Chico Wedding Photographers: Christmas on Valentines Day

Well friends! It is Valentines Day, which means that Kenny and I drank a Starbucks together this morning and cheered to another sweet day! And we may have made a little trip to Roseville for some great shopping on our day off yesterday. Oh the things Kenny does for me -- He is amazing! A little crazy, really good looking and yes, amazing!

So today, in honor of Valentines day, I wanted to share this video from the last holiday we spent with our family: Christmas :) I kow, it is a little late and unfitting being that it is February 14th, but we finally got around to finishing the video this weekend. And it is too cute not to share. Plus it includes our family -- whom we happen to LOVE, a lot!

So cheers to love.  And just so you know, we are a  pretty silly family -- and we like to hang out in our sweats, drink Mimosas on Christmas morning and have snowball fights like we are kids again.  

Have a sweet Valentines Day Friends. Don't take for granted the ones that you love and the ones that love you. They are a gift.  

Chico Photographer: Megan

cour·age   /ˈkɜrɪdʒ, ˈkʌr-/ Show Spelled[kur-ij, kuhr-]noun 1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

Megan is courageous. She has faced incredible challenges in her life and yet she believes with everything in her that God is good. She loves her husband well and never stops giving to her little son, Ethan. She is compassionate and pours into the people around her. And, she has blessed my life as a friend.

Megan, thank you for being courageous in the way that you live your life. You are so beautiful.

Love you friend, K

Chico Photographer: Baby Emma

Baby Emma is too sweet for words. And at seven days old, she was just starting to become a little more alert to the world around her.Enjoy this little glimpse into her newborn session. I am so blessed to work with this family!

Happy Wednesday friends!

Look at all her hair.

And she is just a sweetie and so fascinated with her Mom.

Love the contrast of Brandon's hard working hands with little Emma.

Of course she is all girl...

Rachael had reupholstered this old rocking chair. I love it.

Just a few details in her room. The sweater was hand made and worn by a great-grandparent.

She even gave us the sweetest smile

And by the end of the session, we had tuckered this little girl out.

Chico Wedding Photographer: Max and Kelsey

Dear Max and Kelsey, Every time I sit down to write these posts I get overwhelmed because there is so much to say. First, we just want to say thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for having so much class and treating people with amazing love. Thank you for giving us the chance to see your story unfold.

We want you to know that you have style. And we loved capturing that. You are beautiful people and we are so glad you married one another. Your wedding day was truly a reflection of your sweet spirits and joy for life. We are blessed to know you.

There are so many more photos than this, but hardly enough time or space to showcase all of them. So here is a start to reliving your wedding day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us into your lives.

Much Love, K and K

And if you missed the first part of the day, here is a link to that.

Ok -- can two people be more excited to be together?

You two stop it... looking so good!

Loved these girls. They are all so beautiful! Once again, Melinda with M Creations did an amazing job with the bouquets and you will see her work in the centerpieces as well.

The wedding ceremony was held at Bidwell Presbyterian in downtown Chico.

We then moved to the Chico Event Center for an incredible reception.

We took a few more photos right before their entrance into the reception

Let's just say there were some entertaining toasts given in an honor of these two.

Kelsey, you are the best!

Platinum Productions kept this dance party moving. Such a blast!

Cheers to an amazing wedding! We always get kind of sad to see it all end, but we know that the best is yet to come. Marriage is amazing!

Chico Wedding Photographer: As a Bride Prepares...

There is so much photo journalism to being a wedding photographer. One of my favorite parts of the day is the time spent with a bride as she is getting ready to see her groom. Sometimes the moments are quiet; thoughtful, and other times there is so much excitement it can harldy be contained. And yet there is a story to be told. Today, I wanted to showcase Kelsey and the time we spent with her as she prepared. There were so many details and incredible beauty. We are honored to have captured her. Kelsey prepared to see her groom at the Hotel Diamond in downtown Chico. I highly recommend their suites for getting ready. Their rooms provide an incredible backdrop for these moments.

Enjoy this glimpse into the beginning of Max and Kelsey's wedding day. We can't wait to show you their entire wedding on the blog within the next couple days.

These girls were among the sweetest bridesmaids and friends to Kelsey on her big day. I love Lauren's expression here. So sweet.

Kelsey, you are beautiful. Truly.

And once again, Melinda, with M Creations, provided amazing work to compliment this beautiful bride.

More to come so soon!

Chico Wedding Photography: Creating Memories Together

Well, we may have escaped real life for a couple days. And it was just what we needed. Kenny has been working long hours right now with ministry, while I have been trying to catch up from our busy January. So when we were given the opportunity to take two days off in a row, we took it. And we knew we wanted to get away.

We packed up our little CRV and headed to the mountains. We had never seen Tahoe, never rode a gondola together and never stayed in a cabin burrowed into the forest (Many thanks to our friends who let us stay for free). We ate gummy worms by the fire and shoveled the snow off the driveway. We got up early to capture something beautiful and sang to Maroon Five as we drove around the lake. We dreamed about staying for weeks and skiing for days. We laughed about how I get cold way too easily.

