Justin & Leslie

The Machine Shop – Minneapolis, MN

There’s always one wedding of the year that lands on an incredibly hot day, and Justin & Leslie’s was definitely it for 2018! I always remember the following years which specific wedding was blistering hot, and can name off the top of my head which couples wedding it was. I am SO happy that it was Justin & Leslie’s wedding this year that I will remember when I reminisce on the previous years. These two are so laid back and understanding that it made the day such a breeze, even if there was definitely no breeze to speak of. (That lame joke is probably way funnier to me than anyone else reading this, but I had to put it in here)

  It was one of those thick blankets type of heat that just envelops you and hits you like a ton of bricks when you leave the air conditioning. There were a ton of storms rolling in throughout the weekend, so the humidity made the air dense and the ground around you constantly wet. Looking at the images and how amazingly radiant and carefree both of them look, you’d have no idea it was a sauna outside. Leading up to the wedding, Justin and Leslie really trusted me in making decisions on the wedding day for the best spots to shoot. I am so eternally grateful for that because this is seriously one of my favorite weddings to have photographed. I focus on natural light photography as much as I can, but with the weather outside we ended up shooting about 90% of this wedding indoors because the light was fantastic. It was refreshing to have a change of pace in terms of lighting conditions, and I couldn’t have asked for a better location or couple to shoot a wedding primarily indoors!

 

The couple chose The Machine Shop in Minneapolis for their nuptials, and let me tell you, that place is STUNNING! It sits in the St. Anthony neighborhood of Minneapolis along the banks of the Mississippi River. Back in the day it used to produce and repair modern equipment that assisted in one of Minneapolis’ staples, the Pillsbury A-Mill. They restored the building in 2016, but kept all the original 1916 architecture intact (how cool is that?!). Needless to say this is a one of a kind venue. It is packed full of history while still presenting itself in a modern, clean light. The space is large and bright, surrounded by large windows on all sides – a photographers dream!! So much natural light poured in to this space, and it created my all time favorite indoor shoots.

The bride’s dress was gorgeous – a light, flowing material that was perfect for her. Her ladies wore mismatched bridesmaid dresses that all complimented each other perfectly. I am officially obsessed with different color bridesmaid dresses after this wedding! The groom wore a dapper blue suit – not nay blue – but a royal blue that I am now also officially obsessed with as well. Throw in some seriously gorgeous flowers (from Lakeside Floral – go check them out they are awesome) and you have yourself one good looking wedding party. The two exchanged hand-written vows that left all of us a little teary-eyed, myself included. I’m really not joking when I say I cry at every wedding! After a fist-pump from Justin and a jaunt down the aisle, the two joined their closest family and friends for an hour of drinks and laughter before a delicious dinner. Three memorable speeches were given, followed by some glorious live music by the Bluewater Kings Band. If you’re debating between a DJ or a band, GO WITH THE BAND. All the musicians were so talented and kept the dance floor grooving all through the night.

Before I wrap this thing up, I just want to share a story from the couples engagement session. They brought along some champagne to pop and cheers with during the session, but while we were all still getting situated Justin accidentally popped the bottle early. I totally didn’t get the shot because I was adjusting settings, but they both laughed it off and just kept having a good time. We recreated the shot and they ended up spraying each other with champagne before we wrapped up creating some super cute shots. We all had such a good laugh about it, and I just remember thinking about how great these two people were by the way they reacted to the situation. Even though the champagne popped early, they made the best of it and didn’t let it ruin the evening. I wanted to share that story because it speaks volumes about the content of their character and how they are as individuals and a couple. They had that same amazing attitude on their wedding day, and really took the time to enjoy themselves and soak it all in. I couldn’t have asked for two better people to work with, and am so glad they let Courtney and I be a part of their big celebration! I am so thankful for couples like Justin & Leslie who really remind me of why I love photographing weddings so much.

 

Thanks to all these amazing vendors who were so friendly and did such a fantastic job at Justin & Leslie’s wedding.

Wedding Coordinator: Events By Melody

Florist: Lakeside Floral

Venue: The Machine Shop

Band: Bluewater Kings Band

Makeup: Spa Beauty Agency

Bridal Gown: A &be Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom, ASOS, Miss Ruby’s Bridal

Caterer: Deco Catering

Rings: Continental Diamond

Lighting: PHO

Linens: We’ve Got it Covered

Photography: MRD Photography