Danielle and Chris chose the Gale Mansion in Minneapolis for it's classic elegance and "fairy-tale feel", however, they also chose to balance the traditional aesthetic of the venue and their vintage decor by working with modern, Minnesota based wedding photojournalist Gene Pease of Geneoh Photography. I just love the juxtaposition of Danielle and Chris's classic style beautifully captured through Gene's edgier, documentary eye!

The Newlyweds: Danielle and Chris

Junebug: What were your most important goals in planning your wedding?

Danielle and Chris: First to reflect Christ and His Ultimate Sacrifice for the Church in the ceremony, secondly to have a vintage-inspired elegant feel with many personal, handmade touches to reflect both the bride and groom and lastly to make sure everyone felt appreciated.

Junebug: Where did you hold your wedding and reception, and why?

Danielle and Chris: The Gale Mansion, it had the ultimate elegant, fairy-tale feel. The interior was gorgeous with intricate old woodwork and accommodated all our needs very well. The in-house chef did a phenomenal job preparing top quality food to make the whole event that much better.

Junebug: What three adjectives describe your wedding best?

Danielle and Chris: Elegant, Vintage, Overflowing (with love and thankfulness)

Junebug: Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your wedding, your love story or your lives?

Danielle and Chris: We scoured dozens of antique stores all over Wisconsin and Minnesota to find almost 200 Blue Mason Jars for vases and candle holders, books in a blue, cream and brown color scheme, and old crates, trunks, scales, chalkboards and lace for our decorations. Chris got really into the search and it became like a treasure hunt to find what we needed, and bargain for the best prices!

Junebug: What were you looking for in a photographer?

Danielle and Chris: Someone with a heavy artistic leaning that could capture more than just the expected moments.

Junebug: What specifically drew you to Geneoh Photography and his imagery?

Danielle and Chris: His amazing portfolio of unique shots that you could really feel the emotions right through the ink of the pictures.

Junebug: What did you enjoy most about working with Gene?

Danielle and Chris: He was mellow and put us at ease, and had wonderful, unique ideas about an engagement photo shoot where we baked blueberry muffins together. He was on time and stayed late into the evening. We were so thrilled with the results!

The Photographer: Gene Pease of Geneoh Photography

Junebug: How did you approach this particular wedding and what did you most want to capture during shooting?

Gene: I approached Danielle and Chris' wedding just like I would any other, with an emphasis on documenting their story. It was a bit different this time though. Their wedding was in November, and in Minnesota you don't do much outdoor photography during this time of year. We did have a gorgeous day and were able to do some shooting outside but I really wanted to focus on shooting indoors. I shoot a lot of outdoor weddings and it was a nice challenge for me; it also helps that the Gale Mansion is a beautiful location to shoot at.

Junebug: Were there any special photographic requests from the couple that made this wedding especially exciting creatively or personally?

Gene: One of the many reasons Danielle and Chris' photos turned out so well was because they trusted me and pretty much let me do what I wanted. Because of that we were able to get some amazing images because I had my creative juices flowing. The Gale Mansion is a historic building so one thing I wanted to feature was the history inside. We did a lot of indoor portraits and I was really trying to go for a more classic/timeless look with everything. 

Junebug: What was the most fun part of this wedding for you to photograph?

Gene: I loved the ceremony. It was small and slightly cramped but that really added to the experience. Danielle and Chris are extremely in love and it was so easy to see; just seeing their genuine smiles and tears made it the most impactful part of the day.

Junebug: How did the locations available to you affect the type of images you shot and how you shot them?

Gene: Location was key for how the images turned out. The Gale Mansion has tons of history so it was fun to incorporate it into how I was shooting. I was excited to use the old time bathrooms and decor of the Mansion. That's what I focused on, and I think it worked out successfully.

Junebug: What kind of equipment did you use while shooting this wedding?

Gene: All Canon digital gear. Canon 5d mkII with Canon 50mm 1.2 and 35mm 1.4 being the main lenses I used.

Thank you so much Danielle and Chris for sharing your gorgeous wedding day with us, and thank you Gene for your stunning images!

To learn about all of the wedding professionals who contributed to this wedding day please visit Danielle and Chris's page in our Real Wedding Library.