Krystal + Jake: A Lego-Themed Madison Winter Wedding

Doesn’t this wedding seem wonderfully Frozen-inspired?

Krystal+Jake had a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L winter wedding day. It was cold as all get out, but so worth it, because just look at these first look photos and wedding party photos in that pretty February snow! Also, check out Krystal’s awesome use of a veil-turned-wedding-cape cuz holy smokes. <3

These two sweethearts also let us throw so much glitter at them to get that fun confetti shot, laughed and celebrated with their friends and families, and danced the night away. We loved how affectionate Krystal + Jake were with each other all day. They were so fun to photograph!

We are so honored to have been able to celebrate with Krystal+Jake, and take a look at their wedding day below!

—Sam

Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make this wedding awesome!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Goodman Community Center

Officiant: Kayla Francis (friend of the couple)

Bridal Gown: Vera’s House of Bridals

Groom Tux: Men’s Wearhouse

Wedding Jewelry: TQ Diamonds

Wedding DJ: Aaron Jai

Florist: DIY

Wedding Cupcakes: HyVee

Catering: Blue Plate Catering

Rad Photographers Retreat - Styled Shoots

Not one but TWO styled shoots at the amazing Rad Photographer’s Retreat!

For the past two years I’ve been to the Rad Photographers Retreat (for more info, click here) each Spring, and I love, love, love it! The styled shoots are something else! Always really thoughtfully designed, and always using real couples or families (which trust me is a helluva a lot easier than trying to get two people who don’t know each other to have on-camera chemistry). Here are the two styled shoots from the 2018 Rad Photographers Retreat; One engagement, one wedding! If you want to check out more thoughts on the Rad Photographers Retreat and the experience of attending, check out my review of the 2017 retreat here and the 2018 retreat here.

—Sam

Styled Shoot Vendors: 

• Event Styling by Midwestern Bride + Natural Intuition Photography

• Event Florals by Jennifer Joyce Design

• Plates by Hearth & Hand

• Stationary and Invitation Suite by Saffron Avenue Design

• Cake & Logo Cookies by Yield Bakehouse

• Furniture & Vintage Decoration Rental by A La Crate Vintage Rentals

• Modeling by two lovely real life couples: Gretchen + Jason (engagement styled shoot)  and Kayla + Ezra (wedding styled shoot)

Gretchen + Jason

Kayla + Ezra

Lily + Aaron: A Lovely Wedding in the Park

These two beat the pre-winter chill and had a sweet, simple, and intimate wedding in the park, followed by a fun night of celebrating at One Barrel Brewing

And boy was it cold! But Lily + Aaron were troopers, and the spiked hot cider didn’t hurt either!

Lily was stunning, surprising no one, and look at the detail on the back of her dress! Holy smokes was that pretty! I love details like that!

There were some beautiful moments (obviously!) but there were also the funny ones, like when Lily’s Dad was about to walk her down the aisle, and remembered he still had his camo hat on and tossed it into a nearby bush. There was Lily’s veil trying to hit Aaron in the face over and over again, and succeeding a few times too. ;)

Congratulations to Lily + Aaron, and thank you both so much for inviting me to come hang out with you and celebrate! If you’d like to check out their engagement photos (which I would recommend since they’re so darn cute!) click here.

—Sam

Here are some of the awesome wedding vendors who helped make their wedding day fabulous!

Ceremony Venue: Towne of Burke Park (Reiner Road)

After Ceremony Drink Venue: Brocach on the Square

Reception Venue: One Barrel Brewing

Florals: DIY!

Tamara + Greg: A Luscious, Jewel-Toned Wisconsin Wedding

Holy smokes, this wedding was GORGEOUS!

Tamara + Greg met on OKCupid and after a first date which consisted of a few beers and Battleship (Tamara won), they both knew something cool was happening! Now this awesome couple loves to travel together, and actually got engaged at a castle in Scotland (how is that for a story they’re going to be able to tell for ages!)

All of the little details that went into this wedding day were fantastic. From Tamara’s polka dot wedding dress (what?!) to the jewel-toned color scheme of the flowers and decor, to the cozy, high-backed chairs for the couple to sit in and the S’mores given out as favors, everything about this wedding was awesome.

Thanks for having Rob and I celebrate with you two!

