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It took one missed flight, an intense argument with a Delta agent, three “talk me off the ledge” conversations with 3 different people and nine ridiculously long hours in the Minneapolis airport but I swear to you the flight into Newport Beach was like my own version of the dream where everything is has a pink romantic hue to it and fog machines blow out puffy white clouds and you’re not quite sure if people actually have feet or if they are floating.

We chased the setting sun from MSP to SNA as it set into a rainbow of colors and at one point, I’m pretty sure that Jonathan Taylor Thomas tossed me a bag of gold-covered peanuts as he winked at me and blew air kisses. It was THAT good.

I am not ashamed to say that I fell head-over-heels in love with Orange County the moment my feet hit the sand. I conceptually and whole-heartedly understood why a disproportionate amount of my friends had thrown their hands in the air and moved to Southern California with zero forethought; only dreams of sunny beaches and 70 degree weather. Had there been time to spend a day at Disneyland, I might have done the exact same.

Dear Southern California, can we be besties for life?

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i’m yours,
melissa

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I remember the night we met; it was shortly after our move to Minnesota and, in typical Minneapolis fashion, it was freezing outside. It was the first time I was going to meet Matt’s law school friends and, in typical Melissa fashion, I has spent way more time on my hair than the situation warranted. As my husband greeted his friends, a gorgeous strawberry-blonde with the warmest smile I had ever seen stuck her hand out to shake mine and said something along the lines of, “I’m Carrie and I’m so sorry we’re late. My hair was not cooperating.” Enter Trevor who leans in and hugs me as a hello, nice to meet you and from that moment on I was totally smitten with them.

Three years, one law school diploma and many (many) Wii Bowling Tournaments later, Carrie called me to let me know they were engaged and I could not have been happier for our two friends who love each other with so much passion it makes most people look like amateurs.

Love you both a lot.

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i’m yours,
melissa

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featured!

February 15, 2010

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“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

When I first started my photography journey, a very wise and wonderful friend gave me this advice: Dream BIG. There’s no point in dreaming if you don’t dream big. So I did. Some may look at my 5-and-10 year plans and laugh (There’s likely an entry for “Portraits of Justin Timberlake” in my ten year plan. No big deal.) but I am crazy passionate about making these things happen for myself. Yes, a lot of the things on my list are out of reach right now but what fun is there in aiming low?

In the past couple weeks I have been so humbled and honored to have some of my work featured on the blogs of women & publications that I respect and adore. With a huge thanks to these very fabulous women, I have been able to cross off one 2010 goal far (far!) earlier than I originally had hoped.

Minnesota Bride Blog:

MNBride
First Blush Bride Event Planning:

FirstBlushBride
Live the Fancy Life:

livethefancylife
Justin Timberlake, here I come.

i’m yours,
melissa

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st. valentine

February 14, 2010

I know there are various opinions on the non-holiday that Valentine’s Day is but I venture to say that any day we set aside to celebrate the love that is in our lives is more than reason to celebrate.

To my own sweet, sweet Valentine. Life isn’t worth anything without you. Thank you for showing me God’s Love every.single.day.

Love deeply.

VDay2010_0001i’m yours,
melissa

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megan & kenny | engagements

January 29, 2010

As Kenny whispered, “I love you” just above Megan’s shoulder, her face turned ever-so-slighty in his direction and she smiled softly and whispered “I love you too”. It occured to me in that moment, if I had blinked I would have missed it; the scene happened so fast and in such a natural way that it was clear it really wasn’t meant for my benefit. They weren’t acting because I had a camera in my hands; they were doing what they always do and that was simply to love one another.

Those are the moments I live for; the moments that, everytime, stop me in my tracks and make my heart explode.

Megan & Kenny reminded me of my passion. Together they brought back the heart pounding that literally floods my ears and brings tears to my eyes and I will never be able to thank them enough for that.

Location: Walker Art Center & Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

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i’m yours,
melissa

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jnp workshop | part one

January 27, 2010

SoCal_0037I had so much riding on this trip to Southern California; so many hopes, so many wants, so many needs. I still have much left to process but I know this: I know that trip changed my business. I know that trip changed me. I know that the JNP Workshop set things in motion that will forever determine how I function as a businesswoman and it will forever remind me to remain true to myself.

I made lifelong friends that I am thrilled to grow with and I deepened existing friendships to a level that I can’t even speak about without getting emotional.

It was the best and worst trip of my life and I wouldn’t change one single thing.

