Their church wedding was on a beautiful June day at the Jesuit Church in Lucerne. The Landmark  Catholic church is in the center of Lucerne’s old town, overlooking the Reuss River. Like many churches in Europe, it features impressive ceilings and majestic interiors. The couple exchanged their vows in front of family and friends, plus a few tourists who came to see the church ended up standing at the entrance watching the ceremony. 

After the ceremony, everybody gathered in front of the church to congratulate Sonja and Peter. The following Apéro (Cocktails and Appetizers) was served at the prestigious Hotel des Balances across the river.  It is a short walk from the church to the hotel. On the way, we got the chance to take some photos with the famous Chapel Bridge in the background. 

Once we arrived at the Hotel we were treated to a glass or 2 of champagne and a million-dollar view of the old town of Lucerne and the river. After some drinks and butlered hors d’oeuvres, it was time to depart to the reception that was held at the Meggenhorn castle.

Sonja and Peter drove very (un)traditionally in Sonja’s favorite car. Her classic Fiat 500. We had a lot of fun getting her and the dress into this tiny car. 

• Ceremony Location Jesuit Church St Francis Cavier
• Wedding Apero, Hotel des Balances
• Reception at Castle Meggenhorn

Kaitlin and Mike flew in from the US and arrived the day prior by train from Munich. They booked rooms in the castle Bullachberg and all available apartments for their guests. Whilst the actual ceremony and reception were planned at Castle Bullachberg, the rehearsal took place at Alpenrose on the Alpsee in the village of Hohenschwangau. The former restaurant is now an Ameron hotel and resort but is still available for events. I met Kaitlin and Mike at the rehearsal location for a pre-wedding and rehearsal photo shoot and at the same time got a chance to meet and greet.

We took photos at the beautiful Alpsee with their family and friends and some candid shots at the dinner. Their food selection was inspired by a King Ludwig II recipe and of course plenty of beer and wine. With a view of Castle Neuschwanstein and Castle Hohenschwangau which are lit at night, it was truly a great start to the path of forever.

The village of Hohenschwangau can be busy during the day since many daily tour buses will arrive with visitors from all over the world. However, in the evening the village turns into a quiet retreat. 

We started with an early morning on the day of the wedding. The ceremony was planned for 1 pm and we had a full day planned ahead of us. I started the getting ready photos with the girls and detail shots at 8:00 a.m. The hunting castle is really beautifully maintained and the surrounding area just inspires. There are so many spots for photos. At around 10:00 am I went to meet the guys and guests for a planned Bavarian Wedding Breakfast with white sausage, pretzels, and of course beer! Mike had the honor to tap the beer kegs and Alphorn players entertained the guests. Kaitlin and Mike kept their wedding true to the Bavarian culture and included authentic decoration,  music, and meals.

After some photos at the breakfast, I went for the getting-ready photos with the dudes (Burschen). I returned to the bride for the final getting photos with her and her bridesmaids and some portraits before she walked down the aisle. 

We had a truly magnificent autumn day with sunshine and clear skies. The ceremony was held on the front lawn with a view of Castle Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein in the distance. The location and views are truly breathtaking. After Kaitlin’s and Mike’s I do’s they invited to a champagne toast and mingling. I took the opportunity to do all the formal and group photos at that time. 

All the guests got picked up by a bus transport to go for a private guided tour through Neuschwanstein Castle while I went with the bride and groom for the intimate photo shoot. We booked a 2-hour horse and carriage ride which is not only romantic but also perfect to get around town and get to those special spots for photos.

After the private photo tour, we all met back up for the dinner reception at Castle Bullachberg. A Bavarian Band was booked for entertainment and first dances and the evening ended by sending the couple off with sparklers. 

The couple continued their honeymoon by visiting the Octoberfest a few days later. 

Thank you so much for flying me in to capture your wedding day, I am truly honored to have been a part of your fairytale destination wedding at Neuschwanstein Castle.

• Wedding Planner Weddings in Germany
• Wedding Location Castle Bullachberg
• Rehearsal Location Ameron Alpsee Hotel and Resort

I packed my camera equipment and rushed to the rental car. No problem, I got this… I thought! Just to end up frantically searching for the shifter to put the car into reverse or drive. It took me a minute to find buttons on the top of the middle console to be pushed. Seriously, I am old school when it comes to driving and while I drove cars that start with a button before, I never had to push a button to actually get going. In the end, the day was saved and I got Sabrina to her wedding.

Sabrina walked down the aisle on her father’s side surrounded by palm trees at beautiful Crandon Park in Key Biscayne. They exchanged their heartfelt vows with tears of joy under a Bohemian-inspired wedding arch. After the ceremony, we had a toast and I shot some family and group photos, followed by an intimate couple session. We even caught a rainbow in the sky and the family sent them off with some bubbles.

The weather god was good to us and it stopped raining for the rest of the day. They were so relaxed that they would have exchanged their vows at the bar if necessary. Annika said: “Rain can’t stop us! “

We held the short and sweet ceremony at Jackson Square After their vows we did an impromptu photo tour of the French Quarter and surrounding areas.

Annika and Benedikt had their first dance as husband and wife on the streets of New Orleans the Big Easy way.

After our downtown tour, we decided to take a little drive to the city park for some more picturesque photos. I just love the old stone bridge under trees filled with Spanish Moss.  It felt like they just stepped out of a fairytale storybook.  

We had a blast and it just shows that even if it rains on your wedding day you can turn it around by staying positive. After all, you a marrying the love of your life and that’s all that matters.

• Ceremony Location Clearwater Beach, Avalon
• Wedding Planning, decoration, and flowers by Events and More Inc/Lifestyle Weddings