A white Cadillac.
A city celebration.
Ali Lucia and Drew Showalter married at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Wayzata, Minnesota, on August 4, 2018. Their reception brought everyone to the Walker Art Center’s Garden Terrace and Skyline Room in Minneapolis.
Nate Anderson photographed the day for Robert Evans Imagery, from the preparations and first look at The Hotel Landing to a stop at 4 Bells, portraits in the Sculpture Garden, and dancing with Minneapolis behind them.
A quiet beginning.
Ali’s dress, waiting above the bed at The Hotel Landing. Nate began the story here in Wayzata, before the first look, the church, and the celebration in Minneapolis.
A watch for the day.
Ali gave Drew a gold Shinola watch with a black face. A personal gift, photographed before the day picked up speed.
On her way to Drew.
Ali came outside with her umbrella, ready to see Drew. This is where their first-look sequence begins.
Together in Wayzata.
Ali and Drew saw each other for the first time outside the hotel. A little turn, a smile, and a chance to be together before the ceremony.
A little time for two.
A quieter portrait after the first look. The long line of the awning frames the two of them, with Ali’s dress falling across the sidewalk.
A Wayzata departure.
Drew’s white Cadillac belonged in the story, especially here against the white hotel façade. The Hotel Landing sign gives this photograph its sense of place.
An umbrella for two.
A different view of the Cadillac, with a kiss beneath the umbrella. The long white car makes a beautiful backdrop without taking the attention away from Ali and Drew.
Be here with us.
I love seeing a sign like this. Put the phones and cameras away, be present, and share the ceremony with the couple. One of the ring bearers helped carry that message.
Before he takes his seat.
Ali’s dad, Don Lucia, walked her down the aisle and lifted her veil before taking his seat. Nate included the church and the guests in this view of their arrival.
The whole room, together.
A wide black-and-white photograph keeps the architecture, the couple, and their guests together. It is a view that brings back the feeling of the whole ceremony.
The view toward the couple.
Here, the officiant is in the foreground and Ali and Drew are beyond him. Their expressions become the center of this closer view.
A promise, made visible.
Ali and Drew exchanged rings with their attendants beside them. One of the small gestures that carries so much of the day.
Back down the aisle.
Married, smiling, and on their way back through the people who had gathered for them. Nate caught the applause and the relief in this photograph.
Everyone on the steps.
After the ceremony, there was time for family photographs at the church. This is Ali’s family, the Lucias, gathered around the newlyweds.
On the way.
The Cadillac carried them into the next part of the day. A photograph through the open window keeps the excitement close.
The view from the front.
The drive became part of the story, too. The white Cadillac, the trees, and the two of them together on their way to the next stop.
Between celebrations.
A moving view of the Cadillac on the freeway. These in-between photographs connect the places and keep the day from feeling like a series of separate stops.
A booth for two.
Ali and Drew stopped at 4 Bells in Minneapolis. A booth, a couple of drinks, and a moment together before the reception.
One more kiss before we go.
The restaurant’s brick wall, sign, and yellow chairs give this portrait a very different setting from the hotel and the church. One more kiss, then on to the Walker.
A Minneapolis landmark.
There was time for another family photograph in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Katharina Fritsch’s Hahn/Cock, the giant blue rooster, made an unmistakable backdrop.
A kiss beneath the rooster.
A kiss, a little dip, and the blue rooster above them. A portrait that could only belong to this stop in their wedding day.
Up the steps together.
Then they headed inside the Walker Art Center for the reception. Nate followed them up the steps, keeping the building’s name and lines in the photograph.
Blue, white & gold.
The menu and place setting brought together blue, white, and gold. A close look at the table before the guests arrived.
Before the doors open.
The reception used the Walker’s Garden Terrace and Skyline Room spaces. This photograph preserves the room as it was set, with the tables ready and the modern architecture around them.
Another way to see the details.
From above, the table becomes a different photograph. The flowers, leaves, menus, and place settings form their own pattern.
Minneapolis beyond the terrace.
Cocktail hour opened onto the terrace, with Minneapolis and the Basilica of Saint Mary in the distance. Nate stepped back to include the people and the view together.
Outside, with everyone around them.
Ali and Drew had their first dance outside on the terrace. Their guests made a circle around them, close enough to share the moment.
The city joins the celebration.
A turn during the dance, with the skyline behind them and their guests watching. Another view of a first dance that felt very much part of the city.
A portrait with the skyline.
Nate made time for a portrait of the two of them with Minneapolis behind them. The city is part of the setting, but their connection still leads the photograph.
A quiet place at the Walker.
A solo portrait of Ali, with the Walker’s concrete walls and simple lines around her. A quieter image between the bigger celebrations.
A little fun at the art center.
The Let’s Be Frank display offered one more playful backdrop. I like seeing a couple’s wedding photographs make room for a little humor.
The glasses rang.
When the guests tapped their glasses, Ali and Drew stood up and kissed. Nate framed the moment with the Basilica of Saint Mary beyond the windows, connecting the reception to the city outside.
A dance with Don.
The story ends with Ali and her dad, Don Lucia, dancing together. Many Minnesotans know Don as the former Gopher men’s hockey coach. Here, he is simply a father sharing a dance with his daughter.