A Grand Geneva Resort wedding already carries a sense of drama and beauty, but Izzy and Kyle’s day felt especially layered with meaning. From the wind in the trees to the softness of film portraits, everything about it felt like a story that had been building for years—because it had.

Izzy and Kyle are the kind of couple whose story feels like it’s been unfolding quietly in the background for years. High school sweethearts, they started dating at 17 and, nearly a decade later, found themselves standing at 27 with a lifetime already behind them and so much ahead. Their engagement in November 2023 was pure Kyle—thoughtful, layered, and completely unexpected. He proposed at Lakeshore Park in Milwaukee, one of their favorite places, then surprised Izzy with their immediate family waiting nearby. Just when she thought the moment was over, he whisked her off to a surprise party with all their friends at their favorite bar, Camp. The entire thing took months to make. Kyle even pretended he’d be staying in Florida for Thanksgiving with his mom, secretly booking a flight back to Wisconsin two weeks before so he could pull it all off. And the ring? Designed by Kyle himself, set with eight of Izzy’s nana’s diamonds—one for each year they’d already shared. It was never just a proposal. It was a love letter to their past and a promise for what comes next.

Vows Beneath a Painted Sky

Their ceremony took place outdoors at Grand Geneva Resort, and right as Izzy stepped into view, the sky began to shift. Storm clouds gathered far off on the horizon. Not in a threatening way. In a cinematic way. The blues deepened, the light softened, and everything felt suddenly quieter, as if the day itself were paying attention.

A warm breeze moved through dresses and florals. Guests leaned in without even realizing it. And Kyle… he never took his eyes off her. Not for a second.

It was one of those moments you can’t manufacture. You can’t schedule it. You can only be present enough to recognize how rare it is when it happens.

Film, Light, and the In-Between

One of the things Izzy and Kyle were most excited about was incorporating film photography into their day. Alongside digital, I brought out my Pentax 6×7, a legendary medium-format camera that creates rich, cinematic negatives, along with the legendary Leica M6 35mm film camera.

We stepped away for portraits, letting the wind cool the heat. In those frames, you’d never guess it was blistering. The images feel timeless, almost suspended. Film has a way of slowing everything down. It asks you to breathe. To feel.

And that’s what these two gave me.

Dinner, Dancing, and the Chalet Glow

Guests made their way to The Chalet as the sun dipped lower, and the whole room seemed to glow. What’s normally a grand space suddenly felt warm and inviting, as if it had been shaped just for the people inside it. Petals n Bloom filled the room with soft, organic florals, and Minted’s paper details added those little touches that make everything feel intentional. As soon as Luxe Productions hit play, the room came alive.

There was laughter that carried across tables. Speeches that made people tear up and then laugh through it. The kind of toasts that feel like hugs. Izzy and Kyle floated through it all with that mix of calm and disbelief, like they were trying to memorize every face, every sound, every second.

It wasn’t just a party. It was the celebration of ten years of choosing each other.

A Love That Lasts

Izzy and Kyle chose to return to Wisconsin for their wedding because this is where their roots lie. Though they now live in Sarasota, Florida, Lake Geneva has always been part of their story. Their Grand Geneva Resort wedding became a homecoming, not just a destination.

It was majestic without being stiff. Ethereal without being distant. Memorable because it was honest.

This is why couples choose a Grand Geneva Resort wedding. Yes, it’s elegant. But more than that, it gives space for real, unscripted magic. The kind that feels bigger than all of us.

Vendor Team

• Venue: Grand Geneva Resort
• Getting Ready: Strike Bridal Bar
• Florals: Petals n Bloom
• Planning & Design: Belviso Co
• Paper Goods: Minted
• Entertainment: Luxe Productions
• Bride’s Gown: Betsey Johnson