As I’m sure happens at Super Bowl parties all over the country, the men gravitated to the room with a TV the size of a garage door while the women sought refuge in a neighboring room to chat about “girl stuff” – like weddings – my favorite topic.  The topic of weddings came up when  Lenen, whom I had just met minutes before, asked what I did for a living.  After gushing that I photograph weddings and am more addicted to them than I am to caffeine and sugar, she replied that she was currently in the throes of wedding planning.  Being a crazy-busy, globe-trotting, time-is-precious kind of gal, Lenen booked her wedding vendors though one of those one-stop-shopping-type companies that offer photographers, DJs, videographers, and flowers. 

I asked if she had a chance to meet with the photographer that would be shooting her wedding, and scoring points for that company, Lenen replied that she had.  Her and Bill had their engagement session, were happy with the images, and thought it was a good personality match.  I said that was excellent news because a good match between the photographer and the bridal couple can make all the difference on the day of the wedding, because the photographer is typically the only vendor that is with the couple all day long.   If it’s not a good match, things can get . . .um. . .icky.

During this conversation, a mutual friend arrived with her adorable toddler in tow, and the subject quickly switched to how cute, charming, and crafty he was (he somehow managed to get his little Oliver Twist hands on my husband’s wallet).  Soon after, I took my leave early to go home and spend time with my second husband, Adobe Photoshop.

The next day, I had a voicemail from Lenen. It began with “Gina, I don’t know if I’m laughing or crying over finding your website! Oh my gosh!” 

Two days later, Lenen and Bill cancelled their contract with the one-stop-shop and booked with me. 

As I’m fond of saying, the universe unfolds as it should.  I could not have asked for a more fantastic couple than Lenen and Bill or a better location to work with on a day with nearly constant rain.  Because of the rain, we arrived extra-early to make an indoor game plan, and Patrick, the event Manager at the Mill City Museum, took my team on a top-to-bottom tour of all the amazing indoor locations that the Mill has to offer.  I nearly started drooling when he showed us the super-secret, roped-off, staff-only grain room.  The light in that room was absolutely delicious.  I wanted to capture it in a jar and eat it with a spoon, it was so yummy.

And Lenen and Bill were a photographer’s dream.  They were up for anything – which I adore in a wedding couple.  And they were full of energy, joy, generosity, affection, sincerity, humor and love - all of which I adore oodles and oodles.  And look at them – they’re gorgeous!  You can see from the images below why I’m over the moon about this wedding and why I’ve never been so happy to have been talked into going to a Super Bowl party.  Thank you, sweet-talking husband.  Thank you, sneaky universe.  And most of all, thank you, fabulous Lenen & Bill.20_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 01_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 02_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 03_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 04_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 05_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 06_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 07_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 08_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 09_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 10_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 11_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 12_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 13_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 14_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 15_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 16_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 17_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 18_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer 19_Minneapolis_Mill_City_Museum_Wedding_Photographer

There’s plenty of time to get to know each other better during an engagement session, and as we tromped around Gale Woods, I found out that not only was Luke a farm kid like me, he also had to share that farm with a gaggle of siblings.  We’re both one of ten.  And to top it off, we both have Czech blood in our veins!

When Sherry and I met for the final consultation, we went over the shot list, and when it came time to decide on how to handle the “extended family” portrait on Luke’s side, the final number was big.  Really big.  40+.  This is one of the many reasons that wedding photography is not for the faint of heart.  Getting 40 adults and children arranged, smiling, happy, and all looking forward is no easy task.  It takes a certain amount of charm and the willingness to throw all pride out the door in exchange for a smile from a child who hasn’t had their afternoon nap.

When it came time to actually create this portrait at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hopkins, I fell in love with the family as a whole.  Luke’s mother is a tiny woman who raised 9 hulking boys and one sweet daughter.  She speaks with an accent and touches your arm as she talks.  Surrounding her were about 20 grandchildren, one of whom literally had me at his feet, pulling out all my best tricks for the honor of one brief, yet adorable, smile.

