LOTS of Family Sessions Going Down This Fall

The fall is big time for family photos! I have been so busy photographing lots and lots of wonderful families! I would love to showcase each session individually, but for now I wanted to put together some photos from sessions this fall. I know recently I have been blogging a lot of weddings, but truth be told my business is only half weddings. The rest is families and boudoir. I soooo love being part of families for even a half hour- to hang with, play with, get to know, and of course, photograph the story of a family- especially when I’m able to do so year after year. I have been photographing many of these families for the 4 years I have been in Madison. I love being able to document the playful times parents have with their kids. I strive to get animated photographs that families will treasure for years. Thank you to all of the loving parents and children that trust me to photograph you!

Also! If you could be so kind and vote for me best of madison photographer I would SOOO appreciate it!

http://madisonmagazine.secondstreetapp.com/l/BOM-2015/Ballot/ArtsampEntertainment

-scroll down to “Photographer” category

-enter “Maureen Cassidy Photography” and enter required info

-you can vote daily-voting ends this Friday!!

By Maureen Cassidy| October 29th, 2014|Children photography Madison WI, family photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Erin & Michael Awesome Wedding in Denver, CO

I met Erin when I was 19 years old and we were in AmeriCorps together. We had the good luck to be roommates and became instant best friends. That was in 1998 and we have stayed close to each other and followed each other’s journeys into adulthood closely.

I think I can take a small amount of credit for Erin and Michael’s meeting – after sharing my adventures in online dating with Erin, she quickly bit the bullet and made an online profile for a dating site. Soon after she went on a magical date with Michael and said that they were “connected”. When Erin told me Michael proposed I was crying right along with her.

Michael is a perfect match for her and he makes Erin smile even more which I thought was possible! I was honored and excited when she asked me to photograph her wedding. I went searching for an amazing 2nd shooter and found a total winner, Jennie Crate from Green Blossom Photography. You should check her out if you live in the Denver, CO area!

Venue

Our wedding was in Evergreen, Colorado at The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park. It’s this funky and wonderful place about 45 minutes outside of Denver that keeps buffalo and elk. The barn was constructed just over a decade ago out of reclaimed boards and has stained glass that was shipped from Germany.

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

We knew we wanted to be married outside and to have a space large enough for at least 200 people indoors. But really it was about finding a date that would work for this incredible photographer we know who was already half booked for the wedding season, and working around the schedules of our immediate family.

Seriously! There was just elk hanging out really close to where they did their first look.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

All of the interactions with people: hearing from so many friends and family members; creating the world’s most awesome bridal party; working with all the great vendors.

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding? What did you feel least prepared for?

The enormity of the project. For a moment there in the beginning, it felt like I was taking on a part-time job. I wasn’t prepared for how much focus we all had to put on the event.

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

I’m flooded with memories. I will always remember how much the day meant to me, every single part of it, every person there, every word shared, if not actually remembering the parts, people and exact words. It was an incredible feeling.

Did you write personal vows?

We did. Very near the wedding day, too, so they were fresh and a little raw with emotion. We shared them with each other the morning of our wedding day to get each other’s approval. It was a very sweet moment in a day chock-full of sweet moments.

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

Our wedding was a hit, but it could have certainly gone on for another few days and I wouldn’t have minded.

What resources helped you in planning your wedding?

We used the local version of The Knot to get us started. We picked it up at a bookstore after showing up at a wedding planning event, seeing the line, and immediately deciding the event wasn’t for us. It also helped that we have a lot of DIYers in the family.

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Not really. Good luck. Remember it is just one day and try not to be too extravagant with tiny details. Stay organized by keeping a spreadsheet and making lots of email folders. Be prepared to be emotional on wedding week and make time to share/delegate your worries to your support network.

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

I just kept trying to remember that the day was going to go so fast and to just enjoy it while it came.

Which moment(s) are/were you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

People enjoying the wedding. I didn’t get to see everyone, and I’m hoping that most of them appear in these photos.

Why did you choose Maureen Cassidy Photography?

Because Maureen has the ability to capture emotion and moments like no other photographer I know. She is pure energy and will always go the extra mile for the great shot or say the extra raunchy joke for the hilarious reactions.

Every wedding I always look forward to the speeches. I am a sucker for people opening their hearts in any form + often there are funny stories. The groom’s father had such a heart felt speech that I think everyone was really touched and teary.

Any funny moments?

Well, Michael and I had this big plan to don a horse (him) and a unicorn (me) mask for our daytime photos – with us holding signs that said “Thank” and “You” for our cards. The masks were inspired by our horse and unicorn cake topper that I randomly purchased from ModCloth (along with my dress). One day, in a toy store, I saw the matching masks and had to have them.

Like so many things you plan, I forgot all about it in the excitement of the day. At around 11pm, our friends found the masks in one of our bags and were like WHAT?! PUT THESE ON NOW!! So we did and were guided upstairs – because you couldn’t see anything in these masks. Just to set the scene, we had an epic dance party of a wedding – Michael and I kicked off the dancing with a choreographed number and then we brought everyone out for the couples-together-longest dance and the dancing just never stopped – our friends get most of this credit for being awesome, but equal credit is due to the most excellent DJ Rockstar Aaron.

The sight of us in our masks, though, sure cleared the dance floor. Suddenly, it’s a circle around Michael and I dancing to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.” The masks were hot and the song just wouldn’t end. It was apparent to me, even though I couldn’t really see, that we had created the “and then things got weird” moment. On the other hand, it was so hilarious, so we just kept dancing. Shortly after, all my remaining extended family members who had traveled from Michigan to come to our wedding decided to take their exit. The correlation was clear.

Vendor Shout-outs!

