Meet Brian. Meet Rachel. Meet Brichel.
These cuties made the trek from Fargo to traipse around outside an abandoned brewery + giggle with each other in a tangle of photogenic weeds. And OH did they do it well.

I can often tell what the tone of the shoot will be before I have even touched my camera.
&It's pretty obvious that when it starts with some volleyball + a giant game of pong, your subjects are going to be the type of couple that are down for anything with a string of endless smiles to match. Turns out I was right. And I ain't mad about it.

The next time these babes grace the blog they'll be in formal attire, exchanging vows in a pretty barn in the countryside.
Guess who can't wait!
Spoiler: ME.
Woohoooo, Brichel!

YOU MADE IT! You're here! You've clicked in to one of my favorite engagement sessions... wait for it... of all time. Whoop, whoop! &I'm ready to throw the virtual confetti.

Meet Jeanna. She's a sports broadcast journalist on Channel 6.Meet Zach. He's a pro hockey player for the Boston Bruins.

There's already a romantic comedy somewhere here in the making, amiright?

Aside from their professions, they're the kind of couple that laughs their way through the alleyways of Saint Paul, smooching their way along the Mississippi River during their engagement session. Relaxed. Real. And reeeeal cute, constantly making the other grin + giggle. They're also a certain brand of stellar that drops a bottle of Prosecco off at your house the day after their session as a thank you. (As if they weren't my favorites already.) Theirs is a cuteness that just clearly doesn't quit, and I'm thrilled to be featuring these lovebirds on the blog. CHEERS to J + Z!

UFF-da, y’all. (A Minnesotan married a Texan–it’s cool, guys.) &It was everything you could want in a wedding and then some.

A sunny, outdoor ceremony, tucked in a fringe of tall trees and fluffy clouds.
Words + rings exchanged with a purpose and promise.
Toast after toast, bathed in the warm glow of a dozen, glittering chandeliers.
A cozy dance floor in an historic barn.
And a thick slice of cake and some homemade rhubarb wine.

And amid all of those glorious moments, there lives a boy and girl so crazy in love with one another, they’ve vowed to live the rest of their lives moving forward towards that gorgeous pursuit of pure love. So, yes, revel in the photos. Take in that knockout dress, that picture perfect cake cutting, each delicious detail, but I want you to FEEL this set, guys. Because this wedding–this marriage thing–is a big deal. And woooo-eeee, THEY DID IT!! Jillian and Colton, you both have my eternal adoration + best wishes for a beautiful future. Cheers, you crazy kids! :* :*

I'm a romantic at heart. And this wedding doesn't just make my ticker happy, but every bone in my body. "I fell for you at the very first hello" is how it all began. Both in reality, several years ago on campus, and on paper, as the start of Holly's personal vows.

Fast forward through a series of birthdays, vacations, and family Christmases spent together + transport yourself from Wisconsin to Hawaii. The proposal. On a tropical hike with Holly and her family a few months ago, Anton got down on one knee. (And from the holiday snaps I've seen, Holly joined him seconds later on the ground, overcome with emotion and a jubilant YES.)

Now Hawaii to Minnesota. You keeping up? These lovebirds didn't want to wait. And with Anton scheduled to deploy to Egypt 10 days from today, they couldn't wait. A dress was secured. A date at the courthouse booked. &The invitations? Pffff. No need. Why not an intimate exchange of vows in the grand rotunda and an "engagement party" surprise for their crew afterwards?

Holly + Anton.
You crazy kids are the real deal.
And I'm so happy I got to take part in such an epic celebration of loooove.
Now grab some tissues, yo, and start the scrolling; that really can't wait much longer either. ;)

My spirit animal is a unicorn whose glittery mane blows about in a rainbow breeze on the way to the roller rink. Truth. In other words: sequins make my pupils dilate with excitement. Puppies make my fingers compulsively twitch in that MUST PET THE PRETTY kind of way. Photographing two beautiful love birds in the midst of this wonderful whirlwind: cha chiiiiing! Seriously though, Tricia. Way to knock it out of the park on all levels of taste + adorable…ness… (Is that a thing? Yes. It’s time.) It was my first engagement session outta the gate and this season has just begun with a bang.

Congrats, T + J!

The first time I met Josiah was last October. We had just wrapped an incredible engagement session and were saying our extended goodbyes in that slow Minnesotan way, leaning up against our respective vehicles. Before we parted ways, I asked Josiah what drew him to Rachel, hoping to further connect the dots in their love story. Rather than shrug it off with a joke and a grin, coming up with a quick flattery for his betrothed, his mood shifted. He became thoughtful. Introspective. He took a few moments to compose his answer, and what he said still makes me tear up whenever I think back on it.

New paragraph.

Because, yeah. I'm completely gonna leave you hanging on that one. Rather than misquote the beautiful sentiments Josiah shared with me, I want to focus not on the what but the how. Because isn't intent the most important piece of any action anyhow?

And then there's Rachel. Several years later, I distinctly recall the first time I photographed our lovely bride. A senior in high school, a cook at the local cafe, she knew I had an ongoing love affair for a certain peanut butter chocolate confection I would stop in so regularly to indulge in. And so: she baked me a whole pan as a thank you. WHOLE pan. Those sweet gestures (... pun!) are everything. It's a gracious thoughtfulness. It's heartfelt intent. And it's completely in line with the heart of Josiah's devotion and adoration. It's loooove, guys!

Now how bout some photos, yeah?!

I wonder what they must have thought, those travelers headed south down Highway 35 that afternoon.
They would have had only a sliver of a moment to see.
Ryan on bended knee and ring in his hand.
Marissa standing before her boyfriend in disbelief.
A cop looking on, having pulled them over moments before, on the side of the road.

It was during year 3 or 4 when I first met and photographed the A+Z duo. Three or four in a relationship consisting of eight. EIGHT! (A concept I cannot even fathom, given that I was still a teenager 8 years ago.) 

This wedding.
This wedding is everything.
I could go on.
And on.
And on.

Gracious.
That's the word.
While there are several choice adjectives I could use, every single one of them overwhelmingly positive, this one rises to the surface in summing up Stephanie and Carson.

Watch it--
Wait for it--
This wedding: it's all about the smiles.

My muse got married.