While Sherry and Luke offered their parents the sign of peace during the ceremony, Sherry’s mother was responsible for one of my favorite moments of the day. As mother and daughter embraced, her mother kissed Sherry’s cheek while holding her face.  There’s just something about someone’s hand on their loved one’s face.  The closeness and connection moves me every time.

But Luke and Sherry’s wedding was overflowing with wonderful moments.  The toast given by Sherry’s sister at the Minnesota Valley Country Club had the couple bent over with laughter.  The dance floor was a frenzy of their nieces and nephews. Sherry’s dad had an actual knee-slapper moment in the middle of telling a story, and pockets of Luke’s siblings huddled around his mother and her trusty Canon to see her most recent catch.

All of these moments were full of two things, love and family, and it wasn’t until I took one last peak into the reception before leaving that I realized how much this wedding felt like being with my own family.  It wasn’t just because the number and imposing height of Luke’s siblings are so similar to my own (we’d both think of a brother under 6 foot as a runt).  It was because there was laughing everywhere, giant smiles, boisterous kids, good natured teasing, and an overwhelming  sense of warmth and welcoming joy.  Yep.  That feels like home to me.

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There wasn’t even a photographer . . . besides Alicia.  Alicia is my capital “A” Awesome Assistant.  And even though she was the one getting married, she was also the photographer.  She set up her camera on a tripod and hid a wireless remote in her hand.   Although I don’t have any of those images to show you, I do have some that we took at her Minnesota reception.

Cecil and Alicia booked The Wilds in Prior Lake  for their reception.  We ran outside just before the first dances and then again afterwards and were able to create three entirely different looks as the sun changed.  As special thanks goes out to Alicia’s cousin and his partner who played the part of Alicia since she was busy playing the part of the bride.  And what a beautiful bride she was! 

 But I don’t have to tell you – see for yourself.

Congratulations, Alicia and Cecil!  

When I shot their engagement session at the Peace Gardens at Lake Harriet, I knew that they were my kind of couple.  They’re fun, genuine, don’t take themselves too seriously, and are perfectly at ease with being schmoopy in front of the camera.  They’re the kind of couple that I can put in good light, take a step back, and give them a two-word direction: snuggle up.   And they are champion snuggle-up-ers.  

Although I would have been more than happy to photograph Erin and Brian in the basement of the local VFW, when I met them at the Calhoun Beach Club for their final consultation, my jaw literally dropped.  It’s a beautiful facility with a very unique style.  Elegant and contemporary with an abundance of natural light, I became positively giddy thinking of all the possibilities.  As fellow photographer Michael Overbeek recently quoted from Top Gun – it’s a “target rich environment.”

Of all the places I’ve photographed, there are only a handful that really put attention and thought into the bride’s room.  The bride’s room in Calhoun Beach Club is one of the loveliest I have ever seen.  It has four separate stations for hair/make-up, gorgeous mirrors, two beautiful white couches with crisp clean lines, and ornamental hooks  high on the wall, perfectly placed for handing a wedding dress. 

But even better than being a gorgeous building with beautiful light and a lovely bride’s room, The Calhoun Beach Club has personal significance to Erin and Brian.   This is where their story began.  Right outside the gated pool area is where they spoke to each other for the first time.  So of course on their wedding day, to bring their story full circle and pay homage to the god of symmetry, we had to sneak away for a few minutes and go to the place where it all started. 

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Ohh, Universe!  What a twisted bugger you are!

Now don’t jump to conclusions.  Alissa, Mike, their families and their bridal party could not have been more sweet, more cooperative, or more fun to spend the day with.  There was no Bridezilla, Momzilla or any other kind of Zilla.  Everybody was in a great mood, we started on time at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in East Bethel, MN, and Alissa and Mike looked fantastic.  But we hadn’t even taken the first formal portrait when Alissa heard something rip as she walked up the alter steps.  Yep.  Her wedding dress ripped.  And not somewhere in the back or under the train.  It was right in front where the gathers from the sides came together underneath a sequin embellishment.  Her personal attendant was wicked quick with a safety pin, and we kept moving.

