McCall Idaho wedding on Payette Lake
Micah and Ben’s McCall, Idaho wedding day began at 4am. They designed their wedding day around spending a few hours together at sunrise. We hiked to a lookout point on Payette Lake in McCall for their first look and couple photos.
After our sunrise hike, Micah and Ben met their family for a midmorning ceremony on Payette Lake. Two days before their wedding day the three of us met in McCall and spent the morning checking out ceremony locations around the lake. One of my favorite parts about being an elopement photographer is helping my couples find the perfect location(s) for their wedding day celebration.
Pro Tip: Including a sunrise session in your wedding day gives you the opportunity to spend time dedicated to just the two of you. It gives you a moment to slow down and soak in each other. When you are including family in your day it’s hard to step away, but getting up at sunrise means you aren’t losing out on time with them.
A wedding ceremony on Payette Lake
For their McCall, Idaho wedding ceremony, B&M chose a location among the pine trees and house size boulders that line Payette Lake. Ben and Micahs wedding ceremony left a lasting impression on me. It was the first Jewish-Catholic ceremony I have witnessed. Every detail of the ceremony was intentional and gave tribute to their Catholic and Jewish backgrounds. The ceremony was lead by two friends of the couple that explained the traditions and the meaning behind them.
A look at Jewish wedding ceremony traditions
The Walk to the Chuppah
In a Jewish wedding both sets of parents walk the bride and groom down the ‘aisle’ to the chuppah. The chuppah is a ‘marriage canopy‘ that represents the new home the couple will create together.
Honoring my side, our ceremony featured many Jewish traditions. It took place beneath a chuppah that we constructed, representing the home that we will build together. It is open on all sides to symbolize that our home is always open to visitors.The chuppah was made from birch poles that Ben’s parents harvested from their homestead. My Mom and Ben’s sister worked together to design the bouquet and the flower arrangement on the chuppah.
– Micah (bride)
Circling
Before entering the chuppah Ben and Micah both walked circles around each other to celebrate the family circle they were creating.
Seven Blessings
Each one of Ben and Micah’s family members read one of the seven blessings. It was a beautiful and emotion exchange of blessings focused on joy, companionship and the power of love. The Seven Blessings were followed by a modified version of sharing wine together.
Our parents and sisters each read their personalized versions of one the Seven Blessings. Traditionally, all family members would drink wine from the same cup, but with COVID in mind, we made individual champagne jello shots instead!
– Micah (bride)
Yichud
After their ceremony B&M slipped away to observe yichud or seclusion together. This tradition gives the couple time to exchange private vows and celebrate together. They rejoined their guests for Bloody Marys and then the wedding celebration adjured for the afternoon.
Pro Tip: Planning a sunrise session and morning ceremony gives you the afternoon to relax or nap ;). The evening can then be spent celebrating with your loved ones.
Historic Roseberry Barn wedding reception
East Roseberry Road Donnelly, ID 83615 | 208.325.8628 | Website
Micah and Ben planned a beautiful evening reception for their wedding guests at the Historic Roseberry Barn. Erin from Dreamer Events coordinated and styled the space for them. Erin created an intimate space with couches and chairs that ended up hosted an emotional exchange of letters from guests that couldn’t attend the wedding due to COVID.
Getting married during a pandemic was not at all what we envisioned, but the time with friends and family in a beautiful area of the country was even more special, given the circumstances.
– Micah (bride)
Ben and Micah are commercial fisherman from Alaska. They planned their whole reception around cooking King Salmon for their guests. The Roseberry Barn allowed them to build an oven along the side of the barn and watching the fish being cooked was a highlight of the reception!
We brought a single massive salmon down to Idaho that fed all of our guests at the reception. A renowned chef in our family built a clever DIY outdoor brick oven to cook the fish over an open flame.
Micah (bride)
Pro Tip: Charcuterie boards are a fun and easy way to serve appetizers at your wedding! Sweet n’ Savory from Boise created the charcuterie boards for Ben & Micahs McCall, Idaho wedding.
Ben & and Micah’s day come to close under a pink sunset and a full summer moon. We walked out into an adjourning field and took a few photos of them as a married couple. The mountains where they hiked and held their ceremony early that day can be seen behind them.
Kind words from Ben & Micah
“As soon as we read Autumn’s website, we knew she was our gal. Her experience and love of small, outdoor, very personal ceremonies fit our vision exactly. We waited until the week of the wedding to pick the specific location outside of McCall, and Autumn took an extra day to run around the mountains with us and check out sites. Autumn is exceptionally responsive, a lovely person, and so thoughtful. It felt like working with a friend we’d known forever!”