Fun Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel Spring Wedding

(Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Katie & Chad – 05/21/16

Venue & Wedding Details:

The Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel has stood as a proud sentinel at the corner of Wallace and 7th in the “Garden District” of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for over 100 years. This majestic white brick church and adjoining garden are skirted on all sides by lush greenery and vibrantly colored blooms; a stark contrast to the blanket of grey rain clouds enveloping the city on this cold May day.

We enter the garden gate and are immediately greeted by the tranquil gurgling of a water feature on the outdoor patio, followed by the happy bustling of preparations being made inside the tulle-laden reception hall beyond. We wound our way through the historic chapel and found our beaming bride in an interior room smiling from ear to ear as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Katie’s golden blonde hair swept up in curls at the nape of her neck just above her hands as she nervously adjusted the jeweled necklace at her throat. The smile she wore at that moment lit her face the entire day, a testament to the vivacious and lighthearted spirit of this bride.

Moments after our arrival the groom and his entourage of family and groomsmen filled the opposite end of the building with deep laughter and palpable excitement. Metal clanked against itself and the steady cadence of crutches approached. We hurried to divert our dashing groom, Chad, away from his waiting bride until we were able to prepare the couple’s first-look encounter.

When we found him Chad stood proud in his dressing room, laughing and joking with his friends and soon-to-be son. Other than the cane ever-present by his side and the brace forcing his pant leg to wrap tautly around his leg, no one would have even suspected that he had suffered a traumatic injury to his leg just two weeks earlier.

It was clear that Chad would let nothing stop him from marrying his bride and creating a family with her from this day forward.

Even though we knew Chad was a trooper, we wanted to be mindful of his comfort throughout the day. The Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel’s garden and grounds offered us several picturesque areas to photograph the couple and their wedding party without putting undue strain on our groom. We began the day’s adventure with the “First-Look” location.

Chad and Katie wanted to exchange notes they had lovingly hand-written each other prior to seeing one another on their wedding day; a beautiful, private sentiment. We led Chad to a quiet room away from the rest of the group and had him stand with his back against an open hallway door. We brought Katie through the hall to the other side of the door. Back to back, the couple reached tentatively around the door and gently held each others hand before exchanging notes. They opened the notes in silence, each wiping away joyful tears as they read. Soon enough the tears turned to laughter and Katie shyly crept around the door to see her man. The first-look is often the most heart-felt and emotionally evocative moment of the day for us … this day was no exception.

We let the couple talk and adore the sight of one another for as long as we could before excited family started spilling into the room. As much as everyone wanted to start the festivities early, we knew there was still much to do before the “I Do’s”. A break in the rain gave us good reason to round-up the handsomely dressed wedding party and head outside for group pictures.

Instead of trying to hide Chad’s injury, the couple encouraged us to incorporate it into the images of the day: We playfully used crutches to create a saber arch over the couple while the wedding party threw out their best jazz hands and theatrical poses; Chad made Katie giggle in a candid moment while balancing in a child-like swinging pose at the front entrance of the chapel; The groom and his court sat in the garden feigning sophistication while showing off colorful socks (and Chad’s brace); and Chad’s use of his cane while dancing at the reception was truly a sight to be had!

As the rain picked up again and guests began to trickle in, we returned to the inner rooms of the chapel for privacy and some one-on-one time with the bride and groom. We chose to photograph in the groom’s dressing room because of the unique stained-glass windows along one wall and the rich woodwork throughout.

The shadows played on the faces and bodies of the couple, offering dramatic lighting and sultry composition. We wanted to offer a timeless look at this couple’s love and affection for one another without reminding the viewer of Chad’s compromised state.

Sure, it was fun to capture images which poked fun at the unfortunate timing of the injury, but this is a stunning couple and they deserve to be photographed well also.

During the ceremony the couple exchanged personal vows of love, loyalty, and deep commitment to build each other up in Godly faith. Not a dry eye remained after Chad knelt down and gently spoke directly to Katie’s son. He vowed to not only honor his bride, but stand as a loving and nurturing father to the boy forever more.

As should be expected, this amazing couple is loved and supported by some pretty outstanding family and friends. The wedding reception was filled with joy, laughter, scrumptious food, sweet homemade treats, and sooo much lively dancing! Speeches made drew a picture of two wonderful people who had been living fulfilling lives separately, yet waiting for partners who appreciated the deep bounty they had to offer. Clearly, their faith and strong personal character would lend themselves well to building a lasting bond between these two gentile souls.

