One of my favorite months in Minnesota is early June, so when Forrest and Paige told me their wedding was going to take place at the Braham Event center this month, I was ecstatic! The lilacs were still blooming, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the wind kept the bugs at bay and the warm temperatures lovely. Lets back up a bit though. Almost three years ago.
Paige had dropped off her application for a teaching internship position over in Taiwan right around the time they had decided to date, so they went into their relationship knowing that they would need to make a long distance relationship work. I’ll never forget Forrest calling me and asking me to capture photos of them and their relationship to help close the distance that they would have between them for almost a year.
This session would need to take place during my maternity leave, because of Paige’s departure date. My own dating relationship with Caleb was long distance, so I know the many challenges that come with it and how important those photos were going to be for Forrest and Paige. We ended up squeezing that session in up at my home, while my two boys jumped on the trampoline and my 10 week old baby was strapped in the carrier on me. Together, with their gracious support of doing it with the kids around, we were able to capture beautiful photos that they could enjoy, during their long time apart.
A little over a year later, in the early fall, Forrest reached out to me again. He wanted my help in capturing his surprise proposal that would take place on the Stillwater, Minnesota overlook. Forrest is amazing at planning and had everything lined up to the minute. With all his careful and detailed planning, one of the most beautiful proposals came together seamlessly. I think my heart may have been pounding harder than his, as Paige followed the scavenger hunt up to the location where he was going to surprise her with the big question. It was a magical moment, where time seemed to stand still, as the two of them embraced excitedly. Following her “yes!!!”, we moved into an entire engagement session! Like I said, Forrest is an incredible planner! Proposal and Engagement session. Check!
Put Forrest and Paige together and you have some of the most detailed and organized people you’ll meet. Being the amazing teacher that she is, you can imagine Paige is well skilled at being extremely organized. I had many people come up to me during the wedding and tell me how detailed the wedding timeline was. Everyone knew their job and, again, the day came together seamlessly.
These two wanted to make sure their wedding reflected who they are as a couple. They achieved that for sure! Christ is the Cornerstone of their relationship and it was evident in every part of their ceremony. The goals for their reception were to make sure everyone felt comfortable and could be included fully. They wanted it full of fun, love, and laughter. I’m here to say that they definitely accomplished their goal.
They had one of the most fun, dance-centered receptions I have ever seen! Paige has been dancing since she was just a little girl, after her Dad taught her how to do the waltz. From there on out, she LOVED dancing and became very involved in it. From the age of 15, Paige knew she was going to have a dance caller for the reception dances. For those of you who don’t know what a dance caller is, it’s someone who helps you walk through the dance steps before the song, so everyone can dance regardless of their experience. Forrest was completely on board with this and it turned out AMAZING!
From 5 to over 85 years old, they were all out there dancing. There was a mix of circle dances, reels, waltzes, high-energy swing, and others! A family favorite was a circle dance they had called, “Gay Gordons”. Anyone who’s seen Pride and Prejudice may recall this style of dance! Around 90% of the people were out on the dance floor at one time for some of the songs. Ninety Percent!!!! I have NEVER seen such a full dance floor at a reception! It was such a fun celebration, full of love and laughter, just like Forrest and Paige’s relationship.
I had a hard time narrowing down photos for this post, since there was so many special moments throughout the entire day. This is just a very small glimpse into their beautiful wedding. Enjoy!
Forrest and Paige, I love you both so much. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the most important moments of your life this past couple years. You’re officially Mr. and Mrs. Lund. One crazy phenomenal team. There are so many exciting chapters ahead, with so many pages to write. I can’t wait to see how they all unfold. If they’re anything like the time we’ve already had together, they’ll be full of fun, laughter, and adventure. I’m looking forward to many more times together in the future and cherish the friendship we all have!
THE CREATIVE TEAM
venue: Braham Event Center
Bride’s dress: Bridal Aisle Boutique • Bridesmaids dresses: Azazie Bridal • Catering: Kathy's Kitchen • DJ: Alexander Davies Robbins • Dance Caller: Robin McGalliard Nelson • Groom’s ring: Stonebrook Jewelry • Groom’s suit: men’s wearhouse • Groomsmens’ suits: men’s wearhouse • Makeup Artist: Sammi Cooper • Florist: Kristina Lund • Officiant: Jared Gustafson • Hand-painted glass goblets: Stoni LeRoy • Photographers: Amy Gregg Photography + Anna Myers