Chateau Bu-De Vineyard + Winery, Bohemia Manor Farm | Reagan + Jacob | Lehigh Valley Wedding Photographer
Reagan and Jacob’s Chateau Bu-De vineyard and winery wedding was simply magical! The bayside venue, the rows and rows of grape vines, and the bright and bold color palette made their day a dream to photograph. Every wedding is special, but this one was particularly special to me because Reagan is my little cousin!
Getting Ready
The entire day, from getting ready through reception, took place at Chateau Bu-De Vineyard & Winery. It’s so nice when everything is at one location and when the venue has enough space to accommodate everyone! (Pro tip: Cutting down on travel time allows for a more relaxed pace; another bonus is less traveling means more time for portraits!)
Their wedding day was a rainy one, but thankfully, there were plenty of windows to allow for beautiful natural light photographs of their details and of them getting dressed. The big bursts of color in their coral, light blue, and peach color palette gave us a some bright, cheerful energy despite the storms that hovered over us all day!
One of my favorite parts of the day was seeing Reagan’s dad’s reaction during their Daddy/Daughter First Look. A Daddy/Daughter First Look doesn’t take a ton of time, but is a special moment that you won’t regret having documented on your big day!
First Look & Portraits
By the time we were ready for their first look, it was pouring outside. Reagan was a total champ! She took a deep breath, set her train down on the wet ground and said, “Let’s do this!” Armed with lots of umbrellas and towels, we began their portrait time with a heartfelt first look and portraits around Chateau Bu-De’s property.
I have to say, working in these conditions was a challenge. We were absolutely soaking wet but it flexed us creatively. As a result, their portraits are some of my absolute favorites, proving that a rainy wedding day doesn’t mean you won’t get the portraits of your dreams. The ease of being able to deliver them beautiful portraits in these conditions was also due to Reagan and Jacob’s willingness to embrace the situation and allow us the full time for portraits and their trust in our team to do our job beautifully.
Ceremony
Due to the weather, the original plans of an outdoor ceremony was not possible; however, their tented reception space allowed them the ability to keep things outside under the shelter of the tent. White tents are amazing for light and bright photographs, by the way!
In a heartfelt ceremony, Jacob and Reagan committed their lives to one another before over 200 of their closest friends and family. There were so many beautiful moments and tears of joy. The worship service they included as part of their wedding was such an amazing testament to their faith and their acknowledgement of God being the foundation of their lives both separately and together.
Bridal Party & Family
We split our bridal party portrait time doing some before the ceremony and some after. Prior to the ceremony, we found a small overhang where everyone squeezed under to keep dry. Shortly after the ceremony, we saw a break in the rain on the weather radar and snuck everyone outside for a few quick shots of everyone together before family portraits began. As luck would have it, we had a small window where we had a break in the rain, so we were able to do family portraits outside!
Reception
Just before introductions, we were able to quickly sneak Reagan and Jacob into the rows of grape vines at Chateau Bu-De for more portraits before the rain began again. We were so lucky to get this opportunity!
After introductions, Reagan and Jacob shared their first dance as husband and wife. Little did we all know that we were all in for a HUGE surprise as Reagan and her father, Steve, shared a choreographed dance that involved a breakdancing solo by the father of the bride! It was truly epic and had the entire room roaring with applause!
Following toasts, dinner and a private cake cutting, everyone enjoyed lots of dancing and an amazing controlled sparkler exit with the bridal party and immediate family.
Reagan and Jacob, congratulations! Thank you so much for having me play such an important role in your big day. I love you both very much. Jacob, welcome to the family! xo
CHATEAU BU-DE VINEYARD & WINERY, BOHEMIA MANOR FARM | HOPE & STAY PHOTOGRAPHY | Lehigh Valley WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Alyssa is a Lehigh Valley Wedding Photographer specializing in fine art wedding and portrait photography. To inquire about your upcoming wedding, send Alyssa a note here!
