I admire and love how Krizia & Scott did their wedding their own way and not anyone else’s way. Simple and to the point with amazing food (best I’ve ever had and I eat wedding food every weekend), amazing music (best band at a wedding I’ve heard and I hear wedding band music every weekend), and an amazing backdrop. Apart from the ceremony, no real scheduled “events.”

Krizia and Scott, I am so happy and grateful I was able to be part of your wedding and more importantly, that I got a chance to know you both.  I look forward to seeing you again in the future (THATH!!!).

Will you be my friends forever? Check yes or no. In all seriousness (although that was serious), I had a great time photographing you last week. Your chemistry is off the charts and your tastes and personalities are beyond any awesome adjective I overuse on this blog. Thank you for finding me and contacting me. Thanks for having a couple drinks with me at the Old Sugar Distillery before your session. Thanks for going there even though it was jam-packed and you two knew about it way before it was cool. Thank you for lighting a Chinese lantern to rid some negative energy from this world. Thank you for giving me a Chinese lantern to light one day when it’s darker outside. And for the wine and homemade maple syrup. I mean, come on … is it not clear why I want to make you be my friends?

Special thanks to Jennyface for her brilliant makeup talent. Dang, she makes my girls look gorgeous.

I guess it looks better at night :)

PS — Can I tell you the story of how these two met? They didn’t. Well, that’s how they describe their story … that they never really met. One night, when they were both out, Amalie saw Eric and just approached him. She grabbed his hand and started walking away with him saying, “you’re coming with me.” Yup. That was two years ago. And now they’re getting married.

I know. It’s not fair I get to work with people like this.

Most importantly, there would be a bride and groom like Maggie and David. Sweet, generous, beautiful, caring, ambitious, successful but down-to-earth, and humble. This bride and groom would be surrounded by friends and family who help all day with the wedding in 90 degree heat (while having huge smiles on their faces and looking fashionable to boot).  Everyone at this wedding would be amazing and nice and welcoming. In case you haven’t caught on, this perfect wedding actually was Maggie and David’s. Enjoy:

It would be a blog post this long — that could have been much longer — because I loved it all so much.

Maggie and David, thank you. It was truly an honor to be part of such an amazing and perfect day. You are two of the most considerate and wonderful people I’ve ever met and your family and friends are a testament to who you are as well. I wanted to take you all home with me in my pocket. Congratulations!!

I’m no stranger to shooting at O’Brien Barn, but I love how each couple makes the place uniquely their own. Christine and Brian definitely did an amazing job with this. In addition to tons of DIY and Etsy details, some local vendors who helped make everything possible include: Cherry Blossom Events (Sarah is so awesome. Great to work with, good energy, and highly recommended!), State Street Brats, Carl’s Cakes, Jukebox Bandstand (always awesome), Event Essentials, and Beauty Blossoms.

Thank you so much, Christine and Brian! Such an amazing and gorgeous wedding to capture.

PS — A special thank you to my husband and second shooter, Troy. He did a great job capturing some unique elements with hardly any training at all :)

Megan and Brent didn’t skip a detail either. O’Brien Barn was decked out in the coolest DIY rustic details. I loved their style and working with them was as good as it gets.

Wasn’t about to leave without a photo of myself with Megan and Brent. I simply adore them.

A huge congrats, Megan and Brent! Such an honor to spend your wedding day with you!

Megan and Brent incorporated several of my most favorite vendors into their wedding, including: Jennyface on makeup, daffodil*parker on flowers, and of course the O’Brien Barn as ceremony and reception venue.

Juli and Heidi are really down to earth, smart, and fun. They are so at ease with each other and freaking adorable. I could have photographed them all night; I was so inspired.  Juli and Heidi, thanks for being awesome. I can’t wait to see you again in September!

Megan & Brent, thanks for being a wedding photographer’s dream come true! See you again soon.

I shot Lizzy and Scottie’s wedding when I was *just* starting as a photographer, back in August 2009. They somehow trusted me to capture their day before I even had a couple weddings under my belt (and before meeting me). They’re laid-back and amazing like that. In a few weeks they’ll be adding another little boy or girl to their family and I couldn’t be happier for them.

Here are a few from my session with Lizzy (total trooper, by the way. It was about 50 degrees and windy (felt like 20 degrees, imo) and she went barefoot into Lake Mendota).

Disclaimer: This is my first and last maternity session. I adore Lizzy and her baby bump, but right now I’m not looking to expand my business into yet another direction :)

Filled with Swedish tradition (cannons firing, singing, dancing, table-pounding), this wedding was one of a kind. It’s one of those weddings, that as a photographer, you want to shoot over and over again.

Thank you so so much, Maria and Clay. It was truly an honor to be part of your day.  See you in a week for your engagement-turned-day-after-session :)

But I won’t bore you with the details of how one day I saw some fresh and youthful boudoir and was hooked … and how, like wedding photography, not everything has to be the same.  And how I’ve never been interested in what most people are doing anyway.  And how I never want to stop shooting boudoir now because it’s empowering, amazing, beautiful, dreamy, sensual and really fun.

I was 100% hooked after my first session, and then I shot 6 more sessions for my brides and friends.  And with the talented team of Jennyface on makeup and Autumn Hair on hair … all the sessions were an absolute blast. An absolute blast.

So it’s officially here now … Anda Marie Boudoir! I’m so excited to see where this new business venture will take me.  My new boudoir portfolio is right here.  I hope you enjoy it :)

Sneak peek at some of the work-friendly images inside:

*Disclaimer:  there is no nudity in my portfolio, but if you aren’t allowed to look at the Victoria’s Secret or American Apparel websites at work, then my portfolio probably isn’t ‘work safe’ and you should just check back when you get home. Everyone is wearing at least what a swimsuit would cover though … and usually more. All photos used with permission.*