Good Morning, friends!

Holy heavens, do I ever miss blogging! It’s going to happen again. Eventually. This forever lingers on the back burners of my mind.

“You should really be blogging more.”

“Geez Bailey, why haven’t you posted more wedding & engagement awesomesauce lately?”

“Why are you taking slightly-over-a-day to respond to emails instead of your usual 12 hours or less?”

Don’t worry. None of these questions are coming from friends. Or even clients. Nope, they’re all coming from inside my perfectionist little pea brain.

So right now, I’m trying to cultivate more patience with myself. And keep reminding that inner voice that, “HEY! You are planning a pretty awesome wedding. And it’s happening in less than three weeks. And you guys are not about traditional. Everything is intentional, authentic, perfectly fitting for you two. It’s not a cookie cutter affair. So everything takes more time, more energy, more love. You’re going to be exhausted. And you need to be patient with yourself.”

One thing my soul truly needs: more therapy time with my camera. More earth. More nature. More this:

In other news, it has been bustling over at the flower shop with Mother’s Day, prom, and big milestones (we were voted runner-up for MN’s Best Flower Shop). Although I’m only pouring my heart into flowers a few days a week, it has been so busy-busy!

A couple of weeks ago, the wedding season kicked off with Shayne & Ryan’s gorgeous wedding-in-the-woods. As I steadily work through their images, I find myself giddy with excitement!

In this season, I already see a shift. A shift in my art, my skill, my approach. This work is lighting my heart ON FIRE!

Even if your head is clouded with doubt, remember: you CAN create the images you dream of! It takes work & purposeful change, but you can do it! Here is one image of Shayne & her maids that totally has my heart.

In other random news, we bought a car this weekend! Perfect timing, right? With a wedding just around the corner…ha! It had to happen, though. Poor dear Turquoise Jeep has been strugglin’. Big time. But we’ll miss his vibrant quirks. Sorta.

To my dear couples, and brides in particular: Reality check. It does get crazy. Engaged people are some of the busiest folks I know: planning a wedding, working a job (or two or three), finishing school, maybe owning a business, managing the feelings of fam & friends, and just figuring life out. Being tugged in a million directions, with no real control over the little things.

A note to you (& to self!): Don’t sweat the small details. Let ‘em roll like water off a duck’s back. Be totally in it for the ride, but don’t expect to steer the whole time.

And most of all? Savor every moment.

Image by Gina Zeidler (our inspiring wedding photographer).

XOXO,

When I meet a couple who just “gets it” — there’s something magic afoot. They experience my work & my style & get that giddy feeling like this-is-the-one. They appreciate my love for nature, creative close-ups, & natural (albeit goofball) interactions. They are totally on-board to get silly, love each other up, & create gorgeous images together.

We have this natural chemistry, & we both know that it’s a match. My favorite part: I also get that same warm & fuzzy feeling like this-is-the-one. That’s the best!

How do I find such giant-hearted couples? I am indeed the lucky one.

You will not find a more chillaxed, awesome couple than Ann & Kyle. They are easy-going, adventurous & so warm in spirit. I can’t wait for their big day in October!

For the moment, tag along for their beautiful engagement session. Gorgeous trails & woods courtesy of Hartley Nature Center here in Duluth!

XOXO,

Ann & Teddy reached out to me about capturing their wedding day just a few weeks beforehand. I was peached-as-punch to capture their ceremony, which was simple, sweet & very intimate.

Under a radiant September sun, family from near and far gathered around the Rose Garden gazebo. There were tears of joy, a sweet grandmother taking snapshots, & a ship sailing smoothly across the big lake.

All the while, Ann & Teddy were brimming with some of the purest wedding day joy I’ve ever seen. Love them!

Bask in the warmth of their big day on this rather chilly one…keep warm & keep well, friends!

Ceremony Location: Leif Erickson Park & Rose Garden // Flowers: Angela’s Bella Flora

XOXO,

I met Adam & Kayla on a frigid Duluth day, a couple of weeks before Christmas at this wonderful cafe in Canal Park. We chatted over steaming cups of cocoa about their love story and family-focused lives. After our little warm-up, we braved the wind chills for a Canal Park frolic.

As a seasoned Duluthian, I tend to keep things fresh by shooting away from the ever-bustling Canal Park, but this day was different: we had the place largely to ourselves! Thankfully, these two were happy to snuggle up & managed to keep warm throughout our adventure.

We wrapped things up out on Park Point, with its rolling sand dunes and grassy slopes. Lake Superior was a stunner that day, and even the sun managed to make a surprise appearance toward the end of our session! 

These images make my soul sing. Enjoy. And remember to love someone up today!

 XOXO,

Hello, y’all!

It’s that magic time in January when we start to feel the lull. It’s the calm after Christmas, and though the days keep getting longer, they’re lacking that punch of Vitamin D we all need. Spring is still a few months off, but it’s this time of year that makes me truly appreciate four distinct seasons. I have itchy feet, but not to travel: to capture weddings, to be barefoot and energized. To barbecue, to be by the lake, to play in fresh air. Open windows, hallelujah!

Instead of gettin’ the blues, drink in some summer sunshine today. Relive it through images. It’s therapy, I promise.

Part two of Charity & Joe’s divine wedding-in-the-woods. Ready, set, breath it in.

Ceremony & Reception Location: Pinewoods Retreat Center at Camp Miller // Flowers: Designed by a family member

XOXO,

Once upon a time, there were two little bears. On a blustery day, they braved chilly winds & snuffly noses to have an adventure. Mama Bear & Papa Bear were close at hand, just in case of any oopsie-daisies. One of the little bears thought he could climb a mountain, so he did. The other little bear picked pretty rocks from the shore, and helped the other bear when he needed a little hand. Together, the two little bears made the cutest faces in all the land. And they were the happiest of little bear families.

XOXO,