Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Rustic Summer Wedding In Hatton, ND

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Rustic Summer Wedding In Hatton, ND

I literally can’t remember when I first met Tayla and Connor…it was definitely BEFORE all of the pandemic craziness. I quickly knew that they would be so much fun to work with and we started their wedding planning journey. But then, due to COVID, we had to postpone and reschedule their wedding another year!

Well, that year was worth the wait! Their wedding day finally came and you couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day! Their day took place at NAASTAD ACRES in Hatton, ND (my absolute favorite venue to work at).

It was a toasty 90 degrees out all day, but the morning was filled with friends and family laughing and building memories together. Everyone was so awesome to work with and I had tons of fun conversations as the morning just flew by!

The ceremony was beautiful in the bright sun with no wind at all. The couple exchanged vows, rings, kissed, and walked back down the isle as husband and wife to cheers and tears of happiness.

Now…if anyone knows how to throw a party…it’s Naastad Acres and Harmon Entertainment! The reception and dance were nonstop fun and action as Tayla & Connor’s family and friends put in their best efforts to celebrate the newlyweds. To cap off their whirlwind of a special day, the couple got to watch a fantastic display of fireworks in their honor!

What a wonderful day for such an amazing couple. I’m so glad that Tayla & Connor stuck with me through the craziness of the past 2 years and we were all able to share their special day together! I feel so lucky and honored to have been the one to work with them these past two years!

Congrats to the new couple! Thanks so much for choosing me to capture your wedding day memories!

Venue: Naastad Acres

Dress: Your Day By Nicole-Fargo

Florist: Hugo’s-East Grand Forks

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography 2nd Photographer: Alica Hogan Uhlir

Men’s Attire: Tip Top Tux

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes-Fargo Hugo’s-East Grand Forks

DJ: Harmon Entertainment DJ service, MC Pete Johnson

Caterer: Ground Round

Watch Tayla & Connor’s Wedding Highlight Video!

If you are recently engaged and looking for an experienced professional photographer to capture the emotions and memories of your big day…just reach out and say HI and let’s chat!!

Now Booking 2023 & 2024 Weddings!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Summer Wedding At St. Mary's Church, Grand Forks, ND

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Summer Wedding At St. Mary's Church, Grand Forks, ND

I’ve had such an awesome time working with Ruby and Matt over the last year. We met over coffee and I quickly realized that they were a couple I would have a blast working with! Our Spring was so crazy with rain, flooding, and even a late May blizzard…that getting their engagement session planned proved challenging. We finally just went out on a chilly, windy, overcast day and shot some photos. I had so much fun with them and the photos turned out amazing! That’s when I knew that their wedding day was gonna be unforgettable!

The crazy weather seemed to follow us all the way to their wedding day as the forecast was supposed to be 99 degrees with a heat index of 107!!! Luckily, like 75% of the time, the weathermen were WAY off. The temp only reached into the low 80’s which made outdoor photos tons more comfortable and fun. We did have to deal with a slight breeze of 30 mph…but we made due!

The entire wedding party was so laid back and super easy to work with and we shared lots of laughs throughout the day! I really enjoyed chatting with members from both sides of the family and I could see where both Ruby and Matt got their fun outgoing personalities.

Once the ceremony rolled around…the laughs continued, but were accompanied by tears of joy, special moments, rings and vows being exchanged, and a first kiss as husband and wife!

The reception was packed and all of Ruby and Matt’s family and friend’s celebrated the newlyweds in grand fashion! What an action packed day!

It’s always so cool to be there to see how all of our months of planning finally come together and I get to witness another family being created!

Congrats to the new couple! Thanks so much for choosing me to capture your wedding day memories!

Venue: St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Grand Forks, ND

Dress: Alan Evans Bridal

Florist: Wy’s Floral

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Men’s Attire: Halberstadt’s at West Acres

Hair:

Cake: Deb Solem

DJ: Blu Light Productions

Watch Ruby & Matt’s Wedding Highlight Video!

If you are recently engaged and looking for an experienced professional photographer to capture the emotions and memories of your big day…just reach out and say HI and let’s chat!!

Now Booking 2023 & 2024 Weddings!

Select 2022 dates available!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Outdoor Fall Wedding At Bonazaville U.S.A., Fargo, ND

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Outdoor Fall Wedding At Bonazaville U.S.A., Fargo, ND

2020 is almost over and I FINALLY have a bit of time to get caught up on posting my Fall weddings! This one was the Fall wedding of DeAnn & Thomas! I met them (and their son Maverick) last year and got to travel to Jamestown to do their engagement photos. I had a blast with them as we trekked all over Jamestown to shoot photos. We took a break for some warm coffee & tea and had a beautiful sunset to close out our session.

Their wedding was special, not only to them, but to me as well…you see, their September 19th wedding happened to be my 6 year wedding anniversary date! My wife and I were married on that date in 2014 in Duluth, MN!

DeAnn & Thomas chose to get married at Bonazaville USA in West Fargo. It’s a historical museum with no shortage of cool and unique areas for amazing photographs! It was as nice of a day out as you could have asked for…except for one small thing…the ND wind! The 20 mph winds made the outdoor photos a bit challenging but we were still able to have fun, get some great shots, and most importantly…capture the emotions and memories of their special day!

Both families treated me so well and it was amazing to get to mingle with them all day! We even were blessed with another beautiful sunset! And the yummy desserts that the groom’s mother made were icing on the cake (pun intended)!

Congrats to the new couple! Thanks so much for not only choosing me to capture your wedding day memories, but for sticking with me through the craziness of the pandemic this past year!

P.S….I’ll never forget your anniversary!!

