It was the dead of winter when Kate emailed me about her wedding day. She told me she was getting married at her family cabin in the Northwoods of Minnesota and was looking for images that would reflect her wedding’s simple, laid back, summery vibes. She spoke of friends and family and an incredibly intimate gathering of the people most important to her and Christian at a place filled to bursting with years of memories and nostalgia and graciously invited me into her love story. Her life story.

Her family story.

Kate + Christian were married on a perfect summer weekend in late July. Their wedding ceremony happened a day early – to avoid forecasted rain that managed to skirt around us for the entirety of the next day – and was perfection. The rest of the weekend was spent in boats and hammocks, noshing on cold fish and warm croissants and whiskey and wine. The guests and I swimming and napping and reading and laughing and reveling in every single ounce of each other and Kate + Christian’s love.

It was a perfect, flawless, incredible weekend and if I could spend the rest of my time as a wedding photographer documenting stories in this way, I’ll be forever blessed.

Here are a few of my favorite images from this non-traditional yet perfectly meaningful weekend: