Maddie & Cody — A Whitefish Lodge Wedding in Crosslake

Maddie and Cody came back down the aisle with bubbles drifting around them, bouquets still raised behind them, and broad smiles on both faces. That is the cover of their Whitefish Lodge wedding: two people holding hands through a crowd that was happy to see them married. I photographed their September day in Crosslake, Minnesota, from the stone fireplace in the lodge to the last frames on the dance floor.

Getting Ready at Whitefish Lodge

Maddie’s dress hung against the stone fireplace beneath a mounted moose. There is a lot of lodge in that one frame: rough stone, a log mantel, and a white gown against all of it. In another corner, a wall sconce cast a warm glow through a row of tiny pine trees.

The closer photographs tell the rest of the morning. Maddie fastened an earring in a lighted mirror. By the window, a woman helping with her gown reached up to her cheek, and Maddie smiled. I kept that frame in black and white so the expression holds your attention.

Portraits Around Whitefish Lodge

Maddie came down the log staircase carrying her bouquet, then gathered with her bridesmaids beside the fireplace. Their plum dresses and the burgundy flowers brought color into the wood-and-stone room.

Outside, I used the timber porch for a wide portrait of Maddie and Cody and the window beside them for a closer reflection. A young girl with sunglasses on her head found a window of her own. Those smaller moments sit well beside the wedding-party photograph on the lawn: the whole group cheering while Maddie and Cody kissed.

An Outdoor Ceremony at Whitefish Lodge

Guests sat in rows on the grass beneath leafy trees. At the end of the aisle, burgundy and ivory flowers climbed a wooden arch draped with pale fabric. The flower girls carried their baskets down the aisle, and Maddie followed the stone steps toward the ceremony.

I watched Cody’s face as they held hands at the arch. His expression moved from serious to smiling, and then came the kiss and that walk back through the guests. The bubbles make the wide recessional frame, but their faces are why I chose it for the cover.

The wide frame shows the whole room or the whole crowd. The next frame brings you close enough to see what someone’s face is doing.

Toasts, Then Portraits on Cross Lake

Back inside Whitefish Lodge, the head table sat against warm wood paneling with bouquets in front of it. Maddie and Cody shared a kiss, a woman in pink took the microphone, and a groomsman read his toast from his phone.

For the evening portraits, we went to the Corps of Engineers park and campground at Cross Lake Recreation Area. Maddie and Cody walked out along a wooden dock, held each other close, and made a twirl against the cloud-streaked sky. I kept both the silhouette and the closer photograph of Cody leaning toward Maddie’s cheek. Together they show the setting and the two people in it.

Dancing Under the Lights at Whitefish Lodge

The reception photographs move from the quieter dances to a busy floor beneath string lights and ceiling drapery. Maddie laughed while dancing with her dad; Cody held a woman in burgundy close during their dance. A little later, a guest in burgundy threw both arms overhead. That is where this gallery ends.

Planning a Whitefish Lodge Wedding?

Whitefish Lodge & Suites in Crosslake has guest rooms, indoor reception space, and an outdoor ceremony area. The property overlooks Crosswoods Golf Course, two blocks from the Whitefish Chain of Lakes. If you want water portraits as well as lodge photographs, leave time in the day for that separate stop.

My coverage combines documentary moments with editorial portraits. If being photographed feels unfamiliar, I will help you get comfortable and know what to do. We can plan the portraits around the light while leaving room for the people and conversations you came to celebrate.

For more about the venue, visit my Whitefish Lodge wedding photography page. If you have a date in mind, reach out and tell me what you are planning. I take a limited number of weddings each year, so it is worth checking availability once your date is set.