I could have photographed Dusty & Greg all day. Seriously. I loved the way their eyes lit up when they laughed together, the way she reached out for his hand, the way he protectively guided her; not as if she was fragile but in a way that shows that Dusty and their yet-to-be-born daughter are the center of his very existence.

Dusty and Greg were more fun than I could have even hoped for (Who else has offered me candy corn mid-shoot? Future clients take note.) and to witness their interactions with Dusty all adorable and pregnant made my heart feel like it was going to burst with love.

To G&D, happy 6th anniversary next weekend! I can’t wait to see where life leads you. I heart you both very much.

Love, love, LOVE

Dusty has the most perfect baby bump in the whole world.

They are the kindest, most generous people. I really adore them.

i’m yours,
melissa

Sometimes life gives you a beautiful, charming family with a gorgeous little girl and you just have to accept and move past the fact ALL THAT BEAUTY will not be contained via digital image. But you try your best.

Meet the Glassbrenner Family. They could frown at the camera and still be beautiful.

i’m yours,
melissa

Lynnea and Erik met at summer camp; the year was 1999. She batted those stunning eyelashes of hers and that was it – they fell in love and spent a whirlwind summer by the lake filled with late night conversations about music, literature and their hopeful futures. But, when then the air turned a bit crisper and the leaves started changing their colors, the Minnesota autumn quickly closed the book on their relationship. Years later – post-college and a few years into real life – Erik would email Lynnea and as it turned out neither had forgotten about that summer. They were suddenly teenagers again, transported back to their summer spent by Silver Lake, still head-over-heels in love with each other. It didn’t shock anyone when they married just over a year ago in a beautiful Costa Rican wedding with hand-written vows and seersucker suits on the beach of a very different body of water than the one where they first met.

When Lynnea suggested that they go back to the place where their love began, I could not have loved the idea more. The summer camp that held so many memories has since been turned into a park but to be a part of Lynnea and Erik visit to this special place for the first time since they left it 10 years ago was, in a word, amazing.  I am beginning to think there is something magical about that location because before they had even finished telling me their story I was enamored.

Starting with my favorite (because I feel like that is the very best place to start)…

This one warrants an explanation. There was a lady. With a bird. At the lake. Yep. (Admittedly, it was a little strange but it garnered quite a few hilarious pictures. Especially when the bird tried to perch on Erik’s neck. Just sayin.)

This was an… experiment but it ended up being one of my favorites.

Honestly, I miss them already.

They were dancing and Erik was singing and I may have been busy wiping away tears. They are so beautiful, inside and out.

I told them to get all model-y.

Lynnea won.

My wonderful friend Julia Mary was able to accompany me for Lynnea & Erik’s session. Check out her blog for more pictures to come!

i’m yours,
melissa

I have been so incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to meet the people who have come into my life these past few months. I met Kris back in April and after a short conversation about photography (one of his photos has been in People y’all!) he gave me one of the best pieces of advice I have received to date: “Just shoot as much as you can.” It’s short and simple but it was utterly groundbreaking for me at that time.

So when Kris emailed me and asked if I would be willing to take family photos I jumped (literally) at the chance because after all, I owed him one five.

RIGHT? I know. Kris told me he was very energetic and I will be honest and say I had mentally prepared for the worst but Kole was so sweet and made me laugh out-loud with every, “CHEESEEEEEEE”.

I wish you guys could hear his shrieks of joy – there are very few sweeter things in life than a child’s uninhibited laughter.

As it turns out – beautiful people DO make beautiful babies. Isn’t Tina gorgeous??

I had to save this one for last because I so LOVE how his little arm is flailing out to the right side trying to get to his mom and dad.

i’m yours (and the Rakowski’s),
melissa

Who labored on Labor Day? This girl. But it was so worth it.

Meet Ariana. A gorgeous East View High School senior who aspires to be a Broadcast Journalist. I adore her. She is, quite possibly, the sweetest high school senior on the planet and if that didn’t already make her lovely in my eyes, she also has killer instincts when it comes to posing. (I mean seriously. I think I asked her to turn her head once…she was a natural.)

