Dan + Megan’s Black Hills wedding was the definition of a ‘dream come true’ – the sweetest family, the most fun wedding party, beautiful weather, and a surprise solo from the groom during the ceremony!

But first, Megan’s dress + shoes… I was in LOVE!!!!

Getting dressed for the big day with a little help from mom. :-)

I loooooove the time I get with the bride and groom after their first look – the excitement of the day seems to wash over them! 

I love a good father-daughter moment. :-)

Here’s that surprise solo from Dan – it was a little bit funny, a little bit sweet, and complete perfection.

And it completely reduced the bridesmaids to tears. :-)

Dan + Megan – thank you, thank you, thank you for having me photograph your wedding!! You two are so special to my heart – I love your story and your love for each other. Please keep surprising each other and never stop having fun!

p.s. Thanks, Megan, for sharing your veils with me. (They looked way better on you.)

If you’re looking to elope in the Black Hills, this is how it’s done: with wildflowers and hand-written vows including a poem. :-) Josh + Hannah, thank you so much for inviting me to document your beautiful, intimate ceremony. I hope you are enjoying married life so far!

While I love working with couples to get beautiful portraits, it’s the candid + unpredictable moments that keep me on my toes and make me love what I do that much more! Whether they are funny or frustrating, they end up being the some of the most memorable parts of the day!

For example, any wedding with kids makes my heart flutter. You never know how they’ll behave during photos, ceremonies, or cake-cutting, but they are cute no matter what!!
Check out this serious little poser!And this little girl who didn’t want to be in any photos, until it was just her… then she was all smiles!

But then again, maybe she really just wanted to be behind the camera??While I was getting my cameras ready for the beginning of Brad + Jordin‘s ceremony, these girls saw an opportunity to pose and went for it!

This little guy would rather sit with grandpa and play trucks instead of take photos. But that’s okay – those moments are precious, too!

This little one loved the camera so much, she kept checking on me to make sure I didn’t forget about her.

Then again, some littles can be so preciously shy – especially in the presence of a beautiful bride!

Some kiddos are so sweet to share a quick kiss with great grandma….…or a hug with the groom before he sees his bride.Some will get irritated with how long the unity sand part of the ceremony lasts…

…or how long the ‘first kiss’ lasts……but put a girl in a twirly dress and she will be happy all day long!What groom can say no to a flower girl who just wants to keep him warm?

There’s always that one kid who finds the cake and leaves his mark on the frosting! :-)

Okay, okay, you get it, kids make weddings entertaining and adorable and memorable no matter what they do!

Let’s move on to what makes weddings real – those moments you hadn’t planned on happening during your ‘perfect day.’ Newsflash: wedding days are not perfect (if they were, they’d be boring), and the sooner something unexpected happens that makes you smile and laugh, the better!

For example, you might realize you left the letters you wrote to each other in your room at the very moment you planned on putting them in a box and nailing it shut.Nothing gets a laugh more than being handed a tissue during the ceremony that has just been used to wipe tears by every single bridesmaid.
Sometimes these candid moments don’t happen in front of a crowd, like when a groom ‘doesn’t know what to do with his hands‘ during photos.

Or when the aunt in charge of getting candid photos suddenly realizes I’ve got this covered. How about when someone behind me does something (maybe slightly inappropriate) to get the bride + her girls to laugh out loud.Or when a down-for-anything couple gives me the blue steel… Wedding days are for having fun, right? That’s what I thought. :-)p.s. Cheers to the best man and maid of honor who will bring you a drink + snack during photo/cocktail hour!

This grandpa was the cutest!! I talked him into getting two cupcakes (because really, they weren’t that big) and then caught his photo on his way back to his table! ;-)You might be thinking ‘those are all great moments, and I’d love to have them captured forever and ever, but are they really that memorable?’ Oh, they are. Especially when your brother gives an impromptu speech from the balcony at your reception. You definitely won’t forget that. :-)

How about some less funny/more beautiful candid moments? Okay! I love love LOVE this moment of Katie and her dad – we hadn’t planned on them doing a ‘first look’ but it just kind of happened… inside, on the staircase, in a beautiful/tiny beam of light.
There are always a couple sweet/silly moments during portraits that sometimes happen…

And lastly… rain on your wedding day? Yeah, sometimes it can be a bummer… like when you’re caught for a few minutes without an umbrella…… but other times it will give you the most magical ending to your (im)perfect day!

I hope this reminds all of my 2014 couples what a great/fun/exciting wedding day you had!!

And for those of you still planning your big day – don’t forget to plan to be surprised. I promise something unexpected will happen and I promise it will only make your day more wonderful!

You guys…. I LOVE going through all my photos from the previous year and sharing favorites!! It’s like re-living all these wonderful days all over again, remembering the excitement, the laughs, the happy tears, the crazy/unpredictable weather, and the oh-so-sweet couples. My heart is overflowing looking back on these beautiful wedding days and the wonderful people who invited me to be a part of it all!

First up: first looks. Gosh, there is nothing like watching a bride and groom see each other for the first time all dressed up to get married!!!!

Let’s take a moment to give God a standing ovation for this beautiful earth and the people on it – I seriously couldn’t do what I do without Him!!

There is nothing more magical than the moment a couple becomes husband and wife!! Don’t believe me? Check out the smiles in the next three photos. :-D

I could go on and on with favorite photos of my couples this year, but I’ll stop myself and leave you with the most romantical first dances instead. :-)

Thanks again to all my couples for a wonderful 2014!! I can’t give you enough credit for being the most loving, laid-back group I’ve ever worked with. Big hugs to you all!!

Garth + Karlie’s big day was the perfect way to finish up my 2014 wedding season. Yes, it was the coldest and northern-most wedding I photographed all year, but it was oh-so-beautiful, glamorous, fun, and full of people I knew!! You may recognize a few faces from Kris + Lexie’s (Karlie’s sister) wedding last summer.

Thanks, you two, for getting married in Downtown Fargo – I had so much fun with all the gray + black textures nearby, especially this wall!! These next three (yes, three) are my FAVORITES!!

We may have been teased by a Fargo police officer for taking this photo outside the station. But I don’t care – look how good they make it look!!! :-)

We hopped inside for a quick warm-up and photos on this lovely staircase…

…then back outside for more! I call these next few ‘operation think warm thoughts and pretend it isn’t 40 something degrees out’ :-)

Even the wedding party braved the cold weather!! Oh, how I love this group. :-)

Getting married time!!!!! Soooo many things I love about this photo!!

The Avalon Events Center was gorgeously decorated by the talented Bianca from Everlasting Events & Celebrations.

Another thing I loved about Garth + Karlie’s wedding was their father/daughter and mother/son dances. These guys are so loved.

Garth + Karlie – thank you SO SO much for asking me to be your photographer! It truly was the perfect ending to my season, because I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful couple to spend the day with! I hope you enjoy these images. And please, no more going outside in a strapless dress until spring (or your honeymoon), please, please, please!! :-)