trash the dress- on the farm

First sneak peek from my June trip to Minnesota! 

Getting back from a long vacation/work time in Minnesota, and it was absolutely wonderful (aside from a few hiccups which i'll be sharing) so now that i'm back here comes all the blog posts again! 

This post can actually be split into three, so i'm just going to make you all wait! Tara and Tracy wanted some trash the dress with each other, plus some portraits with their men! so here's just a few of the two of them! 

it was raining all day, so we quickly changed our plans, and honestly, it worked out better than our original plan! i was so excited to be able to shoot with these amazing cars! and these girls. gorgeous. 

as always click on the image to see them even better! and don't forget to comment below. 

Thank you tracy and tara for letting me photograph you two. there are so many great ones, and i can't wait to show you more. 

One of my favorite spots.

Red Wing, Minnesota.

If you've snooped around, you'll know that i'm originally from Minnesota. I grew up there, lived there til i was 22. After moving, i've grown even more appreciative of how beautiful it is. (in my opinion though, the snowy winter is not so tempting and i'm thankful to be away from that aspect.) I was searching through some photos from last September when i visited. I went up to one of my favorite spots in Red Wing. Thought of these pictures after a friend of mine, Danielle mentioned this place again to me. (i actually photographed her engagement photos!.. check them out here.) This spot is about 15 minutes from where i grew up, and is always a favorite place for a little adventure.

The Mississippi River, cross the bridge and you're in Wisconsin, and such a gorgeous view. What i love about this place is you can see the most of the city, and yet, you turn around walk and this is another view you'll get shortly.

It's always such a good adventure spot when i'm with Rachelle. If you haven't followed my posts long, you might have missed that Rachelle and her boyfriend recently visited me here in las vegas! what a great time to see her again! Rachelle let me photograph her and michael too! If you want to see those, click here! Super cute.

I constantly talk about Minnesota, and wanted to show just a glimpse into one of my favorite places. When i get to go back, i'll make sure to get photos of my other favorite places!

Not only is this a great place just for fun, but a beautiful area for photos, I've seen a few friends get some wedding photos up here too, so always consider a beautiful place like this!

Anyone have any guesses to another place i love to go? I'm thinking eventually i should have a giveaway, but one a little more fair... not based on my fave places.. so be ready for that! If there is a fun prize, does someone have one they'd like to see given away!?

Haeli-trash the dress!

Minnehaha Falls- GORGEOUS shoot! 

If you stalked me enough you would notice Haeli has commented on some other blog posts, and i must say she is a friend that keeps me constantly encouraged with photography, and I so appreciate her! she's absolutely amazing. Haeli and Jon got married almost two years ago now, and i had the honor of photographing their wedding. There's so much i want to say; first of all i met these two in college, and got to see some of the beginnings of their relationship. i believe the first cuddling time too watching batman at Andy's? i don't remember i fell asleep eating doritos, but that's not important. What's important is how these two are truly crazy about eachother and what's more, the center of their relationship is God. A couple who work daily on their relationship with eachother, and are growing strong together. 

Let me share a little about their wedding too! it was an amazing trip to Wisconsin, spending time with college friends, seeing Haeli and Jon's first home, and eating ice cream. so now, to THIS shoot. it was a time where everyone came together again. it wasn't just us three, it was Shelly, Mark, and Rachelle. Get to know these names people. they will be mentioned again. we also have a tradition. ever since the engagement photos, shelly (and now others) have creeped in their photos. so we didn't want to break traditions now! so much fun and excitement with these photos. Plus it means extra help with equipment.

we wanted to go somewhere fun and still not get the dress absolutely "trashed." so remember that brides and future brides, you don't have to ruin your dress for after wedding shoots either! Headed over to Minnehaha falls, for some gorgeous photos! She's always a perfect models, and even with goofballs all around her, she keeps a straight model face! so proud of her. 

check out this model of the chick! what i love most about these shots of Haeli, Shelly and Mark were creepily in the back.. thanks photoshop :) but if you want to see some of those.. let me know i'll post one! 

