Tessera & Robert’s Sanborn County Park Wedding

Robert and Tessera’s wedding at Sanborn County Park had such a warm, intimate feeling from the very beginning. I photographed Tessera’s sister’s wedding a few years ago, so it was especially sweet to walk in and see so many familiar faces again, this time gathered around Tessera and Robert for their own celebration!

The day started in the cutest, most low-key way, with Tessera getting ready in a little pop-up tent right there in the park, and Robert helping her with the final details. It was practical, sweet, and very much in the spirit of the whole wedding: relaxed, personal, and surrounded by trees. Tessera’s mom crafted all of the florals, including Tessera’s delicate hairpiece, her bouquet, and the centerpieces, which made those details feel even more meaningful.

One of my favorite parts was how much of the day was shaped by family and friends. Tessera’s sister Delenn officiated the ceremony, and she also made the prettiest little food-shaped ceramic wedding favors for the guests. Their friend ran the mocktail bar, and the music had its own family connection too: the string quartet featured both sisters, their dad, and their dear friends.

After the ceremony, everyone settled into a relaxed outdoor reception beneath the trees. There were heartfelt speeches, lots of laughter, and the kind of easy mingling that makes a wedding feel more like a big family gathering than a formal event. Robert and Tessera’s day was homely, joyful, and beautifully intimate — a celebration built not just around the two of them, but for and by the people who love them most.