And at the end of the day, I have a bunch of new memories tucked away. The best kind. Because they are us, together.

So even though life is crazy, take time to create memories with the ones you love. These kind of adventures, while sometimes unexpected, make you realize how blessed you are to share life with people who love you.

Just a couple photos from our little trip...

And brilliant creations like this, stop us in our tracks. God is so powerful to create something this majestic!

Our self portrait inside the Gondola... LOVE this man!

And there you go Honda, proof that your 1997 CRV is still going strong! Not sure why we took this picture, but let's just say those mountains make our car look good :)

Chico Wedding Photographer: Next Week

Just one frame from this stunning wedding. So much more to come next week. For now, Happy Friday friends! Go on a date this weekend, eat some good food and sip something yummy. You can bet we will be doing the same here at the Stone home:)

Walnut Creek Engagement Photographer: Eric and Jill Part Two

Dear Eric and Jill, We can tell that you are good friends with each other. We can tell that you have had years of memories and adventures that have all culminated into a sweet love story. We love that you have known each other since high school. When we met for your engagement session, we were blown away by your thoughtfulness for each other and for us. Thank you for being vulnerable and for choosing to let us into this season of your lives. We can't wait to get to know you better and share in your August wedding day!

Much Love, K and K

Two beautiful people, for sure :)

Seriously, don't you just love them?

Chico Photographer: Worldess Wednesday and Baby Emma

A new beautiful life born last week. Meet Emma Isabel. Is she beautiful or what? And in the photo on the left, she is looking right at her Mommy.

Oh yes, and don't worry, the rest of yesterday's engagement session will be back on the blog tomorrow :)

Chico Engagement Photographer: Eric and Jill Part One...

Well, today certainly got ahead of me. Between emails, phone calls, editing, and a newborn session, I only managed to post half of Eric and Jill's engagement session. But that is ok with me. These two are so cute that I don't think anyone will mind seeing them on the blog again tomorrow :) Jill and Eric, you two are so wonderful and brilliant and kind. I can't wait to share more of your story on the blog tomorrow. We are so grateful for you!

Cheers to love!

One of my favs...

Stay tuned for the second half of their session tomorrow :)

Chico Wedding Photographer: Albums

My oh my, the weather changed in a quick hurry around here. It is so stormy outside. Pretty sure I will be hunkering down this weekend. So consider this your warning: If you stop by, I will probably be in my sweats, hair completely undone and wearing my UGG boots. Kind of sounds like bliss right now :) I wanted to do a quick snapshot of our albums today. They are really quite beautiful and make us feel very refined. In today's digital age, I think products like an album, are even more important. They are timeless and definitely worth the investment. For us, we took a long time to find the right kind of album. We wanted something that would stand the test of time and be worth every penny that our clients spend. The company that we have found is amazing and definitely compliments our brand.

Now you may wonder why these albums make us feel oh so refined. First of all, our albums are made from 100 percent full grain leather. They are absolutely stunning and the highest quality. The pages are bound together in a micro fold, meaning there is no cut down the middle. We prefer this, because when a spread is put together, no picture will have any cuts in it. The binding lays flat, which is pretty unique for a wedding album. And finally, the paper used to build our albums will not discolor. Isn't that amazing?

So consider what you will want after your wedding day. We think an album is the perfect way to tell your story over and over again. Because believe me, no one can resist looking through the pages of an album like this.

Happy Friday everyone! Cheers to staying warm!

Chico Wedding Photographer: Worldess Wednesday...

The rain is about to fall here in Chico and it is just that kind of day. Pensive, yet content...

Chico Wedding Photographer: Josh and Katie Part Two

As promised, here is part two of Katie and Josh's wedding. Once again, we cannot say thank you enough to this amazing couple and their family and friends. Your wedding was full of personal touches and the love you share is contagious! Much Love friends! K and K

And in case you missed it, here is the link to the first part of their wedding day as well.

They are just genuinely happy people.

Let's be honest -- these two have so much style. Love them!

The bridesmaids and groomsmen looked classy and incorporated some of their own style as well.

The wedding was held in downtown Chico at New Hope Community Church. You can see Josh's tears here... Such a powerful moment. Josh built the arch that is in the background here. So many amazing and personal details went into their day.

A few photos right after the ceremony. Josh is still just in awe of what happened.

The reception was held at the Chico Event Center. Thank you to Marcy and her staff for providing such an amazing experience. Katie works for a school district in the library and so their love for books was incorporated into the day as well.

Josh and Katie also had Snapshots Photo Booth at their reception, but Katie had handmade some of these great props.

The new Mr. and Mrs. Leach! Lots of fun dancing!

And cute kids...

And by far one of the highlights of my evening... The bouquet toss!

Cheers to the newlyweds! Thank you so much friends!

Walnut Creek Engagement Photographer: Eric and Jill Tease...

