Imagine...

For those of you who are parents, think back to the last time your child was sick. Your little one probably felt awful or at the very least not themselves, and you probably spent a night (or even two or three) without much sleep, exhausted but worried and checking on them throughout the night.

Now imagine if this scenario was every day, every night...and there was no end in sight. No time you could tell your child when they might feel better.

I have a lot of very important ladies in my life. Today I'd like to tell you about my sister, Brenda and her daughter, Abby.

When Abby was only 2 years old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In an instant, her life forever changed, as did the lives of my sister and the rest of their family. For my sister, she went from being a mom to also being a pancreas for her daughter. She immediately picked up where Abby's little body had given out and took charge of her testing, her carb counting, her food intake, and her insulin.

To me, she turned into Superwoman that day. It has been 8 years now, and she has been a force. If one person could singlehandedly change the course of Type 1 Diabetes, it has met its match in her. She has spent the last 8 years researching, raising money, and trying to educate people who still think that diet and exercise will cure Type 1 Diabetes. (Sidenote: It absolutely will NOT. Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are NOT the same thing.)

All the while, she has continued to raise her beautiful children and her sweet Abby, who is growing into such a kind, sweet, and loving girl.

I can't even tell you the number of needles she has had to give. I bet she could. I can't tell you the amount of worry she has felt, the number of carbs she has counted and the math she has done to measure out just the right amount of insulin, all the while knowing that even on the days everything goes perfectly, Abby's body can still decide to have a scary low.

I can't tell you what it did to her a few years ago when Abby's numbers dropped so low (which can happen during the night) that she had seizures one morning and had to be hospitalized. I can imagine though...and I know I don't want any of them to have to go through that again.

I want Abby, and all of the other children with Type 1 Diabetes, to be able to run and play without having to worry that their numbers will drop too low. I want them to be free of the precarious dance between the carb count and the insulin, the finger pricks, the needles, the doctor's appointments, and the hospitalizations. At its unthinkable worst, I don't want their parents to have to worry that they won't wake up one morning.

I want them all to sleep easy at night and for the parents to be able to tell their children that there is a cure, and that there IS a time they are going to feel better and be free of this.

Insulin is NOT a cure. The research is being done, and I feel like they are so close...that we could actually see a CURE come in Abby's lifetime.

Imagine that. :)

Abby's first medic alert bracelet, from when she was 2, is on the left.

There is no greater force in this world than a parent on a mission.

Their worst day. Insulin is NOT a cure.

Abby girl now. :) The flyer for this year's fundraising event in support of JDRF.

Leah and Tommy...

Usually the words for a wedding blog post come pretty easily to me. I tend to focus the storytelling on how the couple met and what the wedding day was like.

Yesterday it hit me just how much more there is to it.

Leah and Tommy. I'm sitting here trying to find the right words to do their story justice, to focus on the most important parts of the day, to describe their personalities. My backspace key is getting a workout today.

There is so much more to it.

The truth is, I don't know Leah and Tommy that well. I haven't known them for years the way their friends have. I don't know their histories the way their families do. I can't tell you their favorite food, color, or book.

What I can tell you is they are both so loved by their family and friends, and Leah and Tommy have clearly made both groups of people a huge priority in their life.

I can tell you they are two of the loveliest people I've ever met, with hearts of gold and smiles and laughs that are contagious.

I can tell you that through the joy and laughter and rhythm of yesterday, they were also quietly sharing parts of themselves that were vulnerable.

I can tell you that yesterday really opened my eyes. Maybe I was looking at things differently, trying to pay close attention and take everything in since it was the last time...but I truly think it's just the kind of people Leah and Tommy are, who their friends and family are, that changed my view.

I can tell you that being invited in to share in someone's greatest joys is wonderful. Being invited in to share in their greatest sorrow is a privilege.

Make no mistake, the day was full of joy and a beautiful celebration of an incredible couple. But there is so much more to the story, always. In this life, we tend to pass by each other, maybe make some small talk, never knowing the entirety of someone else's story. Pay attention and you just might learn.

In 2011, Leah's family lost her younger sister Emily in a terrible car crash. The resilience that they have shown as people, as a family - and Leah and Tommy as a couple - merely by surviving, is a testament to who they are. Leah's mom, Lorie, gave the most beautiful speech at the reception...to paraphrase, in addressing Tommy, she said, "You saw us at our very lowest, and still, you stuck around."

Celebrating the good times is the easy part. True love, true friends, true family, sticks around for everything else. Leah and Tommy, you two have changed my world. Thank you for letting me in yours.

Below are some photos that, with Leah's permission, I am sharing. They are not the best, glossy, posed photos in perfect lighting, but a few real moments from life as it happens.

The Last One

Tomorrow I'm shooting my last wedding...for at least a year, possibly ever. I would be remiss if it didn't make me a little nostalgic, a little introspective, and a lot reminiscent. I looked up my "stats", if you will, of these last 6 years: 32 weddings and 18 engagement sessions...or in photography terms, approximately 470 shooting hours and well over 1200 editing hours. (That's a lot of editing, my friends)

There are other numbers that I don't have to look up or calculate...5 100+ degree days, 4 churches with no air conditioning, 3 torrential downpours, 3 weddings during the 2011 flood, 1 wedding guest fender bender, 1 party bus backing into my truck. (yes, that happened!)

Mostly what I'm left with are the things, the memories, for which there is no number...meeting a couple for the first time, hearing their story, and having them invite me into their world on one of the biggest days of their lives; getting to know their friends and families, joking with Dad and offering to buy him a drink if he will pretty please just smile for the family photos; the first looks, the nerves, the joy, the laughter, the tears; the sorrow at those whose passing meant they couldn't be there that day; the looks on the faces of parents and grandparents as the couple says their vows; the relief when the ceremony is over; and my favorite, the laughing-drinking-toasting-dancing of the reception.

There are, of course, things I won't miss (that's a whole other blog post, honey!), but the thing I will miss most has to be the incredible couples I get to meet and spend time with each season, and in many cases, the friendships that have remained long after the wedding day. To all of my couples - thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for trusting me with such an important part of your lives. I have loved getting to do this for the last 6 years.

Here's to tomorrow's couple - Leah and Tommy. It's a great one to go out on - let's make it epic! :)

If My Voicemail is Full...

My voicemail is almost constantly full or near capacity.

I am a person of great contradiction.

These two thoughts are actually related.

I realized some time ago that I rarely talk on the phone anymore, to anyone. When I was in junior high and high school, you couldn’t get me OFF the phone. But with a career, a spouse, and a child, evenings and weekends seem to fill up quickly and not leave a lot of time for long chats on the phone. Even with some of the people I love most in this world.

Yet, I went through and resaved what seemed like a million voicemail messages again the other day, just to get to a new one. I realized I have been doing this since 2008, and some of them have been on there that long. My sister Maureen’s first message to me after I had my daughter...a Christmas message from my sister Brenda...a message from my baby sister, Kayla….one from my Mom, my Dad, Marc, my mother-in-law…the list goes on.

Why would somebody save messages from people they can just pick up the phone and talk to? Because on an August day in 2008, I fully realized someday I might not be able to. And what has stuck with me all of these years later is watching my husband on that August day, calling his Dad’s cell phone after he died, just so he could hear his voice one more time. I realized that when someone dies, their loved ones look for something, ANYTHING tangible they can hold onto. And so I started saving messages.

So, if I don’t get to talk to you on the phone as often as I’d like, please know that I am loving you and holding onto you with all my heart.

And if my voicemail is full, know that the space is being used for those closest to my heart. And, as soon as I figure out how to save them, I will make room for your message too.

Close to my heart...

It's pretty rare these days that I photograph anything aside from weddings... but every now and then, I get asked to do something so special that I can't possibly say no. So when one of my very first couples, Lynze and Jeff, called and asked me for some photos, I couldn't help but reply with a resounding "YES!!!!!!"

You see, Jeff and Lynze are about to become parents for the first time. They have traveled a very long road to get to this point... SIX YEARS, to be exact. They have struggled through the heartache, pain, and trials of infertility, but are now expecting TWINS. I felt like I was shooting through tears for most of our afternoon together.... so thrilled for such an amazing couple, and so happy for these incredibly lucky babies, who get to have them for parents.

Jeff and Lynze,  SO much love and congratulations to both of you.

Losing your job and learning lessons along the way

Most people don't know this, but I lost my job a few months ago. (My day job for those that only know me through my photography business) Well, we'll call it "reassigned to a different department". The company I was employed with for over 6 years lost their contract, and a new company took over.

In one fell swoop I lost the promotion I had earned three years before, my title, my office, forty percent of my pay...and of greatest surprise to me, a piece of my identity.

