Michael and Kelly’s wedding day has finally come. Living in Southern California but both having strong ties to the mountains and love for outdoors, Lake Tahoe would be the perfect destination for their wedding. Their ceremony would be nestled in pine trees at the Gatekeepers Museum in Tahoe City. Just feet from Lake Tahoe, it was the perfect summer mountain wedding! To make this location even more beautiful mother nature was in full bloom with a field of Lupin flowers, some as tall as me, spread along the shoreline. This view took our breaths away. Knowing all that we wanted to accomplish before the 3:00 ceremony, we were going to be very busy.
With everyone getting ready at nearby condos, we had easy access to a dock leading out onto Lake Tahoe and the beautiful lupin field. The bride surprised all of her ladies with floral robes to wear while getting ready. It was a fabulous gift as well as a great addition to their wedding day theme. As the ladies finished getting hair done by an amazing crew, all friends of the Kelly’s Mom, Kathy, from Images Salon in Truckee, we spent time photographing the guys.
The groomsmen photos were a lot of fun with their cool shades out on the dock. There was an important moment that Michael wanted to have with his men. During the holidays of this past year, they lost a fellow groomsmen. In his memory, a boutonniere was placed on a rock in Lake Tahoe while they took their time to pray and remember their close friend, Brian. I did not know him but I know his spirit runs through each of these friends of his.
The ladies were next and they looked stunning with their long pink dresses with the purple lupins as a backdrop. Kelly was gorgeous in her Allure lace wedding gown. The handmade bouquets were the most beautiful arrangements, with flowing ribbon on the bridesmaids bouquets and a special broach on Kelly’s – they really looked amazing!
The last thing to be done before the ceremony was Michael and Kelly’s First-Look. They wanted to read their vows to each other. Capturing moments like these always melts my heart. In this case, Michael had me laughing several times – his words were beyond sweet, funny and heartfelt. The smiles on their faces for each other says it all.
Three o’clock came quickly and the ceremony site was filled with so many guests. They wanted to keep it short and sweet and it was a beautiful ceremony. Lake Tahoe was in view in the distance and there was a breeze blowing through and you could really smell the trees! A reading by the Groom’s Aunt, traditional ring ceremony and the officiant pronounced the newlyweds as husband and wife. Immediately after, we raced the bridal party over to Fanny Bridge for a fun photo of them all on the bridge. It is a unique piece of history to the Tahoe City area, it is known that you can always see people’s “fannies” looking over the bridge into the water below. After we finished up all the important photos, it was time to get the newlyweds over to their cocktail hour and reception. With a Model A getaway car, the couple headed to their reception at Tahoe Tree Company.
The sun setting so late and a slight sprinkle of rain really made this summer mountain wedding complete. With fun games for guests to enjoy and signature drinks in “take-home” glasses, cocktail hour was a ton of fun.
Once it was time for dinner, guests found their seats with “please be seeded” escort cards, packets with flower seeds for guests to take home and grow! The tables and chairs provided by Event Masters USA were stunning – the entire setting was so romantic. Once dinner was served and toasts were made, people were ready to dance! With half of the dance floor located inside the building, the indoor balcony provided an opportunity to get a photo of everyone. This was also the time for the bride and groom to do their first dances, bouquet toss and cake cutting, with everyone watching around. People were really looking forward to the beautiful cake, skillfully made by mom. For those who didn’t want cake, or those who wanted more sweets, there was a s’mores station – another favorite detail to make the perfect summer mountain wedding! With the amazing DJ styling by Vibes Alive, the dance floor was packed the rest of the night!
Congratulations to the newlyweds, Michael and Kelly. Thank you for having me and my team document your amazing wedding day. Every moment and every detail was a joy to photograph. I hope you enjoy looking back and remembering your magical day!
Couldn’t make the wedding, but these pictures were so clear and complete that I feel like I was actually there. Congrats Kelly and Michael. Kudos to Niki Ross the photographer.