Reception

I'm ending this lovely display of our photos with a look at the reception. After the ceremony we did a simple dinner at a local restaurant who went above and beyond while having a crazy dinner rush with only four servers! So we had pasta, kids had pizza and I got some wine in my sweet Mrs glass. After our reception was over we decided to 1. give left over cupcakes to the amazing staff at Mama Maria's and 2. hit the bars. We didn't take many pictures and my selfie stick remains in a bag somewhere in my house, shame I know! Our wedding was perfect and we focused on what was truly important; us. It's amazing how our friends and family have surrounded us with so much love and support and we couldn't be more thankful. Now to plan the honeymoon, JK we already booked a week in DC! 

Photographer: Aysha Nicole Photography

RIP to the Mr glass that I ran through the dishwasher and ruined :( 

I'm sure Kevin, in the back, was doing a harry potter house quiz. No lies.

STUCK! 

Lake Weekend

A few weekends ago Eric's nephew Bill (lil' Bill) celebrated an entire 5 years on this great green Earth and to celebrate he "planned" a pretty sweet family day at the lake! 

Well, he actually met us at breakfast and let us know that we could do some farming, if we wanted to, but that there would be cake and presents too! But as soon as the word "lake" left anyones mouth it was lake this and lake that with a mixture of "I'm gonna go fishing!" and I said I'd join him because in all of my 26 years.. I'd never been. 

Shocker, right? Big city girl like me, never fishing! In my defense, these guys have never gone surfing or explored the beauties that is hiking with my family. Can you feel the sarcasm with the family comment? Don't get me wrong, love them, but my sister hiked in a skirt once and I haven't heard the end of it since. 

So we headed out to a damn lake (that is the technical term) and from the shore I proceeded to swim and feel at home for the first time in a very long time. Water is my life and always has been. I luckily got to swim with lil' Bill and Bailey for a good while, even in a short rain storm, which was heaven! There is nothing like sitting on a beach, drenched, having rain fall from the sky and be totally okay with the fact that you are the only one there because everyone else is scared of a little rain ;). 

Now there wasn't a lot of picture taking on my part, I've been trying my best to leave the phone and be in the moment, but thankfully others caught the glory of me catching my first fish! I mean, it was a catfish and my goodness was that sucker ugly. I wouldn't take it off the hook or touch it, but I was more than happy to pose. I promise that as the summer goes on, I will learn to unhook a fish and even clean it. I wish you could see my face. 

Actually, that up there is a great picture of my face. That fish re-hooked itself about 4 times before Eric could get him back in the water! 

Showing Bailey my fish, which she was much braver and willing to poke it. 

All in all, it was a wonderful day! Cut short by some thunder and lightening, but what else can you expect from the Midwest? Sorry, Northern Plains. 

Until next time! 

**PS** lil' Bill did not catch a fish, but that kid is seriously good at casting! 

Pembina Gorge | ND Adventures

This last winter when Eric and I first started dating I was incredibly home sick. My heart was dying from the amount of flat ground I'd seen in the last year and a half that it was hard to not dream of packing up and leaving all together. 

Thankfully, I have an amazing boyfriend who knows this, just by looking at me, and takes charge into getting me what I need; rolling hills and a change in scenery. After he took me to the Pembina Gorge, I made him promise to bring me back each season so that I can do a time lapse series.

So this weekend was the perfect time since we were already up that way for the Tetrault Woods hike and this time we were extra lucky because his mom and Wanda were with us! As you can see, the spring vs. winter is vastly different, but so beautiful in it's own way. 

Of course, how could I get away from such a wonderful place without conning that handsome man into a selfie with me? I also got him to take a picture of me at the edge, you know my dad's favorite place I go when hiking? Yeaaaaah!

Also, check out this gorgeous picture of a wild lilac. It's amazing to see these bushes that were so huge and barren a few months ago blooming with life. Again, if interested in a print, please don't hesitate to contact me! bellehiverphotography@gmail.com

Farm Land | Langdon, ND

Something beautiful that I've had the opportunity to witness in the last six months of knowing Eric is seeing his families farm. Before seeing this kind of thing up close I'd had a very limited knowledge and non-personal relationship with anything farm related. 

Langdon farm land © Belle Hiver Photography 2015 

Going out to the farm this last weekend was a little educational, but also just amazing. I never really thought about where certain grains come from or how vastly large the Northern Plains are, but after seeing these guys out there.. I have a new appreciation in my life for farmers. Obviously I couldn't help but take a few pictures. All of these are © Belle Hiver Photography 2015 and are not to be used without specific permission from me. 

Eric's brother coming over for dinner. He had been up till 2 the previous morning getting seeding done and making sure they were ahead of schedule. This is a 24/7 type of job, everything they have and their families have, is put on the line to bring wheat, canola and soy beans to our tables. 

This next set of three pictures is Eric's dad Hans, this land has been in his family for a long, long time. Hans' father, Hans VI, came out to the states from Switzerland and Hans VII has been working the land since he was a kid, probably close to 50 years. Eric has told me that this land is in his blood and I didn't believe him, until I saw Hans out there working and you can tell how much he loves it. 

Of course a weekend with his brother/parents wouldn't be complete without all the kids! Even though I work with kids all day long, I can't help but love being with these little's -especially when I get first hugs!

Sunday, Eric took me out in the side-by-side to see some more of the families land and get a real appreciation for how much there is to farm. We saw a barn - that looks like a narwhal- that was about 70/80 years old full of some pretty interesting things like turn of the century equipment! Of course a wonderful surprise is that they were mostly John Deere! 

My handsome. 

This is straight out of my camera, I was so happy with it! 

As I mentioned above there was old school John Deere equipment, a seeder that was from before John Deere, was John Deere. See my dad's side is from Moline and they love their John Deere. I found this seeder cap and just couldn't resist grabbing a picture. My dad and uncles are already asking how I can get this for them, I won't, this would be mine.. finders keepers? ;) 

I hope that you all are able to enjoy what I've provided in photography