Cat and Michael got married under the stars of the Planetarium and danced the night away at their Bell Museum wedding in Minneapolis
I met Cat over a decade ago when I photographed her sister Jolynn’s wedding at the Guthrie theater. At the time, she was the precocious younger sister, but she has certainly come into her own as this bold and creative bride. With her husband (and fellow science nerd) Michael, their wedding at the Bell Museum featured Mammoths, paper flowers, dinos holding rings, and so much laughter.
It has been such an honor to stay in contact with Cat all these years and to document such a wonderful celebration for her and Michael!
Weddings at the Bell Museum must feature the large stuffed Mammoth. Yes, it is giant and has huge tusks, but some off camera lighting ensures that the couple are the centerpoint of this image.Is it difficult to photograph in a planetarium? Yes, it requires planning, anticipation, and some luck. But the pay off is also so much higher than most other locations – Cat and Michael were married under a sky of starry nebula. The off camera lighting means that you can see them with the distinction they deserve while also seeing the sky as their guests saw it – dark, impactful, awe-inspiring.This art-meets-science installation at the Bell Museum is a gorgeous backdrop for photos – showcasing some DNA sequencing in colors that matched Cat and Michael’s weddingHow do you bring in the cases of specimens and minerals while keeping the focus on a wedding? It is a fun challenge of the Bell Museum, but a worthwhile one. For this, I loved lighting Cat and Michael as though they were also specimens – a little backlight enclosed them in this doorway alongside the butterflies and invertebrates.
Planning a wedding at the Bell Museum?
If you are looking to plan a natural history museum wedding at the Bell, I’d love to talk with you about your photography! Capturing portraits in a planetarium or photos with a mammoth requires the right tools and a plan to use them to capture your moments!
