Aakeeb and Alyssa celebrated their wedding on a wintery March day in Minneapolis. Their day began early, with their Nikah ceremony. Surrounded by family, the couple joined together in marriage by signing their Nikah document, along with their imam and two witnesses. Decorations in crimson, gold, and white adorned the stage.
After the ceremony, the couple shared hugs with their family and friends, followed by some formal portraits on stage, and a handful of outdoor portraits in their Nikah outfits. Aakeeb took a few minutes to find where Alyssa had his name hidden in her Mehndi (henna) — a tradition often done by brides who have henna applied for their weddings.
After portraits were done, Aakeeb and Alyssa began getting ready for their reception with a change in attire, followed by a second first look, and portraits with family and their wedding party. Minnesota weather, being the unpredictable thing that it is, blessed us with a rain and sleet mix of slush, meaning our plans for outdoor photos had to pivot. Instead, we traded our plans for outdoor photos for indoors at the Union Depot in Saint Paul. I love this location for it’s massive columns, gorgeous atrium, and the fact that it’s a dedicated public space means it’s always photographer-friendly.
After portraits, we returned to the Profile Event Center for the reception. The room had been changed over from reds to elegant blues and silvers! Family returned, and friends arrived for the reception celebration. After dinner and dessert, we took group photos on stage, and then the dance kicked off the rest of the evening for a joyous and fun celebration.
Congrats, Aakeeb and Alyssa!
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Rachel Lahlum is a Minnesota wedding photographer with experience in hundreds of weddings and engagement sessions. She takes a guided approach towards working with couples, from helping with planning and scheduling, to guiding with poses and prompts during the session. Her photography is crisp and clean with true-to-life colors, and a mix of traditional poses and candid moments.