When I first looked into Jodi for our engagement photos, I was very impressed with her talent and skill but nothing compared to the quality, effort and personality we were able to witness during our shoot. We hiked about a mile and a half (with some rain here and there) to get to the top of Rattlesnake Ledge for the perfect photo opportunity. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to take the hike with us as she effortlessly captured the most candid and unexpected photos. I love that she is able to capture the real moments and affection that is shared, which is so important for once in a lifetime photos. Our engagement photos will always be some of my favorites and I can’t wait to take more photos with Jodi again! -Desiree Hartsock Siegfried, ABC’s Bachelorette Season 9
Where to begin? Jodi is a blessing to the wedding photography world and in my life as well. She is positive, calm, and quirky (in the BEST way possible). When I first saw her work it was my dream to have her photograph my wedding. As most things did throughout my wedding process, my dream came true and she flew across the country to Santa Barbara, CA. Upon meeting Jodi I instantly felt a connection. You know when you meet someone and think, “we could totally be best friends.” Well, that was my thoughts exactly when meeting the beautiful soul who is Jodi. Even though we live hundreds of miles apart I still consider her a dear friend for life. On the wedding day Jodi was professional yet approachable. She made me feel beautiful and at ease, two very important things on your wedding day! Finally, our pictures are incredible. She caught the raw emotion and genuine love from our special day in every photograph. My family all sat together, with tears, and looked through every photo. Reliving the day through Jodi’s pictures was a moment I will never forget. So thank you Jodi for being the person you are. I am lucky to know your kind heart and amazing talent. – Makenna & Tyler
Other than my husband, Giving Tree was the very first thing I was sure of for my wedding day. From the moment I reached out to Jodi for engagement pictures to a hug at the end of my wedding reception, she was so kind, approachable, communicative, loving, professional, timely, and, as a bonus, hilarious. Jodi has a gift and she uses it to glorify God. Her transparency about her faith assured my husband and I that she could truly capture the depth and love of our day, and still we were blown away by just how beautifully Jodi’s work reflected who we are. Jodi was a complete joy to work with and made us feel comfortable from the very beginning, as if she were an old friend. I would recommend Giving Tree a million times over. Thank you, Jodi! You are so delightful and we feel honored that you could be with us on our wedding day. – Zach & Kara
I had been following Jodi’s work for about 3 years and just knew (even before being engaged) that I had to have her as my wedding photographer! In fact, we adjusted our wedding date JUST so Giving Tree could capture our wedding. And without a doubt, she exceeded all of our expectations. Jodi is someone who, upon meeting, makes you feel seen for the special little things that you are as a couple. By the end of our big day, we felt as if she had been apart of our lives for years. The images she captures paint a picture that represents all that is beautiful about humanity. The way that she envisions the moments of the day and the way they translate out into her photographs is a rare and beautiful talent. She was so engaged, so present, so lovely, and so genuinely professional. I can’t gush anymore about this beautiful soul. Thank you for capturing our greatest adventure! We feel so blessed! – Pete & Christina
Jodi was incredibly personable and relatable. We were planning our wedding from 2,000 miles away, and Jodi made it easy to make a personal connection with both of us; It felt like we were old friends. Knowing she was so talented in so many ways made our day so much richer and more enjoyable. The best testament is that all of our parents continue to cry in disbelief when they look at the photos and remember that a real person captured the essence of our love and wedding so beautifully. Jodi, there are just not words to accurately express the gratitude we have for your talent, your poise, your humanity, and your generosity. Having you at our wedding felt comfortable, yet new and exhilarating. Aside from merely being a gifted photographer, you are a wonderful person. We feel so privileged to have worked with you. – Sean & Melissa
“Let me start by saying that my wife and I are both professional videographers. We’ve had cameras in our hands since we could crawl. We knew it was going to be hard to find a photographer that we could trust with both the technical and artistic details of photographing our wedding. We had heard of Jodi and seen her work; but being the perfectionistic camera snobs that we are, we figured that we would be skeptical of any one we hired until the day we actually saw the pictures. We were wrong. After our first conversation with her, we knew she was the real deal. Jodi’s legit. We’ve shot alongside a lot of photographers and seen a lot of stuff. Jodi’s not the bossy photographer; she’s not the stressed out photographer; she’s not the cocky photographer; and she’s not the under qualified photographer. She’s an artistic photo gathering machine who has intention behind every lens choice, every camera setting and every direction she gives you. And working with her felt like working with an old friend. And old friends make you laugh and feel comfortable (something that is much needed on your wedding day). Not only was she a literal joy to work with in the planning process but her presence at our wedding was one of the best parts of our day. And our day was CRAZY. It was not coming together like a magazine wedding at all. It was absurdly DIY. We were running so far behind schedule the whole day, leaving little time for photos. Jodi was so flexible and smiley throughout the whole process that we didn’t break a sweat. She was pretty much our day-of therapist. And although we only remember laughing, ugly crying, and feeling like our faces were ruining every shot, Jodi managed to make us look like Derek Zoolander and Tyra Banks got hitched in a mountain paradise. Everything was beautiful. And we got married in a muddy field during what felt like a hurricane. Not a problem for Jodi. She climbed mountains, rode mopeds, and braved flood waters with camera gear, all to take the perfect shot (not a joke). Giving Tree Photography: For anytime you need a friend, a therapist, and an adventurer who also happens to be the best photographer around.” -Thomas and Julia
