You might remember Karen from this post. Well, I wanted to at least share one more photo from their wedding day.A tease of their love story...They are too sweet!
Praying for these newlyweds as JP prepares to serve overseas. So thankful for both of you.
Happy Friday everyone! We are back from Kauai, sad to have our vacation end, but excited for all the new adventures to come. Life is full and we are blessed.
Life is unexpected. Sometimes it may seem like chaos and all we can do is hold on tight. For Karen, her life changed drastically three weeks ago when she learned that her fiance would be getting deployed, and very soon. This also meant JP would be gone for their already planned September wedding. It created a lot of change, and quickly.
As I talked to Karen over the next couple weeks, everything shifted. Rather than fight with everything in her, to hold on to a dream, she had the courage to accept this new season. This new dream.
And for that, she danced.
She put on her wedding shoes this past Saturday, and in the smallest of celebrations, yet most meaningful days of her life, she walked down the aisle to JP. She was stunning. And there was determination in her eyes. She could do this.
I am thankful for Karen and the example that she is. There will be more from their wedding ceremony held at the White Ranch in the coming weeks. And of course, I can't wait for the big celebration in the future. Thank you Karen and JP for being you. For taking this season of life and making it beautiful. Much Love, K and K
And after that quiet moment, the dancing began...
If you live in Chico, then you will know that each month, Upgraded Living distributes an awesome magazine that features almost everything local. Kenny and I are big fans of their work and even more excited this month, because we got to be a part of it! This month's edition is all about Weddings! Our photos are featured with some of our favorite vendors, M Creations and the Chico Event Center. I placed a few screenshots below, just for fun!
Whether your engaged or not, I would highly recommend this magazine. I get excited everytime a new issue comes out. There is something timeless about looking through printed work. In this day an age, where almost everything is digital, I SO enjoy reading magazines. Upgraded Living has done a great job of producing high quality here, for sure!
You can read the issue electronically by clicking here or pick it up nearly anywhere in Chico!
Oh yes, and the Chico Event Center will be hosting an open house on April 21st. We are thrilled to be joining up with them for this event as well! It's free to the public and will feature some great vendors and a beautiful venue. I think you all should attend :)
AND... in other news, I know we launched our new brand this past fall, but we really still had some work to do on the website. Since I am on a roll with screen shots, I thought I would post a few of our newly revised and finished site. It has a lot of the same features, but is a bit better to navigate and we love the simplicity of it. It feels like "us" and we like that. Many thanks to Stephen Diaz for the awesome video and Kyle Walling Design for the some of the graphic work! So thankful to work with such amazing, talented people! You can visit the full site by clicking here.
Have a great day friends! So thankful for all of you!!
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!
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:)
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!
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!
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!
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...
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!
It has been an incredible year. Thank you! Thank you to everyone who has let us into your lives. We are humbled and blessed. Being a wedding photographer is among the most amazing and challenging things we have ever done. It is the people that keep us inspired and God that gives us strength. So, we look back at 2011, knowing it changed us. You have made an impact on our lives and we will never be the same. Merry Christmas Friends and Much Love, K and K
David and Casey -- your wedding day was full of incredible moments because you two are amazing leaders. So proud to be involved.
Paul and Bethany -- We laughed and cried along with you as you braved the "sideways" rain with joy. Thank you!
Adrian and Adree -- Your passion for life and serving the people around you is so evident. We wouldn't have wanted to miss your day!
Jeff and Julia -- You are among the most joyful people we have EVER met. We are so honored to know you.
Scott and Rebekah -- What a great day and celebration. We felt like friends among friends. Thank you!
Chris and Mallory -- Oh gosh, you are heroes to so many of your friends and that was obvious on your wedding day. So thankful to know you!
Chris and Katie -- Love abounds with you two. You are amazing people and we were humbled and grateful to be a part of your wedding day.
Brent and Jade -- What a grand wedding day! You two have so much style and class. Thank you so much for being you!
Jared and Ashley -- You two are just so much fun! Capturing your love story was an incredible joy for us. Thank you!
Dennis and Linda -- Thank you for adding the two of us to your intimate wedding day. You are wonderful people.
