It’s easy to get swept up in your wedding day and get pulled away from the person that you’re there to celebrate with, your soon-to-be spouse.  To combat that, Nina and Karen made a point to set aside time to go on a hike before the whirlwind of their wedding day, taking the time to enjoy their surroundings and each other before getting ready and having their first look. Is there anything cuter than taking your partner on a morning hike the day of your ceremony and inscribing your initials into the sands of Lake Superior?

Nina and Karen are one of those couples where you can see how connected they are in the way that they look at each other. These two are so in love, unable to stop themselves from smiling when they look into each other’s eyes. Their first look was all smiles, and their wedding day was all laughs. Nina and Karen’s wedding was perfectly intimate and left them with plenty of quality time with those closest to them. Their relatively small guest list was composed of mostly family, and some close friends. It’s incredible to experience this kind of joyful, easy love, and to see a couple that is so loved by their friends and family.

Their reception didn’t follow the traditional formula of grand entrance, speeches, and first dances, but it was so very Nina and Karen. After dinner and a few speeches, the wedding party ran to the beach to enjoy cigars and the icy water of Lake Superior. After changing into sweatshirts emblazoned with Nina and Karen’s last name and wedding date, they spent time dancing, playing beer pong, and enjoying each other’s company.

Nina and Karen, your wedding had some of the best sights and the most profound love that we have seen in a long time. We wish you two a lifetime of stunning morning hikes, hand-in-hand.

Check out Nina and Karen’s feature on MN Bride

Vendor List:
Ceremony Venue — Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Reception Venue— Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Officiant— Gary Cwidak
Caterer— Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Florist— Bella Flora — Duluth, MN
Dress Shop — Wedding Shoppe Inc. — Minneapolis, MN

You may remember these two from their stunning engagement shoot in Denver, CO with our Associate Photographer Brooke. Well, Brooke captured their wedding that somehow beat those incredible Denver shots!

Zach and Coty flew from Colorado to have their ceremony at Coty’s parent’s home in rural Minnesota. Having their day at a place that is familiar, the two were able to decorate the venue in a way that was entirely theirs. Their details placed an emphasis on rustic elements, their ceremony and reception studded with antlers and cross-sections of trees, with a stunning Kransekake as their wedding cake. Zach and Coty perfectly blended their own style with tradition. Coty is a bride who can rock red Jimmy Choos and dark lipstick, but also wore her veil while walking down the aisle, something that you don’t see many brides do any more.

While we could talk about the connection between Zach and Coty for hours, one that isn’t always focused on is the bond between the bride and her father.  Coty’s father was a blast, fully enjoying his daughter’s big day. He took not one, not two, but three shots during his speech. But that’s not the most noteworthy part of his speech. While he spoke, you could see the love that he has for his daughter and the respect that he holds for her. He spoke to Coty’s time in college in Wyoming and her independent nature, which is perfectly complemented by Zach’s good-natured demeanor. Needless to say, everyone was at least a little misty-eyed during Coty’s first dance with her father.

The joining of Zach and Coty, and their families, was a truly illuminating thing to watch. Seeing two people so in love, and their families so in love with them together, is a beautiful thing. With such intense love, two people are able to melt into each other and feel true comfort, which is obvious in how these two photograph together. Zach and Coty’s sunset shots are especially jaw-dropping. Being able to pull them away from their reception, once all of the day stress had melted away, allowed for some of the most honest, raw moments you can capture. These two were a joy to photograph, and we don’t doubt that Zach and Coty will be each other’s joy for the rest of their lives.

Vendor List:
Videographer — Phil Salvador —
Officiant — Pastor Keith Weber — Salina, KS
Hair stylist — Studio 14 — Faribault, MN
Makeup artist — Sophia Thao — Minneapolis, MN
Caterer — Arna Farmer — Faribault, MN
Cake designer — Ingebretsen’s — Minneapolis, MN
Florist — Wanda Leppert — Fairbault, MN
Dress Designer — Monique Lhuillier —
Dress Shop — L’Atelier Couture — Minneapolis, MN
Tuxedos — Men’s Wearhouse by Joseph Abboud
Limo/party bus company — Krazy Train — Faribault, MN
DJ — DJs on Demand — Denver, CO
Chair/table/tent rentals — Apres