Hello!!! Welcome to my first 2014 edition of ‘Laura loves” – where I share with you what I’ve been enjoying for the past month. It’s been a cold and quiet month, but enjoyable none the less. :-)

1. Merry Christmas!! My husband and I spent Christmas with his family and the tradition there is to take family photos before Christmas Eve mass. Here we are all dressed up – don’t we clean up nicely? :-)

2. BREAD!! We received a bread machine for our wedding, and I’ve been intimidated by it ever since (a whole 16 months). With the help of my dad (who *always* has a homemade loaf on hand) and a recipe from Pinterest that didn’t require powdered milk – I made my first loaf and I have been hooked ever since! I have learned, however, that I must make bread in the evening. If I make it too early in the day, it tends to be all I eat. I heart carbs!!

3. Office vignettes – During wedding season, I’m too busy staring at my computer to make my office look nice (ahem.. keep it clean…). Since one of my new years’ resolutions is to keep a tidy(er) house, I decided to cover all of my business books in kraft paper. I haven’t read them in years, but I don’t want to get rid of them in case someday I feel like re-reading them (I might be a mild hoarder), and now they look *so* much prettier!

4. Black Hills Bride Magazine – Lucas + Lindsey’s wedding was featured and Andrew + Meghan‘s lovely faces appear on my ad! For those of you planning your Black Hills wedding, make sure to pick this up as it has *lots* of tips and vendor lists for you to help plan your wedding. :-)

5. Black Hills Woman Magazine – I had the pleasure of photographing and getting to know President Heather Wilson and Leona Zastrow – both featured as ‘Fabulous Women’ in the Jan/Feb issue. This magazine can be found all around the Black Hills, or you can click here to receive a digital copy and read about all the women featured in this issue!

Weddings are full of wonderful moments. From the unexpected mishaps to the slow-dance snuggles at the end of the evening. Looking back at the weddings I photographed this past year, I can’t help but feel blessed to have gotten to know all of these couples and provided such pure and honest documentation of the ‘first day of the rest of their lives.’

This is the collection of my most treasured wedding images from 2013 – these are the images that I strive to capture for every couple.

The timeless portraits of a husband and wife who are deeply in love. Images of a bride glowing on her wedding day. The first time a groom sees his bride. Fathers giving their daughter’s hand in marriage. Stolen glances during the wedding ceremony and the excitement of being pronounced husband and wife.

I hope you enjoy!!

What I love most about engagement sessions is the love… the snuggles, the smiles, the short yet exciting part of a couple’s lives before they become husband and wife. Here are my favorites from 2013 – enjoy!

To all my brides and grooms of 2013 – thanks for having fun on your wedding day, and enjoying all those unplanned moments.

Most of what I show on my blog are my favorite, most beautiful photos from my couples’ wedding days. But today, I’d like to take some time and showcase the less-than-beautiful but more-than-entertaining moments that happen on a wedding day. The memories you never planned for. The hilarious mis-haps that you never would have expected. :-)

For starters – once your hair and make up are all ready to go, it is a little un-nerving to have your bridesmaids stick your wedding dress on over your head.

Sometimes getting tied into a dress is also intense.

Sometimes moms feel the urge to document how lovely their daughter is all dressed up in her wedding gown.

Because really… isn’t she lovely?? :-)

In this photo, the groom requested a shot of the custom tie tacks he had had made for his groomsmen – I figured I would have to crop the image later, so I told them they didn’t have to smile for this one. Apparently this is just a smiley group… for the most part. :-)

Speaking of photo requests, during formal bridal party portraits, I usually do one of each attendant with the bride/groom and more often than not, we *must* do a fun one. And I love it every time. :-)

Seriously guys, go crazy. :-)

Sometimes grooms would rather be goofy and do their own thing, and this makes me happy since I have my very own goofy groom. :-)

Sometimes silly comments catch grandparents off guard. Haha!!

Sometimes the wedding party would rather just dance.

Sometimes the officiant will mis-pronounce a name during your ceremony. Whoops!

Sometimes the balloons filling up your getaway car should not be read out loud… :-)

Sometimes you just gotta photobomb.

Amiright or what? :-)

Wedding receptions can be a great time to play “Minute to Win It” games – and you can’t mess around by wearing heels…

Sometimes, grandma’s got moves like Jagger. Or one of Charlie’s Angels… either way all these ladies rocked the dance floor. :-D

And lastly, what fun is a wedding if there aren’t children to provide some unexpected entertainment?! Like not wanting to participate in photos?

Sometimes kids get tired during the ceremony and need to sit down for a while…

…or they have too much energy bottled up that the only cure is to run around and be chased by mom.

Finally, what kid comes to a wedding and doesn’t want a piece of cake? This guy clearly couldn’t wait. :-)

So to sum it all up – please, by all means, plan your perfect wedding. But also plan to be surprised. Have fun and celebrate whatever happens on your big day, because more often than not, the unexpected moments are the ones you’ll cherish the most.

The 2014 issue of Black Hills Bride is out and I am so excited to share a little sneak peek of what’s inside!!

Lucas + Lindsey’s wedding was selected as one of the featured weddings this year (p75) along with a handful of other lovely Black Hills weddings.

For those of you planning your wedding in Rapid City, Custer, Spearfish, or anywhere within the Black Hills of South Dakota, make sure to pick up this magazine for all kinds of planning ideas, as well as a list of some of the best wedding vendors in this area. :-)