Gatherings On The Ridge Barn Wedding

Bride and groom kissing after wedding ceremony in Gatherings On The Ridge barn

Gatherings On The Ridge Barn Wedding in Eastman, WI

Gatherings On The Ridge barn in Eastman, WI is just over 100 miles away from Madison WI where I currently reside. It’s located in a heart of Driftless Wisconsin– area that was never touched by glaciers. Limestone bedrock valleys, rolling hills and streams scattered through beautifully sculpted topography make this 2-hour drive worthwhile.

Laura and Ryan was one of my favorite couples I got to hangout with this past season. Honest, real, down to earth and crazy excited about their upcoming wedding.

They both worked hard and dedicated quite a bit of their time for their wedding day planning in order to make it look unique. By having strong team of good helping hands made out of friends and family members they were able to delegate some of their wedding planning tasks.

That Saturday at the Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding was one of more memorable events for me from 2016. Weather was truly perfect- partly cloudy with mild breeze and temperature in low 80’s. Laura and Ryan both were full of emotions and good kind of anxiety. Groom saw the bride first time when she was walking down the isle with her dad and shed a nice manly tear. Ryan gets a big high five for that!

Their wedding ceremony was short and sweet. I managed to make a deal with Kyle (Laura’s brother who officiated wedding wedding) to get behind bridal party and shoot the first kiss picture in somewhat non-traditional angle. Yay!

Florence And The Machine’s Dog Days Are Over was the song that kicked off Laura’s and Ryan’ first dance later that night. While being big fans of this band they made sure they incorporate that fact into their wedding day-another small detail that made it more special.

Laura and Ryan didn’t have a DJ at their Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding. But they had a Spotify playlist made by Laura’s dad Bobby, a retired DJ and vinyl store employee. And while I’ve seen failures in cases like this (dance floor with no DJ or band sometimes in not a good dance floor) that night it wasn’t the case. Crowd went crazy while music magically managed itself (with occasional supervisions by dedicated guest). And when fog machine and lasers kicked in it became clear again that they nailed to perfection yet one more part of the wedding day. Bravo!
Do things right or bust, mavefakas!

P.S. I still can’t figure how these two did it. While residing in Portland, OR, they managed to find a wedding venue 4 hours away from their parent’s house in Western Illinois, get ice-cream from Milwaukee WI, bring in boutonnieres made in California, find an amazing catering company in the middle of nowhere and pick up centerpiece rentals from my favorite wedding rental place in Madison.

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Note regarding the Gatherings on the Ridge barn: due to the lack of insulation, building is not suited well for 4 season weddings as it’s not insulated. But for 3 seasons (maybe 2.5) it’s one helluva amazing wedding venue full of character, history, interesting textures and amazing light.

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To see full gallery from Laura’s and Ryan’s Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding in Eastman, Wisconsin, please see click >>HERE<<.

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random TV channel is showing guy lifting weightsgroomsmen are brushing teeth in hotel room in Country Inn & suites by Carlson in Prairie du Chien, WIgroomsmen are getting ready Country Inn & suites by Carlson hotel in Prairie du Chien, WIgroom’s sister is reading grooms wows and tearing upGroom is laughing and having a good timegroomsmen taking whiskey shots in hotel room before leaving for the ceremonybride Laura is opening a bottle of champagne and laughing hard in hotel roombride's wows sketch left on a chair with banana on top of it bridesmaids are helping the bride to put the wedding dress onbride is tearing up surrounded by her bridesmaid s in a hotel roomgroom and groomsmen doing silly posing in front of the hotelgroomsmen getting on the buss for departure to the ceremony at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnmound in Prairie du Chien, WI with dark skies groom standing on the barn balcony in Gatherings on the ridge and overlooking the fieldgroomsmen getting their boutonnieres pinned ingroom is being escorted to the bathroom in order to avoid seeing bride before the ceremonybest man is inspecting the wedding rings little girl is hiding under the big mom's scarf in ceremony room in Gatherings on the Ridge Groom and groomsmen are waiting in barn balcony for the wedding ceremony to beginbride is reading her wows in solitude in small room at the Gatherings on the Ridge barn before the wedding ceremony beginsbride is laughing and hugging with Dani, owner of Greasy Spoon catering company based in Viroqua, WIwedding guests anxiously waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnclothing behind grooms back is showing 4:35pmgroom is having a moment with his mothergroom is walking his mother down the isle during wedding ceremony at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnflower girls is walking down the isle during wedding ceremony at the Gatherings on the Ridge barn groom is anxiously waiting for the bride to walk down the islesilhouettes behind the closed doo belongs to bride and her father bride and her father are walking down the isle at the Gatherings on the Ridge barngroom is kissing the bride after the wedding ceremonybride and groom are walking away after the wedding ceremony at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnbride and groom are hugging after the wedding ceremonygrooms mother is greeting the newlywedsgrooms grandfather is impersonating the groom by wearing black fake mustache bridesmaid is sharing her cocktails with a groomhard light on bride’s niece’s face during wedding receptionbride and groom are laughing while wedding guests are applauding and is congratulating them bride Laura is hugging her maid of honorgroom is tearing up during the wedding speeches bride and grooms hands together during wedding dinner reception and speechesbride’s tattoo that says “que cera cera” being lit by sunset light at the Gatherings on the Ridgebride and groom portrait on at the Gatherings on the Ridge barn during golden hourgroom making funny face while eating wedding cakebride and groom during their first dance dancing to the Florence and the Machine song Cosmic Lovebride and groom during their first dance dancing to the Florence and the Machine song Cosmic Lovebride and groom during their first dance dancing to the Florence and the Machine song Cosmic Love wedding guests dancing on the dance floor during the reception at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnwedding guests are kissing on the dance floor during the reception at the Gatherings on the Ridge barnbridesmaids dancing on the dance floor during the reception at the Gatherings on the Ridge barngroomsmen laughing and applauding in front of the groombunch of wedding guests are raising champagne glasses for a toast bride and her bridesmaids dancing on the dance floorbridesmaids dancing on the dance floor during the reception at the Gatherings on the Ridge barn bride and groom are drinking champagne on the dance floor and laughing harddance floor filled with smoke and lasers during wedding reception at the Gatherings on the Ridgewedding guest is drinking champagne straight out of the bottle bridesmaids are waving and dancing surrounded by fog and lasersgroom is performing funky gestures on the dance floor during wedding reception at the Gatherings on the Ridgeview of the Gatherings on the Ridge barn from outside at nigh in late summer

