Martha and Erik’s Fall Wedding

There were so many wonderful and joyous moments during Martha and Erik’s wedding day at one of the most picturesque places to get married in Santa Fe – Bishop’s Lodge. Nestled high in the foothills of New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Bishop’s Lodge is an iconic destination resort that continues to celebrate its history as a gathering place for travelers. Surrounded by 1,700 acres of pine-covered land, the property and its private ranch offer a unique venue for cultural enrichment, spiritual reflection, exploration of the natural world, and, of course, breathtaking weddings! Both Martha and Erik love the outdoors and taking adventures together, so it’s no wonder they chose this amazing venue!

Martha and her bridal party got ready right on the property in one of the Tesuque suites, and Erik and the men prepared for the day at a local Airbnb nearby. I absolutely adored Martha’s bouquet, especially with the added succulents and the bright colors. Martha chose a beautiful white v-neck gown with floral lace sleeves and a lace train. I helped with the buttons on the back of Martha’s dress since everyone else had long nails. I actually now carry a crochet hook in my bag for future weddings in case I need to help, which I’m always happy to do. Before the ceremony, Martha wanted to have a first look with her dad, Rick, and it was such a sweet moment between the both of them. I hope I get to photograph more moments like this with brides and their dads.

Their ceremony was held on the Bishop’s Lodge property at Tesuque Ridge, with its almost 360 degree views of the surrounding landscape. During the ceremony and cocktail hour, a pair of violinists played, and one of these women was Erik’s daughter Lily’s violin teacher. It was such a sweet moment as Erik walked with his daughter Lily down the aisle, and they shared a loving hug before Martha walked down with her dad. I really enjoyed the unity ceremony they chose to do combining two different colors of sand together.

You could see and feel the immense love and joy that Martha and Erik have for each other. While shooting their couples portraits, we made sure to take photos with the mountains in the background, but also in front of the doors adorned with hanging chile ristras. For those who are not local, these are strings of dried red chiles and they are said to bring good health and good luck. Their reception was held at “The Hall” at the Bishop’s Lodge: “This 3,200 square-foot space is ideal for large multi-generational family reunions, wedding receptions, large corporate retreats, meetings and milestone celebrations. It provides authenticity and true sense of place in the American West…”

Martha and Erik had their traditional dance as husband and wife, but also performed another dance later in the evening. Since they are both scientists, they danced to a fun and playful rendition of “Shape of You” called “A Molecular Shape of You”, sung by A Capella Science.

But wait until you hear about Erik and Lily’s dance! It first started out with Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers”, but then quickly changed to “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown. At first it looked like Erik didn’t know what was going on, but then joined in, and they performed the choreographed dance perfectly. Since the wedding was held close to Halloween, they provided costumes for the kids that came, and they got to Trick or Treat at the guests’ tables. Before Martha and Erik gave their own toasts, they drank from a traditional Native American wedding vase. This vase symbolizes two lives coming together as one. The two spouts represent the two separate lives, and the bridge at the top unites those two lives. They incorporated the succulents once more as guests took them home as favors.

Martha and Erik are planning on a honeymoon sometime later, and they hope to possibly visit New Zealand. They ordered an heirloom album, and I’m super excited to see it when it arrives! Enjoy scrolling through the photos of their special day!