Chelsea + Derek | a Joyful Spring Wedding in Minnesota

Even though I’m now a Colorado based wedding photographer, I still get to go back to my Minnesota roots for weddings. This spring I had the best time capturing Chelsea and Derek’s wedding day in my hometown! They have a beautiful story that I have the honor of sharing with you.

The temperature was finally above 70 in Minnesota, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the sky was a beautiful blue. It was one of those spring days that just felt alive and hopeful.

The happy couple got married lakeside at The Chart House. It was a beautiful setting!

There was a strong breeze that day, which really worked out in our favor. I have to give Chelsea’s incredible dress the moment it deserves. It flowed in the wind so effortlessly, which made for breathtaking photos throughout their wedding gallery.

The moment that Chelsea and Derek saw each other for the first time was so sweet. They both radiated so much joy. 

The story that brought these two together is beautiful and redemptive. With Chelsea and Derek’s permission, I get to share some of it with you.

Chelsea and Derek met while in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction- a path they are still walking together. Chelsea has been in recovery since September 25th, 2017 and Derek has been in recovery since January 15th, 2018. They both expressed to me that their life before meeting each other looked so different than it does now. 

At one point during photos, Derek asked if I did headshots. I looked at him, a bit confused, wondering what he meant. He explained that he has a mugshot he wanted to compare the photo to. I really admired how open they both were and felt honored that they shared even a piece of their story with me. 

Each time I think about Chelsea and Derek’s wedding day, I’m overcome with emotions. You see, this wedding day was not only a celebration of their union as husband and wife, but also a celebration of the obstacles Chelsea and Derek both overcame that ultimately lead them to each other. 

I could do my best to tell their story with words, but as we all know, sometimes a photo is worth more than all the words in the world.

After sending Chelsea and Derek their sneak peek, I woke up to a text from Chelsea with the following photo and a message that read “we wanted to share our “before” and now pictures with you.” 

When I opened this text, I just burst into tears. I couldn’t stop crying!

Derek’s before photo is the mugshot he told me about on their wedding day. Chelsea’s before photo is the day she woke up from a coma due to a drug overdose. The doctor’s told her family she wouldn’t make it through the night, but by a miracle she survived.

What a beautifully impactful visual of the path this incredible couple has walked. Look at where they were. And look at where they are now- radiant, healthy and TOGETHER. 

I was so grateful they even wanted to share that photo with me. And I’m grateful they allowed me to share it here, too. 

My favorite photo from Chelsea and Derek’s day is the moment they were introduced as husband and wife. 

It’s the most incredible hallelujah moment.  It was the moment that sums up everything I’ve tried to type. Look at their “then and now” photo. Now look at Chelsea’s smile in the photo above…. Look at the JOY! They each walked through some incredibly dark moments and now they’re on the other side of it, hand in hand. With the biggest smiles.

It’s like the next chapter of this couple’s life is unfolding before our eyes. And the best part is they’re doing it together, as one.

It was so evident that their friends and family were incredibly happy for this amazing couple. They were all there to celebrate Chelsea and Derek’s beautiful story. 

I remember listening to Chelsea’s dad give his speech. He reminisced on a lot of happy memories and he got emotional when remembering some of the hard times. But he too echoed this sentiment: the newlyweds get to celebrate this new chapter and live it out… together. And that is something to be oh so thankful for.

When it came time for the mother/son and father/daughter dance, they invited all the other children and parent duos to join them on the dance floor. It was so beautiful. It speaks to who Chelsea and Derek are- they love their people and their people love them. And they were happy to share in this moment! 

I got to sneak the lovebirds away for some sunset photos and W O W! Aren’t they a good looking couple? What a beautiful way to celebrate their new chapter: a few moments alone, lakeside at sunset on their wedding day.

I walk away from most weddings feeling thankful, but whew. After I gave these two a hug goodbye, I really felt the weight of how big of an honor it is to do my job. And how big of a responsibility it is to enter into a couple’s story and tell it well. I am so thankful Chelsea and Derek trusted me to tell their story. 

If you’ve read this far, thank you! Chelsea and Derek, you have a fan in me!

Cheers to the SVENDSEN’S!!

Venue: The Chart House | Photography: Captured by Kt | Hair: Karen Borton | Florist: Luna Vinca | Makeup: Pure Beauty | Beauty: Mel’s Beauty Bar MN + Rachel Skin Sanctuary | Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes | Bridal Gown: A&bé | Groom and Groomsmen: Knights Chamber Clothiers | Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Revelry | Rings: Shane Co |