It's pretty daring planning a wedding in late November in Wisconsin and for Sarah Jane and Michael I would say they were pretty lucky. On the one winter day we had this year, these two lovelies exchanged their vows and had an epic dance party with their family and friends and it was a pretty amazing day to be apart of. It may have been windy on Lake Michigan but our first look session at Humboldt Park in Bayview was a winter wonderland dream - what everyone wishes winter always looked like and SJ and Michael braved the cold for some magical photographs. I've been lucky enough to know these two for years, I met SJ through my siblings and have spent many of my weekend visits to Milwaukee with both Michael and SJ, whether it's in my sister's backyard around a fire or a visit to Michael's shop, Alt's Antique & Floral (and yes, he made the center pieces as well as SJ's bouquet) or a craft fair where SJ sells her incredible art, it is always lovely to spend time with these two gems and I felt so honored when they asked me to document their wedding day.

You may remember these lovely two from a blog a few months back when I met them in Chicago, where they are currently living to spend an afternoon wandering the city that they love. A few weeks back these two traveled to Madison, Wi to meet up with their friends and family to tie the knot and celebrate their love story -- A windy fall day but beautiful and really just perfect. A wonderful ceremony followed by my time with their wedding party on a trolley to a lovely dinner, speeches that made every single person cry, to a song Kyle sang to his lovely bride (another moment where there wasn't a dry eye) to an epic dance party that was hard to leave.  

You two are wonderful and I am so thankful I got to be apart of this day, enjoy! 

A party in a Library to celebrate Michelle and Carey. A perfect fall day, a beautiful venue, a ceremony that made everyone cry, a perfect sunset session followed by a wonderful meal by Underground catering and to end the night a dance party. This day was a pretty great day to be apart of and I am so thankful I got to document it.  

Rebecca and Tom's wedding day was so perfect -- a small no-fuss gathering to simply celebrate two wonderful people and their beautiful love story. Before their ceremony the 3 of us went for a walk down Willy St. and took some photographs of the two of them, followed by a beautiful ceremony with vows that made everyone reach for the tissues.  

It's the first week of October when it is beginning to feel like fall here in Wisconsin and instead of digging up my sweaters, scarves and beanies, I pack my bathing suit, dresses and shorts and board a flight to the desert heat in Palm Springs to extend summer for just a little longer. Palm trees, swimming pools, mountains and two wonderful families to celebrate two lovely people - Whitney & Josh.  

Vendors:

Venue & Catering: Parker Palm Springs

Wedding Coordinator: Sitting in a Tree

Florals: Root 75

Videographer: SparkStory - Joe Petrilla

Rentals: Planks & Patina // Found Vintage Rentals // Classic Party Rentals

Cocktail Hour Music: Aloke

DJ: Dart DJ

Cake: Exquisite Dessert

Hair: Gardner Edmunds // Makeup: Maja Janjic

  On the last weekend of September I took a drive to Glenwood City to the beautiful venue, Birch Hill Barn to document Shane and Margaret getting married and celebrating with their friends and family.

This day was perfect, like really perfect -- the weather, the community, the vows, the venue, the food, the music and the line dancing -- I cried about 5 times and there are so many favorite moments from this day it is hard to narrow them down. I left this wedding feeling so blessed to have been apart of this day as well as so thankful for this job that I have - I get to be apart of one of the greatest day of 2 peoples lives, and that really is a wonderful thing.

Mel and Marshal, oh beautiful, sweet Mel and Marshal and their amazing wedding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center on an actual fall day. If these two weren't smiling then their eyes were filled with tears -- I mean these two and their love is such a wonderful thing to witness and I felt honored to be at their wedding and documenting every moment of it. So enjoy this day through my lens:  

It's Labor day weekend, it's almost 100 degrees and it's Annie & Jake's wedding day. I went to meet with the girls as they got ready and my second shooter of the day, the lovely Amanda Red went to spent the morning with the guys. We met for the first look where you couldn't help but shed a few tears as you watch Annie & Jake see each other for the first time -- So much joy and love. It was a perfect afternoon ceremony with the talented Anna Vogelzang singing Annie down then aisle followed by a wonderful celebration.

