I absolutely love to photograph a wedding in a new space. So, when Hilary and Nicholas told me that they were having their wedding at a brand-new-romantic-winery-in-Wisconsin, I was sold! The more and more they started telling me about their day, I literally started swooning. First off, Hilary and Nicholas are fantastic couple who have the deepest love and respect for each other. Secondly, the couple was having the first wedding ever at Villa Bellezza, which is a winery - and now a new wedding venue - in Pepin, Wisconsin. Lastly, the lovely ladies of Mimi Design were creating and planning their wedding and I just love them so much, so any opportunity to work with an amazing crew gets me incredibly excited! Oh - and did I mention that Hilary was wearing a STUNNING Vera Wang dress?!? Seriously, the silhouette was absolutely perfect for her and I was a bit in awe of it all day long!

Our day started in Minneapolis, where the bridal party got all done up. Then we all, yes the ladies and the gentleman of the wedding party, trekked in a big party bus all the way to Pepin, Wisconsin. It was such a gorgeous drive and Hilary and Nicholas literally had one of the most gorgeous days of the summer. The sun was shining, the temperature was in the 70's and we were in 'God's country'. There was nothing by cornfields and American Flags around us, yet when we arrived at Villa Bellezza, I suddenly felt like we were whisked away to an Italian Vineyard. The space was intimate, romantic and simply gorgeous. It was a true pleasure to document Hilary and Nicholas's day in this space and to be the first photographers at this venue.

I've always said that 'the meaning of life' to me is sitting down with good people, sharing an amazing meal, drinking a fabulous glass of wine and having a lovely conversation. Hilary and Nicholas's wedding did just that by serving a family style meal to all of their guests. It was a little bit magical at Villa Bellezza Winery. My other 'meaning of life' moment is to do what you love and share it with those around you. I am truly blessed to document people's lives each week during one of the most momentous moments of their life and on my simple, little blog, I am able to share it with the world. There is something very, very special about this.

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Evans! We are SO happy for you!

LOVEe

You know, I preach all-day-long about how photographers put too many images in their blog posts many times and that they really need to narrow down their edits to the best-of-the-best. However, when it came to creating this post for Clare and Ryan’s wedding, I found myself stuck at 200 images. 200! Needless to say, I narrowed that down a bit, but this is seriously one of my largest blog posts ever! In the past, with a big post, I’ve also split them into Part 1 and Part 2, but I felt that there needed to be one, fluid post, to tell this couple’s story best! I’ve gotten to know Clare and Ryan pretty well over the past year, and honestly, one of the greatest tools to connect with them has been over Instagram! I LOVE it when my clients use Instagram, because I can connect with them visually and see what inspires them thru their eyes! One thing that was mentioned over and over throughout the day and during the speeches was how amazing Clare’s sense of style is. It is impeccable. I remember the first time I met the bride-to-be and her shoes rocked my world…I knew we were bound to be a perfect fit! Clare’s fabulous taste was seen in every little detail of their day. From the location, to the vendors she chose and even down to the art-installations she made on her own – everything was simply gorgeous!Above all of the beautiful style, Clare and Ryan are a beautiful couple who are both genuinely amazing people! On the day of their wedding, it was hot, then it was cold. It poured rain and then the sun would come out. Even though the weather was incredibly unpredictable, none of that mattered to Clare and Ryan, because this day was really all about the two of them! Everything about this wedding was magical, enjoy!

VENDORS//

Venue: The Enchanted Barn

Getting Ready Venue: Stouts Island Lodge

Event Design + Planning: Laura Mullen Event Design

Flowers: Munster Rose

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Congratulations to Clare and Ryan!

LOVEe