Whether they consist of two or twenty-two, these people know how to have a good time. I've never met with a bride and groom who have said, "Yeah, you'll have to be pretty careful with our bridal party. They're a pretty lame bunch of people." Quite the contrary. It always surprises us the places these girls will walk in heels or the heights these guys jump in suits. We are so thankful for the willingness of these friends to do whatever necessary to create such fun memories for the bride and groom. They have shared in the lives of the bride and groom through thick and thin and now they get to share with them in one of the most important celebrations of their life. There is always so much attention given to the bride and groom, but here we want to credit the bridal party. Not for just having fun with us at the wedding day, but for being so supportive of your friends and family in their marriage. We can't wait to see the people we will meet this year and the friendships we will gain because of it.
Why isn't there a show about the groomsmen? There are a few predictables on a wedding day, but when it comes to the groomsmen--well, we just don't know what to expect: knives, guns, beer, beer, whiskey, beer, air time, superhero's, and movie covers. There is no way of knowing what poses these guys may come up with and what they are willing to do in front of the camera. It is always a joy getting to know each group of friends and brothers and capturing such a fun part of the day. We hope you enjoy!
The first time we met Shelly and Brian it was obvious how much fun we were going to have on their wedding day. And they didn't disappoint. They chose Grand Geneva--specifically, the Evergreen ballroom--as their reception venue for a very special reason: it was there at a friend's wedding they had met years previous.
The road conditions made for an interesting drive over to Chapel on the Hill for the ceremony in a trolley bus, but thankfully we made it around Lake Geneva safely. We had taken their engagement photos at the stables of Grand Geneva on a different freezing cold day, so we figured why not this day?
The bridesmaids ran in and out of the bus to keep warm, stealing a groomsman jacket whenever possible. The falling snow made for the perfect backdrop for all of the photos throughout the day. While summer is always a fun time of year to be shooting, there is a beauty and purity to winter that surpasses all seasons--but the warmth and love that Shelly & Brian share couldn't have been a more perfect couple to put in that backdrop.
Denene & Roy were married on March 31, 2012 at The Baker House in Lake Geneva, WI. The ceremony was held on location with the reception following immediately afterward. The Baker House is an overwhelmingly beautiful venue with so much to take in as a guest and as a photographer. Each room is exquisitely decorated and unique. The customer service Denene and Roy received fromt the staff at The Baker House was over-the-top. To view Denene & Roy's entire wedding gallery follow this link: Baker House Wedding Photography.
They had a first look around noon and we jumped right into the photography to get the meat and potatoes photography captured before the ceremony. We started by getting getting photos of the dress and shoes and rings set up around the Baker House. The bridal suite we used to shoot the dress in was stunning. After Denene finished putting on her beautiful dress we went across the street to shoot on the piers and around The Riviera. The ceremony was very fast and we completed the family photos and a few more romantic session photos before arriving at the reception. Below are some of the photos from their big day.
One of my favorite weddings. Well I love so many I can't really pick a favorite. Here are the features that make a wedding like this one so fun.
- Unique...I love it when the bride chooses themes that are different. Jenny chose pink to honor Breast Cancer Awareness.
- First Look...I love the first look because it is romantic and take so much pressure off the day and allows me to shoot many more photos for the happy couple.
- Deep colored skies.
- Energetic bridal party. When the bridal party is wild and crazy they tend to be more open to suggestions. This often leads to new and fresh poses and photo journalistic moments.
- Great music choices for the ceremony and reception. I really dug the music at Jenny and Justin wedding.
- Time. When we have time, especially with the couple, to shoot, we are able to create beautiful and dramatic imagery.
- Weather. We can't control the weather but when it is in the 70s, even when it is kind of humid, it really helps not to worry about losing the wedding party over the cold or heat.
The week of October 16 was a whirlwind week. Nell and Eduardo flew in from Puerto Rico and we shot their engagement session two days before their wedding. Eduardo is self admittedly a little camera shy. However, after shooting with me for an hour he was legitimately excited for the photography for wedding day.
Now, I have been to a lot of weddings and a lot of GREAT weddings this year. But wow! This was a lot of fun. The reception had three bands and a DJ! The entertainment at the reception started out with Las Guitarras de Espana with Carlo Basile performing a wonderful Flamenco dance. One of the bands was AfriCaribe. They brought out the "Bomba Dancer" out in dozens of guests who formed a tight circle formed around the group known for their African-Puerto Rican-Caribbean flavor of music and dance. Then, after all that incredible entertainment another band appeared and rocked the house. The Robert Allen Jr. Band was so good the entire crowd insisted on having them come back for an encore. The wedding was at St. Benedicts Catholic Church in Fontana. We took a Lake Geneva Cruise Line boat to Lake Geneva Country Club on truly one of the best days of the entire year! What a day!
The hi-res versions of this wedding are located at this link. Below you will see some sample photos from their wedding day and engagement session. Comments welcome on the photos below.
