Fargo Wedding Photographer Kris Kandel | A look back at 2012

With the first week of January behind us I thought it was high time to write a look back at 2012 – before it is February and too late, lol! So here are my favorite photos from the year – my travels and each engagement + Wedding session (click on their names for links to the full posts) .

2012 started out with a special engagement session:  Jake and Leah in downtown Minneapolis. Jake and Leah were stunning, and since Jake is also a photographer (Leah 2nd shoots for him) they were ridiculously creative and comfortable in front of a camera too!

Kristina and Brian wanted a few save the date images, but it was SOOOO cold that we decided to do a quick 10 minute session and then a longer engagement session in the summer. The day they chose to come to Fargo we actually had a few snow flakes, so it turned out perfect for their cute winter save the date cards!!

In late February I was able to go to WPPI and ShowitUnited – a photographers convention in Vegas for 4 days. It was one of the best weeks I’ve ever had!! The people I met were so friendly and open to conversations about our mutual passion: photography!! Being able to leave the frozen tundra for a week of 60 degree weather was pretty sweet too. ; ) The photo below was taken in the lobby of the Signature hotel where I stayed, and where the sub convention (ShowitUnited) was held. It was quite posh!  I got to meet so many photography “celebrities,”  learned a ton, and even got to cross off a bucket list item: Dance in a Flash Mob!! (we danced in front of almost 4,000 people!). Full WPPI post here. 

 

Daily Video: Flash Mob from Showit on Vimeo.

In March Kristen and Mark asked me to do a quick save the date winter session for them as well (this is getting to be a fun trend!), so we spent 15 minutes sitting in slush and getting wet, but it was worth it!!

In April I went on an awesome vacation with my family visiting our Dutch relatives in the Netherlands!!! Seriously it was amazing. I have a ton of blog posts about our trip but you can find the whole set here! I can’t wait to go back, I totally fell in love with Europe. : )

Spring finally arrived and I was able to do an engagement shoot with Jenna and Greg. I just love the bright fresh green this time of year! Jenna and Greg have such easy going, relaxed attitudes. We chatting about their dog (who I got to meet!) while we enjoyed a walk around Fargo in the springtime. My job is pretty sweet! : )

The following day my cousin and her fiance came up to town for their engagement session.  We had quite the adventure, I almost ran out of gas (but it worked out ok, Mckayla could change outfits while I filled up), and then later while laying the the tall grasses I lost my car keys!! We finished up our session looking over about 5 acres of grass for the keys! Let’s just say it made a good story, and I was SOOO glad this session was with family who could laugh at me instead of getting upset!! Thanks Mac & John!

Kristen and Mark’s Engagement session in downtown Fargo just a few days later was super fun! Mark can make anyone laugh, and Kristen has the loveliest smile, so together they are pretty sensational. Plus her shoes are so cute! The red shoe theme was carried over to their wedding where she wore red sparkly high heals as a nod to her favorite movie: the Wizard of Oz!

May 18 brought the first wedding of the 2012 season – Carrie and Justin! Their wedding was at the St. Ann and Joachim cathedral in South Fargo, which is sooo stunning in itself. Put a beautiful bride and groom inside and it simply can’t go wrong. Loved it!!

 Jill and Darin’s engagement session in downtown Fargo was so funny, we ran into about 5 other photographers and couples within a few minutes! It must have been a popular date and place! We just waved and laughed every time we saw another couple walking by with a photographer. : )

June arrived with a full schedule (of course!) starting out with Jake and Leah’s wedding in Minneapolis on June 2, 2012! We decided to do the wedding portraits, bridal party and family photos in Stillwater which has hills and cute shops everywhere!  So much fun! Picking just ONE photo from their wedding has been really hard, so check out their full blog post!

One week later on June 9th, Jenna and Greg got married at the Bluestem Center for the Arts! It was a windy hot day, but so beautiful and relaxed! Even their dog Darma got a cute outfit for the special occasion (see full blog post)! Jenna is so lovely, and Greg’s smile is totally contagious!  I’m so blessed that I will be working with their family again, I just booked Greg’s brother’s wedding this coming  summer!!

June 22 – was Alicia and Ross’s big day in Grand Forks. I photographed Alicia’s cousin’s wedding a few years ago, and completely enjoyed Alicia and Ross’s engagement session last fall,  so it totally felt like hanging out with old friends all day. This family is amazing, all the aunts help out at every wedding so it was really fun to see everyone again! And isn’t Alicia just stunning?! Seriously.

 Jill and Darin’s wedding the following week was gorgeous! They both have a lot of nieces and nephews so the whole day was full of kids running around making us laugh. Everything from ring bearers making silly faces during the ceremony, to a dance floor full of kids wearing glow stick necklaces (see full blog post). It was a grand party! 

July arrived with Mark and Kristen’s fabulous wedding out at Rustic Oaks Farm! Seriously, who doesn’t love a barn with a chandelier?!  The day was hot (which is to be expected in July) but beautiful, the prairie grasses, outdoor ceremony, sunset reception and barn dance were all picture perfect! 

In July I changed my business name from Kandel Photography to my nickname: Kris Kandel – and also had my new logo designed! I’m soooo pleased with how it all turned out! To read more about the story behind the logo click here.  : ) 

Trying to pick just ONE photo from Kristina and Brian’s Engagement session was almost impossible. Kristina is just too gorgeous and Brian obviously adores her. Together they radiate so much joy! You can’t help but smile just looking at the photos, so be sure to check out the full blog post!

August 3rd brought another wedding: Jordan and Kelsey!! We ended up taking most of their photos at Island Park in Fargo at the Gazebo because that’s where Jordan first asked Kelsey to be his girlfriend! So sweet : )

Nico and Elizabeth contacted me about their wedding just 4 weeks beforehand! Thankfully Elizabeth was in town at the time so we were able to get an engagement session done! I love the photo below with the huge reflection of Downtown Fargo in the building’s windows!

Danielle and Zanik’s wedding is booked for this upcoming summer (2013), but we decided to do their engagement session last fall for a fun look! It’s such a pleasure working with Danielle again! I photographed her sister’s wedding 2 years ago with Danielle  in the wedding party. I love reconnecting with people!! So excited about your wedding coming up soon!

Elizabeth and Nico’s wedding was quite the adventure! Nico and the groomsmen ended up being a bit late for photos so by the time we drove to the park I literally had 20 minutes to do bridal portraits, wedding party, and family photos!! But everything turned out lovely! It was cool to chat with the wedding party about where everyone was from: Tanzania, Nepal, and I believe, Angola (sorry Nico if my memory is wrong!)- reminded me of my childhood overseas. Also African’s sure know how to party so check the full blog post for photos of the dance!! ; )

McKayla and John’s September 22nd wedding at the Bagg Bonanza Farm near Wahpeton was gorgeous! Sure it was cold (the sun is deceptive!), but the rest of it was perfection! I loved so many of their details, pheasant feathers, knee length dresses with cowboy boots,  M&M’s (M’s for their new last name!), a personally designed alter space in the loft of the barn for the ceremony. Plus the bride is my cousin so it was like a huge take your family to work day!! : )

 Kristina and Brian’s wedding  in Fergus Falls couldn’t have been more gorgeous! The fall colors were at their absolute peak beauty, the wedding party was incredibly fun, and Kristina and Brian couldn’t stop smiling all day (well, except for a few happy tears after the ceremony).  Seriously check out their full blog post because I could have reposted all of them easily!

Oct. 3rd – The Fall colors are so gorgeous, but the sure don’t last long around here with the frost and wind. When Katie and Ben asked me to do their engagement session with the colorful leaves I have to look around for a while to find the last of them!  I just loved the way this photo turned out with the leaves turning into sparkles behind them.

October 13  was Tracy and Skyler’s wedding  day at the NDSU Alumni Center in Fargo!  My favorite series of images from their wedding was when the groomsmen got Skyler cracking up! Seriously the photos speak for themselves. No words needed. : )

November rolled around with another engagement session: Katy and Mike! We were initially going to do a really short 10 minute session for a save the date image because the weather was so cold, but the day brought 40 degrees, so we enjoyed the last lovely days of fall! Can’t wait for your longer engagement session in the spring!

December 1st, where has the year gone!  Megan and Michael were finally in town for their engagement session. We’d rescheduled twice before, once she was sick, and once the roads were so icy they couldn’t get to Fargo! But like they say, third time’s the charm!  We laughed a lot and tried to keep warm, which means lots of hugs and cuddles involved. : )

My last photoshoot of the season, on the last day of the year, literally lasted 5 minutes! Carissa and Casey met with me to book their 2013 wedding, and asked if I could take a couple photos for a save the date card. So we drove to a park to find a clean patch of snow!  Can’t wait for your ‘real’ engagement session this spring!!

Thank you to everyone for making 2012 such an amazing year! I’ve enjoyed working with each one of you and can’t wait for the 2013 season when I get to see some of you again!!

Kris Kandel | Fargo Wedding Photographer | Facebook Page