Brenna and Derek are one of those couples that are completely in tune with each other. They know each other’s exact needs and will do anything to make each other happy. Their entire day was special, every minute more beautiful than the last.

Brenna is a person who is full of light and laughs, you can see that in her crinkly-nosed smile and hear it in her laugh. Derek was so excited to see his beautiful bride, and the way he looks at her is evidence of the unending love that he has for her. As it always is with couples with this type of exhilarating, visible love, their wedding party echoed their passion. Their friends were beyond excited to enjoy the evening with their two favorite people, getting down on the party bus and checking out local bars on the way to the reception.

Speaking of receptions, the two had an incredibly unique venue, a stable decked out in twinkle lights and deep red floral arrangements. It was impeccable designed, and it was to be impeccably used. Derek was set on his and Brenna’s first dance being perfect, knowing exactly what she wanted, down to the lighting.

As always, one of dreamiest parts of their day was the opportunity to steal the bride and groom away from the reception to enjoy the sunset. Brenna and Derek’s commitment to and care for one another is an incredible thing to witness, and we didn’t want it to end. It was such a gift to be there on their wedding day and bask in their love. Congratulations to these two beautiful souls!

Vendor List
Ceremony Venue — Epiphany Lutheran Church — Eagle Lake, MN
Reception Venue — Touch of Country Class Boutique — Waseca,, MN
Videographer — Enke Films — Minneapolis, MN
Officiant — Pastor Ronald Myer
Hair Stylist —Brianna Loken of Liv Aveda Salon— Mankato, MN
Makeup Artist — Liv Aveda Salon— Mankato, MN
Caterer — Cannon Valley Catering Company — Cannon Falls, MN
Cake designer — Bluebird Cakery — Faribault, MN
Decorator — Everly Lace — Janesville MN
Florist — Artemisia Studios — Minneapolis, MN
Dress shop — Effie’s Bridal Trunk — Burnsville, MN
Tuxedos — Macy’s
Party Bus Company — Classic Coaches — Mankato, MN
DJ — Fulton Productions
Chair/table/tent rentals — Majestic Tents — Rochester, MN
Jeweler — Shane Company — Minnetonka MN

Three of the things that Tom and Zach hold dear are their friends, their family, and theme parks. Each of these passions rightly played a role in the couple’s magical wedding day.

Tom and Zach’s friends have played a big role in the couple’s wedding from the start. When he proposed, Tom made sure that Zach’s two best friends were there to witness it, flying them up to Minnesota for the occasion. It only makes sense that friends were also an important part of their wedding day, and their wedding party was such a supportive team. They were ready and willing to help out the grooms while they were getting ready, and to dance the night away once the knot was tied!

Tom and Zach were married by Zach’s father, which led to an emotional time for all parties. Watching your child get married is already a tear-jerking moment, so imagine how it would feel being the one to pronounce them married! Zach’s father met the two in a warm embrace after marrying them and couldn’t help but smile as he signed the paperwork that made their marriage official.

One of Tom’s favorite things about his partner is seeing him excited about his passions, so it’s no surprise that Zach’s love of Harry Potter made its way into their wedding details! Their cufflinks showing off their respective houses were a fun way to show off their personalities and wands made for a fun prop for photos. The two actually met while working at Walt Disney World, and we can only assume that they’ve made their fair share of trips to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

Tom and Zach, you two are so obviously full of love for one another, and to quote Albus Dumbledore, “you are protected, in short, by your ability to love!”

Vendor List:
Wedding Planner — Hannah Blaire Events — Minneapolis, MN
Ceremony Venue — Wayzata Country Club — Wayzata, MN
Reception Venue — Wayzata Country Club — Wayzata, MN
Officiant — Jim Hardin Father of the Groom
Hair Stylist — New Reflections Salon — Minnetonka, MN
Makeup Artist — New Reflections Salon — Minnetonka, MN
Caterer — Wayzata Country Club — Wayzata, MN
Cake Designer — Wayzata Country Club — Wayzata, MN
Florist — Sadie’s Floral — Minneapolis, MN
Dress shop — David’s Bridal
Tuxedos — Men’s Warehouse
Party Bus Company — Richfield Bus
DJ — Lance Conrad — Minneapolis, MN
Stationer — minted.com
Jeweler — Shane Co. 

It’s easy to get swept up in your wedding day and get pulled away from the person that you’re there to celebrate with, your soon-to-be spouse.  To combat that, Nina and Karen made a point to set aside time to go on a hike before the whirlwind of their wedding day, taking the time to enjoy their surroundings and each other before getting ready and having their first look. Is there anything cuter than taking your partner on a morning hike the day of your ceremony and inscribing your initials into the sands of Lake Superior?

Nina and Karen are one of those couples where you can see how connected they are in the way that they look at each other. These two are so in love, unable to stop themselves from smiling when they look into each other’s eyes. Their first look was all smiles, and their wedding day was all laughs. Nina and Karen’s wedding was perfectly intimate and left them with plenty of quality time with those closest to them. Their relatively small guest list was composed of mostly family, and some close friends. It’s incredible to experience this kind of joyful, easy love, and to see a couple that is so loved by their friends and family.

Their reception didn’t follow the traditional formula of grand entrance, speeches, and first dances, but it was so very Nina and Karen. After dinner and a few speeches, the wedding party ran to the beach to enjoy cigars and the icy water of Lake Superior. After changing into sweatshirts emblazoned with Nina and Karen’s last name and wedding date, they spent time dancing, playing beer pong, and enjoying each other’s company.

