Courtney and John Part 1

Wedding Date: June 10th 2026

Some couples save the big celebration for later and choose to start things quietly, and that's exactly the spirit Courtney and John brought to part one of their two-part wedding. This chapter was small, just a handful of close guests gathered together, with the full-scale party still waiting for them in October. There's something I love about that approach, treating the legal part of getting married as its own intimate moment rather than rushing straight into a big celebration.

We spent some time before the ceremony simply taking in Minneapolis City Hall itself, and if you've never stood inside that building, it's worth every bit of the reputation it has. Soaring marble, stunning architecture at every turn, the kind of setting that makes even a quiet gathering feel monumental. With the weather cooperating beautifully, we stepped outside for a group photo with the whole little crew, sunlight still holding strong at that point in the day.

From there we made our way toward Mill City, chasing the last of that sunshine, and for a while it looked like we might get away with it. Then the rain caught up with us right as we reached the open green space in front of the Guthrie, and I mean it really came down. But Courtney and John didn't let it rattle them for a second. They just grabbed their umbrella, twirled it above their heads, and laughed their way through it like the rain had shown up specifically to give us one more good story to tell. Some of my favorite photos of the whole day came out of those few soaked, joyful minutes.

I left them to head off to a celebratory dinner together after a beautiful, if slightly damp, first chapter. Already looking forward to seeing what part two in October has in store!