Hey, it's Makayla. I'm a Duluth, MN and Saint Paul, MN based wedding photojournalist.
I can see the magic in everything.
In my decade of photographing weddings, I've always come back to this: the people and the relationships are the real story. And that story is best told by letting it tell itself.
This blog is full of the stories I've seen, the things I've learned along the way, and my best advice for creating a marriage celebration driven by being present and true to you.
Pour a coffee, a matcha, a tea. Stay awhile. Linger.
M
DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Imagine yourself stepping into a whirlwind of energy and excitement, where laughter and music fill the air and every moment is alive. This is exactly what it felt like at Abby and Max’s wedding. As a couple who have been together for 9 years, […]
February 19, 2025

DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER How lucky am I to have photographed Nicole and Seth so many times. I first met them when I photographed the wedding of Nicole’s brother, Mitch, back in 2018. From there, Nicole and Seth had a couple’s session with me, then the hiring of […]
February 16, 2025

CHICAGO SUPER 8 VIDEOGRAPHER | SUPER 8 ANALOG WEDDING VIDEO | HOME MOVIE STYLE WEDDING VIDEO Kelsey and Matt knew they wanted something different with video. They wanted something that felt honest. That felt real. Something that showed how everything felt, and not just a perfect rendition of it. Kelsey told me she looked for […]
December 7, 2024

ROLLINS MANSION WEDDING | DES MOINES IA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | FILM WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY | DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER I’m so lucky to be invited into Paige and Michael’s inner circle. Though they live in Chicago (check out their Chicago skyline engagement session!) they hosted their wedding at the beautiful Rollins Mansion in Des Moines, IA. They […]
September 21, 2024

THE MALTING BUILDING DULUTH MN | DULUTH MN CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY | DULUTH MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER It’s impossible to put into words the way that Makala and Andy will welcome you into their lives. The venue, The Malting Building by Clyde Iron Works, provided the perfect industrial backdrop for the gathering. It was such a […]
June 4, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER As I stepped into the beautifully adorned venue, my heart skipped a beat. The Lowlands was exquisitely transformed into an elegant and upscale candlelit haven. The soft glow of the flickering candles danced against the white walls, creating an enchanting atmosphere. I believe that […]
January 2, 2024

CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | DULUTH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Imagine a picture-perfect day filled with love, laughter, and stunning natural beauty. Picture an outdoor ceremony, a tented reception, and even dancing in a greenhouse surrounded by lush greenery. This was the setting for an unforgettable wedding that I had the honor of capturing as a photographer. The […]
December 31, 2023

In a world where our lives are filled with endless distractions and fleeting experiences, it’s the intentional moments that truly matter. It’s those stolen glances between loved ones, the feelings that escape from the depths of our souls, and the stories seamlessly woven into the fabric of our lives that hold the most significance. As […]
September 23, 2023

THE MALTING BUILDING DULUTH | DULUTH MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID DULUTH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Meaghan and Jonah wanted a quintessential fall wedding day – and they got it. The light and the colors were perfect for their quick getaway stop at Chamber’s Grove, but just as much so, the uplighting and fall colors inside their […]
January 14, 2023

LA POINTE EVENTS WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Ann Marie and Jaques threw a rager. They wanted their images to look and feel like them. To be representative of their people and their experience, without having to pose or do all the stiff “wedding” things. They wanted images that looked and […]
December 17, 2022

BOLD NORTH CELLARS WEDDING | ALEXANDRIA MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER ALEXANDRIA MN The biggest goal for Alissa and Kraig? To have an incredibly laid back day. And the brought it to life. Some moments to look for? Exciting getting ready and nerves. A sweet first look message. Ceremony tears everywhere. Team jerseys. […]
December 3, 2022

SPIRIT MOUNTAIN WEDDING | INTIMATE WEDDING | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER DULUTH MN Claire and Nick wanted to put their people first. Their thoughtfulness played out in every aspect of the day. They made everything people and experience centric. A few favorite moments to look for? An emotional buttoning of a dress. First looks, and looks, […]
November 26, 2022

LORING SOCIAL WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS, MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER MINNEAPOLIS Madeline + Stephen eloped in Chicago in March of 2021. But even then, they knew they wanted to still party with all their people, and have a celebration for everybody to be together. Which is how they planned their Loring Social wedding […]
April 9, 2022

LANDMARK CENTER WEDDING | SAINT PAUL MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER SAINT PAUL Joy and Mitch had a group that was ready to party. They hosted this beautiful, colorful, culture based event that featured TONS of dancing, toasts, and all sorts of celebrations. The Landmark Center in Saint Paul brought the drama was […]
April 2, 2022