—Sam

Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make this wedding awesome!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Barn at Harvest Moon Pond

Officiant: Pastor Bob Riggert

Bridal Gown: Maggie Sottero

Groom Tux: Michael Strahan Collection for JCPenney

Florist: Tamara (the Bride) & Eleanor Kahn Design

Event Coordinator: Aisle Less Travelled

Wedding Cake (except couple’s pie): HyVee

Catering: HyVee

Decor Rental: Event Essentials & A La Crate Rentals

Andrea + Adam: An Intimate and Chill Madison Wedding

Great things can happen when you both swipe right…

Yep, that’s right, these two met on Tinder, and hit it off immediately. One of the things that stood out to me on their wedding day was how freaking excited they were to be marrying each other, and how pumped their kids were as well! Both Andrea + Adam have 2 kids from previously marriages, and these 4 are already thick as thieves. All 4 kids stood up with their parents as the wedding party, and part of the wedding ceremony was a little bonding ritual of sand to symbolize the blending of their newly formed family, which I loved. :) It was so sweet and meaningful it brought most of the guests to tears!

Andrea + Adam were also kind enough to indulge me in stopping by my favorite local mural (Try a Little Tenderness, the Otis Redding mural on Willy St.) and also to pop by the UW Arboretum to do some photos with the last of the fall colors.

This wedding was one of my favorites of the year, as I’m quite a fan of intimate weddings, and I’m so excited that Andrea + Adam invited me to celebrate with them! Congrats you two!

—Sam

Here are the awesome vendors (with links) that helped make their wedding day fabulous!

Ceremony Venue: Gates of Heaven Synagogue

Reception Venue: Wisconsin Brewing Company

Officiant: Rodney Spillane, Groom's Uncle

Wedding Dress: David's Bridal

Wedding Flowers: Dried Flowers Forever

Wedding Rings: Bride's ring - Handmade by Bride’s Uncle; Groom's ring - Chalmers Jewelers

Groom’s Suit: Men's Wearhouse

Wedding Party Dresses: Brides N' Belles

Hair & Makeup: Anaala Salon - Hilldale

Shannon + Chris: A Sweet Wedding for Two Adventurous Spirits

These two adventurers planned a wedding and an international move all at the same time!

Shannon + Chris met at Greenbush Bar in the spring of 2015 and hit it off quickly, bonding over being in the 99.9 percentile of height and a shared love of pizza, the outdoors, and getting in the last word. Chris loved Shannon's enthusiasm and sense of adventure, and Shannon thought Chris was endearingly goofy and smart, despite finding out that his basketball loyalties lay with with the Kentucky Wildcats (woo hoo!) and that he somehow despised chocolate. They continued dating that summer and it was full of rock climbing, concerts on the square, and visits to the zoo.

They also love traveling, and have traveled to 12 countries together - Watching the macaques in Gibraltar, sea fishing in Iceland, climbing a via ferrata in the Pyrenees, remaining civil over 2,900 km across Spain in a tiny smart car, and swaying around a mid-summer bonfire in Latvia. But it was right here in Madison, on a walk through Allen Centennial Gardens, that Chris asked Shannon to marry him.

These two adventurers also took on the adventure of moving to Bristol, England shortly after their wedding (the next week in fact), and I’m sure wherever their curious and adventurous spirits take them will be filled with love and joy! :)

Check out the photos from Shannon + Chris’ fun and intimate Goodman Community Center wedding and join us in wishing them the best with their move!

—Sam

Here are the kickass wedding vendors (with links) who helped make this wedding wonderful!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Goodman Community Center

Officiant: Court Commissioner Daniel Floeter

DJ: Erin Crowley with Musical Memories

Bridal Gown: Vera’s House of Bridals

Groom’s Tux: Lucca Menswear

Engagement Ring: The Diamond Center

Groom’s Wedding Band: TQ Diamonds

Hair Stylist: Thorp’s

Wedding Party Attire: Vera’s House of Bridals

Florist: Daffodil Parker (except for DIY centerpiece greenery)

Event Coordinator: Samantha Hintz with Wishful Weddings

Wedding Cake: Carl's Cakes

Catering: Working Class Catering (Goodman Community Center)

Decor Rental: A La Crate

Ashley + Geoff: A fandom-themed Wedding

This spectacular DIY offbeat wedding was one-of-a-kind!

“This will be a nerd wedding!” was the warning I got from Ashley + Geoff when they first booked us, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint!

For two awesome humans who met at a zombie larp (what?!), they had the amazingly nerdy wedding you would expect, and it was glorious. Each guest table was decorated with a different ‘fandom’, from Harry Potter, to Dresden Files (yay!), to Conan the Barbarian, and everything in between. Their card holder was a hand-made sarlacc pit (complete with little skeleton bride + groom). Their cake was Star Wars and Alien themed. And the list goes on. I knew this was going to be a fun wedding!

Following the short and sweet ceremony, in which Ashley’s dad, dressed as Darth Vader, walked her down the aisle, we went to take photos inside the Cave of the Mounds, which was a first for me! I can now say I understand how to light cave shots, so that’s new and exciting! ;) Then we got to enjoy the brief reprieve from the rain and take some photos under a dark & stormy sky, which complimented Ashley’s black and white dress and black veil so damn well. I’ve never been so happy to see clouds!

