Onsite Minnesota Wedding Photography

Good bye 2009, hello 2010! With another wedding year coming to an end, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some unique things we saw during the 2009 wedding season. We were truly blessed in 2009 with so many awesome couples! We really enjoyed working with each of our brides and grooms and we look forward to another great year full of adventure, love, fun and awesome photography moments.

Choreographed Dances
Sure they can get a little crazy, yes they might be a little embarrassing, and they might even be a little ridiculous, but we love choreographed dances! Whether it’s the bridal party, the bridesmaids, a large group, or just the bride and groom, a choreographed dance is sure to add a laugh to any reception.
We got the opportunity to photograph several rehearsed dances this year. A few that come to mind are, Noah and Amy’s reception party. The dance got started with Amy entertaining her groom and all the guests with a special tap dance number. Noah had never seen Amy tap dance, so he was more than a little surprised when Amy slipped into her tap shoes and wowed everyone there!
Another fun dance was when Katherine and Andrew had a dance off between the guys and the girls. The groups took turns dancing and trying to show the other gender up. At the end, it was up to the guests to decide who the best was. I can guarantee that the video has had more than a few views on YouTube.

Family Unity Candle
Many couples chose to light a unity candle during their ceremony. If a couple already has children, the unity candle is a perfect way to include everyone in the marriage of both families. When Cammy and Joe got engaged, they knew right away that they wanted their wedding to be about combining their two families into one new family. When it came to the unity candle, instead of just Cammy and Joe lighting the candle, the whole family took part.
Another great way to include family members into the unity candle is to have the bride and groom’s parents each take part in the lighting of the candle.

Candy/Dessert Bar
Who doesn’t love a beautifully decorated table with deliciously yummy treats! We are big fans of the candy/dessert bar. Bonus points if it has a theme of some kind. For example, Stephanie and Allan choose a verity of candies that were all red, which coordinated with the colors of their wedding.
Another fun after dinner treat is a dessert bar. It’s fun to offer guests some of the bride and groom’s favorite desserts. A dessert bar is also a great way to have something everyone will enjoy. Providing little gift bags or boxes for guests to take a few treats home is always a fun way to send your friends and family home with a smile.

Off-Site Bridal Party Shoots
If there’s enough time, it’s always fun to go out on the town and have some fun with the bridal party. Whether it’s just a quick trip to a nearby park, a stop at a local hot-spot, or anything in between, this time is sure to make for some fun, relaxed photos. For Mark and Megan’s wedding they knew they wanted some fun photos of them and their bridal party. They rented a party bus and we spend some time going to some of Mark and Megan’s favorite date spots. The Stone Arch Bridge, The Bad Waitress, and The Bulldog, were just a few of our photo stops.

Theme Reception
As a wedding photographer, we photograph a lot of wedding receptions. The reception is the time when friends and family can just hung out, have fun, and enjoy the evening together.
One thing that we saw a few times this year was themed receptions. When trying to settle on a theme for your wedding reception a good thing to keep in mind is to choose a theme that includes both the bride and the groom. For example, one wedding we photographed had a 50′s music theme because the couple both loved music. Instead of a guest book they had their guest sign in on vinyl records, the cupcake stands were made with records placed on top of wine glasses, and they had candy bowls that were also records. A theme reception can really add a special touch of personality to the reception and is sure to have guest remembering the evening for a long time to come.

Excited for 2010!
David & Kristen Drufke
Onsite Minnesota Photography