Documenting life, as my husband likes to call my obsession, is so important to me. As soon as we got engaged, the search for a photographer was on. I knew about Jodi from my sister and brother-in-law and decided to check out her work. I immediately fell in love with her style: the use of color; the cinematography-like look; the way she captured special, intimate moments between brides and grooms. I was sold, even though it meant having her travel from Michigan to Missouri for our wedding. The extra investment was beyond worth it to me. We first had the opportunity to meet and work with Jodi in Chicago–where she shot our engagement pictures. As soon as my husband, Matt, and I met her, we felt like we’d known her our entire lives. She made us comfortable and fully at ease in front of the camera. She observed us, played off our personalities, and captured my vision completely (and truly took it to the next level). I’m a creative person and had a sense for what I wanted. Working with Jodi felt like a creative collaboration. Because of her professionalism and creativity, we trusted her completely and just let her run with everything. She thrived and gave us more than what we could have dreamed. After seeing our engagement pictures, I was even more excited for the wedding because I knew she’d capture our day perfectly. Jodi has a gift for capturing the essence of a wedding. Every time we look back at our beautiful pictures, it feels like we’re still at the wedding and the reception–soaking in the memories, details, and people. And the crazy thing is, Jodi was there but so discreet. She and her team did all of this without needing to consult anyone that day. She had taken the time to get to know us and listen well to what we hoped to see in our pictures, and she delivered with so much grace and ease. I cannot more highly recommend Jodi! I wish we could relive that day every month and have her capture it each time. What a blessing it is to see someone use her God-given gifts in a way that honors Him, celebrates the beauty of marriage, and leaves clients with stunning pictures that will always be treasured. Thank you, Jodi, for the extraordinary gift you gave us! -Jen & Matt
Jodi Jodi Jodi. What to say? Truly one of the most genuinely caring and personable people, we felt as though we knew Jodi in just a few minutes. My husband and I have both said that our favorite thing about our wedding (besides the ol’ marriage, of course) were Jodi’s photos. We would not have spent so much money on a venue if we’d have known how good Jodi can make anything look! She was easy to work with, incredibly prepared, and so embracing of every awkward giggle and pose. The photos she gave us will be some of my deepest treasures forever, both of us and of our family. I love them. Beyond the end product though, Jodi’s heart touched us deeply on our wedding day. Her shared joy and authentic care for us as individuals was beautiful and made us feel like she was a part of the celebration with us. Jodi laughed with us, sang with us, and danced around roads and fields with us. She is the best. To anyone who may be considering hiring Jodi, there is nothing about your wedding I could recommend higher than choosing her as your photographer. Not only will you gain THE MOST BEAUTIFUL photos, but you’ll also gain a friend. – Abby & Ethan
Before we say everything we love about our photos, we have a lot to say about the lady behind the lens. Jodi carries herself with a graceful confidence that leaves an impression. Her ability to be fully present with us on the most important day of our lives, while also fully utilizing her gift to capture our memories left us inspired to do the same with our lives. Jodi is a wonderful example of someone who is running confidently with her gifts for the purpose of fully living into who God created her to be. We believe that this is the main reason her photography is so special. It was Abbey’s dream to have Giving Tree Photography capture her wedding day and when that became a reality she quite literally screamed! Jodi captures memories with creativity and intention. We believe that anyone who leaves people feeling inspired to live fully into the gifts they have been given is someone truly special. Jodi’s perspective on love, her artistic eye, and her ability to connect with people in a matter of seconds makes her the absolute perfect pick for capturing your memories. We are always telling people about her work and will do that as long as we are able to! Keep running confidently, Jodi. You leave people feeling something more–and that’s like icing on top of your God-given talent. – Mitch & Abbey