I have never been one to feel defined by their career. Or so I thought. It shouldn't shock me, I suppose. I mean, work IS where we spend the majority of our waking hours, isn't it?

Still, it knocked me off my feet and for a short time, into a dark place. I feel very lucky that it took 36 years to truly experience what depression felt like, and even luckier that it was very, very short-lived. I've always considered myself a pretty positive, happy-go-lucky-everything-will-always-work-out kind of person. Hell, it's my mantra - my husband even says it now. But for the first time, I could empathize with people who experience depression on a daily basis, and it gave me new insight/understanding of what they go through, how they're not able to just pull themselves out of it. I will admit, I couldn't quite grasp that notion before. Lesson numero uno.

Going from being the boss to being an employee, where one of your employees is now YOUR boss is a humbling experience as well. Again, I am fortunate that our small group has been working together so long that we are like a family, and they were all incredibly accomodating and understanding of how I might feel with such a change. But, being on the other side of the equation again did help me to see some of the errors of my ways in being a manager and, at times, only thinking of the good of the company first. While that is of course important, so are the lives each of us lead every day - and sometimes both can and should be considered (and weighed carefully) at the same time. It also helped me to see that each of us are perfectly, imperfectly human, but at the end of the day if the work is getting done, I could stand to ease up and let people do things the way they know how to do it. Also, being in charge is REALLY stressful and sometimes it's nicer to be the employee! I also have the best co-workers in the world and you can't put a price on that. Lessons two, three, and four.

Lastly, and perhaps the greatest lesson I learned, is that my husband and my child think the world of me no matter what my title or status in life. The hardest day, my last day in my old position, when I had to pack up my office and race downstairs to the safety of our truck before I started sobbing, my husband gave me the best gifts he could have...a) chocolate, and b) a card that said he believed in me and knew that one day I would have a new job, a new title, and a new office, or that maybe this was all meant to open a completely different door for me...but no matter what, everything would all work out. Throughout the last few months, he has supported me every single day. Every time I was feeling down, he would scoop me and my deflated, stupid ego up off the floor, dust us both off, and repeat the mantra..."Everything will work out, and even if you don't ever have an office or a title again, as long as you find something you enjoy that makes you happy, that's all that matters."

So, I'm sitting here thinking on a Sunday evening...as I get ready to start my last week at my job on the base and venture into something brand new, I am happy. I am excited for this new adventure. I have no idea if my new job comes with an office, and I truly don't care. I will be excited if I have a window, and anyone who works with me will get that joke.

I am beyond blessed with the family, friends, and coworkers I'm surrounded by. With all of them by my side, I know everything will always work out. I will never doubt that mantra again.

And the winner is...

Announcement Day! I think this is one of my new favorite days in the history of ever!!!

You didn't make it easy, couples. The stories just seem to keep getting better and better, and this year was no exception. We had some incredible love stories and amazing couples...but in the end, there can be only one.

It took our panel of six judges all week to decide.

Ok, enough suspense.

Congratulations Karen & Max, you are the winners of the 2015 Wedding Photography Giveaway!!!!! Lynsey and I are beyond excited to shoot your BIG DAY next June!

Here is a photo of the winning couple and their beautiful love story that had at least 4 judges crying. The other 2 will not confirm or deny anything.

We met on October 4th, 2008. It was Michigan State University's Homecoming game; I was down visiting a friend for the weekend and Max was living in East Lansing at the time and also had some of his friends down for the big game weekend.

As fate would have it we ended up at the same bar that night; Harpers in downtown East Lansing. I was waiting at the bar to order drinks with my friend and Max and a friend were casually waiting next to us. Naturally conversation was started between the 4 of us and when the bartender finally came around to our side Max offered to get us girls a shot. What a gentleman right ;) I personally am NOT a fan of shots, but who's going to turn down a free drink when you're 23...graciously we accepted. Max reached out to hand me my tequila shot and somehow ended up dropping it straight down to my feet; I told him no worries I didn't really want a shot anyway and we parted each going back to own friends. 

Later on that night we bumped into each other at the bar again and I said "Hey! You owe me a drink!" (Max claims at this point in the story that he searched me out, maybe he did, but to me at the time it seem like pure coincidence) Of course he got us both a drink (Rum and Coke this time) and we started chatting. We talked the whole rest of the night; both of our separate parties of friends ended up moving on for the night, but we just sat and talked and drank and talked some more; by night's end he gave me cab money to get back to my friend's house and walked me out to wait for it to come pick me up. He let me put his sweater on while we waiting (it can get pretty brisk on an Oct night in MI) I gave him my number and told him to call me sometime; just as I went to get in the cab to leave he reached out to me and said "Wait can I get my sweater back?" (I still make fun of him for this...worried he'd never see me or the sweater again) 

But that was not the case, the very next week he called me to see if he could take me out on a "real date." I lived in my hometown, Alma Michigan, at the time which is about 45 minutes north of East Lansing where Max lived and he came all the way up to Alma to take me out the very next Saturday. After that we were inseparable. We talked on the phone every single night for hours on end and we would take turns going back and forth from Alma and East Lansing each weekend to spend time together. By Thanksgiving that year we were officially using the "boyfriend/girlfriend" labels...that's when you know it's serious right :) 

We had a blissful first year together, but it wasn’t easy. Max's dad passed away from cancer in June of 2009 (we'd been dating just 8 months) and that's when I got to meet the whole family. It’s hard enough meeting the whole family immediate and extended at your significant other's father's funeral, but also to be told the whole time "Ooo Max has never brought a girl home for us to meet before" talk about pressure! Then in July we found out that Max was getting deployed to Afghanistan in September (he was in the Army Reserve then, he's transferred to the Air Force now) So at only 11 months together we said goodbye to each other  for a year while he went over seas. Max tried to break up with me before he left saying he didn't want to put me through the tough times of the deployment. I told him No! That is not a reason for us to break up! I told him I loved him and I wanted to be with him no matter how “hard” it was going to be. I reminded him that he was going to need my support as much as I would need his to get through the deployment together.  That's what we did, he was able to call me probably about once a week at least even it was only for a few minutes, (I pretty much had my phone glued to my hand the whole year never knowing when the next long awaited call would come though) I would email him every night before I went to sleep just telling him what I did that day and what was going on back home; even when I had days where I literally had nothing of interest to tell him about he still said it was fun to read my boring nonsense about what TV shows I watched after work that day. He left in September of 2009 and got home in September of 2010. It was a long hard year, when I look back at it now it feels like an eternity ago, but I think it did make us stronger  as a couple and so much more appreciative of our time with each other and all our loved ones. 

When Max got home from Afghanistan in 2010 we took the next big step and moved in together. He had decided after his deployment that he wanted to go back to school and into a completely different field. He was a surveyor when we met and he has gone back to school to become a Speech Language Pathologist. He hopes to soon be working at a VA hospital with wounded veterans needing therapy to learn to speak, chew or swallow again. We moved to Lansing together when he got back; he started taking classes at Lansing Community College and I quit my job in Alma and started working at another  Insurance company in Lansing. After the first year at LCC Max was able to transfer into Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids to finish his bachelor’s, so in 2011 we moved to Grand Rapids. (Lucky for me insurance is an industry you can move relatively easily in) Max graduated from GVSU last spring and was accepted into Grad School at Grand Valley this winter; he will be graduating with his Masters in Speech Language Pathology in April of 2015. 

We both LOVE to travel, we had been planning a 2 week trip to Europe a little over a year; we just went this past Christmas through the New Year. We went to Amsterdam, Berlin, and Prague. Max proposed to me on Dec 28th 2013 in Prague; it was magical. I can't say I was totally surprised, we've been together a little over 5 years now, I had a feeling it was coming, but it was still a simply breathtaking moment. Just like a movie, perfect!

We decided to wait until Max gets done with grad school to give ourselves a little time to relax and for him to start the job search before we have the wedding, so we decided on June of 2015; it can not get here soon enough! I can not wait for him to be finally be able to do his dream job!! And for us to then be ready to settle down and start a family :) Hopefully we get a few more awesome trips planned in there too; we are thinking Greece for the honeymoon! 

We are going with a "Travel" theme focusing on places we’ve been together and other important places in our lives. I am planning to have each table at the ceremony represent a "place" (Instead of being at table 12 you'll be seated in Berlin, where we spent Christmas this year) Centerpieces will include an antique picture frame with a couple snap shots and blurb about why each place is special to us along with other "vintage" "travel" inspired things. I also plan to DIY some decor using old maps as an underlying theme and to give us the color palette. 
 

We deserve this prize because we think we have an Amazing Love Story!! And with Max still in school and not working yet it would help us ease the expense of the wedding. My parents will be pitching in, but Max's side is not in any position to help out financially, so we will be covering a great deal of expense on our own. We would LOVE to win the photography package and have you help us share our Amazing Love Story! 

