On a perfect day for a fall wedding, Erin and Dave got ready to say I do. Erin had her maid of honor, her mom, and her grandma surrounding her. Before the ceremony, we tried to take photos with Erin’s kitty, but Luna was not having it! Instead, Erin’s supportive group of women helped her into her beautiful, long-sleeved dress from David’s Bridal. A-line shaped, with some vine and floral detail, the dress looked stunning on Erin, its light blush tone accenting her gorgeous red hair. Erin admitted she was a little nervous as her favorite ladies whisked her out of the house for the ceremony!

Long distance couldn’t keep Joy and Matt from starting their relationship and dating until they finally lived in Colorado together. Once they got engaged, Matt and Joy knew they wanted a destination wedding on a beach somewhere! Already a special place for Joy and Matt, and a place they loved visiting, Fort Myers Beach in Florida quickly rose to the top of their list. Lovers Key State Park provided just the place for them, and they decided that would be the location for their beachfront wedding.

Allison and Trevor are such a fun, amazing couple. I happened to meet them adventuring out in Zion National Park on the day they got engaged, where I offered to document their engagement with a spontaneous session up in the canyon. They are super adventurous, and Allison and Trevor’s lives crossed paths so many times in the past, weaving their journeys together starting at Virginia Tech where they actually had a class together, all the way to Madison, WI where they worked for the same company. It was in Madison where Allison and Trevor knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Kate and Andrew knew they wanted an engagement experience that resonated with them and who they are. Originally, they explored the idea of a destination wedding, but they wanted all those close and important to them to be apart of their special day. Instead, Kate and Andrew compromised with a destination engagement session. Kate and Andrew are the best people to travel with. They know tons of places to go and hike, and Kate knows even more places to eat! Kate has such a wealth of knowledge about food! If anyone is ever traveling, Kate is definitely the one to talk to about places to go, hotel experiences, hiking trails, and restaurants.

Friends and family gathered at Thanh and Amy’s home near Appleton for their Sunday morning ceremony honoring their Vietnamese background. KLEM Studio’s Associate Photographer, Krista, had a chance to photograph their first ceremony of the day, exposing Krista to a new aspect of Vietnamese culture she would have otherwise not been exposed to. After the beautiful ceremony, guests traveled to Hotel Northland in Green Bay for Thanh and Amy’s westernized ceremony.

On an overcast, and windy day, Maryellen started her engagement session prepping and getting her hair and makeup done by Angela Marie Makeup Artistry at her grandma’s house in Sturgeon Bay. Maryellen had been visiting this house since she was a child, and she shared memories about growing up, visiting her grandmother and reminiscing about how special that house is to her and her family. Maryellen and Ryan knew they wanted to have their session in a place they really loved and visited often.

Having won my wedding package giveaway last year, Kristin and Shawn knew they wanted fall engagement photos, so we waited until October of this year to start their session in Ripon. These two love wine, so the gorgeous Vines & Rushes Winery was the perfect place to start before venturing to a waterfront park on Green Lake. Kristin and Shawn are both Supernatural TV show fans (as am I!), and are connected with someone who has an old, vintage impala just like Dean’s car, “Baby,” from the show! Although the car had different interior and exterior colors from the show, Kristin and Shawn had a lot of fun taking pictures with the gorgeous car.

When KLEM Studios associate photographer Krista asked Christina and Kyle why they decided to start their engagement session at Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery, Christina and Kyle explained that it was a spot where they felt connected. They love tasting the wine—they truly just love wine—and experiencing the atmosphere as they spend quality time with each other. Definitely not used to being in front of the camera, Christina and Kyle enjoyed a bit of wine and chatted about their excitement for the session and their wedding, while we enjoyed savory cinnamon rolls.

It was a perfect autumn day as Joanna and Derek prepared for their big day. Full of jitters and excitement, Joanna stood at the very top of the stairway, while Derek stood at the bottom to partake in their first “not look” before the ceremony. Joanna beamed, asking, “How are you? Are you okay? I love you, I miss you!” making sure Derek was supported. Derek brings out the most beautiful smile to Joanna’s face, the one where her nose wrinkles and her eyes light up. The love and consideration Joanna and Derek have for each other radiates pure, joyful love. After their first “not look,” they were practically shaking with happiness, and crying a bit as Joanna and Derek were whisked off to walk down the aisle.

