meghan lee harris

This one is for the true art lovers!

Ever since I saw a glimpse of Milwaukee’s new venue, The George and Madcap Lounge with it’s unique gallery wall space, I hoped to be able to shoot there someday! Luckily it must have been written in the stars because it didn’t take long. When the ladies of Events to a T reached out to see if I would photograph a styled shoot there during winter, I said absolutely yes!

Sometimes spaces are much different than I had imagined. In this case, immediately when I walked in I was taken aback – in the best of ways. Every inch of this space is so intricately designed and artistically inspiring. The gallery wall was even larger in person and makes for a stunning backdrop for indoor ceremonies or portraits. This bright naturally lit venue is also perfect for winter or rainy days when outside portraits are not an option! The bridal suite and downstairs lounge are also works of art in themselves – between the flooring, wall décor, ceiling, light fixtures, I could stare at the different rooms of this place all day and still find more to discover!

While the ballroom space offers a more traditional romantic ceremony with floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop overlooking the city for sunset photos, the other eclectic spaces offer the best of both worlds for a dynamic couple looking to shake things up. As we were photographing the lounge downstairs at the pool table I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, I want to be a guest at a wedding here!” Something I honestly don’t think of or say haha. But the space is just *that* cool and such a vibe.

Haley & Cassi of Events to a T’s vision implemented refined textures and a desert color palette. Light pinks and warm tones of peach, terracotta, yellow and sand mixed in with sage green. Zap Bloom, sister company of Milwaukee Flower Co, recently announced their brand new shop that focuses on quick fix “add to cart” style florals to couples for their wedding day, and featured their Sedona-themed blooms for our shoot. And Miss Ruby Boutique provided our model the stunning sleeky, draped corset gown with a high slit and sheer chiffon gloves (which I had way too much fun incorporating the trendier direct flash looks down in the lounge).

Thank you so much to all who helped make this a gorgeous and fun day! 😍Here’s just a few highlights!

Insta reel: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cozydw3tQCV/

Creative Team:

Planning: @eventstoat@haleyabbate@cassi_frank / https://eventstoat.co/
Venue: @thegeorgemke / https://www.thegeorgemilwaukee.com/
Florals: @zapbloommke / https://zapbloom.com/
Dress: @missrubyboutique / https://www.missrubyboutique.com/
HMU: @archapothecary / https://www.archapothecary.com/
Paper Goods: @paperenvyusa / https://www.paperenvy.com/
Dessert: @cakeladydesigns / https://www.cakeladydesigns.com/
Rentals: @canopiesevents@bbjlatavola / https://www.canopiesevents.com/ https://bbjlatavola.com/
Videography: @filmsbydesign / https://filmsbydesign.co/
DJ + Lighting: @soundbydesign / https://soundbydesign.co/
Bride: @baileypetitgoue

June 19, 2023

The George and Madcap Lounge in Milwaukee Styled Shoot

The George Madcap Lounge Milwaukee Wisconsin Wedding Photographer Meghan Lee Harris Wedding Photography Art Gallery Artful Inspiration

This one is for the true art lovers! Ever since I saw a glimpse of Milwaukee’s new venue, The George and Madcap Lounge with it’s unique gallery wall space, I hoped to be able to shoot there someday! Luckily it must have been written in the stars because it didn’t take long. When the ladies […]

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It is currently spring and we are getting ready to celebrate Savannah & Tate’s wedding tomorrow! Before their wedding photos come to be, I first had to take a look back at their *incredible* engagement session last fall at Picnic Point in Madison. Completely opposite seasons ago, but I can still smell the perfectly crisp end of October air. We were blessed with a beautiful morning, and I was glad Savannah & Tate chose Picnic Point. This lakeshore path offers a lot of variety and makes for a great spot year round, featuring a nice walking trail along the peninsula between tall grasses (runners and dog walkers love it!), with access to various small beaches. You can even overlook the city across the water.

While walking the trail I immediately fell in love with this couple! So laid back and down to earth, equally dog-obsessed with their new pup Remus (who will be proudly featured on their wedding day signage & favors!) Savannah first met Tate in high school, where they went to school together and Savannah was best friends with Tate’s sister. But they didn’t start dating until the recent years of the pandemic, where they were able to spend a great deal of time together and really solidify their relationship. He proposed to her at Taylors Falls in Minnesota last summer and immediately got the ball rolling with their perfect venue Fields Reserve and other vendors.

I am so excited to see it all come together!! And to celebrate this sweet couple. More to come soon! 🙂

May 11, 2023

Savannah & Tate’s Fall Engagement Session at Picnic Point, Madison WI

Picnic Point Fall Engagement Session Madison Wisconsin Savannah Tate Meghan Lee Harris Wedding Photography Fine Art Photographer

It is currently spring and we are getting ready to celebrate Savannah & Tate’s wedding tomorrow! Before their wedding photos come to be, I first had to take a look back at their *incredible* engagement session last fall at Picnic Point in Madison. Completely opposite seasons ago, but I can still smell the perfectly crisp […]

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April 26, 2023

Amanda & Nate’s Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Destination Wedding

Amanda Nate Punta Cana Destination Wedding Dominican Republic Photographer Meghan Lee Harris

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Foreword

 

March 6, 2020

More than ever I find myself longing for the road and reminiscing our first road trip out west⛰. Google maps voice as our only other companion. Gas stations to brush our teeth and a yeti cooler as our fridge. Sleeping in a van, every night (sometimes at truck stops when we couldn’t make it to to our destination😳). It was the closest quarters we have ever lived in, and the most consecutive time spent together since EVER.

But if I could make a movie out of my life and replay it over and over, it would be these 30 days. Him, the van, the laughs, cries, pure terror, moments we couldn’t stop giggling, the fights, deep convos, good tunes, incredible hikes, the views, the feeling of freedom, overcoming, growing, and coming back home forever changed.

If you could do one thing in this lifetime, I encourage you to travel unconventionally. Take a multi-day road trip to a place you’ve always wanted to go. Skip the plane, skip the hotels, & immerse yourself in nature. Put yourself out of your usual comfort zone & I promise you will be forever changed too.

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January 23, 2018

I never thought I’d see this day, but we’re researching vans (and no, we’re not thinking kids just yet)! But rather we’ve been quite inspired by #vanlife and life on the road. We literally shout out “van!!” every time we drive past one, call us crazy but it’s going to be our little escape. Now that I’ll be entering full-time photography, and realllly only need to be in Wisconsin May – October, it leaves a whole lot of grey area to explore. We’re finally starting to make a few plans… can’t wait to share more with you as they develop!! 🤗

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March 8, 2018

A busy next month as I shoot two more weddings, leave my full time job, then pack up and immediately set off for a long road trip out west before full on wedding season begins in May! We’re buying a used conversion van and kinda just gonna wing it! We do have a few places on our list, including Zion National Park, seeing the sequoias and redwoods in California, Napa Valley, and driving the California coast. We’ll be people watching in Portland, and eventually heading up north through Washington and up to British Columbia. Then back down through Montana and Glacier National Park and the Badlands. Whew! We have never been out west before, and there is so much we could see! All you adventurers out there👋🏻, what are your recs/advice and must-sees!

 

 

 

5 years ago

One thing feels very certain. There was life before the van, and then there is life *after* the van. But the van was really the defining point in my life where I truly started living it.

Although this was only five years ago, it feels like a completely other lifetime ago! So much has changed. We’ve changed. A lot for the best (haha look at our style choices – YIKES). But looking through these photos and digging up old journals, I feel so much SOUL and energy. I smile at my youth and the lightness and carefreeness of it all. The “whatever happens will happen!” and “Carpe diem” aspect of it all.

I find my younger self way cooler and inspiring. Down for whatevs. Making something extraordinary out of nothing. Free-spirited but at the same time beginning to seriously realize what was lacking in her life & taking intentional action to go and get it. She was a force and nothing could have stopped her. This wasn’t just a little vacay, but a long overdue awakening. And Alex. My sweet, still baby-cheeked Alex. At this time we were only married 1.5 years but life partners for nearly nine. Equally playful and inspired by possibilities, first time seeing the mountains. I speak of it like it was so long ago, seriously how is it possible we were THESE kids just five years ago. We learned a lot about each other on this trip, and looking back it feels like a coming of age for the both of us. And the start of a much deeper bond that would only further deepen the coming years. It’s wild to recollect everything that has happened in our lives since, and now proudly see the result of what I intuitively felt in this moment – that these doors we were opening would be just the beginning.

Of course no epic road trip is complete without it’s way of transportation. A large part of what made our trip special and nostalgic was “Freida the Van,” not quite the remodeled Mercedes sprinter that was all fixed up and pretty like the professional vanlifers on YouTube. Rather ours was a 98 Ford Econoline we bought for a good deal from my friend’s parents who didn’t have a need for her anymore and wanted to send her off on her next adventure. She was brown, carpeted, ugly — and we loved her immediately! We named her after my late, beloved childhood dog. Not a golden retreiver, but a German wirehaired pointer who upon the sight of her I also thought, “brown, moppy-haired, ugly” — yet loved her immediately. Alex took out the back seats and built a basic wooden panel bedframe in the back and we added a mattress. Bought a yeti cooler, and that was the end of our renovations! 😉 We were set to go, we just needed to wait a few more weeks until April.

 

 

April, come she will

Our departure date of April 9, 2018, came with so much meaning. It would not only be the day of us leaving on our trip, it would be my first day I began living my life — for me. We received news several months back that the company we were both working for was being sold and that all of its employees would be laid off, but they needed us to help merge the company until spring. It was a complete shock at the time, my friends and coworkers I adored working with were all in a frenzy. To make things worse, Alex had recently been hired on after 3 months as a temp (note to self: don’t put all eggs in one basket), so now it would be back to the drawing board for both of us. No one knew what they would do. I had never been a part of a mass layoff before, and it was incredibly heart breaking.

I remember that moment of panic, but I also remember it turning into this feeling of reassurance. A sense of “knowing” that this was likely a necessary ending and as difficult as it seemed – a blessing in disguise. All the past year, I had been working hard to build up a side wedding photography career. I completed a math degree in college, and after I realized I no longer wanted to pursue teaching once I graduated (my dream since I was a child) I felt a sort of identity crisis. I found myself as a commissions processor at a brokerage, which kept me occupied and paid while planning our wedding. But after the wedding day, and realizing I had the whole future ahead of me and here I was typing on a keyboard day after day. I felt this deep longing to get back to my creative side.

My side hustle quickly turned into something that proved it could be more than a side hustle, to the point I had to start turning clients away. I had more than enough clients for me to consider going full time, but I was just afraid to make the risky move. So when the news broke of my company’s closure, it was the clearest indication the time was now right to leave the career that was no longer serving me. It was the (abrupt) push I needed to go full time into entrepreneurship. And it would mean I could finally be granted time to travel, and see the world beyond Wisconsin. I was 28 and due to either being broke college students, or having a lack of PTO for both Alex and I, we had never traveled much of anywhere yet. But since we met in 2009, we had always dreamed of taking a road trip out west, so when we were given this unexpected chance, the sudden need to travel hit hard and it hit BIG. And so come April, with a month long open schedule until wedding season began, we decided we would make the most of it. We would finally do what we always dreamed of, and head west.

Are you ready? Without further ado — this was *us*! Spring 2018. Just learning photography & exploring out west. Baby faced. Carefree. And *lots* of questionable style! 😉

 

 

Getting There

 

Driving from Appleton and hitting the highway west was one of the most sensational feelings, we were on such a natural high and seeing the mountains for the first time together was exhilarating. Freida the Van didn’t play CD’s, just cassette tapes. So before our trip my dad stocked us up with some of his old classics. One that he was missing however was John Denver, a staple for every road trip. So we stopped and bought a CD and a converter. I wish I had a picture of this ridiculous 90’s contraption. But nothing is more suiting when finally approaching the Colorado mountains than listening to “Rocky Mountain High.”

As for the rest of our soundtrack, I recall lots of Amie Pure Prairie League along highways and Tom Petty in the red rocks. We were saving the soundtrack from our favorite movie, Into the Wild, until we reached Yellowstone. If you’ve never seen this *incredible* film, you must. And then go get yourself the soundtrack. In short, the songs are all by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and written for this film that told the story of an American wanderer Christopher McCandless, who after graduating as a top college student, decides to give up all his money and travel solo into Alaska. It’s a heartbreaking tale of the struggle between society and nature. We listened to this on repeat as we drove through America’s iconic and first National Park, admiring the natural beauty and geysers and wildlife. Knowing full well that we humans are the reason these lands need to be protected in the first place. Shoutout to good Teddy Roosevelt for protecting the most beautiful lands, and giving us all this gift to be able to experience it for just a $30 pass. Yellowstone would ultimately become the highlight of our trip (but more on that to come)! 😉

 

 

Zion National Park, Arizona

 

I was looking back through my emails to recall some of the details of our route, which made me realize I didn’t even make campsite reservations (shock, dismay, who is this girl) — with the exception of 2 Airbnb’s where we’d be cheating the van life for a night & have access to a nice hot shower & clean bed. One being this rad canvas tent just outside Zion. But everything else was completely unscripted — something I have certainly gotten away from in my recent travel years, with wanting to fully maximize every trip with well-thought out itineraries of all the best spots.

I’ve now learned the ins and outs of the western half of the states, and I gotta say, looking back I find myself shaking my head a few times at our route haha (like when I made Alex turn around in Zion just a mile in cause I was too scared of the scenic route, or not hitting Moab on the way down, or not riding the Cali coast once we made it San Fran. Don’t make the same mistake we did by thinking Highway 101 is the same thing as Highway 1. And then not notice until you were basically in Oregon and never hit the coast haha WOOPS). But when you wing things, it comes without research so it’s all part of the adventure. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, or you don’t get to see it all! But then you wouldn’t have a reason to go back and explore further now would you 😉

 

Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas, Nevada

April 13, 2018

Took a little detour to finally do some hiking! Red Rock Canyon just became our favorite part of the trip so far! 👍🏻Drove the Vegas strip now gearing up for another long drive and 50 degree temp drop as we approach the Sequoia forests. Gonna be a cooold night in the van 🙄

 

 

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

 

This was the part of our trip where the stress finally got to us. I still have nightmares from driving our old Freida van up these scary windy mountain roads into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. It was so terrifying in itself, add in a van that could hardly accelerate upwards and that would send you bouncing in your seats with any little road bump. I questioned my safety quite a few times with the no guardrails, and straight drops to our death. Alex began singing calmly as I kept my head down to prevent me from a full panic attack. I may have had my hand up a few times, ready to grab the wheel in case Alex somehow forgot to follow the road, something he didn’t particularly enjoy and an instinct I have since learned to control better 🙂 We were now certainly far away from flat land Wisconsin (why is everything in the west SOOO mountainous??) and I wasn’t expecting my total fear of mountain driving and heights to become such a damper to our trip. As you’ll notice from above I was quite relieved seeing the welcoming spring countryside and kissing the ground knowing we made it down alive.

It was also made worse with not being able to breathe once we made it to the top, due to elevation (and probably the stress).

The trees however, were INCREDIBLE. If we ever go back, I’m returning more in shape, and in a low seated car where my imagination can’t get the best of me out the passenger window 🙂

 

Napa Valley, California

 

It felt very good to have a dull, boring drive again after the recent stressors. And fully indulge in Napa Valley, treating ourselves to wine and a mud bath (although this experience was a bit strange TBH lol, we laugh about it now). Also had to laugh at what Alex was wearing at the fancy winery and cheese pairing. They gave us a private room for this, which at the time made us feel so special but now am realizing we probably smelled like hippies and were hiding us. LOL My present self is cringing :):):)

Anyway, we got an appropriate shower after the mud bath and were feeling oh so nice, clean, and restored.

 

 

We Made it to the Coast!

 

These photos bring me pure joy. We officially made it to the coast in Freida the van! It wasn’t quite the warm Cali beach we were anticipating (for some reason I assumed all of Cali was surfers and sunbathers??) We were at the very northern part of Cali in April, so the water was pretty cold, certainly no swimming for us. But regardless, we felt very accomplished and ready for the second leg of our trip!

 

 

Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park

 

Despite the beauty of the sequoias and redwoods, we kept having a bit of bad luck in them. The vibes were a bit off when we parked for camp. It had been over a week now and homesickness was starting to creep in for us both. It felt tragic to be in such a beautiful place and wanting it to feel as profound as it looked. It was here that I realized that no matter how excited you are for travel, no matter how badly you’ve wanted this trip, that when you plan a 30 day trip with yourself or another person it’s wishful thinking you’ll both be at your best and living it up every minute of it, especially when you’re constantly changing your environment and the little stresses add up. I was feeling so much pressure to make this trip everything I had dreamed. And guilt that it wasn’t always going as planned. We still had 2/3 to go and I was now starting to doubt myself entirely.