 See full gallery from Laura’s and Ryan’s Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding >>HERE<<.

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Thanks a bunch for stopping by, reading Laura and Ryan love story and checking out their Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding adventure! I am documentary wedding photographer based in Madison, Wisconsin and specialize in moment driven wedding photojournalism.

During this type of wedding photography I won’t boss you around. I won’t ask you to be an actor and pretend to be someone you are not. I won’t put up a fashion show. I will stay out of your way. I will let you be true you. I will be there and I won’t miss a beat. Read more about common wedding photography styles here.

If you’re planning your Gatherings On The Ridge barn wedding in a country of rolling hills in Southwestern Wisconsin shoot me a message! I would love to be part of your adventure!

GATHERINGS ON THE RIDGE BARN WEDDING VENDORS:

Ceremony/Reception: Gatherings On The Ridge
Flowers: Village Market Floral
floral Crown: Westerwisp
Boutonnieres: Eucca
Bride’s Sandals: Grecian Sandals From Etsy
Bridesmaid Dresses: Bhldn And Forever 21
Groom’s Suit: Paul Smith
Groomsmen Suits: Kohls
Dj: Spotify Playlist By Bobby Wads
Catering Company: Rooted Spoon
Wedding Cake: Piggly Wiggly
Ice Cream: Purple Door
Transportation: Warco Transportation
centerpiece Rentals: A La Crate
Hotel: Country Inn & Suites By Carlson
Honeymoon: Italy, France, Amsterdam
Wedding Date: 8.20.2016

Wisconsin river wedding: an extraordinary adventure of Midwesterner and Southerner

bride and groom are walking barefoot in the woods near Wisconsin river

a story about two amazing souls and their extraordinary Wisconsin river wedding

“You were recommended to us and we were told that you’re wedding photographer who loves weird and not normal. I knew right away you were just the right wedding photographer for my husband and me.” This was a first sentence from Laura’s very personal initial wedding photography inquiry she sent me. I was 100% ready to photograph Laura’s and Adrian’s wedding day without even talking to them first. That was the the exciting beginning.

Then I got to meet them in person. Laura- Southerner, an award-winning storyteller, actor, writer, and speaker. Adrian- Midwesterner, entrepreneur, co-founder of Yum Butter. Two amazing souls, full of life and love, building their own house with their own hands (one of my dreams) in Salida, CO. Seriously my kind of wedding couple.

“You were recommended to us and we were told that you’re wedding photographer who loves weird and not normal. I knew right away you were just the right wedding photographer for my husband and me.”

Laura Thomas

And then the wedding day came it turned out Laura lied- there was nothing weird about their wedding day at all. Just a extraordinary day filled with down-to-earth people, singing into deodorant stick, lots of bare feet, meaningful hugs, river shore slip-n-slide, talent show for the brave, breath taking outdoors views, great food buffet and Xena the dog that interrupted wedding ceremony twice. As a result Laura’s and Adrien’s wedding day was real and simple, yet amazing in every aspect.

Just like centuries ago, the tribe (closest friends and immediate family) got together and helped to make it all happen: make up, decorations, music, officiating, etc.

Laura and Adrian showed us once again: it’s not about how much you spend, but how you feel about it.

See full Laura’s and Adrian’s Wisconsin river wedding gallery on Paulius Musteikis Pixieset.

exterior of the AirBNB house in Dekorra, WI that Laura and Adrien rented for their Wisconsin river wedding broom and grooms father are helping groom’s mother with the dress bride is laughing with her bridesmaids while getting ready for the wedding ceremony family dog is observing people getting ready for the Wisconsin river wedding bride and her bridesmaid are dancing and singing into deodorant stick while getting ready for Wisconsin river wedding ceremony girl is looking for shade during Wisconsin river wedding ceremony bride and groom are kissing during the Wisconsin river wedding ceremony bride and groom are making funny faces while walking away after the Wisconsin river wedding ceremony bride and groom are making funny faces while walking away after the Wisconsin river wedding ceremonybride and groom surrounded by friends and immediate family are sharing their life stories mother of the groom laughing during the gathering in living room area grooms friend is giving blessing to the newlyweds bride, groom and groom’s parents are doing a group hug after the wedding ceremony black and white portrait of bride and groom in the woods near Wisconsin river bride and groom are hugging and smiling in the woods near Wisconsin river bride and groom are walking barefoot in the woods near Wisconsin river bride and groom are hugging and smiling in the woods near Wisconsin river bride is chatting and laughing with wedding guests after the dinner beautiful sunset in Dekorra near Wisconsin river

WISCONSIN RIVER WEDDING VENDORS:

Wedding Date: June 3, 2017
Wedding Location: Rental House on the Wisconsin river via AirBNB
Catering: Underground Butcher