Ceremony/Reception Venue – The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park

Hair – The one and only Stefany Vanderberg who will be coming online in 2015

Make up – My amazing bridesmaid Shannon

Wedding Dress – ModCloth, with alterations by The Wedding Seamstress

Bridesmaids Dresses – Varied

Groom & Groomsmen Attire – Varied, ties from The Tie Bar

Catering & Bartending – Hog Heaven BBQ and Hey Bartender

Rentals (tents, chairs, linens, etc.) – Colorado Party Rentals

Officiant – Friend (my high school English teacher)

Wedding planner – Family (my cousin Beth)

Flowers/Florist – Family (my mom and Aunt Lorie)

Invitations – PaperlessPost for the Save the Dates, Noted Occasions for the invitations, and MagnetStreet for the programs

Dessert (cake and such!) – Friends made cookies and Cake Crumbs made the cake

Photography – Maureen Cassidy Photography & Green blossoms photography

Videographer – Family (my stepbrother Chris and his wife San)

DJ and/or band – DJ Rockstar Aaron

Musicians – Vocalist – Carver Duncan

Favors – Discount Mugs

Honeymoon – We planned our own trip to Italy

By Maureen Cassidy| October 24th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Megan and Brett’s Wilderness Resort Wedding

The Beginning of Megan and Brett in their own Words

We met while working at the Eau Claire Academy. Megan worked on a unit and Brett worked as a crisis staff. We had seen each other around work, but really hit it off while going out to a bar with co-workers. We began dating and have enjoying each other ever since! In March 2012 we welcomed our first child, Parker. He has brought us even closer and given us more reasons to laugh.

Wedding Venue

Wild Rock Golf Course Clubhouse at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

We originally were planning on getting married in Madison because a lot of our family is from southern Wisconsin and Illinois, but a lot of the venues in Madison didn’t fit our personality, wedding size, or the vision we had for the day. The Clubhouse was the perfect size and had a rustic charm we were looking for.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

Megan: Brett and I had to travel to the Dells/Madison to do a lot of the planning, I really enjoyed the weekends away and I felt like we agreed on most things.

Brett: Being able to meet with different people and being able to make decisions together.

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding? What did you feel least prepared for?

Megan: We live in Eau Claire, so planning long distance was difficult especially since Brett and I have conflicting work schedules. It was also hard because we knew how we wanted things to look, but it’s hard to make sure it looks that way when you can’t visit your venue all the time.

Brett: Finding time to plan together or planning with a toddler. I felt the least prepared for the dancing and removing the garter because I wanted to have planned something funny and out of the ordinary.

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

Megan: One of my coworkers told me to remember that the day is about love and that everyone is there to celebrate the love between Brett and me. I just kept reminding myself about that. Being surrounded by friends and family was also a great way to keep calm.

Brett: With a lot of friend and family support and help.

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

Megan: Walking down the aisle with my dad was such a great feeling. I had a lot of nerves about how everything was going to go, and once we got there and I saw Brett I felt so much more calm. I also really enjoyed dancing the night away with our friends!

Brett: Watching my bride walk down the aisle with her father and not being able to stop smiling at her beauty and my happiness. But also when our son escaped my parents grip and came up to the alter and stood in between us.

What resources helped you in planning your wedding? (blogs, websites, magazines, friends, wedding shows, etc.)

Megan: I used Pinterest to get some ideas, but that can be dangerous for the budget and it can be hard to find original ideas. I watched probably too many wedding shows. We did go to a couple wedding fairs and got some ideas there.

Brett: Pintrest, attending wedding fairs and actual weddings, and MY WIFE was a major resource as she took the reins in the planning process (and was the ultimate decision maker).

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Megan: Everyone will give you advice about how to do things, whether you want it or not, but be true to your vision and how you want things done. Keep in mind that no one remembers the small details (unless they are planning a wedding), so don’t stress about them.

Brett: Try to have fun with it and try to do it together. Also meet with several people before you make a decision on a certain product.

Why did you choose Maureen Cassidy Photography?

Pictures were one of the most important expenses of the wedding to us, so we initially met with Maureen because her photos are beautiful! But after meeting her we knew she would be a good fit. We loved her personality and sense of humor. She made us very comfortable throughout the whole day.

Which moment(s) are/were you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

Megan: EVERYTHING! I am especially excited to see pictures of the ceremony and all of the details throughout the day. It went so quick and we were so busy I didn’t have time to take it all in.

Brett: ALL OF THEM! I’m excited to see the pictures by the red barn and weeping willow tree. But also with all the bridesmaids and groomsmen. And my father won’t stop talking about the picture of us dancing and Maureen taking the picture from behind a window.

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

Megan: I probably would have had an open bar and hired a videographer. I don’t know how often we would have watched the video but as the bride, you don’t really get to see the whole ceremony and all of the details that you’ve spend so much time planning! Other than that, things went as well as we could have hoped.

Brett: Probably would have remembered the cake topper. Haha. And with an unlimited budget we would have had an open bar and the more expensive fish plate. But other than that I thought the wedding was beautiful and everything went smoothly.

Any funny moments to share?

Megan: Some of Brett’s friends kept passing funny little notes to us via our DJ during dinner. Also, my mom and dad are not big drinkers (aside from wine) but we got them to take some shots (which I had never seen!). My dad was even taking shots of Patron, which completely surprised me! Brett’s mom also took a couple shots with my mom.

Brett: During dinner Megan returned from the bathroom and told me she had taken her bra off and left it in there. And when my mother-in-law said “I don’t take shots.” But then proceeding to defeat 3 or 4 of them.

Vendors

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Wild Rock Golf Course at the Wilderness Resort

Hair & Make up: our friend, Amy Weideman

Wedding Dress: The Wedding Shoppe St. Paul, MN

Bridesmaids Dresses: The Bridal Shoppe Eau Claire, WI

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: The Bridal Shoppe Eau Claire, WI

Catering & Bar-tending: The Wilderness

Officiant: Rev. Karen Hofstad St. Paul Lutheran Church Baraboo, WI

Flowers: Wild Apple Floral Baraboo, WI

Invitations: Megan

Dessert: Cake- Chris’ Confections S’mores- The Wilderness

Photography: Me!

DJ and/or band: Music Box

Favors: Succulents from etsy, buckets from the dollar store

Honeymoon: The Royal Resort in Playa del Carmen Mexico

By Maureen Cassidy| October 16th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Tina and Ben’s Unique & FUN Wedding at Union South

Tina and Ben are so fun and quirky! During both their engagement photo session and throughout their wedding day they had LOTS of fun and unique ideas. Including the idea to take pictures with a BEAR RUG! Haven’t had that happen before, and probably won’t again, but it was awesome. See below for those photos! I really tried to find ways throughout their wedding day to capture their personalities in photographs, while getting lots of candids and natural photos.

We had a lot of fun on this perfect August day! Thank you so much Katie Paulos from Beyond Elegant events for suggesting me for their photographer!

Venue

Our ceremony was at Eastside Lutheran Church and the reception was in Varsity Hall at the Union South.

The guys got ready at the Essen Haus because my father owns it and they could have an awesome lunch and drinks!

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

I was calm all day! It was the days and weeks leading up to the wedding when I was freaking out!

Which moment(s) are/were you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

The photos with the bear!

The bear is a great representation of Tina’s awesome humor!!!

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

Waiting to walk down the aisle was a similar gut-wrenching anticipatory feeling to inching up the first hill on a roller coaster.

Any funny moments to share?

Right before the service my bridesmaids and I quacked like the Mighty Ducks, and I’ll always remember it. Also my friend Peter split his pants trying to dance like Michael Jackson!

They really like ducks!

What resources helped you in planning your wedding?

My planner Katie from Beyond Elegant Events was the best. I needed someone to organize my crazy ideas!

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

The center pieces were my favorite. I absolutely love A la Carte rentals. I surprised Ben by incorporating antlers!

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding? What did you feel least prepared for?

Dealing with seating arrangements was intense. We invited a huge amount of people and it ended up feeling like a crazy amount to work with! Also, planning a wedding in Madison while living in Minneapolis did not help!

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

It really came down to the wood flooring! It was large enough with a color scheme that went perfectly for my wedding!

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

I would have changed into a short dress for the reception. I just wanted to jump around and the long dress was cramping my style!

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Delegate jobs! You don’t have to do everything!

Vendors

Ceremony Venue: Eastside Lutheran Church

Reception Venue: The Union South

Hair & Make up: The Ultimate

Planner: Katie Paulos from Beyond Elegant Events

Catering & Bar-tending: The Union South

Rentals (tents, chairs, linens, etc.): Event Essentials and Ala Crate

Officiant: Eastside Lutheran

Wedding planner: Katie from Beyond Elegant Events

Flowers/Florist: Flora by Jamae

Wedding Dress: The Wedding Shoppe in St Paul, MN

Invitations: My Personal Attendant

Dessert (cake and such!): Carl’s Cakes

Photography: Maureen Cassidy Photography – Patricia from Rejoy Photography as 2nd shooter

DJ and/or band: Showtime Entertainment

Musicians: Little Vito and the Torpedoes

Bridesmaids Dresses: Target

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Mens Wearhouse

By Maureen Cassidy| October 10th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Leila & Jason’s Olbrich Garden Wedding

This was a great wedding, and I see a lot of ’em. Thing that made it so great was the love these two have for each other, and how honest they are about it and willing to let the whole world see. I so admire men in particular who show their love so openly, and Jason is one of these men. Leila and Jason’s love for each other is soooooooo strong and clear. It brings me peace to witness love like this, and is definitely one of the perks of this job.

How Leila and Jason Met

We both grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and went to rival high schools but never actually met each other until we were in college. During our first semester in college we both traveled to Milwaukee to visit friends from high school and instantly clicked. The problem was that we lived over 200 miles apart! But that didn’t stop us- the next semester Jason transferred schools and moved to Minneapolis to be with me there. Five years later we got engaged!

Venues

The ceremony was at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the reception was at Madison Concourse Hotel.

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

We live in MN now but we decided to have the wedding in Madison because both of our families and some of our friends still live there. I’ve always loved Olbrich and absolutely LOVE flowers. Plus, we didn’t have to do much decorating since the scenery was already so amazing. Since it was an August wedding we didn’t want to have the entire wedding outside so people wouldn’t overheat. We chose the Concourse for our reception because of its location, good reviews, and flexibility with decorating. Plus they were able to take care of all the setting up and taking down of decorations for us, which was amazing.

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

Leila: I have a lot of great memories from that day. I think the part of that day that I expected the least was seeing myself in the mirror with all my wedding attire on and all my best friends and closest family members around me helping me get ready and at that moment I was so emotional and overwhelmed with happiness! I didn’t think I was going to cry at the ceremony but I did and it was probably the happiest moment in my life. I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle and share that with my husband.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

Leila: I loved making decisions with Jason for the wedding. We had the same taste for a lot of things but he also brought a few ideas to the table that I never would’ve thought of. For example, neither of us are crazy good dancers, so originally we were planning to just slow dance to Hard to Concentrate by RHCP (since that is a song we both love). But then Jason suggested we have a fun, semi-choreographed dance to Groove Me by King Floyd. We quickly put together a fun and upbeat dance. Everyone seemed to enjoy the change of pace from the typical first dance song.

Jason: For me the most enjoyable part was watching all of the individual pieces come together into a fantastic celebration. In the beginning there is so much stress and anxiety over what stuff to pick, which vendors to go with, and so forth. But once the decisions were made it was truly awesome to see the pieces come together into something that was so well coordinated.

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

Jason: Absolutely it was Leila walking down the aisle and seeing her for the first time was the most vivid memory I have of the day. She had done a very good job of keeping every part of her outfit and hairstyle secret from me, I really didn’t know what to expect when she walked out. When I saw her I almost fell over, she was so beautiful and radiant, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful and having no clue what was coming it hit me like a storm the moment I saw her.

Personal Vows

Leila’s: Do you remember the watercolor painting I made for you for our first valentine’s day? The words I wrote say: “I love you not only for who you are but for who I am with you”. Those words are still true today and always will be. From the moment we met you’ve made every day better and have given me all of your love. You’ve been there for me through any hardship I’ve faced; you’ve held me when I’m upset; you’ve encouraged me to try new things and live life to the fullest. And I promise to always do the same for you. I promise to always support you, appreciate all the things you do for me, and be the best wife I can be. I couldn’t ask for a better partner to experience this life with and I can’t wait to start this new chapter in our life together. And as you always say “the fact of the matter is” I love you. Always and forever.

Jason’s:

Leila, Standing here at the alter with you,
There are a few things I vow always to do.
Firstly I vow always to give you my heart,
There’s nothing in the world that can tare us apart.
Secondly I vow to always give you my mind,
Whenever you need laughter, support, or words that are kind.
Third I vow to always give you my shoulder,
To cry on or to hold when life is as heavy as a boulder.
Fourth I vow to always give you my life,
To share with you as my beautiful wife.
Finally Leila I vow to you,
To love you forever and always be true.

Their kiss as a married couple…

And Jason could not stop kissing her.

And she loved that!!!

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding? What did you feel least prepared for?

Leila: Coordinating the wedding from afar was difficult at times. Luckily, we had family in town to help us, but we did end up making the 4 hour drive plenty of times to organize all the vendors. It may have even been a good thing though because it made my mother-in-law and I a lot closer. We ended up talking on the phone almost every day and she basically became my wedding planner and second mom all at the same time! I felt least prepared for our speeches. I’m not very comfortable getting up and talking in front of a huge crowd so I was pretty nervous but Jason helped me through it by taking the lead.

Jason: Finding the time to do all of the little stuff was very difficult as both of us were in school and working during most of the year while we were planning. Little tasks or decisions that needed to be made together became rather difficult to accomplish with our different schedules, but we made it work!

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

Leila: My bridesmaid’s helped me the most with that. My nerves were put to the test when our officiant showed up late to the ceremony and I thought at first that we might not get married! Luckily, he showed up but everyone around me helped me to stay calm and figure it out. When I was walking down the aisle, my dad talked to me about something else to keep me from bawling and kept me calm so I was able to make it in one piece.

Jason: Jameson and PBR! Every time I was going nuts about something one of my groomsman would hand me their personalized flask and say “chill out and take a swig”. It worked.

What resources helped you in planning your wedding?

We looked for inspiration in a few usual places like Pinterest for decorations and hairstyles and asked our friends and family for their opinions on things. My mom also gave me Colin Cowie’s book on wedding planning and that helped for keeping on a timeline and making sure we had all our T’s crossed. Honestly, my mother-in-law was actually the person who helped us the most with wedding planning, setting up all our appointments, and keeping us on track so really we have her to thank!

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Leila: Make sure you enjoy every moment of being engaged and the wedding day itself. When you first start out you think you have so much time before the big day and then it just flies by! Make sure to also show appreciation to all the people who help you get to that point because they matter too. Most of all, just enjoy your time together!

Jason: Don’t sweat the little things especially on the wedding day. Try not to get worked up or upset if something doesn’t go absolutely to plan, no one will know and no one will care, something always goes wrong but enjoy the day. Hopefully, you only have a wedding day once, so don’t forget to have fun with it. It is a high stress event but let loose, get crazy, and live it up to the fullest on that day.

Which moment(s) are/were you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

Leila: All of them!!! Maybe the ones from the dance floor because all of our friends and family were dancing the whole night so I’m sure we will have some good ones from that!

Jason: The dance for sure. also the decorations and look of the reception hall, I feel like I barely even got to see it.

Any funny moments to share?

Leila: A lot! But Jason has a good one:

Jason: The funniest thing that happened was actually after the wedding was over, my brother who was also my best man came back after going out with a large group of people from the wedding, it was 3 am and he had given his key card for his room to his friends who left early and were staying with him in the room. He gave them the key card and told them he would knock when he comes back. After returning form the long night of drinking he goes up to what he thinks is his room door and gives a couple of very loud knocks to let his friends know to come and let him in, what he didn’t realize was that this was not his room, it was the room next door to his room. After a few sends who comes and answers the door but my grandpa, and my brother just looked at him swaying from drunkenness and my grandpa slams the door on his face. In the morning we all had a good laugh about it my grandpa thought it was hilarious.

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

Maybe, if that was the case but thinking back on it, it was the best wedding we could have dreamed of. All of our favorite people were in one place together, dancing and partying like they’ve known each other for years. That’s what made it the best.

Vendors

Ceremony Venue: Olbrich Botanical Gardens

Reception Venue: Madison Concourse Hotel

Hair: Temptd Hair Salon

Make-up: my friend, Becky Cripps

Wedding & Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Savvi Formalwear

Catering & Bar-tending: Concourse Hotel

Rentals: Event Essentials

Officiant: Daniel Floeter, he is a Madison judge

Flowers/Florist: Maureen Essenmacher

Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas

Dessert: Gigi’s Cupcakes

Photography: Me!

DJ and/or band: Ryan Etten

Favors: made them myself! Got materials from Party City

Honeymoon: Turks & Caicos Islands

By Maureen Cassidy| October 2nd, 2014|Featured Wedding Photographs Madison WI, Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Meghan & Austin’s Awesome Outdoor Wedding at Century Barn in Wisconsin!

When I first met with Meghan she kept saying that she wanted a ton of candids and natural photos. I hear this at most wedding consults that I do, and luckily I love candids and natural photos too! I have to say that I think this is pretty much why people hire me. I don’t like stale photography and I see the whole wedding day as one of the most emotion filled days of your life. For Meghan and Austin’s wedding, I was lucky to have Sharon from SV Heart photography 2nd shoot with me for the day. I LOVE her and her work. We had too much fun at this wedding! Meghan and Austin’s beautiful wedding lent itself easily to candids and natural photos, including those below. I hope you’ll agree! Without further ado..

Meghan and Austin’s Wedding in their own words

Where was your wedding?

Both our ceremony and reception were at Century Barn in Mt. Horeb, WI.

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

We wanted to be outside, so we could feel summer elements.
We wanted the wedding in the country without all the noise and busyness of the city.
Affordability. With Century Barn, we liked the option of being able to bring in your own alcohol, catering company, and flowers. This made it much cheaper.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

Meeting my photographer! Also, setting up the day before and watching the wedding all come together.

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding? What did you feel least prepared for?

There is sooo much out there about weddings, that it can be overwhelming when searching for invites, ideas, etc. Also keeping to a budget was hard because we wanted to make our wedding awesome and personal, and that can cost money. It was also a challenge to make sure that our DJ understood and supported everything that we wanted.

If you wrote personal vows, will you share what they were?

It was hard enough getting out the standard vows during the ceremony due to nerves and emotions. We chose to share our personal vows to each other when it was just the two of us after the wedding.