For a bride who hates spending money and isn’t a detail-oriented person, planning a wedding was overwhelming and difficult. When I started researching wedding photographers, I saw so many wedding photos that eventually, they all started to look the same. When I found and followed Giving Tree on Instagram, I was instantly attracted to Jodi’s pictures. All of her subjects seemed like real couples, because somehow Jodi captured their personalities and relationships in still images. Everyone looked happy and gorgeous, but natural. I hadn’t found anyone comparable, but I am located nowhere near Michigan and never expected to be able to afford to pay a photographer to travel. The more I searched, the more I realized that flying Jodi out to us would be much more satisfying than hiring someone who was in my area, but not as talented. When Jodi said she could be available for our wedding, I knew everything else would fall into place. I also almost cried joyful tears. I can’t put into words how invaluable it was to have Jodi booked from the start. With an outdoor wedding, I was nervous about weather cooperating–until I saw unbelievably gorgeous photos Jodi took at a rainy wedding. When I was stressing out about making a detailed schedule of the night, Jodi was very helpful, experienced, and always quick to respond to questions. Even booking Jodi’s travel was easy. She was the easiest and best choice we made about our wedding. On the day of, she was calm, encouraging, and had figured out just the right combination of taking charge and hanging back out of sight. It was so wonderful to be able to completely trust our photographer that day, while we focused on enjoying our wedding. When our photos were delivered (very promptly), I couldn’t believe how beautiful they were. The most frequent comment I received about them from friends and family by far was “stunning,” and I couldn’t agree more. Now I am trying to figure out how to relocate to Michigan so Jodi can document my life forever. If you are having a destination wedding, or any wedding, and you’re thinking about hiring Giving Tree, DO IT! – Christina & Geremy
Here’s why you should pick Giving Tree as your wedding photographer: Jodi goes above and beyond in her professionalism, her art and pretty much everything she does. The average wedding photographer can take nice photos of your wedding day, but not everyone can capture the emotions and the feeling of the experience in such a beautiful way. Jodi has an exceptionally unique eye for photography and skill for editing, and the collection of photos that she produced for us are a treasure to me and my husband. They are SO much better than your average posed and unnatural-looking wedding photo album. At the end of it all, the pictures are really the only thing you will have to remember your wedding by, and you will never regret making sure that you picked a great photographer. And, as an added bonus, Jodi is prompt in her correspondence, she shows up on time and comes prepared, she is basically invisible during the ceremony and reception, and she is thoughtful and creative. Oh, and all of this goes for Jade as well, of course. She is also a wonderful thing. Giving Tree will be your favorite wedding vendor you hire, for sure! – Karrie & Glenn
Jodi + Giving Tree. We don’t even know where to begin. Everything (and I mean everything) about our experience with Jodi was amazing. As a bride, finding the right photographer who would be capturing our special day was one of the most important parts of wedding planning for me. The moment we saw Jodi’s work on her website I knew we wanted her. Her amazing talent and beautiful personality made it an easy decision and she was a joy to work with through every aspect. From caring about our story at the beginning of the process to being a crucial scheduling genius who helped us figure out the day’s timing, there was nothing Jodi wasn’t willing to do to help. Jodi truly made us feel so at ease and we just love how everything came out. Grateful is such an understatement for how thankful we are to have had the pleasure of meeting and being on the receiving end of Jodi’s thoughtful expertise. We couldn’t be happier with our photos and know we will cherish them for so many years to come. Thank you! – Chris & Lindsay
There is something different about Jodi from the moment you meet her. She exudes joy and kindness is every way. The inner beauty she possesses comes from above and it is no wonder to me that she is able to capture the love of so many beautiful couples because she understands the depths of the greatest love of all with Jesus Christ. I am eternally grateful that Jodi was a part of our wedding day. The moments she captured are nothing short of breathtaking and will be treasured by my husband and me always. What a beautiful gift you have given us. Thank you! – Zach & Alli
Jodi was nothing short of amazing. She made every request that we wanted happen and we can not say better things about her- not just as our photographer, but as the person she is- it truly shines through. She was patient, kind, helpful, and made us feel so special. We fell in love with her and wouldn’t have changed having her as our photographer for anything! – Tom & Lindsey
Jodi may have been my favorite part of my wedding. She has an eye for the moments that I wanted to hold onto forever. Brian and I were fortunate enough to do our engagement photos with Jodi a few months before the wedding and on the drive home from Michigan I laughed and said I feel like I have known her my whole life! She is so authentic and genuine. Her energy and joy is contagious. She is not phased by any terrain and had a vision for our pictures. She is quick in getting back to your, always posts a preview, and made me feel beautiful all day. She is anointed and captures the beauty of the kingdom! My sister and maid of honor walked away from my wedding saying, “I don’t know who I am going to marry but I know Jodi will shoot my wedding!” Each picture captured Brian and I’s love for one another and our personality. It was an honor to have someone as gifted as Jodi part of one of the biggest days of my life. – Megan & Brian