Nina and Karen, your wedding had some of the best sights and the most profound love that we have seen in a long time. We wish you two a lifetime of stunning morning hikes, hand-in-hand.

Check out Nina and Karen’s feature on MN Bride

Vendor List:
Ceremony Venue — Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Reception Venue— Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Officiant— Gary Cwidak
Caterer— Lutsen Resort — Lutsen, MN
Florist— Bella Flora — Duluth, MN
Dress Shop — Wedding Shoppe Inc. — Minneapolis, MN

You may remember these two from their stunning engagement shoot in Denver, CO with our Associate Photographer Brooke. Well, Brooke captured their wedding that somehow beat those incredible Denver shots!

Zach and Coty flew from Colorado to have their ceremony at Coty’s parent’s home in rural Minnesota. Having their day at a place that is familiar, the two were able to decorate the venue in a way that was entirely theirs. Their details placed an emphasis on rustic elements, their ceremony and reception studded with antlers and cross-sections of trees, with a stunning Kransekake as their wedding cake. Zach and Coty perfectly blended their own style with tradition. Coty is a bride who can rock red Jimmy Choos and dark lipstick, but also wore her veil while walking down the aisle, something that you don’t see many brides do any more.

While we could talk about the connection between Zach and Coty for hours, one that isn’t always focused on is the bond between the bride and her father.  Coty’s father was a blast, fully enjoying his daughter’s big day. He took not one, not two, but three shots during his speech. But that’s not the most noteworthy part of his speech. While he spoke, you could see the love that he has for his daughter and the respect that he holds for her. He spoke to Coty’s time in college in Wyoming and her independent nature, which is perfectly complemented by Zach’s good-natured demeanor. Needless to say, everyone was at least a little misty-eyed during Coty’s first dance with her father.

The joining of Zach and Coty, and their families, was a truly illuminating thing to watch. Seeing two people so in love, and their families so in love with them together, is a beautiful thing. With such intense love, two people are able to melt into each other and feel true comfort, which is obvious in how these two photograph together. Zach and Coty’s sunset shots are especially jaw-dropping. Being able to pull them away from their reception, once all of the day stress had melted away, allowed for some of the most honest, raw moments you can capture. These two were a joy to photograph, and we don’t doubt that Zach and Coty will be each other’s joy for the rest of their lives.

Vendor List:
Videographer — Phil Salvador —
Officiant — Pastor Keith Weber — Salina, KS
Hair stylist — Studio 14 — Faribault, MN
Makeup artist — Sophia Thao — Minneapolis, MN
Caterer — Arna Farmer — Faribault, MN
Cake designer — Ingebretsen’s — Minneapolis, MN
Florist — Wanda Leppert — Fairbault, MN
Dress Designer — Monique Lhuillier —
Dress Shop — L’Atelier Couture — Minneapolis, MN
Tuxedos — Men’s Wearhouse by Joseph Abboud
Limo/party bus company — Krazy Train — Faribault, MN
DJ — DJs on Demand — Denver, CO
Chair/table/tent rentals — Apres

Elizabeth and Kevin booked me as their photographer about three years ago. After three years of getting to know this amazing couple, three years of anticipation building surrounding this amazing event – you can imagine how crazy excited I was for the wedding day to arrive, and to finally celebrate their awesome love. Needless to say, their wedding day did not disappoint. In fact, almost every aspect blew me away. The venue was gorgeous, the details were stunning, and Elizabeth and Kevin were glowing.

It was a really hot day. So basically everyone was glowing with a shimmery sheen of sweat (haha), but Elizabeth and Kevin were different, they radiated genuine joy the entire day. They could’ve complained about the heat – but I literally don’t think I heard either of them mention the high temperatures once. They were too busy truly enjoying themselves to care. But it wasn’t just Elizabeth and Kevin that were overjoyed by their love and the excitement of them tying the knot – everyone present was, too. For example, all the family and bridal party members wanted to witness their first look, and they hid inside and watched from afar to steal a peek at the special moment the happy couple shared. When your loved ones are as excited about your love as you are, that’s when you know you’re doing something right. Elizabeth and Kevin, it has been an absolute joy to be your photographer and get to know you over the years. I also, am as excited about your love as you two are. It was well worth the wait to experience and shoot your absolutely stunning day. Congratulations again, I see nothing but a lifetime of happiness in your future!

Vendor List:
Wedding planner — George Maverick — Farmington, MN
Ceremony venue — Glenhaven Events Center — Farmington, MN
Reception venue — Glenhaven Events Center — Farmington, MN
Videographer — Dan Riggs of Summit Hill Studios — Stillwater, MN
Officiant — Mike Neely — Apple Valley, MN
Hair stylist — Molly from Salon 104 — Rosemount, MN
Caterer — Nicole Sindelar of Ruby’s Redeye Grill — Rosemount, MN
Cake designer — The Cakery — Farmington, MN
Decorator — Encore Events — Eagan, MN
Florist — Rosemount Floral — Rosemount, MN
Dress Shop — Bride to Be Consignment — Woodbury, MN
Dress Designer — Mori Lee
Tuxedos — Men’s Warehouse 
DJ — Matt Iverson — Rosemount, MN
Chair/table/tent rentals — Christine Corning — Farmington, MN
Jeweler — Jared