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

I would have a life coach there to tell me not to drink as much and to remind me to take a chill pill!

I think this picture perfectly captures the beauty of their outdoor wedding, and their love for each other!

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

The ceremony and the beautiful sunset.

Which moment(s) are/were you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

Austin and I right after the wedding, the sunset shots, close family photos.

I love hugs, even photographing them!

What resources helped you in planning your wedding?

Friends and family helped. We also checked out a few wedding checklists.

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Think about the big picture. Don’t get worked up about the little details. Remember that your wedding day is only 12 or so hours. Make them all count. Take it all in and enjoy the moment. Try not to let anything get you upset.

Nikki Hanson is my friend and she is so so fun and an absolutely amazing photographer! She could not photograph this wedding because she was the maid of honor. So glad she trusted me to photograph her best friend’s wedding. That is a big deal to me!

Any funny moments to share?

It was a very warm day, and I used a hunting knife to cut out the netting in my dress because I was SO hot.

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

I had a big breakfast and was able to enjoy all the steps leading up to the big walk down the aisle. After that I just remembered to smile and eat dinner!

Shout out to all the Hardworking Vendors!:

Ceremony & Reception Venue- Century Barn

Bridesmaids Dresses- David’s Bridal

Catering, Bar-tending, & Desserts- Lombardino’s, Madison

Rentals (tents, chairs, linens, etc.)- Brookfield Party Rental and A La Crate

Officiant- Father Michael Messina

Flowers/Florist- Costco in Verona– Ellen is great!

Photography–Maureen Cassidy Photography

Invitations- Coqui Design– awesome!!!

Favors- Matches “Get lit up on the Dunn”

Honeymoon- San Francisco, CA to Portland, OR. This was an amazing trip. that I would recommend to everyone. Rent a convertible!

Transportation – Badger Bus

By Maureen Cassidy| September 25th, 2014|Uncategorized, Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Barn at the Harvest Moon Pond Wedding

This was a beautiful wedding under two willow trees, with both the ceremony and reception taking place at Harvest Moon Pond in Ponyette, WI. The thing that I’ll always remember from this wedding is how GORGEOUS Dustyn’s smile is. Just check out all the pictures below, her smile is shining in all of them. Amazing smile=amazing lady with an amazing love. Without further ado…

Dustyn & Calvin’s Wedding, in their own words

How did you meet?

Calvin and I met in Menomonie in 2006. I attended college with Calvin’s sister, Summer, and she introduced us. Our relationship was sparked the weekend of May 6, 2006, when we spent a long weekend in Kentucky with Calvin’s family. Calvin met me at the airport with a bouquet of roses – a great start to the weekend! We did some sightseeing around Louisville and also went to the Kentucky Derby! It was an amazing time. We wore big hats, went to a special derby breakfast, met the Derby Festival Queen, and had our fair share of mint juleps- Calvin also gave me my first lesson in betting at Churchill Downs. We started dating soon after, on May 24, 2006. The rest is history!

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue?

We wanted something both rustic and nice, but with a laid back feel. We were also looking for a place that had a great view.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

I had an 18 month engagement so I really tried to enjoy the whole process. I loved dress shopping and meeting with all of the vendors.

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding?

My biggest challenge was to try and make our wedding day our own. With so many people giving their opinions, wedding websites telling you what you “need”, and Pinterest, it is easy to get lost in how other people see your day.

What resources helped you in planning your wedding? (blogs, websites, magazines, friends, wedding shows, etc.)

Blogs, friends, and websites helped us plan. But in the end I realized that most of the things I saw online ended up costing me $$ and didn’t pan out. So, I would say that Pinterest actually hurt me more than it helped!

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

I loved the first look! I wasn’t going to do it, I actually was super against it at first, but it was an amazing part of our day. I was very calm during the first look, but right before I walked down the aisle I got very nervous and excited. Having the first look didn’t take anything away from seeing my husband while I walked down the aisle. It was almost like having two weddings, if that makes sense.

The first look!
The beautiful willow trees.

I love love love photographing the hugs!Dustyn asked to have a photo with me. Can you find me?

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

If we really had an unlimited budget, I would have loved to have lobster and king crab on our menu, a videographer, and I would have wanted two photographers to shoot; I would have loved to see all the different angles.

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

I actually didn’t really have wedding day nerves, but Calvin did :). I was able to eat all morning (the determining factor if I am nervous or not) I guess I calmed them by being with my husband for 8 years prior and knowing that he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. We also spend a lot of time planning for our marriage instead of just our wedding. We took financial classes, consulted with our pastor, and took a marriage counseling class. All of these situations allowed us to talk about things that we don’t typically talk about in our day-to-day lives.

What one moment from your wedding day will last with you both forever?

Calvin and I both agree that the first look was the best moment of the day! I also loved on our bus ride back to the hotel, Calvin held my hand and said, “This was a perfect day”.

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

Make sure that you decide what you want your day to be like before you start planning. Also, don’t ask other people for their opinion unless you are ready to hear it. I realized that people like to live vicariously through you, and they try and push their ideas on to you.

Vendors that work really hard to help make the wedding day so awesome!

Venue for Ceremony & Reception: Barn at Harvest Moon Pond

Hair: Brideheads

Wedding Dress: Brandi’s, New Glarus

Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Catering & Bar-tending: Porktropolis & Exceptional catering, Sun Prairie

Officiant: Pastor Michael Lee – First Lutheran Church, Lodi

Flowers: Felly’s Flowers, Monona

Photography: Maureen Cassidy Photography

Dessert (cake and such!): My grandma made it 🙂

DJ and/or band: Juke Box Bandstand

Musicians: Bill McInnes, Piper for Any Occasion

Honeymoon: Cozumel, Mexico!

By Maureen Cassidy| September 19th, 2014|Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Backyard Wedding in Madison Wisconsin

Sara & Josh’s Backyard Wedding

I know I am not good at blogging. Writing has never been a strength for me. It’s much easier for me to tell a good story with photographs than words.

BUT I need to blog. I want to share the pretty photos and I would love to have a resource for other couples getting married.

So here we go!!!
A whole new thing!
A whole new great thing!!

