Trudy said to me on the wedding day, “I’m so glad we found you.” (insert puffy heart and tears!) Trudy and David, I’m so glad you found me too! Liam and I were so glad to not only photograph your wedding but to also photograph your engagement session together! I’ve never had one of my couples know both the primary and secondary photographers on the wedding day - I kinda want to think it made a difference for everyone.
Trudy, David, and Trudy’s mom and dad preferred to meet in person for the initial meeting and consultation instead of over the phone or Zoom. It just happened to work out that I was headed to Illinois to visit family and could meet them in Wisconsin Dells on the way. We met on a Sunday afternoon at an outdoor table smack on the main drag - the busiest area of the touristy Dells. Well…sorry, not on the street, but darn close at some outdoor seating at a bar (or restaurant). The weather was warm but beautiful! I think it was in August. We talked, laughed, looked through my sample wedding album and at the end they didn’t say, ‘we’ll let you know soon’…they said they’d like to have me be their wedding photographer! I was so excited because I could tell we were all “people-people” and would do fantastic together and we have. It has been a true joy to work with them over this past year plus! It feels like we’ve been friends longer, actually!
A month or so ago I was texting with Trudy and she said David was worried about telling Liam (my son and one of my 2nd shooters) that the “boys” weren’t going to be at the wedding. He was sure Liam would be sad - and he was - and so was I, but we understood! Jax and Remy, I bet you were SOOOO glad to get your people back home after the wedding! We missed you!
So….my favorite question to ask - what’s your love story?
The Paradise Love Story
We both worked at different bars downtown Wisconsin Dells (actually about a block away from each other) I wasn't 21 when I first started but he would come into the bar I worked at (Showboat Saloon) so I got to know him that way. Once I turned 21 and went out also, I would go visit him at the bar he worked at (Nig's Bar). For the first couple years we started hanging out it was nothing serious and kind of fizzled out at one point. We eventually reconnected, decided to make it official in April of 2018 and the rest is history :)
What’s unique about you as a couple?
We were on and off since about 2015, never actually dated until 2018 but always joked about getting married one day and I (Trudy) took a Facebook quiz one day and it named David as my “plan B” when nothing else worked out and I’ve never read anything more accurate lol we still call him plan B at times 😂
So why Bayfield?
We took a trip during Covid to kind of show each other the places we grew up going to. I showed him where my parents and I use to visit in Minocqua. He showed me Cable (where his godparents live), and introduced me to Bayfield where I almost instantly fell in love with it! We also did a waterfall tour and saw about 6-8 waterfalls. We love the Ashland/Bayfield area and Apostle Highlands is his favorite golf course (and now mine too) and we can’t wait to have this become an annual trip now as well.
(The golf course main page actually says, “Golf in Paradise”!! Ha! Their last name is Paradise!)
Dane, Dane, Dane! Did you give Ellen a heart attack or did she just laugh at you?? It cracks me up everytime I look at this series of 3 photos!!
Trudy had beautiful first looks - with her bridesmaids, with her dad and then with David. Earlier mom, Tammy, gave Trudy some earrings and then during the first look with sweet emotional dad, he gave her a bracelet and then surprised his wife with a bracelet as well! So super sweet!
I love David’s reaction when he turns around! They also sweetly put on their rings for photos. I feel like all of us who were watching disappeared during that moment.
I’m sure you saw it, but if you were scrolling too fast, go back up and look! David was so funny as we were trying to photograph the girls! We all were cracking up!
This set of photos above are so funny to me! I can’t help but giggle! They both have been coached by me to put their heads together and close their eyes. Well in the first one, Trudy is peeking and then she closes her eyes and he opens his!! Too adorable!!
The Iron Bridge in Bayfield is a favorite of mine! I have had many sessions there! And I always love the Madeline Island Ferry building. Blue is my favorite color and many of the weddings here on Lake Superior end up with a blue theme so it works out wonderfully!
During the cake pop exchange I was melting on the inside over how beautiful the sky was over Lake Superior and Bayfield. I didn’t think we were going to do sunset photographs because we had done quite a few almost sunset photographs before the reception. Well, they were game!! And WOW are we all so glad! The forecast was calling for a significant chance of rain that day and we didn’t see a drop of moisture in the sky after the fog lifted in the morning! And then we had a phenomenal sky at the end! Woohoo!!
We ended the night dancing and enjoying everyone’s company and then guests moved the party to a hotel in Ashland to have a bonfire and hang out longer. It was the perfect night for it because up on the hill, if you weren’t fast dancing you were cold! Some people were stocking hat and parka cold! Liam and I thought it was perfect! :)
David and Trudy, it was an honor and a joy to get to know you and be a part of your amazing wedding day! We’re so glad we got to both be at your engagement session as well and we especially are grateful to have met Jax and Remy! Your family and friends are the best as well! It was a great day! Congratulations!!
Thank you for asking Liam and I to get photos with you! I love them!!
We love you both! ~ Jen & Liam :)
Most of you know that we used to live in Ashland and we absolutely love the Bayfield area. One of the photographers I got to know a bit when we lived up there now is more focused on design and does an amazing job! It was so fun to see her work IN the house that the family was staying in - The Bay Top Lake House! She even had a design with the Bay Top Lake House on it! I looked on BEMUSED Poster’s website to order one for Trudy and David but it must not be in print any longer. She has many other amazing options though! I have one from Madeline Island on my main wall in my home!
Liam, since we drove up and back in one day this time, I’m sorry we missed out on Corn Man corn and Hugo’s Pizza. Maybe next time!! (It’s two of our favorite Ashland things!)