When a new wedding venue comes to town, it is important for the venue to procure updated wedding images that show off the space even before there is a real wedding in the books. A stylized shoot is also a fantastic opportunity for a practice wedding-day-run for new owners to work out the wrinkles in a calm and fun environment. Even for well-known venues, organized photo sessions are a great way to update photos if changes have been made. In this case, we had the chance to celebrate the grand opening of the Vickery Village Venue!

Friends, today I’d like you to meet Tim Sorbo. He’s a wedding officiant serving Northeast Wisconsin and beyond, working with couples who was a customized wedding ceremony–this man doesn’t do a cookie cutter service, people! He’s also able to serve clients by presiding over premarital counseling, general counseling, and funeral services as well. I see a lot of brides posting in local groups searching for the right officiant for their wedding, so I wanted to bring Tim’s experience to your attention. I asked Tim to share more about his offerings, and here’s what he had to say:

What makes Dana Michele Makeup so unique?

As an on-site makeup artist, I will conveniently travel to you. I offer both airbrush and traditional foundation. I truly cater to the individuals needs, with having a background in skincare I am able to offer recommendations for getting their skin at it's best for their big day.

What areas do you consider yourself most successful in helping your wedding clients?

Educating my clients on what will be best for them personally.

I love a wedding vendor who completely knocks the client experience out of the park. When it comes to venues, I look for an establishment that has amazing service, great food if they cater, a beautiful space, and lots of flexibility. I think the intro on Hinterland Brewery’s website says it best: “Whether you're looking for a storied and hand-crafted beer, or unique contemporary American cuisine with multicultural influences – we will inspire you to taste beyond your boundaries.

You spend months planning your wedding down to the last detail, but there’s only one piece of it that your guests will see before the wedding day; your invitations. Pinterest overflows with photos of beautiful invitation sets, making ideas easy to come by; but what about your budget?

Invitations are a must-have regardless of your budget. Not only can they be gorgeous and set your guests’ expectations for your wedding day, they must also be practical and deliver important information your guests will use to plan their weekend and travels.

When you first step foot on the Givens Farm property in Hortonville, WI, you’ll be transported to a place of relaxation, elegance, and class. Owners Jim and Mariann have carefully created a home and venue that reflects their elegant style and the sophistication and intimacy of an Italian villa. It encourages lingering, being present and enjoying the moment you’re in, and making memories. Givens Farm’s wedding coordinator, Sam, sat down with me and excitedly shared what makes this venue so incredible:

Ericka is the mastermind, visionary, and dreamer at Rustic Bride Wedding Rentals. Rustic Bride provides custom rentals for weddings and events in Wisconsin and beyond. Having worked with Rustic Bride on a few of my own projects, I wanted to chat with Ericka about her philosophies and any advice she might have for wedding planning couples:

Planning a wedding is exciting. The dress! The venue! The invitations! (Hellooooo, Pinterest!) But in the excitement of planning a wedding, it can be easy to overlook the little details. It’s easy to check off the big boxes: the invitations, the dress, and even the honeymoon destination; but there are a lot of little things that come into play when tens or hundreds of people come together–all looking to eat, drink, and have a good time.

I was first drawn to Jenna Kast’s work when I saw her witty mugs and tumblers at the Green Bay Farmers’ Market. The clever, bold sayings made me laugh out loud (I’m a personal fan of her “Kick Today In the Dick” coffee mugs!). Allow me to introduce you to Jenna, the artist behind Jenna Kast Studio. She’s a calligrapher, artist and graphic designer, and she use those skills to provide a wide variety of services to wedding clients.

Meet Angie, the floral wizard at Ginger Birch. Angie says she’s always had a passion for design. Colors, textures, and working with different elements bring her joy. In her words, “It doesn't get much better for me than meeting with my clients, discussing their visions and then  bring them to life! It's such an honor! I may have even cried a couple happy tears here and there when a vision comes to life!”

Sometimes, life brings someone your way and you think, “Ah, yes, this is one of my people.” Heather Vale of Wed and Willow Planning is one of my people. This girl loves weddings, travel, and her adorable husband.

Meet Milena, the event coordinator/dog-mom/beer-lover extraordinaire at Badger State Brewing Company. Focusing mainly on weddings, Milena has what in my eyes would be the “dream job”: she gets to work with wedding couples in an incredible venue and establishment that brews some of the best beer in the city, all in the shadows of Lambeau Field. Does it get dreamier than that?? With the recent launch of their event space, I wanted to sit down with Milena and chat about the first few years of event planning and what makes hosting your wedding at Badger State so unique.

It always makes me smile inside when things come full circle and you realize why certain things happened the way they did. I first met Alton Olson of SoundFire DJ when we were both photography students at UWGB. We reconnected a few years after we graduated, and since then I have had the pleasure of getting to know Alton and his lovely wife and son through multiple family photo shoots and hangouts. Not only is Alton a warm, insightful friend, he’s also an incredible wedding DJ. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Alton a few weeks ago over a cup of tea and we really dug into what makes the SoundFire DJ experience so special.

I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. When I first met Nicole Schuh of She Be But Little day-of coordination, I could tell right away that she was a special soul. 

One of the things that is SO rewarding about carefully crafting my preferred vendor list is getting to dig deeper with vendors that I already know and like and finding out just why they do what they do. 

It is a privilege and honor to be able to work with the incredible wedding vendors of Wisconsin as often as I do. I see so many people going above and beyond, serving their clients so that the bride and groom barely have to lift a finger on their wedding day.

Let's be honest, planning your wedding isn't all sunshine and rainbows all the time. There are a lot of decisions to be made, and it can be really stressful. Pinterest inspires so many ideas, it can be hard to have it all come together. 

Hey, friends! I hope life has been treating you well since we last got to chat and that you have been taking the opportunity to RISE every chance you've gotten. Spring is just around the corner, which makes it the perfect time to reset your internal clock, get determined, and do the things you've been telling yourself you were going to do.

On the south side of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, a quaint Victorian house is nested amongst the residential homes. The Hollyhock House blooms with possibility amongst the roses, hostas, and other plants that decorate the property. This place is special to us because next fall, my fiancé and I will be saying our eternal vows in the gardens of The Hollyhock House. We had a chance to sit down with one of the owners and managers of The Hollyhock House, Karen Howlett, and ask her some questions about the seasoned Northeast Wisconsin wedding venue to help inform inquiring brides: