Jamila & Matt: St. Paul Wedding

Jamila and Matt have such a beautiful story. They looked for one another for quite a while. You can tell that they were well worth the wait to each other. Jamila has a smile that just lights up a room and one of my favorite moments of the day was when they were about to meet for the first time. She was crying so hard she couldn’t even start walking towards Matt. It was a beautiful moment to witness and one that I won’t forget! They have been through a lot together in the time they’ve been engaged so it was even more special for me to capture this day for them. Their family & friends were incredible, with such a fun wedding party. We had a beautiful day for their October wedding and the University Club was a great place to shoot! If you want old/traditional in downtown St. Paul, this is a great venue. We had such a variety of photo opportunities. I loved it!

Jamila & Matt, thank you for allowing me the privilege of freezing your wedding day in time for you, giving you countless images to treasure in your many happy years together. I know you will have a lifetime of them! Enjoy your marriage and thanks again!

Kiddo Update

I used to be really good at keeping this blog updated with a healthy mix of personal and work-related entries. Lately, in the midst of wedding season, my sister’s wedding, Logan growing up, Brian coaching football…I’ve lost track of the ability to just sit and stare at my empty computer screen ready to fill it up with words. I miss that time and am anxious to get back into it again. Brian has a little less than 3 weeks left of football. I’m still not to the point where I’m counting the days. No, that would seem endless. I simply say “a little less than 3 weeks” and will say that until there are 3 days left and reality hits me that my husband will be home in time for dinner. Logan won’t know what to do with himself he’ll be so excited to eat with someone besides just me!

This weekend we are heading to the cabin (Logan and myself) with Jen, Noah, and my parents. I absolutely can’t wait to get there as it is one of my favorite places in the entire world (and I mean entire world, at least the parts I’ve seen) to go to. It is completely rustic, in the middle of nowhere, no electricity, no running water…just bunk beds, an outhouse, the lake, the 3-wheelers, cards, yummy food, kerosene lamps and the woods. Ahhhh. Perfect. This will be Logan’s first visit there and I can’t to see him running around outside and soaking it all in. One of my biggest wishes for my children is that they grow up appreciating the outdoors, the stillness of it, the perfectness of God’s creation, and just marvel at being surrounded by it. The yearly cabin trip is a must for my children and family. It is worth every second.

Logan, our little man, is growing up so fast. He’s almost 16-months-old and he makes us laugh harder every day. His new and favorite words lately are “alright” “ohh wow!” “bell buttn” (belly button) and “hi” and “bye” whenever he leaves or enters a room. He also really knows how to cut a rug and will even dance when mommy just starts singing. It is precious and we love him so much. So far, there isn’t much he won’t eat. He doesn’t do well with green beans by themselves but will eat any casserole or mixed dinner with them. He loves food and is very into feeding himself right now. He makes quite a mess while doing it but he’s learning, so he kind of has to and I love watching him. He loves playing outside and loves his Nanny Annie, who is here 3 days a week with him. She has been quite a blessing in our lives and we’re loving having her around.

I won’t leave without posting a few new pics. There will be so many more after our trip to the cabin. Oh, and I should note, my hubby finally caved and let me get just a regular old point-and-shoot camera. I wanted something I could slip into my purse, something that shot video, something that anyone could pick up and take a picture with…and he let me get one….ahhh….so now most of my pics will be with that. Hang in there with me and just treat me like a mom posting pics of her kid, not a photographer 🙂

I hope all of you are well!

Our “Nanny Annie!”

Gabriela Lorraine

Two-week-old Gabriela was just precious during our session together. She didn’t want to sleep – she wanted to, instead, stare in awe at her Daddy & Mommy and listen to their voices. It was so much fun to watch her beautiful eyes just drawn to them. Jen & I work together at Target and everyone was so excited to hear about little Gabriela’s birth. This is another joy I get to experience as a photographer…seeing friends and co-workers as parents, or as brides, or embarking on a new adventure. It is such a pleasure to witness!

Orlando & Jen, congratulations on your little angel. Thank you for letting me capture this precious time in her life. Enjoy your time together as a new family!

Sadie couldn’t wait to get in on the picture taking!

Brooke & Jeff: Hastings, MN

We had an absolutely beautiful day in October when Brooke & Jeff tied the knot in Hastings! When we started photos that morning there was still snow on the ground and on the trees…but by early afternoon, the sun was shining and it was starting to warm up.  Spring Lake Park Reserve was such a great place to shoot because it has just a little bit of everything. The Mississippi River is directly behind the main visitors center and it is a spectacular view! Trees surround everything with beautiful colors, a great tall-grass field, complete with a farm silo and windmill in the distance. I am a firm believer that you don’t need a ton of space to make a photo great – but I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to shoot there if requested. It was beautiful!

