Friends, 2018 has come to a close, and what a year it was. 21 weddings. 9 engagement sessions. 20 boudoir sessions. 29 other sessions. Not to mention all of the amazing memories with friends and family. I think it’s safe to say that 2018 was the best year of my life thus far. There are so many incredible people that made this year one for the record books, and I just want to say thank you:

Andy, you are my love and my best friend. I am so freaking excited to spend the rest of my life with you, to snuggle our puppies together, and to always adventure together while loving each other deeply and honestly. I love you to the mountains and back.

Charlotte and Logan love to adventure together. Whether they’re walking their dogs, exploring new places, or trying new beers together, life is always exciting when they’re holding each other’s hand. They’re currently planning their next adventure: an amazing wedding day. Logan proposed to Charlotte on a snowy winter day just over a year ago. He pulled out all the right stops, using a dog tag on their fur baby’s collar to pop the question while Charlotte’s sister photographed the whole event. Charlotte of course said, “Yes!”

Annalisha and Rob know how incredibly important family is. It's the centerstone to everything they've built, and it was the focal point of the wedding day they created. Bringing together their two families (they have SIX children total!) was their goal, and they did just that in such a beautiful manner. They exchanged vows at the Medina Wedding Chapel under a handmade birch arbor. Their unity ceremony brought together not only Annalisha and Rob, but their six children as well, creating a sand artwork piece with different colored sand for each person.

There are some people in this world that are just made to be together for the rest of their lives. If you’ve ever spent time with Megan and Alex, you’ve experience just how perfectly these two fit together. I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Megan since high school when we were in choir together (#nerdsunite!). She is a sweet soul with an amazing personality that could charm the birds out of the trees. It would take an equally incredible person to steal her heart.

Enter Alex.

Dave reached out to me with his fall proposal plans a few weeks before he and his girlfriend of three years, Lauren, were going to be in Green Bay. They live in Chicago, but Lauren had visited Wisconsin often with family and friends while she was growing up. She loves this area, and Dave wanted to include this special place in his plan. Lauren thought they were going to be celebrating her new job with the weekend getaway, but Dave had more elaborate ideas. Dave knew that he wanted to propose at the Green Bay Botanical Garden in the Stumpf Belvedere.

The waves of Lake Michigan crashed along the exposed cliffs at Cave Point County Park. A slight in the air, making brilliant fall colors even more pronounced. Johanna and Aaron wound their way through the trees and along the rocky shore, laughing as they walked. They had gotten engaged in Door County in January, and the area had captivated them so much that they returned for their engagement session.

Johanna and Aaron met on an online dating site, and they had instant chemistry.

It was a truly magical day when Iris and Floyd got married at Sepia Chapel on a crisp November afternoon. They took the phrase “magic is in the air” and brought it to a whole new level. You see, when Iris and Floyd began dreaming up their perfect wedding day, they knew that it had to be an elegant Harry Potter-themed event. And boy, did they knock it out of the park! I'm a bit of a Potterhead myself, so I was blown away by all the detail and thought that these two put into their fall wedding plans.

I believe that in life, almost everything happens for a reason. There have been so many beautiful things that have happened in this lifetime, and I enjoy looking back and seeing where it may have all started and how we got to where we are. I met Trevor and Allison in Zion National Park completely by chance. My dad and I were on a road trip that I had planned to scope out some great landscape photography opportunities for my second business, Wild Klementine. We had planned to camp for most of the time even though late fall can be very chilly in Colorado and Utah, but we spontaneously decided to spend one night at the Driftwood Lodge near Zion National Park.

Mother nature had saved up her energy and waited to release an explosion of color for Charlotte and Jeremy‘s wedding day. The first weekend in October proved to be stunning, crisp, and just slightly overcast; it was the perfect fall day for Charlotte and Jeremy to say “I do.”

As the ladies begin to dress at Green Bay Botanical Gardens, Charlotte left and admitted she was a little nervous. She was helped into her stunning Mori Lee gown by her mom and sisters. Flanked on each side by her favorite ladies, the girls clutched their stunning fall bouquets and escorted Charlotte to the beautiful garden ceremony site where the incredible couple would say I do.

