Seriously. There has GOT to be something in the water in Rosholt!! I just can’t get over how GORGEOUS all these girls I’ve photographed are!! Kelsey and I had to get real creative with hiding from the RIDICULOUS wind yesterday. I won’t be back to Rosholt until September, so we had no other choice but to embrace the windblown look! :-)

Kelsey also re-kindled my affection for pop-tarts. I haven’t had any in a couple years, and she introduced me to the blueberry muffin kind. I’m hooked. Did someone say perfect mid-session snack?? :-)

Oh, and p.s., Kelsey ROCKED the serious look!!!! I’m so proud of her. :-)

Dear Kelsey, I love you for laying down in your dress. On the beach. You rock. Love, Laura.

Another RHS senior of 2011!! Sarah came over for her portraits and I was impressed at how easy she was to pose! I kept saying “Sarah, you’re such a natural at this!” And then she told me that she watches ‘America’s Next Top Model.’ :-)

I couldn’t decide which of the next two I liked better. So you get to see both!! :-)

I have known Jill ever since she was born. I have known Aaron since Friday.

He makes her smile. He makes her laugh. He gazes at her adoringly when she’s not looking.

Together, they are genuinely happy. I couldn’t be more proud for my cousin Jill to have such a great husband!

Jill’s sisters laugh a lot. I love them for that! :-) I believe Jess (left) was telling a story about how the alarm clock in their room was so old that they couldn’t even figure out how to set the alarm on it. I know, it doesn’t sound that funny now, but my cousins have a great gift of story-telling! You should subscribe to our family newsletter.

Is it just me, or do first look moments give you warm, fuzzy feelings? :-)

The wedding party loves being on the steps of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo! And the fact that Aaron and Jill are getting married! :-)

Why, yes, those ARE orchids you see scattered in her bouquet!! LOVE it!

This is that loving gaze I was talking about earlier… and them laughing at Fr. James’s homily. :-)

p.s. Did I mention that our uncle is a priest? Aaron + Jill’s wedding was full of family talent!

Mom. Hugs. Are. The. BEST!! Am I right, or am I right? :-)

They also had the best cake EVER!! Mint chocolate. I had two pieces.

Aaron and Jill were given this awesome bean bag/corn hole set for their wedding:

And they even made some time before the reception to toss a few:

I have three favorite parts to every wedding: the first look, the actual getting married part, and the first dance. Me? A sappy romantic? No way!

As for this next photo, don’t ask me why I can’t get three people to be in focus at the same time. I blame my camera. :-)

Aaron + Jillian – I hope you take this next weekend to spend as much time together as you can and pretend it’s a ‘mini honeymoon!’  Jill, I wish you didn’t have to go back to school this week, but I’m so excited for you and Aaron to finally be married! Congrats to you both! I promise to call every time I come to Fargo from now on! :-)

This is actually a double-feature sneak peek!! How exciting, right?! Not only am I going to show you a couple photos of Aaron + Jillian, but also some of my family!!

Jill is my cousin. Not many of us are at the ‘marriage’ stage in our lives right now and weddings seem to be few and far between for the time being. So it only makes sense that most of my mom’s HUGE family (she has 13 brothers and sisters) would get together at Aaron + Jillian’s Fargo wedding!

Mom and I counted. In this photo, there are 46 relatives (47 if you count my sister-in-law’s baby bump). These are my aunts, uncles, cousins, and their families. This is only a little over half of everyone. This is why I’m not intimidated when my clients tell me they have ‘huge families,’ thinking twenty people is ‘huge.’ :-)

And these are the ‘three musketeers.’ Lindsy, Jill and I are very close to the same age. Our family had to choose wisely as to whose first communion, confirmation and high school graduation they would attend because no one could ever see all three of us at any one occasion. So every other time there was a family function, we would all three take a photo together. And here’s the latest for our collection!!

And now for the ones you’ve all been waiting for…… :-)

Aren’t they ADORABLE?! I love doing weddings, but it’s so much fun when it’s my COUSIN getting married!!

More photos to come later this week!

He had the ring in his pocked for three days. In Vegas. Waiting for the perfect moment.

They took a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon. Landed on the floor of the canyon. Perfect moment presented itself.

Win for Ryan.

:-)

Krystal is a big fan of my blog… she totally knew where I was going with this one when I told them to stand next to each other. :-)

I like to call this next one “how you doin?'”

I did everything I could to persuade Krystal to leave her shoes with me. But then she told me she might wear them at the wedding, and I didn’t want her to go barefoot because of me. So maybe at the wedding dance if she slips into something more comfortable…… ;-)

Ryan + Krystal – it was so great to finally get to meet you!! I had so much fun taking photos of you… and your shoes… I can’t wait for your wedding this fall!!