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Summer’s Glory | A Beautiful Wedding at Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center

Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Summer went long this year.  And that’s fine by me… Jen and Sara had the most beautiful weather imaginable for their outdoor wedding ceremony at Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN.  This was the first wedding I’ve photographed at this gorgeous outdoor venue, and I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful the natural surroundings were, or how impressive the expansive view across the Mississippi River bluff was… I’ll have to let the pictures speak for themselves.  It’s hard to say what made the day more magical, the beautiful surroundings, the sweet, intimate gathering of family and friends, or Jen and Sara’s genuine love for one another and sheer excitement for their wedding day.

Here’s Jen’s story about her proposal to Sara…

“We had just returned from a  trip to Costa Rica with Sara’s entire family. The evening before I proposed, we were at a friend’s house and I was watching Sara play hide and seek with their little girl Courtney. I just remember thinking to myself, “This is it. I’m ready. This is going to be a great life together.” The next morning I asked Sara pretty bluntly over coffee before we’d even brushed our teeth. I wasn’t sure if she was going to slap me for taking 5 years or if she was just super excited that the moment arrived. I think she’d known for a while and was just waiting for me to get there. I’m so glad I did.”

Jen and Sara got married the same week the state of Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage. The couple felt blessed to have their siblings and closest friends write a touching and personal story of their lives before and after meeting, and read it at the ceremony. 

“We were also both fortunate enough to have both sets of parents support us and walk us down the aisle,” says Jen.

This wedding was one honestly of my favorites. It was just SO beautiful. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN
Gay wedding photography at the Schaars Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN

Ceremony & Reception Venue – Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center – Hastings, MN
Caterer – Rhino’s Black Diamond Catering – Hastings, MN
Pies – Emily’s Bakery – Hastings, MN
Florist – Sweet Top Farm – Hudson, WI
Limo – Smart Ride – Hastings, MN

Summer went long this year.  And that’s fine by me… Jen and Sara had the most beautiful weather imaginable for their outdoor wedding ceremony at Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center in Hastings, MN.  This was the first wedding I’ve photographed at this gorgeous outdoor venue, and I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful the...

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Becca & Andy’s Destination Wedding in the Bahamas

Oh, the life of a wedding photographer is a sweet one indeed!  Like when Minnesota starts to get chilly, and you have to fly all the way to the Bahamas to shoot a wedding… oh darn. 🙂

In September I traveled to meet Becca, Andy, and 40 of their closest friends and family members on the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos for their intimate beach wedding ceremony.  I’d be hard pressed to turn down the opportunity to photograph a tropical destination wedding, especially after the leaves begin to fall in Minnesota!

We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day for Becca and Andrew’s wedding.  (But of course! It was the Bahamas!)  As Becca recalls,

“It was a great day. One of my favorite things about it was how everyone came together to make it happen. Each and every one of our guests did something that day to make it amazing! It made us feel so blessed and loved to have people working, running, folding, fluffing, placing, and racing around to make the day so special. Also, the scenery – It’s hard to beat the island backdrop we chose! It was a breathtaking day; one we were so happy to share with our closest family and friends.”

I was certainly honored to be a part of that day.  Enjoy Becca and Andrew’s destination wedding photography in the Bahamas!

Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings
Bahamas Destination Wedding Photography by Brovado Weddings

Ceremony and Reception Venue – Atlantic Ocean Beach Villas – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Officiant – Pastor Reece Bowling – ORCC Church – Denver, CO
Hair Stylist – Brigitte, Tangled Hair Salon – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Caterer – Kissing Fish – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Florist – Ernst Jansen, Flowers by EA – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Dress shop – Bella Bridal Boutique – Woodbury, MN

 

Oh, the life of a wedding photographer is a sweet one indeed!  Like when Minnesota starts to get chilly, and you have to fly all the way to the Bahamas to shoot a wedding… oh darn. 🙂 In September I traveled to meet Becca, Andy, and 40 of their closest friends and family members on...

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An Indian Wedding in Minneapolis | Day 3, Part 2: Reception


In the final installation of this four part blog post, we showcase Rosina and Matt’s Indian style wedding reception.  The couple and their wedding party wore ornate and traditional Indian wedding clothing, jewelry and head pieces.  Their wedding reception at the Depot in downtown Minneapolis was a lavish event decorated with flowers, ornaments, colorful drapes and gold furnishings.  While I photographed her wedding reception, Rosina recalled how Matt proposed to her the year before.  When she arrived to Minneapolis after a stint at medical school Miami, Matt picked her up at the airport and told her he was taking her to see a meteor shower.  They wound up at the Lake Harriet bandstand, and climbed onto the stage, which had been filled with lit candles. That’s where he popped the question.  Rosina admits to having had a very “blonde moment” (no offense, blondes) and not realizing what was happening until the absolute last possible moment.  Luckily, she came to her senses in time to answer with a resounding “YES!”

