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.

Eloping is beautiful for a wedding day that focuses on the two of you, what’s important to you, and what makes the two of you special. Rather than focus on tradition and big wedding plans, eloping can incorporate things you really want and enjoy, whether you love hiking, being outside, or have family land. Often, the wedding is tailored towards family or friends, rather than what’s important to you. That’s why I encourage eloping: an opportunity to actually create a wedding day that means something to you. Just because you want to elope, doesn’t mean you have to go really far away—especially on a limited budget.

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.

The majestic landscape of Olympic National Park encompasses not only a breathtaking coastline, but a beautiful backdrop of trees and mountains as well. Beaches dotting the Pacific coastline make the most astonishing destination to make your wedding day even more magical. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

To elope in Olympic National Park, a special use permit must be secured first. The permit itself is $50, and the application for the permit can be found here.

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:

Okay, so I know that just last week, I shared a big announcement with you all (you can read all about the here), but I’ve got another exciting piece I’ve been cooking up for a couple months now. I’ve created a community called the KLEM Klub for people who are truly dedicated to celebrating and cultivating love in their lives and their relationships.

As a wedding photographer, I bear witness to so many amazing relationships and I get to experience first hand what makes those relationships work. Seeing people so deeply in love and working to grow their relationship is incredibly inspiring.

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!

Glacier National Park is often called the Crown of the Continent, and for good reason: it’s one of the most stunning parks in the National Park System. With rugged mountains, alpine lakes, forests, and wildlife abound, Glacier National Park is on many people’s bucket lists. There’s beauty around every corner that effortlessly captivates her visitors. Just ask Andy–his first experience with any mountain landscape was in Glacier National Park, and his forehead was practically glued to the windshield as we drove through. Because of it’s endless beauty, Glacier National Park makes for a gorgeous elopement backdrop.

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.

To My House on Division Street:

I’m not sure that there are enough words and emotions to encompass everything I want to convey. You, my sweet little colonial home, were simply magical. When I started looking for a home, I was young and didn’t know what to expect. I fell in love with you as soon as I walked through your stained glass front door and saw your warm hardwood floors, enchanting fireplace,  and arched doorways. Your stairs creaked with each step, telling stories of the people who had lived here before. In your 92 years of life, I’m sure you had seen and heard some pretty incredible things.

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).

I can’t believe that as I write this, Andy and I are getting ready to celebrate two years of dating. That number seems so small compared to the number of memories we’ve created and the years that lie ahead of us. We’ve filled the past two years with love, laughter, friendship, and growth, to the point that it doesn’t seem possible that we’ve only been in each other’s lives for two years. During this time, we’ve taken numerous vacations and getaways, survived a kitchen remodel and our first six months of truly living together, sold one house, grown KLEM Studios into a studio space, launched a second business, changed job roles, gotten ENGAGED and started planning our own wedding!

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.

On a misty and bitterly cold winter’s day, Kaylynn and Shane stepped onto the freshly fallen snow at the Brown County Reforestation Camp  for their engagement session with KLEM Studios’ associate photographer, Krista. Ever the fashionable couple, Kaylynn brought a number of outfits to the session. However, the centerpiece was the stunning red gown Kaylynn bought because she was so inspired by Witney Carson’s winter engagement session. Kaylynn and Shane knew that for their engagement session, they wanted to embrace Wisconsin’s winter beauty and wander hand-in-hand among tall pine trees (and some fresh snow wouldn’t hurt!).

Friends, in case you don’t know the fantastic woman that I’m featuring today, allow me to introduce you to Jess Hopp, founder of The Planner Collective. Jess is a bubbly, ambitious, and successful entrepreneur who grew The Planner Collective with a mission to inspire event planners to build a strong career and profitable business without the hustle. She fully supports her clients and takes their vision to a higher level, beyond what they even thought possible. Jess is committed to teaching her clients how to live in alignment with their values and internal desires, and helping her clients be a catalyst for change through the power of events.

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.