“Tayler was such an amazing addition to our day! She did such a great job at capturing the big and small moments during both our engagement shoot and wedding. She had the best energy and knew exactly how to direct us and our group to get some amazing photos that felt like us. I feel so lucky that we had her to capture photos we’ll look back on for forever!” -Anna and Sam

Hollywood should really consider consulting Anna and Sam on romance done right. The box office numbers would be insane. 

I mean, there are weddings, and then there are weddings. 

Anna and Sam’s ‘I do’ day feels like it came straight from the silver screen— drenched in golden light, full of elegance, and starring a couple with the most dynamic chemistry. Like, truly, Anna & Sam’s wedding at The Aisling gave me life. 

(Did I need to be that dramatic? Yes. Just wait, you’ll see.)

From the moment I arrived, it was clear that this day wasn’t just about two people in love.

It was about how well those two people love on an entire cast of their people, and how much they are loved right back. And when you’ve been together for eight whole years, there’s a LOT of love up in that place.

A celebration this stunning doesn’t just happen, though… it takes a dream team. If you’re looking for the kind of wedding vendors who will make your day feel just as seamless, stylish, and screen-worthy as Anna and Sam’s, let me put you on to the best of the best.

Glam Squad Goals

First, let’s talk about the glam. Because wow.

Anna floated through the day like a leading lady from a 1950s film, her Vow’d gown catching the light in the most unreal way. The bridesmaids looked every bit the chic supporting cast in their mocha mousse Birdy Grey dresses (Pantone color of the year, anyone?!). And Sam? The Black Tux should really put his face on every page of their website, because that suit was the stuff of wedding Pinterest boards everywhere.

It’s no surprise that I opted to play into the glam vibe and turn on my direct flash for the getting ready photos. It was giving ‘paparazzi,’ and it needed to. 

Oh, but the glamour didn’t stop there. The florals? Beyond. I swear, Botany Creative Works has some kind of floral sorcery up their sleeves, because the magic they created framing every corner of the ceremony space and every surface of the reception tables was just… chef’s kiss.

First Look and ‘I Do’ in Mother Nature’s Spotlight (+ the Wedding Vendors Who Caught It on Camera)

Just when you thought nothing about this day could’ve been more perfectly scripted: the sun decided to set right as Anna and Sam shared their vows. Everyone (and the tears streaming down their faces) were grazed by the kind of golden light that makes everyone look like they’re living in a dream sequence. 

But the real star of the show? Sam. My analytical king. His vows started with the precise number of days since they first met, since their first kiss, since they’d built this entire life together. Not to be dramatic (again), but… I think the Oscars really should start handing out Best Groom in a Wedding Ceremony.

I mean, thank goodness Anna and Sam had the documentary team on LOCK to capture this emotion-filled ceremony from every angle with me. (Shoutout to my wedding documentarian soulmates, Sav from LeMay Weddings and Grace Myler Media.)

The Show-Stopping Reception (Encore, Please?)

This wedding was a full-on lovefest, not just between Anna and Sam, but between everyone who came to celebrate. From start to finish, the day was filled with that rare, palpable kind of love.

You could feel it in every tear shed during their vows (I’m telling you, not a dry eye in the place). 

You could see it in the way family and friends beamed at them all night long and didn’t dare leave the dance floor (shoutout to Ambient Entertainment keeping the music bumping for us). 

I mean, you could even taste it in every bite of the gorgeous gluten-free cake from Hark Bakery and every sip of their espresso martinis. (Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you know what isn’t an exaggeration? Minnesota Ice Sculptures stepping in to ensure the drinks were cold and iconic).

And I couldn’t wrap up this Minnesota wedding vendors highlight without mentioning the woman who orchestrated it all: Kenzie Heckmann. If you take nothing else away from this, take Kenzie and her recommendations to smother the reception tables in candlelight that made every moment all the more cinematic. As a wedding photographer who thrives on the cinema, I was pretty thrilled about it.

Anna and Sam’s wedding honestly felt less like a wedding and more like a reel of timeless moments: stolen glances, golden hour snuggles (thank you, Sam, for being the ideal height for those dreamy nuzzles), and an espresso martini ice luge that was more of an experience than an amenity. (As it should be.)

If you want to capture your own masterpiece in motion, then hey, hi, hello: let’s talk.