Kaitlyn and Dylan – Laporte Minnesota Lake Wedding Photographer

I have another beautiful lake wedding to share with you!  Kaitlyn and Dylan’s special day was spent at the Tin Cabin located on Garfield Lake in Laporte.  It is always fun to explore new areas for photography opportunities, and this area did not disappoint!  I love the variety of backgrounds it offered for all the pictures!

Losing a loved one is heartbreaking, and even more so during such pivotal events like weddings.  Kaitlyn’s dad was not able to be at her wedding, but I love how she honored him during the ceremony.  Even though he wasn’t able to be there in person, he was there in heart.

About 90% of my brides and grooms choose to see each other before the ceremony.  It gives them a sweet and intimate moment to be together during their busy day.  It also gives us an opportunity to get all the pictures done so they can jump right into celebrating with their friends and family after the ceremony.  Kaitlyn and Dylan choose to do something special for their First Look.  They wrote each other love letters and read them before turning to see each other for the first time.  It was such a romantic idea, and I loved the look on Dylan’s face when he saw his beautiful bride for the first time!

I hope I’m not overwhelming you with pictures of the bride and groom!  I just had such a hard time narrowing down my favorites!

It is special when you can find someone you know well to officiate your ceremony.  It adds a sweet and personal touch.  That was the case for Kaitlyn and Dylan.  In fact, their officiant knew them so well that he told them that they couldn’t use traditional vows.  They had to write their own because, “You’re both too creative; I want to see what you come up with on your own.”  That was a great idea!

On my way to the wedding I found a daisy field close to the ceremony location.  I was so excited that Kaitlyn and Dylan were up for going to it for a few more pictures after their ceremony!  I think I love these images of them the most.  (Hence the reason that I’m posting so many.)

Kaitlyn and Dylan, you two are awesome.  I love that you drove all the way up from Kansas for your engagement pictures and then again for your wedding!  I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to spend time with you, and I wish you the best!

Photographer: Purrington Photography
Ceremony and reception Venue: The Tin Cabin
Florist: Rose Hanna
Cake: The Groom and Luke Nicolay
Wedding Gown and Veil: The Dress Gallery
Hair and Makeup: Bride’s sisters
Wedding rings: Kay Jewelers Ever Us Collection
Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal
Men’s formal wear: Men’s Wearhouse
Stationary: Minted Inc
Catering: The groom and bridal party
Officiant: Stephen Butler

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Turtle River Northern MN Wedding Photographer – Kiah and Logan

Kiah and Logan’s wedding day was a great way to kick off summer!  These two are unbelievably sweet and were a blast to be around all day!  Their love for each other is evident in everything they do.

They say it is lucky to have rain on a wedding day, right?  Well it worked out perfectly for Kiah and Logan’s day!  The rain we had provided beautifully diffused light for pictures throughout the day and brought out all the vibrant colors in their details.

This dress!!!

Natural Pleasures Floral in Frazee did a fabulous job designing and creating Kiah’s bouquet!  It was perfect!

The First Look between Kiah and Logan was one of the most sweet and intimate moments of the day.  Kiah said it best, so I’ll share her words.

One of my favorite moments of the day was the first look with Logan. I had felt so nervous all day, but once I saw him I immediately felt better. I knew in that moment that it didn’t matter how things went the rest of the day because everything was still going to end up perfect.  ~Kiah

I love how Kiah had her name and wedding day stitched into her dress with blue thread.

The varied shades of purple in the bouquets and bridal party attire added so much personality and character.

This bridal party definitely knows how to have fun together!

Talk about a dramatic entrance!  Kiah arrived to her wedding ceremony in a pontoon boat!

I can’t get over this cake by Rother’s Just Desserts!  The texture  and design  is amazing!  The bride is also a baker and did a fabulous job on the cupcakes and macarons.  So much talent from these two!

Kiah’s family did all the decorating for their wedding.  They incorporated a lot of fun and unique ideas.  Their guest book was a beautiful wall art piece that guests could sign the leaves on.  One of my favorite design ideas was the ladder over the head table.

I love when my brides and grooms let me sneak them away from their reception for a few more romantic images during sunset.  Kiah and Logan were champs at this!  They didn’t let the rain or wet boat hold them back!  Now they will have these images to cherish for forever!

This group knows how to have fun!  They were all over the dance floor!  Kiah also accomplished her dream of having her bridal party do the “Thriller” dance at the reception!  It was great!

Kiah and Logan, thank you for choosing me to be your photographer.  It was an unforgettable day, and I loved working with both of you every step of the way!  You make such a sweet couple!  Congratulations on your beautiful day!

