Emily + Connor [Iowa City, IA Celebration Farm Wedding Photography]

First, let me preface this post by saying I think this might be the largest wedding post I've ever done, so my apologies for the vast amount of photos. It was such a beautiful day, with a wonderful couple, that it was impossible to narrow it down for the blog.

Emily and Connor were married at Celebration Farm, on what turned out to be a gorgeous May 25th. The outdoor ceremony was one of the most touching and fun I've seen, Emily and Connor brought so much of themselves into every detail and I may or may not have teared up a few times. ;) This wedding was full of gorgeous details and flowers (by the incomparable Julie at Julie's Fountain of Flowers), a beautiful couple, and a super fun bridal party. Emily & Connor's wedding was definitely one of THE parties of the year, and the dance floor was packed until the very end thanks to Travis at Unique Events! The entire day was coordinated by Jaclyn Kretzschmar and went flawlessly from start to finish.

Emily and Connor - thank you so much for not only choosing us to photograph your day, but for welcoming us like friends. You guys are the best, and your wedding was both stunning and fun. It was a pleasure to document it, I hope you love the sneak peek!

Vendor Info: 
Venue: The Celebration Farm 
Dress: Corset (Wtoo), Skirt (Watters) 
Suit: Banana Republic 
Flowers: Julie's Fountain of Flowers 
Food: Orchard Green 
Drinks: Costco 
Music/Uplighting/Photobooth: Unique Events 
Hair/Makeup: TRU Salon 
Wedding Planner: Jaclyn Kretzschmar
Bridesmaids' jewelry: Stella & Dot
Cake: TipTop Cakes













Emily's bouquet was wrapped in lace from her mom's wedding dress, as well as the buttons!



All guy getting ready photos by Josh


























Below photos by Josh
































Champagne during the ceremony? Fabulous idea!





Below photo by Josh

Josh's perspective below!


Can't forget the champagne toast to start things off right...

Below photo by Josh


Connor and Emily each took photos of the guests from their perspective, love this idea! Both photos by Josh.







Both guy photos by Josh






Photo on right by Josh
























Julie did a fabulous job as always with the floral design!















Both photos below by Josh










Photo below by Josh








Emily's sister and cousin gave a adorable and funny toast, a custom song for Emily and Connor to "Part of Your World" from the Little Mermaid.












The always fabulous Holly from Tru Salon changed Emily's hair to a gorgeous up-do mid-reception to go with her dress change for the remainder of the night!

Lilly: 6 Months [Coralville, IA Child Photography]

Sweet Lilly...I can't believe my niece is 6 months old already! It seems like not that long ago we were all anxiously waiting her arrival. I love this girl to pieces, and here's a little peek at her session!

Kayla's Top 5 Makeup Tips for Photos

I am so lucky to have such an incredibly talented makeup artist on my team here at Jen Madigan Photography. Kayla* comes to every newborn session to get mom camera ready so she can relax and enjoy the day! This service can also be added onto any session, and I typically recommend to my brides to be that they do a makeup trial for their engagement session. It's a great way to feel extra pampered, and to potentially test out a look or a makeup artist for your big day. For those that choose to do their own makeup for their session, here are Kayla's top 5 tips for a camera ready look!

1. Prime Your Skin - When you are preparing yourself to be in photos, applying a primer before makeup is vital. It reflects light, creating the illusion of invisible pores and smooth skin. It also ensures your makeup will last through a hot summer day!

2. Conceal - The light that is necessary for great photos also brings to light any blemish we have! Try dabbing on a light-diffusing concealer in a hue that matches your skin tone. This will help diminish blemishes, under-eye circles and dark spots.

3. Contour Cheekbones - Use a matte bronzer under the cheekbones to create a sculpted look. Finish off with a soft blush on the apples of the cheeks!

4. Highlight Your Eyes - This is the time to add a little more eye makeup than usual. Lashes have a tendency to get lost on camera, so make sure to use a dark mascara. Adding eyeliner that slightly thickens as you reach the outer edge of your lid will help lift your eyes.

5. Finish and Set - Powder your forehead and nose to avoid looking extra-shiny in your photos! You can even carry blotter sheets with you, or a small compact of powder.

*Kayla is a licensed hair stylist and makeup artist at Tru Salon in Coralville.