Our Top 5 Favorite Wedding Reception Venues in Madison, WI

We love all the wedding venues we’ve had the opportunity to work in, but these are our favorites!

In no particular order, here are our top 4 favorite wedding venues in Madison, and a bonus favorite venue in Milwaukee!

  1. The Madison Central Library

  2. Barnwood Events

  3. Goodman Brass Works Building

  4. The Tinsmith

  5. BONUS: Ivy House in Milwaukee

 
  1. The Madison Central Library

The Madison Central Library’s 3rd floor gets gorgeous natural light, and is a dream to photograph in, even at night. It has great views, and who doesn’t want to be surrounded by books and art on their wedding day? (I’m sure it’s not just me!) There’s also an awesome little rooftop garden, and you have easy access to all kinds of great downtown Madison places to take photos!

2. Barnwood Events

Barnwood Events isn’t just any barn venue, it’s a gorgeous and modern place with indoor and outdoor options. The outdoor options are so ludicrously lovely (look at that willow treeeeeeeee!!!!!) and have made an excellent backdrop for some of our favorite wedding days! They also have a patio area outdoors that is perfect for outdoor games for your guests, and it’s truly one of the most accessible venues we’ve ever had the pleasure to work in!

3. Goodman Brass Works Building

This venue in the heart of Madison’s East Side is a perfect mix of modern and industrial and I absolutely love it! I love the exposed duct work (yeah, I know that’s a weird thing to like, but it photographs so well), as well as the brick and lovely skylights. It’s just a beautiful backdrop for simple and fancy weddings alike, and the Goodman Center has such a positive impact on the community, as well as awesome catering!

4. The Tinsmith

We photographed a wedding at The Tinsmith for the first time in 2021 and absolutely loved the industrial chic vibe of the venue! It’s also notable for how accessible it is for guests (and vendors) alike! The venue also gets an amazing amount of natural light which I love, and the greenhouse area at night is perfect for the first dances!

5. Ivy House in Milwaukee

Ivy House is stunning. This venue is filled with actual, living ivy (the title picture of this blog post is from Ivy House) and has an awesome retro vibes with the cool tube lights and excellent bar area. It has getting ready room that is filled with all my favorite colors (So. Much. Teal.) and it’s nearby lots of cool places to grab drinks and photos with your wedding party! Also, the vibe is such that only minimal decorations are needed, which is always a bonus.

Wherever you choose to celebrate your wedding, we’re honored to celebrate with you!

—Sam

 

Non-Traditional Femme Wedding Looks We Love

Here is some amazing non-traditional femme wedding style inspiration, coming your way!

As many of you know, offbeat and non-traditional weddings have a very special place in our hearts (obviously). We’ve done a little roundup of some of our favorite offbeat femme wedding styles for you to enjoy!

Who Needs a Dress?

When a jumpsuit will do! Wedding jumpsuits, whether for the whole wedding day or just the tail end of the reception are fun, comfortable, and look amazing!

 
 
 
 

Offbeat Color For the Win

One of the most fun ways to do something a little different on your wedding day is to add some unexpected colors, especially to the gown! You don’t even need to wear a “wedding” dress! I went with a silver prom dress for my wedding, and one of the brides below went with a gorgeous dark grey cocktail dress that was to die for.

 
 
 
 

What About Just a Pop of Color?

Want to introduce some wedding color a little more subtly? Easy! Try adding color underneath your white lace, or get creative with your shoe or boot color, like the brides below!

 
 

A Fresh Take on Classic Colors

Even classic colors have fresh appeal when used in non-traditional places. Take these freaking amazing black and white gowns for instance!

 
 
 
 

It’s All In The Details

Whether it’s turning a wedding veil into a badass wedding cape, or rocking colorful hand embroidery with stellar glasses, little details make a big difference in your wedding day look, and can help you express yourself on your wedding day!

 
 
 
 

What About Patterns, You Say?

Well I’m glad you asked! Patterns on a wedding gown, especially hand-embroidered ones, are awesome! Just check out the beautiful patterned dresses below!

