Posts Tagged wedding in the woods

Door County Winter Cabin Wedding {kara + stuart}

Weddings

Not many people think about having in outdoor wedding… in Wisconsin… in the middle of winter. For Kara and Stuart it was so much more than creating the perfect wedding day. Their wedding day was about surrounding themselves with only their closest loved ones and gathering at a meaningful location to seal a bond of love and commitment. They planned a beautifully simple outdoor wedding at their family’s cabin in Door County and later gathered at The Whistling Swan Inn in Fish Creek for heartfelt toasts and dinner celebration.

Audubon Nature Preserve Wedding {ellie & kevin}

Weddings
Finding two people madly in love for one another that have a true appreciation for the zest of life is a powerful combination. Add the strength of family, the support of friends and the beauty of nature and you have the makings for this very special wedding celebration.
Family and friends from all over the world gathered amongst the peaceful protection of towering trees at Schlitz Audubon Nature Preserve to witness the power of love that these two share. Their heartfelt ceremony included not only chosen scripture but also a special heart shaped rock blessing and notations from poetry such as this:
‘Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself? will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?’

-taken from Walt Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road”
Ellie and Kevin, you two have found within each other what poets write about. You two really made the day about your unique spirits and we’re delighted to have been included. We left feeling like old friends and hope to soon take you up on your West Coast offer.
Their wedding rings were a perfect reflection of who they are and where their love blossomed, Mt Hood. Oregon.
A wedding day is just as exciting for the parents of the couple.  We strongly encourage involving your parents as much as you can… they’ll be honored to assist!
When Ellie pulled out two tiny boxes as gifts to her sisters it was all they could do to contain their humor. Inside the boxed were two sweet little rings from Tracy Sylvia as was the contents of the tiny little box they had for her!  These sisters are so in touch with one another that they unknowingly bought the same gifts for each other!
After dressing, Ellie skimmed her vows one last time and prepared for the First Look to see her handsome groom. 
I get butterflies in my tummy reliving their First Look… sweet and tender and laced with expressions and embraces that would not have taken place should they waited for the aisle.
When Ellie was younger she found a postcard on the streets of Costa Rica, picked it up and tucked it away smiling to herself shyly, thinking that one day she would give it to her future husband on her wedding day. The front reads “you’re the one”, the back a sweet message for Kevin. 
An impromptu First Look with daddy:
Ellie’s mom was the most excited mom I’ve ever seen on a wedding day; her energy contagious!
Ellie has a ‘small’ collection of heart-shaped rocks, each holding special memories of places they’ve been. Specially packed and traveling from Mt. Hood, Oregon, this rock will now hold the loving touch of friends and family and will always remind them of this unique gathering of friends and family from across the world.
Kevin could no longer contain his excitement!
Finally, Husband and Wife…
Having the chance to photograph Ellie and Kevin (at a Nature Center!) for me was like a kid in a candy store. I didn’t know where to begin but their tender loving embraces and calming attitude guided me to exactly what I wanted. For more of their Nature Center images visit a previous blog post I had to share immediately after the wedding.
I melt at this image… ugh.
Ellie had a beaming smile across her face all day as Kevin swept her off her feet.
As we rounded the tiny path leading to the beach front, Ellie and I threw our heads at one another, beaming, as our eyes laid eyes on THIS! A driftwood teepee… are you kidding me! We both dropped our jaws and giggled knowing this was going to make for their perfect ‘sea side’ wedding images. 
Yes, I got a bit soaked as I took the beating of a few waves to get these shots. Not complaining… so worth it!
A summer afternoon on the shores of Lake Michigan…
After soaking in more of the views and surroundings of the nature preserve, Kevin whisked Ellie away to the recently re-purposed Pritzlaff Building in the Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee. It certainly is a hidden gem with its hip vibe and old world charm. It’s Cream City brick and massively tall wooden columns fit their vision for a romantic dinner ending in a huge party.

No Wisconsin wedding is complete without a lavish cheese spread and Shully’s delivered just that, it was amazing.
Thee Pritzlaff Building, gah!
Their Head Table:
Each table was assigned a memory from Kevin and Ellie’s life journey.
A glimps into dad’s 22 minute heartfelt speech, a shining example of why you need video on your wedding day. While these images capture a mood and memory, those words spoken, an artform in and of itself, will forever be gone unless captured. Copper Clover Films was there for the entire event and will surely deliver an amazing wedding film to Kevin and Ellie to relive as often as they wish. More to come…
I love food, let it be known. Taste and smell are amazingly powerful senses that have the power to bring floods of memories back into our lives so I try to always catch a few shots of the wedding meals that were carefully selected to celebrate with. This simple yet perfectly prepared wedding meal provided by Shully’s.

