Elegant Summer Wedding at The La Crosse Center
Katie and Nolan’s wedding carried the perfect balance of family fun, beautiful religious traditions and a sweet treat everybody loves: ice cream. They held a Catholic mass for the ceremony, followed by a reception at the La Crosse Center. Scroll down to see the wedding through my eyes!
Getting ready for the big day was a blast to photograph, and I have to compliment Katie’s taste. The bride’s stunning dress, shoes and jewelry all blended so beautifully and she had a really neat custom acrylic ring box. 
I arrived at the church for a first-look moment with the bridesmaids and family, and I have to admit I was emotional. Katie’s parents are remarried, and she has a special relationship with all four of her parents.
She did a first look moment with both her biological father and her stepfather, a moment that ended with tears and star-studded looks from both men. It was really heartwarming to see the two men support the child they love so deeply.
Nolan and his mother shared their own time together, and you could see the pride on her face as she prepared for the family’s first wedding.
Her dad and step-dad split the walk down the aisle, and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the building for that handoff. 
The monsignor for the mass was Katie’s uncle. That brought a really cool touch, especially as you could see them smile together as the couple traded sweet looks and giggles while they were blessed.
Watching the blessing brought me back to my wedding day and the blessing that Ben and I had, a moment that I hold so dear to my heart. Being able to relate to a couple through that blessing was a really special thing.
Ben and I each captured different angles of the blessing, which can be a bonus of having us as your photographers—we can quite literally be in two places at once. 
There were guests from nearly every aspect of their lives at the ceremony, and two of Katie’s guests were actually our past clients from their own weddings. We always love to see the people we’ve photographed, so always come and say hello if you see us! 
We stopped at the gazebo on Lake Onalaska in which Nolan proposed to Katie, which allowed us to fulfill this outdoors picture wish for the couple and bring that moment full circle, too.
The lake created a wonderful portrait background for us, and their look was effortless on their big day. By making jokes with the couple and establishing a relationship, I was able to get real smiles out of the newlyweds. 
Rain did not bring any gloom to the day, and we used some creativity to still take outdoor portraits. The darker background also helped some colors to pop in our pictures. 
Nolan admitted he struggles to smile for photos, but Katie brought smiles out of him all day. 
Katie’s dad brought his own light. He owns a DJ company, and he emceed parts of the night. The way he held his daughter during their father-daughter dance is a picture that still gets me emotional to this day.
They had ice cream from the Pearl, and who doesn’t love some ice cream and beer? 
Dad showed off his moves, and the family and friends joined him in owning the dance floor. 
Their dance party was full of family and drinks were flowing well. The music was loud and the family was proud. 
We ended the night with some sweet silhouette photos for a romantic feel. I love this one! 
Katie and Nolan LOVED the photos. At their reveal session, I helped the couple order a photo collage for their wall. This gives them numerous portraits in their home to commemorate their favorite moments. I helped them pick those out and arrange the portraits, something I love to help with!
This wedding was so personal and connected for everyone there, and I am so thankful that they trusted me to be part of it. Congratulations to Katie and Nolan!
Vendors that brought this wedding together:
- Photography: Emily Jean Photography
- Videography: Complete Weddings + Events
- Venue: St. Patrick & The La Crosse Center
- Dress: Charlotte’s Bridal
- Bridesmaid Dresses: Charlotte’s Bridal
- Makeup & Hair: Sue Kolve’s Salon
- Florist: Flowers by Guenthers
- Menswear: Charlotte’s Bridal
- Officiant: Msgr. Steven Kachel
- Ceremony Music: Thad Baldwin
- Catering: Pogys Catering
- Dessert: The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor
- DJ: DJ Tony Lee
- Transportation: Ready Bus Company
- Stationery: Truly Engaging
