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2021 "Best Of" Weddings | Rule Creative Co || Central MN Wedding Photographer
Samantha Rule • Jan 07, 2022

Wow! 2021 was truly the highlight of my career. Fifteen couples that valued me and the other vendors and more importantly, valued marriage! I spent the good part of the year celebrating these amazing people and I feel so honored to have done so! Below I’m sharing a fun list of 2021 "bests"!

Most Epic Groomsmen Photos // Alex + Shayna

Groomsmen are usually the go-with-the-flow and "let's get this over with" kind of guys, so I could hardly contain my excitement when Alex said he had a surprise for his groomsmen photos - some quality cigars. This was a first for me and we had a ton of fun with it!

Check out more of their day here.

Most Bada$$ Elopement Idea // Rhonda + Ken
Rhonda reached out to me wanting to surprise her hubby to be with a sweet elopement idea and asked for my help in brainstorming some ideas. After getting to know their interests, I suggested a gun-range elopement (needless to say that Ken LOVED it!). Even cooler though is that I had the opportunity to officiate their ceremony and sign the papers to make it legal! Yep! I'm a certified officiant, too!

Check out more of their day here!

Most Hyped Reception// Haley + Nathan

Is there any other way to party it up when celebrating a wedding AND ringing in the new year? Haley and Nathan's day was seriously perfect from start to finish. And these party photos speak for themselves!

Check out more of their day here!

Rainiest Wedding Day // Brittany + Kyle

This day was beyond amazing with perfect styling, a gorgeous wedding ceremony location, and the most perfect reception. But we almost got washed away by a giant thunderstorm. Thankfully, the giant baseball-sized hail missed us completely and stayed north of us! But we did have to call in some help to secure the reception tent from blowing away!

Check out more of their day here!

Most Emotional First Look // Courtney + Chase

This day was a truly special one to me for many reasons, but one thing I loved the most was their intimate first look! Courtney and Chase privately read each other a letter after the first few minutes of their first look. THEN, Chase's sister surprised him with a remembrance pin in memory of their grandfather who had passed just a few months prior.

Check out more of their day here!

Cutest Ring Bearer // Jill + Eugene
Do I really even need to caption this one? Just LOOK at sweet Mr. Whiskey being so proud of himself and his big job at his mom and dad's wedding! This gorgeous elopement was another that I had the joy of photographing AND officiating - my favorite!
Check out more of their day here!
Most Epic Sunset Portraits // Jena + James
MOST of my couples prefer to sneak in some sunset portraits, especially for my summer/fall brides, but we caught the most perfectly golden sunset during Jena and James' special day. I try to urge my couples to make this time a priority because it not only gives them a little "alone time" before heading back to the dance floor, but it adds so many more beautiful options to their gallery.

Check out more of their day here!

Largest Family Photo // Kelly + Jeron
Both Kelly and Jeron have large families which means their family photo including just their siblings and their families was one of my biggest to date. We had to utilize the church steps to make sure we could get everyone in the frame. As an only child myself, I can only imagine how sweet it is to be surrounded by so much family!

Check out more of their day here!

Handsomest Guest Appearance // Rachel + Jeremy
While taking Rachel and Jeremy's portraits before their Duluth elopement (officiated by yours truly), this handsome boy trotted past us and his "person" told us we could walk over and get some fun photos! Being a horse girl, I was thrilled when the bride and groom said they wanted to do it. This boy got some extra hugs and treats and we were on our way!
Check out more of their day here!
Coldest Wedding Day // Ashley + Jeremy
Maybe this should also be titled "Bravest Couple" because these two hardly flinched at the subzero temps on their wedding day. Seriously - they don't even look cold in the photos!

Check out more of their day here!

Most Unique "Social Hour" Pastime // Kevin + Kelli
An avid golfer, it's no surprise to me that Kelli chose to have their wedding ceremony at the Albany Golf Course (which also meant some extra time at the driving range before heading to the reception). This was such a fun and unique way to make their day extra personal and meaningful!

Check out more of their day here!

Most Peaceful Ceremony Location // Lindsey + Mike
Held in the tall pines of her parents' land, the ceremony location that Lindsey and Mike those could not have been more perfect. The woods have such a calming, grounding feeling which added so much to the beauty of the ceremony. One of my favorites for sure!

Check out more of their day here!

