literature Archives – Studio Laguna Photography

Staci and Kaytee

October 6, 2014 By katrina Leave a Comment

When you ask a client what their wedding colors are and they respond “slytherin green and tardis blue” you know you’re in for a nerd wedding, and we LOVE nerdy weddings! Staci and Kaytee are over the moon for each other and their giddiness was infectious.

Their day was so incredibly them…bouquets a friend made from book pages (but not from any good books, only bad books that deserved to be ruined…reading the flowers provided wonderful entertainment), games in the atrium for guests to play during down times, plenty of Dr Who references, their favorite movie soundtracks greeting guests at the ceremony, a rousing piece of music from Harry Potter to announce their arrival…and a walk down the aisle, supported by their parents, to the most beautiful piece from Pride and Prejudice.

The wedding took place at Minneapolis City Hall. The ladies saw each other for the first time as they walked down staircases towards each other. It was a beautiful moment.

In fact, it was so emotional, that Kaytee forgot her own name during the vows!

After the ceremony, we rushed right into the elevators to sign the marriage license, and Staci had her magical Disney princess moment of waving to the guests from the balcony.

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Staci just surprised Kaytee with her Harry Potter garter. Kaytee’s response…”I love this woman!”

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We then headed out into the autumn air for portraits and had a grand time. Lots and lots of laughing and lots and LOTS of kissing 😉

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THIS is how we vogue, people.

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While we were taking portraits outside, the reception space was being set up. It was so fun to see each table with its own theme, from literature, to Disney, to Dr Who, each one had its own significance. Chowgirls Killer Catering provided a delicious meal of comfort foods and then everyone enjoyed a cupcake from Cupcake.

When your venue has a giant marble statue with an alligator, you just have to use it for a ring shot 😉

After sweet speeches, it was time to dance! Krista from Adagio managed to fit all of the ladies’ favorite songs from high school and college, and even had a few Disney tunes in the mix as well. There was lively dancing and a TON of twirling. Since Staci and her friends are ASL interpreters, I even got to see a sign language performance of Poker Face (which was awesome, by the way).

Kaytee and Staci, we had a wonderful time with you! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Juan and Christine

May 12, 2014 By katrina 5 Comments

Juan and Christine were married today!

When two fabulous people joyfully marry, it is definitely a day full of celebration. Juan and Christine are both so warm, loving, and caring, and it was our honor to capture the day in all its glory. Today we got to work along side David and Kristen Drufke as the videographers, and we can’t wait to see what they produce!

The drizzly day started out with a cozy condo and a bunch of ladies with a hard core case of the giggles. Brett Dorrian was the makeup artist for the group and Ashley Hanson did their hair. The space was full of laughter, music and mimosas.
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In another part of town, Juan prepared for the day with some help from his father. This groom was so excited to meet his bride!

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The couple had their first sight at Aria and exchanged gifts before seeing each other.

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We definitely utilized Aria’s space, which is full of lovely textures and gorgeous light…and even a chandelier or two 😉

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Since we were given a wonderful amount of time to work, we were able to create some stunning portraits.

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Juan and Christine are both talented actors, so Aria was the perfect choice for a venue, since it was a former theater. The couple had a literary theme running throughout their wedding day, and chose a soft palette of sage, peach, ivory and lavender. Florals by Claire did a stunning job with her romantic designs.

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We LOVE working with actors, they always take portraits to a whole new level.

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This wedding party was SUCH a fabulous group of people! We had a blast hanging out with them.

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The ceremony took place at the Basilica and was simply lovely.

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The couple’s kiss was accompanied by the church bells, it was magical.

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At the reception, guests mingled and enjoyed the atmosphere at Aria. The lovely cake, created by Taylor Kollitz, greeted the guests.

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In the reception space, every table was decorated for a specific book that had meaning to the couple.

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Ok, seriously, just take a moment to look at this image. I’m still doing a happy dance over it!

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After a quick portrait, the couple was back at Aria for dinner, followed by dancing and posing for crazy pictures in The Mobile Photo Booth. Vosa Em created a playlist that was hip, fun, and kept people dancing all night.

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Juan and Christine, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for letting us share this day with you! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Simon and Kate

June 11, 2013 By katrina 4 Comments

Simon and Kate were married on Sunday!

These two English majors had a gorgeous multiple day destination wedding in Rapid City, South Dakota. Words quickly became the unifying theme of the weekend, with books and scrabble letters as part of the decor, an impromptu sharing of kind words around a camp fire, and a lovely sermon on the wedding day all about their love of words. I’ll blog about the extra activities tomorrow, but today, we’ll focus on the wedding…and what a wedding it was!

Simon and Kate wanted a formal, elegant wedding that was approachable and they achieved just that. From the clean design of the invitations By Jessie Kay that included just a touch of playfulness, to the sleek black tie attire in a downtown park setting, the wedding was simply stunning. Baby’s breath, hydrangea, and antique books served as decor, and Kate’s gorgeous Carolina Herrera gown wowed the crowd.

We started the day off with the rehearsal and a delicious brunch at Calvary Lutheran Church, and then it was off to Planet Hair for the ladies to get their hair done.

Kate got her special Starbucks drink!

Back at the church, both groups got spiffed up and had a good time doing so!

We loved how low key Simon and Kate were! The whole day was easy breezy and calm. After their first sight, we grabbed some pictures outdoors. Seriously, check out that DRESS! And Simon, you look pretty good, too 😉

Kate has the most beautiful eyes! And her dress was so lovely. The details of the stitching, structured layers on the bodice, and the fashion forward back detail were stunning.

Simon channeled his inner James Bond in this Vera Wang tux and gave his groomsmen, ushers, and dads super hero cuff links.

The wedding party joined us outside. The maids wore J.Crew to perfection and had sweet bouquets made by Kate’s Granny.

Time for the wedding! This group of bridesmaids was such a hoot, they are all very close cousins and their relationship was so fun to observe. They were constantly helping each other out with their makeup and dresses while telling stories of their adventures together.

Simon and Kate had a lovely service. A detail that I really liked was that they let their readers choose their own readings, and it was a total surprise to the couple.

In the afternoon sun, guests arrived at Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City for the reception.

The book centerpieces kept guests busy…(this may or may not have been a staged photograph) 😉

A delicious dinner was served by Catered Two Productions, along with some refreshing libations, and then it was time for speeches, cupcakes, and dancing.

The couple asked guests for their favorite Beatles song, and the Austin Buescher Band made sure to play as many as they could!

The sun set, the fountains turned on, the band was playing, the night was warm and still. People were relaxing and drinking by candlelight watching others dance like crazy, and Simon and Kate were all smiles. It was a lovely day.

Simon and Kate, we can’t thank you enough for welcoming us into your life for this day. We had such a fantastic experience and hope you enjoy your sneak peek! (and please don’t judge my run on sentences and overuse of adjectives!) 😉