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Unique Wedding Ideas that Will Make Your Wedding Stand Out

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Even though Summer is one of the biggest wedding seasons of the year, we can still expect to be seeing a lot of Fall and Winter weddings on the horizon. Whether you’re in the midst of planning a wedding yourself or are helping your best friend plan theirs, we all want every wedding to be a memorable celebration. Here are some unique wedding ideas to make your wedding an event to remember! 

 

Have Your Pet Involved

For animal lovers out there who can’t stand the idea of getting married without their fur baby by their side, make an effort in including them on your wedding day. You can choose to have your animal serve as ring bearer, be beside you at the altar or just put him in the crowd as one of your guests. Not only will this be extra special for all animal lovers, but your pet will be a great addition to your wedding photos. 

Have From Where You Come From 

Did you grow up in Texas with the best nachos out there? Are you from New England where the oysters are also so fresh and delicious? Incorporate food based off where the two of you come from. This can be included in your appetizers or added into your dinner menu. Given that many of your guests will be familiar or have lived in the same area as you once before, this will mean a lot to them as well and will add a special homage to your hometowns. 

Have Cocktail Napkins with Fun Facts

Is there a special song that the two of you share? Or a fun story about how your partner or you proposed? Add a personal touch to your cocktail napkins with a fun fact about you and your partner’s relationship. Not only will this serve as a funny and personal anecdote for your guests, but it will also add a more personal touch to your overall wedding experience. 

Set Up a Tasting Bar

Are you and your partner both big fans of beer or wine? Set up a fun tasting bar with some of your favorite drinks and have your guests do a tasting of each kind. They’ll appreciate the different varieties offered and it will definitely serve as a fun reception activity. 

Incorporate Colors into Your Wedding Look

As all eyes are on the bride as she walks down the aisle, incorporate different colors into your wedding day look for some added flair. This can be with including colored feathers into your hair, having a colored veil or having brightly colored jewelry such as emerald, red or yellow. You can even go as far as to dye parts of your tresses fun hair colors using a color conditioner such as this! No matter how you choose to add in more color, spicing up your hairstyle with additional colors will be just the thing that your guests remember. 

Offer your Guests Comforts 

Everyone loves a romantic outdoor wedding. But with chilly weather on the horizon, if you’re planning on marrying outdoors, offer each of your guest’s blankets, shades, and/or umbrella’s. The weather will always vary but doing something thoughtful for your guests will be much appreciated and keep them as cozy and as comfortable as possible. Whatever comforts you decide to use can also serve as part of your wedding favors, giving your guests something that’s always a necessity and something guaranteed they’ll use again. 

Skip the Buffet for a Traditional Family Style Dinner

Are you planning on having a really intimate wedding? If so, skip the buffet or the typical three-course dinner and opt for a traditional family-style dinner instead. Doing so will only make your wedding feel that much more intimate and will have all your guests interacting with one another. 

Custom Jewelry

One of the best ways to say thank you is with a personalized gift. What better than a diamond bracelet for those closest to you. Moms are a huge part of a wedding day and sometimes they can feel lost in the shuffle. Jewelry is a unique way to make your wedding unique and add a little extra sparkle in the eyes of those you love!

Skip the Place Cards

Instead of using paper place cards, write the name of each guest’s spot on the reception table itself. Depending on the kind of wood or fabric used for your reception tables, you can do this with chalk or paint. This will be a fun game for your guests to play and will definitely serve as a unique take on traditional place cards. 

Skip the Menu Stationery

The same can go for your menu stationery. If you want to do something different besides traditional menu cards, use something like charcuterie boards instead! You can etch each board with a calligraphed version of what your guests can expect to see on the menu. This will be a nice intimate touch especially if you’re planning on having a more rustic themed wedding. 

