Jennie and Scott had a beautiful shoot on the banks of the Mississippi.

To give you a little taste of what this couple is like, Jennie hid a bottle of champagne behind her back to surprise Scott with during their first look. In that special moment she set the tone for the rest of the day; it was going to be a party. Jennie and Scott are definitely “go big or go home” kind of people, and in the best kind of way. I love this about them! I also love that amongst all the the crazy celebration, Jennie and Scott never lost sight of the meaning of the day. All that they did on their special day was rooted in their deep love for one another.

The day started off with very intimate ceremony, underneath a gazebo at Centennial Lakes Park. It was unlike one I had ever seen before, in a good way. Just their closest friends and family were present, and they all formed a circle around the bride and groom as they exchanged their vows. It was a really unique and powerful way to include everyone they loved in their relationship, and ultimate commitment to each other. But that’s exactly Jennie and Scott. These two don’t just get married, they get married within a circle of those they love. They don’t just drive to their wedding reception, they take a party bus and stop at the bars on the way over. They don’t just take pictures, they take pictures with Jennie doing handstands and standing on top of water fountains.

The photography team and I were excited to come along for the crazy ride. We captured every moment, from the tears at their intimate ceremony, to Scott dipping Jennie while standing on top of the bar. Yes you read it right, ON TOP OF THE BAR. We even got to stop on the way to their beautiful rustic barn reception to shoot the huge bridal party and the couple in some of Minneapolis’s photographic treasure; the Stone Arch Bridge and the Mill City Ruins. We got so many amazing photos on this gorgeous summer day.

This wedding was arguably the craziest wedding I’ve ever been a part of, and I loved it. I loved it because Jennie and Scott were a perfect match for each other. Undeniably. Everyone knew it. Which was why everyone was so excited to celebrate their marriage. It was clear that the couple’s guests loved them, loved their relationship, and couldn’t have dreamed of being anywhere else than along for a crazy ride with them on that day. Congratulations Jennie and Scott, you threw the most memorable party of the year! I have no doubt that your relationship will continue to be as fun and joyful as this party was for the remainder of your lives.

Ceremony Venue – Centennial Lakes Park – Edina, MN
Reception Venue – Green Acres Event Center – Eden Prairie, MN
Hair and Makeup – SM Makeup Inc
Caterer – Sterling Catering & Events – St Cloud, MN
Cake Designer – Wuollet
Florist – Roger Beck Florist – Minneapolis, MN
Bouquet – Cultivar (Etsy)
Dress Shop – Bella Bridal Boutique – St Paul, MN
Alterations – Custom Sewing by Heather – Woodbury, MN
Tuxedos/Suits – Mens Wearhouse
Party Bus Company –Fun Run Party Buses Inc – St Paul, MN
Accommodations –The Grand Hotel Minneapolis – Minneapolis, MN

Chainika and Shatanu share a dance on the streets of Minneapolis.

I cherish the opportunity to capture weddings like Chainika and Shantanu’s. It’s not often that I get to attend or photograph a wedding that is so rich in culture and love. This couple’s wedding was absolutely beautiful! The two worked hard to blend their two backgrounds into one traditional, colorful, and memorable day. The ceremony was three hours long, and half of it was spoken in Sanskrit, the sacred Hindu language. The night before, Chainika spent five hours getting her arms and legs beautifully hennaed. All the time and effort they spent planning their perfect wedding made me especially motivated to capture all of the important details that made their day so unique: the tradition, culture, colors and all of the dancing!

Generally after a long ceremony, the guests are ready to celebrate. Chainika and Shantunu’s were no different, except surprisingly when they let loose on the dance floor they were actually good at dancing! Some of my favorites photos from the entire day came from the dance floor. All generations were united through this celebration, and there was not a sullen face in the room. Those moments of unedited joy are my absolute favorite to capture, and Chainika and Shantunu gave me so many opportunities.

Outside of the ceremony and reception, I loved the couple’s desire to embrace the city that they live in. I photographed the couple and family photos amidst the city streets. The first look was captured on a sidewalk with busy traffic rushing past, and group shots were taken in an alleyway. The contrast of their bright, traditional clothing against the downtown Minneapolis architecture made for unique, stunning photos. This entire wedding blew our photography team away and so did Chainika and Shantanu. We couldn’t stop talking about how perfect of a fit they were for each other. It was unbelievably obvious. Congratulations you two, thank you for letting us share in the joy of your wedding day! It was one we will never forget.

Ceremony Venue – Radisson BLU Minneapolis – Minneapolis, MN
Caterer – Bombay Bistro Fine Indian Dining – Minneapolis, MN
Cake Designer – Buttercream – St. Paul, MN
Decorator and Florist – Festivities – Medina, MN
Jeweler – Tanishq Jewellars 

Jennifer and Jake celebrate as they exit their beautiful ceremony at the historic courthouse in Stillwater as bride and groom.

It’s magical to be a part of someone’s dream coming true. For me, it’s even more magical to be able to photograph it. Jennifer and Jake’s wedding was their dream wedding, and I felt so lucky to be able to capture it in pictures. It is hard to know where to start when describing the beauty of their day. The stunning vintage style, the unbelievable dinner and desserts, and the gorgeous ceremony on the steps of the Historic Courthouse in Stillwater, Minnesota are only a few of the things that made this day so special; but then there’s the  couple themselves. Jennifer and Jake are world travellers. Their home is in California, but right now they are currently on a 4-month international honeymoon. I had known they were a good fit before their wedding day, but not until I spent the day photographing them did I truly get to know them and understand why exactly they are so good together. Their first look said it all. The two just looked so content and complete in that moment. I think they would’ve been okay with that first hug lasting the rest of the day. Jennifer and Jake understand each other; they knew what each other was thinking, and how to care for each other. Some might say that’s just because they have been together for a long time, but I say that’s a sure sign that they’re going to be together forever. Obviously they think so too, and made that clear not only by declaring their vows, but also by locking away wine bottles for their 1st, 5th, and 10th wedding anniversaries during their ceremony, which I thought was a unique way of not only creating a commitment, but also promising good times and celebration in the years to come as well.

Overall, Jennifer and Jake found a variety of ways to make their wedding uniquely them. They decorated with wine cork letters, wore top hats, created a table of old family photographs, and even allowed me to exercise my creative crazy by shooting them and their family in the Historic Courthouse’s Jail Cell, which created eerie, amazing, and absolutely unique photos. I have never photographed a wedding like Jennifer and Jake’s before and I don’t think I ever will again. It was so stunning and unique I don’t think it could ever be replicated. Congratulations Jennifer and Jake! I had an amazing time at your wedding, and I hope you had an amazing time traveling!

Wedding Planner – Wonderful Day Weddings – St Michael, MN
Ceremony & Reception Venue – Washington County Historic Courthouse – Stillwater, MN
Hair & Makeup – Creative Beaute Agency – Minnetonka, MN
Caterer – Lettuce Cater – Columbia Heights, MN
Beer – Total Wine & More – Roseville, MN
Dessert Caterer – Cocoa and Fig – Shakopee, MN
Wedge and Wheel – Cheese Wheel Tower  – Stillwater, MN
Florist – Rose Floral and Greenhouse, Inc. – Stillwater, MN
Dress Shop – Trudy’s Bridal Campbell
Bridesmaids Dresses – The Wedding Shoppe – St. Paul, MN
Bridesmaid Dress Designer – Bill Levkoff
Tuxedos – Savvi Formalwear – Woodbury, MN
Top Hats – CostumeRentals (Guthrie Theater) – Minneapolis, MN
DJ – Instant Request DJ Entertainment – Bloomington, MN
Stationer – Night Owl Studios
Linens – Linen Effects – Minneapolis, MN
Rehearsal Dinner – Gordy’s Steakhouse  – Willemie, MN
Wedding Party Accommodations – Ann Bean Mansion – Stillwater, MN

Scott dips Maria Hollywood style and her veil flies through the air.

Of all the weddings that I shoot, small weddings are some of my favorite, simply because I get to join a family for a day. These weddings are especially great when the family I get to shortly become a part of is wonderfully welcoming, such as Maria, Scott and their families were. Their wedding was small, intimate, and filled with joy. There was a total of 44 guests, and they traveled from all across the nation to celebrate with Maria and Scott. This level of dedication for supporting Maria and Scott’s relationship made it clear how special both the bride and the groom were, and how passionate their loved ones were about their love story.