 
 
 
 

Rainbow Themed Magic, Anyone?

You know we love a good rainbow themed wedding day!

 
 

The Old Switcheroo…

Maybe you want to have both a classic American outfit, and want to honor your family’s culture. Enter outfit changes! No need to limit yourself to just one wedding day outfit!

 
 
 
 

Don’t let tradition stand in the way of being uniquely and wonderfully you on your wedding day!

There are so many amazing options for expressing yourself on your wedding day! Use some of the ideas above or come up with your own! Tell us in the comments if you have seen other fun trends with femme wedding style you want to share!

—Sam

Non-Traditional Masculine Wedding Looks We Love

Want some non-traditional masc wedding style inspiration? We got you covered!

While we love all kinds of weddings, the offbeat and non-traditional have a very special place in our hearts. Below are some of our favorite non-traditional masculine wedding looks!

Playing it Cool

A classic in the realm of non-traditional wedding looks, we dig a casual beach kind of vibe wherever your ceremony may be! Go with shorts, or jacket free with a patterned shirt to give your wedding look a more casual and laid back vibe. Tie optional!

 
 
 
 

Offbeat Color Combos

Mint green dress pants or a green velvet jacket? Yes please! We love a classic dark grey or blue suit, but a great way to go for a non-traditional look is to change up those colors and get wild!

 
 
 
 

A Fresh Take on Classic Colors

Even classic colors have fresh appeal when used in complementary-colored outfits!

 
 
 
 

It’s All In The Details

Maybe you just want to do a little something fun and unexpected, or maybe you’re going with a classic look but your overall vibe is as non-traditional as it comes. Either way, little details make all the difference and whether it’s a badass tophat or a looser suit you wear with your favorite ear gauges, you’re sure to look great!

 
 
 
 

On Theme and On Point

Maybe you’re into a themed look! You can go as big as you want with wedding cosplay (Dr. Who anyone?) or do something like an alt-kilt theme with a badass mowhawk (one of the coolest hairstyles). Your wedding should be a reflection of who you (and your partner) are, so make sure your outfit and hairstyle feels like you!

 
 
 
 

Speaking of Cool Hairstyles…

No need to let the femme folks have all the hair fun! Whether it’s a gorgeous flower crown, or an elaborately braided updo, masculine presenting folks have so many non-traditional options for amazing hair on their wedding days!

 
 
 
 

Don’t let tradition stand in the way of being uniquely and wonderfully you on your wedding day!

Masculine presenting folks have some great options for getting a little wild and offbeat with their wedding day looks! Tell us any trends you love to see for masculine or groom wedding style in the comments!

—Sam

Top 13 Favorite Wedding Reception Songs

If you’ve seen us at weddings, you know we love to dance while we’re photographing

And as such, we absolutely have some all-time favorite wedding reception songs we love dancing to. Check them out below, and here’s a bonus song that we strongly recommend you never play at a wedding:

  • Better Man by Pearl Jam (just don’t do it, it’s awkward as hell)

Enjoy!

-Sam

6 Reasons You Should Have a Micro Wedding

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We loved micro weddings before they were cool

First of all, what are micro weddings exactly? A micro wedding is typically a wedding that is 20 guests or under.

Second of all, this post is not for you if you have spent your entire adult life, or at least your entire engagement, dreaming of throwing a giant celebratory wedding day bash with every single one of your family, friends, and casual acquaintances in tow. If that sounds like you, there’s no judgment here! We love big parties too! In fact, while my first wedding was a micro wedding, Rob and I had a reception that was so large we literally invited our three favorite clerks from our local Blockbuster Video (and they came!), which means that not only are we old AF, but that we can enjoy a big get together and the fun photo opportunities they provide as much as the next person!

That said, this post is for you if you’re a couple that cringes at the idea of a big to-do, or the idea of being the center of attention in a large crowd. This post is for couples who want to do something special to celebrate their union, but aren’t necessarily looking for the traditional trappings of a wedding day, like first dances, endless speeches and glass clinking, or big crowds. Read on to hear about 6 reasons that micro weddings are the bomb (is that still a cool thing to say?), and why you should totally consider one!