Brooke & Jeff are a couple that know how to have fun together – and love taking photos! Which makes my job so much fun! My favorite part of the day was getting to know their families (and, of course, Brooke’s boots!). When I met them, Brooke & Jeff seemed complete. They have wonderful, supportive siblings, encouraging parents, and friends that knew how to join in the fun. Their ceremony took place under a tent with their reception at the Hastings Country Club.  Everything around them was beautiful! I loved being behind the camera that day!

Brooke & Jeff, congratulations! I hope you enjoy your sneek peek and I can’t wait to hear how married life is going! Enjoy it and keep having fun together! Thanks for allowing me to capture your special day for you!

Kaczrowski Family Session: Minneapolis, MN

You might remember me taking pictures of little Maxwell when he was just five days old? Now look at him! He is about 7 months and just a little sweetheart.

I love what I do – but it is always a little extra special when I have a session for someone important in my life. Ang is one of those people. She is a dear friend of mine, someone I can’t imagine my life without, and I’m so glad Target hired us at the same time 🙂 We had a great afternoon at Minnehaha Falls (although it was pretty cold and little Max now has a cough!) and their dog, Gunner, even joined us. It was such an honor for me!

Ang & Jeff, congratulations again on your adorable family! Thank you for allowing me to capture another milestone in Max’s life and I hope you get some good use of these photos! I loved our session, it was so much fun to see the way your family has changed! Love you guys!

Back and settled

I don’t think my sister could have asked for a more perfect wedding day. Even though it rained the entire time, she didn’t even flinch and nothing else mattered but marrying Noah with all of us around them. It was a perfect, beautiful, intimate day. I honestly can say that their ceremony was one of the most memorable ceremonies I’ve been to (and not just because I’m her sister!) but it was just gorgeous! It was inside of a heated tent overlooking the water, the music was all acoustic guitar, the songs were incredible, and our pastor, Matt, did an amazing job of preaching the Gospel! Exactly what Jen & Noah had hoped for, I’m sure! It was incredible! Our parents and Noah’s parents came to pray over them…my brother burst into tears he was so moved…and us sisters?! Forget it. We were complete disasters! It was a joyous and wonderful celebration!

And yes, Logan did make it down the aisle. He was a champ. Good thing he doesn’t mind a couple hundred people staring at him. He walked out with my niece Anna and was just kind of staring at his feet. When he got about three rows in, he realized everyone was around him. So he took it all in just looking around. The he smiled and kept walking. He did so great! I think having Anna there with him was the kicker – he just did whatever she did! He looked so handsome in his tux and I just couldn’t believe a little tiny tux was made that fit him like it did. It was adorable. My hubby didn’t look so shabby himself 🙂 and we got some really fun pictures.

Speaking of pictures – Matt, our Pastor, has an incredible wife. You’ve probably heard me mention her before. Noemi! (www.noemiphotography.com) She is one of my dearest friends and an amazing photographer. Matt & Noemi came as a package deal for Jen & Noah’s wedding and she captured the day for them! The pictures are going to be gorgeous! I can’t WAIT to see them! My sister bought us all these really cool umbrellas…and most of us, being ‘up north’ girls, were willing to try anything. Yes, even trudging through the rainy mud and up a hill of logs to get that perfect shot. We were troopers and the photos will totally prove that. I can’t wait to see how Noemi captured Jen & Noah’s love for one another. I know they are going to be breath-taking. Noemi, thank you SO much, again, for honoring all of us by your amazing gift, your willful spirit, your loving nature, and your fun-loving personality. Everyone adored you and can’t stop talking about how great you were! I completely agree and love you so much!

We ended the night with toasts- mine went well, I think, and it felt so wonderful to tell all of our family and friends how much my little sister means to me. She is an absolute sweetheart and I love our relationship so much. I couldn’t be more honored to have been her matron of honor and I definitely didn’t want the weekend to end. To see her so happy….ah, it makes me tear up right now…it was just perfect. You think about your sister getting married for so long. I prayed for her, and for the man she would find to be her spouse, and now she’s married, and to a wonderful man. We are so excited! Now all 5 of us are married, and all of our spouses get a long. We are one big happy, loving family. My cup is fuller and fuller 🙂 I love you, Jen & Noah! And the rest of my family…love you guys to pieces!

I don’t have any pictures yet – but will try to get some soon. I do have some new ones of Mr. Logan. He is hilarious right now. He tries to talk in sentences, usually I can understand him. He loves to close and open things, put things back together, talk into tupperware…yes, I said talk into tupperware. He puts them up to his face and goes ‘ahhhhh’ I think he likes the echo sound. He is really trying to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ they are usually just the same intonations and not the words. For ‘please’ he says ‘pa’ and ‘thank you’ is ‘daaa bu’ in the same tone of voice. He is getting more and more fun everyday!