Levi and Heidi -- Can two people have any more fun together? Thank you for letting us be a part of your day. We are honored to call you friends.
Matt and Crystal -- It may have been the warmest day of the year, but gosh it was one of the best. You two are just perfect together!
Billy and Bri -- You live with passion and joy. So grateful to be invited into your lives. It was a breathtaking day.
Simon and Veronika -- You two are incredible people with so much talent. Thank you for sharing your life with so many people, including us.
Bobby and Lauren -- What can we say? The love and joy that you two share is changing this world. We were honored to capture a part of your story.
Danny and Bridget -- Your day was stunning and it was very inspiring to see how loved you are. Grateful to have captured your wedding.
Aric and Cinnamin -- There is something quiet and wonderful about your love story. We will never forget your wedding day.
Zack and Ashley -- You two are amazing, perfect together! Thank you for letting us capture your day, even as we anxiously awaited the birth of our newest nephew.
Jon and Moryah -- You are the sweetest, and treat others with such kindness. I hope you know you are looked up to by many.
Andrew and Emily -- You could hear a pin drop as you said your vows to one another this November. It was beautiful and inspiring. Thank you.
Josh and Katie -- I just keep remembering how grateful you were to everyone, including us, on your wedding day. That speaks louder than you will ever know. We love you!
So cheers to 2011! You have been amazing and we look forward to the stories that 2012 will bring.
Josh and Katie's wedding was absolutely perfect for them, full of style. I honestly had a hard time figuring out which photos to post today -- so many to choose from. Here are two of my favorites with many more to come. Cheers to Tuesday -- I am off to take my first round of friends to the airport!
Ok, they are just beautiful people!
In the midst of a great weekend, we got to work with Kevin and Denise today. What an amazing couple! Seriously, aren't they stunning? Cheers to Christmas week! I will have a tease from Josh and Katie's beautiful day tomorrow!
Dear Andrew and Emily, Ever since your wedding I have had the words of Blake Shelton's song stuck in my head: God gave me you. It was the perfect song for your first dance. As we celebrated alongside your friends and family, we both knew there was something special about your relationship. You are going to have a big impact on this world, together. So thank you for letting us share that celebration with you. You are wonderful people; full of joy and adoration for one another.
Much Love, K and K
Emily, you are so beautiful! A stunning bride!
You are both look wonderful!
Their reaction to seeing one another for the first time...
The bridal party hung out with us while we took portraits of the bride and groom -- Let me tell you, they were quite a fun group!!
These two frames were taken with some gorgeous fall light in the fields near the church.
These guys like to pretend they are really serious, but we laughed a lot with them! And the girls were so sweet!
The rings are absolutely stunning... So much fun to photograph..
The ceremony was held at the EV Free Church of Chico. This happens to be the church where Kenny works and we attend -- so that was a treat for us.
This little one may have stolen the show... just for a few moments.
The reception was held at Chico Event Center in downtown Chico. Quite an amazing facility!
Loved the pomegranetes! Such a great addition to the table settings. Upper Crust provided the beautiful cake!
The reception was grand! Seriously, a lot of fun for us to capture! Here are just a few photos of the good times had by all :)
Something to consider on your wedding day is what kind of perfume you will wear. Is it the same kind that you have worn throughout your dating relationship? Will you choose something different and new for your wedding day? Either way, I say don't forget this special detail. Perfume has been around since the ancient times. I did some research for this post and it was quite interesting to read about the history of fragrances. You see, scent, paricularly the scent of perfume, can do a number of things for the human psyche. Obviously it creates desire, as a smell can definitely stir all sorts of emotions. But you know what else I discovered? There is a strong connection between fragrances and memory. The perfume worn on your wedding day, will actually become a memory, a memory of scent. It is much like the connection between the smell of homemade cookies. For me, this brings back memories of my childhood, as my Mom loved to bake. A groom will not forget the perfume you wear. And everytime he senses that perfume, he will be reminded of the memory of your wedding day.
I know, kind of crazy post, huh? For me, I just think it is special when a bride prepares to see her groom and gives attention to the smallest of details, including the perfume that she will wear. These things are thoughtful. And the perfume becomes nostalgic. It is a scent that your husband will remember for years to come.
So I say, go ahead and parouse the cosmetic counters next time you are at Nordstrom. Splurge on a special perfume for your wedding day. And after you do, I will be there to capture that perfume so that it can be a photographic memory as well. Because let's be honest, I also happen to love photographing a bride's perfume of choice.
Cheers to Tuesday! Have a great day friends!
Christmas always kind of sneaks up on me. Really. It does. I find myself wishing December were much longer because there is just so much fun to be had in preparation for Christmas. There are cards to be written, cookies to be baked, food to be eaten, gifts to be bought and wrapped, christmas carols to be sung (you wouldn't believe the kind of vocals we have ;)), parties to host and parties to attend. I know these aren't the point of Christmas, but it sure is fun! The crazy part is that we must do all of this, while living out our normal lives. I think someone should declare the entire month of December a holiday. Don't you think we should all have 31 days off of work?
I guess for now, we will all sleep a little less, eat a little more and enjoy the time that we do have with family and friends this Christmas Season.
So cheers to the start of a sweet holiday! Drink some eggnog for me and take time to savor these wonderful moments. Oh yes, and we would love to hear some of your traditions for the Christmas season. Just leave us a comment below.
Much Love friends! K and K
As for our decorating, it all started this past weekend...
Dear Jon and Moryah, As I edited your photos, it was clear that you have a beautiful relationship. The two of you are so kind to each other and the people around you. You are loved, by a lot of people, which was evident on your wedding day. Kenny and I were so priveleged to see all the moments play out on your wedding day. You were never stressed when the rain started to come down. You knew in your heart what was most important on your wedding day. Thank you for sharing your laughter and joy with us. Congratulations friends! So glad to know you and be a part of your special day.
Much Love, K and K
Jon and Moryah chose to see one another before the wedding. I was so glad, because just as we finished all of their portraits, the rain began.
The teal and yellows and golds were so beautiful together.
We got a smile out of Paul here -- I am sure it was one of Kenny's amazing jokes.
The ceremony was supposed to be outside, but the night turned very rainy on us. So they held the ceremony on the balcony indoors the Palms Pavilion.
The details were put together by a team of people, friends of the bride and groom. It turned out absolutely beautiful.
Moryah's Grandma made the cake, and all of the cupcakes. Is that amazing or what?
These hung from the ceilings...
And the evening was so sweet. Clearly, they love and are loved well!
Probably one of my favorite moments of the night. Moryah is the oldest of her siblings and first to get married. It was quite a sweet moment between her and her Dad.
Always the sign of a great celebration.
Vendors for the Evening: Venue: The Palms Catering: Chico Catering Company Dress: David's Bridal Cake and Cupcakes: Grandma
We live in a "microwave" generation. The world is at our fingertips and it seems that waiting for anything can almost be unbearable these days. And so I just want to say thank you to my clients who wait so patiently for their wedding photos. All photographers are different, but most of my wedding clients receive their photos within six weeks of their wedding. That can seem like a lot of time to some, or maybe not so much to others. Either way, thank you for waiting. This gives me the opportunity to carefully select the best images, work diligently to edit those images, write a blog post, prepare them for print and package your photos. Among this, I am also photographing other weddings, editing other sessions, responding to emails and phone calls, and simply trying to run a business well. Sometimes it can all feel a bit overwhelming, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get things done quickly. Yet I am learning that a job well done, often takes time. So again, thank you, thank you!
And because this couple is busy waiting for their photos, I wanted to show them what I have been working on. A full blog post of this wedding is coming up next week.
Much Love and Happy Weekend! K and K
Today is the big day, we are launching our NEW website! In celebration of this sweet day, we are having a Black Friday Giveaway. And the prize: A 25.00 Starbucks Gift Card. To enter your name into the contest please complete the following simple tasks.
And here is a screenshot of www.kstonephoto.com.
For those of you who know this couple, you will understand just how meaningful their wedding day was. Andrew and Emily, you are inspiring. Thank you so much for letting us witness and capture your wedding day. Cheers to this Thanksgiving Week! We can't wait for Thursday!
