During the wedding season I don’t get out much.  I become a social recluse and immerse myself completely in photographing and Photoshopping weddings.  Now don’t get me wrong, folks.  I loves me some weddings, and quite frankly, I’m more than a bit addicted.  But when the off-season comes - I go.  I pack my bags, pack my cameras, and point my lenses at new subjects and new places so that when the wedding season comes back into bloom in Minnesota, I have a fresh outlook, new techniques, and an open and enthusiastic heart.

This off-season I had an amazing opportunity to travel with five other A-maz-z-zing photographers to a Guatemala for a volunteer and sightseeing adventure.  Toni Fogarty, Lorri Downs, Anita Jader, Annie Marie Huebsh and I spent eight days making (or trying to make) desks for the Rising Villages School, traveling, sightseeing, and photographing everything and everyone that would let us.  I was surprised at how quickly my stammered “buenos dias” was greeted with open smiles and how often I shared a laugh with strangers when I’d get my “buenos-es” mixed up and call out “buenos noches” at nine o’clock in the morning.

Annie Marie, the only one of us that spoke Spanish, taught me the most important phrase of the trip – puedo tomar un photo, por favor.  Can I take a photo, please?  Again, I was surprised at how often my request was met with big smiles, which grew even bigger when I used the few other words I know in Spanish: muy bonita and muy quapo.  However, I didn’t always ask first, shoot later.  Some of the images below were taken from the window of a moving van, the back of a bouncing pick-up truck, or from my hip as we walked through the market.

Regardless of my location, I was met with faces that made me grin from ear to ear and faces that broke my heart.   I am counting the days until we go back.

Claire and Matt live in New York, so I had the chance to chat with Claire via Skype and was immediately charmed.  I had the pleasure of meeting them both while they were visiting Minneapolis on a wedding planning trip.  I was quickly doubly charmed.

On the day of their wedding, it was immediately apparent how close the couple was to their families.  Claire did a first look with her father and with Matt.   The only attendants were the best man, Claire’s brother, and the maid of honor, Matt’s sister.  And although the bridal party was small, the family portraits were not.  The extended family portrait on Matt’s side included 24 family members.  Claire’s side included 36!

Sara Trotter of Lasting Impressions Weddings and Events did an amazing job keeping everything running smoothly, and the decorations at Windows were spectacular!  The dessert bar was such a hit that Sarah had to work her magic to quickly restock the delicious disappearing desserts.

And the dancing!  Let me tell you about the dancing!  Matt and Claire’s first dance was to a live band, and I have to say, I got a little choked up watching them.  As I mentioned before, Claire’s dance with her father was to the Twist.  She had mentioned to me during their final planning meeting that the only way her dad could get her to leave a bar/bat mitzvah was to dance the Twist with her.  The joy on their faces and their love for each other is impossible to miss.

And speaking of missing, I almost missed my favorite moment of the evening.  It was already passed our scheduled time to pack up our gear and head home, and I had already said my good-byes to the happy couple and was crossing by the dance floor to get to my camera bags.  Always on the lookout for a last-minute-moment I can catch before putting my cameras down, I saw Claire and Matt, wedged into a corner of the crowed dance floor.  It was in this dance with each other that they were finally able to just enjoy each other on the dance floor without being watched, or hoisted on chairs, or caught in a spotlight.  They could just laugh, dance, schmooch, repeat.

This year was my busiest to date, and I worked my not-so-little tushy off making sure I delivered gorgeous images and albums to my couples in a timely fashion.  Everything else waits.

Now that I finally have a little wiggle room in my production schedule, I can spread some good news and share some award-winning images.

This year I was awarded Twin Cities Wedding Photographer of the Year, Twin  Cities Album Photographer of the Year, and Twin Cities Best of Show for Weddings.

The images and album I entered to win these titles can be seen below.

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.

Ronda and Jason really went the extra mile in personalizing their day.  Jason surprised his bride with a slide show during the ceremony, including images from his proposal!  He also played the guitar and sang to her amidst an array of misty eyes – mine included. 

The reception tables were personalized with custom-made plaques that doubled as party favors.  The plaques echoed the emotion of the day with beautifully simple sentiments like love, faith, trust and hope. 

And the cake!  Let me tell you about the cake!  Sitting atop a glorious mountain of sugar, butter and deliciousness sat the spitting image of the bride and groom!  Even the dress was the same!  Hands down, it’s top of my toppers list.

Rather than a traditional guest book, a wedding wishes tree greeted guests as they entered the room.  My personal favorite: always above anything else – love.   Oh so schmoopy, and gooey, and perfectly fitting for a couple as head over heals for each other as Ronda and Jason.

