A Lake of the Ozarks Wedding - Erika & Tyler - July 17th, 2010

Kev and I were excited to shoot Erika's early morning bridals in Osage Beach, Missouri -- early because it is HOT in Missouri right now! Kevin had taken her and Tyler's engagement pictures a few months earlier, so it was the first time I was able to meet her. Erika is an elegant, graceful person with an easy smile -- very natural in front of the camera once she warmed up a little. She wore a stunning dress with lace and fabric flower details, and had the cutest little mustard-yellow flats that went with the vintage theme of her wedding.

Erika and Tyler had some great ideas for their wedding at the Casa De Loco winery in Camdenton, Missouri. These two went for a vintage, shabby chic type of theme -- very stylish, very well executed. They painted and roughed up old hutches, tables, and shutters to use in various places around the ceremony and reception site, which gave the winery an entirely different feeling than past weddings we've shot there.

Truthfully, I could go on for pages about the details of their wedding, but I'll spare you and just tell you my favorite ones. It was a hot day, so Erika and Tyler placed lemonade-filled mason jars on either side of the isle for their guests to pick up when they took their seats. Those, along with fans made from their ceremony programs and engagement photos helped cool off the guests and gave us photographers some great shots. Tyler had some custom Toms painted for him by artist Brooke Kelley (check out her art at Vanilla Abstract), and they were amazing! His groomsmen all wore Toms with their classic stone colored suits and silver tie clips -- very, very cool. The tables were beautiful, with muslin print table runners, white candles, and centerpieces of glass cake pedestals filled with a variety of beautiful cupcakes, resting in beds of grass. From the invitations that Erika created herself (she is a VERY talented graphic designer), to the wildflower bouquets, to the simply stunning bridesmaid dresses, this wedding was incredible.

We had a great time photographing Erika and Tyler around the winery and at Ha Ha Tonka, a popular spot at the lake, with all of the wedding party. Even though it was hot, everyone was so friendly and willing to do whatever crazy thing Kevin and I suggested. The ceremony was lovely, with Tyler singing Erika a song while playing the guitar, and both their mothers involved in arranging a beautiful wildflower bouquet representing the joining of the two families. After the ceremony, the dinner, toasts, cake cutting, and cupcake eating, the party got started with dancing.

I have only one thing to say about the dancing:

Tyler's sister, Mackenzie, can break it down better than anyone, anywhere, from ANY wedding that I have ever attended. She wins the blue ribbon for best air guitar, best booty shake, best tear-up-the-floor-with-previously-unseen-movement and best rock-out-in-a-short-dress-without-revealing-more-than-a-serious-dance-fever. Go Mackenzie!

We're so excited about the pictures! Thanks Tyler and Erika!