You could tell everyone, including the two of them, were having a great time celebrating, and let’s face it, after the actual getting married part, that’s what a wedding is all about!

We are so happy to have been able to celebrate with Ashley + Geoff. Check out some of our favorite moments from the day, and a big congrats to these two!

—Sam

Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make this wedding day super kickass!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Cave of the Mounds

Bridal Gown: Vera’s House of Bridals

Groom’s Tux: Men’s Wearhouse

Cake: Carl’s Cakes

Catering: JL Richards

Sarah + Mabel: A Pretty Freaking Magical Northside Wedding

Dinosaurs, Tetris, and Rainbows, Oh my!

From the second I first met Sarah + Mabel, I knew they were one of a kind, and that their wedding was going to be amazing. What I didn’t know was just just how much fun we’d have celebrating with Sarah + Mabel and their friends and family! We may or may not have danced the Time Warp during the tail end of the reception. ;)

The theme of the day was dinosaurs (yay!), Tetris (Mabel is a champion at Tetris), and rainbows, and it came together so beautifully! Seriously, check out those bouquets!

More than just an amazing wedding though, these two share a love that is so ridiculously pure and joyful that it’s hard to put into words, so I’ll let Sarah say it for me:

“We both love to make each other laugh. No one gets my sense of humor like Mabel does, and that's the main reason a mutual friend set us up seven years ago. Whenever I'm on the brink of tears, she knows the right thing to say to build me back up and make me smile. And going from tears to laughter is a wonderful thing. Whether cooking, on a roadtrip, exploring Madison or walking with our dog, we just make a great team!”

This type of love is something so special, it’s a joy to witness. We are so honored to have been able to celebrate with these two and their families, and wish them all the joy in the world!

—Sam

p.s. If you’d like see their AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL engagement photos, check them out here.

Here are all the kickass vendors (with links) who helped make Sarah + Mabel’s day so wonderful!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Warner Park Community Recreation Center

Officiant: Lindsey Joo (friend of brides)

Wedding DJ: Patrick with Kuhl Entertainment

Hair Stylist: Union Hair Parlor

Florist: Naly’s Floral Shop

Event Coordinator: Shantastic McAwesome (of the Mad Rollin’ Dolls)

Wedding Desserts: Cake by Bloom Bakeshop & Cupcakes by Looking Glass Bakery

Table/Chair Rental: Event Essentials

Catering: Working Class Catering & Blue Plate Catering

Jenny + Jason: Elegant and Classy, but with Dinosaurs

This sweet summer wedding wouldn’t have been complete without tacos, coffee bar, and, you guessed it, dinosaurs!

So Jenny + Jason met while working at Best Buy/Geek Squad, and have just about the cutest ‘meet cute’ story I’ve heard! After several weeks of not quite knowing whether or not they were flirting (haven’t we all been there?), they both figured it out when Jason asked Jenny to go with him to GenCon (a board game convention in Indianapolis, IN). From there, they were pretty much on the same page about that whole flirting business, and 6 years later, Jason proposed to Jenny at GenCon (they go every year) and she obviously said yes!

When it came to the wedding, one of the first things Jenny told me was that their theme was going to be ‘Elegant, Classy… but with Dinosaurs’ and I could not be more on board with that! Well, they sure as heck pulled it off, and managed to work in tacos and a coffee bar and then ALSO dinosaurs! (Dream clients, amiright?!) Also, Jenny’s wedding vows mentioned (consensual) butt-grabbing, which is always a plus in my book. ;)

Their day was filled with magic (and maybe one or two thousand mosquitoes, but it can’t all be perfect, right?) and was so damn fun! We had a blast telling puns, putting the little dinosaur decorations in fun poses, and eating rad food. I am so happy we got to celebrate with these two!

Check out the photos from this kickass wedding below, and if you’d like to see their engagement photos, click here.

—Sam

Here are the vendors (with links) who made this wedding day super amazing!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Paoli Mill Terrace & Park

Wedding Coordinator: Dominique with Wood Violet Events + Styling

Invitations & Programs: The Bride!!!

Calligraphy, table numbers, and seating chart: The Crafty Peach

Wedding Florals: Briar Loft

Officiant: Terry Wesolek (close friend)

Bridal Gown: David’s Bridal (altered by Monica @ Monirose Bespoke Gowns)

Wedding Bands & Engagement Ring: Artemer Jewelry

Hair & Makeup: The Posh Beauty Bar

Wedding Cake & Desserts: Looking Glass Bakery & Madison Chocolate Company

Catering: Apps by Liliana’s Catering & Tacos by El Grito Taqueria

Table, Chair, & Tent Rental: Event Essentials

Decor Rental: A La Crate Vintage Rentals

Coffee Bar: Crescendo Mobile Bar

Beer: Pequod Distribution

Becca + Kramer: A Sunny Nature Center Wedding

Tacos and Music and Ice Cream, Oh My! 

