What a beautiful shot of Sarah & Cody on their wedding day!

Sarah and Cody actually have the most amazing love story. They were both each other’s first kiss when they started dating at 15 years old. They continued to date for about three months after, and then sadly, they broke up. Little did they know they would give their relationship another shot in 2012. Clearly it worked out for them this time! Ever since their reconnection, Sarah and Cody both have this amazing love for life and each other that will last forever!

Sarah and Cody are one of the happiest couples I have ever met. The weather report on their wedding day was supposed to be thunderstorms all day; a bride’s worst nightmare. But shockingly, Sarah didn’t care one bit. Her and Cody were content wether it was rain or shine, and luckily the dark, beautiful skies made for some cool pictures outside.

The wedding ceremony was held at Elim Lutheran Church. It was small and personal, which is exactly what Sarah and Cody wanted. It was funny because almost their whole wedding party was their siblings because they both have big families! Their wedding reception was at the Dancing Dragonfly Winery and it was so cool shooting wedding pictures at the vineyard. The flowers at the wedding were made by Cody’s aunt and the relatives made the center pieces; this made their wedding so personal and unique, thanks to their wonderful families! Sarah and Cody were meant to be together from the start, and these pictures show their great amount of love for each other!

Ceremony Venue – Elim Lutheran Church – Scandia, MN
Reception Venue – Dancing Dragonfly Winery – St Croix Falls, WI
Officiant – Pastor Scott T. Westphal
Hair – Face To Face With Violett Makeup Artistry & Hair – Minneapolis, MN
Caterer – Bistro 63 – Barronett, WI
Florist – Hartland Prairie Farm – Ellsworth, WI
Dress Shop – The Wedding Shoppe – St Paul, MN
Bridesmaid Dresses – David’s Bridal
Tuxedos – JoS. A. Bank Clothiers
DJ – Bellagala – St Paul, MN
Stationer – Vistapring
Jeweler – Shane Company – Minnetonka, MN

Fatima and Omar looking absolutely perfect on their wedding day!

Fatima and Omar are one of the most fun and photogenic couples I have ever met! They were having an amazing time all day and they were always ready for more pictures. It was cool to see how close they were with all of their friends and family. They had around 300 guests at the wedding and you could tell they were close with all of them!

Fatima and Omar’s wedding was a two day event. The ceremony was on Friday in Prior Lake at The Wilds Country Club. The ceremony was very traditional with extravagant and colorful clothes, and dancing. The dancing was so fascinating to watch. Fatima’s mother also cooked all of the food on Friday night, it looked delicious. On Saturday, the day was a little more American. Fatima wore a beautifully detailed, white, wedding dress. The wedding was still traditional and elegant, and the day was filled with lots of dancing and food, of course.

I loved how Fatima and Omar greeted everyone with two kisses when they came in, which made every guest feel special. They had a short ceremony around 10 pm and the dancing and partying continued right after. It was cool to watch how much the bride and groom loved to dance: they didn’t leave the dance floor until about 1 am! It was such an amazing and special weekend that I was so excited to be able to capture for the wonderful couple!

Ceremony Venue – The Wilds Golf Club – Prior Lake, MN
Reception Venue – Minneapolis Marriott Southwest – Minnetonka, MN
Videographer – Snowshoe Production – St. Paul, MN
Hair – Cole’s Salon – Savage, MN
Caterer – HolyLand Bakery & Deli – Minneapolis, MN
Cake Designer – Buttercream – St. Paul, MN
Decorator – Festivities – Medina, MN
Dress Shop – Bridal Accent Couture – Burnsville, MN
Tuxedos – Macy’s
DJ/Musicians – Ramin/Omar Sharif
Stationer – Paper Source – Minneapolis, MN
Chair Rental – The Seatery
Jeweler – The Diamond Guys – Scottsdale, AZ

Angela and Dan’s love was truly unique.

