Cat and Aubrey’s magical, heartwarming wedding at Camrose Hill Flower Farm

Cat and Aubrey have such a beautiful connection and a really sweet story. Within just a few months of meeting and starting to date, they each knew they had found their lifelong person. Cat was the first one to propose, asking Aubrey to marry her while they were visiting Grand Tetons National Park. Aubrey proposed back on a date at an apple orchard. These two have a palpable connection, and you only have to spend a few minutes with them to feel their mutual love and admiration.

I started working with Cat and Aubrey to photograph their engagement session, and most recently I photographed their stunning outdoor wedding at Camrose Hill Flower Studio & Farm. Cat and Aubrey both love spending time in nature, so they knew they wanted their wedding to take place outside. They chose Camrose Hill because of its lush greenery and gorgeous gardens (the owner of Camrose Hill is an incredible gardener!), and Cat and Aubrey were thrilled to get married among the flowers. 

Cat & Aubrey’s Wedding Day 

Getting ready portraits with the wedding party 

On the day of their wedding, my partner Tyler and I started by taking getting-ready pictures of Aubrey and her bridesmaids. We met them at a hotel, where they had gathered in a spacious suite to get their hair and makeup done. Aubrey and her bridesmaids all wore matching pajamas, and the room felt very calm and joyful.

Next, Tyler and I headed to Camrose Hill to meet Cat and her bridal party as they got ready in the bridal suite. Cat and her bridesmaids also wore matching pajamas and had the biggest smiles on their faces when Cat's bouquet got delivered and she held it for the first time. After Cat put on her wedding dress, her mom gave her a bracelet she wore on her wedding day and that was a tribute to Cat’s grandparents who had passed away. It was such a sweet, sentimental moment.

Cat and Aubrey each have a very close connection with their dads, and they each decided to have a little moment with their dads before they saw each other for their first look. These quiet moments with their dads, as each dad saw their daughters for the first time in her wedding dress, felt so heartfelt and emotional.

A sweet detail: Aubrey is an amazing athlete, so she decided to wear sneakers with her wedding dress. Her dad - who she has a really strong connection with - surprised her by buying a matching pair of Air Jordans for him, Aubrey, and Cat! 

A heartwarming first look 

Cat and Aubrey wanted to see each other at the exact same time so that their first look could feel as egalitarian as possible, so Tyler and I had each of them close their eyes as we led them to each other and positioned them back to back. They stood in this gorgeous garden, and the whole space felt buzzing with anticipation and excitement as Cat and Aubrey waited to turn around and see each other for the first time. After they turned around, they immediately started crying and laughing and reaching for each other. They embraced, talked, and twirled for each other, showing off their dresses and hairdos. It felt like the world melted away for a moment and all they could see was one another. 

Next we wandered through the gardens to take more couple portraits. We also walked through the ceremony space, pausing to take pictures in front of the gorgeous floral arch set up at the front. As we walked through the reception space, I captured Cat and Aubrey’s candid reaction to seeing the space all decorated for the first time: they were blown away, so full of joy and awe to see the elegant decor and incredible floral installations and realize all of this was for them! 

We wrapped up this portion of the day with portraits of Cat and Aubrey surrounded by their friends and family. Cat and Aubrey deeply value their community, and they wanted their wedding day to celebrate not just their relationship but also the loving ecosystem of support they live within. 

The ceremony & reception 

While there had been a 90% chance of thunderstorms forecasted for their wedding day, Cat and Aubrey planned to have their ceremony outside rain or shine. They were bracing themselves for a rainy ceremony as the skies had looked cloudy and threatening all morning, but the rain kept holding off – and about fifteen minutes before the ceremony started, blue skies suddenly appeared and the sun shone through brilliantly. Cat and Aubrey took this weather miracle as a sign that their loved ones who had died were watching over them and smiling down upon their wedding day. The sunny weather was absolutely beautiful, and it was also so touching to see how much it meant to the two of them.

One of their best friends officiated the ceremony and told touching, funny stories of the two of them. Cat and Aubrey wrote their own vows, which were so heartfelt, and the sun kept shining through the whole ceremony! 

After walking joyfully out of their ceremony as wives (yay!!!), Cat and Aubrey gathered with just their wedding party for a little pre-cocktail party. They cheered,  popped champagne, and danced and mingled. Cat and Aubrey radiated happiness as they savored their first moments as a married couple surrounded by their people. 

Cat and Aubrey then joined the cocktail party with all their guests on this big, beautiful lawn. It felt like an idyllic summer garden party. As luck would have it, just after everyone had transitioned to the tent for dinner, it started downpouring rain! Inside (and dry!) Cat and Aubrey made their grand entrance and shared a first dance with each other and with each of their dads before dinner began. 

A magical surprise to end the night

Near the end of dinner and before the dancing had begun, the rain stopped and Tyler discovered there was a vibrant rainbow outside. After Cat and Aubrey heard the news, they enthusiastically rushed outside and practically collapsed with joy and shock to see it. It was Pride weekend in Minneapolis, Cat and Aubrey had just become wives, and it felt like this surprise rainbow was another magical moment of the world celebrating their marriage.

The other amazing vendors who made their day possible:

WeddingKiki Burgdorf