Venue: Bonanzaville, USA - West Fargo

Dress: Affairs By Brittany

Florist: Erika With A K Designs

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Men’s Attire: LeeAnne's Bridal

Hair: Layered - Ellie Mayer

Cake: Julie Cookie ND

DJ: Harmon Entertainment

Watch DeAnn & Thomas’s Wedding Highlight Video!

If you are recently engaged and looking for an experienced professional photographer to capture the emotions and memories of your big day…just reach out and say HI and let’s chat!!

Now Booking 2022 Weddings!

Select 2021 dates available!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Styled Rustic Wedding Photoshoot In Moorhead, MN

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Styled Rustic Wedding Photoshoot In Moorhead, MN

The Fall of 2020 was crazy for me (as I’m sure it was for many of you)! With COVID running rampant across the country, many of my wedding couples either postponed or rescheduled their spring/summer weddings. Those that rescheduled, seemed to all do so in September or October of this year. Whether it was a small intimate social distancing guidelines wedding, or an outdoor ceremony, I had 8 weddings in a row from Sept-Oct which made my FALL FLY BY SO FAST! That’s why I’m just getting around to posting this now!

In late October after my wedding blitz was done, I partnered up with the amazing Moorhead wedding venue, Rustic Oaks and one of the Fargo/Moorhead area’s premiere bridal boutiques, Affairs By Brittany. We planned a rustic/Fall themed wedding photoshoot and we held a contest to have a REAL engaged couple be our models for the shoot. The winners of our couples’ contest to be our models for the photoshoot were Raquel and her fiance Banyn.

We also were lucky enough to get some of the area’s finest wedding vendors to be a part of our styled shoot. We worked with Halberstadt’s (attire), Morgen Hagrott (videography), Whisk N Whimsey (cake and treats), Love Always (floral), and Studio Duo (hair).

The shoot itself was amazing! There was a light dusting of snow on the ground but it was warm enough to venture outside so we were able to get a nice mix of indoor/outdoor photos and video. Raquel and Banyn were so much fun to work with and got some real world experience behind the camera for their upcoming REAL wedding next year!

Engagement season is upon us…so if you are reading this and happen to get engaged between now and Valentine’s Day…please consider these fine wedding professionals to be a part of your big day! They are all the best at what they do and will know how to make your wedding day flawless, memorable, and special!

Venue: Rustic Oaks

Dress: Affairs By Brittany

Florist: Love Always

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Men’s Attire: Halberstadt’s Fargo

Hair: Salon DUO Fargo

Videography: Morgan Hagerott

Cake: Whisk N Whimsey


If you are recently engaged and looking for an experienced professional photographer to capture the emotions and memories of your big day…just reach out and say HI and let’s chat!!

Now Booking 2022 Weddings!

Select 2021 dates available!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Rustic Outdoor Pandemic Wedding In Hatton, ND

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Beautiful Rustic Outdoor Pandemic Wedding In Hatton, ND with Haley & Grady.

A lot has happened in the past few months that have changed everything we do on a daily basis…including social gatherings, family events, graduations, and YES…weddings! When I met Haley and Grady in 2019 and we began working together to plan their wedding…the last thing we could have imagined was being in the midst of a global pandemic when their wedding came around! But that’s exactly what happened.

The date the couple had set for their big day had so much importance as it would share the 20th birthday of Haley’s younger brother who had previously passed away. This date would have so much meaning to the bride and groom so everyone worked together to make it the safest, most beautiful day possible!

As the morning began at the amazing Naastad Acres in Hatton, it was already close to 90 degrees out and it only got hotter and more humid as the day went on! It didn’t slow anyone down and the entire bridal party was amazing to work with. In fact, everything went so smoothly that we finished all of our pre ceremony photos about 45 min early (which never happens) and meant everyone had more time to chill (literally) inside in the AC before the ceremony!

The ceremony was beautiful! There were both tears of sadness and tears of joy and this ceremony would rank as one of the most emotional ones I’ve taken part in. Tons of laughter, cheers, tears, and soon Haley & Grady walked back down the isle as husband and wife!

As the reception started, I enjoyed having some awesome chats with some of the family members and remembering why I love to do this job! I got to meet and work with 2 amazing people and all of their family and friends to document their most precious intimate day of their lives. As far as jobs go…you can’t really beat that!

Thanks to both families for letting me take part in this special day and congratulations to Haley & Grady as they take the next step in their journey as husband and wife!

Venue: Naastad Acres

Dress: Your Day By Nicole by Essence of Australia

Florist: The Shed

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Make Up: Avedon Staehnke

Hair: Salon DUO Fargo

Caterer: Ground Round

DJ: Marcus with Harmon Entertainment

Cake: Hugo’s Family Marketplace

Watch Haley & Grady’s Wedding Video!


If you had to change your wedding plans due to Covid-19 and are in need of a Professional Photographer who specializes in weddings…I would LOVE to hear your story and work with you to tell it to the world!

I’m also still booking 2021 weddings!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Intimate Backyard Covid Pandemic Wedding In Grand Forks

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Intimate Backyard Covid Pandemic Wedding In Grand Forks With Sara & Michael

I started working with Sara & Mike in 2019 as we started planning their big 2020 wedding that was scheduled for May 30. It was shaping up to be a large-sized beautiful church ceremony at Hope Church with an action packed celebration with all the family and friends the Ramada could handle!

When Sara, Mike, & I started planning everything together last year…we forgot to plan for one small thing…a GLOBAL PANDEMIC!! Looking back to 2019…who would have guessed we would be right in the middle of a worldwide viral outbreak that has caused so much devastation to not only the population, but the economy?