Coming soon...2013 in Pictures

Catching up...

After finally wrapping up 2013 and taking a breather over the holidays, I'm back at work! The next project on my ever-expanding to-do list...our 2013 season recap. For now, here is a wee sneak peek of what I did on my summer vacation. ;)

Deadline extended!!! The 2015 Wedding Photography Giveaway is open until March 15th, 2014!

2015 Wedding Photography Giveaway - The Details!

Because I truly believe all blog posts are just better with a photo.
Especially a couple as gorgeous and in love as these two.

 

Well, it turns out Lynsey and I had SO much fun with our 2014 Wedding Photography Giveaway that we're doing it again! That's right, our SECOND ANNUAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY GIVEAWAY is HERE!!!

"Isn't it a little early?", you might ask? Well, the short answer would be both yes AND no. We had planned to wait until April to announce the giveaway, but since we have both started getting requests and bookings for 2015 already, we decided NOW was the time, to ensure we still have many dates open to choose from!

All right, let's get started! The rules for this giveaway will work pretty much the same way as last year, but most importantly: Anyone, anywhere can win this giveaway. The wedding does not have to take place, nor does the couple have to be from the Minot area. The couple who wins can be married anywhere in the world! The winning couple will receive up to 10 hours of wedding day coverage with not one, but TWO fun, lovely, and house-trained photographers (oh, and we're pretty funny too), and a disc and online gallery of images with printing rights from their wedding day!

You can nominate yourself, co-workers, friends, or family (the only stipulation is they need to be getting married in 2015!) Nominations are due by March 15th, 2014, at midnight. Lynsey and I will choose three finalists and will post them on our blogs/Facebook for a week along with their stories and pictures. A panel of highly qualified judges, as chosen by Lynsey and myself, will get to choose the winner. The winning entry will be announced on March 22nd, 2014!

So how do you nominate someone? All you need to do is email me at info@tgphotographyweddings.com with the subject line ‘Giveaway’. The following information needs to be included in the email:

 1. Couple’s name and attach a picture of the couple

2. Ages of the couple

3. Wedding date (must be in 2015)

4. Couple’s phone and email address

5.  Nominator’s phone and email address (if not nominating yourself)

6. How the couple met + their love story

7. Location of the wedding (city, state, country + venues)

8. Is there any special theme to their wedding day?

9. Why does the couple deserve this prize?

Terms + Conditions:

·         Prize includes up to 10 hours of wedding day photography coverage with Tammy and Lynsey, and a disc and online gallery of images with printing rights from the wedding day. Any prints and/or albums are additional.

·         Closing date for entries is March 15th, 2014, at midnight.

·         Three finalists will be chosen by TG Photography and Lynsey Frey Photography and those three finalists will be voted on by a panel of judges (selected by the photographers) with the winner being announced on March 22nd, 2014.

·         The winning wedding can take place anywhere in the world! Transportation costs and lodging for the photographers must be covered by the winners. Travel is included within 75 miles of Minot.

·         1 entry per couple.

·         Prize is conditional that TG Photography and Lynsey Frey Photography are available for the wedding date.

·         Winners must allow their images and story to be featured on any/all of the following: TG Photography’s and Lynsey Frey Photography's websites, blog pages, and Facebook pages.

I think that’s it for the rules! Now go spread the word and let everyone know about this contest and enter yourself or someone else! Get nominating!!

 

Sidenote/Shameless plug: Feel free to check out Lynsey's fabulous work here and here...Tammy's work can be viewed here and here (the TG Photography Weddings website is currently being revamped for 2014...but that's a whole other blog post!)

 

 

 

 

Drumroll Please.... Announcing the winners of the 1st Annual Wedding Giveaway!!

We asked you to vote, and vote you did!!! After 2,476 votes (wow!)  we are so pleased to announce the winners of our First Annual Wedding Photography Giveaway!

They are....

Ryan Sebo & Holly Johnson!!!

Congratulations Holly and Ryan! I will be contacting you this week!

A little something I'm working on...

Late night editing: First up, the ever lovely Megan and Shane. They are so natural together; I was able to just let them be who they are, and sit back taking frame after frame of their loveliness. Love it!

**Polls are now closed!!! * Announcing the FINALISTS for the 2014 Wedding Photography Giveaway!!!!

Okay everyone! Lynsey and I have sorted the entries, read the incredible stories, and have selected the finalists for the 2014 Wedding Photography Giveaway!

