Hi there! It’s been pretty quiet around here without having any sessions – my next wedding isn’t until the 19th!!! I thought I’d break the silence that is my blog and show you a photo I took few weeks ago at Mount Rushmore!! Lance took me there for breakfast the Sunday before I left for those two weeks doing weddings and engagement sessions east river. What fun is living in the Black Hills if you can’t be a tourist every once in a while?! :-)

You might remember from Brian + Barb’s engagement session post that Brian and Lance grew up together. I have known Brian ever since Lance and I started dating a few years ago. I loved hearing stories of how excited Brian was dating Barb. Lucky me, not only was I their wedding photographer but I also got to meet all their family and half the town of Emery, dance the night away and go home with one of the groomsmen! ;-)

Barb’s mom is such a talented woman!! She made all the girls’ necklaces and purses and also helped get Barb ready for the day:

Everything about Barb was simply gorgeous:

Flowers courtesy of Gustaf’s Greenery in Sioux Falls:

First look!! I just love how Barb is glowing!!

And Barb said there was ‘absolutely nothing’ by the church for photos. :-)

Brian + Barb had an awesome and unique unity candle ceremony – their godparents lit candles from the Easter candle, then they lit the matron of honor and the best man’s candles and everyone else’s candle was lit throughout the church to the back where their mothers were waiting. Their mothers then brought their candles up, lit Brian + Barb’s candles and in turn they lit their unity candle – with all of their guests having a special part of it! :-)

Mr. and Mrs. Olinger!!!

Their wedding reception was at the Museum of Visual Materials in Downtown, Sioux Falls:

Brian + Barb – Thanks so much for inviting Lance and I to be such special parts of your wedding day!! Safe travels to your honeymoon tomorrow!! I promise the rest of your images will be ready by the time you get back! :-)

I know I’ve said this before, but I am downright spoiled as a wedding photographer!! My couples are the most in-love, romantic, easy-to-photograph people I know! Dave + Kendra’s wedding was beautiful – so simple, so romantic, so fun, so them!

My favorite part of their wedding day was when they saw each other before the ceremony. I have never seen hugs and kisses and smiles so big! After their first look, they exchanged letters that they had hand-written for each other. I cried. I couldn’t help it! Their body language and the looks on their faces was SO romantic – like straight out of a sappy movie romantic! I just wanted to sit down next to them and give them the biggest hug ever!

My other favorite part about Dave + Kendra’s wedding was their sense of humor. Not only were they comfortable in front of the camera, they were comfortable goofing off in front of the camera!! You know it’s going to be a good wedding for me when the bride wakes up early, can’t fall back asleep and watches The Office to kill time. And in case you’re wondering… yes, there were plenty of ‘that’s what she said’ moments throughout the day. :-)

Congrats to Dave + Kendra – may your love continue to grow stronger every day, and you live happily ever after!

Did I mention that Dave also gave Kendra a necklace? Bonus points for Dave!!

Remember how Dave + Kendra met through music and the church??

Thumbs up for being married!! :-)

Sorry, guys. I couldn’t help myself. You make such a great goofy-looking bunch! :-)

And right back to romantic – I love these next few!!

Is it just me or are “what a small world” moments just the best?! Lisa was coming to the Newman Center in Brookings as I was just about to graduate, and I met Beau several years ago at Youth Business Adventure.

Beau + Lisa met in college. They had a class together, but they didn’t meet each other until Lisa’s roommate set them up. The next day after meeting, Lisa made it a point to look great in class. Beau overslept. The next class Lisa gave up on looking good if Beau wasn’t going to show up, and was back in her sweats. Beau came in and sat next to her. He sent her a text message to ask her out for coffee after class. Sitting right next to her. (What ever happened to passing love notes in class?!) Coffee went GREAT!

Fast forward a few months…. on Halloween Lisa was getting ready to go out to eat with Beau. Her roommate had just left and called her to tell her to come down to the parking lot immediately – her car had been vandalized!! Lisa raced downstairs to see her car covered in sticky notes. And on the back of her car the sticky notes spell out “will you marry me?” and there’s Beau. With the ring. *awwwww*

I met John + Tiffany for the first time last night and I already can’t wait for their fall wedding in Wahpeton!! Tiffany is from Fairmount, so we reminisced about growing up in teeny-tiny towns and I had to explain to her all my relatives so she could take notes to bring back to her dad. :-)

John + Tiffany met a couple years ago at Tiffany’s son’s birthday party. John brought his son to the party, Tiffany’s mom gave her a little nudge, and as they say, ‘the rest is history!’ Now, in a few months these little guys are going to go from being best buds to brothers!! :-) John also has two girls who I got to hear lots of stories about (don’t worry, girls, nothing embarrassing! :-)) I can’t wait to meet the whole family in October!

I love smiley photos, but I also appreciate a rockin’ serious look and these two nailed it!! :-)

Another image worth all the mosquito bites:

Again, rockin’ the serious look: