Winter weddings are honestly under-rated. I really wanted to have one — they’re just such warm events! Sarah and Brandon’s Lafayette Grande wedding took place a few days after Christmas, so the holiday vibes were present. I think that’s probably one of the best parts about getting married around the holidays — there’s always extra decorations everywhere and you don’t have to provide them! This Lafeyette Grande wedding wasn’t holiday-themed. In fact, Sarah and Brandon infused aspects of their personalities and relationship into the day. From the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter table numbers to the many books to sign at the guest book table to the beautiful personal vows they shared…they really made the wedding day their own. Perhaps you remember from their University of Michigan engagement session, Sarah and Brandon met as freshmen at the University of Michigan. During their engagement session, we even visited the dorm they met in (a small 70-something person building). Their friendship (and love) blossomed as the years went on, as roommates in the later years, and through graduate school and moves to Florida and now Wisconsin. Ten years later, they tied the knot at the Lafeyette Grand in the Grande Ballroom. Things I loved about this wedding: Sarah’s dress (that pattern…so good), Brandon’s custom suit, the mismatched wedding party attire, the simplicity yet beauty of the florals (perfect for winter), and how much Sarah and Brandon seemed to enjoy the day. The Lafayette Grande was perfect for a winter wedding because it’s so beautiful inside. Super easy for photos! I can’t wait to be back this fall. I really enjoyed working alongside Sarah, Brandon, and their closest friends and family. Sarah was one of the most organized and thoughtful brides I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. It was such an honor to capture this day for these two! From the bride: “Madalyn was probably the best photographer we could have asked for, it was like having a friend instead of a vendor do our photos. Her photos obviously speak for themselves but she was so incredibly organized and professional throughout the entire process, she got us our timeline and I was able to use that to build the rest of our day of schedule around it. She communicated early and often and always made sure she got the list of required photos we wanted so we didn’t miss anything. Since she also hadn’t photographed at our venue before, she set up her own meeting with the venue before the wedding to get a tour and walkthrough so it wasn’t a surprise on the day of the wedding. She was assertive when she needed to be to wrangle our families for photos but otherwise was extremely flexible in getting shots if the plans changed! Especially since our wedding was late in the winter and we decided against a first look, she made sure to have a lighting assistant on hand to help coordinate additional flash and we got some great evening photos, and the second shooter who helped out had some awesome ideas for important shots too! Also, she got us engagement photo sneak peeks within 24 hours and got us our wedding sneak peeks (40+ photos!) within 48 hours of our wedding. Madalyn used the engagement photo session to get to know us and she just does a great job of capturing candid and genuine emotion and just made the entire planning experience and day of photos so comfortable and fun. So excited to get the rest of our photos! Thanks Madalyn!” Vendors: Venue: The Lafayette Grande | Florals: The Flower Kitten | HMU: Beauty by Sara | DJ: T&M Entertainment | Baked Goods: Mannino’s Bakery | Expresso Cart: Java Java | Dress: Amelishan Bridal | Alterations: Cinch Tailoring | Groom’s Suit: NL Suits | Photobooth: Prestige Entertainment | Officiant: Down the Aisle Ceremonies | Macarons: Inny Macaron