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*throws confetti*

*pours the rosé*

It gives me such a wonderful, humble pleasure to announce the markit photography has been awarded the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2016. Winners represent the top 5% of wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism — based on reviews from couples.

markit photography Reviews

This year has been a funny one, with almost starting over and figuring out a balance between digging in to our new ATX home, while not losing the pulse that I know and love in our beloved CHI. It’s my clients that truly keep me going in this. The friendships made, the moments captured, the joy I see in each and everyone of them on their wedding day, the reviews they post afterwards that have brought me to tears…I owe it to y’all.

*throws confetti*

*drinks the rosé”

When a couple meets you downtown for lunch, sits with you alongside the Chicago River over bbq, wants to know as much about you as you want to know about them, knows you’re moving to another state, and still feels confident enough to ask about contracts and next steps, it’s starts everything off on such a sweet note…

Kimmi and Dima have been the sweetest, kindest couple from day one. From the day we met along the river, chatting about their locations and hopes for their wedding day; describing it as “just a big party” I knew it was a wedding I’d never forget. And it was just that. Their DJ came to party, they had multiple people they love give toasts, had a video made for the wedding, and found the most unique ways to blend both of their background and beliefs having both a rabbi and priest present during the ceremony. It felt like a dream come true for these two.

During their reception, Dima thanked everyone for coming and introduced a new tradition: when you’d like the couple to kiss, you had to hula hoop. YEP. I was laughing throughout the entire reception every time someone picked it up. At one point in the night, separately, Kim and Dima asked both me and my second shooter if we’d eaten dinner and if were enjoying ourselves. And that friends, showcases just the kind of people the are.

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Ceremony: Armour House | Reception: Armour House | Coordinator: Dean Dutko | Caterer: Sodexo | Cake Artist: Deerfield Bakery | Photographer: markit photography | Invitations: Momental Designs | Florist: Ashland Addison | Makeup Artist: Laura Black | Hair Stylist: Livia Caporale  | Wedding Dress: Edens Bridals | Wedding Shoes: BP Nordstrom | Men’s Tuxes: Mens Warehouse | DJ: DJ KGBeat | Rings: Eve J Alfiille Gallery | String Quartet: Beautiful Strings | Spanish Guitarist: David Chiriboga

Brad and Adrienne met when they were both working and volunteering at the same animal shelter here in Austin. They would take dogs for walks together during their shifts and eventually realized their connection and love for pups together and began dating! Have you heard of anything cuter?!

For their engagement, we chatted through locations and decided on a few Austin-famous spots that represented their love for their puppies and this puppy-loving city. We started at the Zilker Botanic gardens, popped over to Zilker Park to capture that beautiful skyline, the Texas capital, and two iconic murals.

I had so much running around the city, getting to know them, and laughing our way through the shoot and look forward the their Camp Lucy wedding next May! It’s going to be absolutely spectacular.

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  1. Adrienne said:
    Aww! Awesome! Thanks Kristi! It was a lot of fun! Can't wait until the big day! XOXO!
    July 21, 2016  11:24 am
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Getting that “Hey! My Montana bride might want another shooter, wanna come with me??” text from my girl Cassie, and realizing your dream of exploring and shooting a wedding in one of America’s greatest untapped states could come true…

While I’ll share a few wedding photos later (just as pretty) I wanted to showcase a bit of my view, my experience, our exploration and road trip starting in Spokane, through Idaho, and into Whitefish, MT.

Truth: I had no idea Idaho was so beautiful.

Thank you again Cass, for bring me alongside your journey, I can’t imaging road tripping for 4.5 hours, sharing a hotel, sharing bottle(s) of wine, sharing laughs, getting lost, deep conversations, meaningless conversations, dinners, and memories with anyone else. xoxo

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Our first Texas wedding. *Sigh* Where to begin…

As a photographer, getting any inquiry is exhilarating and still a little humbling each and every time. But, when you receive your first Texas inquiry as a recent Texas transplant, it sends butterflies and hope through your spine. Holly contacted me through WeddingWire requesting more information and I immediately felt that sweet connection (also something you develop over time) we live for. I loved the details she provided me on their story and engagement, and I loved her approach and level of detail already thought through for their wedding day.

For their engagement, she wanted to re-visit the location where Michael proposed as paying tribute to not only their Fort Worth roots, but the memories they now have of the Water Gardens. And that Tejas sunset, man. Can’t get enough.

Holly and I kept in touch leading up to their wedding and gave each other the biggest hugs upon my arrival to her incredible, light-filled bridal suite. And the day only continued on in being pure magic. The mismatched dresses, the guys J.Crew suits, the prayers before the ceremony, communion, that exit “first kiss”, the barn, Holly’s dad placing her Aggie ring on her finger, dancing under confetti, and that sparkler exit.

I truly hope the images below captured even a little snippet of the friendship and love Michael and Holly have for each other, the sweetness and hospitality of their parents, and the closeness and hilarity of their bridal party. It was my first “Aggie” wedding, and the tradition they hold strong to is something I now adore and admire! Hoping for many more Aggie weddings in the near future.

Michael and Holly, I can already tell that I owe so much to you and your trust in this Austin newbie, and I pray that your marriage (and new puppy) is everything you’ve dreamed of. xo

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  1. Jenna Keller said:
    Gorgeous job, Kristi!! Those Texas weddings are sooo pretty :)
    June 13, 2016  2:19 pm
    Reply

When we moved to Austin, I knew a piece of me and this business was still in Chicago. It’s where this little business truly took off. Knowing I had Sean and Claire’s Chicagoland wedding in 2016, allowed me to leave with peace knowing I’d be back home again.

It did not, for one second, disappoint. The minute I walked in Claire’s parents’ home, I was greeted with hugs from not only Claire, but her parents. Her bridal party got to know me and my assistant, and even offered us muffins (the way to my heart). This family felt like my family. Warm, close, loving, and fun.

Chicago’s weather brought it’s A-game that day with weather in the 70s and all the sun. We explored Evanston’s greatest backdrops together while singing and snacking in the limo, teared up during the maid of honor’s toast, smiled in awe at her parents surprise choreographed dance, and felt giddy when pulling out her timeless, classic wedding dress.

Thank you for bringing us back to our home, keeping that gentle reminder there of why I adore the midwest, it’s couples, it’s families, and it’s oh so special weddings.

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