You get to see pretty pictures from their wedding and learn about the couples journey together and planning. It’s going to be awesome!!! (see all of those !!!<<<<<)

Josh and Sara met by chance on a sunny day in May of 2005. Josh was home for the summer from college working on remodeling Sara’s mom’s house. Sara came home for lunch one of those days, just a week before her high school graduation, and the two were introduced (Sara’s mom will take all the credit…just ask her :). They had an instant connection and really, what girl can resist a man doing construction? Through ups and downs, years and distance, good times and bad, they always remained a part of each other’s lives. And nine years later, they are excited to begin writing the next chapter of their story together.

Where was your wedding?

Easton, Wisconsin (20 minutes north of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin)

What were your deciding factors in choosing your venue(s)?

We lived a town apart growing up and we both have large families so we wanted to have something that was close by the place where we grew up and convenient for the majority of our guests. We also knew that we wanted something low-key and more casual so we decided on a family member’s private backyard in the country. We weren’t locked into setting up everything just before the wedding or subject to the prices and limitations of many wedding specific venues. We really felt we could make it our own.

What was the most enjoyable part of planning your wedding?

I am very detail-oriented so I loved planning the decorations and focusing on the tiny details. We also did a lot of DIY. My husband built wooden gift boxes out of our old, rustic deck boards for my bridesmaids’ gifts and I decorated them with lace and filled them with individualized gifts for each of my girls. I also made my own table runners from wholesale burlap and lace. My husband made the rustic signs that were displayed around the yard. We used old windowpanes for our table assignments and chalkboards for the ceremony programs instead of having them printed.

What was your greatest challenge in planning your wedding?

1. Trying to make everyone else happy
2. Finalizing the guest list
3. Not having lodging accommodations close by for our out-of-town guests

What memory stands out most from your wedding day?

THE RAIN!!! It rained all day! Not ideal for an outdoor wedding but looking back, that was definitely the one thing we won’t forget.

How did you calm your wedding day nerves?

It was one of my bridesmaid’s birthdays the day I got married and another one’s was two days later. They were both my college roommates and one of our traditions was to wake up at the crack of dawn and make a pancake breakfast for the birthday person and then jump on them and wake them up. The both live over 1000 miles away from me now and we don’t often get to celebrate the tradition anymore. So instead of sleeping in as late as I possibly could on the day of my wedding, a couple of the other girls and I got up and made pancakes before the sun came up. We followed breakfast up with some yoga and it definitely kept me calm. Everyone involved in a wedding has his or her own emotions on that day. I just sat back and tuned out all the commotion around me and thought about my vows and how I was going to marry my best friend. I didn’t worry about the overcast skies or the decorating that my family was hopefully finishing that morning at the venue. Once I let go of the control I wanted to have, I was able to relax and enjoy each moment.

If you wrote personal vows can you share them with us?

When I sat down to write my vows to you…. (earlier this week) … I didn’t know how to put it all into words…there are great songwriters and poets who can fit the sum of their feelings into just a few verses and maybe a chorus…but how do I put our story into a few paragraphs that I can say in the presence of all of these people who have somehow and in some way been an important part of our lives?
I think the reason I couldn’t do it at first and waited, literally, until the last minute, was because I felt like no matter what I said, it wouldn’t be good enough for our wedding day…and you deserve nothing but the very best…even if it’s just words…but then I realized, as I began writing it all down…that never once…. since I have known you, have you ever made me feel like anything I have ever done or said wasn’t good enough for you. You have always accepted me for the person I am …and I have learned with you that it is okay to leave some things unspoken because they will still always be felt.
In our nine years of knowing each other we have been many things to one another…acquaintances, a couple, broken up, friends, long distance supporters, a calming voice on the other end of the line, an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a sober ride home, together again… but never once were we enemies nor did we wish hurt upon one another. And so…. After all of that…I get to stand here today and marry the best man that I know… to become your wife. Even above your loyalty to family and friends, above your kindness to strangers, above your honesty to all, and above the unconditional love you bestow upon those around you… you are a good man… a really good man…with the best heart. And I have always known…always… that I am the lucky one.
So Josh…
I vow to always be myself…but to continue allowing you to make me a better person as you have always done for as long as I have known you. I vow to say the truth…to share with you the things that are written on my heart…I vow that grilled cheese sandwiches will still always taste better when YOU make them and that the lawn will always look nicer when YOU mow it…I vow that I will try to save a bird or a squirrel or a turtle for every duck and pheasant that you and Maverick, our lovely Chocolate lab, gun down and “fetch up” …And I can’t promise that a stray animal won’t show up at our house, in my arms, in need of our love and cuddling. I vow that some things will never change. I realize that marriage will not always be easy and there will be days when I want you to sleep on the couch or in the dog kennel outside…in the cold…preferably with the dog…but I vow to hold your hand and stand beside you when all you need is a friend…and I vow to give you the space you need when you feel you want to be alone. I vow to support you in your decisions even if I may not always agree. And above all, I vow to love you in the best way that I know how…for all the rest of my days.

If you had an unlimited budget or simply could redo your wedding day, would you have done anything differently?

I would have definitely had a smaller wedding in terms of the guest list. We had 275 guests or so for the dinner and it really was too many. I felt like I had to try and talk to everyone who came which just wasn’t possible. 150 guests or less would have been an ideal number and if I could do it again, I would find a way to trim it down to that number.

What resources helped you in planning your wedding? (blogs, websites, magazines, friends, wedding shows, etc.)

-Wedding photography blogs were helpful because you can see all the details of what other couples have done.

-Pinterest was also amazing for finding decorating details, bridal party looks, and gift ideas

-Talking with friends who have recently been married was also extremely helpful. We found our ceremony musician and videographer through friends’ recommendations.

Since it rained a fair amount on their wedding day and everything was outside her wedding dressed got super dirty! I love love love how much she did not seemed phased about this!

Every wedding dress gets dirty. More so when you have an outdoor wedding. And well even more when it rains on your wedding day!

Do you have any advice for people planning a wedding?

1. Identify the aspects that are most important to you and spend your energy and money in those areas and cut in others. Photography and music were most important to us so that is where we splurged to have exactly what we wanted. For example, I didn’t care all that much about flowers since we were having an outdoor wedding and reception, so we decided to ditch-pick wild flowers, even for our bouquets. They turned out AMAZING and we didn’t have to spend a dime.

