Jessica + Matt : Iola, Wisconsin Backyard Wedding

When Jessica contacted me in May about her late August wedding, I right away knew it was a wedding I would love to be able to photograph. Her and her fiance, Matt, were planning a small backyard wedding at their hobby farm in Iola. When Jessica described the property to me you could tell how much it meant to them. They didn’t live there, but had been renovating it and renting it out. I have a special place in my heart for pre-1900 little white farmhouses, having lived in one for three years 🙂 When I arrived at the farm on their wedding Monday (What a fantastic idea for those with family nearby!) I immediately felt relaxed and comfortable … there was something about the property which just had a calming affect. They chose to do their first look on the front porch and from there we explored their favorite spots around property. From the field overlooking the lake and the dock (that they built!) to a few outbuildings, everything was meticulously taken care of. Their wedding day details also had a lot of love and thought into them as well. The barn was decorated with fresh flowers, Matt had made the main course, they had some Leinenkugels out for their guests (they met while giving tours at the Leinie Lodge!) and their ceremony was sweet and thoughtful. The thing about small weddings is that each guest was a family member or dear friend and they were able to sit and talk, eat, and laugh with the people that they loved. Right before I left, we took a few more photos as the sun shown through the Tamaracks across the lake. I left with a plateful of food and a few slices of cheesecake and felt inspired and grateful for having been able to photograph the perfect Monday wedding 🙂