Photographer: Purrington Photography
Ceremony and reception Venue: Bride’s Parent’s Home
Florist: Natural Pleasures Floral in Frazee
Cake: Rother’s Just Desserts
Cupcakes and Macarons: Bride
DJ: Ntertainment
Wedding Gown and Veil: Affairs by Brittany in Fargo
Shoes: Formalities in Bemidji
Hair: Tawnee Corning
Makeup artist: Gabrielle Stenson
Wedding rings: Kay Jewelers
Bridesmaid dresses: Bill Levkoff design from Formalities in Bemidji
Men’s formalwear: Allure tux design from Patterson’s in Bemidji
Stationary & Smore’s Favor: Family and Friends
Catering: David Lee Catering Thief River Falls
Tent: Northern Event Rentals
Catering: Bride’s Family
Officiant: Pastor Nate Bendorf

Stephanie and Garret’s Beautiful Minnesota Winter Wedding

Stephanie and Garret’s wedding was the best way to wrap up 2017!  They are such a sweet couple, and their day was absolutely perfect!

The ring boxes below on the right were a unique and beautiful way to carry the rings!

The light dusting of snow on the ground added a soft winter touch to the detail images.

Stephanie’s dress was beautiful!  The little cap sleeves were an elegant surprise!  The lace details and subtle sparkles on the dress fit their winter theme perfectly!

Stephanie and Garret choose to see each other before the wedding.  Their first look was tender and emotional and gave them a little oasis of time alone together in the midst of their busy day.  It also allowed us to fit more time in for taking pictures, which is what I love most!

Look at this gorgeous bouquet and boutonniere designed and made by the bride!  She included pine, pinecones and a little bit of holly for that Christmas touch.  Aren’t they beautiful!

Stephanie was a stunning bride!

Garret was looking quite dapper with his lovely bride on his arm…

You know that any bride and groom that are willing to go outside for pictures during a Minnesota winter are not only tough, but they truly value taking the time and effort to invest into getting the best images!  I’m so glad they did, because their outdoor ones ended up being some of my favorites!

Choosing navy for the men’s suits looked classy with the dark red accents!

This group definitely knew how to have fun together!  There were many happy tears and laughter throughout the day!

Stephanie and Garret were surrounded by so much love from their family!

The moment when Stephanie and her father looked at each other before walking down the aisle was unforgettable.

Just a few of their charming winter details…

The bride and groom make a gorgeous couple.  Their winter wedding truly captured the season’s natural beauty!

Stephanie and Garret, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!  Thank you for choosing Purrington Photography to document such a momentous day!  It could not have been any better!

Photographer:  Purrington Photography

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Hampton Inn in Bemidji

Officiant: Tricia Andrews with Chickadee Ceremonies

Wedding Gown, Veil and Shoes: Formalities 

Hair: Andy at Xstatic

Makeup: Bride

Wedding Rings: Ken K Thompson 

Bridesmaid Dresses: Formalities 

Men’s Formalwear: Formalities 

Stationary: Vista Print

Catering: Green Mill

Cake: Luekens

Cupcakes: Kelly Cronemiller

DJ: Aaron Grubich

Saphire and Blake – Thief River Falls Wedding Photographer

Saphire and Blake’s wedding day was a complete dream come true!  It took place in Thief River Falls at their good friend’s home on the river.  It was such a beautiful setting and the perfect location to take their wedding over the top!  The grounds were overflowing with trees, bushes, color and gorgeousness!  I especially loved how they had the river as their ceremony backdrop!

If you know Saphire and Blake, you know they are creatives.  This was so evident in their details.  One of my favorite details was the head table at the reception.  The groom owns a business called Northern Roots Furniture and Design.  He actually designed and built their table!  It was so pretty and special!

When we were taking pictures of the girls getting ready, I spotted a gorgeous red couch in the living room.  I asked the sweet lady whose house we were using if it would be possible to use it for some pictures outside.  It was the perfect color, and I got giddy imagining how amazing it would be in some of the images.  She actually agreed to let us use it!  It had belonged to her grandma and was over 100 years old, and she still let us use it!  I am SOOOOO thankful that she did, because it really took some of the images to a whole new level.

Saphire slipped into her second dress between the ceremony and grand entrance.  It gave us a chance to take some sunset photos with a another GORGEOUS look.  These were some of my favorites.  She wore a floral crown that matched her bouquet.  It was so romantic and earthy and went along perfectly with the setting and her theme.

The love Saphire and Blake have for each other is so strong and true.  It is evident in everything they do.  It’s couples like this that make my job so rewarding.

