Krista & Pat | Chippewa Retreat Resort Northwoods Wedding
North Central Wisconsin Senior & Portrait Photographers James & Katie Stokes Located in Medford, Wisconsin // Destination Wedding
Simon and Julia were married at her grandfather’s cabin in the Northwoods. Julia has spent many a summer on the lake in Eagle River Wedding Venues and it served as the perfect backdrop for their nuptials. Guests arrived via pontoon and were escorted to their seats in white wooden chairs near the water’s edge. Their friends and family traveled from across the globe to be there and celebrate with them. I don’t think these two could have been any more in love on their wedding day and the natural beauty of Wisconsin was truly on display for their Aussie attendants to enjoy. From the first look to their first dance, emotions, and excitement fueled their day and allowed for many personal moments between the bride and groom that we often don’t see on a traditional wedding day.
Instead of having a traditional wedding cake, they enjoyed a variety of pies, Wisconsin cheeses, and raspberries. Subtle accents of pine and eucalyptus were used throughout their table and floral decorations. Simon’s blue jacket, hat, and bow tie made for great accent pieces with an Australian flare. A highlight of the day came near the end of the dinner during both the mother of the groom speech and also during the dance when Simon serenaded us all and didn’t leave a dry eye in attendance. It is in these moments that we find ourselves truly blessed to be in the presence of such remarkable people who have found each in serendipitous circumstances.
Katie and I had the privilege of traveling to Dublin, Ireland this past June to photograph Philip & Eadaoin’s Irish-American destination wedding at Trinity College followed by an intimate reception at Leixlip Manor in Kildare, Ireland.
From the vintage trolley, to the groom’s cravat, this wedding blends old-world class with new world traditions and style. Half of the guests at the wedding were American, which allowed for a great fusion of both Irish and American nuptial tradition and celebration. We were fortunate enough to photograph the bride and groom inside one of the many halls on Trinity’s campus.
Philip is from Wisconsin and Eadaoin is from just outside Dublin. Both currently are working on the Ph.Ds in Physics at the University of College Dublin, however, they met by chance at MIT here in the states . Upon one of Eadaoin visits to the US, she attended her first wedding. This led to the couple renting a trolley for the transportation of the bridal party from the center of Dublin to the countryside Manor, where guests and family were waiting with champagne and crocket. Guests partied through the night in Irish fashion. A five course meal was served along with elegant hors d’œuvre and traditional Irish drink into the early hours of the morning. Their day was filled with eloquent speeches, impromptu love songs, a little rain for good luck, and a gay pride parade for a splash of the unforgettable. Ireland, with all its history and identifiable cultural traditions, made Ireland the ideal emerald backdrop for Philip and Eadaoin’s nuptials. Dreaming of a destination wedding?