Setting Time Aside for Sunset Portraits | St Paul & Minneapolis Wedding Photographer | For the Bride

At the end of your wedding day you're finally married! As you are starting the reception with your friends and family, you have a little time to eat.  Once you have eaten and hydrated, I encourage you to set aside some 10 - 15 minutes for sunset portraits. Sunset will bring a close to one of the most adventurous days of your life and it also has the mostbeautiful light of the day that really cannot compare to anything else. (Besides sunrise ) At this point all your posed photos are done and I know you are excited to start the dance party! Before the big party grab your new spouse and photographer, put on your sneaky ninja shoes, dodge your guests, and book it out the door for the first photos where you are husband and wife. (People will congratulate you all night long if you let them! Take the back door if you need to!) Even if the sun does not shine on your day, take those few stolen minutes to spend with your new hubby and talk about the day. (With your photographer creeping at a distance)
I highly encourage ( if you haven't gathered that yet) all my MW couples to save at least 15 - 20 minutes from their reception for your first intimate portraits as husband and wife.

Trip To Chicagoland Speedway & Taste Chicago | Buckets Lists | Personal

I have a bucket list. I don't have an age limit attached to it, but whenever the opportunity (and finances) arise I like to cross those experiences off. Two big ones I have already accomplished are Visiting Japan and Skydiving. My current list has a lot of travel (Europe, Seattle, ect.) and experiences like a hot air balloon ride or holding a red panda. One thing I never really thought about was combining my bucket list with my husbands. After we got married Marcus's bucket list became a part of my own. One of his bigger desired achievements include visiting all the NASCAR tracks in the US. This past weekend we crossed our fourth track off the list by traveling to Chicagoland Speedway! 

It was a smaller track that is curved so no matter where you sit you will be able to see any part of the track. Marcus loved it; he brings a hat to be signed and was able to get a total of 10 signatures on it from this trip.  Although his favorite driver (Kyle Larson) didn't win, we still had a blast at the race. 

Monday, we explored downtown Chicago! We started the day with a Taste Chicago Food Tour by Tastebuds Tours. This was our second food tour our first being in downtown Minneapolis. These were our foods and Stops.  

Deep dish Pizza by Pizano's Pizza , a Brownie at The Goddess and the Baker, a sandwich at Als, cupcakes at Sugar Bliss, Chocolate at Fannie Mays and then we finished out with a brat at Berghoff. 

Our favorite food was by far the Brownie from The Goddess and the Baker. It was rich, moist, and delicious enough I ate it before getting a photo. The other foods on the tour were just so so. Our tour guide was sweet and knowledgeable making the tour worth while.   

After the food tour we went to the Skydeck at Sears Tower (Willis Tower) and went out on the Ledge. Not being afraid of heights, I started to walk out all confident and then about halfway changed my mind and started to walk backwards ! We finished the night out with deep dish pizza from Giordano's at Navy Pier and watched an Imax viewing of the Movie It. (We are horror movie people)

Minnesota History Center Wedding Photography | Holly & Steve | Minneapolis Wedding Photographer

On a beautiful windy September day, Holly and Steve decided to get married at the Minnesota History Center in downtown St. Paul! They are one of the most fun and easygoing couples I have had the joy to serve. We started their day at Kellogg Mall Park for their first look. Steve was quick to show off his bright green shoelaces, excitingly telling us that he has a shoe lace guy in Canada. (Yeah he has connections, message me if you need any assortment of colored shoelaces and I will see what I can do!) Holly was dolled up in a simple sweetheart dress and white flowers in her hair. It was a perfect representation of her spirit, simply elegant and sweet. All morning Holly and Steve were bubbling with energy for their wedding day! It was finally here; it is a cool feeling seeing everything you have been planning actually happen!

They surrounded themselves with loved ones from all stages of life from all over the country. (Their guestbook was a map of the US with hearts over where they had lived! It was so fitting for their two adventure buddies.) As Holly walked down the aisle with her mother and father, she smiled around excited to see so many people come together for them.  As they said their vows Steve had Holly laughing and crying along with everyone else attending! 

Steve's father has a tradition of singing with a group at wedding reception. The halls of the History Center echoed with the beautiful, funny song and laughter because the lyrics were pretty great!

The maid of honors speech was filled with advice of kids some simple and some surprisingly mature for their age.
The whole day was beautiful, but nothing was more beautiful than the love shared between Holly and Steve. I hope their life together only grows in love and they never loose the laughter in between them.
They finished the night storming the dance floor, partying with their friends with the Minnesota State Capital glowing bright in the large picture window.

The best part of an amazing wedding day?? - Holly and Steve couldn't stop laughing and smiling with each other. It was simply the best. <3