Romantic Wedding at the Courtyard by Marriott

Erica and Derek had the perfect fall day for a romantic wedding at the Courtyard by Marriott! After a weekend blizzard only a few days before, I was worried about this wedding. But thankfully, the sun came out and melted all the snow away!  We had to avoid some flooding, but the temperatures and fall colors were perfect. These two could not have been any luckier!

When I arrived at the Courtyard by Marriott to start the wedding day, I was met by a room full of welcoming bridesmaids and family! Everyone in the bridal suite was working hard to steam dresses, but they still offered to help me in any way possible.  Wedding days like this one make it clear that Minnesota nice is a real thing!  Everyone pitched in to make this wedding the perfect day for Erica and Derek. From grabbing a vacuum when a fern lost its leaves, to tracking down the wedding rings for photos, this couple had an amazing group of people supporting them on their wedding day! When it was time for me to head out for the night, that same group, as well as even more family and friends, were dancing the night away with the newlyweds!

You may remember this couple’s story from their engagement session! These two met working the same summer job in a corn field!  Of course, we had to make a special stop at a corn field for a few photos to remember how it all started. Then their story gets even better from there!  Over Christmas they took a family vacation to Hawaii.  They went to Haleakala National park, which is a volcano above the clouds. While hiking around on the trails, and after stopping to take a picture, Derek got down on one knee and proposed. It was beautiful and perfect and Erica said yes! From a corn field, to a Hawaiian volcano, these two make the most of every part of their love story!

Congratulations again Erica and Derek!

Getting Ready – Courtyard by Marriott

The lace detail on the back of Erica’s dress and on her train were breathtaking!

First Look – Courtyard by Marriot

Portraits – Gooseberry Park

Because of the early snowstorm the week before the wedding, I was worried we wouldn’t find any fall leaves!  Thankfully Mother Nature proved me wrong. The leaves were full of color on the trees and all over the ground.

It was really windy, and a little muddy, however we still stopped to get a few photos next to the corn field! This is one of my favorite images from the day. It was definitely worth the extra effort!

After we left Gooseberry Park, we headed out to Sabin to find a corn field and more fall colors!

Ceremony – St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church – Sabin, MN

It was amazing being back at this Sabin church, especially because I photographed one of my first weddings at this same location!

Reception – Courtyard by Marriott

These cute pumpkins definitely need to be added to Pinterest for fall wedding inspiration! Derek and Erica did an amazing job on all of their decorations and details. They also without a doubt won over the kids at the reception with their amazing treat table!

I still can’t believe Derek’s mom made the dessert, and best of all, they tasted just as good as they looked!!

THE AMAZING VENDORS:

Bridal Gown: Bridal Gallery, Sioux Falls, SD

Florist: Cash Wise Floral

Ceremony Venue: St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church

Reception Venue: Courtyard by Marriot

DJ/Entertainment Services: Nightlife DJs

Groom’s Attire: Halberstadts

 

Booking your wedding photography is easy! Just send me a message and we can chat!

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Alecs Kay Photography is a Wedding & Portrait Photographer in Fargo, ND

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