You will notice that we had to go with the top 4 as opposed to 5 as originally planned. While we did have several other entries and very deserving couples, only those that Lynsey and I were both available for were able to be selected as finalists for the contest. Quite honestly, we would have loved to include them all - we had some amazing couples and stories! (and I already can't wait for the 2015 Giveaway! LOL)

Now, it's YOUR turn to vote for your favorite couple! That's right, YOU get to decide which couple will win the 2014 Wedding Photography Giveaway! Read all about our couples and then scroll to the bottom to cast your vote!!

**PLEASE NOTE: Voting will close one (1) week from today, on August 31st, 2013. You can vote once per day (per computer), so get to as many computers as you can and get as many of your friends and family members as possible to vote for you over the next week!! And, GOOD LUCK to all the couples!!!**

Without further ado, here they are, in no particular order:


1. Couple's Name: Morgan Taylor and Michael Bylund

Ages of the Couple: Morgan: 21 and Michael: 22

Wedding Date: August 30, 2014

Nominated by: Morgan Taylor

How the Couple Met + Their Love Story: Mike and I met when we were in high school, around the age of 16. We both attended Moorhead High School in Moorhead, MN and were in the same graduating class. Mike was my best friend all throughout high school, but it wasn't until the Summer before our senior year of high school that we began to have deeper feelings for one another. It was a sad night in July, earlier that day my "hunk" of a boyfriend and I broke up, and I was sitting on my friend's floor just bawling and distraught. It was at that very moment that Mike had texted me something that he usually wouldn't have. "Would you want to go to a movie sometime just you and I?" I thought, "Oh what the heck, why not?" Four years later, here we are. Mike and I have since then graduated with one another, attended college together, moved in with each other, and own two beautiful dogs that we consider our children. Mike proposed to me six months ago, and it was the happiest moment of my life. I am so grateful every single day that I said yes to the text he sent me four years ago. I have the most wonderful man that I get to spend the rest of my life with. A man who laughs with me, comforts me, holds me, and loves me; he truly is my best friend. I wanted to share my love story with you. All love stories are wonderful, but mine will always be my favorite.

Location of the Wedding: The location of our wedding is just outside of Moorhead, MN between Sabin, MN and Barnesville, MN at a venue called The Vintage Garden www.vintagegardenvenue.com In a nutshell, the venue is a pinterest board come to life. It is composed of a barn where the dance will take place, a tent where the reception will be, and the wedding ceremony will take place outside between two large old trees.

Any Special Theme: Our theme for the wedding is shabby-chic. We are hoping that our photographer can capture the magic that is in this venue and save it for us to remember forever. We are doing the whole nine-yards, including: blue mason jars, burlap, hydrangeas, antique signs, coral and tiffany blue flowers, and lots of twine. Soft and pretty, but bold and stunning. We are doing a very laid-back feel to our wedding. The girls will be wearing very light-weight dresses and the men will be wearing white linen to add to the casualness.

Why Does the Couple Deserve this Prize?: Why do I believe my fiancé and I deserve this prize? Well, it's not that we should deserve this; but, it's that we would be honored to have you capture the magic in our special day and share that day with us and our families. Thank you so much for your time and consideration, it is very much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed our little love story :)


2. Couple's Name: Carolyn Esswein  and Timothy McConville

Ages of the Couple: 30 and 33

Wedding Date: August 2014

Nominated by: Carolyn Esswein

How the Couple Met + Their Love Story:

Tim came from Indiana and I came from Massachusetts, but we met in California while working a winter season at a ski resort. During that season we ended up hanging around each other all the time and would constantly find ourselves together when we were supposed to be hanging out with other people.  We would talk about who knows what and laugh for hours, until all of a sudden we would realize it was way too late.  As it turns out Tim had been chasing me for a very long time and I thought we were just friends.  As winter melted away, Tim began his summer seasonal job as a white water rafting guide.  He took me on adventures to spectacular river scenery all over California. It was during one of these amazing trips on the banks of the South Fork of the American River that I asked Timmy if he would be my boyfriend.  He said he thought he could "make the time"!!

Three years later Tim hiked to the top of Donner Peak and Tim proposed. He had set his camera on timer and ran over to me and took a picture of the moment he proposed.  I was completely shocked and I mumbled yes with eyes fully of happy tears.

