Porter + Mikayla | Winter Wedding at the Red River Zoo

Winter Fargo Wedding
Porter + Mikayla
2.19.22

Right off the bat, I have to say — Porter and Mikayla definitely lucked out on their February 19th wedding day! The day before their wedding, we had a winter storm in Fargo. The day after, we had our EIGHTH blizzard of the winter season. For the entire week leading up to the wedding, we were all watching the forecast nervously, waiting to see what would happen on Saturday.

Somehow, Saturday the 19th ended up being a typical (if cold!) winter day — just what Porter and Mikayla were hoping for. See, you don’t choose to have a winter wedding if you aren’t a little down for the cold!

Originally, the ceremony was supposed to be outside, but with the biting cold and classic Fargo wind, they ended up moving things indoors. I’m thankful for my off-camera lighting; otherwise the ceremony photos would have been horribly dark and it would have been hard to capture Porter’s emotional reaction to seeing Mikayla walk down the aisle. The entire ceremony, he struggled to hold back tears.

Despite the cold and wind, though, everyone was on board to take family photos and wedding party photos outside. Shoutout to Jane and Maggie, the bridesmaids, who were willing to shrug off their warm fluffy coats so I could see their dresses for a few photos!

I LOVED how unique Mikayla’s outfit was, with a dress from anthroplogie and a cloak from a vintage seller on Etsy. It was a wonderfully unique vibe that fit her perfectly!

After a brunch of Windsor Waffles in the carousel room, decorated with an “Alice in Wonderland” theme by the wedding party and family, we got to feed the camels and visit the red pandas. Photographing that adorable red panda was such a neat experience for me!

We spent the last portion of the day with portraits of Porter and Mikayla, and the sun made an appearance, making for lovely backlighting that we photographers love. Then, we headed over to the couples' apartment so we could grab some photos of their dogs, Kipo and Kvothe. I just love being able to incorporate a couples’ pets into their photos — after all, they’re such a big part of our lives!

Ceremony/Reception: Red River Zoo
Bride’s Cloak: Light and Shade Vintage
Bride’s Dress: anthropologie
Clutch: Violet Vintage
Bride’s Ring: Angara Jewelry
Groom’s Ring: Revolution Jewelry
Catering: Windsor Waffles
Groom’s Jacket: Halberstadt’s
Photographer: Chelsea Joy Photography

Photos by Chelsea Joy Simdorn, photographer and owner of Chelsea Joy Photography. I'm a Fargo area wedding photographer, capturing weddings throughout North Dakota and Minnesota!