CHEESEHEAD FACTORY WEDDING | THE FACTORY ON BARCLAY WEDDING | MILWAUKEE WI WEDDING VENUE If there was ever two people looking for a party, Jeff and Bryanna were it. From a thousand family inside jokes to celebrating the Bucks in 6 at every opportunity, their reception was the party they always imagined from the moment […]
March 26, 2022

SEMPLE MANSION WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS MN WEDDING | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY Morgan and Zack couldn’t wait to celebrate their marriage. During the chaos of 2020, they chose to get married. In the final days of 2021, they got to celebrate with their friends and family. In love with the look and feel of Semple Mansion, […]
March 12, 2022

EAGAN COMMUNITY CENTER WEDDING | EAGAN MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Joy + John knew what mattered about their event: the people. People come first, and from the start they were most excited about getting everyone together. They knew they wanted the “formal” portrait parts to be short and sweet, and that they […]
March 5, 2022

CLYDE IRON WORKS WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Sara and Ben had to wait a thousand years to get married. Or at least, that’s how it felt. After 7 years together they were finally ready and excited to get married – and then the pandemic wrecked their plans, as it […]
February 26, 2022

STOUT’S ISLAND LODGE WEDDING | WISCONSIN ISLAND WEDDING | WISCONSIN LODGE WEDDING Hayley + Mitch had an extremely damp, and extremely meaningful, event. No amount of water falling from the sky was going to change their event. They rented out Stout’s Island Lodge in it’s entirety, inviting many of their guests to party over an […]
December 25, 2021

SAWYER’S ON 5TH WEDDING | LUMBER EXCHANGE WEDDING | INDUSTRIAL WEDDING VENUE MINNEAPOLIS Jeff + Kenie wanted the easiest, and most ridiculously enjoyable day ever. Everything they designed was rooted in fun, guest experience, and getting to be involved with all their friends and family. They chose to host in the Sawyer’s on 5th venue, […]
December 18, 2021

SPIRIT MOUNTAIN WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER DULUTH MN Maria + Matt had simple desires. They wanted their wedding to not only be a celebration of them, but their family and friends. They wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, do formal photos as little as possible, […]
November 27, 2021

MAYOWOOD STONE BARN WEDDING | ROCHESTER MN WEDDING VENUE | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Maddie and Cam just wanted to party. We knew from the start that we’d be a great fit. They didn’t want to spend forever doing portraits at their wedding, and neither did I. We both wanted to focus on their people, their […]
November 6, 2021

GREYSOLON BALLROOM WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Grace and Adam wanted to spend their day their way. The idea of getting to spend personal time on their wedding day, as well as celebrate with guests, was important to them. In writing a timeline with them, we helped plan time that would just be the […]
October 9, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS GOLF CLUB WEDDING | JEWISH GOLF CLUB WEDDING | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER MINNEAPOLIS Anna + Nick hosted the most incredible party. From the more private Ketubah signing, to the incredible dancefloor, everything about their party was soaked in tradition and partying. Moments to look for? Greeting the grandparents. Slamming some popcorn before the ceremonies. […]
October 2, 2021

MODERN GREYSOLON BALLROOM WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING | DULUTH MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER It seems to me that so many couples who had been together for years chose to get married in 2020 – and then subsequently could actually have weddings in 2021. Kaitlyn and Luke have been together since middle school, which is an […]
August 28, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS GOLF CLUB WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS MN WEDDING | CANDID WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER MINNESOTA Joyful. If there was a single word to describe Missy and Matt together, it would be joyful. Having to postpone their wedding did not take a single ounce of joy from the event. Some key moments? Learning to tie a bowtie. Mabel […]
August 7, 2021

LESTER PARK WEDDING CEREMONY, PARK POINT BEACH HOUSE WEDDING, DULUTH MN WEDDING It was finally their turn. After a pandemic year of shifting plans and creating new ideas, Sean + Sarah were finally able to host their event. Married at Lester Park in Duluth, MN, and then celebrating their wedding at Park Point Beach House, […]
June 19, 2021

GATHERED OAKS WEDDING | ALEXANDRIA MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER I wasn’t quite prepared for what I walked into with Debbie and Shane.Of course, they chose a gorgeous venue and everything this day went off without a hitch. But while Debbie and Shane had an incredible focus on the people around them, stories starting coming out slowly […]
February 20, 2021

CREEKSIDE FARM WEDDING | RUSH CITY MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Rachel and Evan took a long and twisty road to get here. Married at the start of August, it wasn’t always clear that their wedding would be able to move forward. After a whirlwind summer, things were finally able to move forward – even if a […]
February 6, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER, THE COTTAGE FARMHOUSE WEDDING As someone who assists other photographers frequently, I had the pleasure of working with Laci Jane in July. We were both having strange seasons – mine being one of complete postponements and hers being one of the opposite. Having the opportunity to work on this wedding together was […]
January 16, 2021

