Leading up to the wedding, Amy and I were praying for a nice overcast day to diffuse the light and make the colors vibrant. God graciously provided the perfect lighting conditions for photos, but I hope we didn’t pray too hard, because those same clouds brought in a light rain. Though it held off for most of the formals, it did decide to rain just in time for the ceremony. There was some discussion whether to hold the ceremony indoors where the reception was to take place or to go ahead with the ceremony in the rain. They decided to do the latter and though it continued to rain, it was such a beautiful ceremony. The colors were rich and vibrant and the umbrellas added a memorable charm.

Rachel and Danny both looked stunning with a very handsome wedding party.  The wedding couple were very romantic and seemed very comfortable in front of the camera.  As a result we were able to capture some amazing moments between the two of them.  Rachel and Danny’s daughter, who happened to be the flower girl, was also a star in the show.

The reception was a blast. Guests were greeted with amazing food and a party atmosphere. The DJ, Sam from Pro Sound and Light Show, had little trouble keeping the group on their feet and having fun.

It was a pleasure to be there and capture their day.

To See more pictures of Rachel and Danny:

Melanie is a very talented artist and she and her family spent many hours working creating all the artistic touches. The stage was adorned with hand-painted panels, each table included toppers with a ‘love bird’ theme, and the wedding cake even joined the leafy fun. Art and talent really run in their family. The yellow sports car in some of these pictures was built by Steve. I was pretty impressed and thought the car was a perfect prop …not to mention a really cool ride. The wedding day was full of fun and exciting events and great Illinois weather. They even topped it off at the end with a little improv comedy show by Green Room Productions during the reception and provided sparklers to send them on their way. It was a beautiful wedding and truly a celebration of two lives joining together to become one. Welcome to the family, Steve.

Amy is the truest friend—partner for life. Thank you Amy, for all the smiles, laughter, tears, patience and love you have given to me and our children. You truly are the best woman in the world to me. Thanks for saying “I do”. I am looking forward what God has in store for us. I love you. -Justin

Check back soon; I hope to post some photos from my cousin Melanie’s wedding.

Since Rachel & Daniel lived near the cities, we were needing to find a nice location to photograph their engagement photos. Amy, my wife, had remembered the arched bridge in Minneapolis, and with a tip my friend Dajana, we set out to find the Mill City ruins. It was a great location, though apparently a hotspot for engagement photos…there were two other couples there as well.

Amy and I enjoyed getting to know Rachel, Daniel, and their daughter, Ashlyn. They are a fun couple and I am excited to photograph their wedding near Two Harbors later this summer.

Despite the frigid temperatures, the photos turned our really warm and inviting. I crammed a lot of pictures in this post, but there were more I wanted to add. Congratulations Nic & Lexi!

Christian himself is from Germany and still has most of his family over there. Kim and her family immigrated to the US from Vietnam. I was honored when they chose me to take part in capturing this amazing union that made a wonderful symphony of blended cultures and traditions. The colors and personalities were so vibrant. The people all beautiful. The food was amazing (they insisted Amy and I enjoy their nine-course Vietnamese meal). And Kim and Christian were a blast to be around. There were two ceremonies. The first was a traditional Vietnamese ceremony that took place in the parent’s apartment.  The second was a traditional civil ceremony held at the Blue Moon Ballroom in Rochester.

My wife Amy was able to help photograph this wedding. With her permission, I’ve again mixed a couple of her photos into this mix. Below are some of my favorite shots from that day. As you can see, it was a vibrant celebration.

This was a fun wedding to be a part of. The places provided a beautiful backdrop for the photos. From a photographers perspective, you couldn’t ask for a better reception location. It was at the Chevy Chase Country Club in Chicago, IL. Thanks Ryan and Katie for letting me be a part.