lauren at a wedding in January. Both of them seemed like the kindest people. At that time, I don't think we even knew they were a couple. But, because of Facebook, which makes us all feel like friends, we were able to connect. They got engaged this spring and when they asked us to photograph their wedding, let's just say, we may have done the happy dance. After meeting them and hearing their story, we just knew this would be a special day. Lauren is sweet. She is a little bit shy, but loves people well. Ben is outgoing and has a gift for making people feel comfortable. And together, they are that much stronger. And, people love them! This was so evident at their wedding. The wedding was held at a private residence in North Chico. It was a beautiful wedding day, filled with the kind of people that make your life richer.

Ben and Lauren, thank you for letting us get to know you. It has been an honor to be a part of your wedding day. Looking back, I just know people will remember the way you love each other. You guys are leaving a legacy.

Much Love, K and K

Vendors: Venue: Private Residence Catering: CJ's Last Chance Diner and Catering Cake: Upper Crust Floral Design: Friend DJ: Platinum Productions

All the girls were just the sweetest...

Lauren, you are beautiful...

We met Ben at the location of the first look, and captured a few shots here...

And in case you didn't know just how much they love each other... Their first look proves it.

We were able to take quite a few portraits before the wedding ceremony...

Kenny's view...

You are going to love this bridal party...

Each bridesmaid chose their own jewelery and it was all gorgeous...

Fans were provided for the guests for the side lawn ceremony.

Lauren kept with a very simple, yet sweet theme for her wedding decor.

We had the opportunity to capture Ben and Lauren again before the party began...

One of my favorites...

You two are just awesome.... what more can we say?

The things that boys do to catch the garter... Loved this!

Cheers to an amazing wedding night and a beautiful sunset as we finished our work :)

Napa Wedding Photographer: Eric and Jill Tease...

You will not want to miss this amazing wedding... The sweetest couple with the most beautiful of setting, coming soon :) Much love Eric and Jill! Say hi to the Caribbean for us :)

K and K

Chico Wedding Photographer: Wordless Wednesday

All day long, Ben would hug Lauren just like this... And when I see these kind of moments, I know for sure, that words aren't always need to say I love you.