There were so many good ones from the shoot, but if YOU want to see more, and especially the photo bombing ones, let me know! what a great time we had. she was a trooper.. going in the cold water, and we all went into the "do not pass" section to get closer to the falls. we always have adventures and i love spending time with these two. hope to see you soon beautiful! 

any ideas for trash the dress shoots that you like? and did you see the other Trash the dress? Marie Antoinette styled. SO much fun. have a blessed day all! 

Peterson family- lucky man with three beautiful girls!

September in Minnesota Continued. 

let's be honest, anytime i get to go back home and photograph loved ones, it's so exciting! This family was so amazing to see because i grew up with Josh, went to preschool with him, watched him be an awesome athlete, and graduated with him! I played basketball with Laura when i was in 5th grade! Seeing this family grow is completely heart warming. and still, so crazy to me! Are we really old enough? aren't we still still in high school being just kids? :)

This couple has two beautiful girls and have given them a home and i really like being able to catch up with old friends while getting to shoot. (one of my favorite things i'd say!) 

I was staying at a friends house, and didn't even realize they lived about 5 houses away. so i walked up my camera equipment and was able to see their family be completely in their element. and so much love here... and trying to convince Lily to play some basketball. i'm sure she'll come around!

Josh and Laura. you have such a wonderful family in eachother and your girls. thank you for spending some time with me this past september. 

 click on photos to see more detail

Sweet mama and her girls. and let me tell you what, Laura is absolutely stunning.. check out the image of just her below! HOTT.

yup. the more i look at these, the more i love them! i'm so blessed to have photographed the Peterson family. and the girls have grown so much since september! 

Do you have fun ideas for family photos? or locations you like to shoot? I mentioned this in the last post, but check out the previous blog about upcoming specials and how you can get some free prints! WOOT!

Luke and Nicole- wedding!

One of the best ways is describe this day, was absolute love! watching how friends and family wanted to help and really do anything to be there for luke and nicole was one of my favorite parts of the day. it was great to sit back and watch how friends made it about Nicole, it was her day, and they would've done anything for her. 

I had the honor of shooting their wedding in Minnesota this past september, a girl i had grown up with; from kindergarten to graduation, and being around all of those girls again was wonderful! it's great to know, even when i moved away, i can still come back and feel just part of it all again. an amazing group of girls! (guys too!) 

There were a quite a few favorites of the day! and i mentioned one already, but another the way you could just tell how proud of eachother the couple was. and at the end of the night, a bridesmaid (michelle) pointed out to me that the two of them were just watching their reception from a hill away from the tent on the farm. and it was beautiful. they were just enjoying eachother, and all of the loved that came to celebrate them! (and their little guy Ayden too) It's so fun shooting a wedding where you've grown up with the bride, know her friends, family and so much about her! she was absolutely stunning on her day, and she felt it too :) 

Their reception took place on Nicole's family farm, and it was beautiful! the girls got ready there too and it made for a great atmosphere! and great dress shots! ;) 

 

this little cutie getting read to it Ayden, the couples' baby boy! he's getting so big now, but he did great on the big day! 

Below is Nicole and her mama Mary, she helped her get ready, and while putting on her necklace, the bridesmaids were in tears, not to mention and of course Mary was too! Nicole is the baby of the family, so of course emotion all around! 

the girls were so much fun! just so cute in front of the camera, though most of them knew how i worked, so it made it easy, but just SO cute. 
the guys.. well, they weren't too sure about me at first, but i think eventually i won em over! 

at the beginning of the post, i wrote about how nicole and luke stood on a little hill and watched over the reception and people that loved them, THIS is the view they had. an absolutely gorgeous night, perfect Minnesota evening. 

a little bit longer post to see the wedding day! 

are you recently engaged?! need any suggestions or help? i wouldn't mind giving some tips if needed. 

any posts you want to see on the blog? 

well, my best friend rachelle is in town, so off on the town we go! have a blessed day!