Pretty much all of my favorite things wrapped into one kickass wedding! Becca + Kramer planned the perfect day together, celebrating with friends and family at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona, WI. 

These two met in 2012 while studying Geography at UW-Madison, and began dating in 2013. They're now both PHD students in the Geography program. Guests came from all over the country to celebrate, since Kramer is from the Seattle, WA area, and Becca is originally from Washington, D.C., and they wanted to have their wedding in their adopted hometown of Madison, WI (or about in the middle for folks coming from near the coasts). 

The day turned out beautifully, the food (and ice cream) was delicious, and Becca + Kramer were so undeniably happy, it was breathtaking! Congratulations to Becca + Kramer! We are so happy to have been able to celebrate with you! 

--Sam 

Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make the day amazing! 

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Wedding Band (cocktail hour): The North Westerns

Bridal Gown: BHLDN

Bridal Jewelry: The Fox & Stone / Studio Jewelers

Hair: Tess @ Alan Koa

Florist: Hilltop Community Farm

Day Of Coordinator: Samantha Hintz with Wishful Weddings

Dessert: Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream

Catering: El Dorado Grill

Table/Chair Rental: Madison Party Rental

Beer & Wine: Cork 'n Bottle

Megan + Bri: An Intimate State Capitol Wedding

This micro wedding was super sweet and colorful! 

Megan + Bri met at a roller derby after party at Plan B, spent the evening talking about My Little Pony, and everything just clicked from there! They love spending time together fishing, hiking, watching PBS, and playing games, or cuddling with their two kitties, Little and Georgia! 

Their wedding was very intimate, with just their two sets of parents, Bri's sister, and Megan's aunt, and was absolutely lovely. Megan's dad bought a rainbow umbrella in case of rain, and while it wasn't originally part of the plan, pretty much everyone in attendance had their picture taken with the umbrella, even Judge Kloppenburg! 

It was such an honor to photograph their wedding, celebrate with them, and cheer with the bystanders at the Capitol building when they said 'I Do'! Congratulations to Megan + Bri! 

--Sam 

Here are all the vendors (with links) that helped make their wedding day awesome! 

Ceremony Venue: The Wisconsin State Capitol Building

Officiant: Judge Kloppenburg

Megan's Dress: Brandi's Bridal 

Bri's Suit: Men's Wearhouse

Rings: Family Heirlooms

Florist: Klein's Floral

Elaina + Nate: A Modern Monona Terrace Rooftop Wedding

A modern and sleek wedding, with loads of beautiful details, great laughs, and a ring-bearer doggo! 

Elaina + Nate met when they lived close to each other, and Elaina got stuck in the winter snow, and had to ask neighbors (including Nate) for assistance. Nate didn't get the car unstuck sadly, but he + Elaina really hit it off, and went on to be good friends for the next year or so, before they moved into boyfriend/girlfriend territory. Nate proposed on top of a mountain, which is only fitting... 

These two, with their love of adventure, physically challenging hobbies (Tough Mudder, anyone?), and each other, were the freaking cutest! They were soooo excited to see each other for their first look, and couldn't wait to walk down aisle! I love seeing folks who are so excited to be with one another, who get pumped to celebrate with their friends and family, and who are such nice people, that they are clearly beloved by all who attended the wedding to celebrate with them! How tight knit these two are with their families is something to see as well! Nate's sister even did a freestyle rap as part of her toast, to the tune of Fresh Prince of BelAir! So... we really have seen it all now! 

Enjoy the photos of this fabulous wedding on the Monona Terrace rooftop, and join me in wishing nothing but happiness to these two awesome individuals and their families! (Also check out their super cute ring-bearer doggo!) 

--Sam

Here are the vendors (with links!) who made their wedding day A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Monona Terrace

Officiant: Patrick Gugliuzza (friend of the couple)

Wedding Dress: Amsale from Matina's Bridal

Wedding Shoes: Aldo His Shoes: J. Murphy

Tux: Vera Wang from Men's Wearhouse

Engagement Ring: Great grandmother's

Her Wedding Band: CatBird

His Wedding Band: David Yurman

Alternative Wedding Bands: Qalo

Hand-Painted Veil & Earrings: Paris by Debra Moreland

Bracelet: Swarovski

String Quartet (Ceremony): State Street Strings

DJ: Kuhl Entertainment (Patrick Archer) 

Florals: Sunborn Gardens

Desserts: Monona Terrace Catering 

Catering: Monona Terrace Catering

Wedding Party Attire (Ladies): Haylie Paige

Wedding Party Attire (Gentlemen): Vera Wang from Men's Wearhouse