Maggie and Tom

Another wedding that I had been looking forward to for a long time was that of Maggie and Tom. Maggie has come once a week to help out at the studio this past school year so I feel like I got to watch as all the wedding plans unfolded. I knew Maggie would be a stunning bride and that Tom would be a handsome groom, but every other part of the day was also very beautiful and special. It is evident that Maggie and Tom are surrounded by very much love and support, and I can't see where life takes this couple!

I actually happen to be posting to the blog while on vacation in Hawaii, and so I will keep my chatter short and let the images do the talking!





Maggie and Tom's honeymoon location was a big surprise (how romantic!!) and I hope they are having a wonderfully relaxing time! This next picture actaully looks like something that could have been taken at a honeymoon destination, but actually was taken during the reception right outside the reception hall while the sun was setting.

Maggie and Tom: All the best to you both...I can't wait to show you the rest of the pictures of your very special day! Congratulations!!!!

Teylor and Richie

I don't know where to begin in describing Teylor and Richie's wedding day two weeks ago. Teylor is very special to many people, and she is also very special to me. I have watched Teylor grow up over the last fifteen years or so, and she babysat our kiddos many Bible study Sunday nights. My kids love Teylor because she loved to have fun with them! She was the kind of babysitter that could get talked into making science experiments and tasty ice cream and smoothie blender concoctions! :-)

Fast forward a couple of years, and Teylor and Richie became friends and fell and love. I was beyond thrilled to be asked to be the wedding photographer.

Richie is a gifted musician, and composed Teylor a song that he would sing and play to her during their wedding ceremony. It was a very touching and at times, funny song. Very special for Teylor to hear for the very first time at their wedding.

The lyrics on the piano as Richie was playing and singing....really wishing I could insert a video clip here!

This was a location the couple found and it was so nice!

If you received a Save The Date from this couple you know why we did this shot. During their engagement session Richie exercised his amazing jumping skills and I thought it only fitting that we try for a repeat!

The happy couple....married!!!

I am not in the habit of posting group formals to the blog, but wanted to show you this image. The house in this picture is called the "Century Home" and is a historical spot in Orange City. It is located right next to the church where Teylor and richie got married, and provided a nice place for some pictures.

After the wedding, and during the reception, the weather started to become stormy, and the reception even had to get cut short by a short while because of the severe weather. On the way home I decided not to stop by the Century Home for the ladder and chair I had left there by accident. I joined my family in the basement the minute I got home, and the storms were quite severe the next few hours. I don't know of anyone that was hurt thankfully, but there were some people nearby who lost buildings and homes that night.

The following morning we stopped for the chair and ladder after church. There were many trees down all around town and this was one of them. Strangely, my ladder and chair were 10-15 feet away from the base of this tree and were setting upright exactly where I had left them!


In closing, Teylor and Richie: Your day was so beautiful, and I wish you much love and many many blessings. As you start your journey, and for many many years to come.

Brandee and Jeremy

I wanted to share some of my many favorite images from Brandee and Jeremy's wedding a couple weeks ago. They were married at the Dordt College BJ Haan Auditorium, which also happens to be where Eric and I were married 19 years ago! While I have been in that auditorium many times since then for concerts, dance recitals, etc. I had not shot a wedding in there until Brandee and Jeremy's wedding!

I just loved the bold yellow color that Brandee chose along with the gray for the dresses. The Dordt campus provided lots of great grass and trees for outside pictures, as well as a great space for pictures in the auditorium. Without much more chatter, please enjoy these images from Brandee and Jeremy's wedding!

Sarah and Kurt are married!

I have decided to have a fun contest on the blog for all the wedding couples of 2010...here's the scoop: Once I blog the wedding, if a couple's wedding blog post gets 10 or more comments from 10 family members and friends, the couple will receive a free 8x10 of their choice. If there are 15 or more comments (multiple comments from the same person are welcomed but do not count toward total,) the couple receives an 11x14 instead! So comment away!! :-)

Here are some pictures from Sarah and Kurt's wedding. A relaxed and laid back wedding party, and two dear dear families made recording this day such a pleasure. Much love for Sarah and Kurt was evident and during each part of the day. After the ceremony, the reception was beautiful and very touching speeches were given by the wedding party. Enjoy some of my favorites from the day!