Congratulations, Rosina and Matt! I am truly blessed to have been a part of your amazing wedding!  If you haven’t seen the last three parts of Rosina and Matt’s three day long wedding extravaganza, be sure to check out their Gaye Holud, Mehndi, and wedding ceremony!































Wedding planner – Sarah Trotter from Lasting Impressions
Ceremony venue – The Depot – Minneapolis
Videographer – Brovado Weddings
Caterer – Jay Mariadosi
Decorator – Caidal Events
Florist – Madelin Rose Florist

In the final installation of this four part blog post, we showcase Rosina and Matt’s Indian style wedding reception.  The couple and their wedding party wore ornate and traditional Indian wedding clothing, jewelry and head pieces.  Their wedding reception at the Depot in downtown Minneapolis was a lavish event decorated with flowers, ornaments, colorful drapes...

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An Indian Wedding in Minneapolis | Day 3, Part 1: Ceremony


We’re coming into the home stretch with this four part blog post!  Rosina and Matt’s lavish Indian-American fusion wedding in Minneapolis was a three day long event.  We came home with so many beautiful wedding photos that I decided to split this post into four parts: the Mayon/Gaye Holud, Mehndi, wedding ceremony and wedding reception.  In this installment, we’ll show off Rosina and Matt’s gorgeous wedding ceremony pictures in St. Paul’s historic Mears Park.  For more than 40 years this area was awash with squatters, prostitutes and inmates serving out sentences while breaking rocks in the hot sun – until 1886, after much prodding by St. Paul residents, and with the involvement of Sarah and Rosabel Whitney, it was finally developed into the beautiful public park we know today.

Rosina and Matt utilized the scenic downtown St. Paul plaza as a luxurious setting for their chic and romantic “American-style” wedding ceremony.  Rosina wore a gorgeous blush colored Vera Wang wedding gown, and hired makeup artist Jacqueline Frazier to professionally cover her traditional henna tattoos for the wedding ceremony.  (She would later remove the makeup on her hands and feet to expose the henna for an Indian-style wedding reception!)

I hope you enjoy this quintessential Minnesota summer wedding ceremony, as well as the bride and groom photos taken in and around Mears Park, and the wedding party pictures taken in downtown St. Paul!































Wedding planner – Sarah Trotter from Lasting Impressions
Ceremony venue – Mears Park, St Paul
Videographer – Brovado Weddings
Caterer – Jay Mariadosi
Decorator – Caidal Events
Florist – Madelin Rose Florist
Dress designer & shop – Vera Wang from David’s Bridal
Party bus company – Total Luxury Limo

We’re coming into the home stretch with this four part blog post!  Rosina and Matt’s lavish Indian-American fusion wedding in Minneapolis was a three day long event.  We came home with so many beautiful wedding photos that I decided to split this post into four parts: the Mayon/Gaye Holud, Mehndi, wedding ceremony and wedding reception. ...

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An Indian Wedding in Minneapolis | Day 2: Mehndi

Day number two of this three day long Indian wedding that I photographed in Minneapolis consisted of the Mehndi celebration.  Bride and groom Rosina and Matt were dressed in traditional clothing, and both of their families came together for a huge feast and festive celebration.  A relative’s warehouse was decorated with elaborately colorful drapes, lanterns, props and ornamental furniture provided by Caidal Events, who flew in all the way from Miami just for this wedding.   A beautiful feast was catered by Jay Mariadoss and featured plenty of traditional Indian and Indian fusion dishes.

After the bride and groom’s grand entrance, they were seated, and a choreographed dance performance was put on by Rosina’s family members.  Afterwards, the dance floor opened up for everyone, and the guests showered Rosina and Matt with money as a traditional symbol for wishing them prosperity in their marriage.

Be sure to check out the other installments of this four-part blog post!  The Mayon/Gaye Holudwedding ceremony and wedding reception.

Day number two of this three day long Indian wedding that I photographed in Minneapolis consisted of the Mehndi celebration.  Bride and groom Rosina and Matt were dressed in traditional clothing, and both of their families came together for a huge feast and festive celebration.  A relative’s warehouse was decorated with elaborately colorful drapes, lanterns,...

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CONTACT


2409 Lyndale Ave S,
Suite 202
Minneapolis MN, 55405

 

612.242.8655
[email protected]

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@brovadoweddings

FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES

@brovadoweddings

CONTACT


2409 Lyndale Ave S,
Suite 202
Minneapolis MN, 55405

 

612.242.8655
[email protected]