New year, big surprises!

Hello, everyone :)

We had a wonderful 2011 filled with many photo shoots and we captured many smiles and great memories. One of our goals for 2012 is to become better bloggers and keep you all updated with the inner workings of Photographic Memories!

Stay tuned for an update about next weekend's New York wedding and the preparation that comes with an out-of-state photo shoot. We can't wait!

2011 has been filled with exciting changes!

Photographic Memories (as we know it) has grown beyond our wildest dreams.
Heidi became a published photographic artist this March in SCENE, a central Wisconsin publication.

We've done an impressive number of photoshoots this year- starting off the new year right with Avery and Davey's beautiful wedding in Wausau. That beautiful shoot was followed with a whirlwind of variety:
Scarlet Curve's promo photos in Stevens Point
Photojournalism from the labor protests in Madison
Dalzhouse in Appleton
Trout Unlimited's State Convention in Stevens Point
Hannah and Mike's engagement photos in Stevens Point
Justine Karen Hoffman's ADORABLE baby photos in Chicago
Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo at the Barrymore in Madison
Kendra and Jake's rainy day engagement session in Stevens Point
Jenilee and Zach's engagement photos along the river in Stevens Point
Adam and Kate's engagement photos at Lawrence in Appleton
Andrew Charles Brown's Easter Sunday baby portraits
Danny and Becky's engagement photos in Wausau (with ice cream!)
Scott and Madeline's gorgeous wedding in Appleton
Angelic baby photos (literally!) of Cian Cleveland in Stevens Point
Hannah and Mike's Memorial Day weekend wedding in Stevens Point
Jamie and Corey's engagement photos around the capital in Madison
Kari and Davin's engagement photos starting in Schmeekle Reserve in Stevens Point
Photojournalism at the 2011 MREA Energy Fair in CusterBaby Lee Lavigne's one-year old ballpark photos in Waunakee
Devon and Christy's long-distance-bridging photos in Stevens Point
Lifest 2011- being a crazy "ninjagrapher" in Oshkosh for 5 days
Curtis and Melissa's beautiful golf-course wedding in Minneapolis
Jenilee and Zach's sweet wedding ceremony in Plover
"The AIR Project presents: Happenings" at the Rising Star Mill in Nelsonville
and last, but certainly not least, Brelyn Elizabeth Rogue's baby photos at the park in Wausau.

Anxious to join the list? Our summer and fall (and 2012!) are filling up quickly, but send us an email at: heidi@theoberstadts.com and we'll fit you in! :)

I guess it's time to play catch up...

I admit it, I've been a bad blogger. I take full responsibility. :(

However, the organized Virgo in me is ready to make up for lost time. Please- pop some popcorn, grab a soda, sit down, and get ready for a whirlwind tour of the summer so far. :)

We will start way back in May, on the 15th, at the lovely wedding of my dearest friend Tiffany Balz to Mr. Handsome, a.k.a. Jason Clark. I've known Tiffany since first grade in Mrs. Gifford's class... so, needless to say, we have many, MANY memories together. We traveled to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for this event. I did some shooting in the morning, with the ladies at the salon, and I did the cake cutting, but my main role was... brace yourself... lead ukulele player. :) Brian and I played all the music for the ceremony, so there was ukulele and saxophone, some Sigur Ros on piano, and a little guitar and vocals.

It was a beautiful day with good friends, although it is taking me a long time to get used to the name Tiffany Clark. :) We love you guys!!

The next big event of the summer is a pretty serious one.

On June 29th, I had a total thyroidectomy. I've had problems with my thyroid for about five years, but the complications reached the point of no return, so I went under the knife.
It has been a somewhat tricky recovery- due to the size of the incision and the hormonal changes as I switched to synthetic thyroid hormone. The scar makes me feel like one tough cookie! Luckily, I am on the upswing, and almost back at 100%. I've resumed my training for the Fox Cities Marathon on September 19th, and I am able to continue working hard on this wonderful photography business! :)

A couple short weeks later, we were able to shoot the wedding of Katie and Jason Folwarski in Wausau, Wisconsin. They were married at the beautiful St. Therese in Rothschild (where WE were married!), and it was a gorgeous wedding day. We found a covered bridge to play under, and a stretch limo is ALWAYS fun!

Congratulations, Katie and Jason!!

Shortly after the Folwarski celebration, I had an opportunity to reconnect with the LaVigne family. Katie has started our summer of Delta Omicron photos... she is one of our Delta Omicron sisters! We have a history with this beautiful couple... here is a recap, from wedding to maternity... :)

Well, as it turns out, that little baby is a BOY! Welcome to the world, baby Lee! And what a beautiful doll he turned out to be. Take a peek!

You're right, Leon... I think he's going to grow up to be a great ball player! :)


Congratulations, LaVigne family, we're so happy for you!

Next stop on the Oberstadt summer tour took us to DeForest, Wisconsin on July 24th, for the wedding of Delta Omicron sister Becky Schultz to John Rush. This wedding was altogether too much fun! I had a wonderful time with the ladies while they were getting ready, and Brian had fun with the gentlemen- playing with their portable disc golf basket!!

