Choose your wedding photographer based on experience and your priorities, not cost.

Friends, today I want to share with you something that has been lurking in the back of my mind for the past couple weeks, something I had a little bit of fear around how it would be received. Finally, I decided I had to share this because, as many of you know, I am in the middle of wedding planning right now! Andy and I are getting married this September, and wedding planning has truly been so easy and so fun. Before anybody says, “Well, okay, you're in the wedding industry, of course you've got this advantage that not everybody else has!” I will admit that I have a lot of insight on what goes on in the wedding industry, and who to work with in the area; but that doesn't mean that if you're not in the wedding industry, you can't also have a great wedding experience that's fun, stress free, and easy. For us, everything has fallen into place, and I realize that that's not the experience that everybody has.

A lot of people contribute to an unforgettable wedding day. When yours is over, you can show your appreciation by taking time to write personal thank you notes. Far from an obsolete tradition, this gesture communicates love and gratitude to the many individuals who played a party in your celebration. To create meaningful thank you cards, follow the tips below.

Your wedding day should be about what you want to experience. It is a chance for you to be selfish and put your thoughts, your desires, and your needs first. Because your wedding day is truly a reflection of what you and your significant other share.

I invite you to create a day that’s centered on your relationship. This can incorporate different things you and your fiancé are interested in, such as my fellow craft beer lovers! Your ceremony could be at a brewery or incorporate special beers at your wedding; things like that. Or, if you’re a little more alternative, you could incorporate non-traditional wedding colors.

It’s important to dream big and set goals for yourself and your relationship. I have my goals posted in various places around the house and my office as reminders and little pieces of encouragement to stay motivated to reach those goals. I find that setting goals and having something that we’re working towards makes what you’re trying to obtain just a little more tangible.

Goals are an important piece to a healthy relationship. And there are two parts to this: yourself, and your relationship. By setting goals for ourselves, we still get to obtain some of that individualism that is so important in a relationship.

When you get engaged, you may think that you know everything about your partner (spoiler, you probably don’t). You may have had a lot of important conversations already while you were dating, but there are some key conversations that I believe should be had before you get married. These conversations will make sure that you’re both on the same page, and address any areas that you have differing thoughts on ahead of time. They’re supportive, they’re thought-provoking, and they’re meant to make sure you have a long, healthy, and happy relationship.

I recommend approaching these conversations in a comfortable, non-threatening manner.

One of the growing trends I’m noticing as a wedding photographer is the popularity of an unplugged wedding ceremony. Honestly, I am LOVING this. An unplugged wedding ceremony is a ceremony where the couple ask their guests to not use their phones or cameras to take photos during the ceremony. Many couples will create a cute sign, or have their officiant say something before the bride walks down the aisle to get everyone on board with this request.

I believe an unplugged wedding is incredibly important for a few reasons:

We’re all familiar with Wedding Planners and the full-planning services that they provide, but what happens when a couple enjoys the planning process and wants to do it themselves? What happens when that same couple wants to hand off the stress to someone else on their big day, in hopes of being fully present and not having to worry about the day-of details?

A Day-of Wedding Coordinator happens.

I work with a TON of wedding vendors throughout the year, and I've hand-selected the vendors I feature on my Preferred Vendor list.

Many of my couples are getting married for the first time and trying to figure out the ropes of a wedding all on their own. It can be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times. You search Pinterest for the perfect ideas, and then after looking for hours, you feel completely uninspired and like your dream day is just unattainable. Sound familiar? I'm here to tell you your dream wedding day IS possible and WILL happen and to offer an industry insider's perspective. Sometimes the victories are found in accomplishing the little things, like figuring out what you'll do for your Unity Ceremony if you choose to have one.

I totally get it, wedding planning can be a stressful time for couples, complicated all the more when you can’t agree on something. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the whole planning process that we forget to love each other. The main thing is to remember why you’re having this wedding in the first place: you want to spend the rest of your lives together. In the end, it’s not about the flower arrangements or cake flavors. It’s about your love and commitment to each other. Below, we’ve compiled a list of ways for you to continue loving your fiancé through all the planning madness and to make sure he or she feels it:

You know the gist of how your wedding day is going to go. Bride walks down the aisle, possibly guided by her father. Vows are exchanged, a reading or two thrown into the mix, then they kiss and walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. Most of us can even recite the vows by heart. For better or worse, richer or poorer, etc. While there’s nothing wrong with the normal ceremony and all its cherished traditions, some couples want to mix it up a bit. We’ve put together some ideas to take your ceremony from a bit personalized to one your guests will never forget!

