Z + A Carlson Wedding, Ruttger’s Birchmont Lodge, Bemidji Town & Country Club | MN Wedding Photographer

Z + A had an absolutely beautiful day for their wedding. With a quick passing thunderstorm, the showers brought a beautiful rainbow out to encourage them to wait out the sprinkles and say their I Do’s just they way they had planned them! They were married under the pergola at Ruttger’s as the sun glistened around them. Then we all rode across Lake Bemidji on the pontoon, for a fabulous bridal party excursion before the reception. They arrived in the sunset glow to their reception at Bemidji Town & Country Club. It was decorated splendidly and everything tied together so lovingly with their themes of love and togetherness.  DQ Dilly bars topped the dinner off and the dance (led by Jamie with Extreme DJ and Karaoke Bemidji) rocked away all night!

AKP CarlsonWED

AKP CarlsonWED

Here is a sneak peek at this super fun day for the Carlsons!

AKP CarlsonWED

AKP CarlsonWED

#OhHappyDayZandA was the tag for the new Mr. & Mrs. <3

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CONGRATULATIONS, to this dear couple!
I am so grateful I was able to be there for such a sweet wedding day.

Simon Wedding | Mahnomen, MN Wedding Photography. Northern Minnesota countryside home, Lutheran Church and Shooting Star Casino

Congratulations to the blessed Jake & Allena on their wedding! What a sweet, kind and caring couple. These two have some absolutely adorable kids, and I wish the best for them, and pray that their marriage is rich in love and always gaining understanding for their whole life. This sweet little Simon family was married on a cool and blustery October day in Mahnomen, MN. It was special that they all got ready–a big bridal party and all– at their home out in the curving and hilly countryside, before heading into the quaint church in Mahnomen. When they had their wedding ceremony, sweet little sister was carried to the front of the church by her two cousins, and then big brother actually walked his momma up the aisle. He was crying the whole time because he wanted daddy… But what a sweet picture of family it was. The new couple held their children during the ceremony, and the four of them shared a time of unifying themselves with the sand as a symbol of the four of them blending together permanently.

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Wedding Day for the Weigels | St. Philip’s Catholic Church and The Sanford Event Center in Bemidji, MN. Paul & Babe, Lake Bemidji Waterfront | Amy Kastenbauer MN Wedding Photographer

Congratulations to the ravishing Trevor & Liz! These two charmers held a lovely ceremony at St Philips Catholic Church in Bemidji, and then received their guests at the Sanford Event Center in a gorgeous Ballroom, as well as entertaining their guests in the lobby and out on the patio (which overlooks Lake Bemidji)! These two love doves are a perfect match, and I was glad to get to photograph their wedding day with them.

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Beautiful Outdoor Wedding | Pink Flowers, BWB Ranch, Rustic Barn, Grey Dresses, Bride & Groom MN Wedding Photography

I am honored to share some photographs from the Lind’s beautiful June wedding. The bride chose some special touches to make the day absolutely stunning.  Her dress was found at an Allen Evans Bridal shop in Moorhead, the flowers were from her friend Poppy Lane in Minneapolis, and the rings are from Riddles Jewelry.  They hosted their outdoor ceremony and barn reception at the lovely rustic BWB Ranch Party Venues. It was a tremendous day. I am grateful I was able to be their photographer! Congratulations to #thelindsinlove!

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FINALIST Photographer in the 2015 Shoot and Share Photo Contest | Contest Finalist with Photos from AROUND THE WORLD!

Hi all! I am so honored to be a Finalist in the Shoot & Share Photo Contest this winter! Waaaahooo!

“There were 30 million votes on 230,000 photos from incredible photographers in 120 different countries!”

You should definitely check out the photographs that were a part of this contest: http://shootandshare.com/photo-contest/ WOW. You will be amazed! Such talent, from all around the world.

Three of my photographs received badges or honors in the contest, and this one is which received the highest of mine: a FINALIST BADGE! This is Mr. Frolov, during his wedding week at Itasca State Park, in Park Rapids, MN. We had such a blast with the whole wedding party flopping the groom up into the air. And, I have to be honest, the mom-in-me freaked out a little bit. I mean, they are on a bridge, while it’s snowing, over the water, and they’re all freezing their tails off— so who knows if they’re going to catch the guy!? Well, they did! Don’t worry 🙂 This Russian Orthodox Couple was so fun to work with last November. I’m so glad I was able to shoot this wedding!

 

This photograph made it to round 10/10 in the contest!

 

Finalist Image in the ShootandShare Contest, of a Russian Orthodox Wedding at Itasca State Park, by Amy Kastennbauer, dba Amy Kate Photography 2016
Finalist Image in the ShootandShare Contest, of a Russian Orthodox Wedding at Itasca State Park, by Amy Kastenbauer, dba Amy Kate Photography 2016.

#shootandshare #shootandsharecontest

 

I hope to share with you a couple more images of mine that made some last cuts in the contest, too!

–Amy Kastenbauer,
Cass Lake Minnesota’s Winning Russian Groom-Throwing Photographer 😉 (Self-titled, hah!)

 

Family Photos on the farm with a gorgeous red barn, water and fields | Park Rapids, MN Family and Children Photographer

Photographing this family for the fourth time! They are the sweetest! I am so blessed that they hired me a few years ago to do their family photos. It was mom, dad, and three kids. At the very end of that first session, they told me they were expecting baby # 4! WAHOO! How exciting! Well, Then I came back and did family portraits, newborn portraits, and was able to capture them in their lake home before they moved out of state, and we have spent time photographing them at Itasca State Park at the Mississippi River Headwaters. Now, they came all they way back to Minnesota this summer just to let me get their photos 🙂 Well, okay, they wanted to visit family, too… But, I’ll pretend it was just to see me and let me see how precious newborn Ember has grown into a full-blown, walking and prancing little toddler girl!

 

I love getting to know families and their stories through what the parents and the kids say during our session and this family is the rule! They’re a beautiful family, and I hope I get to keep capturing their growth and changes whenever they’re “back home!”

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Beautiful Northern MN Cabin on the Lake and Rustic Barn Wedding | BWB Ranch , Hunting + Camo + Branding + Jars = GORGEOUS Wedding Photos

I LOVED shooting the Fallon wedding this past weekend, and I’m dying to get through them all, but until then, here are a quick two photographs that I really loved and thought captured the night’s events quite well.

CONGRATULATIONS to Rhett & Ashley on their marriage! What a lovely day! I am so thankful I got to be a part of it!
THANK YOU to Julie at BWB for having such a gorgeous property and hosting so well 🙂

AKP Fallon first dance- AKP Fallon Sunset-