And that’s what’s most important about any wedding day.  Yes, I adore a gorgeous dress, mouth-watering cake, and fabulous shoes, but it’s the schmoopy, gooey stuff that keeps me hooked.  It’s the way Jason looked at Ronda when she didn’t know he was watching.  It’s the way they both cried during the ceremony.  It’s the way they held hands during prayer.  It’s the way their first dance melted into an embrace.  It’s always, above anything else, the love that matters.

Last week I was accepted to Junebug Weddings’ “World’s Best Photographers Hot List” and today my listing went live!  I’m one of only three photographers on the list from Minnesota.

I’m so giddy, I could implode . . . or explode – I’m too excited to decide.

The reason I’m so pumped is that I share the list with AM-A-Z-ZING photographers like Jerry Ghionis, Yervant, Jeff and Julia Woods, and Bob and Dawn Davis.  I’ve sat listening with rapt attention to all of these photographers speak at seminars, and now to be included on the same list makes me feel like singing . . . or doing the happy dance – I’m too excited to decide.

“Why You Should NEVER Skimp on Wedding Photography” by Shannon O’Kelley of Southall Eden.

I want to see and hear about what’s new – new equipment, new trends, new techniques.  I want to be able to shoot with photographers whose work I love and whose skills I admire.  I want to stand next to another photographer, look at the same subject, and photograph it in a completely different way.  I want to get that rush of looking at the back of my camera and seeing an image that I couldn’t have possibly imaged the day before.

Attending After Dark in Las Vegas gave me all those things and more.  I was able to shoot with TriCoast, John Michael Cooper, Jordan Chan, Dan Davis, Mark Fitzgibbons, Neil Van Niekerk, Stephanie Zetl, Jen Hillenga and Martin Grahame-Dunn — all amazing, internationally renown artists and fantastic human beings.  No ego. No bluster.  Just talent.  I was in photographer heaven.

This is the third year in a row I’ve won the title, and as in the previous years, I’m proud to win based on work done for my actual clients.  No fake, fancy model shoots here.  Just real brides, real grooms, real weddings. 

One of my images was also selected for the Kodak Gallery Award.   Kodak introduced the Gallery Awards in 1985 as a way to honor and promote the importance and value of excellence in professional photography.  The MNPPA awards one Kodak Gallery Award to a wedding photographer each year.  This year is my third year receiving the award.

I’m so thankful to be recognized and honored by my peers, but I didn’t win on my own.  Thank you to Alicia Oppelt-Musselman for being a great assistant, to Krish Kiefer and Julie Ann Jonker for their expert advice and critiques, and to Erin Dunn for transporting my prints to and from the competition, keeping me posted on their scores, and keeping me from having a total nervous explosion.  I am lucky and grateful to have such wonderful women and extraordinary photographers in my life.

I loved this wedding. I mean I really, really loved this wedding. And let me tell you why. . . because it was like being in the middle of the best romantic movie you have ever seen. There were tears. There was laughter. There was face-touching (which you know is my favorite). There were groomsman shenanigans. There were sweet and sassy bridesmaids. But most importantly, there was love. Giant, rushing, warm, shiny, sparkling waves of love.

(Jeez Louise, I’m crying already and I’m only two paragraphs in.)

Even though several months have passed since this wedding, when I look at the images, I can feel it like it was yesterday. I can feel Kari’s exuberant dance around the dressing room after she put on her mother’s cathedral veil. I can feel the unique (albeit mysterious) bonds of masculine friendship when Logan is hoisted onto his best man’s shoulders. I can feel the pain and pride of Kari’s oldest brother speaking on behalf of the father they lost. I can feel the sorrow, comfort and love as Kari dances the first dance with her mother, and they wipe away each others tears.

And although there was certainly sorrow, there was so much joy. Kari and Logan stood hand in hand in the middle of the dance floor as Minnesota’s Wedding Entertainment Director Extraordinaire Bill Hermann spun the tale of their love – from a match made on eHarmony, to their engagement, to their wedding day. Everybody – and I mean everybody – was hypnotized. Watching the two of them gaze at each other while Bill’s low, melodic narrative carried us along in their story was beyond moving. It was epic.

And then things got crazy.

It’s not often that you get to see a dance floor packed from edge to edge at a wedding. And all the events that might go quietly into the night at a reception, like the garter and bouquet, were done with such flourish that they became events in and of themselves. When Kari threw the bouquet, there were hands everywhere grasping at the floral projectile. When Logan removed Kari’s garter, they were literally surrounded by every man and boy in the place. When they did the anniversary dance, the floor was packed shoulder to shoulder with couples in love, which as you can imagine, is heaven for a mush bucket like me.

 So this is my Valentine’s Day gift to you. Looking at these images will not only make your feel Kari and Logan’s love and joy, it will make you feel your own. You’ll think of how much you love those around you and how lucky you are to have their love in return. And it will feel oh, so good.

 Happy Valentine’s Day!

 Now go kiss somebody, already!