Intimate Mini Backyard Wedding Photography Austin, MN
If you plan a mini and intimate wedding, Krista and Erik’s special day might give you inspiration and set expectations.
Here are the highlights from their wedding in Austin, MN, proving that small weddings can beautifully tell your love story!
Table of Contents
Meet the Couple and why a Mini Wedding
Katie and Erik hail from different regions. Erik runs his family farm right here in Austin, Minnesota, and you might even spot their family name on the barn. Katie, on the other hand, lives in Oklahoma, where she works in federal munitions research. Needless to say, I knew I couldn’t mess up their photos!
They met via an app and, after just a few months, decided on an intimate gathering at Erik’s mom’s backyard. This was not going to be a grand affair. Instead, they chose to have a mini wedding, a heartfelt celebration with just fifteen of their closest family and friends.
For Katie and Erik, this decision was rooted in a desire for simplicity and authenticity. As a naturally reserved couple, the idea of a large, traditional wedding with all eyes on them felt overwhelming. They lacked the time, energy, and motivation to plan a massive event and wanted to avoid the immense expense that comes with it. Their focus was on the meaning of the day, not the production. They craved an intimate celebration where they could be fully present and connect with every single person they love. Their wedding day was going to be a true reflection of their values: simple, personal, and profoundly sincere.
Fall Wedding in a Farm Backyard
Set in front of a charming red farmhouse framed by golden foliage, the bride prepared with the help of her best friend. No extravagant bridal suite was needed when your best friend’s touch is flawless.
Detail Shots
While Katie got ready, I captured key details: dress, rings, shoes, “something blue” and “something borrowed.” I even photographed Grandma with her cat, because backyard weddings let you include your pets. What’s more pet-friendly than home? See more pet-friendly venues.
Makeup and getting dressed
The bride and her bridesmaid got ready together. It was two best friends laughing together all the time. From time to time, the mothers came to help. It was a really fun part to capture in photography.
Reading Letters
One of my favorite moments is capturing raw emotion when couples read private letters during prep—it always brings tears of joy.
The lighting was perfect and the bride very emotive. That’s what photographers love!
First Look with Parents
Once ready, Katie and Erik shared a first look with their parents. It’s always heartwarming: tears are guaranteed when your child marries.
Intimate Backyard Ceremony
The ceremony unfolded under a tent beside the farmhouse, with around twenty guests. Their friend officiated, and they closed the vow exchange with a symbolic sand ceremony.
Family Portraits
Even at a small gathering, we captured formal family portraits, images you’ll cherish and proudly display.
Bride & Groom Portraits with Fall Colors
We moved to the surrounding fields (even a friendly horse joined us). Since they skipped an engagement session, this part took extra time, but being comfortable on camera is crucial.
I always recommend an engagement session(summer, winter, urban, or countryside farm) to build rapport before the big day. It helps a lot to learn what to do or not in the photos. I also make a couple feel more at their ease, and you can see it in the images.
So we used the family property, and even took a picture with a horse. That was cool.
Reception at Lyle Legion
For dinner, they could have driven to one of Rochester’s restaurants for a small wedding dinner, but instead, they picked the Local Lyle Legion. Erik’s brother led the kitchen, and friends supplied the music. The cooking ran late (partially operated by the groom’s nephews), but it gave me perfect opportunities for candid guest portraits. The guests moved around and went to play table pool on the bar’s side.
As you can see in one image, the cooking also went pretty smoky. As a result, the bride and groom opened their symbolic first dance in the Legion’s room full of smoke! What’s more, the Lyle’s legion room is quite big, and there were about 10 people. So the room really felt empty. That was a kind of surreal moment, but nothing seemed weird, just a family meeting. That’s what I like about photographing weddings: you sometimes see unusual things.
Little Wedding, Big Stories
As a Rochester wedding photographer, I adore intimate celebrations. They reveal genuine family dynamics, and I am just a little mouse doing photojournalism. All you need is two people in love and their closest family.
At the end of the day, I knew everybody and their personalities. I take many portraits of the kids, and also a family portrait. I had the pleasure of taking a picture with the (shy) mother of the groom and her numerous little grandchildren.
I also caught some improbable candid shots, like the bridesmaid who was underneath the bride’s dress to bustle it.
Last Creative image
I always love to conclude the coverage with more artistic images. As you can imagine, the Lyle Legion doesn’t offer many options. I was tempted by the neon sign in the bar, but there were too many customers. So, I decided to use the street instead. Luckily, we had a bit of a sunset!
Lyle American Legion Post 105
If you’re planning a small wedding in Austin and love this style, I’d be honored to document your day. Of course, I would be happy to work at the Hormel Historic Home or the Austin Country Club.
I travel to Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
Contact me today to schedule our first meeting and start the fun!