Tim and I have been together for three years that have just flown by and we are madly in love.  No matter how much our lives have changed in these past three years our love has not.  We are soul mates and feel so lucky to have met one another so far from home.

Location of the Wedding: Soda Springs, CA USA, Clair Tappan Lodge

Any Special Theme: Our wedding day is going to be very casual.  It is going to be over 200 people and we are going to have one of our favorite bands play, "Poor Man's Whiskey" (bluegrass)

Why Does the Couple Deserve this Prize? We deserve this prize because we are madly in love, on our own, and sacrificing a luxurious wedding for one where all of our friends and family that want to come can.  Our wedding is more about our friends and family than the big expensive dress, or the really fancy traditional sit down dinner.  Also, this wedding is going to be a blast and full of super creative fun wedding decorations and entertainment  and it would be a shame not to have an amazing photographer to capture the day!!


3. Couple's Name: Ryan Sebo and Holly Johnson

Ages of the Couple: Ryan is 36; Holly is 27

Wedding Date: 10/4/2014

Nominated by: Holly/Self

How the Couple Met + Their Love Story:

We met in 2003 at Nodak Speedway (race track) in Minot through Chad, a friend of Ryan's who I was dating at the time. Chad and Ryan raced in the same class of cars. In 2004, I graduated from high school and Ryan and I started hanging out at the track and I started helping him in the pits on his racecar. I knew I really liked him and wanted to start dating him, but he was CLUELESS on the signs I was giving him. So at the end of July that summer, I was trophy girl at the races, which means that you get to hand out trophies to the driver who wins the "Dash for Cash" race that night. Ryan NEVER raced that race, until the night I was trophy girl. In order to win, the driver needs to get the best overall finish of two 10-lap dashes. At the end of the first segment, they revert the finish order, so that the first place car is put to the back. Ryan ended up being the overall winner by one point, and the whole time he was racing, I was beyond nervous and excited and hopeful that he would win. When I got down in front of the ENTIRE grandstand, I gave him a KISS! Our first kiss! In front of a lot of people! He finally understood that I wanted to date him. The rest of that summer we spent racing 4 nights per week, every week, all across the state.

That fall we dated my first semester of college, but being that he had been through college, he wanted to let me be wild and crazy, which I agreed I wanted to be to experience college, so we mutually called it off in the spring of 2005. I tried dating other people, and so did he, but we both kept comparing those people to the relationship we had together, and they didn't stack up. We spent 1 1/2 years apart, and then in the fall of 2006, I decided I wanted to be with him again. There was something about him that I couldn't find in any other guy, and I knew that I loved him, so again . . . the race track brought us back together, and we started dating right before my junior year of college.

We started getting very serious about our relationship in 2007, and that summer, I moved back to Minot with him to live with him and make sure we could live together. We agreed that if it didn't work out, we'd once again mutually agree that it wasn't meant to be and break up.

However, it was AWESOME, and we had a BLAST living together that summer, so we knew what we had was special. My entire senior year of college, I drove back every weekend except 2 weekends that whole school year to stay with Ryan in Minot at his house. I would leave at 6:00 on Fridays and return at midnight on Sundays. EVERY WEEKEND. It wasn't ideal, but that's what we had to do to be with each other and make a long-distance relationship WORK. Then, when I graduated in 2008 and moved back to Minot, there was no question between the two of us that we'd move in together again.

 We spent the next few years really getting to know one another and dealing with the practical aspects of being together, financial obligations, dealing with pet peeves, and sharing space. I also started racing a car myself, which he helped. At the same time we had got back together in 2006, he also started his own business, Sebo Motorsports, where he builds and fixed racecars and sells parts. He built the car I first raced in 2009. We take turns each summer racing our cars. We go to the local racetrack every week, and the majority of our friends we've met through racing. Racing is definitely our lifestyle, and we live and breathe it every single day. He still has his business which is awesome because he gets to do what he loves every day.

However, I started getting really cranky about the amount of time we had been together and why he hadn't asked me to marry him. In 2010, I started my graduate school program. It was a big risk because it was online and there was not many jobs in Minot that do what I do and what I went to grad school for, so even staying in Minot was questionable for us. At one point, I considered moving to Minneapolis to find a job, and Ryan was supportive if I would have chosen to move there. I couldn't do it though . . . I couldn't leave him, or his family, behind. In 2011 during the flood in Minot, Ryan's parents lost their house in Eastwood Park to the flood, and we evacuated their entire house and them. Over the time I've known Ryan's family (he's an only child), his mom has shown me what a mother should be, as I do not have a relationship with my family/mom. They've allowed me into their family like one of their own, which I don't think is the case with every future mother-in-law!!!

