Once upon a time, there was a freshman-in-high-school boy named Mike who had a crush on a senior-in-high-school girl named Lara. Since he was just a freshman, the girl barely even noticed that he existed. But the boy knew that she was the one.
As Lara explains it:When Mike, my fiance, visited Ireland at 14 years old, a cousin plucked a shamrock from the grounds around Bunratty Castle and told him to give it to the love of his life. We met in high school while doing the play The Diary of Anne Frank, he was a freshman and I was senior. He gave me that shamrock and told me the story behind it. I didn't want to take it. He was so young and I had no interest in him at all, but he wouldn't take it back. About 20 years later, we reconnected and we fell in love with each other. How he knew at 14 that I was the one, I will never know.
Lara and Mike, who live in New York, decided to fly out to Arizona and have their wedding at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Mike's family lives out here in Arizona and Lara's family and friends made the trip out here for the wedding. Lara and Mike are still involved in theatre, just like they were when they were teenagers, and so the Renaissance Festival fit them so well.
The Renaissance Festival takes place near the Superstitions.
Lara's mother-in-law found this gorgeous peacock shawl that she wore to the wedding.
Lara getting ready for her wedding.
Lara herself does belly dancing. So it was very cool that there were belly dancers at the Wedding Feast.
I loved how intent Lara's dad was on straightening out this flowery headband for his granddaughter. He definitely kept at it until it was perfect for her.
Perhaps you heard a rumor that the Queen dropped by Lara and Mike's Wedding Feast. I am here to tell you that Yes, it's absolutely true! The Queen herself was in attendance!
After the Wedding Feast, we wondered around the Renaissance Festival creating images of Lara and Mike.
Tina of Live Love Photography helped me photograph Lara and Mike's wedding. Tina saw this gypsie family traveling through while we were making portraits of the bride and groom. At Tina's request, the gypsie momma and her kids were more than happy to encircle and dance around our beautiful bride and groom.
I love this one that Christine (who also helped me photograph this wedding) took of Tina and me at the outer edges of the frame photographing Lara and Mike and the gypsie family.
Beware of Dragons, Brides and Grooms. For you are probably very tasty!
Lara and Mike. Plus a little Lara and Mike in the background??? :)
See the boy with the sword in the background? When I was editing Lara and Mike's photos I kept noticing him showing up in the background of images, even though we went all over the place to get photos. He always had his sword up like that. Kind of funny!
After the day was done and the sun was going down, the whole wedding party left the Renaissance Festival and went back to Mike's parents' house for the wedding cakes.
Kick Ass Kakes baked up Lara and Mike's cakes. The groom's cake was a lego cake! I had a slice of this one, the one with the claddagh ring on it. Oh, it was SO good! Definitely kick-ass good, LOL ;)
Lara had asked her nephew-to-be if he would create a cake topper for one of their wedding cakes out of legos. Being a little boy, and not necessarily having ever even seen a cake topper before, this is what he came up with! I love the symmetry and artistry of it!
The artist (the boy in red) :
The artist and his little brother:
Mike's brother giving a toast.
Lara and Mike, thank you so much for having us at your beautiful and enchanting day!