If I could go back and tell myself in this moment one thing, it would be that perfection is an illusion, life isn’t going to be black and white, and that the most beautiful, growing moments lie in the mess.

 

 

Smith Rock State Park, Oregon

April 26, 2018

On Day 10 we escaped van-life for a day. It’s been almost two years now since we said “I do” and while this month-long road trip was meant to be our belated honeymoon, it feels a lot more like just a much-needed celebration of life!! The closing of a chapter, and the closing on a life that we felt was too predictably safe and left us wondering “what if?” What if we are not living how we are supposed to be living? What if we are meant for a different kind of life. More adventure, more time together, more actual living. This new stage is uncertain, involves a lot of crossing fingers and just winging it, hoping for the best but understanding it won’t always be the best. Winging it is definitely not always glamorous (we slept at a truck stop last night and brushed our teeth in a gas station🙈). I am not sure where this new full-timing girlboss life will all take me, where we will decide to live when we return, or where we will even sleep tonight. But I am certain of two things, one being that the sun will rise and the other being I get to continue to do life by this guy’s side. And that’s pretty incredible. Document your life in all of its stages. Print your memories & frame them as a reminder of where you once were. These photos are such a treasure and am so happy to have met up with the talented Stefanie Bendt along this crazy journey. So many more photos of this trip to come, but for now I’ll sign back off and enjoy it✌🏼

 

 

Cannon & Arcadia Beach, OR

 

Cannon Beach was definitely a place we could have stayed longer. It felt like a quintessential beach town, with cute inviting shops and a quaint feel. We received a recommendation from my aunt and uncle who used to live in Oregon to head to nearby Arcadia beach at low tied to hunt for seashells and sand dollars. We were surprised to find an entire rock with little creatures glued all over it including pink and purple starfish! Next up, Washington!

 

Riffe Lake Overlook, Washington

 

We stopped at a few overlooks on the way to our next Airbnb in Washington. I was kind of regretting booking it, because we were having fun making little discoveries along the way and an upcoming reservation meant we had to be more observing of time. When I realized we’d be passing by Mt Rainier, I decided to look up places with the best views and came across a bed and breakfast log cabin on a quiet lake. My two uncles climbed Mt Rainier back in their day, navigating snow, ice and nearly suffocating to death after falling in a hidden crevice. It was an inspiring story and accomplishment, and unfortunately my uncle had recently passed right before our trip.

I had to miss his funeral to shoot a wedding and missed the proper grieving, so this location felt necessary to take a pause and say my goodbye. When we arrived we could see some of the mountain, but it was too dark and cloudy to get a full and clear view. So we woke up early the next morning, sat by the dock, and patiently waited for the clouds to pass, but they never fully did. It was hard for me to give up that the sun was never going to show for us afterall, and Alex had to encourage me to continue onward.

We realized we hadn’t even gone for a hike yet, so we continued to our Airbnb and found any waterfall hike we could find to clear our heads and immerse into nature (thankfully, there were LOTS to choose from).

 

Mineral Lake Lodge, Mt Rainier, Washington

 

 

Tye Haus, Skykomish, Washington

April 23, 2018

**Update** Two weeks on the road, and Washington will be the furthest north we will go. Our initial plan was to continue on to Banff in British Columbia. But since almost all Washington trailheads are still closed from winter we have decided to head back South where we won’t be as limited. Really winging it at this point! ✌🏻But we do still plan on heading to Yellowstone, Bear Country, and Black Hills before arriving home. We will be home around May 6, halfway done still so much to see! Keep the recommendations coming! 👍🏻

 

Return to Cannon Beach, OR

 

Once we hit snow in Washington and realized we weren’t ready to do mountain driving in Freida in snow, we now suddenly had all sorts of time (still half of our trip!) left to fully improvise. We decided to stick to what we knew, and revisit a nearby favorite that we wished we had more time at originally, Cannon Beach!

The second time around we were able to catch it in the hazy mid day sun (I love how the lighting here always hits a little different, despite the same big rock). We found an incredible trail to take in the full scene from above. It seemed the growing pains were over and we were finally settling in and getting the hang of this whole vanlife thing. PS: tried my first oyster shooter, and I’m not sure how this is an actual menu option people pay money for?!?! Please if you enjoy this – I need a full explanation!

The next few places are little spots along route to Yellowstone, which would be our final big bucket list stop along the way!

 

Hood River to Pendleton, OR to Idaho

 

Bruneau Sand Dunes, Idaho

 

 

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Little did we know, we would be winging it into Yellowstone National Park on their opening week. Had it been any other week, campsites would likely have been full all throughout the rest of the year. But luckily for us, we hit the sweet spot where it was just opening up again and so we scored the last available campsite. Sometimes a little twist of fate happens, and I like to think this was one of those moments. It easily became the highlight of our trip, including many hitchhiking buffalo, perfectly timed Old Faithful eruptions, and gorgeous scenic drives including a foggy morning sunrise drive that will forever be preserved in a special place in my memory. We were the only ones on the road, besides wildlife, and it felt like we had the entire park to ourselves just for one morning. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to go back because it was truly that special.

Pointer: don’t go in summer where you’ll be riding the line ride. Go early April just as the park is opening and you’ll likely score these sunrise drives all to yourselves.

On our last day, as we were leaving the park, we realized the only thing that kept our time in Yellowstone from being *full perfection* was that we didn’t experience a grizzly sighting. Then, we came upon many cars pulled over the side of the road. Yellowstone had wildlife everywhere, and I knew nothing would attract this kind of crowd and traffic stop to see something out in the woods if it wasn’t a bear. Lo and behold, bear. Gnawing on an antelope carcass. At the time we only had an 85mm lens, so Alex with his steadier hands crept closer than anyone else in the audience. I was kind of concerned, but the bear did not seem phased in the least.

I know I said perfection doesn’t exist, but if it did, it would be Yellowstone.

April 30, 2018

“Hiking in the backcountry of Yellowstone when you are not the top of the food chain…it puts your senses on a heightened level and that’s something that is pretty powerful. In this day and age we are such kings and queens of our worlds. Being in Yellowstone’s back country puts our egos back in their places. It reminds us that we are traveling in something else’s environment that could change our world.”

^Words of Ron Bubb, an interview in a Yellowstone magazine that I took off a rack at some Park and Ride along the way. Yellowstone truly felt like we were visitors stepping on someone else’s land. Unsure what’s looking down at us from those mountains, and unsure what’s happening below our very feet. The geysers, hot springs, wildlife, mountains. We’ve seen a lot on this road trip but Yellowstone was a place we felt down to our bones.

 

 

Custer State Park & Black Hills, South Dakota

 

 

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

May 6, 2018

After 7400 miles of calling the road our home, the sunrise our alarm, living out of a van, popping in cassette tapes, gas station toothbrushing, spotty cell service, and google maps lady being our only other companion. Countless landscapes from red rocks, turquoise rivers, snow-capped mountains. Gorges, deserts, and palm trees to deep redwoods forests. After four weeks we are now back home in Wisconsin and re-adjusting to modern day life (you’d be so surprised how quickly you don’t miss binging Netflix while you’re gone). Looking back each day wasn’t perfect but it was always beautiful, because it was always a story only we were writing. It brings me to tears and I’m not even a crier. When we got home we joked that we’ll be those old grandparents repeating our “one time when your grandma and I took a van trip alllll out west…” followed by some exaggerated tale. And then we thought, maybe it won’t be “that one time” when we took a road trip. Maybe we already miss Freida the Van and tiny living and the adventure way more than we thought we would, so much so that we think we could do this permanently. Live mortgage-free. On the road nearly always (but with some land as a home-base). Maybe. It’s always followed by a maybe cause right now it’s too scary to say our dreams out loud without it. So we’ll just have to see.

