Thank you friends

We are overwhelmed with gratitude as we look back on 2013. We worked with amazing, generous people who have unforgettable stories.All we can say is thank you: Thank you for hiring us. Thank you for letting us capture some of the sweetest moments of your life. Thank you for your kindness and support. Thank you for being genuine. Thank you for laughing at our jokes and listening to our stories. Thank you for telling us your stories.

It has been life changing year and we walked the path with the best of clients. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jens and Megan Private Estate Reception

Brett and Devon Lord Hill Farms

Brian and Antonia Family Estate

Jonathan and Gisel Grass Valley

Tyler and Charlotte White Ranch

Sam and Sara Patrick Ranch

Levi and Tanna Honker Bay

Luke and Megan Los Altos History Museum

Ryan and Kathryn White Ranch

Austin and Emily Long Creek Winery

Taylor and Kayla Chardonnay Golf Club

Kyle and Denny Shaffer Ranch

Jason and Ali Madison Bear Garden

Spencer and Shirley Long Meadow Ranch, Grgich Hills Estate

Miles and Kristen Skylake Gardens

Ryan and Sheri Canyon Oaks Country Club

Kevin and Katy The White House

Keaton and Ashton Gale Vineyards

Cody and Katie Shaffer Ranch

A California Ranch Wedding: Cody and Katie

Cody and KatieNovember 9th, 2013 Shaffer Ranch, California "I won't give up on us, even if the skies get rough. I'm giving you all my love..." Jason Mraz Cody and Katie, it seems you are friends with everyone, you are those kind of people. Thank you for your generosity and giving us the chance to be a part of your emotional, beautiful story.

Katie, you stop this. You are stunning.

Because this is totally them...

Fridays are for fun

Oh Friday. I am so glad you are here. It's nice to look back on the week and find some of the little things that made up our crazy life:

Got excited about a free rental from Red Box. Yes people, it's the little things...

Went on a run two mornings in a row and saw the sun rise each time. Puts life in perspective.

Trying to be more grateful. Kenny says I see the glass half empty -- I beg to differ, that I am simply a realist.

Tried to keep the texts to my sister minimal this week. That didn't work.  Dear sister, please move back to Chico.

Visited with a great friend. We laughed and cried. It was the best.

Kenny got a haircut. He's seriously handsome.

Parker is now walking, with the help of a box that he pushes everywhere around the house. He is such an athlete ;)

Decided that a trip to Williams and Sonoma must happen soon. I sure hope they don't run out of stuffing...  It's the best.

Went to Target twice this week.

Only bought gummy bears once.

And as life has been swirling around us, we have felt both deep sadness and great hope. At the end of the day we have to believe that this is not it. We live for something bigger and more beautiful than our own story. "Don't shine so that others can see you, shine so that through you, others can see Him." CS Lewis

The view today

So much of me wants to see what lies in front of me. And I don't just mean for today, I want to know what tomorrow and next week will hold, next month and next year.  If I am being really honest, I waste many moments, worrying about tomorrow.

I know I shouldn't live this way. I am called to live in today; the mundane, the exciting, the painful, whatever that might be. I can plan and prepare for tomorrow, but I can't control it. Even when I think that I want to see the entire road right now, I realize it is God's grace, that I can't. So I am learning:

Be fully present today. Live in these moments. Trust God. He is good.

I wish I wouldn't waste my time trying to see the entire path, when what I can see today, is beautiful enough.

A Patrick Ranch Engagement: Miles and Kristen

Miles and KristenSummer 2013 Patrick Ranch Engagement Photos "True love is friendship set on fire." -Laura Hendricks When you meet two people as loving and kind and funny as Miles and Kristen, you will find your life is blessed.

love and lavender feature

We are catching up on the last few months, and thought it would be fun to share some of the publications that we love, and places where our couple's have been featured.Love and Lavender is a resource for wedding inspiration all over the world. Ellen, the editor of Love and Lavender, keeps things simple and showcases so many sweet weddings.

And we were thrilled to share Austin and Emily's July wedding with them.  It is an honor to partner with others in this industry and we are so grateful to work with people like Austin and Emily. Your wedding day continues to inspire.

You can see more of their Long Creek Winery Wedding here.

a gale vineyards wedding: Keaton and Ashton

Keaton and AshtonSeptember 21, 2013 Gale Vineyards, California "Love is walking in the rain together" -author unknown Keaton and Ashton are generous, thoughtful and incredibly talented. They are the kind of people who make a stormy wedding day beautiful, simply because of who they are.

Ashton, you are beautiful.

Because of the rain, these two had their first look indoors.

And then we got some beautiful moments of light without a drop of rain...

