It’s senior portrait season! I can’t believe that school has started for the year! Summer flew by so fast. Lydia was my first Senior of the season, and we had a wonderful session! The sunset was beautiful, and we had a break from all the rain. The only hiccup was the darn mosquitos, but it wouldn’t be Minnesota without them!
Location: Minnesota River
Photography: Courtney June Photography
I had the honor of attending my niece’s dedication to the Lord this past Sunday. Some may wonder what the difference is between dedication and baby baptism. Here is an excerpt to help clear questions: Following Scripture as our guide, everyone (adult and child) who recognizes their need of a Savior then repents and believes in Christ should be baptized (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:36-38). In the Bible, there is no record of infants or very young children being baptized. We believe that this is because they are not yet able to understand their need for salvation. Undoubtedly, God places a high priority on children! When asked who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God, Jesus responded, “Unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3, NLT) In Luke 2, the parents of Jesus take Him to the temple “to present Him to the Lord.” (Luke 2:22) Later, the Gospels tell us that little children and infants were brought to Jesus for Him to bless them (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). In following this practice, we encourage parents to publicly dedicate their children to the Lord. In dedicating their child, the parents acknowledge the child as a gift from God and vow, before Him and those present, to set a godly example for the child and commit to lead the child to Christ at an early age. As a child matures and recognizes their need for Salvation, we encourage baptism as a public act of obedience to Scripture and following the example of Jesus Christ.
Location: River Valley Church : Shakopee Campus
Photography: Courtney June Photography
Cupcakes: Cake Walk
As a Minneapolis Wedding photographer, it’s fun to photograph outside of the “big city”! Maggie and Bryan met through Maggie’s mother, Kathy. He was the boy next door, well actually, down the hall. Kathy invited Bryan over for dinner one night, and from then on, Maggie and Bryan were smitten. Maggie and Bryan’s relationship hasn’t been so smooth, they’ve had their ups and downs. One of their trials, was when Bryan was deployed. Maggie went down to Texas to visit Bryan before he was deployed and after spending a day at the pool, they both fell asleep. When they woke up Bryan asked Maggie to be his wife. The rest is literally history!
Location: Wright County Fairgrounds
Photography:Courtney June Photography
Catering: Red’s Cafe & Catering
Jamie and Cody are one of the most laid back couples I’ve ever met. There isn’t much these two don’t enjoy doing together, and the only “real” argument they have is who has a better booty. If Cody is asked, he will tell you it’s his. On the day of their wedding it was 92 degrees (and rising), but Jamie didn’t even bat an eye to let it affect her and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful day! Both Jamie and Cody are outdoor people and when they found Minnesota Harvest, they knew it was the place they wanted to host their wedding. Jamie and Cody’s engagement story is so sweet! It was January 4, 2015 and in the morning Jamie and Cody had to go somewhere. Jamie asked Cody if he wanted to go for a walk when they returned home and Cody agreed. They went across the road and went for a walk in the Ney Nature Center. They climbed a huge hill and Cody sat down but Jamie wanted to keep walking and was getting antsy. Cody finally got up and the two of them kept walking. (this was the hill Cody wanted to propose but Jamie never turned around long enough for Cody to get ready). Cody kept making Jamie climb hill after hill after hill. Finally Cody said, “Let’s go home” and they started walking down the hill towards their home. Cody saw another hill and said, “If Mya (Their Chocolate Lab) goes up the hill then we will too otherwise, we will just keep walking home.” Mya, of course, went up the hill so Jamie and Cody climbed after her. At the top of the hill Cody pointed out their house and Jamie was so excited by the view, she couldn’t take her eyes off their house. She had no idea what was going on around her. All of a sudden Cody Said, “Jamie I have a question for you.” Jamie thought Cody was joking around and Jamie started saying “Cody I will not tie your….” As she was turning around to face Cody, she saw Cody down on one knee holding out a black box with a ring inside. He asked, “Jamie will you Marry me?” Jamie still couldn’t believe this was happening! After a few seconds Jamie realized what was all happening and Cody put the ring on her finger. Jamie was so happy and couldn’t stop looking at the ring all the way home. After they got home Cody said, “You know, you never said yes.” Jamie turned around and said, “I did too – YES, YES, YES!”.
Location: Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard
Photography:Courtney June Photography
Videography: Fox Productions
Band: The Devon Worley Band
Catering: Annie’s Catering
Cake: The Cakery by Farmington Bakery
Florist: New Prague Floral
Wedding Dress Designer: Weddings by Deb
The Big Fake Wedding is a traveling bridal show that gives Brides and Grooms an alternative to viewing potential vendors for their wedding photography. This year it was to help showcase a new venue and a Stillwater Wedding Photographer (me!). The couple has already been married and has a renewal ceremony for the guests to take part in. This show is a great way for vendors to show off their skills and also for guests to enjoy the party.
It was a lot fun to take part in the event, and also to connect with other vendors. JX Event Venue had it’s grand opening planned for the next weekend, so this show was an added showcase for the brand new venue!
