Sue and Rachael's intimate & heartfelt summer wedding on the North Shore

Rachael and Sue are such intentional, heart-centered humans, and they wanted their wedding day to be an authentic reflection of the loving connection they have with one another and their community. They both value spending time together in nature and feel attuned to a sense of place in their lives. With their storied history with the North Shore–they had one of their first dates here and first professed their love for each other while walking the trails near Duluth–they knew without hesitation they wanted to get married alongside the shores of Lake Superior. 

The Wedding Day

Rachael and Sue planned a small and intimate summer wedding at Bluefin Bay Resort with their closest loved ones. On their wedding day, my partner Tyler and I met Rachael and Sue at the resort. Tyler went for a little hike to document the surrounding naturescape and capture the light, colors, and sensory memories of their wedding day while I joined Sue and Rachael in their suite to take getting ready portraits. Sue did their hair and then relaxed while Rachael had two buddies paint her nails and do her hair and makeup. The energy of the space felt very calm, centered, and full of happy anticipation. Sue then stepped outside and put on her suit jacket while Rachael got into her dress before their first look. 

Rachael and Sue wanted a romantic first look moment beside the water, and when they found a spot with a big, beautiful rock overlooking the waves, they knew it was the perfect location. It was an epic, magical moment witnessing them see each other all dressed up–full of happy tears and affection. We then spent some time exploring the rocky shoreline and wooded trails of the resort to take portraits alongside the stunning North Shore. After meeting up with their guests, we wrapped up this portion of the day with some group photos to document Sue and Rachael surrounded by their important people. 

The Ceremony

As the guests made their way to the cove where the ceremony would take place, Sue and Rachael took a few, quiet moments to be with one another. Both Sue and Rachael are empathic people who embrace their feelings, and in the moments before becoming officially married they felt overflowing with love, deeply present to the fullness of the day. As they walked toward the cove together to begin the ceremony, they were holding each other closely with tender tears streaming down their faces. It was such a moving, heartfelt moment. 

Sue and Rachael had been searching for a nonreligious, queer-friendly officiant to lead their wedding ceremony. My sibling Kaelie has officiated weddings before (and is also queer!), so I connected them with Sue and Rachael, and Kaelie turned out to be a great fit! Not only did I really enjoy collaborating with my sibling on a wedding, but it was honestly so inspiring to witness the ceremony that these three created.

Kaelie partnered with Sue and Rachael to craft a ceremony overflowing with deep emotion, happy tears, laughter, and intention. From the couple's idea to have Kaelie stand at the back so Sue and Rachael could look at each other and their loved ones during the ceremony, to Kaelie weaving in astrological imagery and readings to reflect Sue and Rachael’s sense that their souls have been connected across space and time, everything was imbued with meaning. Sue and Rachael wrote sweet, intimate love letters for their vows (which yes, brought all of us to tears), washed their rings in the lake, and ended the ceremony by inviting all of their guests to skip a rock across the waves of Lake Superior.

A Celebratory Dinner Party

After the ceremony, Sue and Rachael did a quick outfit change before joining their guests in the restaurant at Bluefin Bay for a relaxed, celebratory dinner party. They served themed mocktails, enjoyed a slow dinner together, and invited their guests to write notes for the couple inside meaningful books. The space felt calm, cozy, and full of happiness - with a stunning view of Lake Superior.   

Once dinner finished, Sue and Rachael walked along the shore so I could take some evening portraits of them illuminated by the setting sun’s soft light over the water. Sue and Rachael then reconnected with their guests around a bonfire for s'mores, all the while savoring the sweetness of being surrounded by their people and being married to their soulmate on the shores of Lake Superior. 

Vendor List

Venue: Bluefin Bay Resort

Queer-affirming wedding officiant: Kaelie Lund

Florist: Ergo Floral

Rings: Midwinter Co, Catbird

Dessert: Tous Les Jours