The music was provided by a wonderful chamber quintet, and the reception was filled with really personalized details of the couple.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Rush, we send lots of love from your Delta Omicron siblings, and thank you for inviting us to share your day!

...And then there was Brendan and Luda. Brendan is one of my most admired and respected professors from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point. When I found out he was marrying Luda, the gorgeous and hilarious sweetheart from overseas, I jumped at the chance to capture their day. Their hot, August wedding was was on the 7th and 8th, in Waupaca, Wisconsin. This wedding brought friends and family from all over the country to celebrate in the Caldwell style! The music was astounding; it brought together musicians from different areas and backgrounds to perform and connect in a way that words can't describe- I hope our images speak for themselves. :) Saturday's party was hosted by the Buchman family, Sunday's ceremony was at Red Mill Chapel, and Sunday's party was brought to us on a boat on the beautiful chain of lakes.

As you can imagine, I was one wiped out photographer after this party!

Congratulations, Brendan and Luda, we are blessed to have shared your big day with you.

Avery and Davey. Even their names are adorable together. Avery Cance is another Delta Omicron sister, and she graced our presence on our wedding day with her beautiful horn playing in a quartet. We got together this week, on an INCREDIBLY humid day in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, to play in the park and capture some engagement portraits...

We're excited for your January wedding, Avery and Davey! See you then, if not before!

Please stay tuned for more August weddings: the August 13th wedding of Jennifer and Matt and the August 21st wedding of Kelly and Jeffrey!

Baby LaVigne

Is it a boy? Maybe a girl?
Who knows!

I tried putting my X-Ray Superman Vision Lens Filter on the camera before the photos, but no luck. I guess I'll have to wait until it is time for newborn photos. :)

Brian and I shot the wedding of our friends Leon and Katie LaVigne, and they came back for more! Here is a little preview...

I'm so excited for the two of you! Your love for each other and for your baby shines through all these pictures. :) Best wishes for a comfortable delivery, and we're anxiously awaiting the opportunity to take some newborn photos!

love,
.:heidi:.

A whirlwind trip...

The Oberstadts have safely arrived back in Wisconsin. :)

Ready for a recap?

We were able to squeeze in a photo session with Stephanie and Barry the evening before we flew out to the East coast. The weather was beautiful, and the sunset was extraordinary!

Barry is a devoted Green Bay Packer fan, so of COURSE we took some shots in honor of the greatest football team ever. I'm not a biased blogger at all! ;)

We had such a great time playing around with them and the camera, and we can hardly wait until their wedding day! :) Thank you for letting us be creative and crazy!

Of course, we stayed up way too late that night: last-minute packing! We didn't want to forget any important equipment... and Brian had to find space in our luggage for my several pairs of shoes. :) I heard that people are trendy over there on the East coast... I didn't want to look like a tourist!

We carpooled to the airport with our friend, Devon, who was flying out to visit his parents in Alaska; he brought his father an ADORABLE puppy. I can't think of a better way to pass time in the terminal!

Our flights were wonderful, everything was easy as pie. We spent the next few days exploring Maryland, doing a little sightseeing, and shooting the rehearsal and wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby McQuin. :) Megan... the woman formerly known to me as Ms. Moss... planned a beautiful wedding surrounded by lots of family. :) We made a print of this image, taken at their rehearsal, and gave it to them at the ceremony. Bobby had given a very sweet little speech referencing the phrase that I placed on the image...

Their wedding was in a beautiful location: St. Paul Catholic Church in Damascus, MD. The love radiating from all the guests was really something that you had to be there to experience... although I tried to capture the magic of that day! :)

Congratulations, Bobby and Megan! We're so happy for you, and we are so blessed that you chose us to share your special day!
P.S. Your families ROCK! Thank you for taking us in and treating us like your own. :)

The day after the wedding, I decided to run a 10K. I had seen signs for it, the Pikes Peek 10K, around Gaithersburg and Bethesda, MD. So, I slept like a rock on Saturday night, and woke up bright and early on Sunday morning. It was a great race...

I set a PR... 58:23! :)

The rest of the trip was filled with all sorts of fun things... we rented kayaks and paddled on the Potomac River in DC, I ran (and almost broke my ankle!) in Georgetown, and we ate sushi and enjoyed the scenery (along with Orioles v. Yankees traffic) in Baltimore.

Our flights home were a little turbulent but mostly uneventful, and we are happy to be home, in our house, with our dog. :) Thanks for all the memories, everyone!

love always,
.:heidi:.

Samantha Theuring

I had the pleasure of shooting Sam's Senior flute recital at UWSP.

This woman is amazing.

She can make her flute sound like so many things... it can be sweet, or funky, or soft and expressive, or percussive and rhythmic. The creativity shown by all the musicians (and our colleagues) made this experience one I won't forget.

a piece written by a UWSP composer, Matt Muelling

Thanks, Sam and company...
love always,
.:heidi:.