Today after church we drove to Walnut Creek to meet this sweet couple for their engagement session. Seriously -- I think God has blessed us with the kindest clients in the world! Thank you so much Eric and Jill. We are so grateful for you! I can't wait to share more from their session :)

Chico Wedding Photographer: Josh and Katie Part One

Dear Josh and Katie, Words don't seem fitting for thank you. Really, we are honored, grateful and blessed to have captured your day. You treated us like friends -- and you treat everyone that way. Things like this don't go unnoticed. We love your style -- and how you brought so many of elements of that to your wedding day. May you have a wonderful, sweet life together. Here is part one from your amazing wedding day.

Much Love, K and K

Josh and Katie both prepared to see each other at Hotel Diamond in downtown Chico.

Oh yes, Vera Wang -- you did a gorgeous job with this dress...

Katie, you are full of joy!

Definitely going to need to write a blog post about these boutonnieres. Josh is looking so dapper in his suit. Definitely inpspiring...

You are both stunning...

The first look... followed by many portraits to come...

Cheers to our friends! More to come next week. Have a great three day weekend!

Chico Wedding Photographer: Wordless Wednesday

As an artist, there are photos that captivate me, and words just don't seem fitting. It might be the beauty of emotion between two people. It might be the way that the photo was taken, or the story in someone's eyes. And sometimes, it might be that the moment captured, seems too quiet for words. Whatever it is, these photos are often the ones that get hung in my office or remembered for a long time. They are photos that I am drawn to and sometimes I can't even tell you why. I just am. So on most Wednesdays of the month, I will post a photo with hardly a written word.

And here is to my first wordless Wednesday post. Because sometimes a photo is simply enough.

Oh yes, and this entire wedding will be blogged later this week...

Chico Wedding Photographer: This is Our Story...

We looked at each other yesterday, and didn't have to say a word because we knew. We were both exhausted. And, it wasn't the kind of tired that could be fixed with a good nap. This kind of tired requires some good old fashioned r and r. In the fall, we decided to take on quite a few projects. For one, we wanted to rebrand ourselves. And that meant a whole lot of work, on almost every front. The deadline for each of these was this past Sunday, in time for the January Bridal Show.

So here we are -- so many projects completed and much to be thankful for. And we are plumb tuckered. This week, if you hear us saying that our evenings consist of curling up on the couch, eating gummy bears, just know that it is true. And yes, we will probably start watching a movie and fall asleep before it is over. This is our life -- and we love it.

Oh, and here we are in front of our booth this past Sunday. Many, many thanks to the people who helped us with the construction of the wall (this photo does not do it justice). Thank you to my sister and her hubby for helping on Sunday. Thank you Kenny, for all of your sacrifices to make this happen. The bridal show is just one of the ways that we love to meet couples. It energizes us. We are so grateful for the opportunity to represent the wedding industry, along with so many other amazing vendors.

Have a great Tuesday evening everyone! Feel free to eat a gummy bear or two! Much Love, K and K

Photo courtesy of our iphone :) Oh, and you may notice the vase with tulips in the middle of our booth. I better stick with photography, as I am not quite sure what I was thinking in arranging those poor flowers :)

Chico Wedding Photographer: Max and Kelsey Tease...

Well it has been a long, wonderful weekend! We are so thankful for a day off tomorrow! And as for celebrating with Max and Kelsey on Saturday -- what an amazing day for us! Thank you Max and Kelsey for letting us capture your moments together -- you are just so sweet! We can't wait to share more!

Chico Wedding Photographer: Opening A New Door

You know, sometimes I have a hard time writing blog posts. I think melding our personal life with this business can seem tricky at times. How much can we share while still maintaining our professionalism? This year, Kenny and I want to be more candid on this blog, especially about marriage. We are HUGE advocates of marriage. We know that a strong marriage comes with both incredible moments and challenging ones. Most of the time, it is the day to day stories that make up the pages of our life together: It is the three month stint that we spent living with other people. It is six moves in six years. It is chasing our dreams until one o clock in the morning. It is the stubborness of two people and then finding out we were both wrong. It is the spontaneous trips to the coast and our inability to sing on tune. And sometimes it involves bigger things, like walking through cancer with family members, but knowing we serve a powerful God. These are the stories of our life.

In this next year, we will tell some of these stories, right here, on the blog. Mostly because our adventures in friendship and marriage mark our life, and in a lot of ways, our work as wedding photographers.

So, here is to opening a new door. We hope you enjoy the journey along with us.

Much Love, K and K

Chico Engagement Photographer: Kevin and Denise

Dear Kevin and Denise, We get so much joy as we see two people loving life and each other. You guys are those kind of people. When we met up for your engagement session, we were kind of tired from a long weekend of shooting weddings, however, instantly you energized us. And when we say that, we really mean it. You made us laugh and once again reminded us of why we love our job so much. Thank you for being so kind to us and letting us capture this love story. So honored to get a chance to know you and see you two married next fall. Thank you friends!

Much Love, K and K