Spring and Summer weddings had to be cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled and Sara and Mike’s large indoor church wedding was no exception. We worked together and with most of their original wedding vendors and found a date that worked for rescheduling their wedding to Sept 2020 and we were all excited we could make that happen.

Even though their beautiful church wedding was now set for Sept and they could breath a small sigh of relief, Sara & Mike still wanted to have a small intimate backyard ceremony and actually get married on their original wedding date of May 30, 2020…Sooooooooo….that’s what we did!

Keeping within all of the social distancing guidelines, they had the most beautiful intimate ceremony you could plan and I was so happy I could finally get out in the world and be there to start photographing precious moments again!

For such a small ceremony, there were so many details, laughs, tears, and memorable moments that I could have fit them all into a normal 8 hour wedding day…but we packed them all into about 2 hours! It was such an incredible day and having THIS ceremony be my first photographed wedding since the whole pandemic began, I can honestly say…I look forward to working with more couples who want small/intimate ceremonies or elopements!

Congratulations to Sara, Mike, their families, and friends! Thank you all so much for having me a part of such a special & memorable day! I look forward to your 2nd wedding this year which I know will be a blast!

Venue: Groom’s family home

Florist: Peggy Olivas

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Caterer: Peggy & Terry Olivas

Pastor: Paul Knight (Lead Pastor at Hope Church)

Watch Sara & Michael’s Wedding Video!


If you had to change your wedding plans due to Covid-19 and are in need of a Professional Photographer who specializes in weddings…I would LOVE to hear your story and work with you to tell it to the world!

I’m also still booking 2021 weddings!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding On The University Of North Dakota Campus

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding at On The University Of North Dakota’s Campus With Tyler & Jordan

I met Tyler & Jordan close to a year ago at a wedding show and was instantly connected to their story! I had a blast with them during their engagement session as we took some awesome winter photos which included key elements of their love story: Their home, the restaurant where they got engaged, sipping on some scotch and whiskey, their dogs, and the love of the outdoors! The only bad thing about it was that we had to wait so long for the wedding so we could have some more fun working together!

Their wedding day Finally arrived on August 24 and took place on the UND campus at the Hopper Danley and Gorecki Alumni Center. Little did we know that we would be faced with a couple huge obstacles as the day began. It just so happened to be UND Student Move-In Day! Exciting….RIGHT?? Oh…I forgot to mention that there was also major construction on University Avenue! This all created the perfect storm of things to make you stress out on your wedding day! It was almost impossible to get to the Gorecki as traffic was backed up all the way down University Ave all day! It was Crazy!

Despite all of the craziness, everyone arrived and the day began as Tyler and Jordan’s families all worked together to get the day’s events back on track! Weather-wise, it was a beautiful day out and the wedding party was so much fun to work with as we trekked all over the campus and found some stunning areas for portraits!

The rest of the day went off without a hitch and as the students and traffic gradually died down, Tyler and Jordan exchanged vows, had their first kiss, and walked back down the isle as husband and wife! It was a beautiful intimate ceremony with my first ever “scotch-whiskey unity ceremony” I’ve ever photographed!

Then it was back to the Gorecki for the celebration where there was more laughter, some tears of joy, fine food, and crazy dancing!

I’m so happy that I crossed paths with this amazing couple a year ago and I was able to tell their wedding day story! Congrats…and thanks to Tyler, Jordan, and their families for letting me into their lives over the last year so I could preserve these precious memories for you all!

Venues: Hopper Danley Spiritual Center The Gorecki Alumni Center

Dress: Allen Evan’s (Moorhead)

Florist: Hugo’s Family Marketplace

Cake: Paola’s Pastries

D.J.: Harmon Entertainment

Make-up: Kennedy Olson

Hair: Hair By CK

Event Design: An Elegant Affair

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Watch Tyler & Jordan’s Wedding Day Highlight Film:

If you’d like to discuss working with me for your wedding day…just click the button below to reach out and say HI!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding In Crookston

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding In Crookston

I first met Ariel last Fall at a bridal show and when I got to hear a little bit about their wedding plans up until that point, I knew I wanted to be a part of their big day! June 22 came extremely fast and the day began with steady rain showers which worried us because we all had high hopes of doing a majority of our photographs outdoors at various locations.

By the time everyone was dressed and ready to go, most of the rain had stopped and I was able to take the groomsmen and 1 groomswoman (groomspeople) outside and get some great shots in downtown Crookston. Then we hid the groomspeople as we sneaked the bride and her bridesmaids outside for some fun shots around the church.

As we were finishing, it started raining again which put a damper on our plans to head to a nature center for Ariel and Bryce’s First Look. We had a “plan B” for this to take place inside the church but when I asked Ariel what she REALLY wanted to do…she said, “Let’s go to the nature center!” (My kind of bride!).

The groom and I drove out to the nature center and the gate was locked! I had to find a place to stash the groom because the bride was about 5 minutes behind us and if he simply stayed in my vehicle...they would've seen each other. So he hid around the corner of a nearby building (outside in the rain). When the bride arrived and her father unlocked the gate, we had to cover the car she was in with umbrellas so we could move the groom into position. Once we did that, we had to have the bride's father drive her right up behind the groom because the grass was knee high and it was soaked from the rain! At this point, my feet were soaked and my pants were as well from the knee down. We finally got them both into position and the father (and other helpers) drove back out and we did their first look. All of that was totally worth it because the groom's reaction to seeing his bride for the first time was priceless!

The rest of he day was so much fun and everything else went off without a hitch! We DID have some slight coordinating to do as we literally stopped traffic to get a shot of the entire wedding party in the middle of the street in downtown Crookston…but other than that, everything was amazing!

