Weddings have taken on a whole new meaning in the past few years and we’ve had the pleasure of being a part of that movement.  What is a wedding anyways?  It’s the commitment to blend two lives with your closest family and friends as witnesses to an incredible day that YOU will be creating.

When I was married eight years ago there was little wedding guidance on the Internet, certainly no Pinterest and digital photography was just starting to surface.  You planned your wedding from inspiration from that seasons wedding magazine and from all the weddings you’ve previously attended.  Cookie-cutter weddings were all we knew but Jason and I did a great job turning it into a blend of him and myself and who we were as individuals and as a couple.  We chose to have our wedding in the backyard that I grew up in because it was a special and meaningful place for us.  Other details included Cold Stone Creamery in lieu of a wedding cake (yes, they come with ice cream and toppings of your choice and it’s one big fabulous ordeal!) as we were both ice cream fanatics.  We shared our First Dance under the stars surrounded by a ring of sparklers held by the closest of family and friends, many of whom are still very much a part of our lives.

Sarah and Graham’s destination wedding brought us back to a celebration reflecting just that… each other.  Having planned the entire day from Tennesee and Washington DC, keeping it simple was an understatement.  Their celebration took place on their family farmland in rural Wisconsin and the day was immediately simplified with organic fun encouraged.  Having included such local details as farmer’s market flowers, Appleton’s favorite Italian restaurant, Carmella’s, and supporting local farm-raised Whistleberry Farms, every detail to their day was thoroughly thought out.  One of my personal favorite details was incorporating lavender throughout their day.  From a celebratory lavender toss to finishing details on table decor to their homemade lavender gin & tonic (OMG!!!), the weaving of this soothing herb added a delightful sense of calm all around.

If you’re planning a wedding I truly ask you to consider who you are as the focus to all that is planned and to support the small businesses right in your home state. Thank you Sarah and Graham for including us in such an incredibly intimate evening.