Emily and Spencer on Chase on the Lake in Walker, Minnesota

5/04/26

Emily and Spencer decided on their venue before they were even engaged.

They were sitting at the restaurant at Chase on the Lake, looked around, and knew. Asked for a tour that same day. Walked the property. Booked it.

Everything after that followed the same way. Quick decisions, clear direction, no overthinking.

By May, it all came together in Walker, right on Leech Lake.

Most of the day stayed close to the water. The wedding party got ready in two separate spaces on the property. Bridesmaids in a conference room at the hotel. The guys in a lakeside villa, which later turned into one of the main spots for portraits.

Having everything in one place made it easy for people to settle in. No rushing between locations, no tight schedules, just moving through the day as it came.

The only thing that didn’t cooperate was the wind.

It was constant. Strong enough that being out on the lakefront for too long just wasn’t realistic, especially for family photos. So we adjusted.

Group photos moved into a nearby nature area where the trees helped block some of it. It gave everyone a chance to relax into it without fighting the conditions. Once those were done, we went back toward the lake with Emily and Spencer and leaned into it instead of trying to avoid it.

The wind ended up working in their favor. Movement in the dress, hair catching, everything feeling a little more alive than it would have on a still day.

What stood out most, though, was how much they centered the people around them.

They had a large group of nieces and nephews, many of them part of the wedding. Friends who have clearly been around for a long time and lots of family. The moments that happened weren’t built for show, but for connection.

A surprise mother-daughter dance.