Angela and Dan met on eHarmony.com right before Angela’s subscription was about to expire. She didn’t have any plans to renew and had been sick of dead end dates, however when her and Dan met they had 3 dates within a week despite the fact that they lived 100 miles apart. These two had an instant connection! As a photographer, I can usually get a pretty good read on the couples I work with, and I could tell that these two were extremely into one another. At their reception, Angela and Dan were side by side the entire night and it seemed as if, to them, they were the only two people in the world. I don’t see this often, but when I do I know that it means a couple’s love will last. This is a one of a kind love.

Angela and Dan got married in late November at the Gale Mansion in South Minneapolis. Their wedding had an autumn theme with oranges, yellows and purples as accent colors. Even the leaves outside were bright yellow! They picked the absolutely perfect time to get married. It was a small wedding, but because of its size, it was also a very intimate wedding. Angela was an absolutely stunning bride and her very pretty smile never left her face!

My favorite part about the wedding was photographing the bride and groom shots. As I mentioned before, it is not often that I find a bride and groom that are so into one another. This made the photo shoot so easy and natural, every wedding photographer’s dream! Their reception was also a blast. One of my favorite parts was how the bride’s nephew stole the show on the dance floor and in the pictures; he was the life of the party. What a stud!

These two families were very tight knit. Angela’s sister was her maid of honor and the two had been best friends forever. During her maid of honor speech, Angela’s sister brought tears to everyone’s eyes. Angela and Dan had a very small wedding party, each with only a maid of honor and best man. This just goes to show how truly down to earth the couple is. They were so easygoing, and I know that their love will last forever. Congratulations Angela and Dan, you truly are one of a kind!

Vendor List:
Ceremony/Reception Venue and Caterer – The Gale Mansion – Minneapolis, MN
Hair/Makeup Stylist – Jesseca Alosaimi Fondren (The Hair District) – Maple Grove, MN
Cake Designer – Buttercream – St. Paul, MN
Florist – Lake Harriet Florist – Minneapolis, MN
Dress Shop – Formal Affair – Menominee, MI
Tuxedos – Men’s Wearhouse
DJ – Midwest Sound DJ Entertainment – St. Paul, MN
Stationer – Minted
Jeweler – Shane Company – Minnetonka, MN

Making this heart with sparklers was such a blast with these two.

When I first met Alicia and Matt I could tell these two had found their soulmates in each other. They have so much charisma and not to mention so much in common, we just knew their love for each other was as strong as steel. Plus over the years of shooting weddings we can say now for sure that marrying your best friend is a great strength.

Something I picked up about these two on their wedding day was the compelling way they looked at each other, and that is not something you see with every couple. Alicia had this contagious smile every time I saw her looking at her soon-to-be husband. Same with Matt, he looked so happy to have Alicia by his side officially and forever. Their happiness was radiating.

These two met on a trip they were both taking to Australia and got engaged under the sunny rays of the California sky, as they were biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. I don’t know what you think, but to me that sounds like a surreal love story. Thinking about it in my head, that had to be so perfect. Trying to keep your eyes up focused on biking, after receiving an engagement ring from your love. We give you credit on that Alicia!

Alicia and Matt tied their knot at the Pilgrim Lutheran Church.  After the Ceremony we stopped at Thomas Liquor right off the campus of the University of St. Thomas where they both went to college. This is a wine shop that Matt has been working at since college. When we got there, Thomas Liquors was nice enough to gift Alicia and Matt with a bottle of champagne. Matt opened the bottle by striking it with a sword, as we worked hard to capture the essence of that moment by getting a shot of the cork flying towards the camera. We had a lot of fun being apart of that experience.

We took the trolley to their reception at the Lowertown Event Center. Located in the historic Park Square Court building on Mears Park in St. Paul, this venue features incredible limestone walls, exposed wood beam ceilings and steel columns. Needless to say, it was stunning! One of the coolest details that we have ever seen, was the projection of Alicia and Matt’s names and wedding date on the wall behind their dance floor. It was especially cool to watch them dance alongside it during their first dance together as a married couple. See pictures below, but man was that a unique idea!