The formal and informal portraits before the ceremony went swimmingly.  The ceremony was lovely, and the receiving line moved smoothly with lots of hugs and laughter – just in time to let the guests out into the pouring rain. 

Sigh.  We had planned on taking additional portraits outdoors after the ceremony, but it just goes to show you always need a Plan B – and a golf umbrella in the trunk of your car — nestled between a step stool, reflectors, extra extension cords, clamps, and folding chairs (seriously folks, you never know what you’ll need on a wedding day).  So instead of stopping at a park, we went to the bar, grabbed a few drinks (not me, of course, this girl needs to focus – literally), and headed to the hotel.

I stole Alissa and Mike away from the bridal party and wisked them up to their room to create some moody, dramatic images with my fancy new LedZilla video light.  Lordy, do I love that light!  And after I showed Alissa and Mike a few images on the back of the camera, I think they loved it too!

Just like Mike and Alissa, the reception was fun, full of laughs, and full of smooches.  Like always, the reception hit warp speed, time flew by, and I packed my beloved Nikons to go home and have a birthday dinner with my man.

No such luck.

Right as we were rolling our bags out, the hotel staff was at the door ushering everyone into a basement storage room because of a tornado in the area.  Now there’s a story the bride and groom will get to tell for the rest of their lives.  Knowing there was nothing you could do about spending part of your wedding reception in the hotel basement, Mike and Alissa used the time to visit with their guests.  And once staff moved some of us out of the storage room and into basement conference rooms, guests started making their own fun.  The folks in the room we were in played hangman on the whiteboard.  The room next to us had an informal family get-together.  I unpacked my beloveds and starting shooting.

After a few phone calls to my man to confirm that, yes, I could now drive home safely without fear of ending up in Oz and crushing a witch, we hit the road.  Thirty minutes later, I was safe and sound at home, opening up my birthday presents (thank you, Babe!).  And even though that tricky Universe tried to mess with Mike and Alissa’s perfect wedding, it failed miserably.  Mike and Alissa still had a gorgeous wedding, a delicious dinner, and a fantastic reception - including the part that was spent in the basement.  They will always have beautiful photographs of their day (if I do say so myself), and most importantly, they will always have each other.  That qualifies as perfect in my book.

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Even though I had been to the location the day before to scout it out, I arrived at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony about an hour and a half before we were actually scheduled to begin.  I don’t mess around with weddings, boys and girls.  There’s no excuse for being late, and there’s no excuse for not making friends with the location beforehand.  I like to be prepared, know what I have to work with, and know that I have ample time to get situated before the bride arrives.  That way I am calm, cool and collected when the all the frenetic energy of a wedding day begins.  And a morning walk through a beautiful park is definitely a great way to start.

In Silverwood Park, there’s a sculpture that’s a cross between a weather vane and butterfly wings.  My brain fast forwarded to an ethereal, fairytale image of the bride, and when we took the couple to the spot the wind wasn’t cooperative, but Jill sure was.  We waited for the right moment, and let the shutter fly.  I love the image I was able to create from that moment.  It takes me someplace else entirely, and captures a whimsical, magical moment that speaks perfectly to the romance of a wedding day.

Another image I love from this wedding is Cullen walking through the tall grass.  I love it because it was all his idea!  It reminded him of a scene from Gladiator, and I was more than happy to follow his lead. 

We moved on to the bridge and the island beyond and got some great snuggly, schmoopy, sexy, sassy shots – oh, how I love the schmoopy shots!  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I’m a sucker for love. 

Before we moved on to family and bridal party portraits, we did a few set-ups indoors which included the following images that were taken, of all places, in the ladies’ bathroom.  Yep, the bathroom.  Jill might have thought I was off my rocker, but she was a champ and played along. 

As with most weddings, this is the time of the day when the pace picks up.  My time with just the couple comes to an end, and we add in bridal party and family members.  But for Jill and Cullen’s wedding, that meant a speed-limit-busting drive over to St. Lawrence Church in Minneapolis for formal portraits, where the best assistant in the word, Alicia Oppelt Musselman, had the lights set up and ready to go as soon as we arrived.  Before we knew it, formal portraits were done, the ceremony was over, and we were back in our cars making the speed-limit-busting drive back to the park for the reception.

