Here's a little preview of a romantic wedding on the roof in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota!
Loved shooting with Amanda Nippoldt for this wedding!
Remember love.
Claire + TJ | Natural Elegance Wedding
What a privilege to share some of my favorite images from Claire and TJ's wedding day! They are two peas in a pod, y'all! They are as good together as sweet tea on a hot summer afternoon, a classic peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and as far as Minnesotans go, as good as a day biking around the area lakes (and let's get real y'all - that basically includes all of Minnesota - so yes, biking around all of Minnesota). Claire and TJ's wedding was full of natural elegance. Claire chose to wear a stunning, yet simply elegant gown and embrace her natural curls for their big day. TJ chose his favorite shoes, Sperry's, to contribute to his wedding day attire. I loved how relaxed this couple was around each other. After their first look, all stress melted away and they enjoyed their day being around their closest friends and family.
Claire + TJ: Congratulations! May God bless y'all's marriage abundantly and continue to provide such a secure and comforting relationship with each other.
Second shot for June and Jae
Snowy Wedding Preview
Waves of Wanderlust
It comes and goes, just like the ebb and flow of the waves here. But sometimes, like today, these "waves of wanderlust" crash down on me, hard. I think Minnesota has finally (glory, hallelujah, amen, thank you, Lord!) gotten the memo that spring is supposed to be here...to stay. Even though there are some serious waves of wanderlust crashing over at my house right now, I thought I'd share a photo to send some love and light your way from this place.
And in case you were wondering, wanderlust isn't always a bad thing.
Romantic and Personal Wedding at TPC Twin Cities
From the custom, hand-lettered aisle runner to the delicate, monogrammed handkerchiefs, this wedding was full of personal and thoughtful touches. The blushing blooms (and the couple's cheeks!) and the southern bride's lace-ladened gown made this wedding feel oh so romantic! The pristine TPC Twin Cities made for a wonderful backdrop, but couldn't compare to the beauty and glow of the newly married couple!
Alex + Rachael: What a honor to be a part of y'all's day! Here's hoping the blushing on y'all's cheeks never fades for one another! Congratulations on this next chapter in your lives. May God bless y'all's marriage abundantly.
Vendor Love:
Second shot for Perry James
Ceremony & Reception: TPC Twin Cities
Claire + TJ
Preview: Rachael + Alex
When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy,
And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;
When the air does laugh with our merry wit,
And the green hill laughs with the noise of it.
-- William Blake
Second shot for Perry James
Darren + Megan
Happiness. Happyness. Joy. It might look a little different for everyone. Pretty sure it is evident for these two. Their smiles throughout their wedding day were from ear-to-ear!! I just loved photographing this couple because their love for each other and their utter joy was literally written all over their faces. And we all know smiling is contagious...so for some reason, I could not stop smiling while shooting. But hey, that's not really a bad problem to have, right? And watching them smile at each other and be enveloped by each other's happiness is what makes my job so wonderful. Why? Because I know they are gonna make it...like live-until-they're-100-and-hold-each-others'-hands-the-whole-way type of gonna make it. And that's beautiful. That is cause for joy right there... for happiness, y'all.
Darren + Megan: What a pleasure. Intense love. Intense happiness. I pray that y'all never lose that for each other. Just as your smiles were contagious as the day y'all wed, I hope that y'all continue to light up each others' lives with your infectious joy for the Lord and for one another. Happy marriage, y'all!
Second shot for: Leah Fontaine
Sneak Peek: Darren + Megan
Coming soon to the blog... here's a sneak peek for your Friday!
Second shot for Leah Fontaine
Jon + Kaitlynn | A Minnetonka Wedding
Each wedding I photograph is special. Unique. Meaningful. However, this wedding was extra special as the couple got married in the same church as the bride's parents, they celebrated afterwards with Mexican food (which will always be special to my little Tex-Mex homesick heart), had a classic getaway car, and the groom wrote a song for her! Though the day was rainy, Jon and Kaitlynn didn't let that spoil their first look or their excitement to marry one another!
Jon + Kaitlynn: My very best wishes for y'all's marriage! Jon, keep writing and serenading Kaitlynn with your love songs; Kaitlynn, always have an open mind to fun as you did on your wedding day! Y'all have already conquered rain on your wedding day (which means good luck where I am from), so I have no doubt that by working together as a team, y'all can conquer anything!
Seriously though, how fun are they!?
Second shot for: June and Jae
Sneak Peek: Jon + Kaitlynn
A sneak peek of a classic bride and a classic car... coming to the blog soon.
