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. 

Typically when I think of late September in Wisconsin, I'm imagining the trees changing colors, crunchy leaves starting to cover the ground, cooler temperatures, and maybe a little Packers football. 

As a wedding photographer, I am blessed to work with incredible, in-love couples on a regular basis. But then there are some couples that reach down deep inside you and latch on, taking a special place in your heart because of the epic love they show each other. 

On a brilliantly sunny August day, Ryan and Kayla said "I do" at the Mary Ann Cofrin Hall Gardens at UWGB. Both alumni of UWGB (as am I, go Phoenix!), Kayla and Ryan wanted to tie in the place where they first met each other in their wedding festivities. 

I just adore Bella and Tim. When I learned more about them, I knew that we were destined to be friends. Bella and I work together in the craft beer industry (my side hustle), where she approached me about photographing her elopement and later-date reception.

The life that I have built has allowed me the gift of travel on a regular basis. <-- That sentence right there gives me goosebumps because this is something I have wanted for as long as I can remember. I took the plunge and went full-time with my photography career in December 2016, and man, was that a scary decision.

Friendship is a privilege to be treasured always. There are many different types of friendships--work friendships, best friends, the friendship you share with your parents and significant other...the possibilities are almost endless. 

Erin's dress gently flowed and sashayed with each step she took down the aisle towards her waiting groom, Matt. Matt gazed at Erin, sneaking glances at their daughter, Vivian, along the way. Matt and Erin planned a beautifully intimate affair at Sepia Chapel in Green Bay to celebrate their wedding day. 

How many of you stayed in your home town after high school and college? Did you put down roots where you grew up, or did you start fresh somewhere new? For Ali, the answer was hitting the road and settling down in a new place: Denver, Colorado.

The law office walls were covered with beautifully bound reference books, all gently glowing with gold and red embossing. Some of the bindings had started to show their age, but it only enhanced the elegance and reverence of the room Abbie and Brent were standing in.

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.

As much as we bosses like to think we're invincible, mistakes will happen, websites can crash, and sometimes we just plain old screw up.

February has come and gone, but am I the only one that felt like those 28 days were some of the looooongest ones on the calendar? There's something about February with it's fewer days but sometimes strange weather (67 degrees in February anyone?!) that can be unsettling and provoke cabin fever. Now that March is here, I've been getting outside even more, searching high and low for signs of spring. A few of my plants outside already have buds popping out, and I'm going to start the seeds for my garden this afternoon. 2017 is off to an interesting start for sure!

This past fall, I was honored to be able to work with Elizabeth of Elizabeth Haase Photography. She had been hired on as the photographer for a gorgeous wedding at Fox Hills Resort in Mischicot, and brought me on to be her second photographer. It was so great to learn from a seasoned photographer and to be around this incredible couple on the happiest day of their lives. Below I've shared a few of my favorite shots of Kelly and Nick's wedding day from my point of view, but you can find a more complete story on Elizabeth's blog. Cheers to this happy couple, and I hope the rest of your days are filled with love, happiness, and adventure!

Our January causes were Canyonlands National Park and Exception Equestrians, both of which will be receiving $33!

As many of you know, I love to travel. Planning a trip is almost as fun, for me, as actually going on the trip. I have been visiting Springdale, Utah and Zion National Park for almost fifteen years now. Each time, a new part of the park and surrounding area opens itself to me.

As it stands, New Year's Eve already is a glamorous holiday filled with sparkles, elegance, and celebration. Megan and Lane decided to take it to the next level and plan the happiest day of their lives around this festive holiday. These two have been in love for as long as I can remember--seriously! The three of us graduated from high school together, and I can't remember a time when they weren't together. Knowing these two outside the photography world made their wedding even more special to be a part of. 

Between July-December of 2016, we donated to The Golden House, Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary, Freedom House, the Einstein Project, Paul's Pantry, Rawhide, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Glacier National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Grand Teton National Park.

The eighth of October wasn't just an ordinary day for Jacob and Tiffany. This was the day they would pledge themselves to one another forever at the beautiful Willow Pond Bed and Breakfast in Weyauwega, Wisconsin.

I've thought about writing this blog post a hundred times. Part of me told myself to not write it because I thought it would seem like a feeble cry for attention. Another part of me was afraid of how to carefully word phrases, and how people would perceive them. But thank God for the other part of me that exists, the one that said, "Speak up. Share your story. Stay humble, show grace, and exude love." So after walking my pooch in the swirling snow and pouring myself a beer, here I am.