The church was packed with friends and loved ones who all came to see Ariel and Bryce become husband and wife. There were plenty of laughs and tears and soon the entire group was partying and celebrating as the brand new husband and wife shared their first meal together!

It was quite the adventurous day and I couldn’t be more honored that Ariel and Bryce chose ME to capture all of these amazing moments! Congrats to the newlyweds!!

Venues: Trinity Lutheran Church Crookston Inn

Dress: LeAnn’s Bridal Fargo

Florist: Crookston Floral

Cake: Susan Winger

D.J.: Thunderbolt Sound & Light Show

Make-up: Evan Hartjen

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

If you would like to chat with me about your upcoming wedding…simply click below to reach out and say HI!

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding In East Grand Forks

Grand Forks | East Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer - Summer Wedding In East Grand Forks

My 2019 wedding season kicked off with a BANG in early June with Michelle and Jon’s big day! The day started off at about 90 degrees and 600% humidity but that didn’t stop us from venturing outdoors and making some awesome wedding day memories!

Everyone was so amazing to work with and there was still one important shot I was hoping to get with the entire group out on the street with Grand Forks’ City Hall in the background. The only problem was that it was about a 5 minute walk and by the looks of the sky, we were looking to have some severe thunderstorms hit us any minute! I just reassured Michelle and Jon that it was good luck to get struck by lightning on your wedding day…and we started walking! We got over there, lined everyone up (including Children and 1 GroomsDog) and got our shots. We got back to the church with no time to spare as it literally dumped rain the second we got inside!

Rewind to about 2 minutes before we got inside as we were walking back to the church, the bride’s Father drove by us in his pick-up and saw his daughter walking down the street in her wedding dress and must’ve stared a bit too long because he hit a curb and jumped the truck over the curb and kept going! Everyone got a good laugh at that, but it stood out to me as one of those extremely rare moments that I get to see during someone’s wedding day that not everyone gets to be a part of.

The rest of the day was filled with special moments as 350 of Michelle and Jon’s family and friends sat together and watched the two exchange vows, rings, a kiss, and their walk back down the isle as husband and wife!

As the celebration moved to The Ramada, it was still pouring rain out and it was chilly! I remember wishing I had a jacket which was crazy considering that hours earlier, I thought I was having heat stroke! I guess that’s how Summer Wedding Days go in ND/MN!

Everything all said and done…it was a beautiful, action-packed day with an incredible bride and groom who I was so honored to have trust me with capturing all of these memories for them!

Congrats Michelle & Jon!

Venues: Sacred Heart Church Ramada | Grand Forks

Dress: Kristen’s Bridal

Florist: Wy’s Floral

Cake: O’ For Heaven’s Cakes N’ More

D.J.: Backspin Productions

Make-up: Jody Lopez Premier Aesthetics

Hair: Fringe (Jadie Schuh)

Photographer: Shawn Morrissey Photography

Watch Michelle & Jon’s Wedding Day Highlight Video!

5 Common Mistakes Couples Make While Wedding Planning

5 Common Mistakes Couples Make While Wedding Planning

Congratulations!!!! You’re engaged and everything is so exciting in your life right now! If this is your first time being engaged and planning a wedding…this process can be lots of fun…but you’ll also find out soon enough that things can get overwhelming and even stressful. There are so many details that need attention and decisions that need to be made…not to mention all of the money those details and decisions will end up costing you.

You’re going to probably reach out for help at some point to friends, family members, Facebook groups, Pintrest, Youtube, and Google…all of which can offer help and inspiration. This blog post will let you take advantage of a very different and UNIQUE source for helping you plan your wedding. That source is ME! I’ve been photographing weddings for almost 14 years…and in that vast amount of time, I’ve seen pretty much everything. I’ve seen almost every possible way a wedding can go wrong and I’ve condensed all of that in to the 5 most common mistakes couples make while wedding planning. I’ll go over each one with the hopes of preventing YOU from making the same mistakes I see couples making over and over so you can have a fun-filled, stress-free wedding day!

So let’s get to it!

Wedding Planning Mistake #5: Inviting too many guests

This may seem like it doesn’t need mentioning, but you would be surprised how many couples make this simple mistake. When planning your guest list, make sure the number of guests you plan on inviting fits within the capacity limits of both your ceremony and reception venues! If your reception venue can fit 200 people and your guest list is 350…DO NOT send 350 invites out assuming that only 50-60% will rsvp YES. When your wedding day rolls around and you have 50 guests too many…it would be absolutely horrible to have to turn those guests away... some of whom may have travelled a great distance to be there for your wedding! Most venues simply can’t add 5 more tables at the last minute. Fire codes limit the maximum number of people allowed in the venue. A safer guideline would be to assume that 80% of the people on your guestlist will reply YES. Safer still is not sending out more invites than your venue can hold. If your venue can hold 200 people…do not send out more than 200 invites. Trust me…the last thing you want on your wedding day is to have to turn away a group of people who took time out of their lives to be with you on your wedding day because you sent out too many invites!

Wedding Planning Mistake #4: Not having a rain plan

If you are planning an outdoor wedding and simply hoping that it won’t rain…you will be a nervous wreck the entire week of your wedding (especially in ND and MN)! Don’t waste your whole wedding day worrying if it’s gonna rain or not and ruin everything you’ve been planning for the last 6-12 months! Instead…have a solid “Plan B”. If the venue you are having your outdoor ceremony at doesn’t have an option for an indoor ceremony in case of rain…It would be a smart idea to start looking into companies in your area that rent tents. You may not want to put money down on renting a tent and lose that money if it doesn’t rain and you never use that tent, but the alternative is…not spending the money renting the tent and then it rains and you have nowhere for you and your guests to take shelter. Think of putting money down for a tent as insurance and a piece of mind (which, on your wedding day, is priceless). If you are planning an outdoor event, start looking for tents to rent 6-9 months in advance so you can be sure some will be available and you can budget them in.

Wedding Planning Mistake #3: Hiring a friend instead of a pro

You’ve spent countless hours planning, not to mention thousands of dollars on your dress, venues, food, etc…and there will be no “Do Overs” on your wedding day. It’s vital that you hire professional wedding vendors, who know what they’re doing, to make sure your wedding day goes off without a hitch. Even if you are on a tight budget…your wedding day is NOT the time to let your friends “practice” their hobby. Your friend my have 10,000 followers on Instagram…but that doesn’t mean they can handle photographing a wedding. Your cousin may put together the best playlists ever and keep house parties bumpin…but that doesn’t mean they’ll make an awesome wedding DJ. INVEST money into hiring professionals for the most important day of your life and let your friends enjoy the day with you.

Wedding Planning Mistake #2: Getting trashed the night before the wedding

Your wedding is tomorrow!! Yippie! You’re so excited and to make things even better…you get to be with all of your closest friends and family at the groom’s dinner! This is where many couples make a mistake they always regret! Drinking WAY too much the night before the wedding can turn your wedding day into a disaster. I’ve seen couples that hired me for 6 hours of photography coverage show up 3 hours late because they were sick from the night before. On top of that, alcohol makes your skin flush red which is VERY unflattering for photos. (sometimes…even Photoshop can not help). Coming in 3 hours late puts all of your hired wedding vendors behind and that can exponentially slow down your entire timeline…even bring it to a halt. If you were supposed to be a the salon at 9 am and didn’t get there until 9:45…that not only puts your hair and makeup back 45 minutes…but that compounds on top of all the other events on your timeline. Now makeup starts later, which means getting dressed starts later, which then means flowers get pinned on later, and so on and so forth! It can be a total disaster and I’ve seen it happen more than once. So have fun at the groom’s dinner the night before but skip the drinking if at all possible. You will have such a better wedding day if you avoid this common mistake…and you’ll have the entire wedding evening to have drinks with all of your friends.

Wedding Planning Mistake #1: Not Hiring An Experienced Wedding Photographer

You may have been dreaming of your wedding day since you were a little girl. You’ll spend countless hours between now and your wedding day planning every important detail. You’ve spent hundreds (maybe even thousands) of dollars on your dream dress and thousands more on the venues, music, flowers, cake, decorations, and other key elements. It only makes sense that you INVEST in preserving all of those dreams, hard work, and money by hiring an experienced photographer who specializes in weddings!

Your dream day is not the time to hire an up-n-comer or hobbyist because you want to save a few bucks. Concerning photography, price is usually directly proportional to quality and experience (I.E…YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR). If you hand over the enormous responsibility of preserving your wedding day memories to someone who may have only photographed 1 or 2 weddings because they are super cheap…you will find out soon after your wedding WHY they were super cheap! And at that point….there’s nothing you can do…your wedding has already taken place. You can’t go back in time and do it again.

Think of it this way…you wouldn’t go to a primary care physician if you needed open heart surgery (would you?)…I bet you would search for the most experienced cardiologist around…someone who specializes in hearts and you can trust to give you the best care possible. Both are doctors, but one is WAY more qualified to help you with your special needs.

One Value that an experienced photographer who specializes in weddings offers you that others don’t is “PEACE OF MIND”…and on your wedding day….that is PRICELESS!

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There you have it! 5 Common Mistakes that couples make while planning their wedding. Your wedding should be super special and the more you do in the preparation stage to squash any common mistakes…the more time you can spend having a blast on your big day! I really hope that these 5 tips helped in some way!

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE AWESOME TIPS, INFORMATION, AND GUIDES…BE SURE TO JOIN MY FREE VIP BRIDAL FACEBOOK GROUP HERE: VIP BRIDAL FACEBOOK GROUP

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5 TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOU

5 TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOU

Congratulations! You’re engaged! Now comes planning your big day! There’s so much that goes into wedding planning and it can definitely start to get stressful fast! This quick blog post is going to focus on hiring your wedding photographer and how to make sure you choose the right one for you and your wedding. Let’s face it…you’ve probably already searched for wedding photographers in your area via Google or Facebook and were overwhelmed with the hundreds of choices! If you are reading this, I’m guessing that you want your wedding to be the most special day of your life and that preserving those memories is VERY important to you. If your wedding photography is something you place a high value on, then finding an experienced PROFESSIONAL wedding photographer is a must.

So how can you tell if a photographer is an experienced pro who you can trust with the most important day of your life, or an inexperienced hobbyist? Many sites online such as WeddingWire, The Knot, and Martha Stewart Weddings offer articles titled something like: 20 THINGS TO ASK YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER BEFORE HIRING THEM…or something similar. Then you read it and it’s all generic questions that really don’t help you weed through all the photographer to find the few good ones. You’ll see basic questions like: “How many weddings have you photographed?” “How long have you been in business?” “Do you have a portfolio I can view?” “Can I see a shot list?”…etc…

Couples who haven’t gone through this process before don’t really know what to ask a professional photographers so they ask these generic questions because that’s what Martha Stewart said to ask…when in reality…those questions don’t really help you at all. Let’s face it…you should be able to look at a photographer’s website and see their portfolio, how long they’ve been in business, blah blah blah. How does that help you figure out if a photographer is right for you?

