How To Dress Your Family

by Becky
Buying clothes should be easy. You just go into a store, try on a few things in your size, decide what you like and check out.

It is NEVER that easy.
Then you add buying clothes for your WHOLE family. Plus you want them to look good together. You may find one or two great outfits for yourself or a couple of the kids, but then it gets complicated. Let the headaches begin.


As I had planned my family’s portrait session in October, it really hit home how much it helps to see other families with their complete outfits. As you select clothes, you really have to keep in mind how all the outfits with work with each other. Any colors that you introduce have to be used more than once (but limit it to two) and any patterns have to be balanced- competing patterns can ruin all your efforts!
When in doubt- stick to solids, pick one color and vary the shades and styles, and keep the bottoms the same.

Mariah & Stephen | Wedding

by Becky






Mariah and Stephen were married in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin this fall. Outdoor weddings in the midwest can be tricky to plan, knowing you might need an alternate location, in case it rains. (But they say rain on the wedding day is good luck, so that should be okay!) Mariah and Stephen had a beautiful day, with just a bit of rain after their ceremony. Aside from needing to do a few family portraits inside, we were able to capture the rest of the day outside with the fabulous fall colors.

These are a few pages from their wedding album that Mariah picked up today- just in time to show off at Christmas!

Family Session | Madison

by Becky






Our fall was busy with weddings and family sessions. We had great weather for a lot of them. And having a beautiful location like downtown Madison and the lake doesn’t hurt. Here is one to show off: Nikole and Mike’s family. They even sacrificed Green Bay Packers kick off for this session. Luckily, we know the Packers won, so it all turned out okay.

Alecia & Jon | Wedding

by Becky






Alecia just picked up her finished wedding album from her August wedding. This was such a fun wedding! Alecia and Jon were such an easy-going couple and they really were relaxed and able to enjoy the day. Right after her wedding, I had asked Alecia what her favorite part of the day was. Her answer was watching the guests arrive for the ceremony while she waiting in her hiding place. She was pretty sure that Jon’s favorite part was shoving cake in her mouth.

Alecia used buttons as her theme. Her button bouquets, inspired by etsy, were whimsical and fresh. The button details spilled over into the reception: on name cards, as decorations and even on the cupcakes. They were “cute as a button”!

Why I love fall…

by Becky

I used to think that spring was my favorite time of year. The warm weather after a winter of muck, the fresh green buds that promise a lush backyard, sweet dots of colorful delicate blooms and the chance to finally open windows to reconnect with the outside.


But I have learned that the promise of spring is often over-hyped and under-delivered. Winter clings on too long to fully enjoy the short season of spring.


Fall, on the other hand, starts to wink at us before the kids even go back to school and tries to hint that this could be a long relationship. The cool days court us, encouraging us to think of sweaters and pumpkins. Before we know it, the vibrant maples dazzle us with colors that rival spring, but in a more warm, cozy way. The last days of gentle, warm sunlight as you crunch through crisp brown leaves on the sidewalk almost convince you that winter couldn’t possibly be around the corner. And for that, I love fall.

Big Rig Gig

by Becky

Big Rig Gig, by Madison Parks- Saturday, September 17th, 9am- noon, FREE admission.

Kids love big vehicles. My young ones get very excited seeing a fire truck or cement truck, and of course construction sites are heaven for them. On September 17th, Madison Parks is putting all of their biggest and most fun on display! Dump trucks, fire engines, tractors, construction vehicles of all kinds…. So many different big rigs that kids of any age will love this event! They will be allowed to get a close-up look as they climb on and explore all their favorites. Go early to avoid the horns for you have a little one that doesn’t love loud sounds, as 9am-9:45am will be the “no horn” zone.

Fall Session Special

by Becky

Schedule Fall Family portrait sessions NOW!

Schedule your family session on one of our Select Dates,

and enjoy a great Madison location with

NO SESSION FEES

($150 savings)

Call 608-280-8845 now to reserve your time:

Sunday, September 25 –

Capitol/downtown Madison

Sunday, October 9 –

Rustic Madison park/”Sofa Session”

Sunday, October 16 –

Rustic Madison park/”Sofa Session”

Saturday, October 22 –

Capitol/downtown Madison

A retainer of $250 (fully applied to your portrait order) locks in your portrait date and time. Regular portrait pricing applies to orders. Pricing Guide PDF is available upon request. Regular session fees apply to all other session dates and locations. Please call with any questions and to chat about your session options.

Some Portrait Clothing Help!

by Becky


Picking out clothes for a whole family is hard enough, but when you want them to coordinate, the task can be overwhelming. Let me offer some advice:

First, the style of clothing should reflect your family style, as well as where you plan to showcase the images. If your idea of relaxing is to just loosen your tie, and your portrait will be hung above your baby grand piano in the formal living room, your clothing should reflect that. However, if your everyday style is more causal, the clothing you choose should express that style.

Pick a color or two. When you have a small family, 2-3 people, it’s best to stick with one color and vary the shades of that color. When you have a larger family, it adds some interest to incorporate another color, though it is not necessary to do this. When using two colors, make sure at least two people use each of the colors to make the choice look deliberate and planned.

Solids work best. Busy patterns and logos can be distracting. They may also give the image a “dated” look when those fashions go out of style.

Remember the details. Sock and shoes will show- they should coordinate with the outfit. Plan your hair style– don’t try a new one just for your session. Make-up and nail polish– natural colors and freshly done. Accessorize– some great jewelry will give your outfit a polished look.

Above all, it’s important for everyone to look their best in fresh clothes, and to feel comfortable. You want to love your outfit so you are ready to smile!

Accessorize Your Inner Diva!

by Becky

I just made my first shopping trip to Charming CHARLIE and LOVE it. I love accessories, and Charming CHARLIE has no shortage of choices.

Charming CHARLIE opened a new store at West Towne Mall in Madison about one month ago. This is a store dedicated to jewelry, handbags and shoes. And the prices are easy enough to keep your inner diva happy while allowing you to change your accessories as often as you change your mind.
When you walk in, you can see that the store looks very organized even with the eclectic variety of styles. They keep it easy to shop by organizing everything by color. So, say you find that perfect blue dress that is calling for a great necklace or fun ring: you can find that perfect piece easily by heading to the blue jewelry section. Then you get to browse until you find just the right style.
This store would be a lot of fun for a bride planning her wedding. Just imagine all the ways that she could accessorize those bridesmaids dresses! And how fun would it be for the bride to add splashes of color to her own dress!! Forget being a bridezilla and be a brideDIVA!