One of the wonderful things about being a wedding photographer is that when family members get married, I love being invited along to be close part of their big celebration.  That’s why I was so thrilled when my Uncle called to let me know that his daughter, Emily, was just engaged to a great guy named Jon and would I like to photograph their wedding at a winery in Wisconsin?  Of course!

Emily started getting ready with her family and bridesmaids at Saylon Seven in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The next stop was Cottage Winery Vineyard in rural Wisconsin just a 30 minute drive from Eau Claire.  The amazing venue was gorgeous from every angle!

The venue is a working winery so there were lots of great details to add to the wedding day story.

Some of the decorations included heart shaped hangers made from wine corks- genius!

What a relaxing view for the bridal party to enjoy as they got ready.

Jon looked pretty sharp in his custom made vest with matching pocket square.

The girls were able to find matching dresses to fit their own body type and preferences. I love how they all look together!

A family friend made the bouquets.  The exotic flowers and greenery look amazing!

The program had a timeline of the day!

Emily and her Dad had a few stairs to navigate to get to the ceremony so Jon waited until the matron of honor let him know that Emily was at the bottom of the hill before he turned around.  Seeing him hop in anticipation of seeing her and then the giant grin on his face was the best moment!

What a beautiful location for a wedding!

The ceremony was a fluid blend of anecdotes and readings from family and friends and more traditional parts like ring exchange and the reading of the vows all officiated by Jon’s brother-in-law.  You could see Jon and Emily’s sense of humor throughout.  Reciting their personally written vows was an emotional moment for them both but Emily remembered what her makeup artist said and blurted out “dab, don’t wipe!” when Jon offered his tissue.  The whole crowd cracked up.

Jon’s brother-in-law concluded with “by the power vested in me, from getordained.org”…  Hehe!

We took a few portraits along the winery vines before starting with family photos!

Fresh wood fired pizza was a great choice for the reception dinner.

I got to sneak into one big group photo of the Pierce side of the family during the reception.  Want to play Where’s Katie?

The younger guests enjoyed some treats at the kid’s table and the s’mores station.

The sunset over the neighboring farms was just too pretty to miss.

The caricature artist was a huge hit, making fun and creative portraits of all of the couple’s guests as well as one of the bride and groom themselves!

Family and friends gave some beautiful toasts, including a toast with Capri Sun juice boxes.  Jon also presented his wife with a gift of the map of the United State with pins on places that they had visited promising to fill it up with all the place they will go!  Awww, so sweet!

Congratulations Emily & Jon!             -Katie

Other Vendors-

Hair/Makeup– Saylon Seven – Eau Claire, WI
Tux/Suit-  Men’s Warehouse
Catering Company- A Wandering Fire
Cake/Bakery-  Goodies, Kelly
DJ or Band- Radars, Randy
Caricature- Chris Rommel
Jeweler-  Laskers

PALMETTO DUO FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER– Katie Hart

Are you getting married soon?  We’d love to hear more about your big day!  To set up a meeting or request a price sheet, just use the contact form below and we’ll be in touch with you soon!