Saphire and Blake, it has been such a privilege getting to know you both.  You make such a beautiful and sweet married couple!  I wish you the best always!

 

Photographer: Purrington Photography
Ceremony and reception Venue: Private land in Thief River Falls MN
Florist: Halls Floral Thief River Falls MN
Wedding Gown: Matthew Christopher
Shoes: TJ Maxx
Hair: Julia Jones
Makeup artist: Bride
Wedding rings: Ken K Thompson Bemidji
Bridesmaid dresses: The Dessy Collection from Formalities
Men’s formalwear: Jim’s Formal from Formalities
Stationary: Simply to Impress
Catering: David Lee Catering Thief River Falls
Tent: Northern Event Rentals
Ceremony Arch: Bride’s friend
Cake and cupcakes: Leah Walker (groom’s mother)
DJ: The Outsiders
Sweetheart table: By groom with Northern Roots Furniture and Design
Signs: Kristin Redd

Arianna & Nick – Bemidji Photographer

Arianna.  The little girl I used to know.  The little girl that has somehow grown up into such a beautiful woman.  It’s amazing how fast the years fly by.  I remember when I first started out in photography back in 2008, her family was one of my first “test subjects”.  Even though my work was very novice back then, they’ve stuck with me ever since!  It has been such a privilege to photograph such a beautiful, growing family over the last decade.

Arianna is adorable.  She’s a girl that knows what she wants.  To the point that before she even met her husband, she had already picked out her wedding dress and me as her wedding photographer.  Now that is decisive and efficient!  Lucky for Nick, when she met him, she knew what she wanted, and he was it!

After Arianna and Nick started dating, she made sure to keep me updated on their relationship status.  I was so happy for her when she texted me her exciting news!  She wasn’t quite sure when the wedding date was going to be, we just knew that I needed to be there.

And I was there.

And WOW.  She was just WOW. A beauty on the inside and out.

They choose to do a very small ceremony on  a little beach here in Bemidji.  The only attendees were close family…and me.  I love my job.  I love being the one who gets to document and be involved in so many special and intimate moments in a person’s life.  My favorite time with them was after the ceremony as we were taking their first pictures as husband and wife.  They were so happy and so in love.  They are definitely an easy couple to photograph.  They are so natural in front of the camera and so comfortable together.  They also love to have fun!  I am so excited with the images were were able to create!  The weather and everything was so perfect for their evening!

Arianna and Nick, I pray God’s blessings on your new life together!  Thank you for letting me be your photographer, and I look forward to see what the Lord does in your life!  *hugs*

A North Shore Wedding at Bluefin Bay

The North Shore is one of the most gorgeous locations in Minnesota!  It sits along the shoreline of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.  It is miles and miles of absolute beauty.

Since it is an area that I love so much, you can imagine my excitement when Chelsea and Aaron told me they were getting married there!  My head just started spinning with ideas for their pictures!

Their outdoor ceremony was by the lake at Bluefin Bay in Tofte.  It was a  perfect fit for their natural, laid back and whimsical styled wedding.  Lake Superior made an extraordinary backdrop to their intimate ceremony.  It also made the best background for so many of their images!  We were able to get to all of our locations within just a few minutes.

One of my favorite moments of their day is when we snuck out of their reception for sunset photos.  Temperance River made an epic location for their picture finale!  Their first moments as husband and wife were spent walking together along the river, dancing and cuddling for pictures and skipping rocks onto the lake at sunset.  It was so romantic!

Everything about their day seemed so genuine.  They definitely nailed the natural, laid back and whimsical style!  They love the outdoors, and I love that they made it such an intricate part of their day.

Congratulations, Chelsea and Aaron!  I love that you two met at a wedding (Thanks, Brent and Brittany!) and finally got to have one of your own!  It was a spectacular day, and you two make a spectacular couple!  I wish you both the best!

Huge shout out and thanks to all the vendors that helped make this day so perfect!

Photographer: Purrington Photography
Ceremony venue: Bluefin Bay Resort
Reception venue: Surfside Ballroom
Event manager: Jessica Hupler
Wedding gown: Casablanca Bridal from Formalities in Bemidji
Veil:  Formalities in Bemidji
Shoes: Jellypop
Hair: Shanna Dahle from Polished Salon & Day Spa in Beaver Bay, MN
Makeup artist: Katelin Frey
Wedding Rings: Ken K. Thompson
Bridesmaid dresses: Davids Bridal
Men’s Formalwear: Formalities in Bemidji
Stationary: Shutterfly and DIY save the dates
Florist: Terra Bella Floral & Gifts in Grand Marais, MN
Catering: Bluefin Bay Resort
Cake & cupcakes: Precious & Sweet Cakes by Lisa Waldron in Warroad, MN

Bemidji Wedding Photographer – Sarah and Ty

It is time to share Sarah and Ty’s BEAUTIFUL wedding day with you!  They are one of the funnest couples, always ready to laugh and have a good time!  I love that their entire day reflected just that!