Reason #1 - Less Stressful

Even as a person who loves weddings, I can acknowledge that wedding planning is stressful as hell. There are so many moving parts, that unless you hire a wedding planner (and there are some amazing ones we can recommend), you’re looking at basically a second full-time job just to get your wedding planned and off the ground. Having a micro wedding involves considerably less (though still some) planning, and is therefore considerably less stressful!

Reason #2 - Less Planning Time

With less to plan, you can pull together your dream tiny wedding in much less time than it takes to pull together a larger gathering. That means if you want to be married in two weeks, you can make it happen! Just make sure the vendors that are important to you (such as photographers, officiant, etc.) are available for your preferred date.

Reason #3 - Less Costly

Less guests = less costly. It’s just basic math. When planning a micro wedding, even if you get pretty darn fancy about it, and even if you’re providing food (which is optional), you’re still feeding and providing refreshments for far fewer people than a traditional wedding. In addition, because of the smaller guest list, you open up a world of possibilities for venues or locations. Being able to get more creative with where your wedding is held (due to the smaller guest list) allows you to often pay much less, or potentially nothing at all, for your wedding venue, and that’s a win for your pocketbooks! Also maybe more money left over for a honeymoon or for other wedding-related things you’d like to splurge on!

Reason #4 - More Flexible

If you are planning a 120 person wedding outdoors, you are going to need a backup plan in case of inclement weather, and having access to such a backup plan that accommodates that many people is often expensive and also maybe not the experience you were hoping for. When you’re having a micro wedding, where your guest count is 20 guests or under, you have a lot more flexibility when it comes to things like inclement weather and rain day backup plans! You also have more flexibility to do things like have a weekday wedding, because there are less guests to plan around, and that can also help you save some money with some of your vendors who may offer discounts for weekday weddings, versus weekend weddings (not applicable to all vendors of course).

Reason #5 - More Time With Your Guests

Speaking of your guests, one of the biggest regrets I had from both my weddings, and one of the biggest regrets I hear from our couples, is that they feel they didn’t have enough time to spend with each of their guests, because there were so many and because the day goes by so fast! Well, micro weddings don’t necessarily make the day go by any slower, but what they do give you is the gift of more intimate and undivided time with your closest family and friends. The people who matter most to you in the entire world. Being able to spend more quality time with these special people on your wedding day is an absolute gift, and it’s one of the most amazing and joyful things about having a micro wedding.

Reason #6 - More ‘You’

The larger the wedding, frankly, the harder it seems to be to make it exactly what you want, and to make the day reflect who you are as individuals and who you are as a couple. That doesn’t mean big weddings can’t be unique and awesome, it just means you have to try pretty hard to make them so, and that it’ll likely add to your wedding day expense to do so. When you have a micro wedding, you’re stripping the wedding day down to its most important components; the two of you and your love for one another, and your absolutely closest friends and family. The day automatically becomes more ‘you’ in doing so, and you have a wonderful opportunity to go all out on small details if those are important to you, because you’re going all out for yourselves and a handful of people, versus a ballroom full of people. This is truly a gift!



So if you love the idea of a micro wedding but are on the fence, consider these reasons why you should totally, positively, absolutely go for it! We also offer special elopement and micro wedding packages to meet your needs and we absolutely adore micro weddings! Get in touch if you’d like to talk about options, and also check out this gallery of Micro weddings for inspiration!



-Sam











Why We Love First Looks

 
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It's no secret; we LOVE first looks! 

Okay, I'm not going to say that everyone should do a first look before the actual ceremony, but... I'm willing to firmly declare that most couples would benefit from a first look. 

There are lots of reasons for this, and only some of them are selfish on my part. 

Reason #1

Precious alone time! This may be literally the only time on your whole wedding day that you and your partner get to have a private moment. And while it's wonderful that you get to spend your big day surrounded by friends and loved ones (and the random folks your friends and loved ones brought with them), it's also pretty darn great to have even 15 minutes where it's just you and your partner. Where you get to hug and be excited and have an intimate moment acknowledging that holy crap you're about to get married! This is a really beautiful time, and a little moment of peace in an otherwise fun but hectic day! 