Even though I love everything about weddings, toasts are something special.  People are laughing, then they’re crying, then they’re laughing again.  Friends and family take the opportunity to say things during a toast they might not have a chance to say otherwise, like I love you, I’m proud of you, I’m thankful for everything you’ve done, I’m blessed to have you in my life.  I want to bottle every toast I’ve ever heard and keep them all in my pocket. 

And because I’m a big fan of all things schmoopy, I’m also a big fan of first dances.  And I have to say I prefer the hold-each-other-and-sway-in-a-circle type over the let’s-take-dance-classes-and-whip-each-other-all-over-the-dancefloor type.  Although the hold-and-sway variety may not be as flashy, you just don’t get these kinds of moments between fancy dance steps.

As with every wedding, by the time I pack up my beautiful babies (Twin Nikons – they’re soooo adorable), I’m riding a rush of emotion and adrenalin.  I’m pumped and exhausted at the same time – a perfect excuse to take a quick stroll past giant butterfly wings before heading home to my man.

Last night I walked away with the following eight honors at the 2010 Northern Light Regional Convention for MN, ND and SD professional photographers:

• MN Wedding Photographer of the Year
• Distinguished Album
• Haga Wedding Award
• Court of Honor
• Northern Light Highest Scoring Wedding Print
• Fuji Masterpiece Award
• Kodak Gallery Award for Photographic Excellence in a Print
• Kodak Gallery Award for Photographic Excellence in an Album

But before I put down one more word of horn honking, I need to give a big, fat THANK YOU to David Grupa, David Johnson, David Jones, Erin Dunn and Kirsten Holscher.  I have a terrible time choosing which of my images to enter because I become too attached to the subjects.  I would make my selections based on the history of the image, how I felt when I took it, how I feel when I see it now, and how I feel about the people in it.  These wonderfully gifted photographers spent their valuable time helping me see my images with fresh eyes, and their advice was instrumental in achieving the list of awards above.

I’m especially proud of the fact that all of the images I entered were created for actual clients.  I didn’t hire professional models and stylists or rent a special location.  These are real brides and grooms being photographed on their actual wedding day.  It was a privilege to take part in their weddings, and I’m grateful  they allowed me the time and creative space to produce the images you’ll see below.  Meghan and Brandon, Jill and Paul, Katie and Sean, and Mary and Peter  – thank you, thank you, thank you!

Additionally, the images were awarded by trained, experienced professional photographers and judges, men and women who’ve spent decades learning, improving and sharing their art.  I value their opinions and greatly appreciate their gifts.  To have them recognize my work as being worthy of the awards above is truly an honor.

Album: It Starts With a Kiss

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Print: A Quiet Corner

Print: Leading Lady

Print: A Perfect Storm

Print competition, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. 

I entered for the first time last year.  By the time I dropped off my prints (mere minutes before the deadline), I had bitten off every fingernail, twisted my hair into knots, and driven all my photographer friends batty with unending questions.  It’s a wonder of physiology that I didn’t barf all over the poor volunteer who took the print case from my shaking hands. 

And because I’m a true glutton for punishment, I agreed to announce the scores during the live judging event.  If I felt like yacking before, I was really in trouble now.

I have never been so close to having a full-on panic attack as I was when my first print came before the judges.  They immediately popped up from their chairs to put their noses within inches of my “Heavy Metal Love” print.  I began preparing my fragile psyche for the disappointment and emotional scarring that was sure to follow.

Usually during print competition, each print is only before the judges for a brief moment.  They enter their score, the average is calculated electronically, and the final score announced.  But for some prints the judges actually take time to discuss it, and be still my seconds-from-exploding-heart, they discussed mine – at length – the color, the expression, the lines, the composition.   

They loved it, and my fragile psyche remained intact. 

