Married! // Raquel + Jared

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There is one iconic picture from Jared + Raquel's engagement session of these two dancing that I just adore. That same energy and spirit carried over into their wedding day, which was a true celebration. First of all, this couple can dance. Their families can dance. Their friends can dance. This crew can just get down - no matter if they were getting ready, riding on their trolley or actually on the dance floor, there was no shortage of celebrating on this day! On the flip side, there was also a lot of beautiful emotion.

Jared and Raquel chose to get married at the Basilica of St. Mary and it was just magical. The couple even opted to have the Basilica Choir sing, which I have never experienced and it was so beautiful! Everything about this wedding was gorgeous - from the couple to Raquel's custom dress (and romper!), their amazing cake and a reception which was inspired by Kate Spade - it was all perfect!

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Davin!

LOVEe 

 

VENDORS//

Wedding Planning: Rachelle of Style Architects Weddings

Ceremony Venue: Basilica of St. Mary

Reception Venue: A'bulae

Wedding Dress: Lazaro at Bella Bianca, Chicago

Tux: B. Spoke

Jeweler: Marshall Pierce 

Photography: Photogen Inc. 

Videography: Harvest Film Co. 

Cake + Desserts: Farina

Catering: Mintahoe

Floral: Sadie's Floral

Hair & Makeup: Nicole Fae

Invitations + Paper: Paper Rock Scissor

Hotel: Le Meridien Chambers

Linens + Decor: Linen Effects

DJ: Primetime DJ

Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids

Transportation: Renee’s Royal Valet & Rent My Party Bus

 

 

 

Married! // Jorge + Jill

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Jorge and I are friends, but we have also had the pleasure of collaborating on work together. He's a remarkable Chef (and a James Beard nominee, in fact!) that the Midwest is lucky to have. A couple of months ago, we were texting about a work thing and he replied, "I'm sorry - I'm going to have to get back to you. I think my future wife just walked into the room." A couple of weeks later I received another text asking if I could shoot their wedding in May! When I met Jill for the first time and saw Jorge with her, I knew they had something really special. Turns out, that whole love-at-first-sight-thing is real for these two! 

Photographing their wedding was really an honor. I talk about how powerful it is to witness a couple's love on their wedding day as a photographer, but the simplicity and realness that Jorge and Jill brought to their day was also incredibly refreshing. The time that was spent with their closest family and friends, along with the moments of their day were truly remarkable and it was so wonderful to be a part of!

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Guzmán! I am so very happy for you!

LOVEe

VENDORS//

Dress: BHLDN

Suit: Heimie's Haberdashery

Cocktail Hour: St. Genevieve

Dinner: Burch Steak

Cake: Zoë François

 

Published! // The Knot MN

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The Knot Minnesota Wedding Magazine Website

Whew! I blinked and it is almost March already! We've just begun wrapping up our New Years and beginning of 2018 weddings, so there is finally a moment to breathe! I've wanted to share this for so long and I think today is the perfect day!

We have a fantastic feature in The Knot MN from Samatha & Bryan's wedding at the Mayowood Stone Barn! Their wedding is one of my all-time-favorites and it was so great to see such a generous spread of images in print! If you're looking for a little real-wedding-inspiration, definitely take a peek at their blog post! It was perfection!

LOVEe

Mayowood Stone Barn Wedding Rochester, MN | Photos by Photogen Inc. | Eliesa Johnson | Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mayowood Stone Barn Wedding Rochester, MN | Photos by Photogen Inc. | Eliesa Johnson | Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Best Moments of 2017!

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2017 was an incredible year for weddings! I know I say this every year, but it is truly an honor to document the best days of our client's lives! Looking back to choose these images made me realize again that I am drawn to the moments of a wedding day. Whether they are candid or more posed, there is a feeling to a great photograph that you just can't explain, but you feel. It's that magic that makes a picture unforgettable - and that is why I photograph weddings. 

To all of the wonderful vendors we worked with this year and to our amazing couples -  thank you for choosing us. Thank you for trusting us to make your vision come to life and for letting us witness such amazing love!

LOVEe

Married! // Katie + Travis

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New Years Eve is a special time for Katie and Travis. It's the time of year when these two started dating and also the date they decided to become Husband and Wife. Katie and Travis are complete romantics who are each other's perfect match in life. They equally balance one another and push each other to be better people. Their energy, smiles and laughter are contagious and you just can't helped but be excited about life when you are around these two!