We snuck away from the celebration while the party was in full dance mode. The clouds had parted, and stars shone brightly in the crispy, night sky. The passing of the rain and the exhilarating warmth which radiated from inside us made us appreciate the tepid evening air.

As we drove away and I replayed the day’s events in my mind, I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT) “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” I believe Chad and Katie take the truth in this statement to heart … Not just in their acceptance of larger life events (such as past heartaches), but also the grace with which they handle smaller annoyances (like a broken leg on their wedding day). We honor their humble spirits and wish them a lifetime of joy together!

Highlight of the Day:

Jeremiah and I have an infinite soft spot for blended families. Watching Katie’s heart fill with love for her groom as he poured his love out to his new son was just the kind of thing that makes our hearts brim with hope. Parenting is difficult, and step-parenting exponentially more so. However, with the right heart toward the children involved, there can be so much healing and closeness that comes from the creation of a new family unit.

Voice Behind the Lens:

Indoor wedding and reception venues offer year-round convenience, romantic backdrops, and cozy nooks … where they challenge photographers is in color, light, and space. Jeremiah knows the ins-and-outs of photographing at the Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel better than any other venue; he has photographed more weddings in this particular venue than any other in his career. In fact, the first wedding he photographed was at this exact location! Here are a few points he is mindful of while photographing here.

The wedding chapel offers natural lighting which originates from intricate stained-glass windows lining the outer walls. While the ambient light is warm and comforting, the light that shows up in pictures is more orange than is appealing; Jeremiah must adjust the temperature of the images to offset. While some color temperature can be adjusted during editing, he also knows to make critical adjustments during the shoot.

Dark composition can create captivation, moody images, but it can also make the subjects dull and poorly defined. Jeremiah uses natural light whenever possible. However, he supplements the available natural light with bounce flash and off-camera flash. The bounce flash ‘bounces’ light off of the ceiling or adjacent light surface to minimize the appearance of “crazy shadow people” behind his subjects while lending more light to the overall space. Off-camera flash helps us add definition to specific details in the image.

While lighting can be manipulated, Jeremiah must work within the limitations of space in any indoor venue. This proves challenging when Jeremiah photographs large-group shots during the festivities of the reception. Many would-be subjects naturally turn away from a camera creating disjointed group images. Jeremiah gives subtle direction to his subjects to maximize available space (and light).

Beautiful blonde bride raises her pastel bouquet to the sky offering a side view of her ruffled mermaid gown.

Fit and smiling bridesmaids in soft pink toga style dresses make fun and silly faces holding pastel floral bouquets

Groom with cane and groomsmen in dapper grey vests strike a pose in the garden on a rainy afternoon

Smiling blonde bride with updo and strapless gown in background, pastel rose and baby’s breath bouquet in foreground

Young bride and groom look over their shoulders and walk together holding hands in the garden under an umbrella on their rainy wedding day

Groomsmen sit together on the patio looking serious with their pant legs pulled up for this funny sock image

Radiant bride in fitted bodice gown and gemstone necklace, filtered sunlight in backyard garden creates a magical contrast with tree foliage

On the front steps of the Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel our bride and groom playfully accept the rain and injured knee that are a part of their special day

Back to back, with a door between, this bride fans away tears while her groom carefully reads the pre-ceremony notes exchanged just before they saw each other for the first time

Bride and groom in black and white, back to back, while reading sweet private notes to each other

Dramatic black and white image of bride looking coyly over her shoulder. The stained glass and cross shadowing her body, face, and beautiful fitted sequence gown

The rich woodwork, craftsman style, and bold wainscoting add architectural detail to this image of our bride and groom just before the ceremony

Shadow and dramatic lighting make this black and white image of our groom kissing his bride’s cheek romantic and candid

Our sweet bride got sassy when she popped her rhinestone necklace and framed her face with the lovely pastel rose bouquet

Elegant and stunning, this bride and flowergirl have matching dresses and lovely smiles

At the alter, posing for a quick selfie, just after this fun couple said “I DO”

Always a good sport, our groom is helped down the aisle by his lovely bride while smiling and being cheered on by guests

Tables of hand-crafted sweets dotted the wedding buffet table, but this “God gave me you” rhinestone wedding cake topper provided the ‘sweet spot’ for our ring shot

Super fun and energetic, this wedding party looked great and was a blast to photograph. We used the groom’s cane and crutches to create a fun and memorable group shot in the garden

Low lighting at the intimate wedding reception hall made capturing special moments a challenge. Luckily, our radiant bride’s happiness shone brightly as she danced and hugged her groom

Our bride and groom turn up the volume and dance the night away with their loved ones, a perfect day for a perfect couple

Elegant and scrumptious, this white chocolate wedding cake top was ornately adorned with a lovely “God Gave Me You” jeweled cake topper and skirted with pearls and black satin ribbon

White and silver gilded presents atop the gift table sit next to a sweet note tree full of loving words for the newlyweds.

Shy flower girl takes a break from dancing during the wedding reception to steal a sweet dessert from the decadent spread of homemade treats.

The large basement reception hall at Coeur d’Alene Wedding Chapel is large yet cozy, and the decorations are enchanting

The ladies of this family pulled out all the stops when preparing all of the sweet reception desserts by hand… one more delicious than the last.

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Smiling brunette bride in lace corset dress

Bride’s picture locket on wedding bouquet

Laughing bride and groom in Wes Anderson style still photo

Out of focus depth of field bride and groom kissing behind homemade wine bottle decoration

Homemade wedding treats with chalkboard lables

Wedding rings atop cake and bride and groom cake topper

Marriage kiss at June rainy wedding in Post Falls Idaho

Q’emiln Park Grand Pavilion wedding dance

Groomsmen and groom in grey siuts walking

Ivory mermaid bridal gown and silk lilac bridesmaid dresses

Q’emiln Park Post Falls Idaho June 2016 Wedding of Mike and Lena

Q’emiln Park Grand Pavilion Wedding

(Post Falls, Idaho)

Lena & Mike – 6/10/16

Venue & Wedding Details:

Q’emiln Park stretches along the south bank of the Spokane River in Post Falls, Idaho. This family-friendly, waterfront public park maintains four covered entertaining areas (shelters) available for seasonal event rental. This venue is perfect for the bride and groom looking for a venue with water views, reasonable price point, easy access, and lots of room to roam. The Grand Pavilion area used by Mike and Lena is a large, open-air pavilion which looks across the park’s grassy knolls to the shimmering Spokane River beyond. On this particular day we were especially glad for the pavilion’s built in heaters and clear, roll-down window walls. You see, while the moody and dark skies of this early summer day added to the striking natural beauty of the surroundings, the weather left us all chilled and a bit damp.

Luckily, this adventurous couple and their bridal party would not be deterred from venturing out from under the cover of the pavilion for photographs. Mother Nature rolled up her sleeves and teased us with sunny skies followed quickly by flash rain showers. We incorporated the lovely tulle draped throughout the pavilion, some fun and vibrant umbrellas, and lots of tree canopy coverage to achieve our photo images of this special day.

The bride was stunning in an enchanting ivory corset bodice mermaid style lace gown. She opted to forego the use of a veil, instead, sweeping her chestnut brown hair into an elegant up-do crowned by a rhinestone embellished headband . The girls’ bouquets paired delicate white lilies with dusty lilac roses, sprigs of baby’s breath and a hint of green (tying the color scheme to bridesmaid dresses and the natural setting). We loved the sweet sentiment of the remembrance picture locket pinned into Lena’s bouquet. Bridesmaids wore silky, tea-length dusty lilac dresses which paired nicely with the gunmetal grey suits of the groomsmen. Our groom looked dapper in his contrasting light grey suit and white accessories.

Mike and Lena created a fuss-free wedding day by enlisting their family and friends’ help with food and decorations. A finger food buffet, tempting homemade desserts, whimsical painted wine bottle centerpieces, and fun glass mug keepsakes with chalkboard style name tags added personality without breaking the couple’s nest egg.

Highlight of the Day:

Mike and Lena share an undeniable bond, but the connection between Lena and her siblings (brother and sister) was especially touching and significant. After the married couple’s introductory first dance, Lena was led by the hand back onto the dance floor by her sister and joined, immediately, by their brother. The three hugged, laughed, and shed tears together while the music played … It was as if only they three occupied that special moment. The rest of us looked on at the love and support shared and couldn’t help but be moved by the display.

Voice Behind the Lens:

Unexpected things pop up during every wedding celebration. As professionals, we try to allow extra time during a wedding photo session for such SNAFUs. Case in point: a few hours before the ceremony, one of the groomsmen became unable to attend (or be a part of) Mike and Lena’s wedding. A replacement groomsman was quickly brought on-board, but all full-group wedding party pictures had to be delayed by over an hour waiting for the new groomsman to get ready and arrive. The ample time we set aside to complete the day’s photography doesn’t just allow us to capture candid images of the couple in varied setting, it takes the urgency (and resulting stress) out of the day. We simply photographed different sub groups of the wedding party until our latecomer arrived … then away we went without missing a beat (or image).

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