Megan and Phil's pup, Darla, is a born model. She clearly enjoys her time in front of the camera, but she's also happy to sit on the sidelines and be supportive while her humans take center stage. That's super unusual in a dog! Usually, we recommend couples bring a friend, [...]
We met Bridget and Ryan at Ryan's alma mater, St. John's, in front of a piece of architecture that i was astonished not to know about. If you haven't seen or heard of St. John's Abby, google it, look at the photo, now double the size in your mind because that [...]
My absolute favorite part of the day was seeing Christina's reaction to her wedding guests. After walking down the aisle, she looked out for a long time at everyone gathered, and her face had so much love in it! Some couples worry that having a "first look" before the ceremony [...]
"Lauren, I met you when we were twelve. You were my first kiss on the Ferris wheel at Valley Fair, and I feel so lucky to know you'll be my last kiss." I usually write a little bit about our couples in these blog posts, but all I want to do is [...]
We've done plenty of backyard weddings this year, but Hayley and Scott's was one of a kind. Their family put in a huge amount of work to make a naturally beautiful backyard into a venue, but it was so worth it! Tons of mulch had to be brought in for [...]
A wedding at home, right off beautiful Lake Minnetonka - sounds perfect, right? And it did look perfect the night before the wedding. Chairs set, tent ready, drapes up. But there's a reason Lake Minnetonka is full of sailboats - it can do wind right. A big storm came in on Friday night [...]
My favorite moment of this day was when Megan and Weston agreed to be launched in the air by their bridal party, followed closely by every single moment they were with their dogs. Their tiny, gentle pups were clearly wary of all the noise and commotion of the wedding day, [...]
Gita and Ryan reception at the Hyatt Regency in Bloomington had some of the best entertainment we've ever seen at a wedding. Occasionally family and friends offer their talents during ceremonies and receptions, but in normal times there's always the option to hire musicians or any other kind of performers. [...]
Having a wedding at St. Mary's Basilica usually feels very formal. From the large guest list to the transportation, there are usually a lot of moving parts. Mariya and Nick's wedding was a totally unique Basilica wedding. It was an intimate guest list and all the guests were able to [...]
Lauren and Kyle are about to become puppy parents! A tiny springier spaniel pup is about to enter their family just as they tie the knot. Since they're having a backyard wedding on Lake Minnetonka, the new pup gets to come to the ceremony, but I've never had a little [...]
Megan and Weston had a beautiful backyard wedding at Weston's childhood home. They joked with Weston's parents that they can never move now; the house is even more special! And with a few smart tweaks, they made it safe to include some extended family and friends in their day. They live-streamed [...]
Whether they keep their date or not, most couples this summer are having to plan their wedding twice - or at least one and half times over (and they say planning a wedding once is hard!) Justine and Patrick chose to keep their wedding date, which meant changing almost everything [...]
Leah and Shane got ready at Historic Furber Farm on one of the first winter days in a long while that was warm enough to melt some icicles. Not that it was truly warm, just warmer. To say it was warm would be lessening the feat of the awesome bridal [...]
I love it when a wedding film isn't just about a couple, but all the other relationships they have too. It's a big day for siblings, friends, and usually, parents. Parents really have the most amazing perspective on a wedding day, and sometimes they share it, as Paul and Chersti's [...]
I can't pretend this is a normal post. When I began editing Lexi and BJ's film, I chose a moment from Lexi's dad's speech to start the film. In his speech, Lexi's dad talked about how all the guests had traveled from all over to celebrate together. I didn't see the [...]
Maggie and Joe had an exceptionally great bridal party. Their wedding was the day of the ice storm in December that forced numerous highway closures, and I had my first surprise when I met some bridesmaids in the hallway of the hotel and they were talking about maybe leaving for [...]
Chersti and Paul had already married officially earlier in the year but decided they wanted to have a wedding to celebrate with their family and friends. So in early December, with the Lafayette Club already decked out for the holidays, they had a ceremony and reception filled with singing, music, [...]
A lot happened at Caroline and Adam's wedding, but I'll always remember it for the calm way that Caroline stood in front of the sink in the bridal suite at Bavaria Downs and waited patiently while 3-4 women ran detergent through her train. It snowed the night before the wedding [...]
Sometimes a wedding is about the couple and their journey, sometimes it's about their faith or their friends, their kids, or their dreams. When I was editing Alyssa and Shawn's film, their wedding was so clearly about family. Everyone who spoke at the reception, including the couple, talked about their [...]
