You know the story…couple gets engaged, couple plans wedding, books a venue, sets a date annnnnd COVID hits. It’s a common story from 2020. Although this nasty little virus unraveled a lot of plans and no doubt caused a lot of stress, in this particular instance I believe it changed Mariah and Daniel’s wedding plans for the better.
You see Mariah and Daniel have been together since high school and out in Daniel’s parents backyard lies this incredible towering oak tree with perfect hanging branches. Mariah always wanted to get married under that tree but once wedding planning began and the guest list grew, they realized it wasn’t a reality and they wouldn’t be able to accommodate that many people in a backyard. They booked a lovely golf course venue instead. And that’s when Covid changed their plans, forced them to downsize and granted them the perfect backyard wedding underneath the oak tree in beautiful Stillwater, Minnesota.
They got dressed in Daniel’s parents house. It was fun, it was relaxed and when we were ready we simply stepped out the back door to take photos in their beautiful backyard. This backyard is so beautiful I honestly struggled as a photographer ever so slightly because I couldn’t decide WHERE to shoot because there were so. many. options. Not a bad problem to have.
The ceremony. In all my years of weddings, this one is up there as one of my favorites. The tree, the backdrop and the incredible floral installation are just the tip of the iceberg. They were married by a family member so it was incredibly personal, it was intimate, it was silly and there were tears! I’ve honestly typed and deleted sentences for five minutes now trying to capture in words their ceremony. I just know that I photograph love for a job, I see it all the time which is how I know Daniel and Mariah’s love is so special.
Florist: The Flower Girls
