FEATURED: Wisconsin Bride Magazine

2018 is happening like it or not. And with a new year comes a new Wisconsin Bride Magazine!  Speaking of years,  I just realized I have been featured in this fabulous publication for the past SIX years.  I was first featured in 2012 (OMG. It seems SO long ago) What an honor to continue to submit to this magazine and be continually chosen for publications.  It's surreal to me,  holding this pile of magazines in my hand and lugging to the window for a photo.  HOW am I in these all of these magazines?! From a cover to a four-page spread! Truly humbled and honored. Every year I submit and when they email me stating they have chosen my work,  it feels like the first time.  I read the email, my eyes get huge and I look around like "What?! What just happened"?!?!?!?  I am not greedy, i do not expect this, I do not set goals towards this, I just push forward, submit, hope and move forward.  Thank you! Wisconsin Bride, Minnesota Bride and every editor and staff member who chose my work. 

A New Year and 2017 Recap

Hello ?! Is this thing on? is it working? I know I haven't blogged since October.  I didn't even blog my last three amazing weddings.  I entered a social media burn out mode in September and gave myself some grace and just basically turned it off for a while. I feel really good about it,  it was a time in my life when I needed grace and quiet.  I am a human behind this screen, life is happening to me. Good things, bad things, great days, bad days, health, sickness, happiness, sadness, amazing highs and crippling lows.  The rollercoaster of life. I feel super lucky to have amazing clients who do see me as a human and understand, I feel lucky I still receive inquiries over the last 5 months even though my blog was dead, my instagram had cobwebs on it and Facebook page looked abandoned.  I'm slowly creeping out of my cave.  Over the weekend I had a sick little man and I stayed in with him for 48 hours and never left my house (or jammies).  During that time I decided I better get my submissions in to Wisconsin Bride Magazine. before the deadline.  This sparked my digging through my blog,  scouring through galleries and reading what I said about each wedding. And so the spark began,  I really seen these weddings and remembered HOW much I loved them and the people who made them.  I remembered HOW much I loved being at these weddings and later coming home and editing through the magic we made. I remembered how much joy I got out of sharing these weddings with my clients and their families and friends on social media.  It's not unusual for me to go through difficult seasons of life and weddings bring me out of it.  I can't tell you how many times when life let me down and I submersed myself into my wedding world and it breathed life and happiness back in, and here we are again 10 years later,  weddings still pull me back to a happy place!! 

  2018 is going to look a little different,  I have about 5-8 less weddings than I have in years past,  but the 12 weddings I have are outstanding and I am SO  glad I decided to take on less this year for so many reasons, but a big one is for my clients and the service I provide them!  Here's to a 2018 full of new beginnings and happy endings! 

Here is my recap of this amazing 2017 season.  The only thing I ask is that you click back through my blog and see the full wedding previews because one photo doesn't do them justice!! AMAZING year of beautiful couples! 

Kane + Marissa- Heidel House

Ben + Meghann  Justin Trails

Tim + Sarah - The Pritzlaff

Joe + Meghan - The Barn at Harvest Moon Pond

Cody + Erin Burlap and Bells

Michael + Erica Silver Oaks Chateau

Scott + Chelsea Sugarland

Michael + Lindsey The Waterfront

Aaron + Stacy The Enchanted Barn

Ryan + Sarah Golden Mast

Mike + Allison Sugarland

Brad + Tricia The Lageret

Adam + Kelsey  Brighton Acres

Dion + Kelli Burlap and Bells

Drew + Kristin  Private Residence 

Brent + Britney The Barn at Harvest Moon Pond

Nick + Breanne  Chula Vista

The happenings

Hey Guys! Guess what? I'm still alive and my blog still works! I have given myself some grace and taken a big huge social media break (blogging included) I have finished my 2017 wedding season (it was spectacular!) I have been busy shooting engagement sessions and really just enjoying little things in life like television again, lol.  I am seriously catching up on Say yes to the Dress and Project Runway, some of my very favorite shows that I didn't realize I missed so much. 

Something happened slowly but surely in 2017 I started to feel a shift.  One I can honestly say in all of my nine + years of shooting I have never felt before. I started to feel like I was missing things I loved. This has seriously never happened before, I never felt like I missed anything. But as my kids grow and they become moreinvolved in sports and activities, I started to realize there was more to miss these days than in years prior. 

I really want to continue weddings, it's my passion my favorite "me time" and my creative outlet that I do not think I can live without. But I think instead of saying "I need a balance" I had to actually ACT on it.  I have shot between 15-25 weddings every year for more than 5 years. Thats a LOT of summer weekends! I want to say YES to everyone but what I really need to do is balance my life better. 

So I realized I obviously wanted to stay in the industry,  continue weddings, but wanted to make some important and exciting changes.  Insert my Friend Alysa!  I shot Alysa's engagements and wedding and have known in my heart from day one that she is an amazing and genuine person, but it didn't really dawn on me until she started second shooting weddings with me,  how similar our lives are and how connected we were and that was it, the puzzle piece fell into place. I wanted to add an associate shooter.  

Alysa is launching a wedding photography business, after working with her and seeing her finished product I knew I had that found that piece of my brand.  A team mate! Someone I can share inquiries with and provide the same product and service as I would.  Like I can be in two places at once! What does this mean? This means Alysa will be a lead shooter at weddings under my brand and provide the same service and products that can be expected of Dani Stephenson Weddings.  We have special associate shooter pricing and available dates for 2018.  This is so exciting for both of us. Even more exciting is Alysa is already fielding inquiries for 2018 associate weddings!  Her smile and outlook on life is contagious.  She got married in 2016 and knows just how the bride and groom feel and how they should be treated.  Guys, she is a special person, I love her and feel so strongly about this addition to my business and I know you all will love her too.  Please Welcome Alysa!

Here's a little from Alysa:

I love  Fixer Upper and am pretty confident me and Joanna Gaines could be BFF's, I'm currently renovating a 105 year old farmhouse! I love to travel and meet new people so new venues and clients are so exciting to me! I'm always dreaming of my next road trip with my husband, next on our list is a trip down the west coast and Alaska. I have a 6 week old baby girl, Adelyn and being a mom has been the absolute best ( but bring me all the coffee please!) 

To inquire with Alysa and learn more about her services and pricing please visit my contact page and tell us about yourself, your love and what your looking for in a wedding photographer.