For their New Years Eve wedding, the couple were married in an intimate and unique wedding ceremony. The theme of their wedding revolved around dreaming - to always believe in yourself, the people around you and that truly anything is possible. Of course, Katie and Travis also have impeccable taste, so their wedding was nothing short of absolutely gorgeous. 

One of my favorite parts of the day was watching how happy and excited their families were. Both the bride and the groom's side had so much love and history and their stories and excitement over the marriage made the day so much more meaningful. 

It's been a pleasure to get to know Katie, Travis and their families. I can't wait to see where life takes these two and I am so damn happy for the new Mr. and Mrs. Block!

LOVEe

VENDORS//

Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Loring Social

First Look Location: Café Lurcat

Event Planning: See Jane Plan

Florals: Arts & Flowers

Catering: D'amico and Sons

Dessert Table: Gail's Cakes of Minneapolis

Stationary: Champagne Press

Dress: L'Atelier Couture Bridal

Rentals: Linen Effects

Photography: Photogen Inc. 

Videography: Ladd Films

Live Band: Twice on Sunday

Photo Booth: The Traveling Photo Booth

Hair: Jenica Lee and Ashley Richards

Makeup: Tina Beaupre

Officiant: Nielle Arnold

 

Married! // Erin + Mickey

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"You love me in a way that still makes me feel free" - these are some beautiful words that Erin and Mickey shared to one another on their wedding day and I absolutely love that description. I think this is the greatest way to describe any love, but specifically for Erin and Mickey. They are a couple who inspires everyone around them - and both come from families deeply rooted in strong and long relationships. Erin and Mickey's wedding day was one of my favorite weddings for many reasons, but I'll share a couple here:

Call it fate, call it serendipity or call it the universe putting these two in my life, but years ago, I ended up at a cabin in Wisconsin to celebrate Erin's birthday. It was a co-birthday, actually, and Erin and I had a lot of mutual friends. I didn't know Erin or Mickey particularly well at that time, but it was at this weekend cabin adventure that they decided to date. When they asked me to photograph their wedding, I felt honored and it was great to document their love story coming full circle. 

Erin and Mickey are a couple who has great style and taste. They are also a couple who is not afraid to take risks. While photographing their wedding, I noticed I felt permission to also take risks. I shot more using hard light, motion blur and even more out of focus images that I love. 

This wedding was so refreshing and wonderful, so without further adieu, lets congratulate the new Mr. and Mrs. Nelson! 

LOVEe

VENDORS//

Ceremony + Reception Location: Paikka

Invitation + Design: Colasacco Creative

Floral Design: Maven 

Dress: BHLDN

Catering + Cake: Vivo Kitchen

Photo Booth: Photo Booth Memories

DJ: Events by MV

 

Married! // Jessica + Jeff

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Jessica and Jeff met when they were young kids at camp, but it wasn't until years later that their romance grew into what is sure to be a life-long love. The couple planned a winter wedding that was deeply rooted in tradition, family and friends at the Adath Jeshurun Congregation and Oak Ridge Country Club! 

In Minnesota, you never know how the weather will be for a winter wedding, but on Jessica and Jeff's day, we had the most brilliant golden light that was simply gorgeous. One of my favorite moments from this wedding was after the ceremony, the couple was very moved by the emotion and depth to getting married. I can relate to that feeling, where you're planning for so long and all of a sudden you realize you are married - that is pretty incredible! As the night went on, the magic and celebration continued - Mozel Tov to the new Mr. and Mrs. Sklar!

LOVEe

VENDORS//

Ceremony Location: Adath Jeshurun Congregation 

Reception Location: Oak Ridge Country Club

Wedding Planning: Sarah Trotter of Lasting Impressions Weddings and Events

Floral and Design: Richfield Floral and Events

Bridal Gown: Annika Bridal Boutique

Cake: Buttercream

Live Band: Northstar by Elan Artists

Videographer: Ladd Films

 

Married! // Ryan + Jana

 

Ryan and I go way back. He's been a great friend of mine for years and is also an assistant photographer on our team, so he might look familiar to some of you! For as long as I have known Ryan, he has always said that there is only one woman he would ever marry - his best friend Jana. 

Until a few years ago, Jana lived in Texas and the two have literally been the best of friends their entire life. Life happened over the years - jobs, relationships, wonderful children and moves across the country - and all along these two stayed in touch. When it became known that Jana was single and moving back to Minnesota, I think everyone in each of their lives raised a little eyebrow and wondered if the two would try dating. 

