The moment we saw the fun vibes and extraordinary photos from this woodsy wedding held at Timber Cove Resort Wedding in Jenner, CA, we knew we had to publish it. The couple, Kate and Ian, wanted a nontraditional celebration that included an epic party for their guests. By choosing the mid-century modern forest lodge with its relaxed family vacation ambiance, they set up the perfect atmosphere and achieved their goal. And having Ben and Erin Chrisman from Chrisman Studios by their sides made for stunning, artistic photographs that tell their story beautifully. 

“We loved how real this wedding felt,” says Erin Chrisman, “like an intimate, fancy summer vacation” for grownups, where everyone already knew each other. To make their wedding totally unique, Kate and Ian stayed away from traditional rituals and expectations and planned their weekend as exactly as they wanted.” Choosing a cliffside ceremony location, the couple was able to treat their guests to stunning views and the extended time frame allowed them to spend lots of quality time with family and friends.

 

Focused on spontaneous fun, the wedding day did not include a first dance, parent dances, cake cutting or any of the other things you might normally see at a wedding. The welcome party was a joint karaoke-casino party and there was a game room setup for the entire weekend that included a lot of activities and popular video game consoles. Other special times included simply hanging out, singing and dancing. 

The reception took place under a large draped tent and was focused on enjoying a delicious meal as a community and sharing stories and well-wishes with the couple. 

 

Adds Erin, “After the wedding ceremony, the bride changed into a short blue dress for dinner, after which she let her hair down (literally) and changed into sneakers and back into her glasses for the dance party."

They brought in their favorite club DJ, Ericalandia, for a reception set that was all house/dance music instead of the typical pop music played at weddings.

We loved seeing the wedding guests featured prominently as well, many of whom regularly attend Burning Man, the arts festival in the Nevada desert, and were dressed colorfully and creatively. “Most original of all, though,” says Erin, “was the custom disco ball shaped like the couple’s dog that rotated over the dance floor all night.”

Geographically, Timber Cove Resort is situated atop the steep, rugged coast. “In the afternoons, the wind picks up and the temperature drops significantly,” says Erin. “We had to keep our own energy up during our brief outdoor portrait sessions with Kate and Ian, to keep them motivated and engaged. They were freezing and getting knocked around by the wind—not an easy situation for a bride and groom!”

Nonetheless, Ben and Erin were able to capture the days of the event as they unfolded, which they say fit perfectly with their foundation as documentary photographers.

“The only times of the day when we interfere with the natural action and order of things are the family portraits and the creative portraits of the couple," they explain. “For getting ready, speeches, and dancing, we often set up a light so we can either improve the existing lighting or use the light to make something more creative, but we don’t move people or ask anyone to do anything for us."

“One thing that makes us distinct from many husband-wife photography teams is that we never know in advance which one of us will photograph the bride and the groom while getting ready,” the photo duo explains. “Generally, we both go to the bride at the start of the day, then one of us peels away to the groom. It tends to be a gut feeling on who should go where. Sometimes Erin photographs the bride, sometimes it’s Ben. We would highly encourage this approach to photography for couples who always send the female photographer to the bride and the male photographer to the groom. Mixing it up keeps you fresh and on your toes, and gives each photographer the opportunity to photograph both bride and groom prep.”

Looking for inspiration for your wedding? Don’t miss our searchable Photo Gallery where you’ll find all the ideas you need to plan your wedding with loads of personal style.

Vendor Credits

Venue & Catering: Timber Cove Resort

Wedding Planner & Designer (and centerpieces): Mango Muse Events

Photo & Photobooth: Chrisman Studios

Video: 718 Creative

DJ: Ericalandia via Entire Productions

Hair & Makeup: Artists by Sherrie Long

Rentals: Bright Event Rentals

Lighting (in great room): Got Light

Linen: BBJ/La Tavola Linen

Flowers: Idlewild (ceremony arrangements + supplier of loose floral for centerpieces)

Flowers: Afloral (supplier of loose floral for centerpieces and hanging greenery in tent)

A/V & Karaoke: Techtonic Events

Casino: Full House Casino Events

Bathrooms: Honey Bucket

For Photographers

Gear:

CAMERAS

4 Fujifilm XT5’s

1 Fujifilm X-H2S

LENSES

Fujifilm 23 mm f 1.4

Fujifilm 18 mm f 1.4

Fujfilm 56 mm f 1.2

Fujifilm 33 mm f 1.4

LIGHTING

Profoto A1

Profoto A2

Profoto B10