Lindsey and Matt are the definition of soulmates. Lindsey knew that Matt was “The One” on their first date. The moment that she saw him, every nerve in her body lit up and her soul was on fire. They both shared that they knew the other is the one that they are meant to spend the rest of their life with. They've brought together two beautiful families that love each other deeply and unconditionally; Lindsey loves Matt's children as her own, and Matt does the same for Lindsey's three young children. They got engaged in the summer and knew they didn't want to wait any longer to be married. So they planned an intimate wedding for that fall at the Northern Haus in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.

Their wedding day was a perfectly crisp, fall day. Door County is absolutely at its best in the fall, with the colors changing and the cool air making apple picking and pumpkin patches idyllic on the peninsula of Wisconsin. Door County has always been a special place for Lindsey and Matt, and they knew that they wanted to bring their families to this wonderful place. Surrounded by only their closest friends and family, Lindsey and Matt said, “I do” in a very intimate ceremony. As Lindsey got ready in the bridal suite at the Northern Haus, she admitted she was a little nervous. Her young daughter helped her into her dress while her soon-to-be stepdaughters looked on affectionately. Once Lindsey was completely buttoned and zipped into her dress, she looked at herself in the mirror and tears of joy began to fill her eyes. She slipped on her hot pink shoes, which were one of her ways to add her touch of personality to the day. Her stunning bridal bouquet from Blossoms Flower House in Door County was the absolute perfect blend of fall color and whimsical florals that brought Lindsey’s whole wedding ensemble to life.

Meanwhile, Matt dressed downstairs in the groom’s suite with Lindsey's two sons assisting. Matt was absolutely dashing in his dark blue shirt and wool vest, but the finishing touch to the whole ensemble was the beautiful pocket watch Lindsey gifted him as his wedding gift. To take advantage of the best light of the day, Lindsey and Matt opted to take their couples portraits ahead of the ceremony. We set up a First Look for them so that they could have a really special moment to capture when they first saw each other on their wedding day. Behind the modern white barn, Matt stood in the tall fall grasses and waited excitedly for Lindsey to tap him on the shoulder so he could see his beautiful bride for the first time. She walked up softly behind him, and laid a hand on his shoulder. When he turned around, the biggest smile crossed his face and they both absolutely lit up. They hugged one another, embraced warmly, and showered each other with compliments. When they were ready, we headed to Anderson's Dock in Ephraim for their first set of photos. A couple days earlier, Lindsey and Matt had the opportunity to paint their names on the building at Anderson's dock. It's become quite the tradition for couples, friends, family, and the like to find a blank space on the wall and paint names to be forever memorialized on the now-colorful building. The winds off of the bay were a little sharp, but Lindsey had brought a shawl to keep her warm and play into her glamorous side.

We returned to the Northern Haus to take some photos in the woods where they would soon be sharing their wedding vows. The staff at the Northern Haus was absolutely incredible, giving us private golf cart rides wherever the bride and groom wanted to go. We snuck back inside and hid the couple of away from the early arriving guests so that they could have a few private moments before walking down the aisle.

Their ceremony spot was nestled back in the woods, a stunning forest retreat dotted with fall colors. Matt was escorted down the aisle by his two daughters. Lindsey took turns walking down the aisle with each of her three children, giving them a hug and a kiss as they tagged in. Even though they had already seen one another and taken their portraits together, they still had tears of joy welling in their eyes as they saw one another. They shared the most beautiful and heartfelt handwritten vows I've ever heard with many overlapping themes, the most important being that they know they were meant to find one another and be together until the end of time. They trust that everything worked out exactly as it was meant to, and they are so incredibly thankful that they found one another. After sharing laughter, wiping away each other's tears, and welcoming each other's children into their family, Matt and Lindsey excitedly shared their first kiss as husband and wife. They danced their way down the aisle towards the joyous reception that was awaiting them inside the venue.

Alexander's of Door County had set up some incredible hors d'oeuvres for the guests to snack on, which was a small nod to Lindsey's Italian heritage. There were caprese skewers and a charcuterie spread, complete with figs, which have significant meaning to Lindsey and Matt. As they prepared for dinner, the newlyweds had a chance to mingle with their guests with a drink in hand. They had filled the reception space with farmhouse tables so their family and friends could mingle all together and have wonderful conversations.

Soft candlelight filled the room. There were florals all over the tables. Everyone prepared to tuck into a delicious steak dinner from Alexander's. A few of Lindsey and Matt’s children gave warm, welcoming and thankful speeches to their mom and dad, and Lindsey's dad gave a sweet welcoming to Matt as well. After dinner, Lindsey and Matt cut into a delicious custom-made cake from Blackbird Cakes. Their dessert spread was complete with cupcakes for the guests, as well as Italian wedding cookies made by Lindsey's family. Once they shared a few sweet bites of their desserts, Lindsey and Matt took to the dance floor and shared their first dance. They spent the rest of their evening chatting with their guests and being celebrated fiercely by their friends and family.

The love in the room was palpable, and it nearly lifted the roof off the Northern Haus. Lindsey and Matt have such an incredible love story and an inspiring relationship. These two are incredibly kind and sweet souls, and they are so deserving of all of the love celebration, joy, and friendship that lies ahead of them. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this day, and may the rest of your days be a loving adventure.

Much love and appreciation,