Spice up the Traditional Guestbook

Even though we often see a guestbook at weddings, more times than not, they end up stashed in the back of a closet and rarely again looked at. If you want to make your version of a guestbook actually memorable and something you’ll admire often, use something different than the traditional guestbook. If you’re both big fans of wine, have your guests each sign a wine cork that’s made into a romantic sign like a heart or of you and your partner’s name. If in need of more ideas, here are some more unique guest book ideas for couples! 

Give Your Guests Recommendations

Are you having your wedding in a beautiful and touristy town? After the wedding is over, set up your guests with a fun scavenger hunt or a list of places they should try to visit. Whether it’s restaurants, bars, museums or some decent shopping areas, this will give your guests the chance to enjoy the town and see everything it has to offer. 

Have to Go Cake Boxes

Oftentimes, your guests always go the most in on the entrees, appetizers, and cocktails that they hardly have any more room for dessert. Since it often seems as if the cake is the least eaten thing and the biggest of the entire wedding, give each one of your guests to go cake boxes! This will be much appreciated by your guests and also not leave you and your partner with a massive amount of leftovers.

6 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning A Wedding

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Over the last 10 years, Katie and I have not only shot 200+ weddings, but we have also planned, designed, and officiated several weddings for siblings. DIY Weddings are not for the faint of heart. This last year, we held a wedding in our own backyard. For over a year we worked with my brother and sister in law to bring their dream to life. The reality is everyone can plan a wedding, but not everyone should. Logistically, emotionally, & financially it might not be the best choice for you, but let me share a few mistakes we’ve made, heard about, or experienced over the years.

 

    

  • Failing to Establish a Budget Beforehand

From the wedding venue and catering to flowers and photography, estimating the cost of a wedding can be complicated. Not the mention those last-minute costs that spring up suddenly and blow up your budget. But while you can’t be sure that cost will come up to exactly what you’re willing to spend, setting a realistic budget will still save you a lot of stress and hassles later. You can also use the wedding cost calculator available online to get an approximate estimate cost! Treat a wedding like building a home. Make sure that you have a 20-30% buffer in your budget for the unexpected. Set a budget based on what you can personally afford with the help of your family. What is most important to you? That is where you invest your money. What is going to help produce the most long-term happiness?  

 

 

  • Looking for a Wedding Venue Before Preparing Your Guest List

In Wisconsin, we generally have pretty big families. Nebraska and Utah might have us beat, but regardless, knowing who you’re inviting will determine the venue, which in turn might determine the date itself. Start with the list. There are so many neat online tools to help collect the infamous guest list and addresses. We personally like Basic Invite. If you’re thinking of sending out printed save the dates and invitations we highly recommend their services. Ask us how you can save on your next order! You must prepare your guest list before you book your wedding venue to make sure your venue is neither cluttered nor does it have lots of empty space on the wedding day. The guest list will give you a ballpark idea of the number of guests and accordingly, you can finalize a wedding venue that comfortably accommodates all guests. 

 

 

  • Losing Sight of the Weather Conditions

A big wedding planning mistake anyone can make is forgetting to take the weather conditions into account when booking the wedding venue. If you are holding your wedding in summer, then your ideal venue might be one of the many Outdoor Wisconsin Venues. However, Spring and Fall Weddings it is always a good idea to have a backup plan. We crossed our fingers and hoped for the best with an August 18th wedding last year, but we recommend renting a tent, even if you don’t put it up, it is nice to have it just in case! It’s the Midwest. Anything is possible. 

 

 

  • Going DIY or Hiring a Newbie

Did our siblings make a mistake in ‘hiring’ us to make their dreams come true? Maybe? But like I always say, the proof is in the podding and everything went off all three times without a hitch, but I wouldn’t call us newbies either. Our siblings are also super chill and down to earth and ultimately cared more about each other than the day itself. They wanted everyone to enjoy themselves and for their day to be stress-free. The trusted others who promised to take care of them and if in the event something didn’t quite go as planned, they would simply take care of it. They got to ditch their phones and just show up! Invest is someone who is OBSESSED with weddings. We have worked with many who are so good at what they do! Check out Trillium Event Co. The owner just so happens to be a high school friend who serves the Appleton, Wisconsin and surrounding Fox Valley area. 