Note: my inner gut doesn’t have this Maybe. Extra note: we’re already researching homes on wheels for sale 😉

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There was something so whimsical and nostalgic and free-spirited about the van and it forever changed us. We would then go on and live on wheels for the next year to come. And even the coming years, still taking road trips on rented out campervans any time the need for the road would call again (like my 30th birthday trip around California in 2020, or when we took it overseas in Iceland in 2021, and then our final stab at it in Colorado in 2022). “Via van” seemed to be our preferred way to travel and remain kids despite both of us now entering our thirties. And while our backs are getting worse (somehow we’ve aged a LOT in the past 5 years, perhaps too much van life haha) and we now seek out more modern day comfort and amenities in our travels,

Still, nothing will ever be as remarkable or timeless, as playful and wild, or as nostalgic and coming of age, as one’s first time on the open road.

 

 

EPILOGUE (life after the van)

May 17, 2018

When you live in and out of a van for a month straight you get used to tiny space living and overall living with less. You’d think you would miss things like oh say, a TV, your own shower, a closet for clothes, etc. But not having these conveniences was surprisingly so liberating! It made us really separate what we desired to have from what we needed. And pretty soon we only desired to have what we needed. When we got back home we realized we didn’t feel as connected to nature, the present moment, and each other as we did while living on so little. We’ve been researching tiny home options since and are SO close to actually taking the leap and making this an everyday lifestyle going forth.
What do you think? Could you ever go tiny?

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June 6, 2018

More than ever Alex and I have been striving to think bigger and live with less. We’ve been so inspired by the #tinyhousemovement but it’s still so new of an idea, there’s not tons of resources out there yet to get you started. We want to live small, like really small. We want to use solar energy and leave as little trace as possible. We don’t want to take up space at a permanent dwelling and where there are restrictions that tell you how you must live. Can you believe that in some communities there are actually rules saying your house must be at least a certain size? So strange. Going tiny is not quite as easy as HGTV makes it look, there are quite a few hurdles like finding a way to finance it (we walked into a credit union Monday and got the crazy looks, what is it? A home? An RV? A shack on wheels?), finding places to park it legally, finding people who know how to build one, and just educating those we know so they can sort of understand why we are choosing this way of life. It’s not always followed with words of encouragement. It’s mostly skepticism and doubt and getting a good laugh out of people cause we’re crazy – reactions we’ve learned to expect so we are careful with who we show excitement about it towards. It’s gonna take a little patience but we are committed to this. I think this movement is gaining interest because others out there feel it too, that more stuff doesn’t equal more happiness and there is a freeing aspect of just letting it all go. It’s not only a happier way of life for us, but we’ve come to realize it’s just fricken smart. 🌎
Happy #worldenvironmentday and don’t ever stop believing there’s not a better way or a smarter way or that you can’t switch things up.

 

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August 1, 2018

Well we are back at square one 🤦🏻‍♀️. We went from being just a few days away from buying our #tinyhome and starting it’s build journey to being told it wouldn’t be happening at all. We made it SO far in this process, we found our perfect build company and layout, got the approval and go ahead from our bank, started the design talk with builders, got the purchase agreement and were finally leaking the news to friends and family as we just waited for our bank to sign off on the agreement.

Turns out that even though our tiny home was RVIA certified, we couldn’t get an RV loan to finance our tiny home due to its uniqueness and tiny homes not being acknowledged by NADA. In other words, they couldn’t put a value on it so we couldn’t get financed. We spent months working towards this and thought we were finally there 🙌🏻only to be told a gut wrenching “no.” Guys, I’m not good at being told no!

We are still very determined to live this type of lifestyle, and while the tiny home we picked out would have been absolutely perfect and we are crushed we have to rethink this whole plan, we realize that the most important thing is not WHAT we’re living in but HOW we’re living. If it means settling for a traditional RV that banks currently recognize, then so be it! But you better believe I’ll be gutting it and fixing it up to a modern farmhouse 😉

Also… I am now a strong advocate for the #tinyhousemovement and making financing a tiny home actually doable. It really just needs to be it’s own loan category, and with how popular this lifestyle is becoming its so sad it can’t be easy for first-time homebuyers to make the leap to go tiny. So in short, we’re still going tiny by this coming November, buuuut it’s going to look a little different and require a lot more tools to make it into our dream space 🔧 Shopping for RV’s today, wish us luck!

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Our first home has wheels!

August 27, 2018

Nine years ago we were shy and awkwardly swinging on a porch bench, getting to know each other and sharing our life aspirations.

