John and Amanda - August 18, 2007

View their Storybook Album here; click the shopping cart icon to view and order all prints.
RAIN... A sign of wealth and/or prosperity, or just a story to make couples feel better about rain on their wedding day? We'll check back with John and Amanda in 10-20 years to find out. Amanda gets the "best bride attitude" for her "sass" (as she and Christina called it) in dealing with medium-heavy rain including jumping in and out of the tent to take bridesmaid shots, etc. But when you realize that she waited 22 months for John to come back from Iraq, I guess a little rain kind of pales in comparison.

John and the best man (Jon) were platoon leaders in the Red Bull Company that got extended from 18 to 22 months - the longest deployment on record I believe. I loved hearing during Jon's toast how those two would bring up the old days in high school (Chaska) or "their girls" out on the battlefield to have a dose of home. It was great to see Jon and Christina (matron of honor) together again after I shot their wedding a couple years ago - she has only seen him for a few months since their wedding!

When bridemaid Colleen caught the bouquet, she was ECSTATIC. Never seen that before - dancing, jumping, and perma-grin for at least the next 5 dance songs. This was a very fun wedding and it seemed like the rain didn't even matter. Where else but in Minnesota can you be uncomfortably sweltering hot one week and see your breath under a tent in the rain the next (I saw mine yesterday). As Amanda said, "Let's take the shots out in the rain, I'm not going to melt." Good sass. -Judd, Jessi, Joe and Sherri

Their highlight video:

Adam and Sarah - August 17, 2007

Click here to view their Italian Storybook wedding album!
OK, Adam and Sarah's wedding gets the "Aw, that's cute" story of the year shared by maid of honor, Michelle (Sarah's sister): in their early twenties (post-college now), Michelle shared a hotel room with Adam and Sarah on a family trip and BOTH Adam and Sarah brought with them their childhood sleep-aids. Sarah brought her "blankie" and Adam his "woobie" which was a small pillow. That's how Michelle knew it was meant to be...

What a gorgeous wedding day - cool and overcast for their outdoor wedding at the Plymouth Creek center, perfect for photography! Sarah looked so elegant in her dress and Adam was the life of the party. Check out the super cool late-evening sky in the shot above and the "running across the labyrinth" one as well - good thing nobody got lost in the maze. Adam had a great line after dinner noting their "21st Century family: mom, mom, mom, mom, dad, dad, dad, dad" referring to divorces and re-marriages on both sides of the families - and everyone gets along! Sarah's mom said they all had a "meet the parents" party to all get to know each other and break the ice - great idea! There were some great dancers at this wedding too - Michael Jackson's "Beat It" doesn't get played enough at weddings. Check back here in about 2 weeks for Adam and Sarah's Italian album design; sign up for a free picture while you're here (link above). -Judd and Amanda

Ben and Melody - August 11, 2007

Click here to view Ben and Melody's Italian Coffee Table Album - the shopping cart icon will work once Ben and Melody have viewed and released all the individual pictures.

Their YouTube highlight video!

Reception!


Note to self: August outdoor wedding + 95 degrees + wearing all black = discomfort. I was considering the profession of painting (wearing all white) after about 20 minutes in that sun yesterday. Throw on a warm, chocking wet blanket of humidity or a 30 lb wedding dress (not me, but Melody) and you are good to go! It was a good thing the ceremony was concise - cool colors on the unity sand I might add in the beautiful backyard of the Botnen's on the Hastings Country Club golf course.

Ben and Melody's wedding was sandwiched between thunderstorms: the downpour that ended about 5am (which made Barb, Connie, and Melody a little nervous) and a surreal long-lasting lightning storm with a bit of rain that broke the humidity and dropped the temperature by about 20 degrees. That late-night lightning was a very cool backdrop to their Growing Up video and end-of-the night interview. Favorite moments: Carly and Josh's heartfelt speeches, Jackie's keen 'beverage cart' hospitality and knowledge of the Hastings Golf Course, and Scott the DJ setting off the fire alarms with the fog machine. During Josh's speech he said that he "lived with his brother's wife for a year" which was probably the funniest moment of the summer - brought the house down. But by far my favorite moment (and the award winner for this wedding): "Best robot dance by the bride" which goes to Melody for busting out the classic dance, hands down. -Judd, Jessi, Joe, Josh