When one of my best friends asked me to take pictures at his wedding, I was equally honored and nervous. Luckily Tim and Haifa are two of the calmest and happiest people I know. It was clear when I started shooting that this was going to be a great day full of laughs. That kind of atmosphere creates the best photos every time.

I was working with my friend and fellow wedding photographer from Chicago, Mr. Thomas Slack. I’ll link to his website when he puts up his photos. There will be more to come from this beautiful wedding. Enjoy part 1:

The dashing groom.


I hung out with the guys before the ceremony while Thomas photographed the ladies. Plenty of time for a quick game of pool.


And a Shandy!


No nerves here.


This is taken immediately after the ceremony. Can you read the look in their eyes?


So much laughter. Tim and Haifa are a wonderfully natural couple.


This picture gives me goosebumps. My favorite of the day.


Love.


Thank you, Tim and Haifa. I am fortunate to call you my friends.

Chelsy and Scott had a beautiful small-town wedding in New Richland followed by a reception at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club in Albert Lea. We had a great time exploring downtown Albert Lea, which provided some incredible scenery. I’m going to keep my comments short and let the pictures speak for themselves.




















Thank you, Chelsy and Scott. I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did.

Holly and Brandon just got married at the incredible Cedarhurst Mansion in Cottage Grove. The rain challenged us to get creative indoors. Thankfully, it cleared up and we were treated to a perfect evening.

Holly’s first look at her beautiful dress.



Is this ballroom beautiful or what? More pictures in here coming up…



Holly and Brandon get some time to themselves to let it all sink in.


She looks so regal.


I like to try some old fashioned formal portraits once in a while. This mansion definitely called for an image like this.



Holly’s sister painted this sign for them. They aren’t about to let a little rain get in the way of taking pictures!


The Cedarhurst Mansion has a beautiful little garden off the back. I’m glad the rain let up enough to shoot here.


A spontaneous dip!


I can’t quite put my finger on why, but this is my favorite image from the day. It feels so real and unguarded.



Fun. Again, spontaneous. You can’t fake these expressions.


A charming toast by Holly’s brother.


What a pretty place for a dance. I’m very happy with these dancing pictures. My light was hitting them just right.



A walk around the grounds at dusk. A very romantic moment with the fog rolling in.


Thank you, Holly and Brandon. It was an honor to photograph your wedding.

Phoebe and Nate had a super fun wedding and I am so grateful I got to be a part of it! The ceremony was held in the Sunken Garden room at the Como Park Conservatory with the reception on a paddleboat on the Mississippi river. The settings were beautiful, and I had a great time with Phoebe and Nate.


These two were so natural and happy together. Here is the “first look.”


Genuine smiles. You can’t fake these emotions.


Is that a train? Yep, we’re shooting there.



This is my favorite. The moment, the framing, it just makes me smile.



What an incredible place to have a wedding!


A mix of happiness and relief? Only Phoebe and Nate know for sure.


They look so content! A very serene moment.


The good ship Paddleford launching just south of downtown St. Paul.


Oh boy. The dance. It was wild and crazy. I have a lot of respect for the dance skills and stamina of these two!

The long winter is subsiding and wedding season is getting close! (I’m ignoring the snow that is falling as I write this.) Here’s a beautiful wedding I shot last fall in Iowa. It was a beautiful multi-cultural day featuring traditional Vietnamese and African ceremonies. Theresa and Kole were surrounded by so much love on this day. It was amazing to witness.


These ceremonial cups sit on the table with a shrine honoring passed relatives.


A traditional drink is served and shared to join the families.


Here is the table of gifts for Theresa’s family brought by Kole and his family. (Check out the whole roasted pig in the middle!) The food was shared and enjoyed by both families.


These smiles rarely left their faces.


How adorable are these flower girls?


The priests on the left and right are Theresa’s relatives. It was a wonderful and personal service.


Sometimes to get the shot you have to suffer a few bubbles on your camera lens. It’s totally worth it for a picture like this.


I’m pretty sure Theresa is laughing at the number of people crammed into this limo. Always a fun time.


I wanted to create a couple timeless portraits for Theresa and Kole.



Listening to a couple tearful toasts from their siblings.


Theresa changed into a traditional Vietnamese dress for the first dance.


Thank you to a wonderful and inspiring couple. I’m honored to have witnessed the celebration of your love.