Val and Steve’s Manitou Grill and Event Center wedding was so much fun! And it was the perfect way to kick off my 2021 wedding season!
You may recognize Steve from Colleen and Andrew’s leap day wedding last year. That’s because he’s Colleen’s sister!! It’s so much fun when past LB Couples refer their family to me. It means not only did my couple love their photos and their experience working with me (which is makes my heart sing), but it also means that I get to see and party with them again at their family member’s wedding!!
Val and Steve choose to have their wedding in downtown White Bear lake because that’s where they met and where they first lived together. They landed on Manitou Grill and Event Center for their wedding because it was in the heart of downtown WBL with easy access to all of their favorite places.
The morning of their wedding was lovely. It was supposed to be a little rainy but thankfully the droplets missed us which heightened all of our excitement. In fact, it was almost a little too sunny…but just at the right time, one big cloud came and we were able to take some gorgeous photos with White Bear Lake in the background. Those photos were super important to Val and Steve so I’m glad the weather decided to cooperate.
The walking trail by lake has special significance to Val and Steve. They’d walk the path and dream of their future together. So naturally, we knew we had to take some of their couples photos there in addition to photos downtown.
Val and Steve were so much fun to work with and I’m beyond excited to be their forever photographer. I can’t wait to see how their future unfolds; one thing I know is that it’ll be full of love and joy! Cheers you two!
Venue: Manitou Grill and Event Center
Photography: Lauren Baker Photography
Floral: Lakeside Floral & Eisele Greenhouse
Wedding Dress: Budget Bridal Outlet
Suit: Men’s Warehouse
Hair and Makeup: Revive Salon WBL
Officiant: Eagle Brook Church
Caterer: Manitou Grill and Event Center
Dessert: Buttercream Bakery
Rings: Wedding Day Diamonds
How do we even start to say thank you for all the work and effort you put into our wedding day?
- Josie and Scott
Lauren played such a meaningful role in our wedding, capturing the day in photos that we'll look back on for the rest of our lives. She kept Scott and me calm and sane - Lauren is a miracle worker! She put in 100% effort and gave us her very best, and that means so much to me. Seeing our photographs makes me so excited and so happy that Lauren was with us on this journey.
Lauren made the process so easy and made us feel so comfortable!
- Amy and Luke
We just wanted to say thank you again so much for your amazing work. You were seriously incredible to work with and we loved the locations you suggested for both our engagement shoot and the spots in Stillwater. We were very worried about getting professional photos done since we had never done it before, but you made the process so easy and made us feel so comfortable. Thank you!
Working with Lauren was easy breezy and FUN! She gave us our most treasured photos ever!
- GRACE AND NICK
There was a chunk of time in our wedding planning when we thought we'd go without a professional photographer to save on cost (terrible idea!) but once we met with Lauren, we knew we'd be in good hands. She checked in often and asked questions that got us thinking about other parts of the wedding that we probably would've missed. Lauren captured exactly who we are as a couple!
Lauren's enthusiasm and passion make the photo-taking process so fun – she made me feel like a star!
- Alisa AND Adam
Lauren and her team are so much fun to work with! She made us feel so comfortable on the day of our wedding, providing both silly and helpful cues to help us relax and be ourselves in our photos. Lauren’s background in dance is super helpful in recognizing simple posture changes that make a big difference, too. Oh, and the photos we got are just stunning!
Lauren was pivotal in making our wedding day perfect!
- Emma AND Erik
My husband and I looked FOR MONTHS to find the perfect photographer and after meeting Lauren we knew was the best fit for us. She made our day so much fun and easy. She found little opportunities to make the perfect photo all with a calm ease that comes from someone who has an artistic eye along with experience in understanding the flow of a wedding.
Not only is Lauren an amazing human being, but she is an awesome photographer!
- Haley AND Erick
I've been in several weddings and have worked with a multitude of photographers and I never felt as confident as I did with Lauren. I love how professional she is. She helped with the timeline way in advance and we stuck to that timeline the day of. She was also able to professionally and firmly keep unruly family members settled and focused and navigated family drama beautifully!
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