We ended the night with this couple doing some outdoor Sprinkler art photos. This was my favorite part of their day. Watching Alicia and Matt work together to create one unified heart was heartwarming. The photo turned out wonderfully! Congratulations Alicia and Matt, I hope your good luck follows you wherever your marriage may take you!

Ceremony Venue – Pilgrim Lutheran Church – Minneapolis, MN
Reception Venue – Lowertown Event Center – St. Paul, MN
Hair Stylist – The Hair District – Eden Prairie, MN
Makeup – Brow Chic – Minneapolis, MN
Caterer – Brasa Premium Rotisserie – Minneapolis, MN
Cake Designer – Muddy Paws Cheesecake Co. – St Louis Park, MN
Florist – Marah Cole Designs – Saint Paul, MN
Dress Shop – Posh Bridal Couture – Wayzata, MN
Alterations – Amazing Alterations – Anoka, MN
Tuxedos – Men’s Wearhouse
Trolley – Stillwater Trolley – Stillwater, MN
Jeweler – Kay Jewelers
Champagne Toast – Thomas Liquors – St Paul, MN

Ellen and Jason were the perfect match.

Ellen, Jason and their adorable Australian cattle dog, who I was lucky enough to meet during their engagement shoots, are going to live a wonderful life together. I feel confident in saying this because I understand that there is a difference between loving someone and caring for someone. In a marriage, you need to do both, and Ellen and Jason set a great example for the rest of us. They loved each other AND cared for each other so well on their wedding day. Jason was incredibly in tune with Ellen’s well being. He was always looking out for her and making sure that she was okay. She was clearly the highest priority of his day. I have no doubt that Ellen will continue to be the highest priority of his life as well.

I loved being able to witness and capture all of the special ways that I saw these two care for each other and I’m sure there were even more that I missed. It started right away in the morning as Ellen opened a gift from her soon-to-be husband, wrapped beautifully in what looked like a treasure box. I’m sure she felt as though it was. Inside were two beautiful pieces of jewelry, a small book titled “What I Like About You,” and a long handwritten note. Her reaction to the gifts said it all as tears welled in her eyes.

The couple had their first look in the church they were soon to be married in, St. Michael Catholic Church in St. Michaels, Minnesota. There is something so surreal about seeing each other for the first time in the place you will commit your lives to one another forever. After their gorgeous traditional wedding in the church, the bridal party hopped on a bus to Minneapolis, taking a necessary stop at the Stone Arch Bridge for pictures, and ending at the Minneapolis Event Center for a reception filled with food, cake, toasts, and dancing. Speaking of dancing, there was one dance that I don’t know if I’ll ever forget. There is always a series of special dances, but this one topped them all. Ellen and Jason danced with their grandparents, Jason with his 100 year old grandmother. 

This day filled me with feelings. From witnessing the bride and groom’s loving, nurturing relationship to watching their emotional grandparents share a dance with them, Ellen and Jason overwhelmed me with a truly special day. I was lucky to be a part of it and have the opportunity to capture so many treasured moments. Congratulations Erin and Jason! May you continue to grow in love and care for one another.

Ceremony Venue – St. Michael Catholic Church – St. Michael, MN
Reception Venue – Minneapolis Event Center – Minneapolis, MN
Makeup Artist – Face to Face with Violett – St. Louis Park, MN
Cake Designer – Buttercream
Florist – Sadie’s Couture Floral – Minneapolis, MN
Dress Shop – Effie’s Bridal Trunk – Burnsville, MN
Bridal Shop – Allure Bridal
Tuxedos & Suits – Savvi Formal Wear – Minneapolis, MN
Party Bus – Rent My Party Bus, Inc. – Minneapolis, MN
DJ – Generation Now
Stationer – Paper Rock Scissor – Minneapolis, MN