I expected nothing less than an emotion Father-Daughter dance:
Kevin and his mom cut it up to a hip Irish jig:
And the selection for the First Dance was an upbeat and hip tune of ‘This Must be the Place’ by Talking Heads which swiftly welcomed the guests to devour the dance floor!
If you’re searching for the best DJ you can for a memorable event I seriously encourage you to check out Jimmy Cababa… your wedding WILL be an amazing dance party.
Being from Portland where food trucks are quite the craze, Ellie & Kevin decided to treat their guests to one of their comforts of home. The Chubby Cheese Truck was busy making delicious grilled cheese for guests needing a refueling from the packed dance floor.
Dress :: Ania Bridal of Portland, OR
Tux :: J Crew
Shoes :: Imelda’s Shoes {hers}, Nordstroms {his}
Floral artistry :: Esther of Impressions Floral
Bakery & Custard :: Loaf & Jug-pies, Kopps-custard
Catered Cuisine :: Shully’s Cuisine
Venue :: Pritzlaff Building courtesy of Gravity Events

A Door County Gallery Wedding {taylor & ryan}

Weddings

If you’ve ever been to Door County, Wisconsin, you have more than likely fallen in love with art, simplicity, quaint little harbor towns and the most beautiful State Parks around. Everything about Door County it just as Taylor and Ryan envisioned their wedding. Being from Illinois and knowing how magical Door County was for them a destination wedding weekend was planned. They wanted their gathering of friends and family not only to celebrate but to take the time to reconnect as couples and families during their getaway. How truly thoughtful is that?

Taylor and Ryan’s desire for the outdoors to be interwoven in the day was perfectly matched with the enchanting grounds surrounding one of Door County’s finest art galleries, Woodwalk Gallery. They envisioned their union and celebration unfolding the first time they visited the Gallery because it truly was a perfect match for an easy going and romantic affair!

Taylor and Ryan, thank you for being the peaceful lovely couple you are. You made us feel like family and we’re honored to have captured this beautiful collection of memories for you.





Taylor and Ryan chose not to see each other before the wedding but loved the idea of its tender moments. Having such a close relationship with her Father, Taylor chose to do a First Look with him.








Being in the purest of surroundings God has given us, Taylor and Ryan chose to seal their union by making an addition to the surrounding beauty by planting a tree.





Brides, no worries should the skies open up on your wedding day. There may be a little gift waiting at the end.

I LOVE that Taylor truly included her besties to be beside her on a wedding day. Why oh why must there be equals to both sides… no reason. Doug stood up on Taylor’s side because that’s the only way Taylor would have wanted it. A wedding day is about you, not five girls and five guys. You and your closest friends by your side to support and witness you living your life.

Gentlemen, well done. You’re all so very handsome!

The Wedding Party. I just love the mix of colors, tones and texture. I secretly wish all weddings broke out of the norm and truly dressed like they could wear the outfits again.

Off for a few lovely photos with Taylor and Ryan.





Ugh… tent weddings with unique found decor and place settings will always steal our hearts.







Taylor and Ryan’s amazing tent decor was a perfect tie-in to the colorful additions they had throughout their day. From sparkled wedding shoes and confetti cake to THIS it all came together perfectly!

Some of you already know our wedding team and know that we’re in it for the cake! Imagine the look on our faces when we approached this little delightful feast!

Taylor and Ryan had put together a little make-your-own-trail-mix buffet for he late night snackers and the not-so-sweet-tooth. Such an easy and natural touch for their guests!


Taylor & Ryan’s wedding was a collection of art created by the following artists:

Dress :: Paloma Blanca

Paper Goods :: Lindsay Letters

Groom :: Hugo Boss suit, Burberry tie

Shoes :: {hers} Kate Spade ‘sawyer’, {his} Mezlan

Floral :: Flora

Cater :: Mojo Rosa

Desserts and Delights :: Pink Bakery

Music :: Kimbra Wilson Trio

One of the little touches that usually goes unnoticed on a wedding day is the Groom’s shoes. We. Love. Shoes! They’re that final accessory that can add so much to an outfit. Ryan and all your guys… job well done. Your shoes rocked and we certainly took note!


If you’re planning a wedding in Wisconsin or surrounding states but long for a destination wedding we urge you to take an afternoon drive up to the peninsula of Wisconsin, affectionately called Door County or the Door Penninsula. Filled with enchanting forests, art galleries, quaint little boutiques and candy shops and I do believe an ice cream joint in every town, you will surely fall in love. The unique shorelines are home to one of only a few shingle beaches in the world and make for beautiful photos might I add. Check it out!