Downtown Stillwater has such beauty to it. The old buildings, the lift bridge, the river, they’re all gorgeous. It’s no surprise that the spot attracts so many weddings, and I am ecstatic every time I am invited to cover a wedding in Stillwater.

Michelle and Alex’s riverboat wedding was vibrant while still feeling intimate. Something about being secluded on the water with a hundred of your closest friends makes it feel like you are the only people in the world.

Their whole day was family-focused, with their wedding party being made up of their children and siblings. Their ceremony was tightly packed into the sunny deck of the boat, with the wedding party closely gathered at the bow. Their relatively brief ceremony was sweet, full of laughter and embraces.

When the sun went down is when the celebrations really started. After a series of heartwarming speeches by the family of the newlyweds below deck, the top deck of the boat transformed into a bustling dance floor. One of the most fun moments of any wedding day is bobbing my way through the dance floor, catching everyone having a blast in each other’s company. The white claws were flowing and you could feel the love!

Michelle and Alex, thank you for welcoming me into your family for the day!

Angela is my cousin, and I really didn’t want to photograph her wedding. Not because I don’t love her. I love her so much that I would rather have attended her wedding than have worked at it. But she didn’t take no for an answer, and we made a deal—I would shoot the wedding preparation and ceremony, but put my camera away for the reception (and let my team take over) so I could celebrate with her and the rest of our family. This arrangement and the entire day ended up being perfect.

Luckily there is no shortage of gorgeous backdrops for the gorgeous couple to capture each moment of their wedding day within the bounds of Stillwater, MN. Even the condo where the bridal party got ready had best view of downtown Stillwater I had ever seen. All of the big and little moments seemed to hold equal importance and beauty.

Both the bride and groom said that their favorite memory was the first look.

I get why; it was a rollercoaster of emotions, in the best way. The two greeted each other with huge smiles, which turned into tears (mostly from Marco), and then back to smiles again. What is even sweeter about their first look is that Angela’s father and Marco almost had identical reactions to seeing her for the first time, both clearly so overwhelmed by how beautiful she was and how much they love her.

From the first look, to beautiful outdoor ceremony at the Trellis, and finally the reception at the Stone Ridge Golf Course — tears and laughter continued to persist as a common theme. Especially when Angela’s father, my uncle, stood up to give the father of the bride speech. I’m not going to lie — I was terrified for Angela.  I had no idea what he was going to say, or how he was going to embarrass her, and then he went on to give the best speech I had ever heard. He had the entire audience, including myself, laughing and crying and laughing again. It was so special to be a part of and attend your wedding day. Congratulations Angela and Marco! You can never have too much laughter or too many joyful tears.

Ceremony Venue – The Trellis – Stillwater, MN
Reception Venue – Stone Ridge Golf Club – Stillwater, MN
Hair Stylist – Creative Beaute Agency – Minnetonka, MN
Caterer – Danny’s Bar and Grill – Stillwater, MN
Cake Designer – Dorothy Ann Bakery – St. Paul, MN
Florist – Colleen’s Flower Cellar – St. Paul, MN
Dress Shop – The Wedding Shoppe – St. Paul, MN
Tuxedos –Heimies Haberdashery – St. Paul, MN
Party Bus Company – Stillwater Trolley – Stillwater, MN
DJ – Aaron’s Anytime DJ
Stationer – Paper Rock Scissor – Minneapolis, MN
Chair, Table and Tent Rental – Rustic Elegance – Woodbury, MN
Jeweler – Continental Diamond – St. Louis Park, MN
Dress Alterations – Louise Marie Weddings – St. Louis Park, MN

Nick’s proposal to Jennifer was the stuff of fairytales.  First she sat down with her future in-laws next to a picturesque pond at their house, where she watched a video Nick had made in secret that would only begin to express what their relationship meant to him. When the video finished, she was led into the backyard where a tent had been adorned with beautiful flowers and lanterns, and inside, there was a card. The card led her to a lake, where the walkway was lined with lanterns. The lanterns led down some stairs and along a dock. The water around the dock was filled with floating candles and lights. At the end of the dock stood Nick, and when Jennifer walked toward him, he got down on one knee and proposed.

Pretty romantic, no? Well the best part was that Nick had also secretly invited Jennifer’s twin sister from New York, and after the newly engaged couple had a few moments to themselves, the whole family came down to the dock to celebrate with them!

I had a blast photographing Nick and Jennifer’s Stillwater wedding.  As you can tell from the story, Nick is quite detail-oriented, and that always makes for some great wedding pictures! The yellow/grey wedding colors added a beautiful splash of color to the overcast day, and the ANTIBOOTH horse mask props were a hit at the wedding dance.  My favorite part of the day, however, had to be the precious moment where the little ring-bearer’s sign fell apart as he ran down the aisle, and I captured the frame-by-frame of his epic fall when he slipped on the pieces that landed right under his feet! Don’t worry, no children were harmed in the making of these wedding pictures…. It was pretty funny, though. 🙂

Ceremony venue – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church – Maplewood, MN
Reception venue – StoneRigde Golf Club – Stillwater, MN
Hair stylist – Spalon Montage – Woodbury, MN
Makeup artist – BB Makeup – Hudson, WI
Caterer – Danny’s at StoneRidge Golf Club
Florist – Colleen’s Flower Cellar
Wedding gown – Our Shop – Stillwater, MN
Bridesmaids’ dresses – The Wedding Shoppe
Tuxedos – Savvi Formal Wear
Party bus – Premier Transportation
Music – Buuth Entertainment
Jeweler – Gloria’s Jewelry – St. Paul, MN
Late night pizza – Randy’s Premier Pizza – Oakdale, MN

Ben and Molly, you chose a fantastic location for your wedding at the Stillwater Courthouse!  The weather was perfect, and your wedding pictures are awesome.  I wish you all the best in the coming years.  God Bless, and enjoy your pictures!