IF your wedding photography is super important to you and you want an experienced trust worthy professional… if you follow my 5 pieces of advice below, you can easily narrow down your potential photographers and save yourself tons of time and stress.

So…without further adieu…

A few key tips to help you determine if you should trust a particular photographer to photograph your wedding are:

• Check for reviews  on places like Google Business, The Knot, Wedding Wire, Facebook…etc… Also check the photographer’s website for reviews and testimonials. See if past clients rave about trusting their weddings to that photographer. If there are no reviews…either that photographer hasn’t shot enough weddings to accumulate any, or the ones they DO have are negative and they don’t want you to see them.

• Ask the photographer if they have liability insurance. A photographer who has liability insurance takes their business seriously. You can be sure that they are an ACTUAL professional and that they are aware that they need to protect their clients (and themselves) from any misfortune. What happens if 2yr old Timmy trips over a lightstand and gets seriously injured?? A professional who has insurance is one that gives you piece of mind on your wedding day and that’s one less STRESS you need to deal with.

• Have they had their work published in print or on recognized wedding blogs? You can rest assured that if recognized blogs or magazines are willing to showcase that photographer’s work on their site or magazine, that they are a choice you can trust with your big day. Most publications have strict guidelines for submissions and they get thousands to choose from each day! If your potential photographer has their work published on wedding blogs or in magazines…it’s a sure sign that they know what they are doing.

• Ask to see examples of Full Weddings (at least 75 pics) from 3 different weddings they’ve done and ask that at least one of those is an INDOOR WEDDING. You are looking to see how a photographer’s work looks when the lighting is challenging. Shooting outdoor weddings is a bit easier due to the abundance of natural lighting (from the sun). There is a lot less for a photographer to worry about and it’s easier to produce high quality, smooth, flattering images. But what if your ceremony, or reception, is indoors?  Church lighting is never ideal and reception lighting is almost unworkable for some photographers who do not have the know-how to use their own “off camera” lighting. Look for shots from inside a church during the ceremony and some from the reception (First Dances, Cake Cutting). If these images are not crisp and clean, then ask yourself if they can handle your wedding day.

• Meet with them in person before hiring them to see if you “CLICK”. Whoever you decide to trust with capturing your wedding day memories will be by your side more than any other person during the day (quite literally). From hair and make-up to the reception dance floor, your photographer will be attached to you the entire time. So…this may seem obvious, but you want to make sure that person is someone you get along with, have shared interests with, makes you laugh, helps you through stressful moments, and is calm/cool/professional. Set up an in person meeting with them just to chat over coffee. If distance prevents meeting in person, set up a Skype (or Zoom) call. Think of it as a blind date. You are trying to see if this person is a good fit to invite into your life on the most important day ever! If they annoy you or butt heads with your personality, it will most definitely make spending 8 hours with them on your wedding day, miserable. AND…if any wedding vendor refuses to meet with you before you hire them, it should be a HUGE red flag! Save time, money, and stress and move on to the next possible person.

There you have it! 5 Tips For Finding The Perfect Wedding Photographer For You. Finding the right photographer for your wedding day should be fun and exciting…not a stressful frustrating hassle. Use these 5 tips to instantly narrow down the mine field of photographers to the select few that can be trusted with the giant responsibility of preserving your wedding day memories!

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE AWESOME TIPS, INFORMATION, AND GUIDES…BE SURE TO JOIN MY FREE VIP BRIDAL FACEBOOK GROUP HERE: VIP BRIDAL FACEBOOK GROUP

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE A FREE ZOOM CONSULTATION TO SEE IF YOUR DATE IS AVAILABLE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT MY WEDDING AND ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE…CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW!



Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: North Dakota Wedding Show In Hatton, ND - 2019 Bliss In The Barn

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: North Dakota Wedding Show In Hatton, ND- 2019 Bliss In The Barn

Late last Fall, I was having a talk with JoAnn who is one of the owners of Naastad Acres in Hatton, ND and we had an idea of putting on our very own wedding/bridal show right at Naastad Acres. It didn’t take long to decide that we wanted to bring that idea to life and so…Bliss In The Barn was created!

Over the next few months, we got together with some of the area’s leading wedding professionals and, together, we all started planning Bliss In The Barn. We wanted to do something unique where brides-to-be could not only talk to wedding vendors about products and services, but could also see those products and services “in action” during Bliss In The Barn’s 4 different styled mock weddings!

After months of hard work, April 14th finally came and we were so pleased with how everything turned out! We learned a lot throughout this process and we are already figuring out improvements for next year’s event because, after all, our goal was to create something that will be around for years to come!

We had 26 top notch wedding vendors, 48 V.I.P. brides, a V.I.P. Experience, 4 styled mock weddings, and even a Grand Prize that was valued in the thousands of dollars! And we can’t wait to do it again next year….and even bigger AND better!

All of our event’s wedding vendor’s were so amazing and you can see some of their incredible work in the photos below! Our vendors included:

Naastad Acres wedding venue and HOST

Shawn Morrissey Photography Wedding & Engagement Photographer/video

Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling Wedding Planning, Floral, Event Design

Brooke’s Floral/Events/Styling Floral & Event Styling/Design

Tip Top Tux Formal Wear Rental

Kristen’s Bridal Wedding Dresses & Formal Wear

Katie Aasen Photography Wedding & Engagement Photographer

Paola’s Pastries Wedding Cakes/Desserts/Bakery

Ground Round Food/Catering

The Pedal Health/Fitness/Wellness

Rodan & Fields Skin Care/Eyelashes

Generations Salon Hair/Spa

Signature Jewelers Jewelry

Jadie Shue Hair/Make up

Point Paradise Stables Horse & Carriage Rental/Stables

Dance Man Dan DJ/M.C./Reception Entertainment

Hud Sun Wellness Health & Wellness

Abbergail Graphic Design/Stationary/Invitations/Save-The-Dates

Oh For Heaven’s Cakes n’ More Bakery/Wedding Cakes

An Elegant Affair   (Decor and rentals

Harmon Entertainment   (DJ and Music)

Bon Voyage Travel   (Travel Agency)

Herbie The Photobooth Camper owned by Gathered - Boutique Rentals & Events     Moorhead, MN

Deitrich Bus Service Bus Rental

Heart & Soul (Live Musicians/Band)

And a very special THANK YOU to my models before the event Klaudia & Nick Holkup who are a past wedding couple of mine and I enjoy working with again and again!

