Sonja and Craig did the impossible: they hosted loved ones at last Saturday’s wedding at Aria in Minneapolis— in an ethereal space filled with twinkling lights, fluttering paper cranes, and luscious florals— in a Covid-19 conscience environment.

With my vaccination card sandwiched between my artistic license and negative test from days prior, I felt confident to do my best: create meaningful photographs of important moments, beautiful details, and real moments.

I’ve been photographing weddings since 2006, and this one tops the list in terms of heartfelt joy, gratitude, and photo panache.

Buckle up, this wedding blog post is a doozy.
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Photo nerd pause

As a photo nerd, this Minneapolis wedding is extra special in my book. A decade ago, I borrowed the father-of-the-bride’s uber special camera (and Arca-Swiss RM3DI Camera Body with a PhaseOne medium format digital back) to photograph in Death Valley… with none other than the second photographer that joined me at this wedding, Matt Steaffens. Our photo connection runs deep— circa Guys, Garage, Root Beer vintage 2012.

When I’m commissioned by another photography aficionado, the focus and pressure comes from an extra deep place: the heart. Pressure creates diamonds.

Photo nerd un-pause
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Her Take

Sonja’s favorite moments from the wedding day? She writes, “The first looks were amazing— I was lucky to have 4 of them. First with my dad— so special. Second with Craig. I remember just taking him in, looking into his eyes— a beautiful mix of blue, green, and gold. Third, an unofficial one with my brother, Ben, who was crying with joy when he saw me in my dress for the first time. That brought tears to my eyes. Fourth, the first time Craig and I got to walk into the reception room, just the two of us, after it had been transformed into the most beautiful, perfect, magical space with amazing detail after detail.”

Other highlights that made Sonja swoon: getting ready with her mom, sister, mother-in-law, and her amazing bridesmaids, holding hands with Craig on the altar, looking deep into his eyes as they exchanged our vows, listening to the toasts, and dancing the night away with Craig and our guests.

How did she know Craig was The One?

“It happened through countless small actions while getting to know him early on that allowed me to learn his amazing qualities–he is humble, optimistic, sees the best in everyone, kind, dedicated. It’s the little things that make him uniquely Craig, the best person I have ever met. All of a sudden, I couldn’t imagine my life with anyone else.”

When Sonja is 80, you’ll hear this story:

“While my mom and dad both walked me down the aisle, our friend Winston played “Hallelujah” on his violin. My mom insisted she wasn’t going to cry. The song changed to “The Swan” and happy tears ran down her face. I will forever cherish that moment.”

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His Take

According to Craig, he LOVED seeing Sonja walk down the aisle in a perfect venue boasting incredible aesthetics. She looked ANGELIC! He shared, “Starring into her eyes during the ceremony felt so intimate, even in front of all those people. I felt like we were the only people in the world during the ceremony. I kept telling myself, “this is life and it’s happening in real time, these are the moments that you never forget, these are the images, feelings, and emotions that I never want to forget.”

Craig loved the first look. “I was so excited to see Sonja in her dress– she looked breathtaking! I could hear her feet shuffle along the pavement as she approached and I was getting so antsy waiting for her to tap my shoulder. That first kiss once I turned felt so real.”

How did he know Sonja was The One?

We went to a Friendsgiving after about a month of dating, her first intro to my friends. She fit in so easily. Not only did they love her, she loved them. “With plans to move to DC, I felt an incredible pain in my heart. At that moment, I realized that I couldn’t leave her.” He knew they were going to have a long future together— and remembers when they acknowledged the fact at the restaurant, Feller.

When Craig is 80, you’ll hear this story:

“Dancing on stage with family/friends cheering us on and providing their love and support was such an incredible experience— I could not stop smiling. Ending the night with the song “Mr. Brightside” while the dance floor went nuts was such a rush!”

Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Aria in Minneapolis
Wedding Design and Planning: Krista Crawford at de Vasco’s Daughters Weddings & Event Design
Officiant: Alex Arnold
Entertainment: Blue Water Kings
Florals: Dani Erickson at Studio Fleurette
Flatware: Don at Linen Effects
Stationary: Jill Elaine Designs
Specialty Rentals: Carly Van Veldhuizen at Girl Friday
Event Lighting: Adam Welz at Phos Events
Cake Designer: Ink Sweets
Hair and Make-up: The Salon By Andrea Hunt
Catering: Deco Catering
Videography: Alma Films