Reason #2

More gorgeous photos of the two of you! Okay, this one is a little selfish on my part, but I also have you two in mind here! Regardless of whether you wait until the ceremony to see each other or you do a first look, the photos are going to be wonderful and meaningful, however, when you do first look photos, the pressure is off! You can take your time being excited to see each other. You can bask a bit in the excitement of this momentous occasion with your very favorite partner in crime. And all the while, we can be taking more gorgeous photos of the two of you, which is an opportunity we don't get when couples wait to see each other until the ceremony. I promise you that first look photos will be some of your favorites of the day

Reason #3

Cocktail hour! Not for us, for you. Let's be honest, would you rather be taking formal photos after your ceremony while everyone else is enjoying the cocktail hour, or would you rather already be done with formal photos, sneak away for some fun pics of just you two (or even you two and your wedding party) and then still make it back in time to enjoy a celebratory drink that you worked so hard to plan? I know which one I'd prefer, and I have a feeling you do too. When you do a first look, you get to spend more of the day together, as partners, because you're not hiding from each other for more than half the day! And that also means that you can knock out things like formal family photos before the ceremony, so that you can get footloose and fancy-free faster! 

 

Ultimately, whether you and your partner decide to do a first look, or wait until the ceremony to see each other, is a matter of personal choice, but if you don't have a strong personal or cultural reason to wait until the ceremony, I'd encourage you to let this tradition go, and do that first look! 

--Sam

Bonus Reason! 

 Just look at these gorgeous first look photos from some of our recent weddings! 

 

Wedding Traditions You Can Skip - The Fancy Dinner

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WHY THE fancy dinner IS OPTIONAL 

It’s easy to stress out about the wedding dinner. You want folks to eat, drink, and be merry, but catering is a big cost, and to be perfectly honest, most fancy dinners at weddings aren’t all that amazing (from my experience attending hundreds of weddings). It’s okay if you want to go super fancy, but if you’re stressing out about it, it’s also okay not to go super fancy!

Cake and punch receptions are gaining popularity again for a reason. Wedding dinners are super expensive, and as lovely as they are, if you're on a tighter budget, or wanting a more casual wedding day, don't be afraid to opt for the cake and punch or an hors d'oeuvres only reception, OR go with something casual but delicious, like tacos, BBQ, or pizza from your favorite local pizza place, all of which will likely go over well with your guests!

Here are a few other perks of skipping or adjusting this wedding tradition: 

  • Cake and punch receptions, or going for more casual fare, is considerably less expensive than a fancy sit-down dinner, and in all honestly, people will probably like it more

  •  Going casual or making it an afternoon cake and punch reception makes it easier to accommodate a wide variety of dietary needs without breaking the bank or makes it almost a non-issue if you’re just doing cake and punch

  • Less to plan equals less stress for you, and I’m all for that!

So feel free to skip the fancy dinner, and whatever you decide, just make sure to let people know what to expect ahead of time via the invite!

--Sam 

9 Things that Drive Wedding Photographers Crazy

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Let's get real here...

Photographers, even the super nice and helpful ones, are still human, and we have some shit that bothers us a little, or worse, makes our jobs harder. Read on to find out what those things are! 

1. Not padding your wedding day timeline 

We totally get it! There's so much you want to fit into your wedding day, and so many moments you want your photographer to capture, but not padding your wedding timeline enough will leave you, your wedding party, and your photographer(s) feeling stressed. If your photographer is a pro, they won't show it, but I guarantee that everyone will feel better and have a nicer time if you don't try to pack too much into the wedding day timeline! 

2. Aunt Judy's ipad

Okay, so maybe your Aunt's name isn't Judy, but if you're like most couples, I am positive that you have at least one Aunt or extended family member who will definitely show up with a giant iPad pro and want to use it to take photos during the ceremony. Any other time, we'd say knock yourself out, but we really recommend an unplugged ceremony so that your guests can focus on what's important (the wedding!) and avoid stepping immediately in front of the photographer(s) you're paying to be there while they're trying to photograph your wedding. Let the professionals be the folks with the cameras during the ceremony and you won't regret it. 