The dress Sarah choose for her wedding day was stunning!  She found it at the Wedding Parlour in Grand Rapids.  I love the three tiers of lace that make up her train!  She also choose a cute pair of Toms as her footwear.  She loved how comfortable they were!

It is always fun to see how a bride customizes gifts for her besties!  Sarah got each of the bridesmaids personalized glasses to sip tasty beverages from as they were getting ready in the morning.  Of course we had to get a picture of them before she got into her dress!

The image below was one of the most creative ideas I’ve seen a bride incorporate into her wedding photos.  Sarah had a picture along that was taken of her mother on the day she was married.  Sarah wanted to capture an image of her holding the picture.  How cool is that?!  I then decided that we had to take one of Sarah just like the one of her mom.  I LOVE how it turned out!  Two beautiful brides!

One tradition that has really made it’s way into weddings lately is a gift or letter exchange.  The bride and groom send each other a card with a special message to read when they’re getting ready in the morning.  It’s a fun way to get excited about all the events that are about to unfold.  It’s also a really special way to remind each other of what the entire day is really about…your love.

This right here is one of Sarah and Ty’s favorite moments of the day.  The first look.  The anticipation of seeing each other was almost too much.  There was so much emotion just in this small space of time.  It is always such a privilege to document moments like these.  It’s just real and raw emotion.

Sarah and Ty’s reception room looked AH-MAZING!  Events and Interiors by Design teamed up with KD Floral to create this beautiful and clean look.  It was so classy and fresh!  I especially adored the hanging greenery!  Also, make sure to check out the wedding dress that was displayed below.  That was Sarah’s grandmother’s wedding dress!

I think my favorite detail from the reception had to be the champagne glasses.  It wasn’t just because they were beautiful, but because there was something else that made them really special.  They were the same champagne glasses that Sarah’s grandparents had used on their wedding day.  It was such a precious way to honor her grandparents and have them as a part of her day!

Sarah and Ty were blown away when they walked into their reception room for the first time.  They couldn’t believe how gorgeous it was!  Events and Interiors by Design and KD Floral never cease to amaze!  Raphael’s Bakery also did an amazing job with the donut table!  Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe how yummy they were.  Just ask Sarah and Ty!  You can see which ones below that they chose for their “cake cutting”!

Now onto the funnest part of the evening!  I’m not sure if any of you are familiar with Deuces Wild Dueling Pianos, but this was my first experience with them.  I remember Sarah mentioning them several times very enthusiastically when we would discuss her timeline and plans for her day.  Now I can see why.  I’m the kind of person that really likes to laugh.  I had no idea I could laugh so hard!  These guys were beyond talented and beyond hilarious.  I literally cried from laughing so hard!  If you have never seen them perform before, you NEED to add one of their shows to your bucket list!

And last but not least, the sunset photos…

These are the images that are always the most beautiful and romantic.  If you are planning on getting married, please consider sneaking away from your reception for a quick minute to capture these.  The last moments before the sun sets gives us photographers such amazing opportunities with the lighting.  It is also a special moment to take a deep breath after the busyness of the day.  A deep breath, a sigh and a kiss as husband and wife in front of your first sunset together.

Sarah and Ty, thank you SO much for choosing me to capture your beautiful day.  I loved your energy and joy!  You two are such an amazing couple, and I wish you the best!

Also, here’s a shout out to all of the awesome vendors they choose to help make their day complete!

Photographer: Purrington Photography
Ceremony Venue: Calvary Lutheran Church, Bemidji, MN
Reception Venue at Catering: Sanford Center Lakeside, Bemidji, MN
Officiant: Rev. Genelle Netland
Florist: KD Floral
Event Designer: Events and Interior by Design
Wedding Gown and Veil: Wedding Parlour in Grand Rapids
Shoes: Toms
Hair: Kari at Hair Teasers
Makeup: Samantha Baker
Wedding Rings: Ken K Thompson
Bridesmaid Dresses and Men’s Formalwear: Formalities
Stationary: Shutterfly
Donuts: Raphaels Bakery
Live Entertainment: Deuces Wild – Dueling Pianos
Favors: #LiveLoveLippert can koozies