Semple Mansion Wedding Photographer for Colleen & Deonte
Colleen, Deonte and their son Kingston on the front porch at the Semple Mansion.
This was the third wedding for me to photograph in just four days, with Joe & Kelly getting married at East Union Lutheran Church in Carver, MN on Thursday and Isaac & Susan getting married at the beautiful Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, MN on Saturday.
The beautiful Semple Mansion is on the United States Department of the Interior “National Registry of Historic Places.” It’s that cool!
Our wedding and portrait studio has been a Semple Mansion Wedding photographer several times through the years. Most recently for Vadim & Daniella on Mother’s Day in 2014 and last October for the incredible wedding of Patrick & Brittany.
Colleen and Deonte’s wedding day highlight music video begins with the girls getting ready in the pretty “Bridal Suite” at the Semple Mansion. With a huge mirror (and I do mean huge), lots of counter space for hair and makeup and some nice window light, this is one of the best Brides rooms you’ll find at any wedding venue in the Twin Cities.
The Billiard Room
The boys got ready downstairs in the “Billiard Room.” Photography wise, the Billiard Room is a double-edged sword. Beautifully decorated in rich dark wood in the lower level of the mansion. The trouble is that this is a very dark room. It just “eats up” light. There’s not much in the form of natural light and so you have to rely on either the light from the chandeliers or use some electronic flash, or a combination of both. So that’s with I did, a little of each which actually worked really well as I captured lots of the boys getting ready for the wedding day.
It doesn’t hurt that I’m carrying two Canon 5D Mark 3’s with me along with several very fast lenses, that camera and lens combination is really amazing in low light!
After the boys finished getting ready I took them outside for some “no girls allowed” photos just before the wedding ceremony. As you can see, this isn’t a tiny wedding party. Eight groomsmen, some ushers, dads and two really cute ring bearers. Quite a large group and the girls aren’t even in the wedding photos yet!
These guys were great to work with. They can and do like to pose and show off some real attitude; right down to the two ring bearers!
Deonte and his groomsmen “posing with attitude!”
Guests started to arrive signaling that it was almost time for their wedding ceremony. There are lots of wedding candid images of Deonte meeting and greeting friends and family as they arrived. The music video continues with the final few images of Colleen in the Bridal Suite just prior to getting her dress on.
The Wedding Ceremony
Their wedding ceremony begins with the super cute flower girls and our two handsome ring bearers. One of which is Kingston, their adorable son and he escorted the family dog “Gizmo” down the aisle! The beautiful Colleen followed them next from the top of the majestic Grand Staircase at the Semple Mansion. Pretty!
This was a fun and energetic wedding ceremony with lots of laughter and even some cheering from time to time! You can tell that everybody really loved that these two newlyweds are in love and tying the knot!
Colleen and Deonte greeting their guests at the conclusion of their wedding ceremony.
After the wedding ceremony during the cocktail hour, we jumped in the limo and headed the Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens by the Walker Art Center. We didn’t have a lot of time before dinner, but we made the best of it.
We have photos of the wedding party in front of the famous “spoon” and images of Colleen and Deonte, Colleen and her bridesmaids and few more of the boys by another sculpture.
Colleen, Deonte and their wedding party at the Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens.
The gilrs at the Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens.
The newlyweds at the beautiful Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens.
Dinner time was coming soon, so it was back to the Semple Mansion for their dinner and dance.
As you can see, life as a Semple Mansion Wedding Photographer (or any wedding photography) isn’t dull and boring, in fact quite the opposite!
Their wedding music video concludes with some pretty images of them together on the front steps before sunset.
Colleen and Deonte and their first dance.
Colleen and Deonte, thank you for asking me to create your wedding photographs for you. I know you’re going to enjoy them for many years to come!
Colleen and Deonte on the front porch of the Semple Mansion.