3. Not having seats at the reception 

Of course your photographer isn't going to be seated for your entire reception, but we do have an awful lot of equipment generally, and it's nice to have a designated place to set it down, as well as a 'touchdown' station for super important things like water and dinner rolls to help us keep up our energy and hydration during the reception. It's also very helpful if the seat is near the head table when possible, so we can capture those impromptu kisses and things, even while we're eating fast enough to break the speed of light. Also, even if you don't plan on doing 'assigned seats', it's a great idea to reserve a few spots that are specifically for your close family members (parents generally) and for your vendors. Trust me, your photographer(s) will thank you! 

4.overly restrictive photo rules at venues

There are some venues, largely of the more religious variety, that have some really restrictive rules around photography, including significant restrictions on where photographers can stand, and even what they can take photos of. No joke, we've done weddings where we actually weren't allowed to photograph the first kiss. Now, if the couple knows this about their chosen venue and is cool with it, great! But we find these rules and restrictions are normally communicated only to the photographer(s) and only on the day of, not in advance. For that reason, we strongly recommend that couples check with their venue about photography rules ahead of time, to avoid any unpleasant surprises on the big day! 

5. Pinterest 

Okay, I like Pinterest as much as the next person. That said, most photographers will cringe inwardly (sometimes outwardly) if you say something like "I'm going to send you my wedding photography Pinterest board!" Here's why; you very likely hired your wedding photographer because you like his or her style, and not because you want them to recreate another photographers images frame for frame. It's totally fine to have ideas of stuff you'd like to have photographed, but it's a really good rule of thumb to try not to recreate something you've seen on Pinterest (or Facebook, or Instagram, etc.) and instead work with your photographer to get your own unique photos that are representative of you and your partner! 

6. Creepy or Rude wedding guests 

Okay, I hate that this is true, but it is. Sometimes guests (or wedding party members) can get a little creepy. It can be inappropriate comments,  unwanted touching (seriously Dad of the Bride, I don't need a back rub), or any number of other creepy-dude type things. Also, sometimes guests can get a little rude, even if they're not being creepy. This includes things like touching our photography equipment without permission (seriously, just don't), making out loud derogatory comments about us 'taking up table space' or 'eating' (I don't know why some guests really struggle with thinking it's weird to feed your vendors or rude of vendors to take you up on the offer of food during a long day), or just generally being jerky. Normally, your photographer(s) can handle themselves and are super used to this kind of behavior, so you should know that if it rises to the level that your photographer has to say something to you about it, it's a big deal, and should be taken very seriously. You should also know that most photographers/vendors have clauses in their contracts about a zero-tolerance policy on harassment. If your photographer (or any vendor), lets you know about a creepy or crappy situation, please take that seriously and assign someone to talk with the offending party about the importance of good behavior. 

7. Overly complex Formal Shot Lists

I'm all for folks getting the formal photos that they want to have, but sometimes, in an effort to make sure they didn't miss anything, couples can go a teeeeennnnyyyy bit overboard by building in every conceivable combination of the same 20 people into their formal shot list. Now, this is an interesting pet peeve because the photographer really doesn't care, it's more of an issue because the more combinations and more extended family being worked into the formal shot list, the longer the formal photos take, and the less time there is for things like fun couple's photos, candid shots, etc. (you know, the stuff you'll actually be excited to look at later) AND the more likely it is that family members will start getting cranky or hangry or both (and not just the children) because photos are taking forever. Always do a once-over on your formal shot list to examine whether there are any photos that are essentially duplicates and that you could pare down to make the experience faster and better for everyone (yourselves included!) 