As it turns out, the timing of life couldn't be more perfect and Ryan and Jana sparked an incredible romance. I couldn't be happier to photograph their wedding day - we've all been through a lot of life together and this was one big celebration to capture! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson!

LOVEe

Married! // Joanna + Jordan

 

Joanna and Jordan are a couple who make you believe in love. They truly adore one another and it's so sweet to watch them together. Another thing I admire about this couple is how they are truly their own and do what is right for them. The couple decided to have a private church ceremony with close family the evening before their big day and what was really cool is that on their planned wedding day, they recognized they were already married. The ceremony that took place at The Machine Shop was lovely - their parents gave speeches, Jordan and Joanna read their promises to one another and they lit a unity candle. It was a true celebration of their love and in such a relaxed and thoughtful way. 

There was a joke going around that Jordan and Joanna had the best First Day of Marriage ever and I couldn't agree more! It was such a special moment and we feel so lucky to have witnessed their love! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Stang!

LOVEe 

VENDORS//

Venue: Machine Shop

Event Planning: Beth at Kismet Weddings and Events

Catering: Deco Catering

Floral: Studio Emme

Tables: Rudy's Rentals

Band: Blue Water Kings

Lighting: PHOS

Linens: Linen Effects

 

Married! // Kellee + Tom

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I love Kellee and Tom's Knoxville wedding for so many reasons. First, I feel like photographing this wedding was very serendipitous for the couple and I. Tom and I met probably close to 10 years ago, while at a photo convention in Las Vegas. I volunteered a couple years in a row for a company that Tom worked for and we all had the best time - and geeked out a lot over old film cameras. It was at one of the trade shows in Vegas that Tom mentioned his girlfriend Kellee and that she was really something special. He also mentioned that if he ever got married in life, he would love me to photograph his wedding. (This is the biggest compliment I could ever receive!)

This brings me to the second part that I love about this wedding. All of these years later, I received an e-mail from Tom that he had proposed to Kellee and asked if I would be their wedding photographer. I was beyond thrilled, because I totally remembered how truly excited he was about her all of these years. 

The third reason I love Tom and Kellee's wedding was the fact that it was a true pleasure to get to know Kellee more and them as a couple. Their story really came full circle with a wedding in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is where the couple first met. It was a destination wedding for almost all of their guests and they had special, personalized moments along the way. Kellee's friend married the couple and their dog Maggie made appearances in literally almost every photo of the day. It was a gorgeous wedding and you could really feel the love that had grown between all of their family and friends over the years!

Tom and Kellee, thank you for inviting Liz and I down to photograph your wedding and for letting us shoot ALL those rolls of film! We're excited to see where life takes you two!

LOVEe

VENDORS//

Venue: Knoxville Botanical Garden & Arboretum

Wedding Planning & Design: Honeybee Events

Dress: Allure Couture

Hair & Makeup: Amanda Maddox Salon

Suit: Banana Republic

Flowers: Honeybee Events

Catering: Buddy's Bar-B-Q

Cake: Litton's Market, Restaurant & Bakery

DJ: Ogle Entertainment

 

Engaged! // Raquel + Jared

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For those of us who have been to Chicago, we know how magical that city is. Raquel and Jared met one night out on the town and literally the rest is history! She is a beautiful, sweet woman who definitely found the man of her dreams in Jared and I am so very excited for their wedding! 

Raquel grew up in Minnesota, so the couple is coming home to get married! We ventured downtown for a Mill City engagement session and it was the perfect day! Can we also talk about how fun Raquel's dress is? Swoon! 

Congratulations to Raquel and Jared on their engagement! 

LOVEe

The Machine Shop

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The Machine Shop is the newest - and hottest - wedding venue in Minneapolis. We had the pleasure of photographing a gorgeous wedding a few weeks ago and though we are keeping most of the images private, we did want to share some of the stunning details!

When it comes to planning a wedding, couples spend so much time and energy on designing the look of their day. They also place a lot of trust in their vendors to make their vision come to life. That is part of the reason we credit all of our vendors in each blog post - we know they have given their time and talent to create and amazing space for us to photograph and for the couples to experience the best day of their life!

This wedding was nothing short of stunning. Scroll down to see the vendors who created such brilliance!

LOVEe

Engaged! // Katie + Travis

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Katie and Travis have whatever it is. You know, that unexplainable thing that you see in couples and it is what we all strive for. It's a deep connection, a sense of respect, a great sense of humor and that little something special that brings it home. It's inspiring is what it is. I love the way that Katie and Travis talk about one another and spending time with them during their engagement session left me feeling all sorts of special to document this time in life for them.

