I just love these shoots.Â
 The term “Trash The Dress” scares most brides and grooms- it sounds destructive and wasteful. Does it have to be? Absolutely not! It’s a fun, inspiring, creative shoot just about you. Ruining your dress in any way is not a requirement. When I met with Kelly & Chris last weekend, we had a blast shooting at Epic’s stunning campus. We explored bridges, a waterfall, walkways, and all kinds of fun locations- all without hurting the dress in any way.Â
Kelly & Chris were married this past summer. They met while both working for a charitable organization that supports cancer research, so when they learned that I am donating Trash The Dress proceeds to the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition during the month of October, they jumped at the chance to donate to the cause. In fact, their favor at their wedding was a donation to cancer research- so this fits perfectly with their wedding theme!
Here’s dock #1 out of the two we shot at. We had lovely sunset light and a clear blue sky!
Epic’s campus has a lot of beautiful landscaping. This weeping style tree is one of my favorites.
The campus also overlooks an operating farm. Love this backdrop!
To the right of this shot is a really neat waterfall- the light was a little bright and the direction was not in our favor.Â
 But I loved this shot…
Chris is so caring and protective around his wife. A few times during our session, I gave some instructions that required Kelly to climb or step onto things or places that were somewhat precarious. Chris would watch Kelly with such concern that I wondered if he was going to turn to me and say, “I don’t think I want her to do that!” It was very sweet to watch. Happily for me, they both trusted my judgment and followed my instructions, and we got some gorgeous shots! Thanks, guys.Â
If you read my blog regularly, you’ve probably figured out how much I love to shoot through things…Â All foreground is fair game.
I love it when my couples make each other genuinely laugh!
Et voila, dock #2.Â
There are several great spots with rock landscaping.
This October day was quite chilly, so Kelly spend a lot of time wearing Chris’s jacket. I indulged them with a little cuddling time!
It finally got dark and cold enough that we ventured indoors to explore all of the unique nooks and crannies of Epic’s training center. Even this simple hallway had a great backdrop: a finsihed concrete wall with wonderful texture.
There is interesting furniture everywhere. I miss roaming those halls full of fun and eclectic architecture, artwork, and furniture!
I love this next shot. Chris looks so “mafioso,” which is so not his normal personality!
Yes, I loved these dramatic shots in black and white…Â The crazy lights hanging out of the ceiling here were too cool to pass up!
Fun textures everywhere!
As we were heading back towards our cars, I couldn’t resist this final shot against a giant mural of outer space. It made such a gorgeous backdrop:
To Kelly & Chris: This was a very enjoyable session for me! Thanks for bringing me back to one of the most inspiring campuses in Dane County, and for allowing me to share a bit of your newlywedded bliss. I can’t wait to share them all with you!
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 photographs 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 about Mandie’s photography as a comment!
by Mandie Haberman
show hide 2 comments