8. "We're just going to Wing it" 

You should never use this phrase in relation to your wedding day. No seriously. All photographers who hear any version of "We're just going to wing it!" come out of couple's mouths want to run for the hills (but we won't, we'll just stay and watch the train wreck happen, unable to look away). The truth is that weddings are a big deal, and there is a LOT of planning that goes into them, so it's best to either take the time to plan out the details (break it into chunks to make it easier or hire a wedding planner) or to decide that if something is too stressful to plan, you will just leave that thing out of your wedding day entirely. 'Winging it' normally means timelines that don't work, cranky and confused guests and wedding party members, and a couple that's actually more stressed out than if they had just planned ahead or hired a professional to do that bit of planning. Trust us, preparedness is key to things going smoothly! 

9. Ghosting your photographer 

Okay, so like, I know that your relationship with your photographer(s) isn't really something you think about much after the wedding day, but for photographers who love wedding photography, and are super invested in the couples they work with, I can't tell you how disheartening it is finish editing a couple's wedding, be SOOOOOOO excited for them to see it, hit that send button, and then.... nothing. *crickets* Like... you literally never hear from this couple again. I also can't even begin to describe the crippling self-doubt that sets in. "Do they hate the photos? Do they hate me? Did they get in some sort of horrible car accident? Are they literally in a coma right now?!" I've learned over time that it's normally just because the couple got busy, and kind of forgot to say thanks or provide feedback, and not because they didn't love the photos. They viewed the whole thing as more of a transaction than a relationship, which is also okay, but dude, we're begging you, at least say you got the album! I'd also wager a bet that these are normally the couples that never quite get around to sending their thank you cards either. Don't be that couple. 

 

Hopefully this has been insightful, and allows you to avoid some of these pitfalls when planning your own weddings! ;) 

--Sam 

 

 

Representation Matters, Especially in the Wedding Industry

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Why it's important to represent more than just straight white couples 

Don't get me wrong, we love straight white couples! But if there is one type of couple that the wedding industry loves to represent, almost exclusively, it's straight, able-bodied, thin and conventionally attractive white couples. 

Here's the problem with that... When you only represent one type of couple, you leave so many other types of couples feeling left out and undervalued. I remember talking with a friend, who is also in the wedding industry, about her experience planning her own wedding and how as an African American woman getting married to a white man, she had a really hard time finding any wedding magazines, blogs, etc. that had any couples that looked like her and her fiancé. I've heard the same thing from countless couples we've worked with, and that fucking sucks. 

So, while checking my Instagram insights recently (I know, I live a very exciting life), I was overjoyed to see that out of my top 6 most liked photos ever on Instagram, 4 of them were of LGBTQ+ couples and 2 included people of color. This tells me two things... 1) That I have the right audience on Instagram for the type of work I want us to be doing (yay!) and 2) That people are thirsty for wedding photos and inspiration that aren't just straight, white, able-bodied, thin and conventionally attractive couples. People want to see wedding inspiration and wedding photos that look like them, and surprise, people come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and orientations and gender expressions!  

We've had couples hire us because not all of the weddings we blog are of super skinny people. We've had couples choose us because we're so vocal about how much we love LGBTQ+ weddings, and so they felt very valued by us. We've had other couples hire us because we understand some of the unique challenges of a wedding day when one or both people in the couple suffer from a chronic, debilitating illness. We've had couples hire us because we have experience taking beautiful photographs of folks with darker skin tones. Other folks have hired us because of our work with Our Lives magazine or the fact that we're super cool working with non-binary and trans clients or because we're cool with poly or ethically non-monogamous couples. Ultimately, people want to know that a wedding vendor, particularly a photographer, is excited to work with them specifically. 

Recently, clients of ours shared a really powerful story with us. This couple has a family friend whose child came out as non-binary. They showed this friend and their child the blog post about Miles + Daniel's non-binary, queer as hell wedding (check out the photos here) and seeing a non-binary person (Miles) so happy and supported, celebrating a wedding, was really powerful for this kid. They said that it helped them see how they could live authentically as themselves, and gave them hope for what an adult life could look like as a non-binary person. I was brought to tears when our clients shared this story with me. Representation matters. It can make such a difference in ways you can't even recognize right away. 

