jess + mark // the wedding // bluff siding + la crosse, wi

warning >>>> picture overload.

jess and mark celebrated their marriage with an intimate setting of family and friends up on the most perfect hill at their family's farm that overlooks the Mississippi River valley. It is the most breathtaking view. i first got to experience the view a couple years ago when i took family pictures for mark's sister, shannon {aka maid of honor} and her girls, which is how jess found out about me. when she told me that she was keeping it super low key and that they were having it on the farm, my heart skipped a beat. ahhh, my kind of wedding. i was stoked to say the least. the day was amazing and the raindrops waited to fall until after the ceremony was over. the wedding party was great to work with and the girls were so fun. i think every week should be a four day work week, weddings on fridays, and family time on the weekend.

one thing i really love photographing is the early moments of the day. the excitement and anticipation is high, there is anxiousness for the bigger moments of the day to happen, everyone is just chillin' while getting ready, telling jokes, some may even drink a cocktail or two. i don't often get booked to spend a lot of time with everyone for long periods of getting ready. the majority of the time i show up about 30 minutes before any first look giving me just enough time to essentially do the bride getting her dress on. i super love it when i am there longer and have more ease of doing detail shots of the dress, shoes, jewelry, along with both guys and girls hanging out and getting ready....and bonus if it's at someone's house. i just ooze with excitement over that. it's many times one of my favorite chances of the day for me to capture raw natural candid happenings which is what i love. nothing is posed, it's just me and my camera hanging out with you. i was able to do quite a bit of this for jess + mark's wedding since the ceremony was later in the day so be forewarned, there may be a handful more of getting these than normal, because i took a lot ;)

ceremony // family farm // bluff siding, wi
reception // pettibone resort // la crosse, wi

jess had a garter made out of one of her dad's old ties.

 check out part of the view.

this was the moment i really saw jessica's personality come out <3

they both claimed "we are shy and don't like our pictures taken", but i am loving a bunch of these. super lovely.

love a bride who let's me take her into the thicket of trees with the potential of snagging a few pricklies on her lace dress.

 

as really dark clouds moved in about ten minutes before the ceremony, they almost postponed it. it was the type of clouds where you can see the rain falling in the distance and it was looking wicked. the day before the wedding, thursday, was the anniversary of four years since jess's dad's passing.  i heard them say "dad wouldn't let it rain", so we went forward with it. and the clouds went completely around us leaving nothing but sunshine for the ceremony.

 balloons to heaven for dad.

the end. finally ;)

 

hugs,

em