Wendy Woods Photography

Anna and Matt

View their slideshow here.

Friday I had the pleasure of working for the first time with Anna Blem and Matt Hogen, two very photogenic people whose wedding is in October. Matt and Anna were a little shy about public affection so we headed out to my secret spot along the St. Croix River. Anna works at Abbott Northwestern hospital as a nurse and her fiance Matt is an engineer. They have been engaged for almost a year now. We talked about their coming wedding, the ceremony is at a church in Olivia, Minnesota and the reception is 100 miles west of Olivia at the Jackpot Junction Casino! My head was turning like a roulette wheel thinking about cool stuff we can do with the wedding party in the casino - if it's allowed. Cameras are usually restricted, aren't they? Humm.. Well there is always fall foliage - October 6 - the height of the fall color in Minnesota. Click on an image to open in a separate larger, window.

Patti and Erik

Patti Wenzel and Erik Johnson tied the knot in front of friends and family Saturday at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park. Erik is a professional hockey player who will be moving to Florida for his career, and Patti, who has been a teller at US Bank, will be moving with him. Their marraige culminates eight years of courtship in which Erik has played for teams all over the country, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when a video slideshow was shown that highlighted the many years they have been together. The ceremony and the reception were held in two different spots at the country club, the ceremony on a rooftop deck and the reception in a beautiful room overlooking the green. We loved photographing their wonderful vibrant family including Patti's mom Calleigh and dad Wynne, Erik's mom Diane and dad Duncan, maid of honor Katie and Erik's brother Grant, and all the children, and being able to photograph such a great and handsome couple. Click on any image to open larger and please leave a message for Erik, Patti and us!

Zach and Anne's Wedding

Could there be a couple more romantic than Zach Tatlock and Anne Schwitchtenberg? One of their favorite songs is "100 Years." One of the speakers at their ceremony read a passage from Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights." In fact, Anne looked like a heroine in a 19th Century novel, as you can see. She has this classic beauty. The weather was a perfect 80 on this July Saturday, a relief from the heat we've had lately. Zach and Anne prepared at the St. Paul Hotel, photos were in Rice Park and the Landmark Center, ceremony at Hamline University Chapel, and reception back at the Landmark Center. As you can see, we had lots of fun in the park and the Landmark Center - my favorite reception site. From start to finish this was a class act, with a lot of the credit going to Anne's mother Kim who did a lot of the planning. The couple is in Cape Cod right now enjoying their honeymoon. Nick, Miranda, and I so loved being their photographers, both they and their families were wonderful. Click on any image to open larger and please leave a comment for Zach, Anne and us.

Anne looks radiant.

The bridesmaids hold the mirror for her.

Playing by the window at the St. Paul Hotel

And inside the Landmark Center's spectacular stairwell.

Leaping Lords!

The wedding party in front of the Landmark Center.

Ceremony at Hamline University Chapel.

Spying on Zach and Anne right after the ceremony.

Nick was lying on the floor of the main atrium, looking five stories up at the Landmark Center, for this one

Kim has Anne's shoes, veil, and bouquet. Let the fun begin!

They learned to swing dance to a Sinatra tune for their first dance, and pulled it off!

The banquet

A quiet moment as the last of the light comes through the atrium ceiling.

Kristi and Justin's Wedding

NEW! View their slideshow here.

Kristi Kupper and Justin Nelson got their lucky 7's wedding Saturday - the luckiest and the HOTTEST day of the year. The mercury hit 100 in the early afternoon. But the day went beautifullly otherwise. Kristi was kept cool and pampered by all her friends. Among those friends were Lindsay and Doug Welch, whose wedding we just did a few weeks ago! They just got back from their honeymoon in Costa Rica in order to attend Kristi and Justin's wedding.

Kristi was radiant as she went to see Justin for their private meeting alongside Minnehaha Creek in back of Mount Olivet church in Minneapolis. Justin, who comes from a family of teachers, is a second grade teacher and Kristi works for Wells Fargo bank - and both have a great sense of style and humor - I got to know them first at their engagement session this past winter at the Walker Art Museum and I thought they were pretty cool for wanting to do it there! Their engagement images are here.

The reception was at Rush Creek Golf Course in Maple Grove, probably the best wedding setting at a country club we've seen in the Twin Cities. Their dance floor was bathed in beautiful light, with a little help from Instant Request's DJ Mike! Check out their sunset walk on the green, with champagne, a perfect end to a lovely evening and a wonderful wedding.

We thank Kristi, Justin, Mary, Charlie, Dwight, Cindy, the twins Molly and Emily, Kelly and Westin as well as Lindsay and Doug, for being so great to us. The photos will be ready soon. Stay tuned! Click on any image to open larger. Please leave a comment for Kristi, Justin and us!

Kelly keeps Kristi cool

Kristi

Justin

Kristi is radiant

Just before the ceremony begins

They're hitched!

The bridesmaids - Lindsay is at top right

The groomsmen - best man Westin Pernsteiner on right

First dance

Charlie dances with daughter Kristi

Toast at sunset