There were a collection of unbelievably touching moments throughout the day that further reassured my initial impression on Maria and Scott’s relationship and how special it was. The first looks between Maria and her father and Maria and Scott were unbelievable. I wish everyone could’ve seen it. Both her father and Scott had similar reactions, their facial expressions read something along the lines of, “oh snap, look at MY girl!” Which is absolutely understandable as Maria looked amazing – her dress, her hair, her glow. However, it went even deeper than that. The expression of awe on Maria’s father’s face after seeing her for the first time quickly transformed into a look of pride and joy. Scott had been so anxious to see her all morning that when he finally did, he was clearly overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that his soon-to-be wife was so incredibly gorgeous, overwhelmed that soon-to-be would soon become right now, and overwhelmed upon realizing that he gets to experience this joy with Maria for the rest of his life.

Even amongst a day heavy with commitment and promise, Maria and Scott and their guests remained so funny and playful. You’ll know exactly what I mean once you see the mini-photoshoot I had with Maria as she got ready. From preparation to reception, there was no shortage of joy amongst this group. The beautiful, natural expression of emotion exhibited by the bride, groom, and their guests, along with the gorgeous Gale Mansion as their backdrop made it easy for me snap tons of amazing photos. I felt lucky to be able to capture all of these special moments, from laughter to tears. Maria and Scott, you both are hilarious, kind, and perfect for eachother. Your love is contagious and I’m happy I was able to join you and your wonderful family during your wedding day. Congratulations!

Reception Venue/Caterer – Gale Mansion – Minneapolis,MN
Officiant – Ceremonies by Positively Charmed – Minneapolis, MN
Hair/Makeup – Mollie Kae Hair and Makeup Artistry – Minneapolis, MN
Cake Designer – Angel Food Bakery – Minneapolis, MN
Florist – Luna Vinca – Minneapolis, MN
Dress Shop – Camarilla Bridal – Camarilla, CA
Limo/Party Bus Company – Super Shuttle
Musician – Arioso Strings – Minneapolis, MN
Stationer – Paper Source – Minneapolis, MN

G and J enjoy their first dance as a married couple.

Photographing G and J’s wedding was like becoming a part of their family. It was intimate: a small guest list and hosted at the historic Stillwater home, Arcola Mills. The classic setting was transformed into a cozy, personal, and romantic event by the entire family’s involvement. Everything was homemade! From the beautifully handwritten chalkboard signs to the epic candy and dessert bar, they created a gorgeous and delicious day. I made it my personal goal to capture the simplicity and sincerity of the wedding in their photos, while allowing the Bride and Groom to enjoy the presence of each other and their family, which was clearly most important to them.

Their pictures turned out amazing. It was the greenest day I can remember. The lush foliage of the surrounding woods provided a gorgeous backdrop for the classic black, grey, and white attire of the bridal party. My favorite picture in the woods, however, is during the couple’s first look, where Jeremy is wiping his tears after being able to see his gorgeous wife-to-be. In that moment especially, it was so obvious how totally in love the two were. There is nothing more satisfying than capturing raw and beautiful emotion like that, and Gemuel and Jeremy gave me so many opportunities to do so.

I also snapped some stunning pictures of the bride and groom on the banks of the St. Croix River. They were clearly just enjoying the few minutes of alone time together, amidst the tall green grass, which allowed me to capture them in a very natural way. I can’t imagine they would’ve acted any different had they been alone. That’s how G and J do it, though. They created their dream wedding in a way that allowed them spend time with one another and the people they love, not overwhelmed by small details or elaborate events. I felt lucky to be invited in to celebrate and capture all the special and unique parts of them and their wedding day. Congratulations you two! You’ll go down in history as the greenest wedding I’ve ever photographed.

Ceremony and Reception Venue – Arcola Mills Historic Foundation – Stillwater, MN
Hair and Makeup – SM Makeup Inc
Cake Designer – Whole Foods Market – Maple Grove, MN
Dress Shop – AniA Collection – Portland, OR
Tuxedos – Men’s Wearhouse
Chair, Table, and Tent Rental – PartyOnStillwater – Stillwater, MN
Jeweler and Dress Alterations – Amazing Alterations – Anoka, MN