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C – Z:

i’m yours,
melissa

When the movie The Notebook came out the theme of the story literally hit me like a freight train. I had never really thought about love 50 years down the road; when love isn’t about building a life together but rather the life you have built. To still have as deep a love and strong a hope after all of those years…it changed the way I view love.

I was honored when a dear friend asked if I would be willing to photograph her parent’s 50th Anniversary reception. Honored and totally excited. Not only do the Hague’s have a beautiful story (they met in Korea while he was in the military – talk about a love story) but they also love to laugh together. It was so beautiful to be able to document a a party in honor of the life they have built.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Hague for loving each other for 50+ years. You are an inspiration.

There are no words for how good this cake was – Buttercream rocks.

I mean…come one. They are the cutest.

I know it’s sort-of lame to take a picture of a picture but I could not resist. I love them, I love them, I love them. This picture is amazing.

i’m yours,

melissa

Two people willing to pose like their rocking a jcrew catalog. Preppy-quirky style is preferred. (Ruffles and argyle highly encouraged.)

Email me if you are interested.

Ever-Present “Lawyer Husband Made Me Do It” Fine Print:

1. Real-life couples are preferred but I am also open to “just friends”. (AKA – No kissing required.)
2. No monies will be exchanged; my time for your Next Top Model poses. And if you make me adore you – I’ll throw in a disc of images
3. While I’d love to provide you with clothes to wear, I am not independently wealthy nor do I (yet) have a sugar-daddy. You’ll have to rock in your own clothes.

A few months back my favorite album designer, Grace Chou, asked if I wanted to be apart of a night shoot inspired by a magazine ad for Rivini. Um. Is Jennifer Aniston way prettier than Angelina Jolie? That would be a yes.

One of the perks of being a wedding photographer is getting to camera-love-all-over gorgeous wedding gowns.

This was the real deal; make-up and all.

Amazing Grace for Grace. HA! I slay myself.

Favorite shot of the night. (And the satin? OhmygoshIloveitsomuch.)

Grace and her husband Jason are master chefs (for reals, yo) and host the most amazing impromptu dinner parties. Dinner AND a show that night.

She’s hawt.

Check out these awesome photographers: Tim Cothran, Joel Nelson and Julia Mary. They rock.

As for that Rivini ad? Look at Tim’s version. UH-mazing.

i’m yours,
melissa

There are few things in life sweeter than young love. As we sat together, laughing and listening, I glanced at my brother and then at Lizzie and they both had that universal sparkle in their eyes; the one that says, “I think you are pretty dang awesome.”

This weekend was the first time I had met Lizzie and as a protective big sister who doesn’t think that anyone is good enough for my little brother it is a true feat that I wholeheartedly love her. I couldn’t help it; she had me at Miley Cyrus.

To Raf and Lizzie. You make a beautiful, intelligent and charming team. I’m excited to see what the future holds for both of you.

I will admit it. Almost three years ago, I wasn’t sold on the whole Minneapolis “thing”. The transition from Utah to Minnesota was harder than I let on and while I was ecstatic for the reason to BE in Minneapolis – it was the whole being-away-from-lifelong-friends thing that my psyche didn’t take kindly to. (Am I allowed to talk about my psyche on a photography blog?)

Along came Amy. I finally had a native-Minneapolis friend and she was brilliant, beautiful and absolutely what my loneliness had ordered. We bonded over our love for coffee shops and boys in law school and knew we were destined to be friends.

It’s so appropriate that Amy and her family were my first photography subjects. She was the first person to push me to pursue photography; the one that made me believe that I had more than just a passing talent. I have so many reasons to thank her.

I pretty much love the below series of photos. So Amy and Jared.

Below are Amy’s fabulous parents who spent hours singing songs and clapping hands trying to get the twins to look at the camera. They are superstars.