Tahoe weddings always have a bit of magic in them, and Noree and Doug’s beautiful day at the lake was no exception.
Their ceremony was at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, which has to have the prettiest light of any church in Tahoe. This was our second time shooting here, and there are just so many beautiful possibilities for creative shots. We did a few portraits of them after the ceremony, and we pretty much had to be pulled away kicking and screaming from shooting the ethereal, colorful light coming in through the stained glass.
The cabin where the reception was held offered perfect access to the lake, where guests sipped champagne in adirondack chairs, and even got a little wet later on in the night. A couple of hours into the dancing, an intensely strong wind kicked up for about half an hour, causing everyone to wonder if we were about to be rained on by an epic storm or if the party would have to stop early. But the band kept playing, and the guests kept dancing, and after a while it simply stopped and everything was calm again. No rain, and most importantly, no early cutoff. A lot of the credit goes to wedding coordinator Shawna Lee West, who is one of the most chill, yet completely on top of things, planners we know.
At the end of the night, we looked at each other and said “that was a really great wedding.” And it was. It had all the elements we love – beautiful light, heartfelt emotion, great dancing, and a little dose of mystery and magic. As photographers, you really can’t ask for more.