Jaime and Michael had a unique wedding day. However, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Jaime and Michael is not the details of their wedding, but the details of their relationship that made their love for each other so special. It was just so obvious how focused the two were on one another. The entire day all Michael could think about was Jaime. There have been few grooms who asked me, “When can I see her?” as many times as he did leading up to their first look. Making it the best and the worst moment of the day for him. The worst because he had to wait any amount of time for it to occur, and the best because when the moment finally came, the satisfaction of seeing his beautiful bride-to-be was so sweet. From that moment on, it was clear that Jaime would be the highlight of Michael’s day, and the highlight of his life.

Following the outdoor ceremony on the steps of the Gale Mansion is when their wedding day became less of a typical fairytale story and more of their personal version of happily ever after. Before the couple could have their first dance, Jaime was hit with heatstroke. Without hesitation Michael ditched the reception and joined her on the couch of the Gale Mansion. I remained at the reception to capture the guests still celebrating the marriage of the now bedridden newlyweds. Before I left, I went to speak with Jaime and Michael one more time. I knew that because they were with each other, they were still enjoying their wedding day as much as they would have had Jaime been able to dance amongst her family and friends. But I did not want the night or their photo experience to end in this way. I didn’t feel right, and they agreed with me.

A couple weeks later, the couple put their wedding attire back on and we headed to an empty ballroom at the Hilton Minneapolis in downtown. There we shot their “alternate ending,” of the couple having their first dance, just the two of them. Congratulations Jaime and Michael. Your wedding day and your love is one that I won’t soon forget.

Ceremony and Reception Venue – Gale Mansion –  Minneapolis, MN
Hair Stylist – Evolution Experience Hair Culture – Minneapolis, MN
Makeup Artist – Creative Beaute Agency – Minnetonka, MN
Florist – Floral’s by Claire – Eagen, MN
Dress Shop – Brides of France Consignment – Edina, MN
Tuxedos – Savvi Formalwear
Party Bus Company – Eclipse Global Transportation   – Minneapolis, MN
DJ – Instant Request DJ Entertainment – Bloomington, MN
Stationer – Minted
Jeweler – Wedding Day
Bridesmaids Dresses – Bill Levkoff  

Brian beaming at Allie as they share a moment together on their wedding day.

Over the years I have had the pleasure of getting to know the Stillman family quite well. I worked with Allie’s sister, Lauren, to shoot her wedding and family portraits in Hawaii in addition to shooting their mother’s wedding, also located in breathtaking Hawaii. I’m honored to have gotten so close to the Stillman family, a family that is such a joy to be around. This past August, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with the Stillman family once again to shoot Allie and Brian’s special day and create their wedding video.

Allie and Brian had an intimate ceremony at the Loring Pasta Bar followed by a large reception at the McNamara Alumni Center. While working with Allie and Brian I could just tell that they are a perfect match for one another. Both of them are extremely grounded and know exactly who they are, and that they work incredibly well together. They could hardly wait to tie the knot and start their lives together. In fact, starting a family is next on their list!

This Jewish wedding was such a blast to shoot, and McNamara was the perfect reception venue for photos. The venue is surrounded by spectacular outdoor photo opportunities that created a beautiful backdrop to capture Allie and Brian’s special love. With natural light filling the inside of the venue, I was able to capture incredible photos of the endless laughter and dancing that filled the night. One of my favorite parts of the night was when Allie and Brian went out onto the dance floor with the horse head props from the photo station we had set up. Getting up to the upper levels of the Center to shoot photos is one of my favorite things, and using a tilt shift lens I was able to get incredible photos that I have never seen done there before.

When we took the couple outside for their closing sequence of the wedding video, I captured the most amazing lightning strike in the background when they kissed, further proof that this couple’s love is electric. Mazel Tov, Allie and Brian! I can’t wait to see where your life together takes you.

Wedding Coordinator – Magical Memories
Ceremony Venue and Ceremony Caterer – Loring Pasta Bar – Minneapolis, MN
Reception Venue – MacNamara Alumni Center – Minneapolis, MN
Videographer – Brovado Weddings – Minneapolis, MN
Reception Caterer and Cake – D’Amico and Sons – Minneapolis, MN
Florist and Decorator – Richfield Flowers and Events – Richfield, MN
Dress Shop – Brides of France Consignment – Edina, MN
Dress Designer – La Sposa
Menswear – JoS. A. Bank Clothiers
Band – Bluewater Kings Band
Stationer – Forever Fiances
Jeweler – Continental Diamond
Shoes – Nike 
Music – Lake String Quartet
Accommodations – The Commons Hotel – Minneapolis, MN

 

Mary and Jake’s wedding was in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. As for most out of state weddings, I flew in the night before and photographed their rehearsal dinner. This I love because I am able to spend time with the couple and their family before the big day. I had a ton of fun getting to know their family and more about Mary and Jake. I learned that the gorgeous couple had first met at a Comic-Con convention. It all made sense once I saw their character-inspired cake toppers.

Mary and Jake have a unique and beautiful story, and their wedding was the same. They established a perfect balance between classic elegance and their own personalities, and weaved this aesthetic throughout the entire day. For example, the comic-style cake toppers amongst a room of lux crystal décor, the bright pink converse worn by all the beautiful bridesmaids, and Mary’s flower headband, which perfectly accented her flowing gown. The design and style of their wedding was so representative of who they were, I had to make sure their wedding pictures were as well. We made sure to never let it get too serious as we were taking photos at the Iowa State Capitol building. The time was filled with silliness, laughter, and honest smiles. The pictures turned out amazing.

There was one specific moment that really set Mary and Jake apart from any other couple I had shot before. At their reception, there was a net full of pink and blue balloons hanging above the hardwood dance floor. As the couple began their first dance the net was released and balloons softly floated and bounced around them. I had never seen anything like it before. The release created awesome pictures and set the tone for an exciting night full of dancing, and a little bit of balloon popping.

Mary and Jake’s wedding was a joy to attend because it was so “them.”

Ceremony venue — Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Church — Ankeny, IA
Reception venue — Embassy Suites — Des Moines, IA
Videographer — Harding Videography
Officiant — Father Steve Orr
Hair stylist — Salon W — Des Moines, IA
Makeup artist — Salon W
Cake designer — Glorious Desserts — Des Moines, IA
Decorator — Bella Flora — Urbandale, IA
Florist — Bella Flora
Dress shop — Schaffers — West Des Moines, IA
Tuxedos — Schaffers
Limo service — NPI Limo — Des Moines, IA
Music — Steve’s Mobile Music — Ames, IA
Jeweler — Jewelry by Johan (groom’s wedding ring) — Oakdale, MN
Jeweler — Jared (bride’s engagement ring)
Jeweler — Hellzburg (bride’s wedding ring)