Chelsey and Matt’s wedding was phenomenal! So beautiful and fun!
But I am getting ahead of myself, let’s do some backstory.
So I know Chelsey and Matt because they went to college with my husband Natan and were great friends, so when they announced they were getting married, we knew we had to be there. But there was a date mix up and it turned out I was already booked for June 12, 2021. The couple who booked me had just moved their 2020 date to 2021, Chelsey and I were so sad and disappointed. BUT, then the couple that had booked their date ended up deciding to elope in 2020 after all so the date opened up again!
So pretty much it was fate that I had to photograph this wedding.
So as soon as the date opened up again, Natan and I were looking for flights to South Dakota.
We decided to get there a few days early, because they are friends and we wanted to see them before things got too crazy! Also because I always have this fear of flights cancelling or something happening if I book too close to the wedding date, (Black Mirror’s episode Nosedive has scarred me.)
So we got there early, along with another one of their college friends, and were able to hang out and help get their property all spruced up for the wedding.
And if you have seen any of the photos, you may have thought their wedding was at a big fancy expensive venue because it was so awesomely perfect and beautiful, but no, they just live there!
Their property is in an area they call Mielkeville, because Matt’s last name is Mielke and this land, along with about 1000 acres around it, has been in his family for over 5 generations. His family lives in many different beautiful properties around theirs, and if you climb to the top of their silo, it’s like the Lion King "everything the light touches".
So everything wedding related happened right at home for them, which was so awesome!
Their ceremony site was AMAZING, definitely one of the top ceremony sites I’ve ever shot. Beautiful lighting for the processional, ceremony and recessional. They were backdropped by a beautiful tunnel of trees that opened up to a beautiful field.
I seriously thought I just jumped into a romantic movie or something when we first got there.
Then there was their reception barn, that was SO cool, it was called Adolf’s Place after Adolf Mielke who used to live there.
There was just so much history and personality and meaning throughout this wedding. Everything had us crying or laughing, it was just such an amazing day.
And I have to give a shoutout to the amazing vendors, especially the DJ who just really knocked my socks off. Seriously if you are looking for a DJ that keeps the party going, incorporates awesome games into dinner time, and is not only an awesome DJ but a super talented singer and performer, Denham is your guy! No matter where you are, call him!
Florals: The Flower Mill
Hair and Makeup: Kacey Brown
Cake: The Cake Lady
Dress: The Green Bride
DJ: Denham Mcdermott