Holman only had one envelope when he wrote his card for Ellie. Apparently he started drawing a scroll under her name, didn't like it, but knew he had committed to it. So he wrote a little note explaining the scroll and drew a little emoji, hoping to at least give Ellie [...]
For Lexi and B.J.'s first look, we went back to Loring Park, aka the park of the strange squirrels, where we shot their engagement photos. We walked all around the park, and when we arrived at the Basilica afterwards, someone noticed that Lexi's dress had gotten a little spot on the bottom. [...]
I'll say it again - after you have carefully planned and sweated all the details of your wedding, you'll be much happier if you can let go of the plan and just enjoy whatever happens (whether it was planned or unexpected). If you fall in love with Jen's wedding dress [...]
We went to a friend's wedding in Madison a few years ago and we were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful architecture and walkability of the city. We stopped back in the city to shoot Syd and Will's engagement session on our way back from Chicago and were even more amazed [...]
Having been present when they got engaged, we were so excited to see Sade and Katrina again to shoot their engagement photos at Taylors Falls. They were a little nervous at first, since they were totally occupied the first time we shot them and didn't have the time to feel [...]
Shadi and Trent were married on the rooftop of the Hewing Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. It was beautiful and epic, but still casual and relaxed - just like Trent and Shadi ;) Their wedding was a perfect example of choosing the traditions that mean something to you, and letting all [...]
Abbas and Zohreh planned a beautiful Saturday backyard wedding. All Friday night they kept watch on the weather forecast, and it kept getting worse and worse. Finally on Saturday morning, they started calling friends, family and vendors to see if they could possibly do the impossible - move everything to [...]
Gauthami and Moulin's ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in St. Paul was the first full Indian ceremony that we'd ever seen. We've been parts of ceremonies that incorporated some Indian traditions before, so we knew to expect one thing and we weren't disappointed: they're fun and messy in the most [...]
Madi and Hunter's reception at Ashery Lane Farm was amazing: packed dance floor til the very end of the night when everyone except Madi and Hunter filed outside. Madi and Hunter finished the last slow dance alone on the dance floor, walked straight out the front doors, and were greeted [...]
I'm convinced that Tom and Liz's wedding on Stout's Island Lodge is the dream that couples dream when they try to plan a small wedding. An intimate group of seven people, family and friends, together for a weekend on a beautiful island. A guest list so small that the ceremony actually [...]
Rodolfo and Courtney were married at Aria in downtown Minneapolis and during their ceremony, Rodolfo recited a poem he had written for Courtney in Sicilian, his native language. It's a beautiful language to express such beautiful ideas about gratitude and happiness. His poem, "Stunned" was printed in English and in [...]
Cool evening light, an awesome couple and tons of squirrels - Loring Park had it all this night! Sometimes, to take a couple's mind off the fact that they're being photographed, we'll give them a task or ask them to do something a certain way. We asked Lexi and B.J. [...]
We were fortunate enough to shoot Trent's brother's wedding on the beaches of Florida two years ago and were delighted to find that Trent and Shadi were every bit as delightful and lighthearted as the beautiful Sara and Shawn. We met them at the Hewing for drinks (which is also [...]
We took Ali and Nick out on the docks at sunset for some pictures and David asked them to look out over the water. As they were standing there, looking all stunning in the sunset light, David said, "what do you see out there?" Ali said, "Bottle Bay." Nick, with [...]
Kylie and Joe were amazing. It was freezing cold on their wedding day, and none of us could feel our fingers, but there they stood, completely elated even though they were going numb! The overlook above St. Paul where we took pictures was five blocks from where the groom grew [...]
I think Lindsay was the most excited bride we've ever seen! After she read her letter, she just looked up at the ceiling and said, "I'm getting married today!" like it was just hitting her at that moment. Kyle and Lindsay were married at the Machine Shop by their friend [...]
So, fair warning, this is the first wedding film we've posted rated PG. When Tommy saw Sarah coming down the aisle, he said, "Holy shit." I'm not sure he'll even remember saying it, but I love capturing those moments that happen naturally when people are so excited to marry each [...]
When couples ask if we have any advice for their wedding day, we always recommend what our own wedding planner did for us. After the ceremony, before the cocktail hour, take five minutes to yourselves. Have someone hand you a drink and a little something to eat and disappear for [...]
Weddings can be a crazy adrenaline rush for some people, and it does strange things. For instance, as I'm bundled up in my winter coat all day, Marian is walking around in a sleeveless dress clearly having the time of her life. She climbed the bluffs at Taylor's Falls in [...]
There are lines you hear over and over at wedding speeches. It's not a bad thing, they're popular because they're good lines. That said, it's pretty great to hear something totally original and surprising. And surprise is what registers on Aaron's face when his two best men start blowing through [...]
We were checking the Rochester weather forecasts for Ashley and Kevin's Labor Day weekend wedding during the whole week before. It looked like it was going to be a rainy for sure, but mid-morning the clouds parted, the drizzle stopped, and they had a gorgeous outdoor ceremony. Their puppy (yes, [...]
On the morning of their wedding at Oak View Weddings and Events, Chelsey gave Brett a watch with an engraved back. The engraving said "You Sir, are very attractive. Love, Your Wife to Be." As a fellow Harry Potter fan, I really think Chelsey has a writing gift. In her [...]
"How cool is that? I get to marry a miracle girl." I teared up every time I listened to Katie read that line from Mike's letter. So that was like 30 times I teared up at the same thing, but it never got old. These two were so excited to [...]
I'm so in love with Carissa's wedding dress. Her mom made it (and the veil! and the flower girl's dress!) out of her own wedding dress. I told so many people about this dress and the story behind it and now we finally get to share the photographs! Long sleeve [...]
"Whose favorite color is...glitter?" That was one of my favorite questions from the shoe game at Lauren and Joe's wedding. A'bulae in downtown St. Paul was the perfect venue for them because the whole place sparkles: the chandeliers, the sconces, even some of the walls. And, of course, Lauren sparkled [...]
Not gonna lie, it was COLD this day. But Ali, Nick, and all their family were amazing. They were all ready to brave the cold for pictures, jackets off, scarves off. Even the little kids were out there, though they were clearly ready to be bundled up again. In fact, [...]
I'll never forget Sarah's brother standing on stage after his toast and singing one of my favorite songs, "Edelweiss," for her and Tommy. His voice was amazing, in fact, there were a ton of talented people in the room who all put their special touches in. The arch they were [...]
You may not recognize this lovely couple without their cat Charlie sitting between them (for real, Charlie is a born star and really hogged the spotlight at their engagement session), but here they are minus Charlie at their wedding at Carlos Creek Winery and you have to admit, they can [...]
We were extra excited to shoot this engagement session with Kasia and Andrew because we've known Kasia for many years (since childhood in Kuba's case) and we love hanging out with both of them. Kasia went above and beyond with the research for this session. The night before the shoot, [...]
Yihao and Xuan were married at the Como Zoo Conservatory surrounded by a small band of excellent people. Working with bridal parties and families, we're always looking for ways to make them laugh a little, and in the case of Yihao and Xuan's wedding party, it was non-stop teasing. And [...]
Yes, yes that is a giant donut in the shape of a First Avenue star. Best wedding cake replacement idea ever. Mallory and Aaron asked if it would be cheesy for them to start eating the donut from opposite star points and we said - "it's your wedding, embrace the [...]
I don't care who knows it, I love people who spoil their pets. The best man joked that Jackie and Nick's dog ate better than most of the people currently on Stout's Island, and I believe him, because Jackie and Nick are awesome. The best part was how much fun [...]
This past weekend we were talking with another photographer about our favorite places to shoot weddings and we all came to the same consensus - it's the wrong question. It's hard to choose a favorite place to shoot because it's always about the people. A great couple and the people [...]
This was our first engagement session at Interstate Park in Taylors Falls and we absolutely loved it! Sure the park is pretty but the best part was Nick and Ali, who were hilarious. Ali was basically rock climbing in heels, and Nick was helping her even though he was wearing [...]
As a fellow Harry Potter fan, I was so excited to see the little nerdy touches that Chelsey promised were hidden in the decor at Oakview Weddings and Events. I don't know if it was an intentional choice, but Oakview Weddings and Events has a gorgeous willow tree right in [...]
We met Kylie and Joe on St. Anthony Main for our earliest engagement session ever. Luckily, they were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed so we could avoid the rain that was creeping up in the forecast. We had the good fortune to photograph Joe before at his sister's wedding two years ago. [...]
Before the ceremony on Stouts Island, Jackie and Nick met each other in the bride's cabin at the edge of the lake. I say "met" but they didn't actually see each other until the ceremony. Instead, they stood around the corner from each other to read letters they had written [...]