Most Perfectly Paired Details // Nicole + Andrew
The color scheme and small details that Nicole chose for their wedding day were my all-time favorites from this year. The ladies at Wedding and Tuxedo Connection really came through on the florals to make Nicole's vision come to life. And a minor accident prior to the wedding left Nicole needing to change up her shoe choice last-minute, but they still top my charts!
Check out more of their day here!
Best Dance Party // Shawna + Kyle
Though I could have nominated these two for a bunch of other fun titles, the dance moves stand out above everything else.
Check out more of their day here!

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Samantha Rule specializes in timeless wedding, family, and newborn photography and capturing special moments in the Central Minnesota area. Rule Creative Co serves Albany, Minnesota and surrounding areas including St. Joseph, St. Cloud, Rice, Bowlus, Holdingford, and Upsala.

By Samantha Rule 07 Jan, 2022
It was a super cold New Year’s Eve day, but a perfect wedding day for Ashley and Jeremy. Their big day started off with Ashley and her bridesmaids getting their hair and makeup done at the lovely Urban Style Salon. The ceremony and reception to follow soon after took place at the Pelican Lake Ballroom. Ashley had chosen a beautiful woodsy theme with pine cones and dark green accents and it was the most perfect accent to the fresh fallen snow outside. Despite spending most of the day trying to keep our fingers warm, every moment of Ashley and Jeremy’s wedding day was sweet! From the details Ashley chose, to her first look with her and tear-filled dance with her Dad, to the laughs shared between the two as we walked through snow for photos. The entire day was perfect from my perspective and I hope it was everything they dreamed of. Ashley and Jeremy, you two were just fantastic clients. It has been fun getting to know you both more and I wish you the best of luck with your new life together!
By Samantha Rule 05 Jan, 2022
Haley and Nathan are a remarkable couple. Aside from being super talented, they also have really big hearts! Nathan is a project engineer for a boat surfacing company here in Central MN and Haley proudly serves her country in the United States Air Force. They've been through so much together, so having a New Year's Eve wedding was the perfect celebration for these two. They have a lot to celebrate! I absolutely love Haley and Nathan’s love story. Though they both had mutual friends in college at St. Ben's and St. John's, they never knew of each other until one of the mutual friends introduced these Haley and Nathan at Cowboy Jacks in Minneapolis. Nathan finally proposed while a they were on a long-weekend fall hiking trip on the north shore with some friends from school. As they were posing for a photo with their adorable Golden Retriever, Lucy, he popped the question. And as if it couldn't get any better, their friends caught the whole thing on video for them! The wedding ceremony took place at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany and the reception at the the new RReV's in St. Anna. Tables were full of the most beautiful flowers, and candles and the décor were spot on. The couple, with their family and friends shared heart-felt toasts, and danced into the night with their amazing DJ. I was so honored to be part of this New Year’s Eve wedding with Haley and Nathan. It was a wedding day I will never forget!
05 Dec, 2021
Emmett and his mommy joined me in the studio this morning for his 6-month milestone photos. Missy warned me that he's such a happy and fun little boy and it was so true! I had a blast capturing his sweet personality. Now quit growing so fast, handsome boy!
04 Dec, 2021
Leanna and Erik braved the snow with me before it melted away. These two are so darn sweet and I'm thrilled for them to tie the knot in 2022!
28 Oct, 2021
Introducing Lindsey and Mike Schmidt! Congratulations to you both on the most perfect wedding day. It was an honor to capture your day and I wish you both a lifetime of the joy and love you experienced on your special day! ❤
19 Oct, 2021
Today's newborn session with the handsome Mr. Kip was perfect. He was perfectly behaved and let me snap away while he got a little nap in. ❤ Thank you, Sarah, for bringing him in for his session and congratulations again on becoming a family of four! ❤
17 Oct, 2021
Lovin' all these sweet families I’m meeting so far during this busy season! And I'm completely obsessed with the connection the sweet Stangler family had with each other. It’s such an honor to document these precious days 🥰
15 Oct, 2021
First cake smash in the new studio was with this cutie pie. ❤ It's always so fun to see what kids do with cake during these sessions. Some see the cake and can't seem to get enough of it in their mouth but others, like Miss Ruby here, much prefer the "smash" part. Happy Birthday Ruby!
15 Oct, 2021
Had such a lovely evening with Mazie, Jeremy, and their two adorable pups. ❤
10 Oct, 2021
The last time I saw Lacy, I was photographing her growing and glowing baby belly and last night, I got to meet the handsome and adorably chunky Mr. Colson who is now about three months old. Such a sweet family and such a gorgeous evening for some family photos. Thank you guys so much!
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