Sam + Chris | Gorgeous Outdoor Wedding at The Paoli Mill | Paoli, Wisconsin

Sam and Chris not only planned a stunning wedding to attend and photograph, but these two were just such a pleasure to work with for the entire process of their wedding planning!! So many beautiful and thoughtful details, so many unique pieces, and all in one of my new favorite venues around Madison! From beginning to end (haha, you'll definitely want to see some of the crazy fun at their reception) this day and these people will always be one of my favorites :)

VENDORS: Venue: Paoli Mill + Terrace // Second Photographer: Kari Anne Co // Dress: David Tutera // Headpiece: Erica Elizabeth Designs // Bridesmaids: BHLDN // Groom's Attire: Men's Warehouse // Make-Up Artist: The Posh Beauty Bar // Hair Stylist: Reflections Salons // Stationary: Wedding Paper Divas // Props + Renals: Event Essentials // DJ: Midwest Sound // Caterer: Paoli Brat House // Signs and Lettering Details: Letters from Lindsey

Ericka + Jared | Heartfelt Wedding at The Lageret | Stoughton, Wisconsin

I always say how I love tears on a wedding day because when you cry on a wedding day they are tears of joy, love, and happiness! Those are the kind of tears that I'm okay with :) Well I had to stop myself from tearing up a couple times during the day with Ericka and Jared! There were so many beautiful and heartfelt moments, but my favorite had to be when Jared gave Ericka the notebook that he had written his vows in. He started writing in this notebook shortly after they met and it culminated with the vows that he read to her on their wedding day! Does it get any sweeter?!

VENDORS: Second Photographer: Kari Anne Co // Venue: The Lageret // Planner: Spirit and Style Events // Wedding Dress: Vera's House of Bridals // Bridesmaids: Union Station // Groom's Attire: Alexandre of England // Florist: Generations Wedding Flowers & Photography // Make-Up and Hair Stylist: Eye Do Makeup & Hair // Stationary: Vistaprints // Props/Rentals: A La Crate // Band: In The Fields // Cake: Sweet Hartley's bakery

What To Expect From Your Bridal Party Portraits | Shasta Lake, California

Choosing who stands next to you as you say your vows on your wedding day is a very important decision! These are the people that you couldn't imagine getting married without. I June I had the opportunity to photograph this wonderful couple with some of their closest friends at a resort on Shasta Lake in northern California! This group of people exemplifies what bridal parties are all about. Some are family, some are friend, but all are there to love, support, and have the best time ever with the couple!

So what do I do to capture these groups? I always do individual portraits, just the girls, just the guys, and then the whole gang together! Each wedding and group has their own personality and special things they want to do, but just know that this is an example of the basic types of images I will capture for sure at each wedding :)

Summer Wedding Inspiration | Madison, Wisconsin

With lots of inquiries coming in the last couple of weeks I know there are lots of newly engaged and excited couples just starting to plan their weddings. Like I tell all of my clients, there are just way too many choices when it comes to your wedding day, so it's important to first figure out your style and the type of wedding day that you've always envisioned. Having those clearly defined parameters will only help to speed up the process of making the overwhelming amount of decisions that comes with planning a wedding.

And I also thought I'd take a second to highlight what I thought was a cool and unique choice, different colors for your bridesmaids dresses! Kacie and Matt had a gorgeous summer day for their wedding, and the subtle hues and color accents just all blended so perfectly with the beautiful outdoor scenery. Having multiple colors that are all in the same hue, tone, etc can be a fun way to add more color and character to your wedding day!

How To Choose Your Bridal Party

When you're planning your wedding one of the most difficult decisions might be just who you want in your bridal party. My advice? Choose your friends and family that you couldn't imagine getting married without them there. People that make you feel comfortable, loved, and can have lots of fun with! And lets be real for a second, people that will show up where and when they need to :) The last and maybe most important thing to consider is choosing people that you feel like you can just be yourself with. I want to capture your real and sometimes completely goofy and fun self on your wedding day, and as you can see I think Matt chose the perfect group of guys to share his wedding day with him!