Lemon Approved

Alicia and Dave’s whole wedding took place at Lighthouse Point Park, a venue I’ve been to many times before. The day started with prep at the park, with the couple’s dog Lemon keeping them company.

Then it was time for the first look, which would have been on the beach if not for the crazy wind blowing in off the water. No problem - the carousel made a great backdrop too.

There was time for a couple posed photos before the ceremony.

Then it was time for the ceremony. Thankfully the wind had come down enough to let the ceremony be held outside.

The timing worked out perfectly to then do some posed photos with the sunset, which was one of the most stunning I’ve seen from this venue.

After introductions, it was time for speeches and dinner.

Then Alicia and Dave shared their first dance.

The bouquet toss rounded out the formal events.

The rest of the night was given over to dancing, and it was a blast! The bridesmaids really held down the floor, especially the maid of honor who was amazing.

It was a really fun night with a great group of people!

Congratulations, Alicia and Dave!

Seaside in October

(I'm in Minnesota this week, so here's a closer look at one of my weddings from my very busy weekend back in October.)

Stephanie and Brendan told me that their biggest priority at their wedding was to have fun. Mission accomplished.

After some prep in a local hotel, we moved to Lighthouse Point Park for everything else. It's a beautiful location, and we got loads of photos with the lighthouse and the ocean providing scenic backdrops.

Thankfully, the rain held out just long enough for us to get through the ceremony. Don Gentile was the Justice of the Peace. My favorite part was his use of pieces of Justice Anthony Kennedy's gay marriage majority decision in the ceremony. I wont be surprised if I see Justice Kennedy's touching remarks showing up at many weddings going forward.

Marriage is sacred to those who live by their religions and offers unique fulfillment to those who find meaning in the secular realm. Its dynamic allows two people to find a life that could not be found alone, for a marriage becomes greater than just the two persons. Rising from the most basic human needs, marriage is essential to our most profound hopes and aspirations.

From there, we moved inside and out of the weather for some toasts, a delicious BBQ buffet dinner, carousel rides... 

...and dancing.

Lots and lots of dancing! It was a blast, and a great start to a very busy weekend for me.