Generally I don't use the word "romantic" in earnest, but there really was no better word for the snow on Kayla and Kai's wedding day. On the day, of course, we all had a very different attitude towards the bizzare snowstorm. The word "romantic" was less in people's lips than [...]
Heather and Mark, kindred Costco fans, were married on the edge of the lake at Mark's parents cabin. All their family and friends pitched in, from officiating the wedding to grilling delicious steaks for dinner. My favorite part of the day was capturing Heather and Mark's faces right after the [...]
We walked with Shirley and Yihao around St. Anthony Main and across the Stone Arch Bridge, but first, we met their cats! They were all adorable, decked out in bow ties, but let's just say that the phrase "it's like herding cats" is a cliche for a reason. We managed [...]
So much of weddings is about traditions, but I love when couples tweak traditions to suit them. Anne and Evan got married at the James J. Hill Center, a gorgeous building attached to the James J. Hill Library. A traditional venue, sure! But as we found out later, meaningful, since it's [...]
This day was spectacular! Hilary and Gerry were so adorable together, and so sweet to each other. But I have to wax poetic for a moment about the rest of the day - those leaves, the light, the classic car, that church! And of course, the Lafayette Club with it's [...]
One thing I love about shooting weddings is seeing how different couples communicate love. Sometimes it's a hug, sometimes it's tears, sometimes it's words. With Stephanie and Ben, it was a bit of everything. One of my favorite moments of the day was right after they saw each other in [...]
We absolutely loved Sara and Tyler's wedding! They were both so sweet and kind, Aria, of course, was beautiful, their bridal party was a ton of fun - but the cherry on top was Sara and Tyler's little girl, walking around all day with no idea how adorable she was! Seriously, [...]
When Tommy and Sarah came downstairs for their session, Tommy was holding something wrapped in tin foil. "Hey, I baked you a loaf of bread," he said simply. I don't think we've ever been more surprised, delighted and confused at the same time. Apparently, this is something he does with some [...]
My favorite part of Brooke and Steven's day was definitely the speeches. Apparently, when Steven was trying to ask Brooke's dad for his permission, they were both really nervous and every time it seemed like Steven was about to broach the subject, Brooke's dad would quickly change the topic [...]
When we met Aaron and Mallory, it was just before they had to make one of the biggest, most consequential decisions about their wedding at Carlos Creek: which wine to serve. Ok, maybe it wasn't the most consequential decision of wedding planning, but they were soon about to head up [...]
Ethan and Angie found a beautiful place to get married: the Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul. We learned that the center is on more than 460 acres of land and has 8 miles of hiking trails, some of which we explored with the bridal party, and one of [...]
We met Erin and Darren at their beautiful house where we also met their lovely cat, Charlie. He was a little leery of us at first, probably because I immediately took way too many pictures of him and he's very humble and shy. But after looking at us from the hallway for [...]
It just so happened that Jamie and Dan got married at Aster Cafe on the day that main street closed for the aquatennial fireworks! We snuck outside for the fireworks at the end of the night, but the funnest part was when we took a stroll down the empty main street and [...]
At the end of the toast, the groom said, "Well, that was basically the roast of Grant Schmura." Sorry, Grant, it was a little true. Everyone who spoke had kind, sweet words, but boy did they all pull out the big guns stories too. His sister had stories ranging from [...]
Rob's brother's speech may contain some of my favorite lines ever. Just a teaser, he starts off with "I'm the raft to your Leo," which I would just love to have on a t-shirt. These two make me so happy; I was smiling all the way through this edit. [...]
It's a tough call, but I think my favorite part of Stacy and Sean's day was the toast delivered by Sean's three younger sisters. They talked about what a great big brother he had been to them, and how he would make a point to call once a week and [...]
In their toasts, Sara and Shawn's dads talked about each of their personalities as kids. It seems that they grew up as complete opposites. Sara preferring a nice night at home to sleepover parties and Shawn, so bold and people-loving that, at age 4, he invited total strangers over for [...]
Brad married Ellen at her alma mater, the University of St. Thomas. Even during their vows, their sweet and goofy personalities came out and all throughout the day, you could see that they had an uncanny ability to make each other laugh. They had an adorable proposal story too. They [...]
There are so many things to love about Blake and Tara's lakeside wedding, but what stands out the most to me is the story that Tara's dad told. When Tara was in high school, someone made a comment to him about her, without knowing who he was. He remembered these [...]