Ryan and I always said that if we could build a racecar together, we could do anything together. Then we said that if we could survive the flood together, we could do anything together. There have been so many potential barriers in our relationship that we've overcome in the time we've been together. People said our age difference would never allow us to work, but we never let that bother us or keep us apart. In April of 2012, he randomly said, "Let's go to Riddles," while we were in the mall!! We looked at engagement rings for a few hours, and I picked 5 that I liked. Then I told him, "If in 6 months from now you haven't asked me, I'm going to be really upset." Well October (6 months after April) came and went and I could NOT understand why he hadn't done it yet, so I started losing faith.

Then on 12-12-12, he FINALLY popped the question!! I had picked up our FIRST Christmas cards from a photographer (that we did on 12-2-12) right after work that day (the Christmas cards I said I would NOT do before we were engaged, but ended doing because I was TIRED of WAITING).

We ended up announcing our engagement with those cards. Pretty ironic.

I just found out recently the reason why it took him so long to ask me to marry him. He said he wanted to make sure that we would never end in a divorce, something that a lot of our friends and family have gone through. He wanted to ensure that we could handle what was thrown at us, and how we handled ups and downs. I will no longer CRITICIZE him for taking such a long time, because NOT getting a divorce is very important to me as well!! Melted my heart. We've also had to put up with a lot of doubts and harshness from others surrounding our age difference, our lifestyle, our racing, and the relationship we have together; yet, we've made it through it all! A break up, growing up, growing older together, heartache, loss, and triumphs! It might have taken us longer than your average couple, but we're not your average couple! We do things the way it makes sense to us, and for what works for us! We make a great team, and our love is strong!

Location of the Wedding: Minot, ND at Angelic Gardens (ceremony) and Grand International (reception)

Any Special Theme: It's a surprise! (The couple did share their plans with me, and I assure you, they are fabulous, but to maintain the secrecy and not be the one to ruin their surprise, I will not share it here!)

Why Does the Couple Deserve this Prize? We deserve this prize because we are paying for this wedding completely on our own, and because Holly's already asked Lynsey to do our wedding! :) LOL. Holly deserves this prize because she's waited patiently for almost 10 years to marry Ryan, and Ryan deserves this prize because he owes it to Holly to have AMAZING photos of their wedding day, beings it is going to be their ONLY wedding each. :) I also feel we deserve this prize because we love one another and know that what we have is true love, and because it will be a wedding of the ages.

Huge party, huge reception! We both are comfortable in front of a camera and I LOVE photography and pictures, plus I really respect wedding photographers, because I am not good at wedding photographer myself. We deserve this because we would really like to win and we'd really appreciate it (to be honest and frank).

4. Couple's Name:  Matthew Kitchell and Darci Lundquist

Ages of the Couple: 28 and 21

Wedding Date: July 2014

Nominated by: Jamie Lundquist

How the Couple Met + Their Love Story:

Matthew and Darci met through their love of showing cattle four years ago at the North Dakota State Fair. They began dating shortly after their first meeting. Everyone knew after they became "official" that in the future there would be a wedding between these two. Matthew decided to make the first step into making the wedding happen by proposing to Darci down on the beach of a river that flows behind Matthew's farm. He had told her to go and play with the dogs and while she was playing with them he had gotten himself down on one knee and prepared himself and the ring for her to turn around. When she turned around he asked for her hand in marriage and Darci undoubtedly said yes!

Location of the Wedding: The wedding will take place in Ada, Minnesota at the Grace Lutheran Church and the reception will take place afterwards at the Ada fairgrounds.

Any Special Theme: There is no specific theme but the wedding with have a country feel to it.

Why Does the Couple Deserve this Prize? Matthew and Darci deserve this because they are a young couple that literally fell in love at first site, they are a very deserving couple because they are both fun, loving, and very caring towards each other and everyone around them. I am just looking to give something back to them for all they have done for me.

Jenna + Shawn = Engaged | Minot Wedding Photographer

Jenna and Shawn met with me on a gorgeous August evening for their engagement session. While there are some couples that require a lot of direction, posing, and suggestions for showing their love...Jenna and Shawn were NOT one of those couples. They brought SO much love, laughter, and fun to their session...oh, and Vikings jerseys. How can I not love THAT?