Breanne and Robbie’s nature-filled, intentional, joyful wedding

This was a really, really fun and special wedding! I’ve been working with Breanne and Robbie for a couple of years; I photographed their engagement session in Seattle (!!) where they live.  Breanne and Robbie initially planned to have their wedding in 2020, and later decided to move the wedding to this year due to the pandemic. 

Breanne and Robbie met in the hustle and bustle of law school. They have such a beautiful and intentional relationship -- they love spending time in nature and connecting with their community, and they just have so much fun together.

When they were thinking about what was most important to them for their wedding day, Breanne and Robbie identified how important it was to them to have a wedding that felt really authentic to who they are. They knew they wanted to celebrate their love for each other outdoors in nature while surrounded by their full community. They also knew they would have guests attending from all over the country, and they ended up picking the Duluth/Superior area for a wedding location that would be somewhat central and close to Breanne's family.

Since they were planning a wedding from half a continent away, Breanne and Robbie teamed up with an amazing wedding planner, Mary from Pure Event Planning and Design. She helped them find The Atrium in Solon Springs, WI for their wedding venue, and it was an amazing setting for their day! The Atrium is this amazing converted greenhouse that’s owned by two wedding photographers. Because it’s owned by people who know the wedding industry backwards and forwards, the entire space is so so functional, beautiful, comfortable, unique, and well-lit. (All of their vendors were totally incredible -- there’s a full list of them at the bottom of this post, if you’d like to see!) 

Breanne and Robbie’s wedding day

We started the day by meeting up with Breanne and her bridesmaids as they got ready at this sweet little cabin on Lake Superior. I love these candid photos as Breanne was sitting on the floor curling her hair in front of a mirror. Her friends were helping each other do their makeup, and the vibe felt super grounded and happy! Robbie arrived with his groomsfolks, and they had drinks out front while Breanne finished getting ready.

Then Breanne and Robbie’s friends piled into the cabin while Robbie walked around to the backyard for a first look with Breanne. Breanne and Robbie had a first look in this lovely spot lined by pine trees, and I have to say, it was one of the sweetest first looks I’ve ever seen! They were both absolutely infatuated with each other and how each other looked -- you could palpably feel their joy and excitement.  

We spent a few moments taking pictures of Breanne and Robbie by the trees, then walked through the big yard to Lake Superior. There were these grassy dunes in the backyard and then this little beach on the other side -- it felt so private and special. These pictures on the beach by the lake with the blue sky in the background feel totally serene and magical. 

We got a couple of pictures with Breanne and Robbie’s wedding party, and then we all hopped into a bus and headed to the venue! 

We arrived at the venue, settled in a bit, and then spent some time meandering around the venue to get some pictures of Breanne and Robbie with their wedding party. The ceremony spot was in a clearing in the woods and featured a wedding arch covered in super colorful dahlias and sunflowers -- a perfect backdrop for group photos!

We also wandered through the woods a bit and found a beautiful field surrounded by pine trees. There was this really cute path with a little bridge surrounded by ferns, which reminded Breanne and Robbie of their home in the Pacific Northwest. We had so much fun exploring together and taking portraits. 

We took a few pictures with Breanne and Robbie’s family, and then the couple got to take a little downtime before the ceremony. I took pictures of the guests as they arrived. The couple who owns the venue were zooming around on golf carts helping to transport guests, which was super fun! 

After the guests settled in on beautiful wooden benches, the ceremony began with Breanne, Robbie, and their wedding party walking in. Two of their best friends officiated and made the ceremony super personal. I think nearly every person in attendance at Breanne and Robbie’s wedding must have teared up at some point -- you really got a snippet into their relationship from the stories and words that were shared! At the end of the ceremony, Breanne and Robbie recessed out while their guests tossed floral confetti. It felt so celebratory!

Breanne and Robbie let their guests out one aisle at a time so that they could greet and give each of their guests a hug! Afterwards, the guests made their way over to the reception while I took a few more pictures of Breanne and Robbie (and the extra floral confetti, which was super fun to play with!).  

We headed into Breanne and Robbie’s cocktail hour, which took place in The Atrium’s main reception space. Light was coming in from all sides and the windows were open. There were super beautiful long farm tables that had been covered in flowers and candles, and greenery had been woven into the rafters. There were trays of food out as well as an oyster bar! It was so unique and true to Breanne and Robbie’s West Coast life -- and they got to teach a bunch of their guests how to eat oysters, which was really fun. 

When it was time for dinner, guests passed around family-style plates and listened to toasts from Breanne and Robbie’s family and friends. Instead of cake for dessert, they had Love Creamery’s truck come and serve everyone ice cream!

Breanne, Robbie, and I headed outside with their ice cream in hand and took some pictures in another beautiful field, right between sunset and dusk. Everything felt so calm and cozy and romantic. 

We headed back into their party, and Breanne and Robbie got the dancing underway! They each danced with their parents, which was so lovely and moving to watch. They transitioned into this big dance party with the ever-amazing Bluewater Kings Band playing. Near the end of the night, The Rambler food truck came and fed everyone a late-night snack, including cheese curds (the crowd favorite!). 

Breanne and Robbie worked with an incredible team of vendors, including: 

Venue: The Atrium

Planning: Pure Event Planning & Design

Florals: Flora North 

Catering: Mid Coast Catering 

Dessert: Love Creamery

Music: Bluewater Kings Band

Late night food truck: The Rambler

Breanne and Robbie, you are such incredible people and I am SO grateful that I got to photograph your wedding! It was the biggest joy to see your loved ones surround you with love as you celebrated your commitment to each other. You are such thoughtful, intentional, and fun people, and I absolutely loved working with you. Thank you so much for trusting me with your wedding photography!