Amanda and I are heading to Walker, MN this weekend to photograph the 31st International Eelpout Festival! We are hoping it will be our Sturgis on ice. Stay tuned to our blog for the photos!
MN Bride 2010 : Two Featured Weddings!
Mn Bride is a great publication and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Thanks to two more of our couples for having amazing weddings. April and Chris were featured for their elegantly designed wedding at The Depot. Jane and Doug got married outside in beautiful Battle Lake, MN.
From the Archives : Bigelow Chapel and Mill City Museum

After every year we go through all the photos from the wedding season. It's so much fun. We always find new gems!
More of Alison and Howie's wedding at the Bigelow Chapel and reception at Mill City.
Ted and Shay: Na Zdorovje!
Ah, the Russians. They really know how to drink/eat/make bad techno-dance music.
It was a spooky Halloween (Shay’s birthday). I decided to take her to Moscow on the Hill.

On the way I totally saw my favorite costume that year: a nine year old boy dressed as Flava-Flav. BOOM!
Not only does Moscow on the Hill have THE best stroganoff in town,

but they also have like, Nine Million kinds of Vodka from around the world (obviously right up Shay’s alley).

While enjoying a free shot of in-house distilled cherry vodka, I contemplated my master plan.

After cramming down some kind of amazing meat, cream and mushroom dish, not to mention a few more cocktails, I decided it was about time.
Shay will remember just as well as I will that I was acting weird. I didn’t drop to one knee, 1: because I think some traditions are kind of hokey. I didn’t want it to look like an act from a crappy play and 2: because I had just forced about two pounds of Russian food into my gut. I probably would have split my pants or ripped one….or both.
I wanted it to seem genuine. I reached across the table and took her hands. Then I babbled. Some people would prepare for this kind of thing. Not me, I wing that shit. I know I meant everything I said and that’s what really matters anyway. Obviously she said yes or I wouldn’t be writing this post.
The waiter was kind enough to bring us yet another round of free drinks (a combo of champagne and their cherry vodka). A small, fat Russian man with an accordion approached our table and said what I took to be: “I play for you now.”

It was pretty awesome, even if he could barely play the thing. Though there was an incredibly drunk middle-aged hippie lady who was throwing twenties at him like he was the greatest thing since The Rolling Stones.
So, among the sour cream, Russian mobsters, and enough vodka to pay a Soviet Union teacher for 15 years, I sealed the deal. It could not have been better……
ted
Photo credits: Moscow on the Hill, Pictures of Cupcakes blog, We Got Served blog
Ted and Shay: Let the shoe porn begin! (total SFW, BTW)
I'm on the hunt for shoes for the wedding. I'm saving money by making my own dress so it's only natural to reward myself for taking on such a huge project by splurging on a pair of kicks for the shin-dig, right?
Apparently, designer shoes are no longer attainable, even at my inflated price range. I've yet to find a pair under $600, much less the $300 max I set for myself. I'm going to have to wait for the spring sales, scout my sale-stores and just be patient (not a strong suit of mine). One good thing, my feet are almost drag-queen sized so usually there are plenty of leftovers in the clearance bins/sites.
As much as I'd love to own a fabulous pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, I might cross them off the list. It seems like every tacky, over the top wedding I see photos of on blogs, has a princess-bride wearing red-soled shoes. They also never seem to go below the $700 mark even when on super clearance. This is me being practical.
For the time being, here's a slide show of what I'm having wet dreams about:
Thanks for playing!
xox
Shaylyn