Imagine this: your big day is here, you’ve made it through the reception and now it’s time to party. Guests start to arrive and they’re all carrying parcels. It’s tradition to buy the new couple a gift for their wedding day. Luckily for us, today we’ve got wedding registries to help guide our guests towards buying the perfect gifts; lists full of things we need and want to ensure we don’t end up with an item that we already have three of (like a chia pet or Snuggie–don't worry, I'm not judging you!).

Every mom wants to feel needed. Sometimes during wedding planning, we get carried away and don’t take time to consider the people we love most. Have you ever heard of the 5 love languages? They’re the different ways that people perceive love. Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Quality Time. This means that while some people feel most loved whenever you say, ‘I love you’, others feel it when you do one of their chores for them. Below are some ideas on how you can love your mom or mother-in-law during your wedding planning.

Let’s talk about guestbooks. Most weddings have a guestbook. But what actually ends up happening to it after the wedding? It gets stuffed on a shelf or in a closet and you pull it out once every five years when you get back around to cleaning that corner of the house. It takes up space and rarely gets looked at, but you want to have something to remember your guests by. So, we’ve compiled a list of alternative guest books that you’ll want to keep out and see every day.

Engagement photo books– Put those photos to some extra use! Create a book full of your favorite engagement photos (be sure to leave some space on each page for signing).

One of the things many brides are most excited for after they get engaged is dress shopping. They can't wait to get in the store and start the fashion show. On the other hand, some ladies dread it. They might hate dresses and even consider not getting one. No matter what your feelings are, here are some tips on how to survive the big decision: Set a budget. Before you start thinking about where to shop for your perfect dress, you need to figure out how much you can spend. This way, you'll be sure to make an appointment at a place that only sells dresses within your price range so you don't fall in love with something you can’t have.

Planning the wedding of your dreams to celebrate the love that you and your partner share gives you the opportunity to show your friends and family all the cool and unique "things" that make the two of you so special as individuals and as a couple. As I'm sure you've figured out by now, creating your dream wedding can take a bit of money, too.

Some people might think it's taboo for a wedding photographer to talk to you about money, but I’m committed to being open and honest with you in order to give you the best wedding experience possible. I know that a lot of money gets put into planning your amazing wedding adventure.

One of the big decisions you and your partner will make as you’re wedding planning is whether one of you, neither of you, or both of you will change your last names (by combining parts of both your last names). If you decide to change surnames, it's wise to include that information on your marriage license application in the state of Wisconsin.

If you include this information on your marriage license application, it will become your legal surname. That makes it easier to change your name after the marriage certificate has been signed and filed.  

Let's talk for a minute about the "Last Fling Before the Ring": the bachelorette and bachelor parties! Many brides and grooms today want something different than just going out to bars and clubs. I’ve put together a list of great alternative ideas for parties that are sure to please all types. Since some people involved in your party may be underage or not able to drink, I’ve included options that would be suitable for them as well.

Let me set the scene: you and your love are enjoying your reception. You're starving because it's been a long day so far, and you finally are getting to enjoy the dinner that you painstakingly selected (I get it, grilled salmon vs beef tenderloin is seriously a hard choice!). You're about to take a few bites and then *clink clink clink clink clink*. The room is filled with a dainty tinkling sound from every table. The guests are clinking their glasses, inviting you two to kiss in front of everyone. For the first of a thousand times in one hour. Some people find this tradition to be unbearable and refuse to do it, much to the disappointment of their guests.

What an absolutely magical time in your life! Your best friend and life partner asked you to be with them from now until forever, and you said YES–CONGRATULATIONS! When you first get engaged, it’s such a blissful time. You can’t stop looking at the pretty new shiny object on your left hand, and you start daydreaming about what your wedding day will look like. It’s very easy to get caught up in all the planning right away, but I’m here to invite you to pause and reflect on what is really most important. They might be a bit alternative, but these are the first things I believe you should do when you get engaged.