Mairee quietly adjusted her jewelry in the dressing room mirror, gently tweaking and primping her dress as she nervously waited for her cue to walk down the aisle. Her father's steady arm guided her down the aisle toward the love of her life. Ryan couldn't take his eyes off his bride. She was simply stunning. Her Converse -clad feet gently padded down the aisle as she met her groom at the altar. Mairee and Ryan's ceremony at the Bridal Chapel was intimate, heartfelt, and personal. American Sign Language interpreters assisted with the ceremony and wedding day festivities for their hearing-impaired loved ones, a cause near and dear to Mairee and Ryan's hearts.

For those of you that have met my better half, Andy, you know that he's a pretty humble guy. He doesn't enjoy a lot of attention, so I'm can imagine how much he’s cringing knowing that I put this blog post out there.  He doesn't feel the need to do anything out of the ordinary for his birthday, and he certainly doesn't want all eyes on him for any occasion. However, seeing as this man has committed to spending the rest of his life with me, you know damn well that I'm going to celebrate this guy!

Twice now, we've spent the Day of Andrews birth together, which seems so miniscule compared to the number of things that this guy does that are worth celebrating.

On a gloriously sunny fall day, Valerie bounce excitedly around the barn apartment at the Barnsite Retreat and Event Center. She was surrounded by the most wonderful ladies, getting ready to celebrate the best day of her life. She was completely in her element, getting pampered and excitedly sharing details about the day ahead. Outside the barn, groom-to-be Dylan relaxed with his groomsmen and the dads, waiting until the moment he would get to see Valerie at their First Look.

Something that a bride never wants to hear on her wedding day: there’s rain in the forecast. Amanda and Jake were preparing for the worst but hoping for the best for their outdoor wedding ceremony and reception. As we got closer to the ceremony time, Amanda slipped into her gorgeous gown (designed by Essence of Australia), and the clouds grew lighter and lighter. Amanda tiptoed out of the bridal prep area, sharing a First Look with her father, and then with Jake. As Jake turned to face Amanda for the first time, a hint of sunshine broke through the clouds. Not a drop of rain fell that day.

Mairee and Ryan first met at Festival Foods, where they both work. Their first conversation took place in the break room, where they were reading and doing homework. They continued to flirt and cross paths, until eventually they were inseparable. I think it’s safe to say they found the pot of gold that lies under the Festival Foods rainbow ;)

Mairee and Ryan chose to celebrate their engagement by strolling through the Green Bay Botanical Gardens on a glorious evening just before sunset.

Jen and John’s paths first crossed when they met in high school years ago. They reconnected recently and found there was an undeniable connection between them. Their love for one another and their children is what fuels their fires. It’s so beautiful to see how they’ve brought their families together in such a cohesive and loving way.

They decided to wed on our grandmother’s beautiful lakefront property in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Jen and I are cousins, and hearing that she chose the Misty Moors property (our affectionate name for our land) as the backdrop of their wedding was incredibly exciting and special.

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:

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a bit obsessed with trip planning, which is where part of the inspiration for my second business, Wild Klementine, came from. I’ve also become fond of bullet journaling to recap and remember our travels by. I wanted to share some of the road trip highlights (and downfalls) with you to either give you a bit of wanderlust, or to inspire your next Western adventure. This awesome road trip was the product of months of planning, and it had a surprise ending that was life-changing!

When Amanda and Jake were dreaming up their perfect engagement session, they shared how special it would be if they could celebrate their love story at the same place Jake proposed: Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm on Washington Island. We picked a date when the lavender would be at its peak and took the ferry across Death’s Door Strait to the island. Surrounded by a sea of purple flowers at the lavender farm, Amanda and Jake walked hand-in-hand, identifying different types of honey bees and talking about the bees they raise at their home.

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.

On one of the hottest days of the summer, Stacey and Cindy committed themselves to one another in front of their loved ones at Sepia Chapel Green Bay. Before their beautiful ceremony, the brides shared a First Look. Cindy’s jaw dropped to the floor, she was absolutely blown away by how beautiful Stacey was. They had managed to keep their wedding attire a secret from one another until the day of their wedding, even though they share a home together! Stacey’s bouquet was adorned with rainbow-dyed roses, and after an incredibly moving and heartfelt ceremony, the newlyweds walked back down the aisle to Pink’s “Get the Party Started”.