 

  • Sending Out Your “Save-the-Date” Messages Too Soon

Wedding planning is just as exciting as stressful it is and so, you may impulsively send your save-the-date messages. But what if you realize that you need to cut your guest list short and nix a couple of third-tier invites later? This is where things can get complicated because you would’ve already invited them. So it is best to wait till the number is finalized and then wedding venue is booked before you send out your paperless posts. Working with parents on your list can be stressful, but we strongly recommend getting your list FINALIZED at least six months in advance.   

 

 

  • Missing the Point

I would say the biggest mistake couples make in planning their wedding is not investing in their relationship and ultimately their marriage. Sometimes the big things are not the most important and often we get caught up the excitement and the thrill of planning, that we forget the reason we planning the first place. Planning a wedding is a lot like life prep for couples. It forces two people to make decisions, communicate, create and keep to a budget, work with parents, meet each other’s friends, and agree and disagree. How is this going for you? If planning a wedding has been stressful or maybe you’re just getting started, focus on what is most important and keep that at the top of your list. Your marriage. We are a huge fan of marriage counseling. While your marriage hasn’t begun yet, the year(s) that lead up to it matter and it will set a foundation moving forward. Sure, you will hit some bumps along the way, that is normal, that is real life, but how are going to move past them? Are you able to compromise on your guest list? Can you agree on a venue? Are you getting along with your future in-laws during this process?

You can make every one of the mistakes above and still get married and even have a great wedding, but you can do everything perfectly and hire all the right people and miss the point altogether. Cherish the time you have and address issues you have when you see them. Don’t stay quiet for the sake of the other’s perceived happiness and don’t check out gentlemen when your bride and future mother in law are deciding on what color the napkins need to be. Your opinion matters more than you think. Brides, your groom wants nothing more than to give you the moon on your wedding day, but we’re not always sure its the moon you want. We want to be the thing you cherish most. We don’t want you to ultimately care about your dress, flowers, food, colors more than you care about the fact that we get to be the one thing you cherish most in life on this earth. While all of those things matter to us, because they matter to you, don’t make them the ultimate thing. Your dress might rip, your flowers might wilt, and your chicken might be dry, but I want to laugh cry with you when everything is falling apart and there is a hole in your kitchen roof and the water is pouring in because that is what marriage is all about. We’re stuck together. Thick and thin. Hell or high water and every other cliche you can think of. Marriage is is a commitment, a choice. That no matter what, I got your back and you got mine. Even when we disagree, I am still for you. Even when money is tight and the kids are sick, we’re for each other.

And in the good times, and there will be so many good times, we cherish each other and the moments because they are gifts we don’t deserve. #liferevered.

 

 

 

   

4 Ways a Wedding Planner Can Help You Save Money

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Do you think you can control your marriage expenses and stay within budget if you plan your wedding by yourself? Katie and I got married on a shoestring budget over 10 years ago. While we weren’t in school at the time, balancing life while planning a wedding can be challenging to say the least. We recall having to write checks to vendors the next morning with money we were gifted at our wedding. While we had the help of our family, much of the responsibility was on us. If we could go back and do it all again and plan our dream wedding, without a doubt, we would hire a wedding planner.

Over the years we have worked with some of the most talented wedding planners and event stylists right here in Wisconsin.

As photographers, we know that a wedding day well planned will allow us to do our best work and deliver the highest quality images possible. Time is the most valuable resource on a wedding day and planners not only make the day look incredible but help you be able to relax and just enjoy the day as it unfolds, knowing that someone totally has your back. Mom’s are great, but we want them to enjoy the day too!

