Cave Point County Park and Boynton Chapel, Wisconsin Elopement Photo Story Award

Jesse and Nicole stand on the rocky shores of Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, holding hands and leaning in for a casual kiss during their wedding portrait session.

Nicole and Jesse love simplicity and peace, and neither one of them like to be the center of attention for too long. When they began their wedding planning, they immediately knew they didn't want a normal wedding. They opted to elope at one of their favorite places with around 20 of their closest friends and family in attendance.

Door County is well known in Wisconsin for being a great spot to go for a relaxing weekend. It's a beautiful place with plenty of gorgeous views, unique locations, as well as tons of locally owned bars, restaurants, and shops, so choosing this location was a no-brainer for them.

We met at Cave Point County Park where Nicole and Jesse had the most laid-back "first look" you could imagine, and shortly after we jumped into a few portraits of just the two of them. After a quick snack-like lunch, we drove over to the Boyton Chapel, which is modeled after the Garmo stave church at Maihaugen in Lillehammer, Norway. The craftsmanship of this small wonder is absolutely breathtaking from the inside and out. 

Their ceremony began with "well, should we start?" Everyone responded with "sure!" and within a few moments, the small wedding party, the beautiful couple and their parents, took the short walk down the aisle. Their officiant, one of Jesse's long-time friends, leads a lighthearted, short and beautiful ceremony. As quickly as the ceremony began, it ended, and in a similar fashion as well!

From there, we traveled to another area of the park for something similar to a receiving line, but with a much more casual feel. Then we went to three different bar and restaurant locations that the newlyweds loved the most for drinks, snacks and more good times. Plenty of hugs were exchanged, lots of jokes, a few tears of joy, big smiles, and even a surprise kiss from the groom's mom to the bride's brother! Everything about this day felt simple, effortless, and fun, which was exactly what this beautiful couple was hoping for.

Jesse and Nicole said their vows in front of a charming wooden chapel that was constructed sometime in the 1930s or 1940s. Surrounded by trees and a close gathering of family members and friends, this wedding ceremony looked as if it was ripped from the pages of an old-fashioned fairy tale.

While most people spend the wedding day showering the bride with compliments and affection, the groom often experiences gentle ribbing from his bridal party. This was true for Jesse, who took the teasing and jokes from his groomsmen in stride.

Nicole and Jesse opted to host a crawling-style wedding reception, in which the party traveled to several bars and restaurants in the area in the hours following the ceremony. At the first stop, Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik, the bride and groom received a touching gift — a portrait of the wedding chapel from their ceremony location inscribed with their names and wedding date. This inspiring gift brought the bride to tears.

Standing on the steep cliffs that jut over the waves of Lake Michigan, Jesse and Nicole look out toward the water and appear to reflect on the journey that lies ahead.