During Erin and Mahmood's ceremony at the Calhoun Beach Club, their officiant (and friend) told stories about their relationship. One of the stories, the first one in their film, might be my favorite ever told at a wedding. It's a must listen! We got to briefly [...]
Brittany and Phil did their first look right outside their venue at Mill City Museum, and their dog, Jameson, got to participate! (By the way, I spent half of Brittany and Phil's edit crying and the other half cooing and talking to the screen whenever their little bulldog popped up.) At [...]
Kendra and Mike were married in Duluth, with a beautiful, vast view of Lake Superior. As the sun set, we took golf carts out to some of the scenic spots on the golf course. They goofed around in the golf cart, practiced their first dance, and took in the view. For [...]
The Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard was a perfect venue for this beautiful fall Minnesota wedding. The day consisted of drinking some home brew, launching apples, a gorgeous ceremony, yard games, and a great dance party with a live band. Emily and Nate were just as goofy and fun as they [...]
Aubrie and Alex chose to see each other for the first time as Aubrie walked down the aisle at Carlos Creek Winery. When Aubrie rounded the corner, the look on Alex's face was priceless. The reception that night featured a few surprises (no spoilers, watch the film!) and some epic [...]
As we rode the ferry across the lake on the morning of Chris and Andrea's wedding, the clouds were dark and threatened rain. Finally Stout's Island came out of the mist. We hopped ashore and set out across the island. On the way, there were constant "look over there!" moments. [...]
From the few hours we spent with Andrea and Chris, it was clear that living on the lake is a lot of work, but so very beautiful. It's also one of the few ways you can actually tire out a Labrador. While we were shooting Andrea and Chris hanging out [...]
The day before Mitch and Bri's wedding, we drove from Minnesota to Omaha, Nebraska. It's normally a six hour drive, but snowstorm Bella hit at just the wrong moment and six turned into twelve white-knuckle hours in the snow. Like every good journey story, a treacherous road led to a [...]
I have to admit this wedding film was extremely hard for me to make. Elizabeth's father spoke at the reception about his battle with cancer and his gratitude for being able to participate in his daughter's wedding. I lost my father to cancer 6 years ago, and I'm getting married [...]
On Abbie and Matt's wedding day at Carlos Creek, we heard a lot about Grandma Pinky and her "magic." But it wasn't until the end of the night that we heard the story of how Abbie and Matt met, straight from the matchmaker herself. Four years ago, Abbie's grandfather had [...]
On the rain soaked street outside Aster Cafe, right after Katharine and Blake's ceremony, we ran into a French street photographer who snapped a couple photos and informed us joyfully, "mariage pluvieux, mariage heureux" (rainy wedding, happy marriage). Katharine and Blake certainly didn't need to be told! They created their [...]
We were so excited when the day Maggie and Fritz's wedding finally arrived! We met with them a couple times at their venue, Eko Backen, because the barn was still being built and having the finishing touches put on it. It turned out to be stunning on top of the [...]
We posted Grace and Clay's wedding photos a few months ago, and finally we can share their wedding film! I dare you not to cry when you watch their couple's vows. I watched them at least 20 times while editing and every single time I'm welling up thinking, "omg, that's [...]
This is why engagement sessions in Minnesota rock. We started the session with zero snow on the ground, as it had been for weeks. By the end, a gorgeous blanket of white falling on our gorgeous couple, who were happy to play in the sudden flurries as Kuba and I ran [...]
Grace and Clay's wedding was a great start to the 2015 season. They came back to where it all started, Minnesota. The day began with the ladies getting ready at the St. Paul Hotel, while the gentleman were being groomed at Heimie's Haberdashery. The St. Paul Landmark Center was absolutely transformed for the reception, [...]
We absolutely fell in love with this wedding. Lindsay and Nathan lit up after they saw each other and maintained this unbelievable connection throughout the ceremony and right through the dancing. Although they now live in California, they said their vows right here at the Basilica in Minneapolis, Minnesota, partly as a tribute [...]
First of all a big thank you to Travis and Maria enough for choosing us to be part of their two-day wedding plans. When a couple so carefully plans their wedding, we feel so lucky to be included. They even allowed us to work with them on lighting, since both [...]
We posted a few months ago about how excited we were for Travis and Maria's wedding. Everything about it was unique and had special meaning for them. They wanted the ceremony to be intimate, with just close family and friends, but they also wanted a big reception party. So they [...]
