Tuesday, December 27, 2011

NIkki & Brian's Album | Winona, MN Wedding & Portrait Photographer

merry christmas & happy holidays :) 
I hope everyone has had a great few days.

today I have Nikki & Brian's wedding album design :) 
if you haven't checked out their wedding post...click here.

Nikki & Brian chose the 'oh so simple' layout for their book.
this is one of my favorite layouts...because it is so simple and easy to layout.

here are a few of my favorite layouts from their book...














happy tuesday :) 

xoxo
Maggie

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Nikki & Brian | Married! | Winona, MN Wedding & Portrait Photographer

happy almost Christmas :)
I seriously cannot believe that it is december 22nd!
maybe it is because it has been 40* lately and there is no snow.
although, I can safely say that I am UBER excited that the days will now be getting longer.
getting dark at 5pm makes me not a happy camper.

anyway, today I have Nikki & Brian on the blog!
these two were married on a lovely October afternoon in Winona, MN.
I was super excited when Nikki emailed me asking if I would photograph her wedding...
for a few reasons....
one, I would get to visit my little sister
two, I would get to see Nikki & catch up on life
and three, the Winona bluffs in fall = <3

ohhhemmmmgeeee. the fall colors were just starting to peak out.
ahhh...heaven. loved it.

Nikki & Brian had a small bridal party, ceremony and reception.
I have to say that I totally loved it!
don't get me wrong, lots of people are fun too..but there is just something so wonderful about only a handful of people witnessing the first moments of a newlywed's first day as husband and wife.
here are some of my favorites from their day:

 the church...i kind of love big churches like this
 i just loved Nikki's flowers! the green was so unique!
 deeeeetails :)

 husband & wife :)
 after the ceremony & family portraits we went to the lake in Winona...which has a backdrop of the bluffs. :)))))))

 <3 favorite
 THEN...oh man...THEN...the reception was at the Winona Historical Center.
umm...old brick building CHUCK FULL of old vintage things. ohhh it was probably my favorite venue. :) just sayin'

 the brick of outside gave us the perfect backdrop for some photos as the sun was setting

 Nikki made all of her table decorations and even had coffee cups for everyone to take home. it was such a cute touch! i love it when brides get all artsy-craftsy!
and one last photo :)

Nikki & Brian,
thank you for letting me be part of your day! it was so much fun to be with you as you joined your lives together! 

xoxo,
Maggie



Sunday, December 11, 2011

somewhere in-between | personal | Sheboygan Wedding & Portriat Photographer

I always wondered what it would feel like.
I always wondered when it would happen.
and when it happened, what would that do to me...
would I be different?
would I change?
would it be the right thing at the right time?
the right place?
that minute when I realized that, wow, this is my life…

I am a grown up.

or, as grown up as I have to be, anyway ;)

the other day, sitting at work it happened.
I realized it.
I grew up.
I am grown up.
somewhere in that in-between.
I. am. a. grown. up.
that moment when you realize that this, this is your life.
and the decisions that have to be made are more than just what you are eating for lunch that day.
the decisions that can change every aspect of your life.
change your life in the matter of a few words or seconds of decisions and actions.
then, make your life a whirlwind of crazy.
and all of a sudden that whirl wind takes over your life, and somewhere in that in-between there is a light at the end of the tunnel. a light that leads to this whole new world of options.
almost like walking outside after the rain finishes.
you know, that calm after the storm.

when I was younger in school I always wondered what it would be like to be a grown up.
to have to get up every morning.
get dressed.
eat breakfast.
(because, it really is the most important meal of the day)
go to work.
have responsibilities.
deal with people.
whether they are nice or not. and whether or not you are in a good, bad, or ugly mood.
have a social life (or try to anyway).
have to pay the bills.
get enough sleep.
eat the right things (pizza and beer is healthy…right?! ;) )
all those things that grown ups do.

it happened the other day.
it actually happened.
and I sat in disbelief for a few mintues.
let that realization sink in.
that moment I realized that somewhere in-between not-all-that-long-ago and 26 and a half…
I grew up.

maybe it is because of all the decisions that the past few months have presented me with.
or maybe because I get my hair cut regularly.
and paint my nails, wear makeup, and dress up like a girl sometimes…
all out...with heels and everything!
or maybe its because I have been forced to realized what I really want in life.
in MY life.
and I am the one who has to call the shots.
I never imagined I would be making some of the decisions that I have had to make lately.
the last few months have been the hardest of my entire life.
and have faced me with some of the toughest decisions to make.
decisions that have ultimately made me a much stronger person.
I know I can go on and live without certain things.
things that I never imagined having to live without.

but yet, at the very same time, the past few months have been some of the best of my entire life.
funny how life works.

all of this life-in-between has also shown me how thankful I am for the people that are in my life right now.
people that have seen me at my lowest and highest moments.
helped me through some of the hardest decisions a person can make.
kept my spirits up.
shown me that the sun does come out tomorrow.
and proved that even in the hardest of times, there is good in everything.

to the people that have stood next to me,
thank you.
thank you for everything.
and those two little words don't seem like nearly enough.
the phone calls.
the texts.
words of encouragement and wisdom.
and simply just being there.
it means the world to me.

and to the ones that didn't stand next to me,
well, thank you as well.
for opening my eyes to the world around me.
for making me a stronger person.
and for helping me to believe in myself.

and because a blog post shouldn't be without a photo
the one that I owe the most to...


xoxo
Maggie

email! :) / website! :)

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