Here it is, the moment you’ve been waiting all winter for… the beginning of wedding season! This season started off better than ever – with a vow renewal!! Aaron + Beth will have been married for ten years next month, but they decided to celebrate early with their friends + family at the cozy Reunion Cabin in Custer State Park.

It’s no secret that I love being such an exciting part of a wedding, but being part of Aaron + Beth’s vow renewal had my heart overflowing. This is exactly what I hope and pray all of my couples get to experience. Ten years of love for each other. Ten years of hard work. Ten years of growing a family. Plus many more years and many more shared life experiences. :-)

Beth’s father led the ceremony as he did ten years ago. I enjoyed watching the interactions between Beth, her husband, and her father – SO much love!!

Aaron + Beth snuggling during one of the songs – with four of their five kiddos in the background. :-) Heart. MELTING.

Baby #5 joined the ceremony for the final blessing, while two little ones took advantage of the warmth of this loving huddle. (seriously – I couldn’t find an angle where I could see the whole family!!)

Naturally, I was so excited to start wedding season that I forgot to take my favorite photo – me with the couple!! Good thing it isn’t one of those photos that my couples *need* to have. :-) Just know that I hold Aaron + Beth and their family close to my heart, along with all my other couples. Hugs to you all and I hope you enjoyed my favorites!!

Carl + Penny have been friends for quite some time. They have celebrated good times together and also helped each other through some not-so-good times. And this weekend was their time to start their happily ever after.

I will never get tired of photographing first looks!! The emotions and excitement are pure photography gold!! :-)

Sylvan Lake Lodge was the perfect setting for their cozy, fall wedding!

Carl + Penny were married just after sunset, which made the hills outside look like a winter wonderland!

Penny – you sure do throw a beautiful party… these decorations were perfection!

ceremony + reception + catering | Sylvan Lake Lodge, Custer Stat Park, South Dakota

wedding gown | Audra’s Bridal, Rapid City, SD

groom’s suit | Halberstadt’s, Rapid City, SD

flowers | Decker’s Floral, Newcastle, WY

cake | Peace of Cake, Holly Scott, Newcastle, WY

Trevin and Audrey had the perfect plan for their wedding day – they were going to get married and they were going to have fun. But there were also sweet, stolen glances. An emotional first look. Love letters. Fun dancing. Nurse/medic rival jokes. And more wonderful things that led to a perfect day!!

Their first look was SO beautiful. These next few photos are ALL from their first look – with hugs, kisses, smiles and tears, I couldn’t help but photograph every single emotion that was pouring out of them!! :-)

After their ‘moment’ we took a stroll down by Sylvan Lake, the backdrop of their wedding ceremony.

Trevin also brought his bike out to the hills, which is how their story first began – after finally getting Audrey to go on a date with him, Trevin picked her up on his motorcycle… and brought her home that night with a burn on her leg. Thankfully she’s a nurse and was able to fix herself right up. ;-)

These cupcakes are the reason I am so willing to travel to Sioux Falls as often as I do. Oh My Cupcakes in downtown Sioux Falls made these for Trevin and Audrey, and their friend Ashley brought them all the way to Rapid City in her car!! (and not too many went missing during the drive ;-))

These guys had SUCH a fun dance surprise for the guests!! After Trevin + Audrey’s first dance, the wedding party came up and each had their own little solo dance as well as a medley of other fun group dances. What a fun way to get the party started!!

ceremony + reception + caterer | Custer State Park Resort – Sylvan Lake

cake + cupcakes | Oh My Cupcakes, Sioux Falls, SD

Trevin + Audrey – It was such an honor being your wedding photographer!! Thanks so much for having me for your special day. I had such a fun time, it didn’t even feel like I was working!! :-) Love you both, and next time I come to SF we’re having a cupcake date!!

Words cannot describe how THRILLED I am to be Kris + Ashley’s wedding photographer this September! They are such fun, wonderful people and all they want is to get married! :-) And all I want is to photograph them all.day.long. :-D

Scott and Sarah had the most perfect, intimate, detail-filled, laid-back wedding and I was so excited to be a part of it!! We started with a quick little first look before walking over to the ceremony site at Blue Bell Lodge in Custer State Park.

Waiting at the ceremony were goody bags filled with water, tissues and a little fold-up fan. Sarah’s mother made these wonderful little bells with Scott & Sarah’s names, their wedding date, and CSP scenery – trees and buffalo. :-) They were a perfect way to ‘ring in’ the new couple! :-D

I love that Scott walked Sarah to the ceremony – they even shared a little kiss on their way over! :-)

Scott + Sarah had arranged for the park’s Jeeps to take everyone around the park – and to find the buffalo…

… which we totally did find!!

A little more portrait time before dinner – yay for being married!! :-)

I could have made a blog post just with all the fun little details at their reception (birdhouses, fabric napkins, chocolate-covered sunflower nuts, pinecones, a tin lunchbox, the list goes on…), but my FAVORITE was their ‘guest tree’ – so fun and so cute!

I also had a lot of fun with the rings – so many fun details to take photos of!!

ceremony + reception + caterer | Custer State Park Resort – Blue Bell Lodge

wedding gown | David’s Bridal

groom’s suit | Halberstadt’s

hair + flowers + cake + decorations | themselves!!

Scott + Sarah – Thank you SO much for including me in your big day!! I am so excited for you and I hope there are fewer than normal forest fires this summer so you can spend lots more time together. ;-)