As a small business owner, and as a human, it is so important to me that, to the best of our ability, we're representing those who are traditionally underrepresented in the wedding industry. That's why our focus has long been on diverse and offbeat couples. In particular, serving the LGBTQ+ community is important to me as a person who identifies as queer. That's also why we love the Offbeat Bride site so much! They do a great job of representing a wide variety of folks who don't get much love in the more traditional wedding industry. I want our business to be like that, but specific to photography. I want people to come to our website or social media pages, and be able to really see themselves in the images and stories they find here. 

I want to give so much gratitude to our amazing clients, and thank all of you for putting your faith in us to tell your story in a way that is authentic to you. (I'm not crying, you're crying). 

-- Sam 

p.s. If you have any suggestions for us on how we can continue to strive for that goal, please drop us a line!

Wedding Traditions You Can Skip - The Receiving Line

 
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Why the Receiving Line is Optional

Okay, I'll admit it... I'm not a fan of receiving lines. Generally I'm a very live and let live kind of person when it comes to wedding day planning and preferences, but receiving lines are one thing I think of as being not only optional, but in most cases, better off being skipped! 

Here are a few reasons why receiving lines and I do not get along: 

  • They take forever. Seriously, like forever. And if you're on a tight wedding day timeline, a receiving line could take up to 45 minutes of your post-ceremony picture time (or more), and cut into you enjoying your cocktail hour with your guests! 
  • Receiving lines have very little visual variety, from a photography standpoint. After about the first half dozen pictures of hugging, all the photos look the same because the couple (the subject of the photo) isn't moving, so there's no visual variety to shake things up! 
  • Receiving lines don't just take forever for the couple, but also for their family and friends. Do you know what kids dislike just as much as needing to be quiet for the entire duration of a wedding ceremony? Long lines filled with grown-ups. You know what grown-ups dislike? Also lines. 

I know what you're thinking... "Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!" But, I'm not all doom and gloom! Here are some nice alternatives to the traditional receiving line that are more comfortable for your guests, and provide more visual variety for your photos, while still ensuring you get to greet everyone and that every aunt in attendance gets to pinch your cheek and give you a hug! 

  • Couples can dismiss guests from their seats. This allows guests to remain seated, rather than awkwardly half-standing/half-sitting like you do when you're trying to get in a traditional receiving line. Dismissing guests from their seats also ends up going a little more quickly than traditional receiving lines, so that's a bonus!
  • Couples can skip both the traditional receiving line and dismissing guests and go straight to any after-ceremony photos so that they can meet back up with guests during the cocktail hour! This plan has a lot of bonuses! For one, you get nicer interactions with your guests after they've had a bathroom break and have drinks and snacks. For two, you get way more visual variety in your photos, and more relaxed, casual and fun interactions with your guests. Win/win!

Regardless of what you decide to do, planning is key, so make sure to build plenty of time into your wedding day schedule for whatever method of guest-greeting you plan on doing, enjoy the day, and feel free to skip the receiving line! 

--Sam 

p.s. If you'd like to read more on planning a wedding day schedule, click here! 

 

Wedding Traditions You Can Skip - The Wedding Party

 
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Why the wedding party is optional 

Now don't get me wrong, I think the world of wedding parties! Whether it's bridesmaids, groomsmen, bridesmen, groomsmaids, or non-binary wedding party pals, the friends who stand up with you at your wedding are a very special group of people. 

In large part, wedding parties are there to help you plan, set up and tear down, and celebrate! In short, they're your wedding support network, helping ease wedding planning stress, helping with random errands, and helping to keep you sane in the months leading up to the wedding.

So why am I saying this tradition is optional? 

Because your friends love you, and will help you anyway if you ask. It's as simple as that!

Here are a few other perks of skipping this particular wedding tradition: 

  • You won't have to pay for occasion-specific dresses or suit rentals and your friends won't have to pay for them either! 
  • You instantly lower your wedding floral budget by cutting down the number of people who will need bouquets and/or boutonnieres!
  •  Avoid the stress of feeling like you're either leaving someone out or that your wedding party is getting too big because you didn't want to leave anyone out
  • No need to worry about between Ceremony & Reception transportation for the entire wedding party (party buses or limousines can get expensive!)
  • Less people to plan for equals less wedding planning stress overall for you!  

 

With all that said, if the thought of a wedding party is kind of stressing you out, or there are logistical issues, feel free to skip this one, safe in the knowledge that your friends will love and support you with or without the title! 

--Sam 

 

5 Wedding Budget Tips for Couples

 
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Focus on what is important to the two of you!

Wedding budgets - kind of icky to think about, right? It wasn't my favorite part of the process either, so we wanted to provide some tips to couples looking for ways to reduce costs and focus on what's important about their wedding day; the celebration of their marriage! 

Tip # 1: Pick your top 3 budget items

This is going to look different for every couple, but working with your partner to identify your top 3 budget items will go a long way to helping you prioritize where to spend and where to save during the planning process! For Adam and I, our top 3 were photography (duh), food/drinks, and hotel rooms for our immediate family. For others, it could be venue, wedding planner, and food/drinks, or photography, venue, and flowers. Once you pick your top 3, those can be  your guiding points in decision-making during the planning process, and will help things go a lot more smoothly! 

Tip # 2: Wedding Flowers

If flowers wasn't in your top 3 (see Tip # 1), then this is a great area to save money in. Most cities in the US have farmer's markets where you could pick up flowers the day of, or, if that sounds too risky to you, you could work with a local flower farmer (yes, that's totally a thing) to get a few buckets of flowers that you can arrange yourself, and they can look to meet your color/style preferences where possible. In Madison, Mad Lizzie's Flower Farm is a great place to check out! Depending on the size of your wedding, your flower budget could look a little more like $250 than $2500, depending on the size of your wedding, and if exquisite and specific flowers aren't in your top 3, this is a great way to save while still getting beautiful, fresh flowers. Plus, you're buying local! 

Tip # 3: Wedding Bands and DJs

Again, if this is killer for you, and you want your guests on the dance floor all night, then do it up! We can recommend some great people! But let's say you're not super into dancing, and want a more quiet and intimate reception evening with your guests. If that's the case, don't feel like you need to have a wedding band or DJ just because it's what you usually see. You do you, and if 'you' involves an iPod (do they still make those?) and a playlist you and your person made together, well then that's freaking fantastic, and can save you some cash. :) If you want an intermediate solution, ask a friend to emcee the evening (announcing dinner, first dances, etc.) and then you've got the best of both worlds! 

Tip # 4: Dinner 

Here's a good tip, because even if great food is a super big priority for you and your partner, don't feel like you have to break the bank to provide it! As a person who has eaten a lot of wedding food, let me assure you that more expensive does not necessarily equal better tasting. Sometimes the opposite. You know what people love? Tacos. Pizza. BBQ. You know what's cheaper to provide than fancy plated meals that don't taste that good? Tacos. Pizza. BBQ. If you're in Madison, think of all the great places you could go with! Tex Tubb's Taco Palace has an amazing catering buffet that works for meat eaters, vegans, vegetarians, and those who are gluten sensitive, all without doing anything special! Ian's Pizza is iconic Madison food, and delivers! Smoky Jon's caters (although make sure to have a vegetarian or vegan option if needed)! There are tons of wonderful, local restaurants you can use that will provide fantastic food, at a fraction of the normal 'wedding plated meal' cost. Check them out! 

Tip # 5: Venue

This tip might be more geared towards weddings under 50-60 guests, but is still valid. Wedding venues are expensive, and if you're not attached to a particular venue, then you can get a little creative with where your wedding will take place. Your friend's backyard? Sure! A small local art gallery? Why not! At a State Park? Sign me up! Take into careful consideration whether your off-the-beaten-path venue can comfortably support the number of guests you'd like to invite, but otherwise, go nuts! 

In the end...

The two of you get to decide what's important to you. Figure out what's at the top of your list for your wedding day, and remember that your guests are going to remember celebrating with  you more than they're going to remember anything else, so try not to stress out too much, and just know you don't have to sell your first born in order to have a beautiful and fun wedding day! 

--Sam