Summer Shop Local Wedding Shoot- {MN Wedding Photographer}

In the fall local businesses teamed up to produce a styled wedding shoot featuring all services and products that can be used/hired locally to show what an amazing wedding one could plan by keeping all your business local. Fast forward to this summer and here we are with another shoot promoting shopping locally and utilizing our home-town businesses and services! For this shoot we really wanted to show a unique, eclectic wedding with lots of details to show you can really make a one-of-a-kind wedding like what you see in magazines right here in Fergus Falls. Wild Rose Floral & Gifts provided the beautiful fresh floral arrangements presented in vintage mason jars tied with beautiful raffia to complete the look. Majeco Creations provided most all of the propping for the shoot. Tables, chairs, antiques, jewelry and head pieces, etc. It is really a gold mine in there! One of the featured items above is a brooch bouquet, one of the newest trends in bridal options. You can purchase pieces from such places as Majeco, or you can utilize your own jewelry, or your mother's/grandmother's pieces, etc. This bouquet is SO gorgeous and if you do not have the time or energy to assemble one yourself, you can easily hire a floral designer to complete the look for you. Sew Perfect Bridal provided the beautiful gown for our bride model. Ben Franklin Crafts was involved with designing little crafty DIY projects and little odds and ends of decor. DIY projects are so popular now for your wedding day to really personalize the day. 715 Hot Heads provided the hair and make up application-- another stunning job well done by Lauren Carlson, owner of the salon. Forest Lodge Farms Bed & Breakfast was the setting for the shoot. I just cannot get enough shooting in out there. I am always excited to go back and find more beautiful locations to utilize. They also have an amazing chef ready to prepare and discuss wedding meal choices and he also can make cakes/desserts for you to choose from for your big day. Of course, photography services were provided by myself, Holly D Photography.

You can also be on the look out for a brand new wedding brochure with listings of preferred vendors and wedding information to be produced using these images and more. Keep watching for more details. If you are a vendor and wish to be involved in the next promotional shoot or want to be included in the preferred vendors listing, please contact Holly D via her website. To see more photos, just go to the Holly D Photography Facebook page and check the album!

One more word of special thanks to our models Erin Burns and Ryan Hintz and also to my amazing assistant Danielle Rund and Ashley Karsnia for all the help with the brooch bouquet.

Wild Rose Floral & Gifts http://www.wildrosefloral.com/

Majeco Creations 215 W. Lincoln Ave. Fergus Falls 218-998-2950

Sew Perfect Bridal http://www.sewperfectbridal.net/

Forest Lodge Farms Bed & Breakfast http://www.theinnatforestlodgefarms.com/

Ben Franklin Crafts http://www.facebook.com/benfranklincrafts

715 Hot Heads http://www.715hotheads.com/

Holly D Photography http://hollydphotography.com/

and the winners are.....

Congrats to the lucky winners- luck of a random draw of participants decided who won- Happy Mother's Day!

Ben Franklin Crafts $20 gift card-- Mandy Lee

Phatty Nattie's water bottle and one free month-long class of her choice-- Kelly Rotta & Heidi (blog entry)

Wild Rose Floral & Gifts $25 gift certificate-- Elizabeth Brown Werness & Adina Klemetson

Solhful set of fine art greeting cards -- Sarah Elizabeth Froslee Muchow

Holly D Photography $25 gift certificate-- Tara Price, Josiah Josephs, & Alisha Lindenfelser

Thanks everyone for participating- it was so wonderful to read all the great entries- hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day- Please get in touch with me with your contact information so I can deliver your prizes- thank you! hollydiestler@hotmail.com

Giveaway....TIMES THREE! {Mommy & Me Mini Portrait Sessions}

Ok- in preparations for the first annual Mommy and Me Mini Portrait Sessions being offered Saturday April 9th in conjunction with 715 Hot Heads Salon, Wild Rose Floral & Gifts, Phatty Nattie's, and Ben Franklin Crafts I am going to offer a give away each Friday leading up to the event- that gives you THREE chances to win one of three $50 Mommy and Me Portrait Gift Certificates! These are special gift certificates geared just towards this event. Want to get in on the action?

