sarah & matt - september 29, 2007

sarah and matt were married at trinity lutheran church in owatonna, mn. sarah was a bridesmaid in crystal and jeff's wedding last september, so i was looking forward to seeing them again. sarah and matt are such a sweet, laid back couple with a fun sense of humor and it was a joy and honor to be a part of their day. when we got to the church that morning, it was raining cats and dogs, but they were unphased. that is just a testament to the kind of people they are. they were just excited to be married and have a good time.

some favorites of sarah & matt:

the stunning bride:

and the handsome groom:



i love sarah's shoes, which were a cool gold color:


the ringbearer whizzing by on his heelys:

their first glimpse and a moment alone:


down the aisle:

not only did she serve matron of honor duties, but she also sang a beautiful solo during the ceremony:

hugs all around:


just before the ceremony began, the rain stopped and the weather for the rest of sarah and matt's day was absolutely perfect. here they are leaving the church:

sarah's dad enjoying the bubbles:

we stopped to get some pictures with the spectacular fall colors between the ceremony and reception. it was such a gorgeous setting, i had a hard time narrowing it down to just a couple for the blog:


the groomsmen. this was their idea. i promise : )


a better view:

the bridesmaids:


this one had a little aid from the wind:


by popular demand, the wedding party:



sarah's parents watching their first dance:

gettin' down to ymca:

congratulations and best wishes, sarah and matt. and here's the one last favorite:

amanda & eric - september 22, 2007

riverview greens golf course in stewartville, minnesota was the setting for amanda & eric's picture perfect wedding day. from my perspective, it was a photographer's dream. not just because it was warm and sunny and at beautiful location. also because they are such a cute couple and were surrounded by their loved ones and their (really) fun friends. it was a day full of genuine emotions with lots of happy tears and belly laughs. i am so happy that i got to capture all of those emotions and moments for amanda & eric.

some favorite creative informal portraits of the amanda & eric:




the bridesmaids:

and the groomsmen:

of course there needs to be a shoe picture:
oh, and rings, too:

the girls helping amanda with the finishing touches of her dress:

they decided to see each other for the first time at a perfect spot on a bridge over the river. here is amanda going to meet her groom:

their first glimpse:

the flower girl and her rose petals:


the ceremony. i like how the sun was at the perfect angle to shine right on them:


the vows were so sweet and touching, and a bit emotional:



introducing husband and wife. their recessional song was aqualung's "brighter than sunshine", a personal favorite of mine:

during the cocktail hour, we took some time to get some fun pictures. here's the wedding party:

the guys goofing around with the bridesmaids' pashminas:

the girls doing their best monkees' walk:

american bridal gothic:


some kids passing by let amanda take a ride on their scooter:



catching the late afternoon sun at riverview:


yes, the cake was that good:

their first dance:

the father-daughter dance:

there were some killer moves out on the dance floor:

thank you so much for letting me be part of your special day. i loved every minute.
here's one last favorite:

cherisse & luke - september 15, 2007

cherisse and luke were married at christ the king catholic church in medford, mn. i met them in 2006 when i shot her cousin jessie's wedding. cherisse also worked at timmer's floral, where i have helped out taking orders for valentine's day. i had been looking forward to cherisse and luke's wedding all year for quite a few reasons. one was that i could get to see some familiar people and a group who knows how to have fun. another is that cherisse is an interior designer and is so creative. she has an amazing sense of style and from our first meeting when she talked about what she wanted for their wedding, i knew it was going to be beautiful.

let's start out with some fun pix of the couple:



shoes!


cherisse's dress was stunning. it reminded me of a cross between grecian goddess and classic hollywood glamour:


the gals at timmer's floral did some amazing arrangements. the combinations of greens were stunning:

cherisse getting ready:

the guys:

and the gals:

cherisse, looking gorgeous:


and luke, who was a natural in front of the camera:

i love this shot of the flowergirls scurrying into the church:

cherisse and her dad's silhouettes just before they walk down the aisle:

the vows:

luke giving the 'thumbs up' during the ceremony:


after the receiving line, cherisse & luke had a dove release, which lent itself to some great reaction shots:


and the takeoff:

during the cocktail hour, we snuck out to an alleyway by the elk's in owatonna and got some great shots:


here are the aforementioned jessie with her husband andy along with their beautiful daughter nora:

i love the cake topper:

cherisse's dad giving a toast:

cherisse & luke's first dance:

congratulations, cherisse and luke! here's one last favorite of the happy couple: