August was a virtual whirlwind for Duclos Studios, especially the last weekend of the month. Ryan and Kelli made a marathon trip to St. Paul, Minnesota to photograph the wedding of Dawn Pfeffer and Matt Cherne at Crystal Lake Golf Club, then flew back to Seattle the next day to photograph a second wedding at the Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine. It was their first time traveling together, and though the trip was a blur at best, they had a great time taking photos, meeting new folks and catching up with old friends.
Friday morning, the 26th, dawned bright and early-- if at all. Ryan and Kelli made tracks out of Bellingham at 3 am to catch their 7 am flight, armed with cameras, mini-muffins and a Thermos of the strongest coffee known to man. After a fairly uneventful flight, they arrived in St. Paul to warm, sunny weather. Ryan's longtime friend and brother of the bride, Aaron, picked them up at the airport and shortly after, they met up with the bride, Dawn, for a boudoir photo session at the hotel.
Dawn had a great time with the boudoir session, laughing and joking with her girlfriends, and letting her natural beauty and charisma shine through to create fantastic images. The hotel room where the session took place left much to be desired, but with some white sheets and gorgeous window light, plus a few of Matt's belongings as props, the scene was transformed into a lap of luxury through the viewfinder.
As soon as the boudoir session ended, it was time to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. The majority of the bride and groom's families were in attendance, as well as the twelve-person wedding party and some visiting friends. Everyone piled into the local Irish pub for a classic Midwest meat-and-potatoes feast, and enjoyed some relaxing time together before the big day commenced.
The wedding day began with unseasonably beautiful weather for Minnesota in August-- low 80s, hazy skies-- perfect light for photographing outdoors. Both the ceremony and reception took place at Crystal Lake Golf Club in Lakeview, which boasted beautiful grounds and a wealth of photo opportunities. Ryan and Kelli had a blast taking the wedding party all over the golf course for photos, including taking over the driving range for some pretend practice shots. The day flowed perfectly and managed to run according to schedule, even ahead at times.
The ceremony took place on a balcony overlooking the golf course under a beautiful Minnesota sky. It was elegant in its simplicity, with the exchanging of rings and vows that Dawn and Matt had written for each other. A family friend sang "From This Moment" before the bride and groom were pronounced husband and wife. Once pronounced, Dawn and Matt fist-bumped, "blew it up" and then kissed before walking back down the aisle laughing and dancing.
Dawn was stunning in her white dress, and Matt looked impeccably handsome in his tuxedo. The bride and groom took a walk for some photos alone before the reception began, and Ryan really pushed the envelope to give those images a sophisticated, fashion-conscious edge. When entering the reception, Dawn and Matt waltzed in under an archway of golf clubs held up by the wedding party, and the good times only kept rolling from there. The beer and wine flowed, the caterers prepared and served a fantastic dinner, and the dancing and merriment lasted into the wee hours.
After returning to the hotel room and getting all the gear ready for the next day, Kelli and Ryan had less than 3 hours to sleep before their 3:30 am wake-up call. One outrageously priced car ride to the airport later, the tired photographers napped in the terminal before flying back to Seattle to make the drive home to Bellingham. Two hours after returning to Bellingham, they were fresh, clean and on the road to Blaine to photograph Michelle Baer and Rob Risinger's wedding at Semiahmoo Resort.
The weather in Blaine was even hotter and less forgiving than in St. Paul, but the bright sun and cloudless skies were no match for the light-manipulating photographers. It was a challenge they accepted head-on, and emerged with nothing but beautiful images despite the harsh conditions. Michelle and Rob thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and it certainly shone through in their images. Semiahmoo boasted some very photogenic locations, and Ryan and Kelli made the best of them to showcase the bride and groom in the best light possible.
The ceremony, which was fairly small in comparison to the sweeping views, took place on a sun-drenched bluff overlooking the bay. The minister shared letters the bride and groom had written to each during their pre-wedding counseling, which helped set the intimate tone and gave the guests a glimpse of the love and devotion that solidified Rob and Michelle's commitment to each other.
Though the weekend was a long one, and exhausting at times, Ryan and Kelli had a fantastic time jet-setting across the country as they encountered one new adventure after another. Everywhere they went, love was in the air, and good fortune and high spirits were never far behind. True romance was the theme of the weekend, and in true Duclos Studios fashion, they preserved it forever. Every kiss, every laugh, every embrace, and everything in between-- it was an experience not soon to be forgotten.