Gree Bee Floral Designs

A professional wedding planner can help take a huge weight off you and your partner and also help you save money.
Here are 4 ways a wedding planner can help you save money:

#1. Negotiation Skills
Wedding planners have been in the business for a while. Through experience, they know the best of vendors and have the necessary skills to negotiate with them. When you hire them, they will use their network and negotiation skills to get what you want at a price you could’ve only dreamt of.

Planners have built relationships that allow them to couple services and save you money. For instance, we work with planners to deliver both wedding video & Photography services. They often will help with contact, contracts, and invoices to ensure you’re well taken care of. They also work with florists to ensure your vision comes to life. Special thanks to Green Bee Floral and Design for allowing us to capture her creations and designs during this styled shoot. Check out the wedding video! 

#2. Realistic Budget Planning
You may have meticulously planned your wedding budget, but is it realistic? Have you prioritized the items and allocated funds accordingly? A good wedding planner by your side scrutinizes the budget and advises you on:

  • What you should be spending?
  • What you should be cost-cutting?
  • What you can do without?

Thus, helping you make the most out of your budget. Full Coordinator services we believe are the way to go. From scheduling to conceptualization, design, logistics, and more having someone’s feedback and professionalism every step of the way is a must if it can fit in your budget. Ask planners for examples of ways they helped save couples money in the past.

#3. Less Time off from Work
Hiring a wedding planner means you don’t have to take time off from work to plan your wedding. This also means that you’ll have no or less unpaid leave and more holidays to spend on your honeymoon. While many of our couples are either finishing up graduate school or working full-time, most are living outside of the area in which their wedding is taking place. This can really be tricky in planning vendor consults etc. Giving full creative freedom to your wedding planner will streamline your communication with just one individual instead of having to juggle conversations with dozens of individuals and businesses. In the past, we suggested task management software like ASANA and using a brand new email address set up for after your wedding. Similarly, a separate checking account that is linked to both parties personal checking. This can then become your joint checking account after your wedding. We use MINT to help us track our personal expenses.

#4. Cost You Less on the Emotional Front
Planning a wedding is a full-time gig. Comparing the prices and services, searching for a perfect venue, interviewing the vendors, making a to-do list, etc. take up most of your time. Everyone is different, we get it, but if you’re like us, you like simple and stress-free. No wedding is without a few stressors, but mitigating as much of it as possible should be one’s goal from the very beginning. How can you have one heck of a party that doesn’t lose all of its allure before the big day arrives? We’re a big fan of short engagements, so if you’re engaged and thinking of having a wedding two years from now, reconsider. Move things up! At the end of the day, what matters is that you marry your soulmate and of course you have beautiful photos and video to help remind you for decades to come!

A wedding planner frees you up from all your wedding planning responsibilities, thus leaving you less worried and stressed.
Although a wedding budget and your wedding planner will help you save money, they cannot guarantee the last-minute costs that may crop up during the final days leading up to the wedding. So, the best thing to do is keep an emergency fund ready to accommodate these last-minute surprises. Get MoneyTap’s marriage loan and keep the funds accessible to you whenever you want. You may have gone through the tips to plan your wedding like a professional. Written in partnership with  moneytap.com.

How to have a Successful Photoshoot with your Significant Other

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Whether it’s for your engagement, your wedding day, or just for memories, having a photoshoot with your loved one is a great way to memorialize your relationship and save the photos as a keepsake. Before you have your photo shoot, there are a couple of things that need to be decided beforehand in order to ensure that you have the most successful photoshoot possible.

 

Location, location, location

  • Before anything else, you need to decide where you and your partner would like to take the photos. While many photographers have their own studio, opt for your home or a special, significant place if you want to add a personal touch. Perhaps where you got engaged, where you had your first date or a prime location in your area.

 

Pick the Right Time of Day

  • Depending on where you’ll be shooting, you’ll want to ensure that you’re shooting during the right time of day. If you’ll be shooting inside with lots of windows available, think about the right time of day when the sunlight will be perfectly let in. If you’re aiming to shoot with a sunset, make sure you check the time the sun is supposed to go down and that you pick a location with an ample view of the sunset in the background.

 

Pick the Right Photographer

  • Before anything, you and your partner need to decide on the photographer that you’ll use for your photoshoot. Many photographers work differently, and each adds their own aesthetic to the photos. In order to ensure you and your partner pick the right photographer, go through previous work and read their info page. Find out if your photographer prefers candid or more posed shots, if they’re willing to travel and if they offer any props that you’d be willing to use in your shoot.

 

Think About What You’re Wearing Underneath Your Outfit

  • While it’s important that you and your partner coordinate your outfits for the photoshoot, it’s also equally important that you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing underneath the outfit. It’s no secret that if you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing underneath, you’ll look more confident and comfortable for your photos. If you’re planning on wearing figure-hugging clothing, make sure that you wear a bra that won’t expose any lines or wires. The online company, True & Co. does exactly this as they create bras that embrace your shape with many of them being wire-free. There’s nothing like having a good support system for the girls to help make a successful photo shoot. Along with a supportive bra, many women also choose to wear shapewear underneath their outfit as it helps to smooth and shape your body while also keeping all its and bits contained. This will give you some peace of mind when taking photos.

 

Have a Developed Concept

  • Before the day of the photo shoot, it’s important that you and your partner have come to an agreement on the look and feel you want to achieve for your shoot. Do you want to evoke a romantic vibe, a high-fashion vibe or a cozier vibe? Do you want posed or more natural photos? With all the different angles that you can take, it’s helpful for you and your partner to look at plenty of photo inspiration beforehand to settle on ideas. This not only puts you and your partner on the same page but also helps your photographer in knowing exactly what you’re looking for.

 

What are some of your tips for making a successful photoshoot?

 

Fall Wedding Season Preparations

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With summer officially drawing to an end, fall wedding season is in full swing!  What better backdrop this time of year than Wisconsin? With stunning foliage and a crispness in the air, you’re sure to have the best day ever.  However, it’s important to keep in mind that planning a wedding takes more time and effort than what’s seen on the surface. From selecting a venue to choosing a caterer and finding a photographer that best fits your needs, the amount of work and time you invest in preparing for your big day can feel endless.  It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of planning and forget how essential it is to practice self-care during this time.  The last thing you want to be feeling on your wedding day is stressed out or sleep-deprived. Keep reading below for a few tips to help ensure your fall wedding is the picturesque day you always imagined it to be!  

Shine Bright Like A Diamond

When temperatures begin to drop, your skin can experience major change. Perfecting the wedding glow takes some preparation. During the summer, you want to use a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Quite the opposite when the weather gets colder. According to Allure, opp for a heftier hydrator that will help replace the essential fatty acids that need to be there to help replenish your face.

 

A Smile Can Change The World

The onset of fall tends to largely impact our immune systems. A weakened immune system may leave the body prone to disease or viruses.  These diseases can attack both internally and externally which is why it is also essential to maintain our oral health in order to look and feel your best. You may also want to consider doubling up your dosage of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and fruits and vegetables, to ensure your body is strong enough to fight off any unwanted sickness. Establish a routine early on and your smile will be dazzling come your big day!

Wisconsin Wedding & Portrait Photographer Couples with Dogs Film-Style Images

 

R-E-L-A-X

There is nothing better than taking time out for yourself to get some R&R. Especially in the fall, cozying up on the couch with a pumpkin spiced latte in your hand and an apple cider candle burning, will have you well on your way to clearer thoughts and better sleep. If you want to take your meditations to the next level, Healthline recommends using these smartphone meditation apps. In no time at all, you will be well on your way to improving your mindfulness. With so many decisions, from personal to financial, being made leading up to your wedding, you want to be in a clear headspace to be sure you’re making the right choices for your big day.

Fall Couple Photos in woods with dogs and campfire