Venue: JX Event Venue
Coordinators: Sixpence Events
Elaborate Style Events
Photography: Courtney June Photography
Hair: 139 Hair by Heidi
Jewelry: Style by Cia
Wedding Cake: Enticing Icing
Cupcakes: A Cupcake Social
Invitations: Lion + Lamb
Signage: Lettered and Lovely
Decor: Apres Party and Tent Rental
Catering: BRIE Catering
Marshmallow Bar: North Mallow
Macarons: Nikkolette’s Macarons
Furniture: A Vintage Touch
DJ: Silver Sound Entertainment
Everyone has been anxiously awaiting her arrival, and we couldn’t all be more excited. I am a little biased, because it is my niece. But she is so tiny and precious! We had a little fussing when we started the session, but then she fell asleep and I could photograph away! I couldn’t wait to try out my new princess setup for her, and of course, it fit her, a beautiful little princess!
Photography: Courtney June Photography
It was so excited to photograph Natalie with her baby bump! We had great weather and with all the rain that we’ve been having it was beautiful shades of green. Natalie and I had talked about clothing choices for the session and we thought that a tutu would be a such a cute idea and it turned out so beautiful! We had two great locations, I don’t get to be a Lake Superior Shores Photographer often, but always love the chance!
Location: Superior Shores
Photography: Courtney June Photography
Tacye and Dylan work at the same company, but they met when she was working at one of their other facilities for a week, the one that Dylan worked at. This chance encounter changed both of their lives! Dylan asked for Tacye’s number she left at the end of the week, because he knew he wanted to spend more time getting to know her. They set up a date, and it happened to be on St. Patrick’s day. The day of Tacye and Dylan’s first date, he had the flu, but nothing was going to stop him from seeing her. Dylan was so sick he could barely eat a bite of pizza, which everyone knows there’s nothing like making a girl feel like she’s overeating on a first date! Even though he was sick, their first date made yet another good impression and they continued to see each other.
They chose their wedding venue because it was a nice intimate spot right on Lake Superior. It was a wonderful close knit ceremony and reception that allowed the two families to spend time getting acquainted. Even though it was a cold weekend, it warmed up right as their ceremony was beginning, it was meant to be!
Location: Solbakken Resort
Photography: Courtney June Photography
Sunken Garden Como Zoo Wedding Photographer. Everyone has cried at a wedding, it’s a normal experience. It happens at one point in life or another. At Ben and Theresa’s wedding, there wasn’t a dry eye. There was so much emotion! They both spoke hand written vows, and all could see they came directly from the heart. Ben and Theresa had a beautiful wedding at the Sunken Gardens at Como Zoo, and even though it was a little chilly out the sun was bright and shining. Everyone says that your wedding is one of the happiest days of your life, and that was definitely true for them. I have known Ben for many years, his brother is married to my sister, I had only met Theresa a couple times, but I knew right away why Ben would love her. She is one of the most genuinely sweet people and super creative, she actually made all the bouquets herself! I guess you could say that Ben is a pretty cool guy too 😉
Locations: Sunken Garden Como Park and Heartland
Photography: Courtney June Photography
I want to make sure the on the day of your wedding, the last thing on your mind is when the photographer (me) is going to arrive or what time the family photos are being taken.
A wedding is a whirlwind of events, gone in the blink of an eye. There’s nothing more important to a perfectly executed event than an organized timeline. Here’s a look at a typical wedding photo timeline from my point of view. One of the perks of working with me; I help assist you in planning so that you don’t miss a second of your big day.
This sample timeline is based on a 7 hour, one location wedding.
I arrive to capture the finishing touches of hair and makeup, details shots of the dress, and jewelry. This is followed by the bride getting into her wedding dress and the groomsmen making their final preparations.
We arrange for a “first look” (if requested) for the bride and groom where they see each other before the ceremony. After this I begin formal photographs with the entire wedding party and the bride and groom. We work in a variety of locations and capture a wide range of poses.
The wedding party portraits should be wrapped up and we transition to family photos. These portrait photographs are of the bride and groom’s immediate family. About 30 minutes before the ceremony we stop to allow you to freshen up, collect your things, and make it to the ceremony site on time.
At this time, I head over to the ceremony. I photograph all the details at the ceremony site, and find where the light is coming from to best document the ceremony and moments. You should have a quick refreshment and take 15 minutes of quiet time with just the two of you; you’ll want to regroup before all the excitement begins!
If you did not have a “first look”, we photograph the bride and groom’s immediate families following the ceremony.
We finish up any bride and groom or wedding party photos, and send you off to enjoy what’s left of your cocktail hour. I head to the reception area before the guests arrive to photograph the cake and floral decor. Right before the guests arrive I touch base with the DJ or wedding coordinator to see if there were any last minute changes to the reception schedule.
1 HOUR AFTER THE CEREMONY
During this time, I document the reception candidly as it unfolds, including the first dances, toasts, dancing, and cake cutting. But don’t worry, I am always available for any photo request you may have throughout the evening – such as extended family photos. Just ask!
4 HOURS AFTER THE CEREMONY
We may go outside for a nighttime portrait of the both of you to showcase the beauty of your location at night. I use incredibly artistic and lighting techniques for these photos. Then I pack up my equipment and prepare for our departure. But first, I will check with you to make sure there aren’t any further photos you would like or an overtime request.
