We had a wonderful time photographing Allie + John’s wedding several weeks ago! The day started off rainy, but we were able to use the outdoor overhangs at The Guthrie Theater for first-look, which worked out very well; plenty of beautiful, natural light flooding in. Thankfully the rain let up after the ceremony, since we had the gorgeous TCF Bank Stadium to work with. If you have never been to TCF Bank Stadium before, you need to check it out. What a work of art! The details in this stadium are incredible, like the woodworking in the men’s locker room, the vibrant gold and maroon, and the massive photographs embedded right into the walls. The wedding party was a blast! It was fun watching John and the groomsmen trying to kick field goals, and the girls trying to tackle the quarterback (A.K.A the groom). Overall a very fun day, with an incredible couple who have two of the brightest smiles I have ever seen.

Good hands Allie! You sure make that QB look good.

Erin + Rob chose downtown Stillwater for their engagement session, which just happens to be one of our very favorite locations, and hence one of the reasons why we moved to Stillwater last summer. Rob had never been to Stillwater before, so we make sure to walk Main Street, check out the Lift Bridge, and Pioneer Park. Erin + Rob are a couple who radiate joy. It is seen so beautifully in their facial expressions. They truly come to life when they are playing and being spontaneous together. What a fun evening with two incredible people.

Here’s one image from last Sundays engagement session with Erin and Rob. I love the elements that make this image work. Everything is so natural, the light, the wind, the backdrop, the pose, and of course, Erin’s full head of hair. More in a few days!

This month we had the joy of venturing north near Walker, Minnesota for a northwoods engagement session. Steph’s parents have this amazing cabin, at the end of a long, winding, dirt road, right off a huge lake. We had so much fun capturing some favorite, Minnesota winter activities. I mean, come one, who doesn’t like playing cards while sipping cocoa on a cold, winter day, or ice skating on the lake, or warming up near a roaring fire. I must admit that it did get pretty chilly at times, especially for Steph and Sean, but they did great. Nothing like a chill in the air to bring a couple closer together. Oh, and there was this amazing barn down the road from the cabin, with old, rusty cars. We were in photography heaven. The wedding this summer is up north as well.  We are looking forward to another trip out of the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.

We traveled north a few weeks ago to the Walker, Minnesota area for a special engagement session in the snow (that post is coming soon). On the way we found a Paul Bunyan statue that Sienna was enthralled with. We used the opportunity to work a little magic with our camera. Can you believe the Paul Bunyan image was shot in the afternoon? We also did some HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography for the bed and breakfast we stayed in. We’ll be using both techniques this summer when the wedding season heats up. Ah….heat…can’t wait for spring.

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of photographing Erin & Mike’s wedding. We awoke that morning with the most glorious frost. The morning light was shining off the frost-covered trees creating this surreal display of beauty. For this being such a brown winter, it sure was a delight to see some glistering white, even if it wasn’t on the ground. In the words of Erin’s father, “the Lord painted a beautiful day.” And He definitely did, from beginning to end, this day was filled with so much love, friendship, and pure emotion. Both Scott and I felt a true connection with the wedding party, and Erin and Mike were amazing to work with! The reception was held at Dellwood Hills Golf Club, and every last detail seemed perfectly in place. What a beautiful day!

Normally on an engagement session we try to photograph outdoors as much as possible, but this day freezing rain kept us indoors at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. It was a great opportunity to break out our off-camera lighting equipment, and try some fun techniques. Jen and Damon were completely natural in front of the camera, and their outfits were amazing! I loved how the dark, rich colors, and retro, vintage style went with the backdrops of the Landmark. It seemed to be a perfect combination. Now I’m really wanting a new dress from Bettie Page! Love, love, love!

After a super busy summer and fall we are finally back to blogging. I think it’s humorous that a blog is suppose to show how busy you are, and yet we’ve been too busy to blog. But, we’re back, and we plan on making our blog a priority. So, please stay tuned, and return often. Last month we had the privilege of photographing Jackie and Will’s wedding. One of my favorite things about wedding photography are all the unique ideas each couple has. At this wedding, Jackie had asked their guests to wear hats. It was so much fun seeing what some of the guests came up with. I felt like I was at a royal wedding. Another fun idea was the use of peacock feathers. They added some fun color, to what has been a brown winter. The Carlson Center was such a stunning reception venue with the twinkling lights and waterfall. What a fun day, and what an amazing couple.