After an engagement shoot at Chippewa Park a few works prior, it was time for the real thing. As soon as I arrived I made my way to the cabin where Alisha and her bridesmaids were getting ready. I took some elegant photos of the dress as well as some candid photos of everyone getting ready. With a bit of time to spare I then made my way to the ceremony area. It was located right by the water in behind the main cabin in a beautiful setting.
All the seats were setup and guests were gathering as everyone waited for the bride to arrive. Once Alisha did arrive it was a wonderful entrance. There was a nice long pathway coming from around the trees into the ceremony area. The flower girl almost stole the show show, as she smiled the whole way carrying her little bouquet. Once Alisha arrived at the alter the ceremony began. The highlight for me was the poem Alisha and Derek wrote for on another. It was a very nice touch.
Immediately afterwards we did all the family and group shots and then it was time to focus on the bridal party. We began by walking out to the end of the path overlooking Lake Superior followed by a few quick photos along the beach. The thing that made this wedding so different from anything I have photographed up to this point was the fact that there was an amusement park. Alisha and Derek bought tickets for any guests who wanted to take advantage some of the rides. We focused on the bumper cars and the merry go round. They turned out great!
My favourite part of the day came next, where it was just me, Alisha and Derek doing the main portraits. We made our way to the boardwalk and got some truly creative and striking photos there. Next up was the reception which was located in the main lodge. Unlike some receptions, getting the couple to kiss requires a certain challenge. This one was no exception. There was a mystery kiss jar which included the names of couples in the crowd. Once called, they had to come up and perform a unique kiss of their choosing. It was then Alisha and Derek’s turn to copy that exact kiss. As you can imagine, some of the kisses were very creative and fun.
After the speeches were done, it was time for the first dance and then the cake cutting. Before the regular dancing started there were two more things to take care of. The first of which was the bouquet toss. This was followed by the garter toss. Both of these drew huge crowds, and aside from a small tumble, one lucky many and woman made a great catch. And then everyone danced the night away. As always, thanks to Alisha and Derek for a wonderful time.