How to have a perfect wedding: 1. Marry the right person. 2. Be well-prepared for the day so you can focus on the people you love. 3. Hire Jodi. After following these three steps, I have zero regrets. And #3 is not just a shout-out to Jodi. She really was the ideal photographer. She showed up early, got [overly? ;)] excited about our pine tree backdrop, directed people efficiently without commanding them around, laughed with us, and let me borrow her mittens even though it was freezing cold. I had a (beautifully packaged) DVD of edited pictures in my mailbox before I even managed to return the mittens to her! I can honestly say she took every picture we wanted (plus a lot we hadn’t known we wanted until we saw them) and somehow managed to read my mind and get my dream photographic style and coloring exactly right. I’m convinced she can make anyone photogenic. I could go on but a picture’s worth a thousand words and there’s a whole lot of them on her Facebook/Instagram/blog so just take a peek over there and I have a feeling you’ll never go back. – Esther & James
We absolutely LOVED working with Jodi. She made us feel incredibly comfortable, we were able to completely be ourselves, as her and her assistant really felt more like guests. Her timing was wonderful and our pictures turned out beautifully. We would unquestionably ask her to work with us again and love following her to see the magic that continues to unfold in her photographs. – Mark & Jenn
We were Jodi’s first wedding, and although that would leave most brides uncertain, she was the most certain decision I made for my special day. I was very confident she would deliver, and she did. She was at our hotel room before I even hopped in the shower. She was friendly, making us comfortable to reach in and pull out our inner model, and yes, we laughed a lot! She filled our special requests without hesitating; like, hiring a second shooter (equally as talented!), helping us get the album of our dreams, traveling from Michigan to the Colorado mountains before college exam week, the list goes on…The wedding planning world can get gnarly, she was such a breath of fresh air! If I did it all over again, I may have tweaked a few decisions of mine, but I wouldn’t trade Jodi for anything! – Daniel & Alexa
It is no question that Jodi takes the most beautiful photos. It doesn’t matter if she’s shooting a bouquet of flowers, a portrait or an unforgettable walk with your dad, she knows exactly how to capture the most important part of every moment. Her photos are soft and romantic and at the same time bold and exciting. I am so grateful that I was lucky enough to have her freeze in time this most important day! – Peter & Chelsea
We were blown away by the uniqueness and creativity of Jodi’s photos. Booking her was one of the best decisions we made. She has a rare talent and it was an absolute pleasure and honor having her capture the most intimate moments of our day. She was relaxed and took charge when necessary. She put everyone at ease and even jumped in the lake to take the perfect picture for our beach wedding. We loved working with her from the moment I first emailed her to the moment I had the photos in my hand with a cute bow and all. She pays attention to detail not only in her photos but also in her clients. – Matt & Michelle
Before I got married, there was one thing I was certain about regarding my wedding- Jodi Bodtke was going to shoot it. I had seen her work and knew without a doubt this is what I needed to help make my day perfect. I actually planned the date around her schedule! Weddings are really hard to plan when you have never planned one before and Jodi so effortlessly made my day and the planning a breeze. I have ranted and raved about her for as long as I have known her and have recommended her to everyone I have come in contact with. People came up to me after my wedding asking for her information for when their kids get married! Jodi is nothing but the best when it comes to photography and professionalism. She will make you feel confident, calm and relaxed on your special day. – Alex & Sarah
Photos were extremely important to me for my wedding. Jodi’s pictures on her website are what made me interested and reach out to her. She is such a kind and caring person. From the first time we met at my engagements pictures to saying goodbye at my wedding, she felt like a close friend that genuinely was excited for me. She makes you feel at ease when taking pictures as well as not so awkward. If you go through Jodi expect to have your pictures raved about about by family and friends and even strangers! Her work is great and to top it off she gives all her glory to God. That’s one major thing that reeled me in. She demonstrates such a God given talent that has given her so much success by reflecting all back to the Lord. Jodi is someone who will go far, so get your photos by her before she is too big and bad and doing only celebrities. – Kyle & Gabby
I knew after seeing only a few of Jodi’s photographs that I was completely obsessed with her style. When I got engaged, there was no doubt in my mind that Jodi would be the one to photograph our wedding. My husband is not a huge fan of being in front of the camera and is not comfortable with most photographers. However, we both immediately felt a sense of ease and comfort working with Jodi. Jodi makes you feel like she is more than just a photographer. She is your friend, your confidant, and she celebrates with you each step of the way. Being a planner myself, I appreciated her organized and timely emails. She sent detailed information that made it easy for even the busiest of brides to navigate their wedding photos. However, no one could have planned what we ended up with on our wedding day. Despite a heat index of 106 and unforeseen last minute location changes, Jodi was accommodating, encouraging, and beyond pleasant to work with! One of the things I appreciate most about her is her eye for candid shots. One of my favorite photos from our wedding is a shot of my husband dabbing sweat off my face with a towel mid photo shoot. Every photo encapsulates each emotion we felt that day and I am beyond grateful for her ability to capture those moments that all brides hope to never forget. She is kind, gentle, and an absolute joy! Working with Jodi is a decision you will never regret! -Mark & Joy
