When a little girl dreams of her wedding day, I imagine she dreams of a day like Heidi+Tanner’s. A day where all family and friends and present, where love abounds, where magical wedding visions come to life…

I’ve got a story for you – I’m sitting in my dentist’s chair with my mouth gaping open while my dentist and dental hygienist converse over me. I’m equally listening to the conversation, not being able to partake, and mindlessly watching odd shaped fish swim across the Discovery Chanel screen. They start to discuss a niece who has made it onto some tv show, but they can’t remember the name of it until… lightbulb “Oh!! It’s called So You Think You Can Dance!”.

When I heard there was another beautiful barn venue coming to town, my heart started to sing! How lucky are we that we have so many beautiful venues just in our backyard if you live in or around the Twin Cities! It took me 25 minutes to stroll on over to Abella’s grand opening this weekend from my home Stilwater, and not only was it close, but it was a beautiful drive! Abella is located in Chisago City and surrounded by farmland and rolling hills. Doing the drive at sunset was a treat!

Maddie + Zach’s wedding day was one for the books. They got married on a beautiful June day at Dellwood Country Club in Dellwood, Minnesota. Take a scroll to watch Maddie + Zach’s wedding story unfold through photos!

Maybe some day I’ll be good at putting words to how I feel about wedding days, but that time hasn’t come yet. All I can say about Chantelle + Nate’s wedding day is that their day was beautiful. It was was an honor to be there to celebrate with them when they said their I Do’s and started their Forever together. Their love filled the room with their subtle smiles and intentional words. Getting to be a part of a couple’s wedding day will always be a gift, and I hope all the couples I get to serve are like Nate + Chantelle.

Who can actually pass up a great deal on flights? Ireland was a beautiful break from the business of photographing weddings and answering emails. From meeting a bride and groom in the airport on their way to their Dublin destination wedding, to crossing paths with a set of sisters from Minnesota traveling to Ireland as well, this trip was meant to be. Sleepy coastal villages and sheep upon sheep upon sheep, green as far as the eye can see, and overgrown 6th century cemetery churches that are what dreams are made of. This blog doesn’t do justice to the trip we had and the sights we saw, but hopefully it sets the tone for the story of our trip and the beauty we saw.

One of my favorite subjects to photograph is dancers, and one of my favorite things to do is travel. Combining the two was a dream come true. Ireland offered a backdrop that Minnesota can’t offer, and it stretched me in all the best ways. Who wouldn’t want a session at the Cliffs of Moher now? I wish I could go back tomorrow.

Being in the wedding industry, I’ve been around the block a time or two and I have created my own lists of favorites when it comes to wedding vendors! As we approach wedding planning season, I’ve been getting asked by brides and grooms what my favorite venues are in and around the

Holy wow. What a year. I started it working for “the man” and ended its working for myself and thriving. This year was full of “firsts” and hopefully “lasts” as well. What did you year look like? Mine looked like this: