THE CARGILL ROOM | ELEGANT DEEP AUTUMN WEDDING
The first words that come to mind when I think back to Kirsten and Seth’s wedding are classy and elegant. They were married at the Cargill Room in La Crosse on a chilly October day. They made the most of their unique outdoor wedding!
Our day started by meeting the bride at the Charmant Hotel, where we photographed her attire, including the cutest clothes hangers for the dress.
The florist gave us some extra flowers for an added pop and sweet detail in our decor shots, which was perfect. I love working with other vendors to make the day as perfect as possible. 
One fun moment was the first reveal with the bridesmaids on the balcony of the hotel, a time that allowed her to feel extra special and pampered. You could see the emotions pour from her best friends. 
Seth is a self-described momma’s boy, and their one-on-one time before the ceremony was extra sweet. She gave him a handkerchief that belonged to his grandmother to don for the day, and that tearful exchange was beautiful. 
The couple’s first look was all tears and giggles. We did this outdoors to mix in as much color as possible, and Kirsten’s dress carried an extra elegance because of this contrast. 
I gave them some alone time, something I try to always do when I photograph first looks. I want that moment to be about them!
Kirsten’s style is very classic and simple but has a beautiful twist. She is very poised and put-together while Seth brings out the fun and party, which was a perfect balance. Their personalities were a great match for us.
Seth is obsessed with his wife and you could see it in the way he reacted for this moment. Smiles, tears, laughs—everything was all about how beautiful his woman looked. 
Another vendor I love working with is my sister, who runs Makeup by Sarah Koblitz. Kirsten’s makeup held up beautifully all day and looked incredible. 
Nature was important to the couple, so I took advantage of the river and the blue bridge in the background. I fluffed and positioned Kirsten’s dress to keep it looking fresh! 
Seth talked about how he struggles smiling and posing with photos, and he said our engagement session helped him break the ice and smile for their wedding. 
One of my talents is taking one location and making it look diverse and different by alternating poses and other traits so things move along quickly but individuality is there, too!
A deep burgundy tree made for the perfect background for some bridal party shots, as did the people in them. Look at those gorgeous smiles! 
The women were troopers with the cold weather, and we moved quickly to make it all work and keep them as warm as possible. 
The laughs never stopped and a fun bonus was watching the champagne get popped!
Mother Nature tried to intervene as rain fell right before Kirsten walked down the aisle for the ceremony, but it cleared up just in time for a comfortable chilly fall wedding.
Seth’s jaw dropped when Kirsten made her way down the aisle (And it was well deserved. She looked beautiful).
The reception was stunning, and I appreciated seeing their engagement photos pinned up around the room. It featured a lot of traditional and classic moments such as cutting the cake together, but it also had many sweet and personalized moments.
Seth even mentioned us in their thank you speech, which was super gratifying for us. 🙂 
We captured some nighttime portraits in front of the outdoor fountain later. Shooting in dark scenes is something I have a lot of experience in. I take a lot of pride in making those photos just as beautiful as the daytime ones. 
Their first dance was tremendous, and Seth and his mom brought the party for their dance. They are two peas in a pod, and the same could be said for the father-daughter dance, which was a beautiful and emotional moment. 
Kirsten & Seth LOVE their photos! The couple ordered canvases from the day as Christmas gifts for their parents and also ordered a photo album for themselves after seeing the final results. They’ll have these images to remind them of their love forever!
We had a blast shooting this wedding and are so glad we got to be part of their big day. Cheers to Kirsten & Seth!
- Photography: Emily Jean Photography
- Wedding Planner: Events Done Wright
- Venue: The Cargill Room
- Catering: The Cargill Room
- Dress: Charlotte’s Bridal
- Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie
- Jewelry: Olive and Piper
- Rings: Diamonds Direct
- Makeup: Makeup by Sarah Koblitz
- Shoes: Kailee P
- Hair: Hair Dressed by Kristyn
- Menswear: Men’s Warehouse
- Bakery: Crumbtastic Cakery
- Floral: Cindy’s Wedding Designs
- DJ: Midwest Family Entertainment
- Decor & Rentals: 2B Inspired Design
