I have to start this post by discussing a little bit about how great Facebook can be if you love it for the right reasons. I have never been one of those people with a huge circle of friends who’ve been together since middle school- I’m more one of those people who picks up friendships through the years and some of them really stick. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I truly envy those of you who have known your best friends forever- I think it’s a great situation to be in if you are lucky enough! The hardest part about the friendships like mine, however, is that they are hard to keep up on. Circumstances change, jobs change, schools change, life happens, and suddenly you haven’t spoken to someone in years. Well, thanks to Facebook, I’ve regained contact with lots of old friends. I’m completely a product of my generation and I genuinely love seeing what those old friends are up to. Not too long ago, I learned via Facebook that one of my great old friends was engaged: Steve! Back in the day, Steve & I worked together at a grocery store while we were both students. We became friends over price checks and hot jo-jo potatoes in the break room, and kept in contact between Milwaukee, New York City, and Madison. Steve is a sweet, caring, and down-to-earth guy that anyone would be happy to call “friend.” I am so excited for him now that he has found the one his soul loves! Can you imagine how honored I was when he wanted me as his photographer?
And so, last Saturday I ventured to South Milwaukee to meet Kelly and to see Steve for the first time in five years or more. Steve has not changed much- he’s still a fantastic guy with a quiet sense of humor and warm demeanor. What really made me happy, though, was to see that Kelly is just the same! I love the feeling you get when you meet a couple and think, “these two are just right.”Â
We started our little adventure at Grant Park, where we walked the Seven Bridges trail. This park is very close to where Kelly & Steve call home, and they walk the trail together regularly- so it was a very fitting location!
The bridges were nondescript, which left the look of the trail very natural. We had quite a bit of green left on the trees, but they provided nice, soft light!
Fun with the sun, which played hide and seek:
I often tell my couples to ignore me & chat with one another. Some couples whisper sweet nothings to one another when given this direction. I suspect these two fall under this category, they were so sweet to watch!
At the end of the trail is a pretty stretch of Lake that looks more like northern Wisconsin than Milwaukee. The rocky beach was a lovely spot for some shots:
See the building between Steve & Kelly in the third shot, off in the distance? That is where these two call home!
After our beach stroll, we drove over to the Third Ward- one of my favorite spots in Milwaukee. I’ve shot there quite a bit this summer, and it doesn’t get old! I loved Kelly’s bright coat with cute sleeves. I like the contrast of this red brick wall and the soft, springy green:
I’ve walked right past this cool, industrial sculpture too many times. This time we played!
Leave it to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design to inspire fun, colorful graffiti! I love this one for some reason:
And I still love the graffiti without the color.
Alleyways are always fun- this one has really interesting tufts of greenery growing at regular intervals. It’s like alley landscaping!
To Steve: It was fantastic to see you again after so long.ÂÂ I’m glad we’ve kept up with our friendship, although electronically, and I’m really glad to be photographing this amazing event for someone I care about!
To Kelly: It was just wonderful to meet you. I am truly happy for both of you because you have found one another! I look forward to your beautiful wedding!
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
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