When one of your besties becomes a mama to a precious baby girl your heart can’t help but burst. I was so honored to take Charlotte’s newborn photos that the treacherous trek to the Eau Claire area was worth it. I mean, I maybe saw 6+ cars in the ditch but c’mon look at that face – worth it!!
To me-marriage isn’t about a party, guests, or the perfect DJ list. Marriage is about the dedication between two people. It’s about love, commitment, & knowing you always have each other.
Ross & I have been together for 7 years…the more we thought about being engaged–the more we both realized we didn’t want a big wedding. We wanted it to be a sacred, special day about us. Just us. No outside opinions, no extra cooks in the kitchen, no extravagant budget. I didn’t want anyone having an opinion & feeling empowered simply because they were paying for it. Mostly though—I didn’t want to look back on our wedding and remember how stressed, cranky, & anxious I felt. I wanted to look back on our day with absolutely nothing but love & happiness. For me, that doesn’t come from months of extensive planning….I live for spontaneity. I also thrive on independence. Knowing that we paid for everything & did it 100% by ourselves was a big motivating factor. Also? I wanted killer photos. I didn’t want posed church photos, I didn’t want terrible lighting…I wanted my day to be for the photos. At the end of everything—that’s the only tangible item you walk away with from your wedding. I wanted them to be amazing.
We set the plan in motion. If no party, cake, nor guest list was happening, what would we do? I like to think we really caught our footing and found our roots in Uptown. It’s where, until we moved, I was happiest in Minneapolis. We did our formal photos at Lake of the Isles—a lake we have walked a hundred times. We played arcade games at Updown & bought our *favorite* donuts from Glamdoll. This day was truly about us-down to the camera bobby pin in my hair. There isn’t a time I look back on this day without a giant smile on my face. In the end-our happiness is all that matters within our marriage anyways. I would elope 100x over. I truly can’t imagine I will look back & feel like I missed out from having a big wedding. I look at these photos & I am constantly reminded that we find happiness in ourselves and each other. That’s magic, my friends.”
Emily and Spencer picked out the most gorgeous spot for their wedding portraits at Riverside International Friendship Gardens in LaCrosse. The paths and greenery were absolutely stunning made such a gorgeous backdrop for their special day. It was definitely a popular spot as we saw about 3 other wedding parties come and go throughout our time there. If you’re in the LaCrosse, WI area I definitely recommend checking it out, the gardens overlook the Mississippi River as well which made for a breathtaking evening shot of the couple.
Check out Emily and Spencer’s day below.
Images shot under Danielle Vetterkind Photography.
This wedding made me a believer that Cannon River Winery and Vineyard is possibly one of the most breathtaking wedding venues in Southeastern, MN. Dacia’s details made it even more gorgeous with her stunning bouquets put together by part of the bridal party along with her simple and elegant signage and decor that truly was like something you see straight out of a bridal magazine.
The winery itself has so many wonderful facets and character that I strongly urge any wine lover to see for themselves.
Take a peek at their day to see for yourselves.
1. We’re Just as Nervous as You
When ever I have a photo session no matter if we have met or not I always get butterflies. Something about the excitement combined with the pressure to deliver you amazing photographs that can last you a lifetime. I want to make sure I capture each incredible moment in the perfect way so my brain is always going! So if you feel nervous too, know it’s okay and COMPLETELY normal.
2. Expect Your Images to Look Similar to Our Portfolio
Of course your images will be of you and the location you agree to but expect the quality and editing style to be the same. I have specific edits that I apply to my images so that they are consistent and you know EXACTLY what to expect of me. After all, you likely hired me because you saw and liked my type of work on Facebook or another source.
3. Don’t Forget to Relax
Having your picture taken should be enjoyable not painful. Mama’s, if your kiddos are acting up or being cray, take a deep breath. Don’t reprimand your kids as this will likely trigger moods even more, try to give compliments and encouragement to help keep spirits up. I typically come with a couple game ideas to help lighten things but that means I need your help on keeping things relaxed too 😉 If a mood turns into something more serious such as a full meltdown or inappropriate behavior then I will completely understand if a break from the session needs to happen. However, in most cases positive reinforcement and a little game works wonders!
4. The big ‘P’…Pricing
Yes, I know those numbers you see next to your session details can be hard to swallow but think of it as an investment. It’s not every day that you get to dress up and have pictures taken with something other than a phone. Refer to #7, I spend so much time working on your images to make them perfect for you to cherish forever. I also need to pay for things such as equipment, software, taxes, props, gas, as well as spending time on education all to serve you in the best possible way. So please don’t make fun of pricing. I understand that I may not be in your budget but know that I have spent time gathering information to very specifically put together my pricing to ensure that I can afford to stay in business and keep serving amazing clients like you!
5. We LOVE to Hear Your Feedback
Hopefully you will be ecstatic when you receive your gallery and will go about downloading and hopefully printing your images. Because I deliver galleries online I miss out on the reaction when you see your images for the first time which is a bit of a bummer so don’t be afraid to email me to share your excitement or better yet, leave me an online review. I absolutely LOVE reading happy client reviews and it makes me so excited that I was able to capture such perfect memories for them.