2. Stick to your budget. It’s REALLY easy to go over.

3. Don’t ask for advice from anyone except your soon-to-be spouse. Everyone will have a different opinion about how things should be done for your big day. It will do nothing but drive you crazy and make you second-guess everything.

4. Do FIRST LOOK PHOTOS!!! Some people shy away from it because it’s not “traditional” but I am SOOOO glad we decided to do this. Even my husband didn’t want to do them and I talked him into it a few weeks before the wedding. He admits that he is really happy that he agreed to it. It is so much more intimate than seeing each other for the first time in front of 200 some people. It’s two of you and your photographer hiding out to capture the moments.

Which moment(s) are you most excited to see in your wedding photos?

Our first look photos, the ceremony, the speeches and the RAIN!

Describe your wedding inspiration. (Think overall theme, décor, etc.)

We went for rustic/vintage/DIY

What song did you walk down the aisle to?

“Time After Time” played by Tyler Wied on acoustic guitar

What song did you dance to for your first dance?

“To Make You Feel My Love” played by Tyler Wied on acoustic guitar

Vendors

Make up- Sarah Singletary, Baraboo, Wisconsin-E-mail: beautiful.faces.by.sarah@gmail.com

Wedding Dress-“Goldie” by Designer Enzoani, purchased from Vera’s House of Bridals in Madison, WI

Bridesmaids Dresses-Anthropologie (At Dusk Dress by Yoanna Baraschi)

Groom & Groomsmen Attire-Men’s Wearhouse (Bowties purchased from Kohl’s)

Catering-Elite Catering, Baraboo, Wisconsin

Rentals-Tents and Events, Baraboo, Wisconsin (tables, chairs, linens, dance floor, tent, lighting)

A La Crate Vintage Rentals, Madison, Wisconsin (whiskey barrels)

Officiant-Friend of the Bride and Groom

Flowers/Florist-Corsages and Boutonnieres from Anchor Floral, Adams, Wisconsin

Bouquets and Centerpieces-picked from nearby ditches and family gardens

Invitations-Invitations by Dawn (Antique Floral Design)

Dessert (cake and such!)-Cupcakes and cake made by bride’s aunt

Photography- Maureen Cassidy Photography & Patricia Espedal from Rejoy Photography

Videography-Aerodef Productions, Brookfield, Wisconsin

DJ and/or band-Rick Thalacker, Westfield, Wisconsin

Musicians-Tyler Wied, acoustic guitar

Shady Grove (Blue Grass/Folk band from Fond du Lac, WI- played for cocktail hour)

Favors-Wisconsin State Can Koozies from You’re That Girl Designs (Etsy)

Transportation-Kobussen Buses LTD (guest shuttle)

Honeymoon-Moon Palace, Cancun, Mexico

By Maureen Cassidy| September 12th, 2014|Backyard Wedding, Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Featured Photograph {Maureen Cassidy} Madison Wisconsin Wedding & Portrait Photography

Today’s featured wedding photo was published on the awesome site Moment Junkie. It’s a great site that you can spend hours browsing amazing candids!

If you are interested in finding out more information about our wedding photography, please check out Wedding Portfolio and our Wedding Investment Page.

By Maureen Cassidy| August 7th, 2014|Photographer Madison Wisconsin, Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Best of 2013 Wedding Photography CONTEST

2013 was an awesome year! Another year filled with amazing people uniting and myself having the honor of photographing their wedding. This year like last, I photographed 23 weddings. I honestly had such a blast doing it! I think each year I love being a wedding photographer more and more! As you scroll through you will see why!

Vote for your favorite wedding image of 2013 from Maureen Cassidy Photography

WINNER receives a full session + digital files (value of $500)

Runner up receives a mini session + digital files (value of $250)

RULES:

1. Be cool

2. Vote by commenting on which number you choose. ONLY 1 vote per email. (emails are never used or sold)

3. Get more votes by liking the image on Facebook in the 2013 Wedding Contest Album. Voters must FIRST like my facebook page for the vote to count.

4. Voting ENDS January 18th at midnight

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Jeremy & Emily- Jamaica Ocho Rios

Marie & Andrew – Janesville Wisconsin

Renata & Douglas – Madison Wisconsin

Kristine & Brandon – Lodi Wisconsin

Angie & Eric – Wisconsin Dels

Caroline & Michael – Madison Wisconsin

7.
Courtney & Nathan – Madison Wisconsin

Bill & Ron – Madison Wisconsin

9.
Susil & Boryana – Madison Wisconsin

10.

Angie & Nate Lake Windsor Wisconsin

11.

Gina & Igor Tyrol Basin

12.

Maggie & Ken – Madison Wisconsin13.

Jenny & Brandon – Dodgeville Wisconsin

14.

Christa & Leigh – Madison Wisconsin

15.
Katie & Jeff – Devils Lake Wisconsin

16.

Erin & Jon – Madison Wisconsin

17.

Natalie & Nick – Badger Farms in Madison Wisconsin

18.

Nyaisha & Chris – Central Coast Wisconsin

19.

Britany & Rob – Poynette Wisconsin

20.

Erin & Tm – Badger Farms in Madison Wisconsin

21.

Stacy & Matt – Poynette Wisconsin

22.

Jennifer & Thomas – Poynette Wisconsin

23.

Dawn & Dan – Delaware

By Maureen Cassidy| January 9th, 2014|Photographer Madison Wisconsin, Wedding Photography Madison WI|39 Comments

Boudoir in Madison Wisconsin {mini session}

Boudoir photography is so exceptionally beautiful! I know it feels so daring and often a push of character to sign up for a boudoir session.

BUT it’s so worth it!!!Every woman who has signed up has LOVED the experience and most have done it as gifts and the recipients have been floored!

The sessions will be in Madison Wisconsin at a lovely local hotel.

