Madison

Kristin + AJ: A Beautiful Downtown Micro Wedding

AJ + Kristin packed a lot of heart into a short but sweet wedding ceremony!

AJ (they/them) + Kristin (she/her) met when their friend & mutual hairdresser, Andrea (also their officiant) started a group chat to introduce them, then immediately bounced to let them take it from there. And obviously it went well, because here are their wedding photos!

The wedding ceremony at the Wisconsin State Capitol Building was beautiful, and the guest list was just the immediate family of both Kristin + AJ (check out the adorable sibling pics and the adorable accidentally matching dad tie pics below!). I love micro weddings, and this wedding was a perfect example of why they’re so special! It’s intimate, personal, and just right for couples that don’t want “a whole big thing” but do want to celebrate with their very closest friends & family.

Despite the cold, we were able to play around outside for couples photos after the ceremony, before Kristin + AJ and their whole gang headed to Harvey House for dinner.

Enjoy the photos of this perfect wedding day, and help me wish these two a big congratulations!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony Venue: Wisconsin State Capitol Building

Officiant: Andrea (friend of the couple)

Florist: Sunborn Gardens

 
 

Lena + Andrew: An Art Museum Engagement Session

The Chazen Art Museum was the perfect backdrop for Lena + Andrew’s engagement portraits

The soft, warm colors, the skylights and dark corners, the love artists put into their art mirroring the love these two have for each other… the whole session was absolutely beautiful and unique! Also peep the adorable “strike a pose” moment with my favorite sculpture at Chazen; the giant lounging hare! Enjoy the photos of this sweet engagement session, and congrats to Lena + Andrew!

—Sam

 
 

Gloria + Jerry: An Intimate Downtown Wedding

Jerry + Gloria had a beautiful and intimate ceremony in downtown madison

They were surrounded by their children, parents, and closest friends and family for a small and intimate ceremony at Grace Episcopal Church right on the square in downtown Madison. It was an insanely hot day, but these two looked effortlessly cool during their couples portraits before they headed to Eno Vino for cocktails and The Vintage for their small reception!

Help me wish these two a BIG congratulations on their wedding!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony Venue: Grace Episcopal Church

Reception Venue: The Vintage (not pictured)

Officiant: Alberto (Friend of Groom)

Hair & Makeup: Allure Artistry

Wedding Bands: Zales (Gloria) + Kay Jewelers (Jerry)

Bridal Gown: Moments to Cherish

Groom Tux: Moments to Cherish

Florist: Melody Rose Designs

Desserts: The Vintage (not pictured)

Catering: The Vintage (not pictured)

 
 

2024 Magic Pride Fest

Magic Pride Fest was the event this Madison Pride Season!

I try to make Pride every year (as long as we’re not photographing a wedding that day) but holy smokes, this year’s Pride event was the most well-attended I’ve seen it! It was amazing to see so many folks living our their expressions queer joy! The event had more vendors and tents than ever this year too, and it was great to see so many familiar faces! We also got so lucky with there being some cloud cover and a little breeze, that it made for the absolute nicest day to celebrate! Enjoy the photos of this fun Madison event!

—Sam

 
 

Drea + Doug: A Pokemon-Themed Wedding at the Bur Oak

Drea + Doug had a perfect mix of fancy and laid back for their wedding day!

With lots of DIY touches and fun ideas (like the Table Dash, which was a blast), as well as all the Pokemon references you never knew you needed from a wedding, these two put together an amazing shindig!

After 10 years together, they wanted their celebration to be distinctly them, and for their closest friends and family to be able to party with them in style. The Bur Oak was a wonderful backdrop for their big day, and I loved seeing all the laughing and shenanigans (that’s how you know it’s good party)!

Help me wish these two a great big congratulations, and I am so excited I got to celebrate with these two!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Bur Oak

Catering: Beef Butter BBQ

Wedding Coordinator: Ashley with The Bur Oak

 
 

Marshall + Francesca: A Lovely Outdoor Wedding Day 3.0

Marshall + Francesca had not one, not two, but three wedding celebrations!

They first got married in February 2023 (you may remember them from such weddings as this one), but also had a gorgeous formal wedding celebration in England in March 2023 so that Francesca’s family in the UK could celebrate with them. Finally, wedding day 3.0 came about in August of 2023 which was meant to be the big celebration with their friends on this side of the ocean!

It was a gorgeous day for wedding 3.0, and the Barnwood Events venue is stunning this time of year (more on that in another blog post, but I want to mention that Barnwood Events is the most accessible venue I’ve ever shot in), and folks were clearly so happy to be celebrating with these two! There were smiles all around, and so much laughing, and even heat and mosquitoes couldn’t keep folks from feeling so much joy for Marshall + Francesca!

After dinner and speeches, we snuck out for a little golden hour light, and wow did the sunlight and the venue grounds deliver some perfect scenes for photos!

Afterward, it was all about the dancing, as you’ll see in the photos. ;)

Help me wish these two a BIG congrats to Marshall + Francesca, and also let’s congratulate them on not having to plan anymore weddings! (Though they’re very good at it!)

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Barnwood Events

Officiant: Casey Varecka (friend of the couple)

DJ: Isthmus DJs

Florist: daffodil*parker

Wedding Cake: The Baked Lab

Catering and Non-Cake Desserts: Ugly Apple

 
 

Madi + Rysa: An Intimate, Queer Downtown Madison Wedding

Madi + Rysa’s wedding day was filled with fun and laughter (which in my opinion is the perfect kind of wedding day)!

Madi (she/her) and Rysa (they/them) met at Plan B originally (A queer Madison bar that sadly is no more) and began hanging out more and more, and planning gay movie nights, Drag Race marathons, and other fun outings, until they made things official. Even though they wanted a small and intimate wedding day at the Capitol building, it was important to them to work in photos at the formerly Plan B “L-O-V-E” mural on Willy St., and we had so much fun goofing off, doing cartwheels, and dancing pre-ceremony.

Once it was time for the ceremony, it was short and sweet (folks after my own heart - mine was also very short and sweet), and then onto more pictures with family and very close friends, and a walk around State street, as well as some fun photo ops with their beloved dog, Trixie (who is a VERY good doggo)!

It was a beautiful and hot summer day, perfect for the start of a very big adventure.

Congrats to Madi + Rysa!!!

—Sam

Here are the vendors that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony Venue: Wisconsin State Capitol Building

Jewelry: Rysa’s Band - Chalmer’s Jewelers | Madi’s Ring - Kessler’s Diamonds

Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal

Wedding Tux: Jazzman

 
 

Family Portraits with Alex and Kayleigh at the UW Arboretum

Alex + Kayleigh were in high spirits for Fall Family Photos!

I’ve been honored to photograph Alex and Kayleigh since they were both itty bitty newborns, and to see the sweet kids they’ve become as they’ve gotten older is so awesome. I love how fun and funny these two are! These two adorable goofballs were a blast, and sure kept their parents on their toes this year! ;)

Enjoy these fun fall family portraits, and if you have a minute, go play in some leaves tomorrow! You won’t regret it!

—Sam

 
 

Malia + Eric: An Intimate Wedding Celebration at the UW Arboretum

Malia + Eric had to postpone their wedding several times due to COVID, and eventually decided to have a small, intimate ceremony in 2021, and then a couples portrait session in their wedding attire this year

The UW Arboretum is one of my all time favorite places for photos, and with the gorgeous greenery, brilliant skies, and beautiful flowers, it did not disappoint, but even the arboretum was no match for how sharp Malia + Eric looked in their wedding attire! We had a great time walking around the arboretum taking photos and enjoying such a lovely spring day.

Congrats to Malia + Eric, and enjoy the photos of this lovely couple!

-Sam

 
 

Fall Family Portraits (and Shenanigans) at the UW Arboretum

It’s no secret that I love taking fall family photos at the UW Arboretum in Madison, WI

But even though the place is familiar, Alex and Kayleigh always manage to shake things up and this year’s family portrait session no exception! Enjoy the photos of these two adorable kiddos being goofballs and go play in some leaves yourself while you’re at it!

-Sam

 
 

Emma + Daniel: A Fall-Themed Wedding at the Goodman Brass Works Building

We were so excited to photograph Emma + Daniel’s wedding in the historic Goodman Center Brass Works Building!

I have been wanting to photograph a wedding in the Brass Works building ever since the Goodman Center renovated it, but COVID had other plans. It turns out it was well worth the wait though, because Emma + Daniel’s wedding was an absolutely perfect wedding day, and a great way to send off our 2021 wedding season!

All of the little personal touches that Emma + Daniel poured into their wedding day were wonderful! Daniel made all of the vases that sat on each of the tables and Emma designed the floral decor herself! With Daniel being a trumpet player, there were no shortage of musical guests playing for different parts of the wedding day, and the whole thing was such a lovely and sweet celebration of these two and their commitment to each other.

Help me wish Emma + Daniel a big congratulations, and enjoy the photos of their magical fall wedding day!

-Sam

Here are the vendors (with links) that helped make their wedding day awesome!

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Goodman Center Brass Works

Officiant: Phillip Cross (Dan's Uncle)

Wedding Band: Orchesta de Latin Pride (Sound equipment courtesy of Dan's uncle Fred)

Wedding Gown: The Wedding Shoppe (Wilderly bridal collections)

Groom’s Tux: Men's Wearhouse

Bridal Jewelry: Family Heirlooms

Hair Stylist: Brynn The Styling B

Wedding Party Attire: Mother of the maid of honor made the bridesmaid dresses and Dan’s mother made the Groomsmen’s vests & ties

Florals: K&A Greenhouse (floral decor, designed by the bride), Bre Cotter (bouquets), Suella Moran (boutonnieres)

Wedding Desserts: The House Cafe & Bakery

Catering: Working Class Catering