Alyssa + Bryce | Photos by Lydia Jane Photography (www.lydiajane.com)

Today's blog post features one of my favorite weddings from this year so far. I second shot this wedding for Jaimee Morse, a very talented friend and photographer based out of the Twin Cities. When Jaimee first pitched the idea of assisting her at the wedding, I thought it was maybe an hour away, just over the border to Wisconsin. Not being very fluent in my Midwest destinations yet, I didn't know Bayfield was literally on Lake Superior and a solid four hours away. But my, oh my, was the early morning drive was so worth it when I pulled up to Alyssa and Bryce's wedding. Alyssa's styling and design business Love Over Gold along with Secret Garden Floral and the help of family and friends transformed the location from an already beautiful lakeside destination to a lavish, brightly colored floral paradise. I've never seen so many flowers at a wedding. Flowers by the entrance, massive floral arrangements on the tables, flowers and greens as a canopy over the altar, flowers at the hotel, flowers in Alyssa's hair...it went on and on! Each guest dressed perfectly for the affair in bright summer dresses and colorful accessories. Kids played on the beach during cocktail hour while their parents helped themselves to a generous spread of cheese, grapes, vegetables, bruschetta and more. Dinner was a choice between tacos or pulled pork sandwiches. But don't forget to save room for dessert! Cupcakes topped with frosting and fresh fruit. My mouth is actually watering just writing all of this down. The amazing thing is, despite all the attention to decor and detail, the reason for the day was still very much preserved. It was about Alyssa and Bryce, their love for each other, and their love for their family and friends.

Huge thanks to Jaimee for inviting me to tag along. Check out her blog post from the wedding here.

VENDORS:

Lead Photographer: Jaimee Morse
Venue: Superior Rentals
Hotel: Hotel Chequamegon
Day of Coordinator: Lace & Brass Events, LLC
Florist: Secret Garden Floral
Floral Styling: Love Over Gold | Styling & Design
Bride's Dress:: "Lily Bridal Gown" by Nicole Miller
Dress Boutique: Blush Bridal
Musicians: Not Quite Dead
Decor: Love Over Gold | Styling & Design
Invitations: Love Over Gold | Styling & Design

marshall + faye ; a southern california long beach wedding ; portraits by lydia jane (www.lydiajane.com)

I'm excited for today's post because it's the wedding of two dear friends! Marshall was one of the first people I met when I started dating Stefan long distance in Minneapolis. Every time I flew into town I begged him for a Faye update. Being in a long distance relationship myself, I knew how tricky it was to navigate. But Marshall and Faye were even further apart than Stefan and I. Faye was living far, far away in Southern California. Their work schedules kept them from visiting often, the time difference was brutal, and phone call dates were hardly enough to carry them over. Then I began to hear some whispers. Marshall was ring shopping. No wait, he had the ring! I vividly remember bouncing up and down in my seat on the couch as he passed me the ring box. They were getting engaged! Marshall hashed out all the details of his proposal. He was going to pretend to fly home but actually get a rental car and drive back to the beach to surprise her. The rest is history! Marsh and Faye were married on a gorgeous April day at The Reef in Long Beach, California. Faye got ready at Hotel Maya which was so stunning I couldn't resist starting the post with some photos of it.