Mr. and Mrs. West - 3.23.24

On Saturday, this native Minnesotan married the love of his life who just happens to be a “reluctant non-native Minnesotan” (their words, not mine haha). There are few rivalries that run as deep as Minnesota vs Wisconsin, but these two are proof that their love runs deeper. At least he conceded on the wedding location and they were able to marry here in Stevens Point, her hometown.

I knew we were an awesome match during our first video chat. When getting to know them, I found out that Chris is ALSO a French teacher! We are a rare profession so finding one “in the wild” is a super exciting thing. We immediately busted into French and confused the heck out of Ashley. It was magical.

Ashley and Chris met online and their relationship blossomed very naturally. Chris stated there was not one specific moment he realized she was “the one”. He commented on the ups and downs of their relationship as well as past experiences that made opening up to one another a slow process. He particularly appreciates that she feels her feelings very strongly and is very “emotionally sincere”. He said that “she is a genuinely good person who deserves nothing but happiness and joy in her life. And I genuinely want to make her as happy as possible every single day for the rest of our lives.” (Outsider perspective: I can 1,000% say he is successful thus far in that endeavor.)

For Ashley, she felt it for awhile that he was her future husband, but it was solidified when they traveled abroad while simultaneously going through one of the toughest curveballs of their life together. She recalled that, “it was a devastating moment for me/us and he took charge and essentially took care of me because I was incapable of making even the most basic decisions. He showed me that I could truly and completely trust and depend on him, in every way possible, and I don't trust or depend on anyone easily.” Some of her favorite things about him are his ability to stay calm and positive, even in instances where she cannot. He is definitely the “yin” to her “yang”.

As a couple, they have been able to share many hobbies with one another. Her love for hiking has encouraged him to tag along and his love for disc golf has allowed her to enjoy nature and distract him by pointing out all the cool things she is seeing around them. He even proposed to her on the first hole of a disc golf course here in Stevens Point (also where we did their engagement photos). More evidence of the balance they bring to one another: he cooks and she bakes. Supposedly they would throw “the best dinner parties…if [they] wanted”. Sign me up for when that happens!

The connection they share was blatantly obvious on their big day. As luck would have it, Ashley was battling a cold and had a rough night’s sleep the night before. Despite that, I literally lost track of the number of times he made her laugh or that she looked over to him and just smiled. Nothing could squash their moods on this wonderful day. They truly have found their soulmate in one another.

Prior to their ceremony, we arranged for them to have a first look. When couples do a first look, I specifically coach them as to where to stand and when to turn around to ensure that I get the perfect shots of their reactions. The moment came and I told Chris to turn around. Most grooms immediately turn around but he paused. It was not a pause of hesitation or worry… it was a pause of knowing he was about to see the love of his life for the first time on their wedding day. He soaked the moment in, and the love was written all over his face. Another thing I absolutely loved was that they wrote personalized vows to one another but opted to proclaim them to one another privately after they had their first look. I brought them inside and they shared their lifelong promises to one another in front of a toasty fireplace. It was perfect.

After their private exchange of vows, they joined a couple dozen of their closest family and friends and were officially wed in a wonderfully intimate ceremony. They continued their celebration by welcoming many more family and friends to the remainder of the day/night starting with cocktail hour. The newlyweds even braved the chilly cold outside for some gorgeous sunset photos with a backdrop of the freshly-fallen snow. Thankfully the snowstorm that brought about a foot of snow to the area waited until the next day!

Wishing Ashley and Chris a lifetime of love and laughter. So happy for you both!