I left this wedding feeling like I was on a cloud - this wedding made me appreciate community and this wonderful city I live in. On the last weekend of August Maddie and Bret got married right next to the tree I often sit in and read at Giddings Park -- it was such a perfect thing to happen in that beautiful little tucked away park people often forget about. My favorite moment of the day was the New Orleans Second Line March to the reception bar. I'm such a sucker for a community of people supporting a couple in their decision to get married by taking over the streets and dance about it - it was beautiful and it is so lovely to see all the people coming out of their homes to smile, clap and congratulate the couple -- personally I think this is a way better way of letting people know you got hitched than update your Facebook status. 

Laura & Josh were married on a Friday with a small gathering of family (blog post here) and the following day they put their wedding clothing back on and had an epic party with all of their loved ones.

I am a huge fan of weddings in 2 parts and this is exactly what Laura and Josh did. Months ago I skyped with these two about their upcoming wedding plans, at the time it was set for everything on Saturday but as their plans formed they called to ask if I was also available the friday before -- They wanted to have a small ceremony with immediate family and have a big party the following day with everyone in their lives -- a wonderful way to make the one day last a little longer and a chance to do two photoshoots! So today I will blog about their first day and next week I'll have their party up.  

Their story in Laura's words: "Josh was out to dinner meeting his best friend's new boyfriend. This boyfriend was doing a stand up comedy show at the bar next door so they all met for dinner first. Laura was their server. Josh flirted. So did Laura. At the end of the meal, Josh left a note for Laura in the bill telling her about the comedy show and inviting her to join for a drink after work.

At the end of her shift, Laura couldn't decide whether or not to go - because that's weird, right?! She started walking over but then changed her mind and started walking away and then back and forth a couple of times...all in front of the wall of windows of the restaurant where a co-worker was inside prodding her to go. Finally Laura stepped inside to find that no one was there! But a beer was needed after all that deliberation. A creepy old man at the bar started attempting a chat when all of the sudden people started pouring out of the back room (previously unknown to Laura) where the comedy show had taken place. And sure enough Josh was there to save Laura from the old creeper at the bar!"

These two are wonderful, I've had the opportunity to spend some time with them through their wedding planning process and I am so happy to have been apart of their wedding weekend.

When Katie and Josh contacted me to shoot their wedding, I knew I wanted to be there to document it for when I asked them what they were most looking forward to on their wedding day, their answer was "whiffle ball and a bonfire" - it was then that I knew these two needed to be in front of my lens and I am so glad they were. This day was beautiful from the minute I pulled up to On Twin Lakes until a drove out after sunset. There were so many moments from this day that pop into my head and make me smile -- like when Katie and Josh both gave each other love letters to read before the first look and it was the same card and how Katie made their save the dates, wedding invitations and cut out beautiful pieces of paper and strung them all over the beautiful venue. These two live in Portland and I only had the opportunity to meet Katie once for coffee but walking into their wedding, I felt like I got to know them so much better. Katie and Josh started dating 10 years ago when they were both students at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Katie decided to sell a football ticket, and put up a sign with her number on it. Josh was the one who called, and they met in the lobby of their dorm for the exchange. Katie then ran back up to her room and told her roommate about the cute boy she had just met. She then forgot his name and for months referred to him secretly as 'ticket boy' until finally through AOL Instant messenger, Josh introduced himself and asked Katie on our first date. Katie told me was swept away by his romantic choice of fine dining, Chipotle. Then  10 years later they came back to Wisconsin to exchange vows, play whiffle ball and dance with all of their friends and family.

