Steve and Sarah’s Minnesota Zoo Wedding
We’ve got more great wedding photos to share with you! This is the story of Steve and Sarah’s pretty Minnesota Zoo wedding last Saturday, October 14th.
It’s a good thing that Steve and Sarah are easy going because their wedding day was just a bit of a challenge in the weather department. Rain was in the forecast for their wedding day for at least a week before. Wouldn’t you know it, the weatherman actually was right this time (unfortunately).
A classic bridal portrait of Steve and Sarah with the fall colors in the background.
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Just as we were leaving the hotel to head to a nearby park for Steve’s first look, it began to sprinkle lightly. By the time Sarah arrived at the park to see Steve, it was a light rain. After their first look, which turned out to be quite a fun production to keep them dry, it was raining steadily.
Thankfully, there was a nice, large picnic shelter at the park. We used it to our full advantage to create a lot of pretty, and more importantly dry, wedding party photographs under the roof. If there is a silver lining in the rain, it’s that fall colors get more saturated, the more they get “saturated.”
We put all of our lighting gear into play, including our very own “Lightning McQueen” custom built lighting golf cart. Joannie even took all of her wedding candids with two lights to balance the light on our dry wedding party with the much brighter light outside of the shelter.
I used our 48-inch softbox on Lightning McQueen, and our 36-inch softbox on another light stand for all of the wedding party photos. We even used the same four light set up for Steve and Sarah’s first look. I can’t say that we’ve ever done that before!
Steve, Sarah and their wonderful wedding party staying dry on a rainy day.
When we left the park, it was raining hard enough that we had to repack all of our gear to keep it dry. Good thing we did too because it was pouring cats and dogs by the time we arrived at the Minnesota Zoo, just ten minutes later! Joannie and I managed to get our gear inside with no equipment getting wet.
The only casualty, my iPhone took a tumble into rushing rainwater. After two days drying out in a bag of rice, thankfully I still have the same (working) iPhone! Our equipment cases also took a day or two before they were totally dry.
Their Wedding Was A Zoo – A Real One!
Because of all the fun the weather was having with us, Steve and Sarah’s Minnesota Zoo wedding outdoors at the Lakeside Terrace, became their Minnesota Zoo wedding indoors at the entrance of the Tropics Trail.
We photographed both of Steve and Sarah’s families on the Tropics Trail along with some additional wedding party photos with their two, cute flower girls that had now arrived at the Minnesota Zoo.
Steve and Sarah’s beautiful wedding rings on a red rose.
We wrapped up in time for their wedding rehearsal, and when that concluded we had a few minutes before guests started to arrive, to sneak in a few images of Steve & Sarah on the Tropics Trail.
Minnesota Zoo Wedding Ceremony
It was time for Steve and Sarah to get married! While it wasn’t exactly the outdoor wedding they planned, it at least seemed like an outdoor wedding! Their wedding ceremony was really very nice. With lots of emotion, tears and fun moments. Before you knew it, Steve and Sarah were newlyweds!
Steve and Sarah’s pretty wedding ceremony at the entrance to the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo.
Right after they were pronounced husband and wife, we took a quick peek outside. Incredibly, it wasn’t raining! But it was almost dark out, but we still managed to get a couple of pretty fall color wedding photos by the lake.
Moments after they were pronounced husband and wife, Steve and Sarah enjoy the fall colors at dusk.
Minnesota Zoo Wedding Reception
Back inside, Steve and Sarah greeted all of their wedding guests on the Tropics Trail. It was a pretty setting that’s for sure.
Steve and Sarah had a wonderful wedding reception and a very nice dinner. Lots of dancing followed to cap off a great day of celebration in Discovery Cove! Despite the lousy weather, it really was a fantastic wedding day.
The newlyweds enter their wedding reception to a standing ovation!
Thank you, Steve and Sarah, for asking Joannie and myself to be part of your pretty wedding day. You guys really rock! – M&J