It was the second highest scoring print of the entire event.  It won the Fuji Masterpiece Award, the Haga Wedding Award, and it helped me win the Wedding Photographer of the Year Award. I was as giddy as a schoolgirl on Christmas morning. 

Apparently, I don’t like ties as much as I thought.

When selecting the potential competition prints for this year, I was lucky enough to receive guidance from four rock star metro photographers: David Grupa, David Johnson, David Jones, and Kirsten Holscher.  Now I just have to get it down to four. 

What do you think?039_JillPaul 085_KatieSean 114_AmyMike 155_SusanJosh 335_MeghanBrandon 353_MicaelaJosh 367_MindyJim 382_MicaelaJosh 391_ValBen 413_MicaelaJosh 444_SaraEvan 674_JillPaul DSC_0011 DSC_0036 Heather_Kraig_279 Mary_Peter_538

Love it or leave it.

The absolutely most important, top of the list, highest priority step for getting the most out of your wedding photography investment is to hire the photographer you love.  I cannot stress enough that saving a few hundred bucks is not worth getting stuck with images you’re not proud to display in your home and show to your family and friends.  Love it or leave it.  It’s that’s simple.

A zillion uses for engagement session photographs

If your photographer includes an engagement session, take advantage it!  An E-session is a must-have for a number of reasons: 1) It gives you a chance to get comfy with the process and the person.  Then when the big day arrives your photographer will know what you like, and you’ll be more at ease knowing you’re in good hands.  Less stress is best! 2) Engagement images are great for guest books, save-the-date items, place cards, centerpieces, programs, slide shows, signature mats – the list goes on and on. 3) Besides the zillions of wedding uses, it’s always nice to have portraits in your home of you and your honey in “regular” clothes. 

Keep your honey sweet by keeping your time line on track.

Work with your photographer to plan a realistic time line and stick to it.  Your photographer will know how much time to schedule for portraits, and you’d be well served to take his or her advice.  Few things can turn up the stress levels more than running behind schedule and trying to cram everything in to whatever time you have left. You’ll be stressed.  You friends and family will be stressed.  And your honey will cease to be as sweet.   Schedule in a little “just-in-case” time here and there to be on the safe side. 

Crowd Control

When you meet with your photographer for your final consultation, be sure to discuss your expectations for formal family and bridal party portraits.  I’m a big fan of utilizing a shot list for formals because it makes sure everybody’s on the same page, helps determine the amount of time needed, and addresses the additional time and considerations that might be needed to accommodate small children, divorces and physical or mental challenges.  If your photographer doesn’t work with an assistant, enlisting the help of a friend or family member that knows most of the people involved can help keep groups under control.  Additionally, it allows your photographer to concentrate on creating the images rather than tracking down the subjects.

It pays to be a blabbermouth.

Communication is vitally important to your time line and to your wedding day sanity.   Talk to your hair and make-up vendors about how much time they’ll need.  Talk to your florist about when your photography coverage begins.  Talk to your family and bridal party members about when they’ll need to be ready and where you’ll need them to be for portraits. Talk to your ceremony coordinator about when you can arrive and when you need to be out the door.  Talk to your DJ about when the first dances take place.  Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, repeat. 

Divide and conquer

This is your day but you’ll be sacrificing chunks of hair to the stress gods if you try to do it all yourself.  Delegation is your salvation.  Delegate tasks to the people in your family and bridal party that your can trust to follow through.  Better yet, involve a wedding planner.  Some companies offer smaller “day of” packages if you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative.

Practice makes perfect

Utilize trial runs for your hair, make-up and attire.  It’s better to find out in advance how long each task takes, how your veil works with your hair, and how well your make-up holds up throughout the day.  Try on your dress with all your accessories, including undergarments, shoes and jewelry.  Make sure you can sit, stand, walk, bend, lean forward, raise your hands over your head, and even dip and jump to make sure that everything moves when it should and stays put when it should.

Make-up Malcontents

If you’ve ever seen photographs were it looks like someone’s make-up was a few shades too light, the culprit was most likely SPF.  Although SPF is a definitely a “do” on every other day of your life, for your wedding, it’s best to avoid lotions and make-up with SPF.  It reflects light differently from skin without SPF, which can cause that oddly mismatched look.

