Back in the year 2007 I was 14 years old, and I was called to do my first wedding. Not only was it my first wedding, but it was the last thing for me to photograph in complete film. Shortly after this wedding my dad’s film camera broke. 
This is me with my aunt on her lovely day, so as you can tell I wasn’t the main photographer, but you could’ve defined me as a second shooter, even though I wasn’t shooting under the main photographer.
My aunt Dawn and her husband Carl met about two years before their wedding day. She graduated with a psychology degree up at the University of Minnesota Duluth. I’m not sure where Carl graduated from, but what he does is buys people’s bad debt so instead they owe him money instead of the bank. At least I think that’s how it works. Carl fit perfectly into the rest of our family, and that is he spoiled everyone. They were engaged by Christmas of ’06 and tied the knot September of ’07.
Dawn and Carl had stayed in separate rooms at a bed and breakfast where everyone was to get ready the morning of the wedding, and to do photos as well. This is the wedding planner helping Dawn button the back of her dress. 
My aunt Dawn always has the best, and most beautiful excessories…
Dawn is absolutely stunning!
The handsome grooms men… Carl is directly in the middle. 
Here is Carl and Dawn’s dad (my grandfather). This was the last family event he made it to before he passed away two years later.
His first site of her in the dress as she came down the stair case behind him…
Dawn and her dad, Forbes…
Dawn with both mom (Vivian) and dad (Forbes)…
Dawn with her mom and Carl’s mom…
Dawn with me on the very far left, then my cousin Sara, and then on the right is Dawn’s goddaughter Mileyana.
Dawn with my sister Savannah on the left and her other goddaughter on the right, Kia.
Carl with my brother Wyatt, then Carl’s oldest son (Carl Junior), and Carl’s younger son (Jesse)
The bonds of sisterhood… My aunt Nancy in the green with my aunt Dawn
Nancy, Dawn, and their mom Vivian…
The four siblings. My uncle Al on the far left, then Nancy, then Dawn, and then my dad Chris
Dawn and Carl’s son Jesse…
Dawn and Carl’s son Carl Junior…
Dawn has an obsession with antiques, so why not take a photo with an antique piano?
We decided to take a photo of the entire Martinson family since all of us being together only happens once every ten years.
Lost in each other’s eyes…
Dawn and Carl… Just before heading up to the church…
Carl’s flower…
His simple touch…
The beautiful bride…
The flower girl (Kia) and the ring man (Wyatt).
They were married in a small log church on the top of the hill over looking the city of Duluth.
The Lighting of the candle of unity…
Their reception was in a building off of the Canal. While guests were getting situated in the reception the wedding party took more pictures behind the building with the lift bridge in the background.
There was plenty of love in the air…
The newly weds… Dawn and Carl Green!
The entire wedding party.
One last kiss by the lift bridge…
The cutting of the cake!
First dance as a married couple…
Dawn and Carl have been happily married ever since. They live up in Duluth still to this day. Carl’s sons are both in college now. Dawn’s goddaughter Mileyana is a gymnastics big shot down at Oklahoma University. Her other goddaughter Kia is doing gymnastics in Duluth, trying to live up to her sister’s foot steps. Dawn and Carl have a house in Duluth, and a Lake House on the Wisconsin side of Superior.
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Through the Lens Photography: Photos by Samantha Martinson 