Can’t wait to share.

ps – isn’t my Gina friend simply stunning?
SoCal_0035i’m yours,
melissa

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I’m a BIG Christmas fan. Always have been. Up until the year Matt and I married, I spent most Christmas mornings from 2:00am to 5:00am tossing and turning having internal fights with myself about the merits of staying in bed versus getting up to snoop ONE MORE TIME. I was an expert level tape unsticker and had mastered the art of rewrapping a gift to perfection; if there were an award given, I would win it. Hands down.

At some point during the years where my little brother was old enough to understand the Santa concept, I took my sneakiness a step further. At 6:00am every Christmas morning I would sneak into my little brother’s room and wake him up, whispering that Santa had come and eaten the cookies we left out (yes, this makes me a manipulator). He would run from his room to my parents room, inevitably screaming that SANTA HAD COME, SANTA HAD COME. People, I did this almost every year for 10 years. TEN YEARS.

My parents could never figure out how my little brother – who has always been fan number one of the concept of sleep – would miraculously wake up at 6:00am every Christmas morning. I should be hanging my head in shame. Should be. But I don’t because, secretly, one of my favorite memories of Christmas was the look of pure joy that my little brother’s face contained when I would wake him up.

I’ve never told him that but it’s one of those special moments that he and I would share every Christmas morning and this Christmas, as I knocked on his door to wake him up (at a very humane 9:00am, thankyouverymuch), I was vividly reminded of those looks of his.

You may be wondering what this has to do with Matt & Lizzie. I promise there is a point to this long story.

If you’re new to the ol’ blog; Matt is my little brother (not to be confused with husband Matt; we’re totally a nickname family) and Lizzie is his beeeeeautiful girlfriend Lizzie (whom I adore). That look of pure joy that I was referring to earlier? I see it all the time when they are together. And to this sister who is her little brother’s biggest fan? That look means more than I can say.

While I was home for Christmas, we headed into the Big Apple for some Central Park goodness.

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melissa

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g family | lifestyle

January 16, 2010

I’ve sat down to write this post 3 or 4 times this week. It’s not unusual for me to take some time to write the story for but this story has been the hardest for me to write. Cinnamon contacted me about getting her extended family together for a lifestyle session; she explained that instead of purchasing individual gifts for each other at Christmastime, her family chooses to get out and do things as a family as their gift to each other. Yes! I’m in! But then the next line hit my heart; she told me that her father was sick and under hospice care and that really, they wanted family photos to look back on and remember.

I almost emailed her back and told her I could do it. Almost. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, or I didn’t care enough about Cinnamon, Steve and Cece to want to do this for them; the opposite in fact. I didn’t know if I could do this. I love to invest in my clients; I love to get to know them and connect with them and on that level, I didn’t know if I could be strong enough to do this for them without turning into a puddly mess of tears. But I realized my fears of being connected were the exact opposite of what I have based my business on. I knew that if the tables were turned, Cinnamon would go out of her way to help me and I knew I wanted nothing more than to do the same for her.

We met the weekend before Christmas and this family blew me out of the water with their laughter and kindness. I showed up expecting nothing and they gave me such a beautiful example of the love of a family.
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i’m yours,
melissa

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jennifer | lifestyle

January 10, 2010

I want to tell you a story. There once was a girl who believed so much in a fundraiser for cancer that she offered to shave her head if donations were to reach a certain level. Well, they did and she did. And she is fabulous.

JC_Headshots_0276i’m yours,
melissa

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I made a promise with myself this year that I would only book weddings & couples that I had an honest and true connection with; not because the connection was lacking with my 2009 couples but because, by the grace of God, I had formed a deep and heartfelt friendship with the bride and groom for every single wedding. For me, that connection has become an integral part of my success and quite frankly, adoration over the images I produce.

Well, I love Kristina & Rob; dotting-my-i’s-with-hearts-and-using-bubbly-exclamation-points kind of love. I first met them for a late morning breakfast and over french toast and coffee and we laughed together for almost THREE HOURS. We clicked like peanut butter and jelly. They told me how they first met, how Rob proposed and what they dreamed their wedding to be. (It’s going to be amazing, in case you are wondering…) I fell in love with the way Rob looks at Kristina, the way she rests her head on her hand, Rob’s hair color (redheads unite!) and the fact that at the end of the day they just want to be with each other. They pretty much rock.

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Does anyone know how hard it is for 2 Fuji Instax pictures to develop in 30 degree temps? WE DO! (Totally worth it.) Buege-Ginter_EN_0210Buege-Ginter_EN_0021TwoVerticalBlogBuege-Ginter_EN_0310Buege-Ginter_EN_0261Buege-Ginter_EN_0359Buege-Ginter_EN_0378Buege-Ginter_EN_0418Buege-Ginter_EN_0441i’m yours,
melissa

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