I am over-the-moon excited to share these photos with you!! I can’t even talk about it. Mainly because once I started I could just go on and on…. Just look! :-)

Eric + Allison’s wedding was nothing short of sweet and lovely. From the first look on the grand staircase to the impromptu dance at the end of the evening, they had my heart smiling! 

I loooove these next two images – the one on the left, because I got the sweetest hug from the flower girl on the left, and the photo on the right because I asked the wedding party to ‘act casual,’ which led to Eric’s brother with his fists up. Apparently his ‘casual’ look is the same as his ‘ready for a fight’ look? Thanks, Mark, for being so entertaining. :-)

While everyone was arriving, I stole Eric + Allison for one more photo in front of this lovely window upstairs at the Lead Opera House.

Mr and Mrs!!!!

Allison grew up admiring her mother’s teapot collection – so she asked to use them as reception decor! The books are for Eric + Allison’s love of reading, and were also take-home gifts for guests.

Walking in to the reception smelled WONDERFUL thanks to Mike’s Grill & Catering. They roasted a whole hog, and the children were either mesmerized or thoroughly creeped out – it was hard to tell. :-)

Shout-out to The River Liffey Boys for providing the excellent background music during the reception!

They didn’t have an official dance, but when one song was requested specifically for the couple, I whispered to Allison – I think you should dance. I’m so glad they did. :-)

Eric + Allison – thanks for having me as a part of your day! I am so happy for you, and I wish you all the best in your lives together!

September was overflowing with weddings and well wishes after our big announcement last month. In between photographing and editing, I had a few moments here and there to snuggle a baby, celebrate an anniversary, stare at ultrasound photos, and tend to my propagated succulents –  it’s these little moments I love to savor and share with you each month!

1. My best friend had her baby!!! He spent some time in the NICU, but is safely home now and is continuing to grow stronger by the day!  I have a list of people I should probably contact when I travel to Sioux Falls, but spending an entire afternoon holding a sleepy newborn and sipping half-caf pumpkin spice lattes with my bff was all I wanted to do on one of my few ‘free’ days this month. It was *so* worth it!!! :-)

2. Just a few days later, my husband and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary! We both had to work, but we were able to spend the morning together and celebrate by making french toast and eggs for lunch. I’m so thankful for the little ways he makes me smile – leaving me notes, fueling up the car and returning with flowers, and the happy look he gets when he feels our baby kick. We don’t need a whole day to celebrate our anniversary – we spend a little bit of every day letting each other know how much we love each other. :-)

3. A couple days after our anniversary, we had our anatomy scan ultrasound and were able to see every little part of our baby – both hands, both feet, all four chambers of the heart – all of it so miniature and healthy. When the ultrasound tech switched the machine to 3D to take a peek at baby’s face – all we saw were arms and feet! This profile photo shows what I think is baby’s leg all the way up, with toes touching the head. No wonder I feel movement so frequently – our baby is doing gymnastics!!

4. All month long I’ve been watering and watching my propagated succulents. Apparently I’m great at growing things now… baby – check! new plants – check! On the left is a ‘leaf’ I plucked a week ago, on the right is one I plucked a month and a half ago. Since we don’t get to see our baby again until ‘the big arrival,’ it’s fun to watch the daily growth of these baby plants. :-)

You’re gonna fall in love with these two – I guarantee it! They’re fun, goofy, and over-the-moon in love and excited to be husband and wife!!! Have I mentioned that’s my favorite kind of couple to photograph? Because it is. :-)

p.s. Shoutout to Confetti Creative Co. for providing this *gorgeous* lettering on their invites!! It’s quite possibly my favorite backdrop for ring photos!!

First look kisses and loving gazes. :-)

I was setting up a pose after their first look, and Samantha said “oh my gosh, your ring!!!” Is it just me, or is that one of the most exciting moments for a bride on her wedding day? To see her *husband* wearing a wedding ring? I think it’s pretty special, but I may be biased, because that was one of my favorite moments from my own wedding. :-) I also love a bride in a lace dress with a round cut halo-style ring – Samantha and I are basically twins. But she’s way cooler. :-)

FAVORITE!!!!!!

Don’t you just want to be best friends with this group? I think they’re pretty great, but again, I’m biased because I got to spend half the day with them! :-)

Just a few post-ceremony photos…

…because we just HAD to cross the stream for those fall colors!!!! Worth. It.

Nick + Samantha didn’t have a ‘dance’ but they did have one of the dancingest flower girls I’ve ever seen! She can twirl a skirt like nobody’s business!

Nick + Samantha, THANK YOU for being the most kind, fun, silly, in-love couple on the planet. I feel like you should give a workshop to engaged couples on how to relax and have fun on a wedding day, because you nailed it. Thanks for having me – I wish we could do it all over again!!

Also, thanks for the Blue Steel – you guys seriously rock my world.

Remember Jeff + Lindsay and their magical wintery engagement session? Turns out they are just as sweet and lovable in the fall as they are in the snow – go figure! ;-)

This happened during their first look – I love it so much!!

I could have shared a LOT more of their portraits (I loved so many of them) but I have to save some of the excitement for their gallery! Also, I had to make room to share a few of their beautiful details…

I love, love, LOVE this moment!!! Lindsay’s sister watching her brother (the officiant) and Jeff’s reactions as Lindsay and her dad walk down the aisle.

Another couple of favorites… Jeff + Lindsay – I hope you never stop looking at each other this way!

Side note: check out that awesome setup!! Pinterest, you should be jealous.

A few more portraits after the ceremony, including one more forehead kiss – because they’re just the sweetest. :-)

I love a good cake, but nothing beats homemade treats like these!!! I’ll be honest with you – I passed by this table many times that evening. Those chocolates on the top tier were filled with peanut butter, so what’s a girl to do?!

I’d love to see the photos that Jeff + Lindsay’s flower girl captured! Partly because I think the lens was facing her a couple of times, and partly because she’s copying one of my shooting poses and I wouldn’t mind comparing our shots. Maybe I need to be getting even lower?

Jeff + Lindsay – I hope you had a wonderful evening and weekend in the Hills! Your day (and your love) was absolutely beautiful, I’m so glad I could capture it for you! :-)