The reception was held under a tent with stunning details...

fridays are for fun

Well here we are, it's already Friday, which means it's time for us to share some of the highlights from our week:

We are finding that most of our days begin long before the sun comes up. This is only because Parker loves the  five o clock hour. If you know anything about me, you know that I am not a morning person. I didn't even know it was possible to function at this time of day ;)

Enjoyed seeing quite a few friends this week. With life being so crazy for us, I feel like all of our visits were long overdue. Feeling thankful.

I think it's safe to say, we are loving every moment of these gorgeous fall evenings here in Chico.

As some of you may have seen on Facebook, we found the biggest spider EVER last night . I would show you a picture, but I can't even stand to look at it. This is scary stuff, people.

It was a big week for Parker:  He started eating cereal and crawling. Goodbye old life. The adventures have officially begun :)

Shot a lovely family session last night. Which reminds me, we are booking fall portrait sessions -- please email us for details.

Went to the dentist this week and had no cavities. Bring on the candy corn... (In case my dentist  is reading this, don't worry, I always limit my intake to one bag per week ;) )

Dreaming about our next trip to Cannon Beach. We just got home last Thursday, and already miss our favorite place in the world.

And in case you missed, we shared some big announcements on the blog this week. (see posts below) #kstonenews

Well, have a great weekend friends! We might get really crazy and carve a pumpkin :) K and K and P

This picture courtesy of our iPhone  

A new season

Since the day we started, Kenny and I have always photographed weddings together. However, many of you know that for the last eight years, Kenny has also worked full time in ministry. Last month, things changed for us when Kenny knew it was time to step out of his position.

Sometimes God calls us out of our comfort and stability. He calls us to take great risks. He is always asking us to do something bigger than ourselves. And deep down, we know we were made for this.

So here we are today: After months of praying, discerning, and talking to others, Kenny and I begin a new chapter of our life. We will work full time, as photographers. We will plan together, dream together, succeed together and at times fail together. We will spend more time pouring into our clients and creating beautiful photographs. We will spend more time with Parker. We will spend more time doing what we feel called to do. It is exciting and terrifying.

So, as we take this risk, we realize that no matter how hard we work, we are not in control. It's a vulnerable place to be, but the best place to be. Ultimately, we are praying that God takes our dreams and our hard work, and ignites this business to do great things.

Feel free to join us. Like we always say, your support means the world to us, especially in this new season. Much Love Friends, K and K and P

"A ship in the port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." -Grace Hopper

the first time ever

The last six months have been full of changes for us. Lots of change.And this week, we are announcing some exciting new things with the business! As for today, for the first time ever, we are offering a gift to our future couples. For the next month, we will be offering 800.00 off of any wedding package, if your wedding falls on a Friday or Sunday. As we move into this new season, we covet the chance to work with many of you and we are always SO grateful for your referrals. Happy Fall friends! So blessed to do what we love! K and K

Tyler and Charlotte: A White Ranch Wedding

Tyler and CharlotteJune 1, 2013 White Ranch, Chico "It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight..." -Vladimir Nabokov Tyler and Charlotte have the kind of joy and love that lights up a room. We are so blessed to know them.

Fridays are for Fun

This week has been a bit crazy - and that may be an understatement.

So on that note, rather than tell you all about my week; like the fact that I ate Chipotle last night at 9:30 or that Kenny picked all the weeds in our yard, I leave you with this very disturbing photo:

Apparently, at one time in my life, I thought I had good dance moves. This photo has crushed my dreams. Reality check: I should not be out on the dance floor.

And to put your mind at ease, from now on, most of our dance skills will be left at home.

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend friends! K and K

And yes, that is a gummy bear in my hand. I try not to leave home without them ;)

Chico Engagement Photographer: Luke and Megan

We are super excited to share this session today.

Luke and Megan adore each other. When we worked with them last Saturday, it was SO obvious that these two are really good friends. We just love that. And we enjoyed every minute that we spent with them. They are genuine people, unafraid to be themselves. They care deeply about others -- and love Jesus.

Thank you so much, Luke and Megan, for letting us be a part of your wedding day and this season of your life. Thank you for encouraging and loving so many people around you. Your joy is contagious and we just know that God is going to use you both to impact this world. Together, you will have so much influence on the people around you. We are blessed to know you.

Much Love, K and K

Don't you just love them?

Megan, you are beautiful...

And then this happened: They took out their Avengers shirts. How cool are they?

And one of the last frames of the night... love this!

Ranch Engagement: Levi and Tanna

Last Saturday, we had the opportunity to work with Levi and Tanna. They are nearly high school sweethearts, who adore each other. It is so energizing for us to spend time with each of our clients. Every couple's story is different -- and their chemistry is unique as well. And our job is to get to know them, laugh together and create genuine moments that are captured.I would say that Levi and Tanna are really happy people. Levi looks at Tanna so sweet and she just adores him. They kind of smirk at one another, with knowing eyes; they don't have to say much. And we definitely loved how they brought their own sense of style to this session. It was a lot of fun.

Thank you so much Levi and Tanna. We are blessed to know you and so excited for your wedding day.

Much Love, K and K

Chico Engagement: Austin and Emily Tease...

We got to work with Austin and Emily on Friday evening. So, so blessed to work with them. And many more photos to come... We can hardly wait :) Have such a good week everyone!

Chico Fall Engagement Session: Sam and Sara

These two work hard. And by work hard, I mean nonstop, with the kind of ambition that inspires us all.

They met in law school, and bonded over exams and late night study sessions. They both graduated this past spring and when Sam asked Sara the most important question of his life, she definitely said yes.

We got to skype with them for their consult, where Kenny and Sam immediately bonded over Monday night football. And when they traveled to Chico, Sara's hometown, we were able to meet up for their engagement session. It was a beautiful fall day and we just loved getting to know them better. Really, they are amazing people. They are smarter than we will ever be, and just among the kindest and most generous people. We are so thankful to know them.

Thank you so much Sam and Sara. You are both so talented and tenacious. We look forward to celebrating with you this summmer :)

Much Love friends! K and K

Sara, you are beautiful!

love is a powerful thing...

We watched this last night, for the first time, in quite awhile. And I think it was good timing. Because even though this video is about our story, it reminds us that we really get to be a part of capturing history: Some of the biggest moments in a person's life.

So we wanted to share our story with you again because it is a big part of our brand. And it is a big part of our brand because it is truly what we believe.

We know that love changes people. Never is a person loved, and left unmoved.

And so our work is not just a way of making a living. It is not just a profession. And it is not about us at all.  It is about you. And this work is something that we feel passionate about, because we are documenting the kind of things that matter most in life. Your stories are powerful.

Much love and gratitude for letting your life be changed and inspiring us in the process, K and K

TJ Farms Wedding: JP and Karen Tease...

Saturday was an amazing wedding day. So blessed to be a part of this touching and emotional day and celebrate alongside JP and Karen. More so soon... along with their sweet, sweet story.

Chico Senior Potraits: Lauren

When Lauren pulled up for her senior session, I instantly knew this was going to be fun. She is super sweet, super pretty and has the kind of personality that is contagious. She isn't afraid to laugh out loud and just be herself.I loved working with her.

Congratulations Lauren! So excited for your senior year and to see all the great things in store for you.

Much Love, K

She's the sweetest!

A Chico Wedding: Jarrett and Megan

I know I say this a lot, but we may have done the happy dance, when Megan and Jarrett chose us to photograph their wedding. Once again, they had a sweet story and we wanted to be a part of telling it. Once again, we were blessed with amazing clients. Megan and Jarrett were meant to be. As the first line of Brad Paisley's song says: "I remember trying not to stare the night I first met you, you had me mesmerized." It's almost like they knew from the moment they met. Jarrett had a feeling he would marry this girl and Megan knew she would marry him. And so as they danced to Brad Paisley's song for their first dance, it all made sense. You can tell that they quickly grew close, they trust each other and they are good friends. Megan respects Jarrett and Jarrett adores Megan. And the quiet exchanges that they share don't go unnoticed. We were all touched by the way that they love each other.

Thank you so much Jarrett and Megan. Looking back, I am just so thankful that you decided to call us and so thankful that in the end you chose us to photograph your wedding. Can't wait to see all that you will do together in this life. We are very grateful to know you.

Much Love, K and K

Vendors: Venue: The Palms Pavilion Florist: Meghan Barker Catering: Special Times DJ: Elite Sounds

Each girl wore these beautiful pieces in their hair.

And she was just so happy like this, all day...

Megan, you are gorgeous...

The first look...

Such a sweet bridal party:

And all of the small details just came together so well... Many thanks to Meghan Barker for the beautiful floral design.

The ceremony took place on the lawn of the Venue.

The details at the reception were elegant and one of my favorites of the season. Mindy and the team from Special Times Catering, don't miss a thing when they set and prepare for a wedding. It is always beautiful.

These two have such a great family and friends. Which made for a really fun reception.

Once again, the dances always tend to make me cry. Megan's dad is one of a kind. They have a lot of fun together.

Love this shot of Megan with her brother, Mark. Who also happens to be the owner of Elite Sounds DJ here in Chico. His team of people is just so good at what they do and professional!

Megan's Grandparents have been married for sixty plus years and happened to win the anniversary dance.

And the party was a fun one!!