Similarly, avoid other products that reflect light like body glitter, lip gloss and shimmery eye shadows.  These products can create “specular highlights,” which in non-photographer speak means “white dots” on your images. 

 Obviously, no one wants to look like a raccoon after a good boo-hoo, but you can do better than waterproof mascara.  I’m talking about fake eyelashes, ladies.  Get them.  Wear them. Love them.  You can even have your own eye-lashes dyed!  Will wonders never cease? 

For additional wedding make-up tips, check out these articles by Annalise Kaylor.  I was lucky enough to photograph her wedding, and I can attest to the fact that her make-up was the picture of perfection.   As both an author and an extremely talented make-up artist, this girl knows her stuff!

Tanning: Friend or Foe?

The answer, with a doubt, is foe!  Tanning is not your friend.  It is an evil, evil liar.  It’ll whisper sweet promises of a more gorgeous you, but when you’re not looking, it’ll punch you in the gut and run away with your youth. I’ve sat in front of my computer until my eyes are on the verge on bleeding retouching tan lines, wrinkles, yucky skin texture, and shades of orange that don’t occur naturally within the human race.  This tan-ban includes fake tans, too, folks.  They’re notorious for being splotchy and even worse than regular tans for producing weird-o orange tones.  Your best bet is to make friends with your natural skin tone and kick that nasty, evil tan to the curb.

Drink, drank, drunk in photos.

If your rehearsal dinner is the night before, keep the cocktails in check.  A hangover is not an accessory you want to be wearing on your wedding day.  It doesn’t look good, and it sure as shoot doesn’t feel good.  Additionally, try to refrain from pulling out all the party stops until the reception.  Whether you want to believe it or not, drunk shows.  And it does not photograph well.

I spent hours upon hours designing this 12×16 monster, sweating every little detail, making sure I told the story of Meghan and Brandon’s wedding with gorgeous and emotionally meaningful images.  I could not have asked for a better wedding for my sample album.  They had the perfect storm: gorgeous, fun couple; breathtaking wedding location; beautiful reception venue, and a photography-friendly time line.  I must have made some exceptionally good deposits into my photography karma bank to deserve such an exceptional wedding.

Meghan and Brandon were simply awesome – funny, generous, warm, sincere, and it doesn’t hurt that they hit the genetic jackpot in the looks department.  Some people get all the good genes.

We started their day at the Semple Mansion, which is one of my all-time favorite wedding venues.  Obviously, it gorgeous.  It boasts “finely crafted mahogany woodwork, hardwood floors, marble inlays, restored fresco paintings, giant crystal chandeliers, wood-burning fireplaces and outside terraces.”  From a photographer’s perspective, I’d like to add one more major attribute to the list - gorgeous natural light.  The majority of the portraits taken inside the masion were created with natural light only.  Besides the building itself, Semple Mansion also has a great staff.  They’re professional, friendly and at the top of their game. 

After everyone was ready and the informal portraits were complete, we traveled to the wedding location, the Holy Grail of Minneapolis wedding photographers, the Basillica of St. Mary.  I am not exaggerating when I say that the first time I saw the interior of the Basillica I cried.  It’s beyond breathtaking, and I don’t have the verbal acuity to do it justice.  You’ll have to go see it for yourself to understand.

After the ceremony, I was able to go with the couple to Loring Park for additional portraits.  Since Meghan and Brandon live nearby, it was a perfect location to help tell their story.  Again, the karma bank delivered.  We had beautiful early evening light, perfect weather, and great color and texture in the cattails, flowers and buildings.

With all of these amazing locations, I was grateful that Meghan and Brandon had scheduled enough time for their photography.  We had time both before and after the ceremony to really have fun, enjoy the process, give each location the attention it deserved, and most importantly, give the couple the attention they deserve.  The following album is the result of all of these factors coming together in perfect harmony.  Thank you, Karma.  I’ll be sure to keep making my deposits.

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