Mark + Emilie Wedding in Greater Milwaukee, WI

Friends, I don't know if I have any tears left in me after reliving this day over and over again. :) Mark and Emilie had an amazing day up in Wisconsin. The day where these two life-long friends and long-distance love birds could finally be together was a day not to miss! I'm so excited to share some of my favorites through the day with you. This marriage truly was a divinely blessed union!

When Stephen and I first started our day with the wedding party, I was brought to the bride's parent's home to capture some details, while Stephen hung out with the guys getting ready at the church. Soon, us girls were brought over to the church, which is where Emilie stepped into her dress for the first time on her wedding day. Robin, her sweet mother, was in tears as she helped her daughter prepare the finishing touches of her daughter's day. I will never forget letting Emilie look at the back of my camera after capturing her fully dressed, where she saw herself as a bride for the first time. Her reaction was priceless!

I knew Mark and I would be friends when I saw the 9 3/4 cufflinks. ;)

So many sweet gifts were shared on their day! Emilie gifted her mom and mother-in-law with framed letters to them that had us all teary. And to top it all off, Emilie also gave Mark a journal full of letters, diary entries, etc. from their whole relationship together. Mark was in utter shock by such a heart-felt gift from his bride.

You would be right to assume that the bridesmaids were enthralled with their bride!

Mark also shared gifts with his parents and almost in-laws: a sweet note and matching glasses with their last names etched into them. How cool is that??

For most of their relationship, Emilie and Mark were far apart from each other, but quickly formed the habit of praying with each other every night over the phone. This prayer in the picture, right before the ceremony, was the LAST TIME they would ever pray together, without seeing each other, while living in two different worlds. Wow, wow, wow.

This beautiful Columbian tradition was one of my favorite things about the ceremony. The bride and her father met the groom and his mother halfway down the aisle. In the middle of the aisle, they prayed together, and that's when Mark was given Emilie's hand. The symbolism in that moment, of leaving their father and mother and holding fast to each other, was so perfectly painted.

And just like that, they were Mr. and Mrs. Roth!!

The sunshine was showing off for this one. ❤️

You two are beautiful!!

After taking the trolley around for some photos, we made our way to the reception. Flowers, candles, and Mary & Martha decor (the company where Robin and Stephen work together ;) ) adorned everything. And don't forget about Grandma Marion's amazing party hats (now THAT'S how you start a party!).

I won't tell you the story behind what sweet Grandma Marion was saying, mostly because I couldn't do it justice the way that her family could. :) But her speech was the hit of the night, and had everyone doubled over.