1. Simply become a fan/like each of the sponsors pages listed above on Facebook (including this one of course if you have not already ;) )

2. Leave a comment on each of the sponsors pages that you were sent over by Holly D

3. And last, some of you might remember this from the last contest-- change your Facebook profile picture to the Mommy & Me info photo located on the Holly D Photography Facebook page, I will also post it to the sponsors pages for ease of finding it. You must leave this as your profile picture until the event April 9th to qualify.

If you follow all three steps you will get yourself entered for a chance to win a $50 Mommy and Me Gift Certificate. This can be used towards your session fee or towards any additional ordering you might wish to do from the event. This does not apply towards salon fees, only photography purchases. I will be giving away three $50 gift certificates, you may only win one time in this contest. Each Friday I will randomly draw a winner from those who are participating and announce on Facebook and this blog. Good luck! :)

Mommy and Me Mini Sessions!

The details you've been waiting for! 2011 Mommy and Me Mini Sessions! Because your children grow up so fast.....because as a mom you are always BEHIND the camera instead of in front of it.....because you treasure photos forever for generations to come and they make incredible gifts...why not start a new Mother's Day tradition with annual Mommy and Me Mini Sessions with Holly D Photography!

Mommy and Me Mini Sessions will be taking place Saturday April 9th 2011 at River Inn Studio. They will be by appointment only and space will be limited to please get in touch as soon as possible to secure your place and get first choice in scheduling. These sessions are for mothers and children of "all ages" - from infant to adult, even bring grandma in for some priceless generation photos.

Your mini session with Holly D includes a 20 minute photo shoot with all images from your session presented in high resolution, fully edited on a disc with printing release! You will also get a free set of 8 mini rep cards featuring a photo from your mini session. Other products such as albums and story boards will be available for purchase at a special price the day of the mini sessions. All this is yours for $200! A portion of proceeds from these mini sessions will be donated to the Claire Ann Shover Nursery School. Discs and orders will be delivered or ready for pick up on or before Mother's Day.

As a special perk to these sessions, be sure to schedule a quick hair style and make-up application by 715 Hot Heads who will be at the studio for the mini sessions and offering their services at a special rate! Get all dolled up by putting yourself in their capable hands before your photo shoot and you will really shine on your special day!

Want more? Well there IS more! By scheduling your mini session you automatically get entered in to win the special Mother's Day gift basket with gift certificates and items sponsored by local business such as Holly D Photography, Ben Franklin Crafts, Phatty Nattie's Group Fitness- just to name a few! Want to increase your chances of winning this awesome basket? Stop in the participating vendors stores and with each qualifying purchase earn extra entries for yourself!

Have questions or want to get on the books for this day (it WILL fill up fast!) Get in touch with Holly D by phone (218.205.6383) or contact me via my website http://hollydphotography.com/ or Facebook or e-mail me at hollydiestler@hotmail.com

{Josh + Mindy} - MN Engagement Photographer

This was attempt #2 for a winter wonderland engagement session with Josh and Mindy. We attempted on another brisk (to say the least) winter day, but we just couldn't make it with the wind chill. Today we were bound and determined to power through and they were sure troopers!! It was STILL cold and windy, trust me, but we worked around it and their love for each other shined through and warmed up all of us. They were so easy going and just happy to be together and willing to try all my crazy ideas- LOVE that! ;) This shoot took place on the lovely grounds of Forest Lodge Farms Bed & Breakfast just outside of Fergus Falls (www.theinnatforestlodgefarms.com). What a beautiful place! We were also treated at the end of our shoot to some fresh, warm, made from scratch croissants made by the owner- that also helped us warm up a tad ;) We have more up our sleeves this spring with them and I absolutely cannot wait to take advantage of their full property without all this fluffy white stuff in our way ;) I cannot WAIT for my first bride to tell me they are getting married out there- check out their website and all their options for weddings! Another special treat about this shoot were some great pieces from Majeco Creations (215 W Lincoln Ave - 218.998.2950) right here in Fergus Falls. They are a virtual treasure trove of great pieces for styling shoots, your home, your office, or anywhere! Great selection and the owners are VERY helpful!! There were also some touches added from our local Ben Franklin Crafts (www.facebook.com/benfranklincrafts) to this shoot to give it just the right look. To see MORE photos from this session just visit the Holly D Photography Facebook page- there are SO many great photos showcasing our shooting location Forest Lodge Farms Bed and Breakfast and great pieces from Majeco Creations and Ben Franklin!