Second shot for: June and Jae
Christopher + Kim | A Sweet Country Club Wedding
In my line of weddings to hit the blog, Christopher and Kim are next! Christopher and Kim are some of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Their day was filled with small, sweet moments they shared and Kim added charming, sweet touches that made their day feel unique and special such as a custom-made succulent planter at their reception! And let me tell you about Christopher. Christopher literally could not stop grinning from ear-to-ear all day. He was so touched by how beautiful his bride looked! So sweet y'all. And Kim? Oh Kim was lit-up like my Christmas tree (Merry Christmas y'all!)! She was laughing and smiling throughout the day - which made my job so much fun. I have no doubt that one of the reasons Christopher fell for Kim was because of her smile.
Christopher + Kim: Never stop striving to make each other light up like Christmas trees! Y'all's sweet, soft love for each other is so beautiful and touching. Laughter is truly good medicine; may y'all never need it, but always have it and may God bless y'all's marriage abundantly!
Vendor love:
Second shot for: Leah Fontaine
Ceremony: Faith Lutheran Church
Reception Venue: Rush Creek Country Club
Sarah + Will | A Tallahassee Southern Wedding
The South. Spanish moss. Southern belle. Heirloom jewels. "Bless you." Romantic love. Sweet tea and fried green tomatoes. "Y'all." Two-stepping and alma mater mascot cake toppers. Oh my stars y'all! Yes, please!
Get ready, because I have a ton of weddings to share with you. To kick it off, I will start with Sarah + Will's sweet and southern, Tallahassee, Florida, wedding. This wedding was so very special. The bride wore opal jewelry, a precious heirloom from her grandmother. The groom was the most dapper-looking gentleman; smiling because he couldn't wait to marry his southern belle. This couple goes hand-in-hand together like sweet tea and fried green tomatoes. Sarah and Will married in the heat of the summer, said "I do," and got busy two-stepping on the dance floor.
Sarah + Will: Y'all are sweet as molasses and charming as little bees. I love y'all's love for each other. Will, the way you hold Sarah and draw her close to you shows how deeply you care for and love her. Sarah, the way you sneak a shy smile at Will, the way you laugh when you are around him, and the way you light up when he is near you tells me y'all are a match made in heaven! Thank y'all for the honor of capturing y'all's special day and for the privilege of being y'all's friend. May God bless y'alls marriage abundantly and give you many years of happiness together.
Vendor love:
Second Shooter: Nina Nicole
Dress: Vocelles | The Bridal Shoppe
Veil: White Weddings
Hair and Makeup: Chelsea Salon
Tuxedos: Men's Wearhouse
Bridesmaids Dresses: Ann Taylor Loft
Bridesmaids Belts: White House Black Market
Bouquets: Gellings Floral Design
Ceremony: Trinity Community Church
Reception Venue: Goodwood Museum and Gardens
Cakes: Publix
Catering: Hills BBQ and Catering
DJ: Nate Long of Amplify Entertainment
Beverage Service: Lisa's Bartenders
Happy Fall Y'all!
Ever since we moved, I have been smitten with the Midwestern fall colors. Texas doesn't quite show off in the way that Minnesota does in the fall. The colors are so beautiful and rich. For the second time since we have lived here, I've watched the trees in our neighborhood slowly show their colors; some change all at once, like this stunning rich red maple around the corner. Other trees show off with their ombré-type rainbows of color. Either way, I'm glad to have something so beautiful to remember through the winter. Disclaimer: This is not our tree or house. As I prepare for my last wedding in mid-November you'll start to see some of the incredible weddings I have photographed this year. For today, I just wanted to share an image of this beautiful tree and wish everyone a: "Happy Fall Y'all!"
Sneak Peek: Kim
Second shot for: Leah Fontaine
Holly + Andrew | Gainesville, Florida
My.Goodness. After 25+ weddings this summer (and I still have more to go), I am in a whirlwind! I love the summer though and my weddings this year have just made it all the more sweet. When wedding season ends in about a month, I'll finally be able to catch my breath and start sharing these incredible weddings! Yipppee! Until then, be on the lookout for sneak peeks!
• • • •
Speaking of weddings and marriage, what better way to celebrate your marriage than with some beautiful portraits together? Too often, couples neglect to document the in-between years; instead they capture only the highlights - their wedding, maybe a family reunion, and hopefully their 50th anniversary. But what about the in-between? Those years are just as important to document, remember, and cherish! Those are the years of figuring it out and growing together and making some tough family decisions. Those are the years where sometimes love might be the only thing that makes the ends meet and at the same time, those years might be flooded with new possibilities coming from every direction!
If you're not from Florida, its heat + humidity can be a little oppressive. Thankfully, Holly and Andrew were game for an early morning session to beat the Florida heat (though we couldn't quite escape the humidity)! This anniversary session was so sweet and with such stunning subjects, it was easy to create some beautiful, timeless portraits for them. Beautiful location. Beautiful people. Beautiful marriage.
Holly + Andrew, happy anniversary and may God bless y'all abundantly in the future with the desires of your hearts. Andrew, thank you for staying as long as you could and for serving Holly in this way. Thank y'all for letting me capture a little of the "in-between." Blessings and love, friends.