We were always those kids with crazy ideas and big dreams, who knew it wouldn’t be long before we’d have to grow up. Do the adult things. These past 9 years we talked often about what it would be like to ACTUALLY live the way we wanted. A life of travel and waking up wherever and deciding each new day how we’d like to spend it together. Was it wrong to think this life was unattainable?

We still feel like these same kids (and I hope we always do). But today our dreams become pretty real. No, buying a camper as our first home wasn’t an exact part of the dream 😆 but being able to live how we want? A life that feeds our soul? Definitely.

Today we are celebrating our 2 year #weddinganniversary and 9 years together by purchasing our first home (aka 21’ camper) and taking it out on its first adventure🤗 We haven’t even SEEN our home in person yet, so we are over here mentally preparing ourselves. We are a little nervous! What if we actually hate it?!?! Trying to picture what living under 168 sq feet will be like is easier said than done, but in just a few hours we will finally get a glimpse of this new reality of ours.

Before we introduce our home to the world we’ll be heading up to the upper peninsula of Michigan and just taking a moment for us. But we can’t wait to share this exciting new chapter with you all, so very soon!!

 

February 14, 2019

When we initially broke the news of our new living situation to friends/family we were often asked, “How can you live with someone 24/7 in such a small space?! Won’t you get sick of eachother?” We only had 750 square feet most of our 8 years apartment living together but we were about to shrink it down to 150. But after spending a month road tripping in a van? We figured we could do it. Hey, this would be a major upgrade!

We’ve been living this way a couple months now – full time entrepreneurs on the road – and I will say, it’s amazing being able to actually spend your days and hours with your husband. Just a nod and a smile away. But there’s also definitely no personal space. So if you like even 10% time alone, this lifestyle might not be for you😅. No rooms to hide in when you argue. No friends to turn to when you need girl time (they’re all back home👋🏻). Just the two of you, your mini shelter, and the road. It forces you to talk through things and actively be married…like all the time. And that’s why I love it.

Living tiny has brought us closer (literally) and although it may be unconventional, I would choose this life again and again in every lifetime. Also, we made sure there were two TV’s 😜

 

 

February 28, 2020

Sometimes when the sun rises or sets, the snow will highlight blues and purples and pinks. And for a second I am back in southern California. Driving through the Joshua Tree with Alex. Running along the sand with Cash. I picture the mountain hikes and the coyotes at night. And the stars when we were in the far-out desert. It’s funny how a Wisconsin winter scene can take me there. Polar opposites. Yet both have this same whimsical essence *✧・゚:*

 

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Thank you for taking the time to get to know the most meaningful side to me and my story. I hope you’ve enjoyed our journey.

And if there ever comes a point in your path where you feel a little lost from yourself, or the life you imagined, don’t walk further away. Don’t settle. Listen closer. Run towards.

See where your heart takes you, it will never lead you astray.

 

 

 

April 13, 2023

30 Days Out West | Commemorating Our First Road Trip

Foreword   March 6, 2020 More than ever I find myself longing for the road and reminiscing our first road trip out west. Google maps voice as our only other companion. Gas stations to brush our teeth and a yeti cooler as our fridge. Sleeping in a van, every night (sometimes at truck stops when […]

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Happy wedding week Alyssa & Peter! It feels like I’ve been waiting for this day to be here for so long, I’ve been smitten with them ever since they appeared at Olive Park with their pup  – Alyssa in her blue floral dress which complimented the blues of Chicago lakefront so perfectly. I’ve been so excited seeing sneak peeks of their wedding day in the making. Her dress! Their watercolor invitation suite, color schemes, charming venue rooms, etc. Soft accents of blues to compliment the nautical feel of their Lake Geneva wedding day, where they will be get married at the country club on the lake. So classy, just like these two! Cannot wait you guys!!! In the meantime, here’s some snaps from their incredible engagement session (whichhhh we almost got rained out – can you tell the moody clouds?) but luckily we were able to get a decent amount of shots before the downpour! 😉

 

 

September 22, 2022

Alyssa & Peter’s Chicago Engagement Session at Olive Park

Happy wedding week Alyssa & Peter! It feels like I’ve been waiting for this day to be here for so long, I’ve been smitten with them ever since they appeared at Olive Park with their pup  – Alyssa in her blue floral dress which complimented the blues of Chicago lakefront so perfectly. I’ve been so […]

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