If you were one of our Bliss In The Barn Brides and are in need of a photographer/videographer for your wedding…I would love to sit down with you and hear all about it! Let’s go grab some coffee or drinks and chat!!

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Grand Forks Wedding At St. Michael's Church And Rhombus Brewing Co. With Lena & Collin Show more

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Grand Forks Wedding At St. Michael's Church And Rhombus Brewing Co. With Lena & Collin

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Working with Lena And Collin the past 8 months has been an awesome adventure! I met them early last March at Rhombus Guys Brewing Company with snow on the ground and again last night to deliver their final wedding photos/video at Rhombus with snow on the ground. Our journey has come full circle and It's so wonderful to see them finally married and starting their new life together! Thank you both so much for choosing ME to help tell your incredible love story!

VENUES: St. Michaels Church Rhombus Guys Brewing Company

Band: The JT Kennelly Band

Hair: White Horse Salon

Dress: Alan Evans Bridal

Flowers: East Grand Floral

Make Up: Liz Lee

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Park River Wedding At The American Legion Coliseum With Leah And Rob

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Park River Wedding At The American Legion Coliseum With Leah And Rob.

After our initial meeting last fall, I couldn't wait to work with Leah and Rob...and after being invited out to Rob's house on a beautiful Fall morning to shoot their engagement session on his amazing property...I quickly realized that working with them moving forward towards their wedding day was going to be awesome!

When the big day finally arrived, I swung by Urban Stampede and grabbed my favorite caffeinated beverage because I knew I would need an extra boost to keep up with all the fun that was to come! I met the ladies in East Grand Forks early that morning at Salon 222 to capture the behind the scenes action of what goes into preparing for the biggest moment of your life!

Next, my journey took me to Park River where the day's festivities would take place. The sun was blazing but there was a threat of thunderstorms in the air. We had a blast taking tons of photos even though the heat was just a tad bit INSANE! Then...right in the middle of family photos, it starts downpouring! Thunder, rain, lightning, and the kitchen sink for about 45 minutes straight which, not only cut into our valuable photography time...but also had everyone worried that the soon-to-start outdoor ceremony would be a wash-out! There was a huge sigh of relief when the clouds finally parted and the sun came back out and dried everything up just in time for the ceremony to start!   

The ceremony was beautiful! Both Rob and Leah have huge connections with music which was showcased wonderfully during the ceremony with live musicians and singers sprinkled throughout. There were plenty of special moments, laughs, and tears...and soon they kissed and walked back down the isle together as husband and wife!

Their family and friends soon gathered indoors and kicked the celebration off in style! Delicious food, unique desserts (always my favorite), plenty of drinks, and of course Leah and Rob would have nothing less than a live band at their party!  

Even though we had to transition from sauna-style heat to a torrential downpour and back again...everyone was a rock-star to work with and I had a blast meeting, and chatting with, all sorts of new people. Leah and Rob are such a wonderful couple and I'm very blessed to have a job that gives me the opportunity to work closely with such awesome people! 

Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. Brooks!!

Venue: Park River American Legion Coliseum, 101 Sandwood Place, Park River, ND

Dress: Alen Evens Bridal

Hair: Salon 222

Make-up: Elizabeth Locke

Caterer: Howlerz BBQ, Mayville, ND

Band: Helena Handbasket

Florist: Wedding Designs - Edie Rygh

Watch Leah and Rob's wedding day video below!

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Grand Forks Wedding At Freedom Church And The Grand Forks Ramada With Katrina And Lukas

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Grand Forks Wedding At Freedom Church And The Grand Forks Ramada With Katrina And Lukas

I met Katrina and Lukas last Fall and quickly realized how much fun I was going to have working with them! We ran ourselves ragged during their engagement session which only ended because we each had other plans set up which we were going to be late for! 

Since their wedding day was on June 2nd, we planned for some awesome outdoor locations for photos because, let's face it, Grand Forks weather is ALWAYS perfect for outdoor activities...right??? We couldn't have been more wrong! The weather did not cooperate AT ALL! It was rainy, windy, and sorta cold. Luckily, for us, Freedom Church had a cool "commons" area and some empty office space with amazing natural light coming in so we had some non-traditional options for photos. A couple of photographer "hacks" and some moved furniture later...we were able to get some creative shots and lots of memorable moments documented...(and no one had to get wet or wind blown)!

The ceremony was filled with special moments that made some teary-eyed. There were some moments that made me laugh, and others that made the guests chuckle and smile. Katrina and Lukas exchanged vows (and rings), shared their first kiss as husband and wife, and then headed back down the isle together as a new couple to join their friends and family at the Ramada for some fun!

Once the celebration began...it didn't slow down as everyone enjoyed lots of delicious food, flowing drinks, memorable speeches and toasts, dessert, and some kickin music! A huge celebration to cap off a wonderful journey for the brand new couple! Congrats to Katrina, Lukas, and their families! Thank you for trusting me and giving me the honor of documenting your special day! I had a blast!