Tom + Rochelle | Lifestyle
Wonderful, caring, genuine and a pleasure to be around are just a few words that I would use to describe this couple. They go together so well — like this morning's crisp-clean-smell-of-rain-clinking-on-a-tin-roof kind of well. They are both talented photographers and were gracious enough to let me step into their lives for a few moments for a lifestyle/early anniversary session. We started in their cozy home where Rochelle's heirloom piano begged to be photographed and finished up by wrestling with the hammock. You know how stubborn those hammocks can be. A trip to one of their favorite lakes nearby, Lake Calhoun, was a perfect close to their session. This session captured many of their favorites: their home where they are comfortable and have fun together, their possessions they hold dear, and one of their favorite local spots to enjoy the outdoors!
Tom + Rochelle, thank you for letting me capture the in-between. More on that later, but just know how special y'all are to me. I feel so lucky to call y'all friends. Happy anniversary y'all! Here's to many more!
Miriam Beach Adventure | Anniversary
Florida beach = warm & lots of sunshine, right? Ha. Funny. After having lived through one of the harshest Minnesota winters recorded, we thought we'd visit someplace nice, warm and sunny for our anniversary. Naturally, we thought a nice Florida beach might meet all our expectations...and it did. For a few hours. Then it commenced to pour/flood/monsoon the rest of our two days near Destin at Miriam Beach. Pretty sure we brought back the rain with us to Minnesota. Why? Because June was the wettest month recorded. EVER. In all of history. Minnesota is all about breaking records when the Smiths move into town! Yeeesh.
Right, back to our anniversary. Tons. of. rain. No big deal. On to plan B! We still had fun and I was able to capture a few shots before the massive storm hit. We laughed while getting absolutely and completely soaked from head-to-toe while running to the car after the movies; had a blast playing nine-hole putt-putt; enjoyed some celebratory sweet treats from a local cupcakery and still enjoyed spending some much needed time together. Oh Florida, though we've missed you, we really wish you would have stayed sunny for us!
No matter. We still celebrated three years of marriage. Through the ups and downs, the moves, buying our first home, a new "fur-baby" (whom you'll meet on the blog at some point), new friends, job changes and selling our first home, a lot has happened over the past three years and I am proud that we had each other to experience it with. Our marriage has grown stronger because of some of the trials we have been through. We have also been blessed beyond measure! God's grace continues to be our salvation and His love for us and our love for one another seems to be the only constant sometimes. Of course, there's life's lessons we are learning:
Change is good. Marriage is great. God is best. (And paleo chocolate chip cookies seem to work wonders when apologizing.) But really friends, hear me: God is best. Sometimes we think we need more money, more power, more friends, more success, more dessert, more house, more things, etc., to make our marriage work....but really, we just need more Jesus. Though we still have much to learn, I know we wouldn't want anyone but each other by our side, journeying through this life's adventures together.
Embre, the past three years have been an incredible whirlwind! Our lives have changed so much. I have no idea what God has planned for us next, but amidst the uncertainty, I am certain of this: I will always love you. There is no one else I'd rather share this life with. I remember the first time I saw you in the high school band hall:
"As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen." -- Winnie the Pooh
"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." -- Emily Brontë
The Neals | Family + Lifestyle | Pensacola, Florida
Remember that curly-headed cutie? Well, she's back! Introducing: The Neals. This family + lifestyle session was a hoot! Because of Florida's oppressive heat and humidity, we did this session in sections, which was much more accommodating to this one-of-a-kind family and that special little girl, Kennedy, in the dress. Sterling is my cousin, so for all intents and purposes, I can claim Kennedy as my niece, right? Well, I'm going to regardless because I do not have any brothers or sisters. Oh, and the dresses in this post? They are pretty special too. They are every-stitch-sewn-with-love, home-made dresses...by that little girl's great-grandmother. Even better, her mother wore them when she was young! YES. If you know anything about me by now, you know I love little unique touches like this that make sessions special and so much more meaningful. I mean, these dresses have stood the test of time, toddler tantrums and so much more (and they will have to withstand some more too, because Kennedy promptly stained one right before we switched outfits!). It was a privilege to photograph Kennedy in the home-made dresses her mother wore as a young child. This little girl has everyone around her little finger, including me, and I'm sure by the end of this post, she'll have you around her little finger too! Enjoy!
Chris, Sterling and Kennedy: Y'all are a beautiful family. Chris and Sterling, I can already see each of you in Kennedy in the way she laughs, her mannerisms and in how she is always on the go, exploring the great unknown. Your family is such a delight to my heart! Thank y'all for letting me capture this precious time in y'all's lives.
I had to get in at least one photo with this little monkey!
I could stare at these baby blues all day long. And yes, that is the real color of her eyes.
