When Sarah (Ceci’s Mama) asked me if I would take family photos for them- I was delighted to say “yes!”.  We waited for the colors to turn and had a nice evening at Cleary Lake Park in Prior Lake, MN.  Boy am I glad we waited for those BEAUTIFUL colors!  Check out more of baby Ceci and Sarah & Nick Here:

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2012/09/23/ceci-is-one/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2012/07/15/the-first-9-months/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2012/03/02/miss-ceci-6-months-old/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2011/12/10/winter-princess/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2011/07/26/soon-to-be-baby-ceci/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2010/03/14/mr-mrs-roche/

https://jessicariversphotography.com/2009/07/15/sublimely-in-l-o-v-e/

Last Fall I met with Danielle and Brian to book their wedding for October 2012.  We talked about doing a dreamy winter engagement photo shoot…..but our plans didn’t work out as we had  hoped.  There was pretty much NO SNOW in Minnesota last winter….so what’s the next best thing to winter engagement photos?  Fall engagement photos!  I met this couple at The MN Landscape Arboretum a few weeks ago to discuss their wedding plans and we did a mini engagement shoot!  What a BEAUTIFUL location and PERFECT day!  Can’t wait to capture your wedding day with my camera in just one week! xo.

Danielle & Brian love to play scrabble.  When discussing some fun photo ideas-Danielle said she would bring some scrabble board pieces along for our session.  She brought more than just scrabble pieces-she brought Brian’s wedding gift.  Danielle glued scrabble pieces down to the game board for Brian-of course we used it in their photo shoot!  What an AWESOME idea Danielle!  (and what a SWEET homemade gift for your soon-to-be hubby!)

Michael & Tricia-  Thank you SO much for having me capture all of the special moments on your big day.  Congrats and may your lives be filled with love, laughter, and LOTS of fun!

Tricia’s dress was stunning.  It had the most gorgeous bead work on the bodice.  (Seeing this dress made me want to get married all over again…just to wear a big white dress!)

The leaves below were hand-picked by the bride & groom’s family to line the ceremony aisle with.  EVERY single leaf was beautiful!  I grabbed a few after the ceremony to photograph with their wedding bands.

To my surprise, the wedding party had a choreographed dance prepared for their entrance!  Here are a few shots of them with their dancing shoes on!

My little niece, Clare, turned 1 in August!  Check out those AMAZING eyes! Love you sweetie!  xo.

Ceci is O-N-E.  This little sweetheart has stolen my heart (and my boys’ hearts) since the moment I set eyes on her one year ago.  Happy Birthday Miss Ceci!  We love you!

6. months. old.  ALREADY?  My littlest man turned 6 months old on Monday September 10th.  I had fun doing several photo sessions with him to capture his sweet personality.  Some cuteness about his personality at 6 months:  he LOVES to observe his big brother Noah, when I laugh at him obnoxiously he will mimic my laugh :), he is the happiest baby EVER.  I am one lucky Mama!   Happy half birthday my Connor Boy!  You will be one before I know it!

he is even darling when he cries!

Remember Kayleigh & Brian’s wedding?!  (If not….you can check it out here.)  Well….a few weeks ago they contacted me to do their maternity photos! YAY!  I was so excited to capture another awesome event in their lives….even more excited when I arrived to our location and found out they are expecting a B-O-Y!  Don’t get me wrong…I love little girls….but I’m partial to boys just because I have two.  Kayleigh and Brian-you are one of the sweetest couples I have ever met.  I am so excited for you to become parents and experience this new adventure!  Thank you again for having me capture this one-of-a-kind time in your lives.

I love every. single. photo. taken at this session!  I can’t wait to photograph your little man when he arrives.  xo.

Several weeks ago I spent the weekend with my good friend Tara, from Tara Etrheim Photography .  I assisted her with a wedding at Giants Ridge Resort in northern Minnesota.  The whole weekend was PERFECT.  Amazing weather.  Gorgeous Bride & Groom.  A fabulous location for a wedding!  Here are some of my photos from that perfect weekend.

If you would like to see some of Tara’s photos from this wedding,  go here.

When I was a senior in High School I worked at Caribou Coffee with Bree.  She was a few years younger than me, but had a contagious personality- you know, the kind of personality that made every guest that walked up to our Caribou counter smile.  When I graduated college my husband and I ran into Bree at a local restaurant where she was our waitress.  She was still the same-awesome with people and always smiling.  Many years later (almost 10 years since high school…I think I just dated myself…), she contacted me about photographing her wedding-I  jumped at the opportunity!  We met-where else- but a Caribou Coffee.  Little did I know 10 years ago that I would be photographing my beautiful co-workers wedding!  Bree & Ian, thank you so much for having me capture your special day!  Ian-you are one lucky man to be able to spend the rest of your life with Bree.  xo.

Noah turned 18 months young on the 12th of July.  I feel like I just celebrated his first birthday-and it has already been 6 months!!  Wow-time is flying by faster than I had ever imagined it would.  Even though everyday is a challenge with him, (I swear…he is a monkey who climbs on EVERYTHING….not a toddler.) I want to keep him this age forever.  Noah loves to cuddle in the morning while I’m drinking my coffee and he is watching cartoons.  He will give me a kiss when I ask him, and he positively adores his Daddy.  He runs around the house like a mad man laughing and chasing me and the cats. He finally has warmed up to his 4 month old little brother and LOVES to share his trucks and toy cars with him.  Even though I have no idea what he is saying to me most of  the time, hearing his sweet little voice makes my heart melt.  He talks.  And talks.  And talks. And YELLS.  And his laugh- his laugh is something I wish I could put in a box, and keep FOREVER.  I never want it to change.  I am LOVING watching my biggest man grow up.  xoxo.