Jennifer and Gustavo were such a joy to be with on their wedding day. The day was beautiful for so many reasons, and while the weather was great, the details were spot on, and the venues picturesque, the true beauty that rounded out the day was Jennifer, Gustavo, their love for each other, and their love that extended to their family and friends. It’s hard to explain, but every step of their wedding day felt “homey.” Their friends and families spoke to me like an insider, a long lost relative- not a wedding day vendor they just met. It’s no wonder that with that sentiment so strong, the people gathered to witness and celebrate this marriage were hospitable, joyful, and vibrant.

The day started at Boerner Botanical Gardens, and the ceremony took place in the rose garden. It was intimate yet welcoming, with their co-teacher Lauren the officiant that married them. Jennifer and Gustavo are both math teachers in the Milwaukee area, and teachers are so dear to my heart after being a high school English teacher myself for 3 years. Their vows were incredibly emotional and pregnant with meaning. Thank goodness I had my camera to hide behind because my eyes were tearing up just listening to them!

Jennifer and Gustavo chose to do their portraits at Lake Park and at City Hall downtown. Their reception was in the lower level of the Milwaukee Ale House, backing up to the riverfront. Guests were treated to a delicious taco bar, an adorable slideshow of Jenny and Gus through the years, and fresh lemon cake for dessert. It was so cool to see their own take on the dancing traditions- Jenny and Gus had their first dance and were joined midway by each of their parents as well. Then they did a joint mother-son/ father-daughter dance and ended with the bride and groom’s cumbia!

Being a wedding photographer is not a job I take lightly, and as I was editing these photos, the raw emotion that came back from seeing how Jennifer looked at her groom, how delicately Gustavo held her hand- reminded me that these are some of life’s most sacred moments, and it is not lost on my end how lucky I am to document them. Thank you, Jennifer and Gustavo for your hospitality and for entrusting me to capture this day for you!

This was the sweetest unity ceremony- each set of parents brought soil from their own yards to mix together!

Wedding dress shop: David’s Bridal // Wedding dress designer: Galina // Hair/make-up: Claudia Krumsee // Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal // Shoes: Target // Groom’s tux: Men’s WareHouse // Invitations: Shutterfly // Menus: Milwaukee Ale House // Paper goods/Fans: Shutterfly // Flowers:  Alfa Flowers