And she said YES!

I don't know if anything can ever compare to the moment you are standing with your camera waiting for that moment when one person will stand before another and ask "Will you marry me?"

Last night, Caroline and I had such an honor when two high school sweethearts traveled from Bemidji to enjoy a vacation in the big city.  It was a surprise proposal and a moment when my being there would be a secret and a gift for her.  What Miss Amara did not know was that Nic and I had become old friends by then, talking many times via phone about his love for his girlfriend and the many plans he had for this important night.   Though it was incredibly cold and my camera lenses definitely did not like focusing in the frigid temps, it was a wonderfully clear and crisp night.

When all was said and done, it was a moonlight stroll across Stone Arch Bridge and a surprise performance along the way by the band Timeless of "You Dance' by East Mountain South that brought Nic to his knee with the all important question.  Amara said yes, and it was a perfect evening as the musicians, Caroline and I celebrated with them in their joy.

Congratulations to Nic and Amara! 

PS.  Check out Timeless and their great music on Facebook or their website!
 

The Most Wonderful Things Happen at Night

This week we had the most fun being a part ofsurprise proposal at the Stone Arch Bridge.

It started with a simple request.  "Help me capture this special moment".  Soon it was scoping out the bridge, rehearsing the proposal and organizing the details of the evening.  (Not going to lie... realizing I would be doing a night shoot with NO flash, strobes or modifiers had me a bit panicked at first.)  With the help of a fake model to explain my presence and a gorgeous evening, the setting was in place for a very special moment.  (Well, that is until all of humanity decided to stop at our marked spot, blocking our view of what was about to happen!  Fortunately, we had a soon-to-be groom who could roll with the changes and hit his mark.)

When all was said and done, we had the beautiful opportunity to witness the start of a new life, a celebration with friends and family and the wonderful proposal between Scott and Lindsay!

Congratulations to you both!

Alyssa & Cole, plus one!

Is there anything more exciting than the pending birth of your first child?  Pregnancy is a wonderful time in life and deserves to be celebrated.

Photographing families as part of the  Cormican adoption campaign has brought so many great family experiences.  I have been fortunate to hear many great stories of family adoptions and observe how families adapt and grow with each new member.  Working with Alyssa & Cole, I was delighted to hear about their coming little one and the journey that brought them to the Twin Cities.  (Imagine my surprise hearing that Cole also works for an architecture firm, just like me!)

We were blessed with such a beautiful day and I enjoy sharing in this chapter as they unfold the story of their family.