Getting Married in Minnesota | Meet Mark Fierst Photography…

Beer over wine. Carnivore over herbivore. Funny over serious. Sarcastic over boring. Butter over margarine. Chicago over New York. Star Wars over Star Trek. City over country. Pie over cake. Starbucks over Caribou. Instagram over Facebook. Movies over books. Fall over spring. Bacon over everything.

This isn’t a dating ad, and, no, I’m not describing the next contestant on The Bachelor. That bio describes Mark Fierst to a T, the meat and potatoes of who he is as a Minnesota wedding photographer, and if you are a pie loving, sarcastic beer drinker who wants your wedding captured candidly, starting with the engagement, read on.

He’s captured my attention with his bold stance on having a first look and his stunning shots at the Wayzata Country Club, but I thought we should all take the time to understand what Mark brings to the table and the type of couples who shouldn’t hesitate to book him.

Mark has an interesting background as a youth minister and this makes him the perfect fit for all of you millennial couples, especially you who are barely 21, feeling incredibly adventurous, comfortable being photographed (and in fact you already know your best angles), and want your wedding to be unlike anyone else’s. Mark’s your man. He’ll follow you wherever you go, taking pictures of your good side all the live long day.

But because Mark isn’t in his 20s, he’s got a maturity about him that also allows him to relate to those of you who are older, more established.

I want couples to have the opportunity to have the wedding experience with their friends and family that they are craving to have. That means executing the shot list efficiently, including family photos.

He understands and is comfortable with posing your family members during their time to shine. He can speak a language that your mother-in-law-to-be will hear, understand and follow; after all, who doesn’t you absolutely want your mother-in-law-to-be to feel comfortable on your wedding day. Trust me. As a planner I can appreciate the difference between family photos that take 20 minutes and ones that take, well, much longer than that.

Mark says,

“I thrive under pressure, and weddings are full of just that… emotionally charged and a one time kind of big deal. So, you have to read both people, the brides and the grooms. There might come a time when one of the two is done, I mean ‘just can’t take any more photos’ done. I believe you should be able to enjoy your day, so I’ll gauge when to call it quits, your wedding day isn’t just about taking picture after picture after picture.”

“I love when my couples are more affectionate, have more energy and they know their angles. Like during bridesmaids photos, when I can say ‘sorority pose’ and they all snap to it.

Mark is great at capturing that puppy dog love, the playfulness of your relationship. He is constantly raving about the couples he works with, about their dreams and hopes as individuals but also as partners in life. It completely charges his creativity and allows him to stretch his legs and push further as a creative professional. Mark has also noticed that generally younger couples will have larger wedding parties and he’s absolutely a fan.

 “I love how excited the whole wedding party gets, how they pump each other up and the whole day is just one big party.

Mark realizes that there is more pressure on couples because of the influence of social media. This comparison game is fueled by Pinterest and Instagram, something that weddings in the past never truly felt. He advises that you plan properly for those moments you want to achieve and the images you want captured, check out this article featuring his images and advice on how to plan for the moments of your day.

Working with Mark really starts to pick up around 4-6 weeks before the wedding. He sends out a list of questions, a shot list, your timeline etc. He also wants to know if there are shots out of the ordinary that you must have and a list of details or decor that you want specifically photographed. He also asks which family portraits you want + asks about family dynamics, because as any child of divorce will know, sometimes family photos are tricky.

My favorite part about the way Mark treats his clients? The friendship part. He likes to meet with you and your fiancé about two weeks before the wedding, for a beer (LOVE THAT!). You’ll talk through the day, and talk about the expectations you have for it. Then he makes it really easy for you to understand what kind of photographer you are getting, he tells you what to expect from him and the way that he works on your wedding day.

I want to be your Facebook friend, and follow you on Instagram (follow me back) that way I can see who you are as a couple and how I can best capture your day – and I especially want to see what you are pinning, so I can help you reach your wedding day dreams!

If you’d like to see more of Mark and his work as a Minneapolis wedding photographer, check him out on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest (yes, a man with a wedding Pinterest account!) or contact him for more information here.

Prosperity, Love & Happiness,