Chloe & Michael's Iron River Wedding | Forage Girls Farm, Hertel Wisconsin

Some weddings follow a pretty traditional script. Chloe and Michael's? Not even close — and we loved every single second of it.

This October wedding in Iron River, Wisconsin had everything: a pine forest, a single glowing maple tree, a whole roasted pig, highland cows, and weather that apparently didn't get the memo that it was fall. Spoiler: it was hot. Like, genuinely, surprisingly, almost comically hot for October in northern Wisconsin. But Chloe and Michael rolled with it beautifully, and the golden autumn light made every single photo absolutely worth the sweat.

A First Look That Started the Waterworks Early

Before the ceremony even began, Chloe shared a first look with her father — and if you've never witnessed one of these moments, let me tell you, they are something special. Tears were shed. Happy, beautiful, full-heart tears. It set the tone for the entire day — emotional, genuine, and full of love.

A Walk Through the Pines

To get to the ceremony site on Chloe and Michael's own property, guests walked through a stunning pine stand that opened up to a single maple tree absolutely ablaze in fall color. That tree. You guys. It was the kind of natural backdrop that no decorator could ever replicate. The contrast of the deep green pines and that fiery maple with Chloe and Michael standing underneath it is something we will never forget photographing.

Photos by the Iron River

After the ceremony we headed down to the Iron River for portraits, where the fall colors reflecting off the water made for some of our favorite images of the entire year. Northern Wisconsin in October is just something else — even when it feels more like August temperature-wise!

The Reception at Forage Girls Farm in Hertel

The party moved to Forage Girls Farm in Hertel, Wisconsin. The farm is gorgeous, the vibe is relaxed and warm, and on this particular evening the sunset was absolutely on fire.

Oh, and dinner? A whole roasted pig. Yes, really. It was as incredible as it sounds.

As the evening wound down, guests gathered around a bonfire under a sky that just kept getting more and more beautiful. And then there were the highland cows. Just hanging out nearby, being magnificently fluffy and completely unbothered by the entire celebration happening around them.

Chloe & Michael — thank you for letting us be part of your wild, warm, perfectly imperfect October day. From the pine stand to the pig roast to those absolutely iconic cows, your wedding was one for the books.

AnaFinn Photography captures weddings across northern and central Wisconsin including Iron River, Hertel, Waupaca, Stevens Point, and beyond. Reach out to chat about your wedding day!