VIEW MORE BOUDOIR WORK

By Maureen Cassidy| January 9th, 2014|Boudoir Photographer Madison WI, Photographer Madison Wisconsin|0 Comments

Olbrich Gardens Wedding & Lussier Family Heritage Center in Madison Wisconsin

As you scroll through these photos you will see the amazing bond and absolute love these two fine men have for each other! I completely adored being with these love-drunk men on their wedding day! Everyone who attended the wedding, including myself was moved to tears from witnessing their love and dedication
On top of how loving they are, they are also SUPER fun! Cracking jokes with their family and friends the whole day through. The whole wedding day was a joy and I feel so honored to of been their wedding photographer. The ceremony was at Olbrich Gardens in Madison and the Reception was Lussier Family Hertiage Center south of Madison Wisconsin. Lot of stellar vendors took part on this amazing day. The list is at the bottom of the post.

Ceremony: http://www.olbrich.org/

Reception: http://www.countyofdane.com/lwrd/parks/heritage/

Wedding planner: http://www.lavenderhillevents.com/

Catering: Working Class Catering: http://www.goodmancenter.org/services/working-class-catering

Music: Madison Mobile DJ: http://www.madtowndj.com/

Rentals: Event Essentials: http://www.eventessentials.com/ & A la Crate: http://alacratevintage.com/

Desserts: Bloom Bake Shop: http://www.bloombakeshop.com/

Floral: Flora Designs by Jamae: http://florabyjamae.com/

Transportation: Gallant Knight: http://www.gallantknightusa.com/

Photography: Maureen Cassidy photography: http://maureencassidyphotography.com/ & 2nd shooter: Patricia Espedal Rejoy photography

By Maureen Cassidy| December 11th, 2013|Lussier Family Heritage Center, Olbrich Gardens, Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Olbrich Garden Wedding in Madison Wisconsin

Caroline and Mike are so rad and make such great couple. Their wedding was so much fun! Check out the pictures and you will see. They got married at Olbrich Gardens and their reception was at the Majestic. How amazing is that! (It was!)

Some awesome Vendors to thank!

Cake- CupCakes A-Go-Go: http://www.cupcakesagogo.com/
Hair-Sarah Sandell of Avant Garde Salon: http://www.avantgardesalonwi.com/Home.html
Flowers-daffodil parker: http://www.daffodilparker.com/

Ceremony: Olbrich Garden http://www.olbrich.org/

Reception: Majestic theater in Madison Wi : http://www.majesticmadison.com/

Photography: Maureen Cassidy Photography: http://maureencassidyphotography.com/

By Maureen Cassidy| September 23rd, 2013|Olbrich Gardens, Wedding Photography Madison WI|1 Comment

Badgar Farms Wedding, Madison WI

Natalie and Nicks wedding at Badgar farms was so enchanted. Filled with friends, family, fun and wholesome Wisconsin love all around. Natalie and Nick have already been together 9 years but acted like giggly school kids on their first date. (okay, maybe Natalie a bit more than Nick). It was my first wedding at Badgar Farms and I was so impressed by it. The owners put so much care and attention to the wedding and I got my first hug ever by a wedding venue owner. (I judge a lot by a hug!). The wedding venue was great and easy to take photographs of the couple, family, and bridal party. The weather was perfect as was their wedding.

Enjoy the photography! Thanks for looking!

Wedding Venue and Alcohol: Badger Farms badgerfarms.com

Hair and Makeup: Alice Ezrow of Cha Cha Beauty and Barber http://chachahair.com/

Flowers: Terri from TK Floral of McFarland http://www.tkfloral.com/ arrangements put together by her stellar family

Officiant: Daniel Floeter http://www.countyofdane.com/clerk/civil_wedding.aspx

Catering: Her wonderful, multi talented brother, Greg White

Cake: Mary White of Honey Bee Bakery http://honeybeebakery.org/

Photography: Maureen Cassidy http://maureencassidyphotography.com/

Lots of DIY projects and TLC from B&G + friends and family.

By Maureen Cassidy| May 12th, 2013|Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Wedding at Madison Children’s Museum {Maureen Cassidy Photography}

I am a parent of 2 spunky, fun-loving daughters and we regularly go the Madison Children’s Museum. This Madison gem has an abundance of creativity, inspires wonder and encourages learning while maintaining a whimsical playfulness to keep the children interested. It truly makes Madison a better place for families. My appreciation doubled when I received an inquiry to be the photographer for a wedding and found it was to be at the esteemed Madison Children’s Museum. Instantly I knew this was a fun couple, I was excited just to meet them! They chose the Madison Children’s Museum because the downtown scene was important to their wedding and this amazing venue allowed one of their favorite food vendors, The Underground Food Collective, to cater the celebration of their marriage.
The wedding was incredibly touching. The ceremony was absolutely moving and it seemed no eyes were dry by the weddings end. Everyone ate so well and danced so hard! It was such an honor to be hired by this wonderful couple and even more of an honor to document their beautiful wedding.

So many great vendors helped out on this:

-Wedding venue: Madison Children’s Museum–

–Hair and makeup: Anaala Salon

–Flowers: Kit Schmidt

–Alcohol: Roman Candle

–Wedding coordinator: Anna Trull (she’s actually a real estate agent…)

–Rentals: Event Essentials

–Rabbi: Laurie Zimmerman of Shaarei Shamayim

-Cake & Food Catering: Underground Food Collective

–Dress: Dame Couture in Evanston, IL

-Photography: Maureen Cassidy Photography

By Maureen Cassidy| April 23rd, 2013|Wedding Photography Madison WI|0 Comments

Jamaica wedding in Ocho Rios {Destination Wedding} Hotel Riu

I was lucky enough to be hired from these two amazing people to take their engagement photos in Madison Wisconsin. At the time they did not have their plans for their destination wedding (or they were not talking about it then) but they wanted to have photos taken together. It was a great session and quickly we all liked each other. A few months later Emily said they were getting married in Jamaica and were considering taking me! I was instantly game! I personally LOVE travel and new adventures and really liked them as a couple. Soon we are were all set to head to Jamaica leaving Wisconsin’s winter behind us. I had only done one other destination wedding in India the year before. Maybe I am too quick to say this with only doing 2 destination weddings but it is different and a bit more intimate. It is awesome to see a small group of people getting to know each other over several days and having adventures and good times. Then when the wedding happens there is such a flood of celebration, meaning and love. It was a great wedding and I am so thankful for the awesome adventure it was!