Although Nicky and Tim live in Chicago, they decided to get married in the backyard of Nicky's family cabin - a beautiful home on the Wisconsin river. This day was perfect - starting the early day with mimosas, floral arranging and up-dos, followed by exploring the woods surrounding the property with Nicky & Tim and their wedding party - a late afternoon (and sunny) ceremony followed by a cocktail hour with an archery tournament (this was a first, and this was the best), ending with a wonderful dinner, and an epic dance party. I have had the privilege of knowing Nicky since middle school, reconnecting last year for a mutual friends wedding allowed me to meet and get to know Tim better and the two of them as a couple. When they came to me to ask if I could document their day, I was so excited. Being at the venue for a vacation last summer, I knew it was going to be a beautiful day in a place that holds importance to both Nicky and Tim.

A few weeks back Samantha and Ryan had the perfect day for a wedding - a wonderful sunny Saturday filled with loved ones from all over this world, an afternoon together at Wingra park and a Children's Museum rooftop ceremony that brought everyone (including me) to tears. The love these two have for each other is beautiful, spending time with them on their sailboat for their engagement session last month was my first glimpse of them together and hearing their vows was such a beautiful moment, and by far my favorite part of the day.  

You two are lovely, I am so happy to have been apart of your celebration! 

Years ago Sammy moved to the Milwaukee area to join the photography team at Kohl's Studio where Melissa was already a stylist, they started out as coworkers, soon became best friends but then one dinner date cooking Kung pao chicken together led to an amazing love. These two own a house outside of Milwaukee and made it their own with an incredible kitchen and a every girls dream closet.  

On Thursday, June 18th these two met at Klode Park on the shores of Lake Michigan with their immediate family members and exchanged vows in 25 MPH winds -- an epic, wonderful and intimate ceremony and I am so thankful to have been apart of it. On Saturday, June 20th we all got together again with their extended family for an amazing meal and celebration.  

  I met Ericka my first week of moving to Madison and my first day of college, we quickly grew close and did many photography projects during school and continued to work together from time to time after we graduated. So when Ericka messaged me about her plans to get married, and that she was about to have a baby boy (named Riff who is perfect) and she wanted me to document her wedding, I was so very excited. This was a true DIY wedding, a wedding based on community - everyone having a part in it -- Ericka's mother made her dress, the food and the ceremony was in the backyard of Ericka's parents, and the home where Ericka grew up. A beautiful ceremony where at the end of it, Ericka and Jake planted a tree at the very spot they both said 'I do' .  The reception was in a friends barn filled with projects Ericka and Jake did together to make their wedding be about their life together. Jake and Ericka put together a playlist that made the party last all night and it was a wonderful day to witness and be apart of.

T  

I love winter weddings, I love photographing them and I love attending them. Winter to me means hibernation, book reading and all day in pajamas - but a wedding forces you to get all dolled up, put on the red lips and dust off your dancing shoes and Chris and Jen did just that with all of their friends and family a few weeks back on January 24th. Chris and Jen had a beautiful ceremony at the Capitol followed by a wonderful meal and epic dance party at The Madison Club. I had a wonderful time documenting this perfect day with help from my dear friend Jentri Colello.

I met Erica and Simon about 6 years ago, around the time they started dating, so when these two came to me with the news of their engagement and their plans for winter wedding, I was pretty excited. Erica & Simon had a beautiful, intimate wedding at Olbrich Gardens, a 5pm ceremony in the conservatory with just their immediate family, music by Erica's little sister and their best friend Grace, who became ordained to marry them, after the ceremony there was a room full of friends ready to celebrate with them. A perfect way to celebrate these two, and I am so happy they asked me to document this wonderful day.

Alicia and Josh got married a few months back with a small ceremony and in October there had an epic party to celebrate their marriage and love with their friends and family. The lovely Hometown Sweethearts made the dancing happen until the late hours of the night.

On a beautiful October Saturday, Lyndsy & Stefen got married in Dodgeville at the beautiful Folklore Village.  I had such a wonderful time with these two and their friends and family - a beautiful, short ceremony in an old chapel followed by lawn games and cocktails to tacos and a night of dancing.