Kaego and Will Kauai Elopement

The sweetest couple, that we didn’t expect to bump into. There’s something about beaches and Hawaii that makes people just… want to get married :) Their plan was to elope, just the two of them. I happened to be on the beach, as Kaego and Will almost walked past me.

I stopped them, and (a little nervously) asked if I could take a couple photos for them. Kaego informed me her and Will were about to elope, and had no photographer, so they’d love for me to capture a few photos. Though I didn’t photograph their actual elopement, I captured just before, as the lovely couple made their way from the beach to the cliffs.

You guys… this took EIGHT minutes. I got them 50+ images right before they got married, and feel so, so blessed I was able to document their wedding day.

Just know, if you are thinking of a travel elopement style wedding, it is TOTALLY worth it. I may not be there on the beach, randomly asking to take your photos;) But, I would be more than happy to be a part of your process, helping you tie the final details together, and most importantly, capture it for lasting memories of your sweet commitment to one another.

The more I witness sweet moments like this, the more I see the beauty in marriage. I gotta be honest, marriage scares me a little bit. But when I see you all, so in love, It just gives me excitement and hope. And I am honored I get to capture these life phases for all of you. I love my job and I love love.

I also love sleep, and it’s 1 AM officially. Yikes. Goodnight, friends!!!

Gray Family Giveaway

As a photographer, one of our jobs is to engage with clients in a fun way, one that shows we care and love our jobs. I try in each of the seasons of Minnesota, to do a giveaway. Sometimes it’s a photoshoot for couples, and other times it’s been for families. Giving away a family or couples session has led me to meeting plenty of amazing people. Like the Gray’s :)

This photoshoot was done at a tree farm in Loretto, Minnesota (about 10 minutes from St. Michael, MN!) I have to say, this truly is one of my favorite family sessions to date. The weather one might think was totally blah. But Minnesota weather is everywhere, and if you live here, you get that! As a photographer, you make the best of any situation. We did, and it turned out amazing.

If you ever have a family session done by me, you’ll see that my photoshoot style consists of only a few poses, but mostly candid moments and prompts that ease everyone’s nerves! Especially with kids, my favorite way to capture them is in the little candid moments. I even appreciate the photos of absolute screaming, because well, that’s real life. Those raw moments when looking back, will feel so nostalgic. Posed shots just don’t feel the same.

SO, enjoy these photos of this sweet family at a tree farm, on a cold windy day in Minnesota 🎄❄️💕

Joe & Summer

Another beautiful Minnesota Barn Wedding in the books! I met the bride, Summer, at SCSU when I was studying to be an Elementary Education Teacher (switched majors, but I have my sub license for fun! Anyways…) and had no idea that one day I’d be photographing her beautiful wedding! It’s crazy how life works.

Fast forward 4-5 years, and here we are. Her big day. To start, me and the wedding videographer headed to Maple Lake, Minnesota, where we walked in to a house of kids laughing and running around, babies everywhere, toys scattered and just looked at each other with big smiles and said “this is awesome” 😍 It was such a sweet family feel, and babies are my love language sooo…. It went AMAZING. After that, we headed to the barn in Annandale, MN where the had the ceremony and reception. After the ceremony, they had a hayride for the bridal party that went… well entertaining for sure 🤣 The rest of the night included all the wedding fun—awesome toasts from her big sister, dancing, cake, cupcakes, more cute babies and lots of family reuniting.

I used to think weddings weren’t going to be my thing, but they’re kind of growin’ on me :)