Venues:  Freedom Church                  Ramada Grand Forks

Dress & Tuxes:  Kristen's Bridal & Tuxedo

Florist: All Seasons

Cake: Hugo's Family Marketplace

Make-Up: Carly Irene Artistry

Hair: White Horse Salon

Watch Katrina & Lukas's Video/Photo Fusion slideshow below!

Click the button below to talk to me about your special day!

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A University Of North Dakota Wedding With Samantha & Trevvor

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A University Of North Dakota Wedding With Samantha & Trevvor At Hopper Danley And The Gorecki Alumni Center.

After hearing what Trevvor and Samantha had envisioned for their wedding day way back when I first met with them...I really really wanted to be the one to photograph their big day! They told me their wedding would include elements from Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings, Game of Thrones, Video Gaming, etc...

Basically all of my favorite things wrapped into wedding-form! Needless to say, I was super excited when they wanted to work with me and over the next few months we worked together to make sure when summer rolled around, we would have a solid game plan for their wedding day!

When the big day finally arrived...it was soooo hot outside! I believe it was 96 degrees! That didn't really stop anyone from enjoying every second. The fun started at The Gorecki and then over to the Hopper Danley Center as we got tons of fun photos of Samantha and Trevvor! I told them that I could've stayed at the Gorecki all day photographing all of the cool little details they had set up for the upcoming reception!!

As the ceremony began, I think everyone was a bit relieved to finally be in the cool air-conditioning! As the two bathed in the warm natural light let in from the Hopper Danley's many large windows, they exchanged their vows in front of family and friends. Then with help from their awesome ringbearer, Star Wars droid BB-8 (watch video below!), they were able to exchange rings and were pronounced husband and wife! 

Then it was back to the Gorecki to start the celebration! Awesome food, games, music, and laughter began the evening as the new couple shared their first meal and dance with their friends and family. The entire day was so much fun for me and I genuinely enjoyed talking with all the guests throughout the whole experience. As the evening drew to a close for me...I snuck the couple away for a few last photos as the sun was setting. 

I was honored that Samantha and Trevvor chose to trust ME with documenting their awesome wedding day adventure and I hope that I did them justice! They (and all of the wonderful vendors) were amazing to work with and their wedding will definitely be remembered as the most unique one I've worked at so far!

Venues: The Hopper Danley Spiritual Center                      The Gorecki Alumni Center

Florist: Sadie's Couture & Event Styling

Cake: Oh For Heaven's Cakes 'N More

DJ: Backspin Productions

Catering: Hugo's Family Marketplace-Catering

Watch Samantha & Trevvor's Video/Photo Fusion slideshow below!

To find out how to get your very own Fusin slideshow for your wedding day or to book me for your special day...click the tab below!

 

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Redwood Falls/Morton Minnesota Wedding At Jackpot Junction With Lindsey And Dre

Grand Forks Wedding Photographer: A Redwood Falls/Morton Minnesota Wedding At Jackpot Junction With Lindsey And Dre

2017 was such an amazing year for me! I had so much fun working with my couples and seeing the progress of their journeys from when they first met with me to when they were finally married! When January of this year rolled around, 2018 was already shaping up to be even more fantastic...so I was really anticipating my very first wedding of the year!

It was to be for Lindsey and Dre and take place in the Morton/Redwood Falls, MN area which is a very special place for me! (My Mom and Dad were married there and I have been visiting that area most of my life). It's a beautiful area filled with history and culture! The week before the wedding, they got 14 inches of snow dumped on them which luckily melted away before the wedding day (Mostly anyways)!

The morning of the wedding, I was to meet the girls at the salon to take some photos of their preparation...so I headed out extra early so I could go get some awesome pics/video of the amazing landscapes, waterfalls, and wildlife which always seems to recharge my soul! I don't know how many deer I came across...none of which seemed to mind me passing by on foot! 

Once at the salon...the day went into full swing! The hustle and bustle of wedding days can make hours go by in what seem like minutes! The ladies were all having a blast getting ready for the ceremony and once I made it to the casino and met up with the fellas, I could tell they were enjoying themselves as well! The weather was a bit too windy and chilly to do much outdoor photography...but we all braved it for a few fun photos!

The ceremony was filled with emotion as tears of happiness were not short of supply! You could feel the love from everyone involved as Lindsey and Dre exchanged vows, shared their first kiss as husband and wife, and walked down the isle towards the giant celebration waiting for them in the ballroom next door!

The reception and dance truly showcased the fun nature of this couple! Besides the awesome food, flowing drinks, jammin' music, and fun dancing...guests also enjoyed the photo booth,  pool tables, and bean bag toss games! There was something for everyone and as the evening came to a close, Lindsey and Dre had experienced their first kiss, first meal, and first dance as a brand new husband and wife! 

It was such a fun day for me and I'm so happy I was able to be a part of it! Congrats to my very first new couple of 2018!

VENUE: Jackpot Junction Casino/Hotel

DRESS: David's Bridal (Mankato)

DESIGNER: Oleg Cassini

FLORIST: Blossom Town

CAKE: Custom Cakes By Michelle

DJ: DJ By Will

HAIR/MAKE-UP: Salon Cella - Sarah Okins

DECORATORS: Rockin Red Barn

Please Enjoy The Video/Photo Fusion Slideshow Of Lindsey and Dre's Big Day!

(BE SURE TO TURN ON HD IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PLAYER BY CLICKING THE SETTINGS GEAR ICON) 

If You Would Like To Meet With Me To Discuss Your 2018 or 2019 Wedding...Please Click The Button Below!