Wedding Date: April 25th 2009
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Lisa and Casey were greeted by an incredible spring day along glorious Lake Minnetonka.  Bay View has never looked so great, as every detail was well thought out and guests arrived early in anticipation.  The fact that they could get married on the same site as the reception allowed guests a laid-back day for strolling along the lake plus less headache trying to get everyone from point A to point B.  Brilliant!  Among the many highlights of the day was our stop at the local irish pub for a quick toast to Lisa and Casey.  Thank you for allowing your transparent love to be fully present this day; I was touched.

Wedding Date: May 9th 2009
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This past weekend I joined the married club!  It has been an elusive club for years but one that I have grown to adore more and more as Janelle and I have prepared for this day, our wedding day.   It truly was the most fun and best day of our life, hands down.  I also realize the ways that my eye and heart continue to evolve and grow in these months of preparation.  Each face that we invited to our intimate gathering along Lake Superior has a specific story and emotion attached.  For us, less was more for selecting those we wanted to share our story with became limited to people we have both met and invested time into that relationship.  As we looked around the room, both Janelle and I were able to know the name of each person in attendance and stories flooded our heads from the times we got to spend with each other.  What joy!  

Wedding Date: April 4th 2009
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What a party and perfect couple to kick off the New Westin in Edina!  Jeremy and Kara got to be the first big wedding at the swanky new hotel attached to the Galleria, and the room buzzed until late into the night.  I had a lot of fun getting to know them, as they are so sweet to each other with just the right amount of sass and spunk.  The day was highlighted by a long creative leash they extended to me, and we sought out some stellar settings that fit their flare for urban and industrial.  Thank you for having such a blast and letting me into your relationship.  I was so honored.

Wedding Date: March 28th 2009
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Ceremony: Christ Presbyterian Church (Edina)  Reception: Ukrainian Event Center

Carin and Brady came into my life at a very special time.  They were that warm, flirty, too-cute couple in our group of "purposefully dating" 20 and 30 somethings at church who you just knew had something to teach the rest of us.  This group proved to be transformational in my own life; as a guy it is not in our DNA to have a truck-load of words to express relationship.  As this group met time and time again, you could just see Brady's spark in his eye get brighter, Carin's assertiveness become sweeter towards him, their words of affirmation for one another more specific, and I just knew this wedding day would be special.  What a perfect start to a long road ahead of much joy for you two!  I am humbled around you in watching how you love one another.

Wedding Date: January 31st 2009
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People who truly embrace life are hard to come by.  Upon meeting Nick and Karla, I just knew we would have a fun connection for years to come.  Karla has a keen eye for art and style and Nick provided that steady hand and heart along the way.  The Semple Mansion has never looked more beautiful and what a perfect setting for a winter ball.  The party limo bus may have been my highlight of the day, as if I was being initiated into the friend circle...the candids were priceless!  Thank you for truly one of my favorite celebrations of two of the most genuine people I have met in a long time.

Wedding Date: January 24th 2009
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Upon meeting this crazy fun couple, I immediately connected with Steve's passion for life and Laura's adoration for her close friends as she described her big day ahead.  I just couldn't wait for January to come!  Not only is it addictive to walk alongside a couple so rediculously in love, their friends also shared that same zeal for life and made the day a blast!  Even with sub-zero temperatures, Laura wanted to take her girls outside for a fun sequence of photos.  I had scouted the area and found some great light streaming across a frozen lake and later we turned a drainpipe into art.  I know you two will impact so many lives and I am blessed to be apart of it, hopefully for the years that follow as well. 

Wedding Date: December 31st 2008
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 When a creative dancing queen marries a finance stud, one is convinced the theory that opposites attract rings very true. You can just see it, Hailley is great for Michael and Michael in turn is perfect for Hailley. The two planned the ideal New Years party and invited their closest friends and family to celebrate. As their faith is the rock of their relationship and source of their love, one could see the joy bubble out of them. My good photographer friend, Megan Quist, joined me with her studio lighting as we created a funky rendition of a model shoot we affectionately called the "Countdown Cam." We really had a blast with you two and may you celebrate for many more New Years to come!

Wedding Date: December 27th 2008
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 To say these two are madly in love would be the understatement of the year. Maybe it was the giggling, the flirting, the kissing, the sly looks from across the room followed by the occasional, "Gosh Mom!" that gave it away. I got swept up in their love story, as did every body else that attended. The wedding vision was that of a holiday cocktail party with their closest friends in their home. Joan Nilsen of Ambiente applied her wedding coordinating magic to ensure every detail was attended to with the utmost perfection and the wedding party could enjoy themselves. Their wedding party consisted of their children who provided humor to keep the day light and fun. As the night wound down, the glow from their home continued to warm every guest's heart.

Wedding Date: November 7th 2008
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I love my job. I am a believer that God has an amazing sense of humor when he puts people together and knows exactly what kind of combustion is about to take place. Its like a chemistry class mixing beakers that you know full well by putting the two containers together that a small explosion will take place, but it never gets old watching what happens. Derek and Michelle are proof of His humor, both in how they fit ridiculously well together and the role they have played in my life and relationship with my fiance, Janelle.

In my initial meeting with them there was just something that clicked. I had no idea that in the months leading up to the wedding, Derek would be an important piece in preparing my heart for marriage as we got to spend breakfast together every Thursday, even the week of his wedding. The joy he lives from was addictive and his perspective on his bride was life-giving. So I found if fitting that on the morning of his wedding, I was the first customer in the jeweler shop purchasing the ring that I was planning to propose with and carried it with me all day in my pocket as we photographed Derek and Michelle's love. Ok, I might have been a little extra emotional all day, but my heart saw things it never had before. I am so thankful I am on this journey with you two and I anticipate with enthusiasm the small explosions along the way.

Wedding Date: November 1st 2008
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It's Halloween the night before your wedding day, you are the bride and you need to come up with a killer idea to celebrate. Of course you decide to write your own Murder Mystery dinner party where you are the lead narrator, cause it's not like it's a big weekend for you or anything, right? Bree is my hero and wins the award for most creative rehearsal dinner party. Our laughter carried on into the next day where her wedding party got into a little West Side Story role play. So here is a little insight into my dangerous creative brain: On any given Saturday in the summer, one can witness anywhere from 3 to 6 other wedding parties roaming the gorgeous grounds of Rice Park in St. Paul say around 3:00. Sure enough, as we made our way to the center of the park, I saw Bree eyeing the other bridesmaids strolling the park. Just then, I heard my friend, Noah Wolf a very talented photographer,  call my name and we decided to reinact a little stand-off of the Jet's vs. the Pink Ladies. It was awesome. Then onto the beautiful ceremony and reception at the James J. Hill Library, elegantly styled by Fete Perfection. Bree and Braden, thank you for having such a wonderful playful spirit about you. Thank your family for adoption me for the weekend!