Did you know that in a past life, long ago, I spent about a year working in an office as the assistant to a financial advisor? While I didn't follow that career path, I learned so much about life finances that I never expected. 

You know the gist of how your wedding day is going to go. Bride walks down the isle, possibly guided by her father. Vows are exchanged, a reading or two thrown into the mix, then they kiss and walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. 

One of the things many brides are most excited for after they get engaged is dress shopping. They can't wait to get in the store and start the fashion show. On the other hand, some ladies dread it. They might hate dresses and even consider not getting one. 

I love the community of wedding vendors in Northeast Wisconsin. We have a local Rising Tide Society chapter here in Green Bay, and I think that encourages wedding photographers in Northeast Wisconsin to work to one another, or work together when someone needs a second shooter.

I remember how I felt the first time my dad and I drove through the Rocky Mountains on our way to Vail and Beaver Creek about fifteen years ago. My forehead was glued to the car window as I craned my neck to see the tops of the towering mountains surrounding us. 

Let me start out by saying that I get it.  Planning a wedding is not easy. You’re expected to hire, arrange, and coordinate several different services that you’ve likely never had to hire before, and don’t even know the first questions to ask when vetting the different professionals you find.

The marriage license is a major and required part of legal Wisconsin wedding ceremonies.  So how do you apply for a marriage license in the state of Wisconsin?

The vows have been said, toasts have been made, and hunger and thirst have been taken care of.  The entertainment part of your special day has arrived. Many brides and grooms look back at their weddings and wish they had put a bit more thought and a larger part of their budget towards the entertainment. 

Brandi glided out into the American Club courtyard, tiptoeing up behind Josh in her stunning red high-low wedding gown. She tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to see his beautiful bride-to-be. They spent a few quiet moments alone together in the courtyard dotted with snow on that chilly Valentine's Day afternoon.

Now that you’ve picked a date, a photographer, and probably a venue as well, you can celebrate! Those are some of the toughest decisions in wedding planning that are now crossed off your list. Hooray! On to the fun stuff, like your engagement session.

Budget is often the overriding factor for many wedding ceremony and reception decisions.  If you and your future spouse decide to have alcohol served at your wedding reception, you'll have to choose among having an open bar, a cash bar, or a combination of both.  Here's a pros and cons list for each choice.

It can be hard to brainstorm beautiful places to be the backdrop of your engagement session. Fortunately, here in Green Bay there are a ton of gorgeous, popular engagement session location options. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Winters in Wisconsin sometimes get a bad rap, but they're incredibly beautiful and romantic. Softly falling snow, candlelight, and cooler temperatures are perfect for snuggling and saying, "I do". I had been dreaming of creating a winter wedding styled shoot for about a year.

To many, I wouldn't be considered an expert on love. I'm relatively young, I was previously engaged, and I'm not married. However, I have experienced all kinds of love, and I've witnessed dozens and dozens of inspiring, loving relationships.

Oh, Zion National Park. You captivated my heart years ago and never let go. Perhaps it's your red canyon walls, or your magnificent river, or your charming gateway town of Springdale. Whatever your spell of choice is, it's working.

We are in the heart of engagement season, my friends. It seems like every day, I see a friend showing off her new bling on Facebook or Instagram. I read the other day that 30-40% of proposals take place between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day.

I know it can be stressful picking the images from your wedding or boudoir session that you're going to display throughout your home or put into an album. The task seems daunting--how are you supposed to pick just a hundred of your favorite images from the best day of your life to grace the pages of your wedding album? 

In order to be successful in business and in life, I think it is important to ask ourselves why we do what we do. I believe we should evaluate what it is that drives us, why we wake up each day and make the choices we make, and what gives us joy and a sense of fulfillment. 

There are some couples and love stories that give you warm fuzzy feelings from your head to your toes. As a wedding photographer, if you're lucky, you might get to feel this multiple times in a year. 

Friends, we've come to the end of 2017. Each year, I'm mystified as to where the days went, pages of the calendar flipping by. It seems like just yesterday I was writing about 2016 being the most challenging year of my life, and now here we are. New Year's Eve 2017 is just days away, and it's time to write another Year in Review post. I wanted to close out this year by sharing a bit of myself with you and leave you with a few thoughts.