
Photos: Lauren Page
With touches from the past and hearts directed to the future, a couple recalls a beautiful Lake Minnetonka area wedding.
A cherished mother’s necklace as something borrowed: I was so happy to be able to have something from her to wear on my big day. A beloved grandfather’s own wedding day accessories: I wore my grandfather’s cuff links and his gold wedding ring that he got married in. He passed away a few years ago, so it was really special to me to be able to carry them with me during the most important day of my life.
On a quintessential Minnesota July day, Luke and Sophia (née Shaver) Kunin were married in Wayzata Community Church (WCC), where the bride had grown up just three minutes away, was baptized and spent part of her life there, including Christmas Eves and Easters in celebration. “… after Luke proposed, I knew that was where I would love to get married,” says the 2015 Wayzata High School graduate. “Luke is from St. Louis and didn’t have any early ties to WCC but has spent a few Christmas Eves with our family there and also felt it was a great fit for our wedding.”

Sophia Kunin’s bridal gown, the Colby John Shangela dress, is from Flutter Bridal Co. in Minneapolis. “At first, I wanted something simple, but when I saw the sparkles on this dress, I had to try it on, and I’m so glad I did! It was something unique and special for our big day,” she says.
As their wedding arrived, it brimmed and flowed with uniquely special moments—one especially befitting the couple, professional hockey players, who met as student-athletes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “Our pastor, John Ross, gave us an amazing gift during the ceremony—a gold whistle to signify ‘blowing the whistle’ and taking a timeout from our busy lives as professional athletes to focus on each other and our relationship,” Sophia says. “He explained that he figured a whistle was the only way he could get two professional athletes to stop and focus on each other, and we thought it was a great touch to our ceremony.” (Luke, a center, was formerly with the Minnesota Wild (2017–2020) and the Nashville Predators (2020–2022) before joining the San Jose Sharks. Sophia played professionally with (the now Frost) Minnesota (2022–2023). The couple splits time between San Jose and Plymouth.)
Another special moment during the ceremony included the officiant asking the couple to turn around and look at their guests. “Knowing this was the only time in our lives that we would have all the people we love most in the same room and that they were all here to celebrate Luke and I was pretty special,” Sophia says. An emotional crescendo stuck after the newly marrieds walked back down the aisle. “We both talk about the moment right after the ceremony, hugging our parents and best friends and knowing that we finally did it,” Luke says. “All the stress of the day was gone at that point, and we were just ready to enjoy and celebrate!”

The couple got Rocco, a 5-year-old French bulldog, during COVID-19 and quickly fell in love. Being a large part of their lives, they knew they wanted to include him in some of the wedding festivities.
The celebration welcomed more than 200 guests, gathered at Lafayette Club, one of Lake Minnetonka’s most iconic and historic venues, which has feted generations of brides and grooms. “We wanted to give our out-of-town guests the true summertime Minnesota feel, which includes the charm of downtown Wayzata and views of Lake Minnetonka,” Sophia says. “Lafayette Club, just minutes from Wayzata and overlooking the lake, seemed like the perfect place. We … fell in love with the old-school feel, tall ballroom ceilings and beautiful views.”

“We wanted the wedding to have a timeless elegance to it. We gravitated toward natural elements with lots of white flowers and candles, and we’re so happy with how everything turned out,” Sophia Kunin says.
And under the canopy of those elevated ballroom ceilings, the first dance commenced to the gentle melody of Callum Scott’s Biblical. The words, resonating to the rhythm of Luke and Sophia’s love for each other and hope for the future—I slip and wonder who I’d be; If I never found you and you never found me. Well, I don’t wanna see; So won’t you give me tonight; And the rest of your life? I wanna have it all with you. I wanna have it all with you …
From Proposal to Planning
A yearlong surprise was kept; a lifetime promise was made. Sophia (then Shaver) and Luke Kunin and two of their best friends, Ellie and Matthew Freytag, were headed to Greece. “Sophia didn’t know this, but the three of us had been planning the proposal for over a year, and that was the reason for the trip,” Luke says.
On their first night in Mykonos, the couple went to dinner at 180° Sunset Bar, where, overlooking the Aegean Sea, Luke proposed. “I was genuinely surprised,” Sophia says. “We spent the next few days celebrating the engagement and traveling all around Mykonos and Santorini with our best friends.”
Let the planning begin! “We only had a couple months out of the year that we could schedule the wedding because of our hockey seasons,” Luke says. “The problem is, all our friends who also play hockey, were looking to schedule their weddings in those weeks in July and early August. There ended up being only one weekend open, and we jumped on it!”
View on Photography
Perhaps the first thing a wedding photographer should do is listen. “When listening to a couple speak about their wedding, their priorities become obvious very quickly,” says Lauren Page, who photographed the Kunins’ wedding.
“Sophia and Luke are very family- and friends-oriented people. They spoke extensively about wanting a celebration that they and their loved ones [could enjoy]. From this, I knew that documenting all of the details, as well as putting a heavy emphasis on the people they were surrounded by, was the way to go.”
In terms of those detailed photos, Page offers suggestions. “Include personal items, and again, this is where an experienced photographer comes in,” she says. “Investing in getting to know clients and their families is what truly inspires these shots. Also, plan for enough time in the schedule! These shots take at least an hour on the wedding day.”
The experienced photographer has other insights for what to consider when it comes to wedding day photography:
- “Experience matters. Choose a photographer who is experienced (at least five years of full-time lead wedding experience) and prioritizes your experience. Wedding days can be so entirely unpredictable; you want to work with someone who has seen it all and who can put your experience above all else,” she says.
- “Avoid trends. You are going to want to enjoy your wedding photos for the rest of your life,” Page says. “Choose neutral editing and classic style that won’t be out of date when you want to view it on your walls 10, 20, 30 plus years later.”
- “Trust your photographer. Hire someone you trust. Hire a photographer who can speak to their process and makes you feel heard and taken care of. Photography is a service of hospitality—to make clients feel something.”
While photographing weddings can be stressful, Page finds it to be a rewarding experience. “There is always a bit of stress on the wedding day. I want the absolute best for my clients and even the exorbitant amount of pre-wedding day planning I undertake for each wedding can’t prevent unexpected events from happening,” she says. “It is rewarding to know that I am the cushion between stress and a wonderful experience for my clients. Oftentimes, things go awry, and the client doesn’t even know. That is the gold standard of service.”
Catering: Lafayette Club, lafayetteclub.com; The Thirsty Whale Bakery, thirstywhalebakery.com
Event Planning: Kastina & Co., kastinaandco.com
Florals: Ashley Fox Designs, ashleyfoxdesigns.com
Hair and Makeup: Emily Alexander Artistry, emilyalexanderartistry.com; Facewell Artistry, facewellartistry.com
Jewelry: Genovese Jewelers, genovesejewelers40.com
Musicians: Crossroad Sound, crossroadsound.com
Photography: Lauren Page, laurenpage.co
Printing: Jill Elaine Designs, jillelainedesigns.com
Rentals: Festivities, festivitiesmn.com; Linen Effects, lineneffects.com; Phos Events, phosevents.com; Rudy’s Event Rentals; Small Shop Innovations
Venues: Wayzata Community Church, wayzatacommunitychurch.org; Lafayette Club, lafayetteclub.com
Videography: Blush Film Co., blushfilmco.com
Wedding Wear: Flutter, flutterbridalco.com; Gentleman’s Playbook, gentsplaybook.com; Modehaus, modehausbridal.com