Cassie and Heath

I am just about ready to take a few days off and realized that while I had put these images on facebook, they never made it onto the blog, so I will quickly update the blog with the last few weddings. Get ready!!

Cassie and Heath got married in Sioux Center at the beautiful Dordt College Campus Center. Having known Cassie's family for a long time, it was a special joy to be there as this truly wonderful couple celebrated their marriage with family and friends.

One thing that was special about this wedding was that the family and wedding party were all just outstanding. So much laughter and fun and just a great energy the entire day!






Cassie and Heath...your wedding was so much FUN! Thank you for allowing me to record it for you. God's blessings to you two!!

Hello world...

...I am back to blogging again after what seems like forever! Life has been exciting here! I managed to catch a nasty case of Influenza A and am still trying to get my energy back even though I have been up and around for a while. If you are waiting on anything from me, I am putting finishing touches on several orders today. If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days though, please contact me.

Last weekend, our town celebrated its annual Tulip Festival. Eric and the boys escaped the madness by going on a fishing trip up North. Elsie and I stayed home and dressed up in Dutch costumes, watched parades, rode rides, slid down big yellow slides, and last but not least...ate lots of Tulip Festival food! Yesterday was Elsie's Kindergarten program....they were supposed to dress up like a book character, and Elsie was (a very cute) Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia. I will have pictures of all the above on my facebook page if you want to check it out! We are, all of us, recovering from everything! :-)

But the REAL reason for this post is the wedding I had the privilege of photographing on May 2. I am so anxious to share Eric and Karissa's beautiful wedding with you!

Let's start things off with this image of Eric finishing up getting ready before seeing his bride.

I really like this shot of Karissa's sister holding the mirror for her as she is getting dressed in the room next door!

This is right before the couple's first meeting...I just love the joy and anticipation on both of their faces!

It was a beautiful day...here we were having a little breeze action! If only I could control the wind! :-) Actually, I always like it when brides choose to have their hair up on a breezy wedding day. An up do seems to help the bride to be relaxed and free of worry about her hair flying around when outside. Something to consider!

I LOVED the blue sky we had that day...it just said "Happy!" to me. So fitting for this very in love couple!

Wow.....STUNNING bride!

Eric, looking quite fine himself!

Here is a shot of the wedding party. Such a wonderful bunch of people! It was fun later on in the night to get to know the best man and maid of honor who each gave such touching and hilarious speeches. I have two words for you: INTERPRETIVE DANCE. You will only understand if you were there, but I don't think I have laughed like that in quite a while! I know, I am jumping ahead. Back to the wedding party. I have to say that it was so obvious that everyone, from the ushers, to the personal attendants, to the children in the wedding party, thinks the world of Karissa and Eric. Everyone was wonderful to work with and it was neat to see that this couple is so very well loved by their friends and family.

Karissa's Dad, who also officiated the wedding, as he is ready to give his daughter away in marriage.

There was a time of praise and worship at the very beginning of the ceremony. What a wonderful way to start such an important event!

The couple asked that my second shooter Jenni and I be at the front of church during the ceremony, and it was neat to be able to capture some of the emotion of the ceremony close up.

This was right after the ceremony as everyone else in the church sanctuary was watching a video presentation of pictures of the couple. Eric and Karissa were so easy to photograph...very affectionate with each other!

Eric and Karissa making their grand entrance into the reception hall!

The entire reception was "coffee shop" themed. Eric and Karissa had most of their dates and did most of their wedding planning at a coffee shop. They had a coffee shop logo designed, had a coffee shop corner in the reception hall complete with coffee drinks and treats for the guests. The meal consisted of croissants, wraps, and soup in bread bowls. So clever and well thought out!

The hilarious MCs sang in pseudo Spanish to each table of guests as they were dismissed to go eat.

Eric and Karissa's first dance...after the traditional first dance they broke out and rocked the reception with a fun medley of dances and songs! Their guests loved it!

This is the end of their dance...I really like how you can see everyone's reaction to their dancing.
I will leave you with what I often find to be such touching moments at wedding receptions...the bride and Father dance...

...and the Groom and Mother dance.

Eric and Karissa, thank you so very much for allowing me to document your wedding day. It was extraordinary. I wish you much joy, love and happiness!
Vanessa