An army of mosquitoes couldn’t keep Andrea and Jordan from prepping for their wedding ceremony in the courtyard at Rock Garden as close friends and family gathered on the sunny, fall day. Andrea and her bridesmaids cried with excitement and emotion as they marveled at Andrea in her gorgeous sequined gown and amazing shoes. Before walking down the aisle, Andrea shared a first look with her dad, giving him a handkerchief and saying she will always be his little girl.

The weather was perfect for Stephanie and David’s Japanese influenced wedding. Stephanie and her mom carefully created many handmade touches to reflect Stephanie and David’s love for Studio Ghibli and Japanese culture. The ceremony at Rock Garden’s Comfort Courtyard highlighted the importance of family, as Stephanie and David said I do. To spread the love and support, Stephanie and David picked the perfect people to share this special day in their lives; the wedding party was so much fun and everyone had a blast!

The glorious Snake River along with Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and the majestic Teton Range are all beautiful backdrops for a wedding. Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park offers a phenomenal landscape to magnificanly house your elopement. 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 Grand Teton National Park, a special use permit must be secured first. The non-refundable permit itself is $125, and the application for the permit can be found here.

Chelsea reached out to KLEM Studios months ago, knowing that she was going to propose to Bri on their three-year dating anniversary. Wanting to propose somewhere in gorgeous Door County, she rented a house up in Sturgeon Bay, and we decided the perfect proposal location would be https://cavepointpp.com near Jacksoport.

Morning thunderstorms and a threat of rain throughout the afternoon hung in the air as Megan and Alvin prepared to say I do. Full of excitement, close friends and family entered the Maxwelton Braes hotel and restaurant in Baileys Harbor, Door County. Megan and her bridesmaids buzzed about, being filled with wedding day jitters. Megan’s wedding day became even more real to her once she slipped into her wedding dress with the help of her maid of honor and mom; and she realized that she was actually going to get to marry Alvin that day!

Famous for its turquoise lakes, inspiring mountains, and an array of breathtaking scenery and wildlife, Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful and unique places to elope. Canada’s first national park, Banff captivates the imagination with miles and miles of hiking trails, trees, and relaxing hot springs to create a stunning place to say I do. 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. 

Teo reached out to me about a month before he planned to propose to his girlfriend of nine years, Mary. They live in Illinois, but had planned to make a trip up to Door County for the weekend, along with their seven-year-old son, Vincent. Teo actually had the ring hidden in his safe for about six years, waiting for the perfect time to propose. 

When I asked for more information about the two of them, Teo gushed about Mary, explaining she can make friends with anyone and goes out of her way to support all of her family members.

When it came to planning our engagement sessions, Andrew and I were really intentional about picking locations and activities that have special meaning for us. Our engagement sessions are another opportunity for us to insert our personalities and hobbies into our wedding journey, and we wanted to do it right! 

For our first engagement session, we headed to my family’s cabin in Spread Eagle, Wisconsin. We love spending time on our private lake with our pups frolicking through the woods and splashing in the water. It’s one of our happy places, made all the more special because my 91-year-old grandma still calls this cabin home! 

About to step into her wedding dress, the first butterflies of the day washed over Johanna, making the nervous excitement a reality. Johanna and Aaron officially married two months prior in an intimate ceremony on their own, but this day was a whole new experience for both. Johanna was thrilled to be putting on her wedding dress and celebrate her marriage to Aaron with their closest friends and family. Johanna and Aaron shared a brief first look with one another to reveal their outfits. Aaron knew Johanna was going to be stunningly beautiful, but was blown away seeing her, and his warm, loving reaction was a privilege to witness. 

Setting aside part of your budget for a wedding planner might not be the first thing on the top of your newly engaged to-do list. We get it. There are dates to be set, venues to be toured, and hours to be spent scrolling through Pinterest images. The list goes on and on, and on... But that's exactly why we're here, and why we are so stinking excited that you are too!

It's no secret, wedding planners, like the rest of our amazing industry professionals, are not free. But wedding planners are not just for celebrities and couples who have mortgage-sized budgets.

On a beautifully sunny summer day, Olivia and Laura’s closest family and friends gathered at Pamperin Park to witness them say I do. Olivia and Laura prepped at the Comfort Inn & Suites in Green Bay just two rooms down from each other. Their wedding day was adventure-themed, empathizing their excitement to be on this journey of life together. In celebration of that theme, Olivia’s mom gifted Olivia a dagger (how cool!) that she wore in her garter on her thigh, bringing a slight pirate theme to the day. The temptation to see each other before their first look ran high. We even had to smuggle Olivia out of the building so Laura wouldn’t run over to see her; she was incredibly excited to see her wife-to-be!