One of the coolest parts of what I do is getting to meet awesome people and take the kind of amazing photos they’re looking for. Alexis and Brandon were no exception to this, and I was so excited to take their private residence wedding photos for them.
Let’s get to it!
Preparation And Planning
I’m all about making sure my couples are taken care of in every way possible. They hired me, so I’m going to make sure they get something mind-blowing, even more so when they’re as welcoming as Alexis and Brandon were. We were already vibing really well together after our first virtual meeting, and when I finally met them in person in Cordova, they both treated me like family, which made the vibe (and trip) even better. Alexis even made me a knitted hat and booties for my baby born in the spring!
While planning the photos for their private residence wedding, we spent some time talking about different lighting and photo locations. I always want to make sure my couples feel informed about the choices I make, and I want them to feel comfortable making suggestions too.
Together, we developed a plan for their day, with them even setting aside plenty of time to travel with me to each of their couple’s portrait locations. I was glad they did, especially because those ended up being some of their favorite images!
A Quick Note About A Bear
It is not an Alaskan wedding without a bear run-in. Don’t quote me on that, but it happens more than you’d think! In this case, while everyone was rehearsing for the wedding at Brandon’s parents’ house, where they also held the ceremony, a black bear decided to stop in and see what was going on. It did end the rehearsal early, but that’s just part of life up here in Alaska.
Alexis And Brandon’s Private Residence Wedding
Rain started their wedding day during the getting ready session and gifts, which were amazing, by the way! The rain cleared up before the ceremony though, which it always seems to do, thankfully.
Alexis and Brandon’s ceremony took place with a vast lake, dense forests, and rising mountains as the backdrop. And being that it was a private residence wedding with some Western touches, Alexis and Brandon did a cool branding ceremony to mark the start of their family. Afterward, we went off to take their couple’s portraits while the reception at the Orca Adventure Lodge was getting set up.
The couple made some amazing suggestions for the locations we shot at too! We checked out a historical bridge, docks, the marina, and a historic school downtown. It was great just driving around with them, making memories, joking around, and shooting some stellar pictures together.
When we got back, the reception was ready with great food. I had the sockeye salmon caught by Alexis and Brandon, of course. After eating, we all had a blast dancing together and celebrating the couple.
The next morning, since there were so many people traveling in from out of state and staying at the lodge, they opened up their coffee shop just for us. We all got to hang out and enjoy a laid-back morning, reminiscing about all the fun from the day before.
Some Final Words About The Couple And Their Wedding
Alexis and Brandon were some of the nicest and most humble people I’ve ever met. They gave as much back to everyone who gave to them as anyone could ask them to. And, believe me, no one was even asking!
Making couples like them happy is why I love what I do. I’d love to do the same for you too, whether you’re having your own private residence wedding or a different kind of wedding. It makes no difference to me as long as I get to take some cool photos for you on your special day.
Let’s do it!
