Blog - Umbrella Studios

Baseball themed wedding in Waverly, MN

by admin | May 30, 2016 | weddings | 0 Comments

This couple had a really fun baseball themed wedding in Waverly, MN. The groom was a minor league baseball player so we went to a field for some pictures. I had an absolutely wonderful time getting to know the couple’s families and I learned so much local history! The wedding party played tippy cup as they entered the reception which was definitely a first for me! They were not done with the surprises for me. After the couple cut their cake and sampled it, they both made an extremely sour face! I thought something was wrong with the cake but they said they just don’t like cake! Happy anniversary to R and C!

Rachael and Chris’s summer baseball themed wedding in Waverly, MN

Unicorn themed engagement pictures

by admin | May 23, 2016 | Engagements | 0 Comments

When a client tells you about their unicorn themed wedding, it’s quite a thrill. When they tell you they want to do an engagement session where they pretend to look for unicorns… it’s a dream come true. I love it when people have unique and fun ideas they want to explore with their portrait sessions! We did some more traditional pictures as well as some silly pictures with dandelions. The unicorn themed engagement pictures also featured candy as unicorn bait and frosting as unicorn poop. These were their ideas too! It was absolutely delightful. If you’ve got a fun idea, I’d love to hear about it!

Lindsey and Chris’s unicorn hunt engagement session in Medina, MN

Spring wedding in Buffalo, MN

by admin | May 16, 2016 | weddings | 0 Comments

This spring wedding in Buffalo, MN was fun, unique and practically casual! It’s not every couple who are more than happy to sit in a field at their wedding but this couple volunteered to do so! There was a warm, contemporary atmosphere to the event and pockets in all the dresses. Don’t underestimate the delight of a dress with pockets! The reception was where everyone really let lose. The speeches were both moving and hilarious. The best man brought a contract for shared custody of the groom for the bride to sign. The maids of honor brought a full set of trash cans for the couple’s new home which got a huge laugh. Then they performed a Fresh Prince inspired rap for their friends. It was such a fun group! Congratulations to D and J! Thank you for having me be a part of your day.

Danielle and Jared’s spring wedding in Buffalo, MN

Spring Engagement in Minneapolis

by admin | Apr 4, 2016 | Engagements | 0 Comments

I loved this sun drenched early spring engagement in Minneapolis at the iconic Stone Arch Bridge. J and A were a delight to work with and their love with expressed in their every interaction!

Jacqueline and Alex’s spring engagement session at Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, MN

Annika 6 month old

by admin | Mar 21, 2016 | Babies, Children | 0 Comments

Sweet portraits of 6 month old Annika! Can’t get enough of this lovely little girl. The weather wasn’t cooperating so we brought our portraits into the studio. So much wonderful pink! I absolutely love working with children.

Annika’s 6 month portraits at the studio

Intimate backyard wedding

by admin | Mar 14, 2016 | weddings | 0 Comments

There was something really special about this wedding. Actually, there were a lot of really special things about this wedding! I was excited from the beginning because anyone who starts their consultation by asking me if I know what Pi day is, has a special place in my heart. David and Mary planned a beautiful, intimate backyard wedding at their home in New Brighton off Rice Creek. It was so close to my home and the couple were such ardent environmentalists, I was able to ride my bike to this wedding! I packed my gear and a change of clothes up in the bike trailer and rode on over!

There were a lot of personal, local touches at this wedding. Everything from the cairns, the bride’s milkweed bouquet, the kransekake, to the local food and clothing were perfect for this celebration of family, culture and nature. When we went to do portraits, I found this section in the dormant trees where the light lit up the remaining leaves in a brilliant halo effect. It was absolutely perfect! The couple had all their nieces and nephews participate during the ceremony by bringing down pictures and tokens of loved ones. It was so very sweet but I was sure I heard them wrong at first when they said how many nieces and nephews there were! Another wonderful thing that happened was that David’s elderly kitty was the ring bearer! They attached their rings to his collar and David’s brother brought the kitty down. This was my first kitty ring bearer! During the ceremony, the couple released candles in milkweed pod boats down the river that contributes so much to their lives. One more touch I loved was that they had a musician for most of the day! He played during the ceremony and serenaded guests during diner. It was a really thoughtful touch we all enjoyed. In honor of Pi day, there was lots of pie! In the evening, there was a fire and enthusiastic games of kubb!

It was truly an honor to be a part of this wedding. I felt very welcome and left feeling like I had new friends! I would be happy to photograph weddings like this all year long! Thank you David and Mary for having me be a part of your day. It was a fantastic experience.

Happy anniversary to David and Mary, and happy Pi Day to everyone!

David and Mary’s intimate winter Pi Day wedding

Winter Wedding in a Southern Minnesotan Theater

by admin | Mar 7, 2016 | weddings | 0 Comments

Here’s another really fun and charming seasonal wedding for the blog! This winter wedding in a southern Minnesotan theater made use of the unique space and the season. The couple elected to not see each other before the ceremony but passed each other notes before hand. It was very sweet! The new family name was Cherry so the couple watered a cherry tree during their ceremony. After the ceremony, the groom’s sister, who was deployed in the middle east at the time, made a video call to congratulate the couple. It was a great way for her to be included in the day! The groom also sang a song to the bride during the dance!

Sarah and Dan’s winter wedding in Northfield, MN at the Grand Event Center

Ice skating engagement session

by admin | Feb 29, 2016 | Engagements | 0 Comments

Here in MN we enjoy our winter activities! I was beyond excited when this couple suggested an ice skating engagement session. It was so much fun and a bit of an adventure in balancing for me! Despite the challenges, I didn’t fall over once! After ice skating, we walked over to Pinstripes to enjoy the fire. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

Michelle and Cody’s winter engagement session at Centennial Lakes Park in Edina, MN

Winter engagement portraits in Minneapolis

by admin | Feb 22, 2016 | Engagements | 0 Comments

I love a couple who isn’t afraid of the weather! We met on New Year’s day to take these winter engagement portraits in Minneapolis. That makes this my very first photo session of 2016! I could not have asked for a more endearing couple to work with. They were so happy and clearly in love. It was an absolute delight to work with them. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding this weekend!!

Carolyn and Charles’s winter engagement at Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, MN

St. Paul winter wedding

by admin | Feb 15, 2016 | weddings | 0 Comments

This classically beautiful St. Paul winter wedding was lucky to have a warm day with a lot of glorious sunshine. I loved working with this easy going and charming couple. They were up for anything and we got a lot of really fun pictures at their intimate, cocktail reception wedding. Thank you so much for having me be a l