So, without further adieu, here are some of my favorite moments from Katie and Travis's engagement session! I can't wait for the wedding!

LOVEe

Married! // Caroline + Will

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Caroline and Will were married this weekend in Minneapolis! Their ceremony took place surrounding Loring Park - with their ceremony at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and their reception continued at the new wedding venue, The Loring Social. Will and Caroline are such a thoughtful couple and always, always having fun. Throughout their wedding day, there was a theme that kept popping up and it was this: It's all of the small things in life that really matter. It's all of the small moments that are part of the bigger story of our lives. 

I love this. Will and Caroline met at a bar one random night in NYC. Will was simply had his hands full, bringing back drinks for his table, and Caroline offered to help. Call it fate, but it was a moment in life that could have seemed very small, but ended up being so much more. 

I've always been fascinated by how people come in and out of our lives. I feel this connection with many of my wedding clients, which makes photographing weddings that much more meaningful. 

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Geiger!

LOVEe

Married! // Sara + Jeff

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Where do I possibly begin this blog post? Sara Montour came into my life years ago and she quickly became one of my best friends. We have been through some LIFE together and who would think that within the same year and a half, we would both fall in love and decide to get married within two months? Not us - at all. But life has a funny way of bringing the perfect people in at the right time and I think that is true in both our friendship and when Sara met Jeff (aka. Hat). 

Jeff is the steadfast home to Sara's wanderlust heart. He is not afraid to jump in the car on a whim to travel and Sara agreed to get a Costco membership. (Hint: We all knew this was serious when Montour started going to Costco.) They started their family by bringing Wyatt, their giant Newfoundland puppy, into their life and all throughout the time they have been together, I have never seen Sara more happy than this! 

It's a special thing to be a part of weddings, but when your close-personal-friends get married, it is even more humbling and great to be a part of. Sara is an amazing photographer herself and it meant the world to me to photograph her wedding day! I also got to shoot alongside my other best gal, Liz for the first time and it was So. Much. Fun. 

Sara and Jeff had the perfect wedding for themselves. They got ready together at their home, while records played their favorite music. (By the way - Sara's dress was handmade by her wonderful sister / designer Kyra Deva). Next up was a quick stop in the forest for their photos and then we were off to get LewTour officially married. They invited all of their close family and friends to Bauhaus Brewery for a  quick ceremony - and then it was onto the games, beer, food and fun for everyone! Congratulations to Sara + Jeff - we are all SO very happy for you!

LOVEe

Engaged! // Joanna + Jordan

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Jordan and Joanna are a wonderful couple. Their happiness and positivity just make you smile and seeing the two of them just naturally puts you in a better mood. The couple met in college and have been having fun together ever since. We waited (literally) almost all winter to get the perfect snowy day for their engagement session and it was so worth the wait! We spent some time with their gorgeous Chocolate Lab, Ryder, and ventured into their neighborhood of the North Loop! 

Congratulations to Jordan and Joanna on their engagement! I am so excited for you two and can't wait for your wedding this fall!

 

LOVEe

Married! // Tia & Cory

 

I first met Cory years ago at a networking event - and anyone who knows Cory knows that he is ALL about networking. Cory is a guy who does it all. He is always on a bike ride, kicking ass at work, running a race or picking up a hockey game. I think all of his friends had the thought at one time or another - who is going to ever keep up with him? The moment I met Tia, I knew she was someone special...dare I say THE special girl? She definitely is. She is the perfect match for Cory and it has been so cool to see their relationship grow. When they asked me to photograph their wedding, my answer was immediately yes! 

In true Cory and Tia fashion, their wedding took place in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado, so we could all go on vacation and have the opportunity to do something extreme and sporty. They also decided to get married on Cory's birthday. When I heard the plan, I again thought to myself - this is perfect for them. Tia is originally from Colorado and Cory's father has taken him skiing in Breckenridge since he was 6, so the mountains and a winter wedding were the perfect fit. (Do you see a trend - everything is a perfect fit!)

I was honored to photograph this wedding. The day started out with a small, private ceremony in a historic church. The couple then went on to have a second ceremony at The Lodge, overlooking the mountains with all of their family and friends. It was an unforgettable weekend and I couldn't be happier for the new Mr. and Mrs. Vandenberghe!

LOVEe