MINNESOTA VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Julia and Dusty thought out every piece of their day. From adjacent getting ready rooms to a beautiful fall outdoor backdrop, every piece of their day was thoroughly touched on. Their families were also some of the most incredibly passionate people. The moms spent much […]
January 9, 2021

THE 3 TEN EVENT CENTER WEDDING, MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Everything about Robbie and Emily is centered around family.From their getting ready processes in both their own home and their family’s home, to speeches that touched more than one on their loved one centric lives, everything was built this day for the love they have for […]
December 5, 2020

GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB WEDDING | MINNEAPOLIS MN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER If there was ever a wedding built on family, this was the one. Kelly + Aaron from the top of the day through the end were completely dedicated to the people that were able to attend their wedding. From hanging out with their bridal party […]
November 21, 2020

NORTH SHORE WEDDING, DULUTH MN WEDDING, TWO HARBORS WEDDING, DULUTH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Kellee and Lee have so much joy in their souls. Kellee told me one of her most important things is dancing, and this did not disappoint. Not only did her and Lee have a surprise choreographed section of their first dance, but there […]
September 5, 2020

MADISON CENTRAL LIBRARY WEDDING, MADISON WI WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER I don’t think I’ve ever described a wedding as a melting pot, but this one takes the cake. With family who flew in from literally over 11 different countries, with a full day of exploring around Madison and having just the most adventurous wedding day EVER, this […]
July 18, 2020

MILWAUKEE WI WEDDING, THE ATRIUM MKE WEDDING Some couples are in love, and then some couples just surround the world with it. Liz + Calesta share the most rich back story I’ve ever heard. And that really was obvious through their entire event and the way everyone there just loved them. Even Calesta’s father danced […]
June 6, 2020

JX EVENT VENUE WEDDING, STILLWATER MN WEDDING, MINNEAPOLIS AREA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Lauren and Sam, like many couples, didn’t have a straight and narrow path to finding each other. But once they were there, their type of love was absolutely infectious. Friend after friend expressed their desire to have somebody who looks at them the way […]
April 18, 2020

DULUTH MN WEDDING, CLYDE IRON WORKS WEDDING When Hailey reached out to me, she knew she wanted two things: amazing candid photos of her favorite people, and to spend very little time taking formal portraits. I promised her both of these things. When the three of us hopped off our video call I wrote one […]
March 14, 2020

CREAMERY 201 WEDDING | MADISON WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER Chantel and Nolan and I have made so many trips together. I started by meeting them at Nolan’s proposal – which he hired me to photograph as a surprise to Chantel. Looking back this is one of those moments that starts a wild ride of moments that you […]
December 21, 2019

7 VINES VINEYARD, DELLWOOD MN WEDDING, MINNEAPOLIS MN WEDDING Every decision Emily and Austin made was in their own interest, and that’s perfect. They started by exchanging letters that had both of them in tears, and oh so ready to see each other. Opting for a first look, it was a pretty openly emotional one […]
December 14, 2019

LIGHTKEEPER’S LODGE WEDDING MADELINE ISLAND, LA POINTE WI, BAYFIELD WI WEDDING Rachael and Ryan have infectious energy. They wanted to plan their marriage party in a way that was small, and intimate, but also full of life and party. And they definitely did that. Everybody there was SO important to them, and they prioritized getting […]
December 7, 2019

DULUTH, MN. GREYSOLON BALLROOM WEDDING For some members of their families, it felt like this day would never come. Alyssa + Dominic were over 11 years in the making, meaning that when their marriage day did arrive, it was filled with greater than average amounts of love. From the family member officiating to entering the […]
November 23, 2019

SAINT PAUL MINNESOTA WEDDING, ABULAE WEDDING Micaela and Gaelin shared many of their own moments this day. From the morning through the evening, those moments in particular were what made for such a stress free day. Every single ounce of their nerves melted the moment he turned around for their first look. And from that […]
November 16, 2019

RAINY WEDDING DULUTH MN, MCGREGOR MN WEDDING, MINNESOTA NATIONAL GOLF COURSE WEDDING September 21st was the 5th most popular wedding date for 2019 – so going into the weekend, myself and all of my photo peers were fingers crossed on the potential rain that was looming for a few days. Though I don’t personally have […]
October 26, 2019

SUMMIT CHALET WEDDING, NORTH SHORE MN WEDDING Nicole and David coined their wedding for being as North Shore and Minnesotan as possible – and boy did they deliver. From the stunning mountaintop and lake views of Summit Chalet down to the rock name cards and dessert toppings, everything about this day was exactly Minnesotan. But […]
September 7, 2019
