Stress-Free Door County Airbnb Beach Wedding

Door County is a haven for weddings of all shapes and sizes, and my most relaxed to date was certainly Kenny and Audrey’s. I got a call from an Iowa number in late May, and it was Kenny.

“My fiancé and I are from Iowa,” he said, “but we’re actually in Door County for the weekend. Are you available for a wedding on July 14th?”

“Absolutely,” I said, “can you tell me more about your big day?”

Kenny and Audrey first visited Door County in 2017, and they loved that it was so different from their Iowan home. “It’s like small-town living on an ocean,” Kenny told me, “and it would make for a stress-free wedding.”

And it was low stress indeed! Kenny and Audrey were both previously married with Audrey having a large family of her own, so they just wanted something simple. In fact, they were spending the weekend in Door County to plan their entire wedding on Sturgeon Bay’s 3rd Ave! They came across InVidia Salon, walked in and booked hair/makeup. The found Inn at Cedar Crossing a few steps away, went in and ordered a cake. They Googled Door County wedding photographs and called the first result who didn’t answer, so they called me instead. In a blink of an eye, their entire wedding was planned!

Not only was the wedding simple, but it was clever. In order to have a beach ceremony, Kenny and Audrey booked an Airbnb with a gorgeous waterfront. Lodging and venue at the same time? What a smart way to feed two birds with one scone!

Audrey was wearing a sweatshirt, her boys were playing Fortnite, and Kenny was sipping a cold beer by the patio when I arrived; it seemed like any regular day. I’ve photographed quite a few weddings, but this one was unique. Honestly, you couldn’t even tell a ceremony was about to happen. Kenny and Audrey just wanted to be themselves on their big day, and it was totally refreshing.

There were only seven guests, and they all arrived together. Audrey grabbed the ladies and headed to the master bedroom to get ready. “Kenny, go wait outside,” she chuckled, “you can’t see me anymore until the ceremony!” We grabbed a few prep shots inside, and then I headed to the beach and told everyone it was Go Time.

It was a warm summer day with a gentle breeze, the type of day you want to relax on the beach. However, after saying I do, fog quickly rolled in and the temperature dropped instantly. We headed back inside, ate picnic food, opened gifts, and hung out over casual drinks. I told them that I’ve never had such a stress-free wedding before. They smiled and said, “It’s exactly what we wanted.”